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Written by Shaela Druyon
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Tuesday, 05 August 2008 00:00 |
 Alex streaked down the hall of the gym, his knapsack bouncing wildly against his back as heavy footsteps pounded after him.
"You think you're smart, don't you, Freshman?" yelled a not-so-distant and not-too-happy Billy Tucker.
Alex rounded a corner and rammed through the gym doors. He flew down the school steps, three at a time, while his pursuers slammed into the weight of the closing doors, following hot on his heels. Alex smiled to himself in triumph, putting on an extra burst of speed now that he was out in the open.
The footsteps behind him faltered and slowed, and Alex glanced over his shoulder without losing speed.
His pursuers clutched at their bulky sides, winded. Billy leaned over his knees to catch his breath before straightening to shout one last threat in Alex's direction. "Chicken! You'd better run!"Alex didn't slow down. His initial exhilaration at finally humiliating Billy Tucker had given way to fear, as much as he hated to admit it, and he wanted to be as far away from Billy's ham-fists, as soon as possible. He hurdled over the hedge of the school grounds, his ragged Converse shoelaces skimming the top leaves, and made a B-line for the trees marking the boundary between Hillview High School and the backwoods.
Only when the school was safely out of sight did Alex stop by a cluster of Sweetgum trees to catch his breath, leaning both hands against the support of a low-hanging branch. The afternoon air smelled of pollen and leaves, and cooled his nose and lungs as he inhaled. He zipped up his blue-fleece jacket, ignoring its snags of protest, and cinched up his knapsack straps to their usual snug position under his armpits.
After a careful glance around, he headed out from under the protection of the trees and began his walk home, warming himself with reflections of Billy Tucker's humiliation.
He had never seen someone's face turn so purple. And for once, the laughter wasn't directed at him.
Then there were Billy's eyes--pained, questioning eyes quickly guarded by hate--and suddenly the pride Alex felt for his actions wavered with guilt.
The sun began to set as he reached Mirror Lake, and the graying twilight made twisted shadows across the hills. The leaves stirred, and the water rippled. It gave him a creepy feeling.
He quickened his pace.
Maybe he should have kept to the road.... No, then Billy Tucker might have found him in his truck. Alex cringed at the memory of being dragged through the town behind that truck on an inner-tube wearing nothing but his boxer-shorts and a blush. That was Billy's way of saying "Welcome to High School," to anyone who made him feel stupid. Alex, who had skipped 8th grade and was now the youngest freshman at Hillview High, easily fell into that category. The inner-tube incident had happened on his first day of school, and his life had been Tucker-tormented ever since.
At least he wasn't the one held back a grade pouting about not playing on the football team until he could improve his grades.
"Not so easy for a dummy, though," Alex said to himself.
He rounded a tree to step onto the pavement--and ran smack into Billy Tucker's 6-foot, 2-inch body.
"Who you callin' a dummy, Dummy?"
Alex's teeth clacked as Billy grabbed him roughly by the collar and pushed him down the hill in a shower of dirt and gravel. Sharp pain stabbed his hand as Alex reached back to brace his fall. He cried out involuntarily, struggling to pick himself up to run from his assailant.
"Oh, no you don't."
Billy grabbed his backpack and yanked hard, but Alex pulled the buckles on his straps just in time to release the slack and free his arms. The football player threw the bag aside angrily and made another grab for Alex, who dodged quickly around a tree and bolted. Something caught his shin and he went hurtling to the ground.
In the deepening night, Alex couldn't see his attackers' faces clearly, but the shuffling sounds coming from both sides of him told him that there were at least 2 others with Billy. Fear seized Alex's heart as a pair of hands clamped around each of his arms, forced him up, and dragged him through the trees. He struggled uselessly.
"Take him out on the dock," ordered Billy, and Alex's face paled in the darkness. He dug his heels into the dirt and leaned all his weight back, but his captors simply lifted him off the ground and continued over the swaying planks of wood suspended over the water.
"No! Stop!" Alex cried in panic. He could see the sky's gray reflection rippling in the lake.
"Aww, what's'a'matter? Wittle Fweshman doesn't wike water?" Billy grabbed a handful of Alex's shirt and pulled him up to his brick-like face. His voice became sinister. "Maybe a little swim will change your mind."
Alex's eyes widened and his mouth stuttered. "I can't, I can't--"
"You can't what, Cry-baby?"
"I ca--I...I can't--"
"Can't WHAT?"
"I can't swim!"
There was silence. A cricket chirped.
The boys on either side of him broke out in loud, cruel laughter, and Billy threw his head back with a guffaw.
"Then I'm gonna do you a favor, Twig." Billy took another handful of Alex's shirt and began to drag him toward the edge of the dock. "Lesson one: don't sink." He made as if to pitch Alex over, but pulled him back suddenly, making Alex's stomach jump. "Lesson two: don't breathe the water." Again he made a pitching motion, this time sending Alex a little closer to the edge before pulling him back. Alex's heart pounded in his ears as Billy's hot breath whispered into them, "Lesson three: don't you ever mess with me again, Freak."
"Aaaaahhhh!" Cold water crashed over him as Alex flew headlong into the water, shocking his system and sending him into a crazed panic. He dragged his wiry limbs through the water and struck out blindly for the surface, feeling only weightlessness and liquid all around.
He found the surface. "Help!" Water washed over his words. "Help!" he choked again as his head came above water, and he just managed to gulp a breath of air before tumbling under again. He kicked wildly, in his confusion only succeeding to push himself deeper into the water. His lungs burned. His head swam in blackness and desperation as he felt his consciousness dimming. His world span. Something heavy fell onto his chest, knocking any remaining oxygen out of his lungs and bearing him down, down, down...
A wall of cold air hit his face as he broke the surface, and Alex instinctively drew in a sharp breath, his eyes clenched shut in panic. He felt himself being towed rhythmically, wakes of displaced water clutching at his limbs.
"Billy, come on, man," said a scared voice. "Let's get out of here!"
Alex heard a muttered curse, then wooden planks rattling with hurried footsteps and a muttered sound of disapproval close to his ear. This made him turn his head in alarm.
"Relax," the voice said simply. It was a strong voice, and despite Alex's phobia of open water, he did relax a little (which made it easier for his rescuer to swim) and focused his thoughts on breathing evenly.
In...out...inhale...exhale....
He suddenly felt ground beneath his legs, and in a burst of adrenaline, scrambled out of the water to collapse onto the green bank. He clutched soft blades of grass between his trembling fingers and pressed himself into the solid, dependable earth, feeling new appreciation for it.
"I love solidity. I love solidity," he murmured over and over.
"Are you alright?" said his rescuer, who had kneeled beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Alex made a noise and nodded feebly, a wave of sickness washing over him. He heaved into the grass. The other boy waited patiently for Alex to finish. Finally, Alex waved his hand in an "I'm fine" gesture.
"Look, I live just down the street. Why don't you come over and dry off? Mom's probably got dinner ready, and you're welcome to join us. You can use my phone to call home and let your family know where you are."
"Yeah..." Alex didn't really want to get up yet, but he forced himself into a sitting position and briefly met his rescuer's eyes with his own before looking down again. "Thanks." For some reason, he felt angry and a little embarrassed. Or maybe he felt angry for feeling embarrassed.
"Don't worry about it," Jase said. "We all need help now and then, right? You'll return the favor someday. I'm Jase, by the way."
"Oh...uhh, Alex." He shook the offered hand.
"Well, then, Alex," Jase pulled him to his feet, "nice to meet you."
The older boy's eyes flashed blue in the rising moonlight, and his wet blonde hair clung in little curls to his pronounced forehead. There was something wild about him, something untamed, yet with an air of maturity that went beyond the years of most adults Alex had met.
"Lets get home where it's dry," Jase said, patting Alex's shoulder with a watery slap. "Just let me get my things."
He jogged off a ways to a jacket lying on the lakeshore while Alex followed with rubbery legs. Once lit with a nonchalant smile, Jase's expression darkened as he continued to look around the ground where the jacket had been.
"What are you looking for?" Alex began glancing around the area, but there were too many shadows to see clearly. He began to feel anxious to get indoors.
"My book. I left it right here on my jacket...."
"Can you get it tomorrow?" Alex said, rubbing his arms for warmth. It was getting colder quickly, and if he didn't know better, he'd have thought the shadows were reaching out for him. He took an unconscious step closer to Jase.
"It was right here...right here." Jase's voice picked up a note of anxiety. His eyes darted up suddenly, startling Alex.
Everything stopped.
A black shadow, so black it made the other shadows look dark blue in comparison, had risen from the ground between them, hovering like a snake poised to strike.
Then, just as suddenly as it had formed, the shadow sprang at Jase's heart. The older boy dodged aside and thrust out his arms to tangle it just before it struck, but another shadow formed at his feet and wrapped around his legs.
Alex stood transfixed to his spot, terrified. None of the shadows seemed to take any notice of him.
Jase, however, struggled fiercely. The shadow he had caught in his arms still lunged at his heart, and his legs were so entangled by the other that Alex could hardly see them through the blackness.
"Get off me!" he commanded, and the one at his feet retreated slightly. "In the name of the true King, get OFF!" Jase pulled one of his legs out of the dark mass and brought his heel down hard on it.
Black smoke exploded from the spot with a furious squeal, hovering in the air like a cloud of poisonous gas before a sudden gust of warm wind snatched them both away.
Jase mumbled something under his breath, and Alex could just make out the words, "...and the peace of the King, which surpasses all understanding, will guard my heart...." The other boy gave a grunt and cast the second shadow down. It writhed as though in pain, shrinking smaller and smaller as Jase continued to mumble, until it shrank to the size of a worm, dug its black head frantically into the dirt and disappeared.
Jase straightened from his fighting stance and looked right at Alex, who suddenly wasn't sure what he had just seen. It was all becoming some strange and distant memory. A dream, really. Now, nothing.
"Is everything all right?" he asked, only recalling that Jase had been looking for something.
After another glance up and down the lakeshore, understanding relaxed Jase's features.
"What? Did you remember something?"
"Yes," Jase said, putting a hand on Alex's shoulder as they walked toward the street.
"Well?"
Jase donned his Hillview letterman jacket with a final glance at where he had last seen the Book. His eyes narrowed. "Only who I was dealing with."
To be continued...
1 Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
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