The Legend Unleashed. L.S. Strange
was still on the field and that voice. He turned and saw John on the ground. He reached down and put his hand under John’s arm to help him up. Ron cried, “What the hell happened?”
John stood up and spit out the few remaining bits of leaves in his mouth. His disheveled appearance matched the beseeching look on his face. Ron smoothed John’s hair and straightened his shirt.
“You okay, man?”
“Yeah, I’m okay.”
Ron stared at him waiting for an answer.
John knew Ron wouldn’t believe him, so he lied. “I ran into the tree as I was turning around.”
“Damn klutz!”
John, in an attempt to ignore the unsettling incident, asked, “Are we going to Bass Pro Shop?”
“Um, yeah. They’re only the largest sporting goods store in the world. Of course, we’re going there! I think that rap on the head dislodged your brain.” Ron smiled, and John nodded his head as he grinned.
“Race you to the Jeep!” Ron took off like a rocket. John hesitated a moment and raced after him. Even though his physique was lacking, he was extremely agile and caught up with Ron in no time. Ron looked back over his shoulder to see how much of an advantage he still had. At times like this, he had the tough choice of acting on the spirit of a boy or the wisdom of a man. Today, the spirit of the boy won, and Ron continued running in the parking lot. He hopped onto the front seat of the “top-off” Jeep and threw his briefcase into the back. After starting the engine, he cranked up the stereo and let out a joyous cheer as John climbed in. As they headed away from the school, John looked in the side mirror back at the schoolyard, and it seemed as if the tree wasn’t getting smaller.
* * * * *
Michael bounded up the front porch steps to his home two at a time. He lived in Aurora, a small suburb of Denver. The neighborhood was very quiet, and everyone knew each other. His home was a middle-class two-story house. A brick façade gave a homey and warm appearance. The lawn was lush like a cool expensive carpet between your toes. His mother, Laura, labored tirelessly to maintain its manicured look. She lined the front path with wildflowers on both sides; the soft aroma drifted into open windows, providing a wonderfully fragrant air in the home. The house had been freshly painted, and his mother was going to put on the finishing touches while he and his father were away camping. Michael threw open the front door and ran inside.
“Hi, Mom!” His enthusiasm was escalating as he flew up the stairs to begin packing for the trip.
“Michael, don’t run in the house!” Laura hollered back.
He sped down the hall slipping on the runner carpet. He quickly regained his footing and took the last two steps into his room.
His mother peeked her head in the door a short while later. Laura was a stunningly beautiful woman. Thick wavy auburn hair gently flowed over her shoulders. She wore it loosely, and it caressed the curves of her heart-shaped face. Her crystal-green eyes had a fire ever burning behind them leaving you wondering what she was up to as they sparkled.
“Excited, are you?”
Rolling his eyes was Michael’s nonverbal response.
“Go have a snack, and I’ll pack for you.”
“Sweet!” Michael took off in search of food.
Laura packed the necessities and slapped her hands together. “Mission accomplished.” She headed downstairs to share a snack with her son while waiting for her husband, Scott, to come home and bellowed as she descended the stairs. “Save some for me!”
Chapter 2
Scott pounded the steering wheel of the van in frustration at the rush hour traffic. He had less patience today because he was excited about the camping trip staring tomorrow morning. The gridlock that had taken over the freeway might put a halt to the world as we know it.
The traffic was not this bad a few years ago, but since Denver had become the new “Silicon Valley” with many tech companies relocating to the Mile High City, everything was different. With it, came the influx of people, mostly from the mass California migration as it came to be known. Along with the people, came their high salaries, pushing up the price of goods such as food, rent, and gasoline. The only good thing was that property values had skyrocketed. The worst byproduct by far was the traffic. I-70 and I-25, even after the expansion, were now parking lots, rendering the expansion obsolete shortly after it was completed.
The afternoon sun cruelly beat down on the van as the traffic inched along. Thoroughly frustrated, he pounded the steering wheel again. Even angry, Scott was a devilishly handsome man. He was of average height, and his light-brown hair, trimmed in an attractive style, complemented his high cheekbones and slender nose. Scott’s captivating blue eyes were his best feature. With one look, he could rivet you to the spot or make you melt. His appealing appearance coupled with his abounding charisma got him anything he wanted. The only thing that stopped him from controlling the world was his humility and honesty.
After fifteen minutes of inching along, the traffic suddenly began to move. Scott stepped on the gas. As he jetted forward, he expected to see an accident on the shoulder of the highway that had caused the backup. The traffic loosened, and he continued to pick up speed until, low and behold, he was actually doing the speed limit. Scott was unable to locate the cause of the traffic jam. Determining it was only volume, he shook his head in disgust as he continued down the highway on this ride home.
Half an hour later, he pulled into the driveway. Laura was relaxing on the porch. She stood up and walked over as Scott turned off the engine. After he stepped out, she greeted him with a warm smile and a kiss.
“You look wiped out,” Laura said as she slipped her arm around his waist.
“It’s the drive home. I wish there was a back way to take other than the highway. How was your day?”
Scott’s arm was draped over her shoulder as they walked up the steps to the house.
“You know…the same old working-from-home grind. I had two conference calls that went on ‘forever!’ Extremely boring.”
“I bet Michael is bouncing off the walls.”
“Sure is.”
Laura gave Scott a hug and then pulled away and looked up into the face she dearly loved. “Go relax while I make dinner. Have a taste for anything in particular?”
“No. Surprise me.” He turned and drudged his way upstairs to get out of his “business costume” and into jeans and a T-shirt.
After changing, Scott went down to the kitchen. Laura had the door to the refrigerator open, and her head was buried deep inside. The open door blocked Scott’s entry to the kitchen, so he stood there silently waiting. She closed the door, and immediately behind it was his smiling face. The unexpectedness of it caused Laura to jump, almost dropping the food in her hands.
“Shit! Don’t do that!” She snapped. Scott smiled playfully.
“I don’t understand why that scares you. You know I’m home.”
“Right, I know you’re in the house. I don’t expect to see you right there when I close the fridge door!” They both chuckled.
“Is everything ready for tomorrow?
“I pulled all the camping stuff out of the shed. It’s on the back patio. I also washed the sleeping bags. They were nasty! The only thing left is to pack the coolers in the morning. I put together a bag for you. Mostly your old clothes. I made sure to pack sweats for the cold nights.”
“That, my dear, is why I love you so much!”
Laura smiled and started preparing dinner. After a few moments, she grimaced as she said, “Bob and John will be here first thing in the morning at five.”
“What?” Scott exploded.