[B][U]Chapter 18: Beware of Falling Children
“Tristian! Move it!” My mom called. Jacob was already downstairs waiting with my mom.
“ONE SECOND!” I yelled out angrily. I hopped off of my top bunk, and landed on the ground with a thud. I crawled onto my stomach, and reached for a box underneath the bed. I opened it up, and put the object of my torment inside of it. The pocket watch.
“COME ON! I NEED TO GET TO WORK!” She yelled. Only five days before she was in hysterics, along with me, watching my father’s casket be put six feet under and then buried.
I shoved the box back under the bed, and hurriedly ran down the steps. I was already dressed, and I already had my shoes on. My mom was already buckling Jacob in when I got outside to the car.
“Get in Tristian.” My mom commanded. I nodded, and hopped into the car. My mom didn’t trust me and Jacob alone, and since Justin was busy, she was dropping us off at the only other place she felt we were safe. It was a thirty minute drive before we finally came to the parking lot, filled with people and drivers. I looked up at the complex, which I knew was filled with stores upon stores upon stores. The local mall. Once parked, I got out, and undid Jacob’s baby seat coldly. He thanked me, but I didn’t care. I’d barely spoken to him since the funeral, and anytime I did, I was always cold about it. I didn’t care for the boy like I had when I had been kidnapped. I didn’t care for him like I had just a month or so before. I only cared that he was there, and taking up space that was totally unnecessary.
He followed me into the mall, as I uncaringly pushed pass the crowds of people.
“Tristian, where are we going?” He questioned.
“To hang out with the crazies.” I responded. We walked for about ten minutes and past an escalator, where I noticed a few teens hanging out. They didn’t seem to be from our school, so I simply avoided them. We turned a corner and low and behold, Jacob and I saw it.
“Van Dyk Liquor.” I read aloud.
“And AJ’s Boomstick.” Jacob read.
“Yeah… belly of the beast.” I commented. We strode over to the shops. “I’ll take Ger, you take AJ.” I told Jacob. I wasn’t too mad at Jacob now, but I was still distraught about how I felt about him. We separated, each going into different shops. I soon found Geremy sitting behind a counter, waving to me.
“Sorry bro, no fags aloud.” He joked.
“Than what the hell are you doing here?”
“Big talk from a little man!”
“Yeah; but my man’s bigger!”
“Right, I totally believe that.” We greeted each other with jokes and comments, but none of it was malicious. Geremy was like a brother to me, as was AJ.
“Hey man, how have you been holding up?”
“Okay, I guess.”
“Have you cried yet?” He asked. I nodded.
“Yeah, when I nearly punched Jacob at the funeral…”
“Why in the hell would you even TRY to do that?”
“BECAUSE!” I answered.
“Listen… Tristian. I know this is hard for you to get, but by all accounts, Jacob is your brother.” He said. I hadn’t even told him about why I had swung at Jacob, but he already seemed to know.
“How did you-“I started.
“Because I know people, Tristian. I know you must have been so pissed off. Were you jealous of Jacob?” He asked. Once again he hit the nail on the head.
“W-what?! Me? Hell no!” I stated.
“Your father adopted Jacob and brought him into your house as his second child. If I were you, I would start thinking about that, and honor your father’s wishes.” He said. He was obviously disappointed with me; but not nearly as much as I was with myself. It was a long time later before I said anything else. Jacob had come around the corner with AJ, who I said hello to and what not. Jacob though had a little issue that needed taking care of.
“Tristian? Are you still mad at me?” He asked, obviously upset.
“No Jacob… I’m not mad at you.” I said. In reality, I still was very mad at him. I was still upset; I was still human. And as any I, and most other people know; humans are nothing more than miserable piles of lies. I only added to that truth, and that pile.
“Then, I need your help with something…” He said innocently. I immediately knew what he was talking about.
“AJ, Ger? Where are the nearest bathrooms?” I asked.
“There is one right above us, but the service stairwell is locked up, and we don’t have the key. Go on over to the escalators and then make a right once you’re up on the second level, and they’ll be at the end of the hall.” AJ explained. I nodded, walking toward the escalators with Jacob right behind me. I noticed there were a few more kids there, and they seemed to be getting rowdy. I didn’t like the looks of things. Jacob grabbed the straps of his backpack, and got close to me. I didn’t grab his hand or tell him it’d be alright though. I simply walked. Only ten feet before we had to turn around and get onto the escalator, it happened.
“Hey boys! Look what we got here; a ‘baby’ and his ‘big bwotha!’ One of the boys said. Jacob’s grip got tighter, and I simply ignored them.
“Aw! And look! He’s got a diaper bag!” One said. We finally reached the escalators, and turned to go up them.
“Aw, what’s the matter baby? Daddy has to change you now?” The boy asked. That was it. I didn’t think. I acted. There will always be one saying I will remember most from the movie “21.”
“You weren’t playing poker, you were gambling!”
And that’s exactly how I felt. I wasn’t thinking, I was acting. I leapt off of the escalator quickly and fluently, being only half a story up. I dropped down, my fist cocked back.
“YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! I’LL KILL YOU!” I screamed, as my fist made contact with his right temple. He was knocked down quickly, and I made sure to land hard on his legs. I could almost feel the bones shatter and crack like eggshells. I was relentless. I swung and swung and swung, and he was helpless to do anything. His friends tried to help, but a single stare made them all back away. It wasn’t like the stare I gave to police Chief O’Doyle. It was like I was an animal, a beast. A monster, with the sole purpose of revenge. When I finally stopped hitting him, there were security guards around me. Jacob was being escorted by one of them elsewhere, while I was taken to a small holding cell. My mother was called, and arrived not too long after. It had only been two hours since I was there, but already shit had happened. I hated myself, and I hated that kid. My mother and I were made to sit down at a desk in front of a security guard there.
“Boy, could you tell me WHY you assaulted that boy?” He asked.
“Because of what he said to me; because he made fun of the dead.” I explained. He didn’t quite know what I meant, but my mother did. She stood up and asked to officer to come to another area where I wasn’t able to hear them talk. After some time, they came back. The officer looked at me with a face that had empathy, and sympathy.
“You can go; just don’t do it again.” He warned. My mother walked with me to another area where there were security cameras far as the eye could see. Jacob was in there, and one of the guards had been watching him. After my mother thanked the guard, she brought us home.
“I have to go back to work, but I want you two to BEHAVE! Tristian, I think you should go take a nap until I get home.” She said. I knew it wasn’t a suggestion, but rather a command. I strode into the house angrily, and walked up to my room. Jacob followed, telling me to relax the whole way. I didn’t listen though, and climbed up onto my top bunk. I looked outside, and noticed it was drizzling.
“April showers.” I muttered to myself. As I lied on the top bunk, I reminisced. I remembered how I had felt when I had gotten sick, and my dad was there to comfort me. I remembered all the times that I’d hugged him, and told him I loved him. I remembered it all. But my concentration was interrupted. I soon heard a familiar metal sound, and a box opening. I looked down, jumped off the bed, and looked down at Jacob. He looked up at me with fear, and angst. I snatched the watch from his hand, and then slapped him once across the face.
“YOU NEVER TOUCH THIS! NO ONE DOES!” I cried. I ran out of the room and into the backyard, underneath a weeping willow tree. I curled up my legs, and leaned up against it. My emotions ran wild. I didn’t know what to do now.
If only I knew what kind of monster I had unleashed.
If only…
I knew.