The Brotherhood 2: Young Warlocks

- My senior year at the Chandler Academy

private school began like any other, unfortunately.

Rich kids whose parents sent them to private school,

either out of tradition or the misguided notion

that if you paid tuition to go to high school,

you were somehow better off than public school.

Wrong.

This place was as bad as a public school, maybe even worse.

The uniforms, the bureaucracy, the conformity,

and most of these guys conformed, except for my friends.

This is Marcus Ratner, one of my two best friends.

I think if you said Marcus was a troublemaker,

that would be an understatement.

I don't think I can remember one week

and the whole time I've known him

where he wasn't either in trouble with the police

or in trouble with the school.

I don't think he does it intentionally,

he just can't help himself.

Of course, doing dumb stuff like this

probably isn't making it any easier.

Headmistress Grimes.

For some reason, she singled us out.

Watch this like a hawk.

Maybe because we were outcasts

we became easy targets for her.

If Marcus was the troublemaker,

then Matt Slayton, my other best friend, was the con artist,

always playing poker, starting betting pools,

working some scam.

As you can see, I had my work cut out for me

because the law of averages states for every John Van Owen,

AKA me, there has to be an equal and opposite number.

And there he is, Harlan Ratcliffe.

I mean, look at this guy.

He's prettier than most of the girls I've gone out with.

And you just knew this guy was set for life.

There he is now, showing off his pecs

with his two towees, Randall and Alex.

Now to set this up for you,

Alex, that's this guy here, he's dating Trini.

She's the one on the left.

And meanwhile...

Ta-da!

That's me, John Van Owen,

giving Mary, she's the one on the right,

the thousand yard stare.

Do I even need to tell you what happens next?

You see what I mean?

Of course I had no idea at the time

that Headmistress Grimes, Harlan Ratcliffe,

and the whole rich-dog-eat-poor-dog system

at Chandler Academy was going to be

the least of my problems,

and my life was about to change forever.

Okay, guys, now moving right along.

These are the stocks of Salem's Town Square,

and they were used as a form of punishment

for what we would consider a felony misdemeanor today.

Now, these are ceremonial knives,

believed to be used by the Celtic

and Druidic cults of the time.

In other words, witches and warlocks.

This dagger called Spirit's Tooth

was the main tool used by a witch or warlock

during this period.

And they used it in their sacrificing,

in their practicing of alchemy,

in the creation of their spells and incantations,

and to create a bond among the members of the coven.

Bodily fluids were shared or anointed,

particularly blood and tears,

things that a witch or warlock believed

held a particularly strong bond.

Needless to say, the spirits- - Hey.

We should've taken pottery instead.

Matt, you idiot, shut up.

You're gonna us both in trouble.

Hey. Did you see who's in our class?

No.

Mary Stewart, your dream girl.

Really?

- Well, in other words, for every evil that exists,

there is an equal and opposite good

that is just as powerful to balance it out.

But of course, now we know today

that witches and warlocks really had no true powers.

Any questions so far?

Any big words you guys want me to explain?

Well, well, well, what's this?

Looks like you're setting up for a game of poker.

We don't get to the poker portion of the curriculum

till the second term.

Oh, I'm sorry, Ms. Stevens.

Were these cards distracting you?

No, but they might be distracting you

'cause I'm selfish when it comes to teaching a class.

I like to have everybody's undivided attention.

- Well, actually, I've listened to every word

that you've said so far.

Well, I find that hard to believe

being you look like a Las Vegas blackjack dealer back here.

I'm listening to you.

- Really? - Yes.

Now that you ask, I can tell you

that I disagree with much of what you just said.

You don't say?

You know, you stand there and you sneer

at witches and warlocks,

yet I notice you wear a crucifix around your neck.

Now, isn't that a little hypocritical?

How can you be unbiased

if you favor one religion over another?

Oh, so you're agnostic.

Quite the contrary.

I know exactly what I believe in.

Well, I'm happy to hear that.

However, you have to give up those cards.

Personally, I believe in magic.

Okay, that was a good trick.

To teach that one to me

now that I have a new deck of cards, I mean.

- Oh, I'd love to teach you a trick or two.

Class dismissed.

Hey, John, you got a minute?

It's nothing heavy, I promise.

I just wanna congratulate you on your history paper.

You got an A.

Really?

Wow.

It's my pleasure.

Believe me, it makes me feel like I'm doing something right.

Well, I always did love history.

Well, it shows.

Look, I know you feel like you get dumped on around here,

but you are an excellent student

and I like having you in this class.

I know it's tough to fit in in a place like this.

- Yeah. - Just hang in there.

If you ever need anyone to talk to, if you have a problem,

if you just want some help, then please come to me.

- Okay. - You got someone

looking out for you.

Now go catch up with your friends.

So what did Ms. Stevens want?

I got an A on my history paper.

Hey, not too shabby.

So what's the problem?

Look, the reason I never asked Mary out

is because she's one of the popular people, and I'm not.

So?

Do you know what everybody here

thinks of guys like you and me and Marcus?

They think we're freaks that wound up here by accident.

What?

I think you finally flipped out, John.

I mean, you are not a bad-looking guy.

If you were a girl, I'd do ya.

- Don't you ever wanna fit in, just once in a while?

I don't wanna be like everyone else.

I wanna be better than everyone else.

Hi, John.

You got a minute?

Whoa. How did that happen?

Hi.

See you around, poor boy.

- Hi. - Hi yourself.

I wanted to talk to you.

I'm sorry about earlier today.

Oh, forget it.

Actually, I'm mad at you.

Me? Why?

- Well, I've been waiting for you to ask me out

for like two years, you idiot.

I didn't think you even knew I existed.

Well, do you care to start catching up?

You know, you're making fun of me.

I need to get to biology.

No, wait, we still have this unresolved

issue to deal with.

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about our first date, silly.

What?

Listen, I'm a coffee and small talk gal.

So why don't you say we go to the V Cafe,

Friday around eight-ish.

- I don't put out unless you spring for dinner.

One hurdle at a time, Donlon.

Why don't we start out with a latte?

And then we'll work our way up to a real date this weekend.

School's out for semester break.

A real date?

Yeah.

So Friday coffee, 8:00.

Don't be late or I'll kill you.

A real date.

Hi ya, Marcus.

Hi.

- I'm surprised you jog as much as you smoke.