Gabriel Chapter Three Hike

Gabriel

Chapter Three

Hike

I wish I could say yesterday was amazing, but I can’t. I loved my time spent with Crystal, but there were a lot of high and low points and the low points weren’t good. She’s with Ryan. His plan worked. I can’t stand the idea of that scumbag with her. He doesn’t deserve her. He’s already sent her a picture of his filthy c**k. I’d wish an STD on him, but that would mean he would transfer it to her and I don’t want that. I can only hope that Crystal will see Ryan for who he really is.

I still think it’s funny that Crystal was so scared of my motorcycle. I was laughing when she squealed. I’ve seen her scared before, but not like this. She was truly intimidated and I want to scare her some more; if only to help her loosen up and not be so serious all the time. She’s so careful and focused, and I can see the constant stress she’s under. She seemed so much more relaxed after the ride. I’m going to have to take her out more often. If only I can get rid of Ryan. He’s an unnecessary problem.

The talk about Justin was another low point. I haven’t talked about his death with anyone. I don’t like to think about it. I want to think that he died happy, but I just don’t know. I would like to think that his last few breaths on this earth were peaceful and pain free. I wish I knew why he lost control that day. Even if he was wearing his helmet he wouldn’t have survived the crash. His spine was shatter and he ruptured his spleen. The head trauma was a Godsend; otherwise he would have bled out into his stomach, unable to move. I can’t even imagine that kind of suffering and I’m glad he was spared. I can’t help but feel someone caused him to wreck. He was always so careful on his motorcycle. There had to be another person involved. I wish I knew and I miss him so much.

I was a wreck after his death. I barely ate or slept. My grades started to slip and I had lost hope. My father didn’t help my mental state either. He constantly made disrespectful comments about Justin. Things that were horrible. He asked me if Justin suffered. When I told him he didn’t my father said, “Too bad, he should have suffered in pain. That should have been his punishment for riding a bike. At least he was alone. Ha! Here he was always hanging out with you, but the old man didn’t even have a family. What a way to live and die. I hope you remember this. Keep going the way you are and you’ll be alone when you die.” I wanted to punch him in his smug smiling face and tell him off, but Justin wouldn’t have been okay with that. Justin challenged me to be a better person. I didn’t have a car just yet, but I was about to get the gift of a lifetime. Just two weeks later, I was given the keys to Justin’s Trans Am. I cried when that happened. I was finally saved. I had a way out. If I wasn’t still in school, I would have left that day. My dad continued to pick at me but I didn’t let him get to me. From now on, I would stop believing what everyone said about me and I would believe what I believed about myself. I was strong, capable, and I would make something of myself. What it would be, I didn’t know. But I would make a difference. I decided that I was going to start every day by looking at myself in the mirror and saying that I am successful and smart. I repeated it to myself when my father would hurl insults at me, or someone would bully me at school. I wasn’t going to let them win and I wasn’t going to let their words hurt me anymore. I took everything that Justin ever taught me and threw myself into hobbies. He taught me how to work on motorcycles. I got a job and started buying my bike, part by part. It started with a frame and I built it up from there. By the time it was finished, I had a beautiful black and chrome Honda Shadow. I was proud of that bike and I still am. I’m careful with it, I don’t know what I would do if anything ever happened to it. The bike is a representation of what I can accomplish. It’s also a reminder of Justin. Every time I ride my bike I imagine him looking at me with an approving grin. Sometimes I imagine that he’s riding on his bike next to me. It was something that we always wanted to do together but it never happened.

I had to keep my bike hidden from my father, if he knew he would have tried to sell it. He tried to sell my car, but he couldn’t, it wasn’t in his name. I was able to stop him before he handed the keys over to the possible buyer. My father hurled every insult under the sun at me. I just hopped in my car and drove away. It was such a wonderful thing to get away from my dad. It angered him and I liked the fact that for once I could upset him.

There were times I would fantasize about his death. Why is it that someone so cruel and full of hate was allowed to live. Why could he have a heart attack, get alcohol poisoning, or even kill himself. On the rare occasion he would leave the house, I would wish that he would drive off a bridge, swerve into an oncoming lane or get hit by a piece of debris. Why was he allowed to plague my home and my family? Why was he allowed a life that he hated and scorned so much? It’s like he only existed to make everyone else miserable. Sometimes I still wish he would die, but I try not to dwell on those thoughts. They get me nowhere and they don’t fit in with who I want to be anymore. I sincerely want my dad to get help and change, I just don’t think he can or will.

My poor brother Michael, how I wish he didn’t have to suffer. I just hope I can get him out before it too late. I wish I could extend the same help to my mother, but she’s lost all sense of who she is. I do my best to push all these dark thoughts away. One day I will be able to reach my mother and my brother. One day I will be able to help them, but until then I need to stay focused on what’s important and that is getting my facility, focusing on my school work and helping Caden.

I get some clothes out of my closet, and put them on. I make sure I have my wallet, keys and phone and wave at my roommate as I walk out the door. I jump in my car and drive off to Caden’s house. We’re going to go on a hike today. His arm may still be in a cast, but he can still walk. The trail I have picked out is easy, and it would be good for him to get out of the house, after all, it is Saturday.

I park my car at the curb, and walk up to Caden’s house. I knock at the door and Caden leaves the house with a big smile on his face. “Are you ready to go on a hike?” I ask him.

“Sure!” He says. “Guess what?”

“What?” I ask, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so excited.

“I’m getting better at writing with my right hand!” He says.

“That’s great!” I congratulate him. “I told you, you could do it with practice.”

“I showed mom, she could read every word I wrote.”

“Well, I’m proud of you, and just remember you can do anything you decide you want to, you just have to work at it, okay?”

“Okay!” he says.

I turn on the radio and set it on Caden’s favorite station. He sings along to all the songs and I join in with the ones I know.  “Where are we going to hike?” He asks.

“We’re going to a trail called, Dragon’s Head.” I answer.

“Why is it called that?”

“Well, some say a dragon used to live in this area long ago. He was a huge, mean, nasty beast. He terrorized the villagers in the area especially if they didn’t sacrifice a pretty girl to him and he required one every fifty to sixty years �"“

“Why is that?” Caden interrupts.

“Well the dragon wanted a pretty girl to wait on him, clean up after him and feed him. For hundreds of years the dragon lived, and collected maidens. The villagers would have to line up all the girls ages 12-18 and the dragon took his pick. The villagers hated the dragon, but they were scared of what he might do if they didn’t obey him. Then one day, a prince in a faraway kingdom came to the village. His father was tired of his son acting like an entitled brat and told him he wasn’t to return until he had learned what it is like to work and provide for himself. While he was there, he fell in love with a beautiful girl. She was sixteen and the pride of the village. Her hair was long and soft, her skin was as white as fresh milk and she was kind and gentle. The prince served her family and slept in the stable. Then one terrible day, the dragon came to the village and issued its warning. It was time for the dragon to choose a new servant. The prince told his love to run away, but she would not because she didn’t want anyone to suffer because of her. The prince watched helplessly as the dragon picked the girl that he longed to live with for the rest of his life.

The people of the village mourned the next day, for the dragon had chosen someone who did not deserve such a fate. The prince was the saddest of the all and he was angry. How could the people in the village let the dragon be so selfish and spread such fear? The prince went to the blacksmith the very next day and asked for the finest sword. He obtained a glistening five foot long double edged steel blade. It was a fine piece of work and it was perfect for slaying a dragon.

The prince set off for the dragon’s cave, it took him a week to get there. He snuck inside and saw his love with chains on her ankles and wrists. Her clothes were torn and she was dirty. He watch the dragon growl at her and blow smoke at her and he became angry. He wanted to charge in and kill the dragon right then, but he decided to wait. If he wanted to rescue the girl he loved, kill the dragon and survive then he needed a plan. He needed to wait until the dragon was vulnerable and unaware.

For three days, the prince watched the dragon and found that he had a regular routine. Finally, the prince found his chance while the dragon was sleeping. He crept towards the dragon, careful to not make a noise and watched as the dragon’s chest moved up and down. Then, the prince held the sword up, tip down and plunged it into the dragon’s heart.

The dragon let out one big terrifying scream that was heard all over the world and died. The prince then pulled his sword out and chopped off the dragon’s head to make sure it was dead.

The prince carried his love out of the cave and returned to the village. They shared the dragon’s hoard, which was massive, and they all lived happily in peace until their days were over. And that is the story of Dragon’s Head; the trail that the prince took to the cave is the very same one we’re going to take today.” I say as I finish the story.

“Are we going to go in the cave?” Caden asks eyes wide.

“I don’t know if we’ll make it to the cave today, but one day we will.” I answer. I don’t have a lot of time today with Caden. I wish it were more, but I do have other things to do. I pull into Prince Victor’s Park, and park my car at the beginning of the trail.

“Are you ready?” I ask Caden.

“You bet!” He answers and we both get out of the car. I lock the doors and we walk to the path. It’s a colder day today and Caden and I are both wearing jackets. The wind blows and leaves scatter across the path peppering it with an array of colors. I see a few squirrels run into the middle of the path looking for a nut or maybe a dropped crumb from other hikers. Caden runs towards them and chases them away and laughs.

“How is everything going?” I ask him.

“Fine I guess.” He shrugs.

“Well you told me that you can now write with your right hand, and that’s great! Does your dad know?”

“He hasn’t called me or my mom.” Caden says and hangs his head.

Caden’s dad moved out of the house shortly before I started mentoring him. His mother was worried about him having a positive male influence in his life without his father around and asked me to step in. I was flattered and more than happy to do it. Caden’s father drinks, like my dad except Caden’s mother made him move out. She’s supporting herself and her son on her own and gets no help from her ex-husband. I wish my mother was as strong as Caden’s mother, but Caden misses his dad terribly. I think he always looked up to him despite his flaws.

“I’m sorry,” I say to Caden and put my hand on his shoulder.

“I just want to know if he ever thinks about me or if he cares. I think about him a lot. I wonder what he’s doing, where he’s going, or if he’s even alive. I know he wasn’t good to my mother, but he was good to me.”

“I know, Caden. If there was a way I could help you with that I would.”

“I know.”

“Hopefully he’s getting help and you’ll hear from him soon.” I tell him hoping against hope that it’s the truth. It’s so hard to be supportive of their relationship when I’m not so certain that it’s good for him. Of course a boy needs a father in his life, but does he need his biological father? I didn’t, and I hope Caden will see that, too.

We walk in silence, apart from the chatter of squirrels, chirping of birds and the crunch of the leaves beneath our feet. Sometimes walking is a good way to work out your thoughts, put them in order, and clear your head. I know that I’ve gotten a lot accomplished mentally while walking. There’s something about fresh air and nature that helps repair the soul.

I think about my own father, and begin to feel angry. Why does his memory still continue to hurt me? I remember Justin telling me that it was important to not let anyone hurt me. He said the oddest thing that I’ll never forget, “To move on you must forgive. If you don’t forgive, you continue to hold on to the hurt and continue to be a victim. We forgive, not for them, but for ourselves. It is only in forgiveness that you can being to heal.” His words have come back to me over and over. I have tried to forgive my father, but there is something there that keeps me from letting go. I still wonder why he is the way he is. I’m hoping that one day I can forgive him for who he is, but right now I guess I’m not ready. At least Caden is spared the hurt that I’ve had to face, but then again I guess he’s hurting too.

My mind wonders back to the subject of Crystal. What am I going to do about her? As adventurous as I was with Emily, I had never taken her to that spot that I took Crystal. Then again, Emily controlled most of the relationship. I’ve also never had sex in broad daylight in an open area. As far as I could tell, we couldn’t be seen and there wasn’t anyone else out there. I wonder why Emily never thought to do something like this. She’s not shy by any means. I just hope that I don’t have to hear from her or see her ever again. At least she’s out of Crystal’s dorm and the new roommate should be moving in soon if she hasn’t already. Too bad Crystal wasn’t in a coed dorm or I would have tried to move in with her. Then I could shove it in Ryan’s face every single day. Nothing would have given me more pleasure than that, except maybe truly having Crystal to myself.

“Gabriel?” Caden asks, breaking my train of thought.

“Yeah?”

“There’s a snake.” Caden says, I can hear the fear in his voice.

“Okay, don’t move, stay very still.” I tell him and pick up a stick off the ground. I tip toe towards Caden, careful not to make any sudden movements. I look down and see a snake staring at Caden. Its forked tongue flicks out of its mouth as it smells the air.

I’ve never seen a snake like this one and I don’t know if it’s poisonous, but I don’t want to find out either. I shove Caden out of the way and jab my stick at the snake. The snake strikes at the stick and clamps on; I walk to the edge of the path with the snake and the stick and drop the stick. The snake lets go of the stick and slithers off into the woods away from us.

“Caden, has anyone ever told you that you’re accident prone?” I tease.

“No.” He says his face is serious.

I ruffle his hair, “C’mon let’s go back.”

“But I want to see the cave.”

“I think we’ve had enough adventure for one day.”

“Oh.” He wines

“I promise we’ll come back another time, when the snakes are hibernating!”

“Okay.” He says and we walk side by side and I watch the path for anymore snakes that may be hiding.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” Caden asks me.

“Why do you ask?

“Well, it’s just that…” He trails off.

“It’s just that what?”

“Never mind, it’s not important.” He says

“It was important enough for you to bring it up, go on and ask.” I prompt him

“Well, It’s just that this kid in my class, Jacob, he keeps telling me that I’m too ugly to have a girlfriend. He says all the girls think I’m disgusting.”

“Caden, don’t listen to him.”

“But he has girls around him all the time.”

“I doesn’t matter if you have a girlfriend or not. Do you think you’re ugly or disgusting?”

“No.”

“Then there’s your answer. You’re still young. You have your whole life to have a girlfriend and let me tell you something about girls, sometimes they’re a lot more trouble than you want to deal with. You know, I didn’t have a girlfriend until I was sixteen?”

“Really?”

“Yeah, so don’t feel bad, and don’t get in a rush. One of these days you’ll find a sweet girl who will fall head over heels for you and then you’ll have to watch out!”

“Watch out for what?”

“She’ll want to be with you all the time, ask you where you’re going, who you’re with, and then she’ll want to marry you!”

“I don’t think I’d mind being married.” Caden says.

“You may say that now, but just wait! Once you start dating, you’ll never have any time to yourself or have any money either.”

“Why won’t I have any money?’

“Because, girls like it when you buy them stuff.”

“Oh.” He says. “Do I have to buy them stuff?”

“You don’t but you’ll end up buying them stuff anyway.”

“Why is that?”

“Because they’re so pretty, you won’t be able to say no.”

“I’ll be able to say no.” He says with determination.

“Don’t be so sure.” I chuckle.

“Do you think my dad bought my mom stuff?”

“I’m sure he did.”

“He doesn’t buy her anything anymore.”

“No, he doesn’t; but that happens sometimes.”

“I wish my mom and dad were still together.”

“I know you do.” I tell him and put my arm around his shoulder to comfort and reassure him.

“If I ever get married and have a kid, I won’t leave them. I’ll stay right there with them even if they don’t like me.”

“Caden, I’m sure you will and I can’t imagine anyone not liking you.”

My phone buzzes, interrupting the conversation. I didn’t even know my phone got service out here. I look at the screen. I have a text from Crystal, she’s asking me if I’m busy and wants to talk to me. I tell her that I’m busy, but I can meet her somewhere and talk to her soon. My phone goes off again and she’s saying that it’s important. I text her back and tell her that I’m out with Caden. She’s asks me who Caden is and I text her back that I’ll tell her later. My phone goes off one more time and it just says, Okay. I put my phone in my pocket.

“What was that about?” Caden asks.

“Girl problems.” I answer and try to change the subject. “What’s your favorite TV show?”

Caden smiles and shouts, “Spongebob!”

“Spongebob huh? When I was your age, I liked watching Pinky and the Brain.”

“What’s that?”

“Only one of the best cartoons ever! It’s about two mice that try to take over the world.”

“It sounds boring.”

“It’s not boring, it’s awesome! I’m going to bring it over sometime and watch it with you. One episode and you’ll be hooked.” I assure him.

We’re finally back at the car and we get in and I drive Caden back home. He doesn’t say much and waves at me from his door as I pull away from the curb and drive back to campus. I call Crystal and tell her I can be over, she asks me to meet her at the library. What is it with that girl and libraries? She’s always there; she might as well live there. I don’t have anything against books, but I’ve never got into reading them. I don’t even like the reading assignments that I have to do for my classwork. Most of the time I search what the story is about on the internet and take notes, and I do well on the quizzes and tests. It’s gotten me by so far, so why change that. It’s kind of ironic really, because I write a blog and I don’t read books. I’ve never said anything about it, but I wonder what my followers would think if I put it out there that I don’t really read?

I stop off at my dorm, and make sure I look good, and drop a condom in my pocket. You never know when something may happen and I always try to be prepared. I should have been a boy scout. I’m sure they would be proud.

Author's Note

This is a first draft so it may seem a little raw. Any critiques, corrections, or suggestions are welcome.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.