Chapter 11 - Dylan Stops Over
Ewan's best friend Dylan stops over for a movie night so they can make plans for the summer holiday. However fate has other ideas.
Welcome to chapter 11 of this epic exclusive YA urban fantasy saga. Feel free to reach out or comment if you like this story. Your feedback is what keeps the magic flowing.
Dylan arrived just as Ewan and Anna we’re finishing the cleaning. Anna’s taxi was nowhere in sight so Dylan’s mum offered to give her a lift home which she readily accepted. Collecting her things Anna gave Ewan a quick hug as she headed out the door.
“Are you two sure you’ll be ok tonight?”
“We’ll be fine.”
“Well call me if anything happens and I’ll see you tomorrow, hopefully uncle Lenny won’t be too late back.”
Ewan smiled and nodded, “Fingers crossed, and thanks again for earlier. I don’t know what I’ve had done if I was on my own.”
“It’s Mac who we need to thank.” She shouted back as Dylan’s mum pulled away.
Ewan doubled locked the front door and followed Dylan in to the main part of his house.
“So, sounds like you've had an interesting day, spill the beans then.”
Ewan told Dylan all about his adventures, starting with Mr Hargreaves’s inspirational detention, followed by being rescued by Mrs McHenry through to Mackie and his mates being thrown out of the shop by Big Mac. The only element Ewan left out was the mention of the weird looking Chinese stranger, he still wasn’t sure if the stranger had actually existed or if he was a figment of an over active imagination combined with the summer heat.
Dylan just stood there with his mouth open taking it all in and once Ewan had finished all he could say was “Wow! I leave you alone for five minutes and your whole world turns to crap.”
They both laughed and Ewan began to feel better, the tension which had been building all day was finally released like a cork from a bottle.
“So what's the plan then? Dad’s away so Ewan can play?”
“Hardly, you know what he's like. He’ll go mental if I make a mess.”
“Well how about this then?” Dylan reached into his bag and pulled out some DVD’s and passed them over to Ewan. “These came today and were waiting for me when I got home.”
Together they scanned through the stack of classic kung fu films starring several of their favourite actors. “Excellent, this should keep us going for a while, do you want some popcorn?”
Dylan nodded and Ewan headed back towards the kitchen whilst Dylan headed up to Ewan’s room to prepare for the upcoming movie marathon.
By the time Ewan got back, Dylan already has the film cued up in the DVD player and was lounging back on the end of his bed.
“You know it’s odd,” Dylan said, “I thought I’d seen every one of Chow Yun Fat’s films, I’m not sure how I missed this one.”
Ewan looked at his friend, “you’re lucky. The only time I get to watch these is when I stop at your house. You know what my dad’s like with these films.”
“I know mate, I couldn’t believe the way he went off at you when he found the last one I left here.”
Ewan’s father had found one of Dylan’s DVD’s and had lost the plot with Ewan. The resulting argument had meant that Ewan had been unable to see his friend except at school for two weeks.
Ewan sighed and shook his head, “yeah that was unexpected. I don’t know what it is but he’s got a real bee in his bonnet for anything to do with violence and especially anything to do with kung fu.”
Dylan smiled, “I know right, it’s not as if it’s doing anyone any harm is it, it’s all just a bit of fun.”
Ewan paused, “you know what mate, after the day I’ve had today, just to be sitting here, watching this, is just what I need.”
Dylan nodded and reached past Ewan to grab another handful of popcorn.
“Ooof, did you see that?” He said pointing at the screen.
The onscreen action had got to a point where the hero was in the middle of delivering some rough justice to a gang of thugs who had recently beaten up his younger brother.
“Wouldn’t it be cool to have an older brother like that to beat up all the bullies and stand up for you like that. Mackie would think twice before picking on you.”
Dylans words seemed to echo the same thoughts that were currently working their way through Ewan’s brain. It’s something he’d wished for on so many occasions. As an only child Ewan had often thought about what it would have been like to have an older brother. Someone with who he would have been able to talk to, to share his deepest thoughts and feelings with. Someone to joke and play with. Someone who’d have been there for him after his mum died, and when his dad was at his most distant.
For now Ewan thought that Dylan was the closest thing he’d got to a brother but he would have been no better at seeing Mackie off than Ewan was. Although after tonight Ewan wondered if he’d someday be able to include Mac in that list.
“What about you? Would you swap your little sister for a big brother?” Ewan asked.
“In a heartbeat,” Dylan smirked. “She’s such a pain, always whinging and whining, telling mum any time she thinks she can get away with it, and mum always believes her! Mate you don’t know how lucky you are on occasions.”
A second later Dylans’s face dropped and he realised just what he’d said.
“Shit, Ewan I’m sorry, you know I didn’t mean that.”
“Don’t worry about it. I know it’s been years an’ all, it just that sometimes…”
“Especially after a day like today, right?”
This was why Dylan and Ewan were best friends, the two of them really understood one another.
A loud explosion on the TV followed by a particularly intense action scene was enough to drag them both out of their melancholy.
“Ouch! Did you see that? Now THAT’s a Glasgow kiss, he just ‘nutted that bloke clean through a brick wall!”, Dylan paused, hand full of popcorn half way to his mouth, “he could take out an entire army with just his head,”
They both laughed and returned to the film.
A few minutes later Dylan interrupted the action again, a thoughtful look on his face.
“So which one would you be?” Dylan asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Dragon or Tiger? In your stories, which one would you be?”
“Dragon.” Ewan answered without missing a beat.
“Wow, that was quick, you’ve obviously already thought about that,”
“I haven’t actually, I mean, I don’t know. Dragon just seems to be more…, I dunno the leader I suppose, what about you?”
“Don’t get me wrong, Dragon is cool and his kung fu magic is awesome, but there’s something about Tiger, he’s just a total badass and looks like he could kick butt all day long. That’d be me, I’d be Tiger! Brawn over brains anyday.”
“Well the adventures of Dragon and Tiger sound a lot better than the adventures of Ewan and Dylan that’s for sure.” Ewan said.
“You know if it wasn’t for the ginger hair you might actually look a bit like Dragon, at least the way you describe him.”
“Do you wanna hear something weird? When I was a baby my grandmother used to say that people with ginger hair were kissed by fire, breathed on by the dragon.”
“Ewan Wu, The Last Dragon… Nah, nobody would ever believe that.”
Outside a bolt of lightning lit the sky and few seconds later they could hear a roll of thunder.
“Hey Ewan, I’ve just had this amazing idea about what we can do over the summer.” Dylan said.
“You mean if it’s not raining all the time.”
Dylan placed another DVD in the machine and pressed play and they watched as the screen panned out to show a kung fu class in progress, the students paired up and started to repeat a series of basic punching exercises.
Ewan raised an eyebrow in a quizzical look, “what, watch videos all day, I thought that was what we did anyway?” Ewan said.
“No you idiot, look closer. This guy has his own set of instructional DVD’s about how to learn kung fu, karate and self defence, from total beginner to really advanced.”
Ewan looked closer at the screen.
“So you’re suggesting we learn kung fu by watching DVDs?”
“Why not, everyone’s got to start somewhere. We could meet up, watch the video then practice each part, bit by bit.”
“Are you mad? My dad would kill me if he found out.”
“Then we better be careful he doesn’t find out.”
“I dunno, I mean how will we know if we’re doing it right?”
“Look, I’m not suggesting we’ll be ninja’s by the end of the holiday or anything like that. But who knows we might be able to learn something useful and maybe convince your dad you’re serious about this,” Dylan paused, “about wanting to learn self defence.”
Ewan considered Dylan’s suggestion.
“You know Mr Hargreaves said, a friend of his that is going to help him with his bootcamp sessions runs a self defence class, maybe he’ll give us some pointers.” Ewan said.
“That’s the spirit, now, when shall we start?”
Outside the rain began to fall as the storm fuelled by rising summer pressure took hold.
Ewan looked again at Dylan and said “tomorrow.”
The boys settled back down and watched as opening credits to the next film from Dylan’s collection scrolled across the screen.
Twenty minutes later Dylan stood up and stretched, “Geeze, this one is rubbish, it’s all talking and no action.”
Ewan agreed and Dylan took this as a cue to continue discussing the days events.
“So tell me more about this letter then, what do you think it means?” Dylan asked.
“Dunno, but it’s weird right, you don’t think my dad’s in any trouble do you?”
“What, your dad? Nah, Can you imagine it though, Mr Lenny Wu, international man of mystery, Chinese super spy, Kung Fu fighter extraordinaire, living a secret double life as a Glaswegian chip shop owner.”
“Stop it. Your as bad as Anna, she recon’d my granddad once told her that dad used to be a soldier back before he met mum.”
“Well that’s it then, Anna’s too gorgeous to be wrong, I’d believe anything she tell’s me.”
Dylan had once confessed to Ewan that he was secretly smitten with Anna.
“Seriously, my cousin isn’t the slightest bit interested in you, and the way she looked at Mac tonight. You haven’t got a chance.” Ewan said
“So go on then, show us,” Dylan asked.
“Show you what?”
“The letter stupid, let’s see what this super secret spy message looks like. Maybe it contains a clue.”
Ewan picked up the letter from under the pile of DVD’s on his desk and handed it to Dylan.
“Looks like a load of gibberish to me.” Dylan said.
“It’s Chinese you idiot.”
“How would you know? I thought you couldn't understand Chinese?”
“I can't, at least I couldn't before today.”
“Maybe Mackie knocked some sense in to you”, Dylan laughed but Ewan didn't find the joke funny.
“Hey, What's this? There's something else in here” Dylan said shaking the envelope. He tipped the contents in to his hand and out fell another small piece of paper with something folded up inside.
“That wasn't there before, I'm sure of it.” Ewan said as he picked up the paper and unfolded it. Inside there was some more writing and a small golden key.
“Well, what does it say?” Dylan asked.
“I dunno, it's weird, I can't exactly read it, but I feel like I know what it's supposed to say, if that makes sense.”
“Ok genius, what does it feel like saying?”
Ewan ignored the quip, “I’m not sure, something about calling someone or summoning something.” Ewan squinted again at the letter, “I think it’s says Awaken the Spirit within the Orb and The One True Warrior will heed the Call”
The second Ewan finished speaking a massive bolt of lightning split the night and a large crack of thunder broke directly overhead. They both jumped as the window rattled in it’s frame and all the lights went out.
Dylan jumped, “Jesus, talk about timing. That scared the crap out of me, now turn the lights back on.”
“It wasn't me, I never touched them. Maybe the fuse has blown.” Ewan replied.
A second later the lights came back on and the heavens opened. Rain started pelting the windows as the mounting high pressure was released in a torrent.
Dylan looked out of the window at the raging storm, “Looks like the storm must have shorted something out and it reset itself”
When Ewan didn’t answer him he started to repeat what he said but noticed that his friends attention was fixed on the item in his hand. “You know what, I think I recognise this, I’m sure it belonged to my mum, or at least she had one just like it.”
“What are you talking about?” Dylan asked.
“This key, I remember it from years ago. My mum had this wooden jewellery box that my dad gave her as a wedding present and this key opened it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’ll always remember that key, my mum used to keep it on a chain round her neck. She said that dad had given her the key to his heart.”
Dylan faked throwing up until Ewan not so playfully punched him in the shoulder, “Ouch,” he said then asked to look at the key and began to inspect it.
“Have you noticed how the symbol on the key is exactly the same as the seal on the envelope?” Dylan said.
“Yes, my mum said it had the Chinese symbol for Wu engraved on it, what do you think it means?”
“It means that whoever sent that letter is probably a member of your family.”
“But I don't have any family, apart from dad.”
“Looks like you do now!”
This was all getting too much for Ewan. All he’d wanted to do was watch a few mindless films with my friend and yet here he was on the day from hell, his dad had disappeared, receiving strange messages from family he never knew and it felt like the entire summer was about to be rained off.
“So where is the it now?”
“Where's what?” Ewan wasn't in the mood for any more guessing games.
“Your mum's jewellery box, the one this key opens. If you find that you can see if it's the same key”
“I dunno, I haven't seen it for ages. I think dad might have put it away with the rest of her stuff.”
“I think you should go find it. Whatever’s inside might be important.”
“No way, I'm not doing that. It was my mums, I don’t even know where it is.”
The rain continued to lash against the window. Dylan’s face was reflected in the glass as he stared out in to the rain.
“Hey Ewan, the wind’s blown your back gate open, do you think you should go out and shut it?”
“I’m not going out in this, I’ll get soaked,”
“Oh, don’t be such as wuss, remember A brave man likes to feel nature on his face,”
Ewan smiled and completed the cheesy movie quote, “Yeah, and a wise man knows when to come in from the rain”.
Dylan turned back from the window, the wind continued to blow and the gate banged back and forth against the fence.
It was starting get late and after the long day it was obvious that both boys were tired and so Ewan readily agreed when Dylan suggested they call it a night and continue the movie marathon in the morning.
Dylan headed off to get ready for bed and it wasn’t long before they were both fast asleep.