The Last of Her Kind-Chapter 1

Note to reader: This item is not complete and will take a long while to finish. Patience is accepted as of now.

Chapter 1
 
         Jack was drawing in his notebook. Again. Drawing stone walls was not his special skill, so he practiced on trying to get them look real. Being a self-taught artist sounded less complicated to other people peering down at his art, but to Jack, it was a challenge. He knew how to get some detailing on clothing, nature, and other sorts but never knew how to paint. That was his number one goal as an artist. He needed to paint. Sometimes, looking at his complete masterpieces, he always looked at them with color but in reality, they were black and white. He wanted to learn how to get the lighting on things and learn how to give the right emotion. He once tried watercolor on a printer scanned copy of one of his art and he hated how it looked once he finished.
         As he was just about to shade in shadowy areas, the door knocked and Jack set his pencil down and closed his notebook. Jack's mother, Miriam, came in. "Am I interupting anything?" she said, sticking her head inside.
"No. Just drawing." Jack said.
"Okay, in that case, can you wash the dishes please? I have a big load of laundry to clean."
"Sure thing, mom."
         In a quick moment, he was downstairs in the kitchen, scrubbing away at dirt and grease from plates. The thing Jack liked most about dishwashing was looking outside to the great country field. His family lived in a small town but not so small where you can run from one building to the other with ease. The kind of town that has shopping areas, salons, and other places they like to call the Town Square. Almost everyone knew eachother's names and everyone knew of Jack and his talented skill of art. "Oh dear Jack! I'm darn sure you'll be accepted to a fine Arts College" or "Wow! What amazing skills! I may be able to see this in a large museum!" And Jack loved that kind of attention. He'd show off his art all the time once he felt it and he always drew when he felt inspired. But now his inspiration is at a low level and he expects something to inspire him over the Summer.
         Just then, Jack's dad, Sam, came through the kitchen and greeted his son. "Hey, Jack. How you been?"
"Great, dad." he replied, washing away at the cups.
"Are you excited? One more day until Summer Vacation comes." Sam said taking the newpaper off the table.
"Especially this very year. I'm turning 15 and you know what that means." Jack wiped his hands with a towel and smiled at his father.
"The Lamberg Men tradition." Sam replied with a proud grin.
         The Lamberg Men tradition was a way of a Lamberg boy becoming a man at 15. Jack has waited to be part of it ever since he was 8; when his grandfather talked to him about it. At the year of a Lamberg boy's 15th birthday, they have to do volunteer work. Not the kind of work like at McDonald's or anything. The kind of volunteer work that will reflect on the boy's futer job.
Jack volunteered to be an assistant to a local artist who's home was about 27 miles away from this town square. He knew that either one of his parents could drop him off there. This job would start the Monday after school was over. He couldn't wait to learn how to do painting of any kind of art and help around. This was Jack's one and possibly only chance to learn this. This way, he can showcase his work and be accepted to an art college.
         "Hey boys!" Miriam came in the kitchen from the backyard doing some gardening. She liked to do gardening and grow some of her own vegetables. It was her way of saving money on groceries.
"Hey there, hun." Sam planted a kiss on her cheek.
Miriam set a basket of 3 cabbages on the counter. "So, what are you plans for the rest of the day?" she asked Jack.
"I was planning on going over to Zeke's house at four." Jack said, getting a cup from the cupboard for a glass of water.
"That's right. You two are going over to meet Harris." Sam remembered.
         Zeke and Jack have been friends since they were in Kindergarten. At about 11 year old, their favorite place to hangout was Harris' book shop. Harris was about 27 and owns his family book shop along with his mother and father (except his 10 year old sister). He used to babysit Zeke and Jack when they were very small.
         It was inching over to 4:00, so Jack took off and headed over to Zeke's house, just a block away.
 
"The Last of Her Kind-Chapter 2"