Chapter 3

Arnaldo stepped through the back exit and appeared in the school's parking lot.

Noticing a distinct lack of either people or cars, he reached into the pocket of his vest and pulled out a pack of Silk Cut cigarettes and a silver lighter with an eagle carved into it in gold.

He placed a cigarette into his mouth, flipped his lighter and lit the cigarette.

"Ok, I have recruited one so far. But that's still not enough," he thought as he let out a puff of smoke.

"Ok Arnaldo, think. Where could another musician be hiding?"

Suddenly, he heard the sound of an acoustic guitar playing.

He turned his head to the source and found a boy with chin-length, sunflower blonde hair, sitting cross-legged at an open window. He was wearing a black muscle shirt, despite his lack of muscle mass, under a grey, sleeveless, unzipped hoodie. He wore blue jeans and red ALL-STAR sneakers and a silver cross that hung from his neck, rested at the centre of his chest.

His emerald green eyes followed the movements of his fingers as they slid down the neck of the dark brown guitar. On the base of the guitar was a painting of a red rose and next to it was written "Rosebud."

"That's a pretty good Guns & Roses cover. Not a single mistake while playing Sweet Child O' Mine. Still...I'm not quite convinced he's good enough."

As if he read his mind, the blonde decided to change the song and started playing a different one.

"Hearth shaped box? Well, colour me impressed. Not an easy thing to switch songs like that,"

The boy switched the song again and Arnaldo nearly dropped his cigarette.

"One Fine Day? The Pretender? In Too Deep? King of Kings?! Enter Sandman?!King Nothing?! Fade to Black?! Never meant?!Funeralopolis?! And all played perfectly?! Just who is this kid?!"

The blonde haired boy sighed and ran his hand through his thick mop of hair.

"Really? Are you really gonna make me play that song?" he asked and Arnaldo wasn't sure if he was asking him so he stayed quiet.

After a long period of silence, the kid sighed again, rested his guitar on his knee and immediately started playing at what seemed as lighting fast speed. This time, Arnaldo dropped his cigarette, his mouth hanging wide open.

"T-That's Welcome Home by Coheed and Cambria! A song that was meant to be played with two guitars and this kid is mastering it with just one! That settles it! I found my next member! I need him!"

Once the boy finished playing Arnaldo immediately ran to him and grabbed by the shoulders.

"What is your name?!" he screamed at the blonde kid with wide eyes.

"W-W-"

"Give me your name right now!"

"I-I don-"

"You need to come with me!"

"W-Wha-"

"I need you!" Arnaldo finally snapped out of whatever spell possessed him and he lifted one arm from his shoulder to cover his mouth.

"...I need an adult..." whimpered the blonde haired kid.

"I-I'm sorry. I-I don't know what came over me," apologised Arnaldo as he stepped away from the boy.

"No, no, it's ok. You just startled, me that's all."

"It's just that I heard you playing and I-"

"It's ok, I get it. No need to apologise," said the blonde haired boy as he raised his hand with a smile.

An uncomfortable silence fell between them and Arnaldo scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Arnaldo Caglione," he said as he extended his hand in greeting.

"Nick Hart. One of many of God's children," greeted the young man as he shook his hand.

"A religious man, huh? Alright. I can work with this."

"Well, Nick I am like you, a child of God. And it is this same God that has given me a mission."

"What kind of mission?" questioned Nick curiously.

"A divine mission! A most glorious and important mission!" proclaimed Arnaldo as he threw his arms in the air, imitating the preacher from his local church.

"The Lord himself came down and told unto me: ?Arnaldo, my son. I feel that my presence on Earth is failing and heaven's light is beginning to dim. I need someone, who will help me spread my love to the masses. You, my son, will help me find that man.'"

"Really?!" asked the blonde haired boy with wide eyes and Arnaldo couldn't help but laugh at himself and the predicament he currently found himself in.

"He actually bought it."

"Yes, my son! And you are his chosen one! You alone must help in showing that God is still with us and that he still loves all of his children equally!"

"But how do I do that?"

"With music!" screamed Arnaldo as he threw his arms even more into the air.

"You will spread God's greatest gift of all! music!"

"Music? I don't know... I mean, the only reason I play is because if I do, then the head chef will give me the leftovers of today's lunch to eat," as if on cue, a plate of spaghetti was slid on the floor next to the sitting boy through one of the basement windows.

"But you must! it is the will of the mighty Lord himself! Come! Join the music club of our school and you will be praised in Heaven as an apostle!"

"But I don't even go to this school. I still have to finish my last year of Middle school."

"Ask and thou shall receive!"

The boy grabbed his chin and pondered.

"I'm still not sure..."

Arnaldo sighed, grabbed him by his shoulders, stood him up and faced him towards the sun.

"Nick hart! Thine God has commanded thee this mission that you cannot deny! He is with us right now, Nick! Do you feel him, my brother?!"

"Please work please work please work..."

"Yes! I can feel him!"

"Yes, you do! Can you hear him speak?!"

"Yes! I do!"

"And what is he telling you?!"

"That I should spread His word through music!" Arnaldo spun him around and rested their foreheads together and started to scream directly in his face as he began to spin them around.

"And how do you plan on achieving this goal?!"

"By joining this school's music club!"

"And how do you plan on doing that?! You're still in middle school!"

"Where there's a will, there's a way! I know that God will help me in achieving this honourable task!"

"Mission accomplished."

"That is a wise decision! We shall gather with the other members at the fountain!" he let go of the young lad and he began to speak in a more normal tone.

"Will you join me?"

"Yes. I will," replied Nick and they began to walk to the meeting place.

"Can I still have my spaghetti?"