In the Castle's Shadow

“This project will count as 40 percent of your final grade. In order to pass the class, you must complete it and turn it in on time. I will not accept any late turn ins,” Connor’s ears perked at that last bit.

The sandy haired sophomore had been skating through his psychology class, doing the absolute minimum he could to maintain his scholarship. His heart sank as he processed what the elderly woman had said. Her voice was an irritating mixture of shaky and monotone he often found himself tuning her out. He spent the majority of the two hour course reviewing soccer plays in his mind. The few times the professor called on him to answer a question, he would flash her a smile and spout out a generic answer. Connor learned early on in his life that his smile could get him out of most situations. His ex had always given him a hard time about it.

Connor had to do well on this project. His financial aid advisory had made it clear that he was on the verge of loosing his soccer scholarship. Without that scholarship, he would have to drop out of college and get a job at one of the local carpet mills. Without a degree, carpet was all that waited in his future. He flipped through the handout, trying to figure out what the project was about. His heart sank even further as he read.

The project was a genealogy project, designed to help students analyze their genetics. They were supposed to record one story from every living relative and as much of their medical history as they cared to share. Once they gathered the information, they needed to make a graph showing what traits and diseases were common in their line. Connor had to get a good grade, but he doubted it was possible. His only living relative was a great uncle on his father’s side who he had never met. He could not even remember his name.

As the professor released them for the day, Connor hung back. He wanted to make her aware of his situation. He did not want to loose his scholarship because he could not reach his uncle.

“Ah, Mr. Andron, I assume you have an issue with the project,” she hardly looked up from her papers.

Connor knew immediately that she was not going to listen to any excuses. Her tone made that abundantly clear. He sighed and pushed forward.

“The syllabus says that we need to interview as many living relatives as we can. I only have my parents and a great uncle that I’ve never met,” Connor started.

“Then think of this project as a perfect opportunity to meet this uncle,” her voice brooked no room for arguments.

“But he doesn’t even live here, he lives in Romania,” Connor tried to reason with her.

“I have watched you daydream this entire semester Mr. Andron. I know what is at stake for you, so you must do whatever it takes to get a good grade.” She continued over his protests, “Yes, that means contacting your uncle. I look forward to your report.”

Connor watched in disbelief as the woman tottered into her office. He knew it was a long shot, but he could not help being disappointed. He stuffed the syllabus into his back pack, adding it to the mess of crumpled papers. Dread filled him as he walked towards the soccer pitch. He did not want to answer the daily questions from his coaches about how his grades were looking. He was not sure he could keep up the appearance of passing. He wanted to slap himself for once again getting into such a desperate situation. He was not a bad student, just a little lazy.

The clouds hung low and heavy over the field. Playing soccer in the rain was sure to improve his mood, despite his grandmother’s warning echoing in his mind. When the sky sky presses in, the bad crowds around. His grandmother had been a superstitious woman, her Romanian beliefs heavily influencing her life. Connor had never put much stock in her beliefs, but today, the clouds looked foreboding. He tried to shake the feeling as his coach’s whistle pierced the air. Soon enough, he was sweating too hard to focus on old superstitions.

Jessica