Ethan's Quest

Prologue

Beep.  Beep.  Beep.

“We’ve got the bleeding stopped.”

“Let’s get the rest of these jeans cut off.”

I couldn’t open my eyes.  It felt like Sunday morning after a Saturday night bender.  I began to notice smells and sounds and more voices.  I had no idea what was going on but I thought I was in the hospital.  It wasn’t until I groaned that those around me noticed I was waking up.

“Don’t try to move.  We’ve got to get you prepped for surgery.”

From what sounded like a long way away I could hear the near shrieking sound of my mom’s voice.  “Where is my son?  What happened?”

“Ma’am, you’ll have to wait out here.  I’m sorry.  We have to get him up to surgery.”

“Surgery?!”

I could hear my mom trying to get to me.  I tried to speak but I was lost to the blackness again.

When I woke later it was to semi-darkness and more beeps.  A hand squeezed mine and I tentatively turned my head. 

“Hi, baby.”

I tried to smile but my lips felt as if they were stuck to my teeth.  When I tried to lick them I couldn’t open my mouth.  I felt my eyes widen in fear.  All I could do was make frantic little sounds.

“Shhh…it’s okay.  You have a broken jaw, honey.  I’ll get some ice chips and be right back.”

I closed my eyes and everything came flooding back.  Damn, he really did try to kill me.

Chapter 1

I always tried to give people the benefit of the doubt even jerks like Ron Fielding. He and his buddies were perpetually on the lookout for some poor sap to terrorize. They’d been like that since kindergarten. Bigger than most of us on the playground you either gave in or stayed as close to the teacher as possible or you found yourself being dragged into the bushes. You never wanted to be caught alone because you would end up as that day’s punching bag. You never wanted them to find out you turned them in to the principal either or you discovered what worms and beetles tasted like. 

Once we reached middle school and high school they joined the ranks of the jocks and were better able to carry out their nastier threats in secret. If you walked to school, you didn’t walk alone. That’s what happened to me. I was walking home alone after swim practice. 

Yes, I said swim practice but the other mindless boobs didn’t consider us jocks. You were only a jock if you played one of the manlier sports like football or wrestling. Those of us who were swimmers or gymnasts were fair game to their bullying but they had to be a little less obvious about it. If they were caught, not only would the coach who caught them rain hell down on them so would their own coach. So it was double the trouble for being a bully. 

Well, as I said I was stupid enough to be walking home alone when a blue Camaro drove past me. I should have known when I heard it do a u-turn who it was and what was coming. But no, I was tired and not paying attention. I wasn’t looking where I was going so I didn’t see the mountain until I walked into it.

I looked up at the sinister laugh that came out as I stopped. I tried to back up but there was another equally as large mountain behind me. Well, damn, Ethan. Looks like you’re in it now. I thought. I was able to look to the side and see that we were standing before the vacant lot that the dealers and prostitutes used for their nightly businesses. Crap, crap, crap. I had missed the turn to my street about five blocks back. Should have called mom or taken the ride coach had offered. But no, I was invincible.

             

For some reason I thought I could talk my way out of getting my ass kicked. “Hey, Ron. What can I help you with?”

I felt arms grab me from behind. I hadn’t seen who it was but I was pretty sure it was Cam Evans. They had been joined at the hip since daycare. But Cam was just a follower. 

Before Ron said anything I noticed that his eyes and face seemed wrong. It was as if there was something inside him controlling him. “You can bleed.” 

A punch I never saw coming slammed into my jaw. I literally saw stars explode behind my eyelids. Nothing else was ever said. He just kept hitting me and when Cam dropped me to the ground they both landed a flurry of kicks. I don’t know how long my beating lasted or exactly why they had decided that it was my day to die but as I lay there watching them drive off that’s all I wanted to do.

I gently touched my face and could tell it was swollen. I must have looked like the Headless Horseman with his pumpkin head. I’m sure Ichabod would have gotten away easier than I had.

Mom came back with not only the cup of ice chips but also a nurse and police officer. Yay, me.  I get to grunt my way through a conversation with the police. Mom placed a few chips along my lips. I could feel the ice melting and seeping between my lips. I closed my eyes savoring the moment my teeth came unglued from my lips. It was heaven and hell all at the same time. Heaven because that small amount of pain was receding, and hell for that same amount of pain.

“Honey, the police officer needs to ask you a couple of questions.”

I looked at her and knew in that instant my life was about to change in irrevocable ways.

The police man, officer, whatever, was really nice. He’d told me he’d had his jaw wired shut a few years back. I think he also told me what happened but I really didn’t listen. He said all I needed to do was nod or move my head from side to side because all of his questions for now were yes and no.

 “Okay, Ethan, you were walking home after swim practice.”

I nodded.

“Do you often walk home alone?”

I shook my head. 

Mom spoke up. “Usually he’s either walks with Karen who lives across the street or Coach Milford gives him a ride home.”

“Do you know who did this?”

I wanted to lie but something compelled me to tell the truth. I nodded.

He patted my leg and said, “That’s all for now, son. Someone will be by probably late tomorrow to see if you’re up to answering more detailed questions.” He thanked my mom and left. 

“Ethan, I’m going to ask and you can answer or not but I think I know anyway.” Mom always had a knack for knowing the answers before she asked the questions. “Was it Ron Fielding?”

Again I was compelled not to lie. I nodded.

Her face took on a serene but fierce appearance. I’d only ever seen that look once when I was ten and had almost been run down by a drunk driver while riding my bike on the sidewalk. She looked down at me and smiled. I could feel my eyelids drooping. “Everything will be okay, baby.  Just get some sleep.”