Pirates Are People Too
by Nico Grey
Chapter 8
From the moment he woke up Sunday morning, Jake had been considering calling off the Chase Falls adventure. It hadn't even been in his plans for Sunday before Ish suggested they get together. Looking for an excuse, the falls was the first thing that came to his mind. After his conversation with Nick, Jake had determined to check out the area some day. He had been surprised that Ish was interested in visiting the local landmark. But with no better plan for the day, and chicken schawarma his promised reward, Jake led Ish up Mountain Road toward the junction with the jogging trail.
Jake thought that a casual jog would be a reasonable pace for the journey. Ish suggested that a hiking pace might be more pleasant. He mentioned that the terrain reminded him a little of Beit She'an. Ish and his friends used to love to hike in the hills surrounding the valley when he was growing up in Israel. And the more relaxed pace would also give them some opportunity to talk.
Jake sighed in resignation. At least the schawarma smelled awfully tempting.
Surprisingly, the conversation never became uncomfortable. Ish was interested in the flora and fauna, as well as the local landmarks. Jake wasn't an expert outdoorsman, but had lived in the area his entire life. He shared what knowledge he had. It made for easy exchanges, never venturing close to subjects that might have triggered Jake's defenses.
By the time they reached the high school, Jake was thoroughly enjoying himself. Their comfortable rapport reminded him of the first weeks of the school year when he was first starting to get to know Ish. He was enjoying the process of getting to know Ish all over again.
After they had passed the high school, their conversation turned to their destination. Ish had overheard some of Jake's exchanges with Ian about the incident that took place at the falls ten or twelve years previously. Jake tried to fill in the parts that Ish hadn't heard.
Ish was very interested to discover that Jake had heard the story from his cousin Nick, and that Nick had been a student at the school at the time of the incident. He didn't pry into how Jake had spoken at such length with Nick, after hurriedly escaping the bakery to avoid contact with his cousin several weeks earlier. But he was eager to hear more when Jake casually dropped the news that Nick was apparently very sympathetic to the LGBT community.
By the time they could hear Chase Falls in the distance, both Jake and Ish were engaged by its history as much as they were enthralled by the natural beauty of the area. They continued to follow the main trail, lured by the expanding roar of falling water, until the surrounding trees opened onto a large pool. To their right, at the south end of the pool, a modest stream provided egress for the pool's overflow. Overlooking the north end of the pool was a near-vertical rock face that rose an impressive thirty feet into the sky. Water flowed in a torrent over the crest of the rock and plunged into the pool below.
The boys paused for a moment to stare at the falling water in awe.
"This is so different from Connecticut," Ish murmured. He noticed Jake's quizzical expression and explained.
"This reminds me of home. Beit She'an," he clarified. "You have different plants and animals in Vermont. And the climate is different, of course. But this feels so much more like home to me than it ever felt living in Connecticut."
Jake was curious— about Ish's life in Connecticut, about Ish's life in Israel. He waited patiently for Ish to elaborate.
"This is different from Beit She'an, but it still reminds me of home. The hills, the trees, birds and animals everywhere. So much natural beauty. And this," he gestured toward the waterfall. "There was a waterfall along Harod's Stream where my friends and I used to play. And a wide fall in Gan HaShlosha. The water there was also so warm! Almost like a bath. We used to swim there whenever we could."
Ish eyed the pool contemplatively.
"I don't think the water here is that warm," Jake warned.
"But we could still swim!" Ish suggested, his eyes lit with excitement.
"It's a long walk home in wet shorts," Jake pointed out.
"We don't have to get our shorts wet," Ish wheedled. "It would be fun!"
"Uh, Ish?" Jake was conflicted between being the voice of reason and. . . fun. "I'm pretty sure that people live around here."
Ish gave Jake a challenging look and pulled his shirt over his head. He kicked off his shoes and socks and was already starting to unzip his shorts as he tested the water with a toe. He leaped back from the water so abruptly that Jake wondered if the pool was stocked with piranha.
"That's cold!" Ish screeched.
"And people do live around here," a voice informed them from the trees on the far side of the pool.
The voice waited for Ish to pull himself back together before a young man emerged into the clearing around the pool.
"I'm sorry to startle you," the man apologized. "But that water is freezing this time of year. My CPR certification is current, if I had to resuscitate you. I'd just prefer not to find out whether I can remember how it's done."
Jake was starting to feel anxious. He was pretty sure that Chase Falls was open to the public. But he and Ish were alone with a strange guy who said he lived nearby. He wasn't sure what that meant.
Jake wasn't worried about a physical threat. He'd seen Ish in action. But he wanted to be sure he wasn't in any kind of trouble.
"Uh," he began carefully. "It's okay for us to be here, isn't it? We didn't see any signs that said this place is private."
"Of course!"
Jake breathed a sigh of relief.
"Nobody owns the falls. And most of the trails around here are on public land, too. I just heard your voices and came down to see what was going on. This late in the year, the falls don't see many visitors."
Jake wondered if it might not be a good idea to leave anyway. The unexpected encounter left him feeling unsettled. But the man did seem friendly enough. His gaze wandered around the pool like he was just appreciating familiar scenery.
"So, what brings the two of you up here. . . besides wanting to experience hypothermia?" the man wondered.
Jake found the remark somewhat amusing. That helped him feel more comfortable.
"My cousin told me about this place. Only he calls it Chastity Falls."
The man chuckled. "Most high school kids do. If that's why you came up here," his gaze flitted briefly to Ish, "I can leave the two of you alone. I wouldn't want to be in the way."
Jake was confused. He decided that maybe he should offer some explanation.
"My cousin told me about something that happened here years ago. Something pretty bad. I can't really explain why, but I just wanted to see where it happened."
The man's expression became more serious. Jake wasn't sure why his mood had changed, but he was worried that the guy might be angry.
"This 'bad thing'," the man seemed to be conferring with some inner voices, "Did it happen in 2015? In April of 2015?"
Jake didn't know. "My cousin said that someone tried to jump off the falls," he really couldn't bring himself to say why. "It happened when Nick was in high school. So maybe ten years ago?" He hoped that the guy's mood didn't get any worse.
Instead the guy's eyes suddenly brightened and his entire demeanor became more friendly.
"You cousin Nick? Is his name Nick Crandall?"
"Yeah," Jake was a little surprised. "Oh! Do you work with him?"
The guys shook his head. "I used to go to school with him. He's one of my best friends."
Jake found the news very encouraging. . . and it triggered recognition in him.
"Then you were in school when. . ." He wasn't sure he should finish the thought.
He wasn't required to. The sound of something approaching through the trees distracted the man. A few moments later, a second man joined him.
"Brian!" the first man exclaimed. "This is Nicky Crandall's cousin," he gestured toward Jake.
"Oh, Jake!" Brian Gilchrist greeted him. "And Ishmael. What brings you guys up here?"
"Hypothermia," the first man chuckled. "They didn't know how cold the water gets up here once autumn begins to set in."
Jake certainly hadn't expected to encounter his baseball coach and freshman year social studies teacher when he planned this adventure.
"I hope everyone is okay," Mr. Gilchrist appeared concerned.
"Oh, they're fine," the other man assured him. "They had the common sense to test the water before they leaped in."
Jake found that amusing. But Ish seemed a little embarrassed. Maybe he had been considering leaping first.
"They're here to visit the site of the infamous incident at Chastity Falls," the first man continued. "Apparently Nicky was telling his cousin about it, and they felt inspired to make a pilgrimage."
"You guys couldn't have picked a better time to visit," Mr. Gilchrist said. "My. . . friend Ross here was the hero that day."
Ross suddenly looked embarrassed. "I was no hero, Brian. I just talked to. . . our friend until he found a reason to live. But Nicky," he brightened and turned to Jake, "Your cousin Nicky really saved the day!
"I had gone home after school. I thought that. . . our friend was going to be left alone that day. But Brian," he gestured toward Mr. Gilchrist, "saw a bunch of the guys that had been bullying our friend leave school ahead of him, and he realized that something was up.
"He was captain of the baseball team, so he couldn't leave practice to follow them. But he sent Nicky off after them in case there was trouble. Nicky ran up here and found they had our friend, a ways back there," he gestured to the trees behind Jake and Ish. "He knew the situation was serious, so he ran to my house to find me," he gestured again, this time behind where he and Mr. Gilchrist were standing.
"Nicky ran more than two miles from the school to my house. Then he ran back with me to confront those. . ." he left the thought unfinished. "That little guy ran his heart out that day!" he concluded, brushing at his eyes.
"And then, when I confronted those guys, I managed to piss Dan Morrison off," he admitted ruefully. "I thought Dante was about to kill me. But Nicky just head-butted him in the stomach and put him down for the count."
Ross stopped again to order his thoughts. "Your cousin saved the day in more ways than one. He ran almost three miles, pretty much at full tilt, saved my butt, then stood by, ready to call for help if we needed it, while I talked to our friend up on the falls. Nicky is, well, he's just the best. I couldn't have a better friend."
Jake's heart swelled and he was almost overcome with emotion as Ross described his cousin's heroism. He noticed that Mr. Gilchrist appeared to agree with that assessment. The teacher was nodding thoughtfully.
"So that's what I've been telling you," he said to Ish. "And what I tried to tell you all of last year," he fixed Jake with a mock scowl. "The best history is the history you get straight from the people that were there."
Jake and Ish spent another hour with Mr. Gilchrist and his friend touring the area around the falls. Ross explained the circumstances that had led up to the incident. He showed them where the bullies had captured their friend, where Nicky had head-butted one of the chief villains into submission, and where Ross had stood atop the falls and talked to their friend until he decided that he was ready to take a chance on living.
Sitting together on a huge boulder high atop the falls and gazing in wonder at the colorful vista spread out below them, Jake and Ish pondered the fact that this had almost been the last thing a boy their own age had seen, all because a few people were too self-centered and incapable of empathy for another damaged soul to simply leave him alone to live his life in the way that he wanted to live it.
They didn't have much to say to each other yet. They ate their schawarma thoughtfully. Jake thought it tasted great, but he was disappointed that his contemplation of their afternoon history lesson made it difficult for him to really appreciate it.
They spent a good part of their hike back home in silence. Jake was still too wrapped up in his thoughts for much conversation. He was amazed that he had known Nick for years, but now suddenly saw him in a whole new light. And there was something about Ross— a sense of some connection with Nick— that he was struggling to put his finger on. Ish was considerate enough to avoid intruding on Jake's reflections.
Ish did offer some praise for Jake's cousin. He was deeply impressed by Nick's heroism. Jake pointed out that Ish had been quite heroic too, standing up to bigger and older high school bullies. But the determination it took to run three miles, to the point of exhaustion, to help his friends, affected Ish intensely.
Few people get the opportunity to meet real life heroes and Ish was hoping that Jake might introduce him to Nick someday. But for the most part they walked in companionable silence; Jake occupied with his internal musings, and Ish thinking about Jake.
With little conversation to distract him, Ish found himself pondering what he had learned that day. "When we moved from Connecticut," he observed, largely to himself, "I never expected to find so much drama in a quiet little place like Vermont." He examined Jake speculatively, "But I like it here. I think I could make my home here."
Jake wasn't looking forward to school Monday morning. To be more precise, he wasn't looking forward to what he would be doing after school on Monday. He had to miss cross country practice. His father was meeting him at the end of the school day. They had an appointment with the state's attorney that was handling the assault case against Daniel Hartnett.
Jake really wasn't eager to meet with Mr. Davis. It would involve reliving an embarrassing experience that he was still conflicted about. He was pretty sure that he had done the right thing. But he had paid a pretty high price for his action, then had to spend a week walking around school with his neck in a brace, all because of a single punch! Just thinking about it brought that hated word back to him: Pussy.
They met in the assistant principal's office. That didn't help the way Jake was feeling. He knew that Mr. Harding wasn't really a bad guy. But there was something about being in the office that always made him anxious.
Five minutes later, Jake was walking out of the office with his father, in a state of shock. The prosecutor had advised the Warrens that Daniel had agreed to plead guilty to assault on Jake, as well as to a handful of other charges related to his behavior in another in-school incident. There would be no trial. Jake wouldn't have to testify in court. Mr. Davis asked the Warrens if they had any objection to the state recommending a three year jail sentence in exchange for the plea.
Davis anticipated that Daniel would end up being sentenced to at least two years in jail when he appeared before the judge in the middle of November for his sentencing hearing. After his sentencing, even if he was paroled from prison early for good behavior, East Grange wouldn't have to worry about him for more than a year.
Jake was having a hard time controlling his relief. He wouldn't have to appear in court and the entire incident was over and behind him! His father was watching Jake with faint amusement, as well as his own sense of relief.
"Do you want to stop somewhere to celebrate, Jake?" he asked. "Maybe your bakery?"
Jake considered for a moment. He did feel like celebrating. And he and his father hadn't experienced many father-son moments in recent years. But what he felt like doing, more than anything else, was running until he couldn't run any more, just to burn off the excitement and relief he was feeling. The cross country team had barely started practice.
"Do you mind?" he asked his father.
Ed Warren didn't mind.
"You celebrate however you think best, Jakey. I'll just go home and relax. It's back to the salt mine for me tonight."
Jake was relieved that there hadn't been any comments about choosing to run with a foreign fanny pirate.
When Jake, Josiah and their crew had finished running that evening, Jake pulled Josiah apart from the rest. He shared his good news about Daniel's decision to take a plea deal. But he also had some questions.
"The state's attorney wouldn't tell me what other charges they had against Daniel. He just said it was something that happened here at school. Do you know what he was talking about?"
Jake had some suspicions. He just wasn't sure. But he was hoping that Josiah might confirm them.
Josiah wouldn't spill all the gory details. But he did tell Jake that Daniel and Russ had done some pretty embarrassing things to Ian the previous school year. And when Ian realized that he could help make life a lot easier for everyone at school by coming forward and admitting the details, even offering to testify in court if necessary, he had put his own humiliation aside and courageously offered to tell the world everything if it helped make the Daniel problem go away for the rest of his friends.
Jake had concluded that something similar to that had happened. But hearing that Ian had been willing to put his own shame on public display for the benefit of his friends was still a sobering thought.
"You're right to love him, Jake," Josiah concluded. "Despite his faults, Ian's definitely worth loving."
Jake sighed. "You know, I don't think I do love him anymore. At least not like that. I think what I loved most about him was that he was an underdog with so much potential. But he's not an underdog anymore. Besides, loving him gets a little too uncomfortable at times, especially when he thinks he's being funny. But I hope he'll stay my best friend for the rest of our lives."
Ian was getting impatient, waiting with the rest of the crew. "Come on, guys," he insisted. "We're getting hungry.
"And stop trying to blow my boyfriend!" he thundered at Jake. "There's something even better waiting for you right over here!"
And yes. He did.
Jake and Josiah exchanged an eye roll.
"Good decision," Josiah acknowledged.
Knowing that Daniel Hartnett wouldn't be bothering him and his friends anymore relieved stress that Jake didn't even realize he had been carrying. He felt more enthusiastic about going to school every morning. At school, he was feeling less anxiety about unexpected events.
When Mr. Gilchrist pulled Jake aside as he was passing between classes Wednesday morning, Jake didn't react with more than mild curiosity. It seemed a little early in the year for a conversation about the baseball team. But Jake knew the social studies teacher to be one of the good guys, so he didn't worry.
As it turned out, both of them benefitted from the encounter. It gave Jake the opportunity to ask a few more questions about that incident at Chase Falls and life at BMUHS ten years earlier. And it gave the teacher an opportunity to deliver a message for a friend.
"Please keep this confidential," Mr. Gilchrist requested. "It's better if teachers and students don't become too involved in each others' lives. But my friend Ross had some very positive things to say about you last weekend, and I don't think it will do any great harm to pass them along.
"You remind him, actually you remind both of us, an awful lot of your cousin Nick when he was your age. You've got a lot of his spirit. And I bet if they saw pictures of him in our high school yearbooks, your friends might mistake him for you.
"But the thing that really made an impression on Ross is your attitude and the way he could see you take that story about our friend to heart. He appreciates your determination and the way you care about other people.
"It's a little outside the boundaries I prefer to maintain with students, but he wants you to know that he'd be happy to meet you, or with you and Ishmael, up at the falls in the spring, once the weather turns warmer, if you'd like to talk more about our high school days."
Jake wasn't sure what to say to the offer. He was flattered. And he was interested in meeting with Ross again. But he really wasn't sure how the adult-teen dynamic would work outside family or school. It was unfamiliar territory.
"Why would he want to take the time to meet with me?" Jake wondered.
"I guess because he likes you," Mr. Gilchrist replied. "He admires your attitude and your spirit. . .especially in a little guy," he teased gently.
Jake didn't protest. He knew he was a little guy. But he was feeling a lot bigger after their brief conversation.
Jake actually found himself enthusiastic about going to school on Monday morning. The previous week had gone so well for him that he was looking forward to more. The news that the Daniel Hartnett menace was a thing of the past was a huge relief. His conversation with Mr. Gilchrist had been a boost to his ego. His resolve to move on from his fixation on loving Ian felt like a very mature decision. And Saturday had been an even better day for him.
The Ball Mountain cross country team has participated in its last big meet before the state championship, an invitational meet that brought together teams from large and small schools around the region.
With several large and talented teams participating, it was a foregone conclusion that the Black Bears wouldn't win the meet. But the team managed to finish third! And Josiah finished second, losing out in the final fifty meters to another runner with an impressive kick.
And for the first time ever, he was close enough to the leaders to watch Josiah cross the finish line! It was a very distant view. But for Jake, it was a real accomplishment. He was excited when Coach Miller pulled him aside after the race to compliment him on the progress he had made over the course of the season.
Jake wasn't sure how the coming week could be any better, but he was really looking forward to finding out.
The start of the day was a bit of a mixed message. Barely through the school's front doors, he and Ish were immediately accosted by the older boys that had tag-teamed them earlier in the year. But they had seen the trouble coming before they even entered the building. Almost like they had planned it, Ish and Jake tucked in toward each other, went low, and slipped between the bullies. The intended contact missed Jake and Ish completely and left the bullies blaming each other and the butt of their fellow students' laughter.
But it was still a sobering moment for Jake. The incident was a reminder that he would continue to find obstacles in his path, however positive the omens from the previous week had been for him.
The following day provided better omens for Jake and his friends. The soccer team had been in a bit of a slump, losing two of their last four games. At 8-3-1, their record still guaranteed them a place in the state championship tournament and probably a high seed. But Coach Fisher knew his boys were capable of a lot more.
Tuesday afternoon they travelled to Silver River, the school that had forced an embarrassing draw on Ball Mountain to open their season. Josiah focused on doing his job and providing as much support to Mercury as he could. With Josiah defending the entire game, and Mercury buoyed by Josiah's encouragement, the defense was solid and the Black Bears' attack was relentless.
Mercury was able to free himself up and join the attack on several occasions. He assisted on one goal and even managed to score his own goal on a rebound that the Silver River keeper had failed to secure. A 3-0 victory had the team feeling avenged for their previous draw. His role in the win had Mercury feeling sky high.
When the crew ran later that evening, Josiah and Jake both made sure to acknowledge Mercury's contributions again in front of everyone. Mercury looked modestly pleased.
"Now that you're the school hero," Ian suggested, "isn't it time to let me make a man of you?"
Mercury looked suddenly horrified.
"Oh, come on!" Ian wheedled. "You deserve at least that much reward."
Mercury kept his distance, but he had a thoughtful expression on his face. "I really wouldn't mind a kiss."
Josiah and Jake exchanged an I-didn't-see-that-coming glance. But when Ian started eagerly forward, "Maybe from Jake or Josiah," Mercury amended shyly. "I don't think I could handle more than a kiss."
Jake noticed Ish's surprised glance. But he didn't hesitate. He wrapped his arms around Mercury.
"Group hug," he announced. Jake had been looking forward to Mercury's offer, but didn't want to risk embarrassing his friend in front of everyone.
As the boys huddled together, Jake's group hug turned into a group grope, if his butt was any indication. And he was pretty sure he had seen Ish jump and his eyes blare suddenly. As the group broke apart, Ian had a studied expression of innocence on his face.
Jake spared a brief glance at the front of Mercury's shorts and was relieved to note that while his friend was excited, that's all he could see.
He was surprised when Mercury reached out, pulled him back, and placed a firm kiss on his lips. Mercury offered a faint smile as he released Jake.
Walking home later, Jake apologized to Ish.
"I didn't really think that group hug thing though," he admitted. "I was trying to think of Mercury, but I didn't consider what anyone else might be thinking."
"I didn't mind," Ish reassured Jake. "I didn't expect it, but I guess I should be ready for anything when Ian is around."
The continued in silence for a while.
"Why did Mercury say he wanted you to kiss him?" Ish asked.
Jake blushed. "You remember that story I told you? About me and Josiah kissing. Mercury said it looked like we were really in love. I think he wants that for himself."
"Oh," Ish looked thoughtful.
Jake felt an immediate pang of regret. But, he realized, if that's what happened he could live with it. Mercury and Ish were two special people. Jake would be happy as long as his friends were happy.
Jake managed to spend the rest of the week in a reflective mood. He understood himself well enough to know that he wanted something. But he didn't want to do anything that might interfere with his friends being happy. It was familiar emotional territory for Jake.
He noticed those two older boys that had harassed him and Ish, along with what may have been their inbred cousin, lurking around several times during the course of the week. It was the words he noticed first, hissed and jeered at him and Ish: homos, fairies, queers, fags. Then he noticed the source.
Jake was angry enough to go after any or all of them face first. Fortunately, Ish grabbed his hand and led him away from confrontation.
"You can't just let them say that about you," Jake insisted.
"Why not?" Ish wondered. "They're just words. Words can't hurt you. And considering the source. . ." Ish didn't appear to feel the need to say more.
But each time Jake and Ish encountered the ghastly trio, he felt the urge to batter them. He could handle the taunts when they managed to catch him alone. But it really irritated Jake when they attacked Ish.
The Ball Mountain cross country team had their final race before the state championship on Saturday. Jake held back a little bit as he ran. He had been thinking about the upcoming state meet. He wanted to make sure he had everything that he was capable of giving available for that event.
The Black Bears still won the race, and Jake played a big role in the team's success.
Coach Miller made it a point to recognize Jake for his improvement. Jake didn't bother to tell him that he was pretty sure he was capable of more. What mattered is that the team had won. And the state meet waited just seven days away.
Jake and Ish spent another Sunday hiking the hills and trails around town. Jake had been a bit surprised when Ish asked, but agreed to the idea readily enough. He enjoyed Ish's company. He loved the falafel Ish's mother prepared. The chicken schawarma had been pretty good, too. He wondered what Mrs. Abraham might send with them this time.
As they hiked along wooded trails and over open hills, Jake got the impression that it was almost a religious experience for Ish. His friend spent much of the time simply gazing in wonder at the largely untouched spaces they passed through. It felt like Ish was strolling through an ancient temple, or trying to form a spiritual bond with the land.
They considered a return to Chase Falls, but decided against it. Jake mentioned his conversation with Mr. Gilchrist and his friend's offer to meet them there again in the spring. That struck Ish as a good idea. Jake agreed. He was looking forward to swimming in the pool. And based on Ish's reaction to the water on their last visit, autumn was definitely not a good time of year for swimming there.
Ish spent part of their hike reminiscing about his home in Beit She'an and his love for the land. He shared stories of his friends there and how deeply he felt about them. He remarked that he was starting to feel a similar attachment to the hills and valleys around East Grange. He left the rest unspoken, but not unsaid.
Jake and Ish found a pleasant site on a hilltop to rest and eat. Ish spent a few minutes committing the view to memory before he dug into his pack to reveal their meal.
"Simple food today," he informed Jake. "My mother sends baba ganoush and roasted garlic hummus, along with laffa and pita bread. The laffa is traditional with hummus, but both are good."
Ish produced two covered containers that appeared to contain some sort of spread or dip.
"The hummus is made with, uh," he paused to think, "You call them chickpeas. And the baba ganoush is made with eggplant. Both use tahini and different spices that make them delicious!"
"I don't care how she makes it," Jake eyes the containers greedily. "Your mother's food tastes wonderful!"
Ish laughed. "Just tear some bread and dip it in either bowl, or smear some on the bread. My mother also sends limonana." He unslung a leather bota from around his neck. "It's a traditional summer drink in my homeland. But it is refreshing any time I go hiking."
Thirty minutes later, Jake was feeling completely satiated. . . and wondering if there was any reason to continue hiking. The view from the hilltop, the warm early autumn sunshine, amazing food, and a wonderful companion. . . he couldn't think of any place he'd rather be.
Ish was eyeing the sky speculatively.
"We probably should get moving again," he helped Jake to his feet. "Thank you, Jake. This is so much like Beit She'an. I feel very close to my heart when I'm out here with you."
Jake felt a hand brush gently against his hand. But when he reached out to grasp it, Ish had already started down the hill.
When they returned to the village, Jake asked Ish if he could come into his home for a moment to thank his mother for feeding him so well. Ish smiled graciously and held the door open for Jake.
Mrs. Abraham was delighted to learn that Jake had enjoyed her food so much. But she insisted that there was no need to thank her.
"It feels good to prepare Ish for a day out hiking again. I remember him, and Jair, and their friends spending entire days in the hills. It was such a joyful time for us.
"Ish has only had one close friend since I returned to America," Jake thought he noticed a shadow briefly flutter across her eyes. "I'm so glad that he has you and your friends now, here in Vermont."
The week started in almost exactly the same way Jake's previous week had. Three unpleasant looking upperclassmen were waiting for him and Ish to arrive at school. Apparently they had learned something from their previous encounter. They didn't try to ambush the younger boys. Instead they formed a solid front to block the door.
Their apparent leader looked oddly familiar to Jake. He couldn't put a name to him, but he had a familiar face.
"Just a quick message for you," the leader scowled at them. "Daniel says 'hi', bitches."
That finally rang a bell for Jake. This particular thug did bear a strong resemblance to Hartnett.
"No need to be scared, girls," the thug assured them. "Not now. We're going to catch the two of you outside of school." He leaned in closer to them menacingly. "I've got something for you."
"Halitosis?" Jake wondered. It seemed likely.
"Is that contagious?" Ish asked. He really couldn't help himself. He looked nauseated and took a step backward.
Embarrassment darkened the bully's face. "Just you faggots wait. I'm going to enjoy making you pay for everything you've done to my family."
He rounded up his posse with an abrupt gesture and stalked away.
"I think maybe it's time that you start teaching me that Krav Maga," Jake observed.
At lunch, Jake filled Josiah in about his confrontation with the trio of bullies. When Jake reported the bully's complaint about what Jake and Ish had done to his family, it finally made sense to Josiah.
"I don't really know him, but I think that Hartnett does have a younger brother named Donald. He's not in my class, so he must be a senior."
That was frustrating news for Jake. He had taken a punch in the face, and the embarrassment that went with it, to rid the school of the threat Daniel posed to him and his friends. Instead, he was starting to worry that his actions had only made things worse.
"You've got friends," Josiah reassured him. "We aren't going to let them do anything to you."
"But what about what they might do to you guys?" Jake worried. "I thought I had gotten rid of that problem."
Josiah didn't have much he could say to that. But he promised Jake that their crew would stick together. And they'd get through it together.
Josiah didn't particularly enjoy snitching. And he hated going behind Jake's back to do it. But he stopped in to the vice principal's office during his study hall and was pleased to find that Mr. Harding was available.
"I can't really do anything about this right now, Josiah," the vice principal explained. "It's just a threat. A serious threat, I agree," he cut off Josiah's outraged protest. "But if Mr. Warren won't make a complaint, all I can do is keep a close eye on the situation, warn the rest of the staff to keep their eyes open, and subtly make sure Hartnett and his friends don't forget that I'm around."
Josiah sighed. "Is there anything we can do?"
"Stay alert. Make sure that your friends are never alone and stick together as much as possible. And don't be afraid to call for help the minute you think there might be a problem developing.
"I'll make sure that this conversation is documented. I hope we never have to use it. But if any of your friends ever do have a problem, there will be an official record that supports your side of the story."
Josiah was frustrated that it seemed the good guys always had to play by the rules. But he sensed that he wasn't anywhere near as frustrated as Mr. Harding was by that restriction.
The threat hanging above their heads cast a pall over the mood of Jake and his friends for the rest of the week. It didn't prevent the soccer team from closing out their season with two more wins. It didn't prevent Jake, Ish and the rest of the cross country team from preparing for the biggest race of their lives. But lunch and evening runs just weren't as carefree as they had been.
The only thing to lighten their moods was knowing that Halloween wasn't much more than a week away. If happened to fall on a Friday, too, which meant more leeway for holiday fun without having to worry about school the following day.
Jake was surprised to learn that Ish actually planned to go out trick-or-treating.
"Isn't it going to make you feel funny, being out there with mostly little kids?" Jake asked.
"Not really," Ish explained. "Not enough to stay home. I have only been in America for four Halloweens. It's still fun for me. I saw a lot of sad things before I came here. Once a year, I like to dress up as something that just makes me feel happy."
To Jake, that seemed like a good idea. He just had to find something that made him feel happy.
Saturday morning arrived much earlier than Jake thought it had any right to arrive. The cross country team was assembling at the high school before 7:00 for their bus ride into the wilds of northeastern Vermont, the site of the state championship races.
Ball Mountain ran in Division III, against other small high schools, which meant that theirs would be among the earlier races of the day. Coach Miller told the assembled team that they would arrive in Thetford around 8:30, giving them plenty of time to walk the course, plan strategy, and get warmed up for a 10:30 race.
On the long ride up Interstate 91, most of the runners tried to get some rest in the uncomfortable bus seats. Jake was sitting with Ish, a row behind Josiah and Coach Miller. Absently, Jake listened in on their conversation.
The coach had spent the past week researching other Division III teams from the northern half of the state. He was convinced that there was only one serious threat for Josiah to overcome if he was to become state champion. The boy was a senior, known for a powerful kick at the end of the race.
"You're going to have to defeat him in the first four kilometers," the coach advised. "This guy has outstanding finishing speed, but he isn't as strong as you are on hills. If you can wear him out on the hills, especially if you can make him work and take the strength out of his legs on those hills, and build a forty or fifty meter lead going into the final kilometer, I think you can win today."
Jake knew Josiah well enough to recognize that his ordinarily calm and collected friend was anxious. That made him pay closer attention. He understood that Josiah wanted to win the race. Now he was starting to get a sense of how important that would be to him.
Jake thought that if anyone deserved to be state champion, it was Josiah. He considered what he could do to help make that happen.
During the course walk-through, Jake began to see what the coach meant about Josiah needing to win the race in the first four kilometers. The first kilometer was largely downhill, into what was known as the lower loop of the course. Coming out of the loop, the runners faced a fairly steady climb for almost three kilometers, culminating on the upper loop in a steep uphill that didn't relent until just short of the four kilometer mark. But from there, the remainder of the race would be run almost entirely downhill.
If Josiah could get away from his main competitor before they topped that final hill, or if he could break his strength on the hill and take the kick out of his legs, he stood a good chance of winning. But if this other guy had the finishing speed that Coach Miller claimed, and he was still with Josiah and in decent shape at the four kilometer mark, the race would probably be his.
Jake worried about what he could do to help Josiah win. He came up with a plan. Then he cringed. He just prayed that he would be strong enough to do what needed to be done.
The girls Division III race kicked off at ten o'clock. Jake and the rest of the team made an effort to cheer on the contingent of girls from Ball Mountain, but they were already focused on preparing for their own race. Most of the support duties would fall to the boys that weren't running for the varsity team.
As the Ball Mountain team lined up in its starting box and waited for the officials to provide final instructions, Ish was observing Jake carefully. Something about the focused expression and coldly determined air exhibited by his friend tickled at his memory. It felt familiar. He didn't think it boded well. But he couldn't quite make the connection.
The team continued to keep loose. Several runners practiced sprinting away from the starting box. But they were all waiting impatiently in their box when the starter took his position and signaled for the runners to be ready. Ish offered Jake a quick knuckle tap, then they tensed for action.
When the starter's gun fired, almost one hundred fifty boys dashed away from the line. Jake found himself stuck in the middle of the pack, as he knew he would be. He simply lacked the foot speed to stay with many of the other runners in a sprint. But he had a plan.
Jake waited for some of the early excitement and enthusiasm to wear off. As other runners settled their pace into something they could sustain, Jake gradually worked his way around them. He tried to conserve energy. But he kept his sights set on the lead pack.
Once the course rounded the lower loop— after about a thousand meters— and began a gradual climb, Jake started to make his move. He increased his pace gradually and began to pick off runners in ones and twos. He kept his focus on the next group of runners, never letting himself get distracted by his ultimate goal or by the strain he could feel beginning to build in his legs and chest.
Halfway through the race, Jake realized that the only runners still ahead of him were Josiah and his rival— and they weren't much more than fifty meters away. He understood that this would be the most challenging part of his plan. He didn't have any other runners ahead to serve as temporary objectives for him. He had to close the gap between himself and the two best runners in the state, and he had to do it entirely on his own.
Jake turned for inspiration to his cousin Nick. He tried to imagine how Nick had felt, running along the school trails toward Chase Falls, knowing that if he failed to reach his objective in time, something awful could happen. Jake narrowed his eyes to slits, focused on Josiah's back, and tried to imagine the awful necessity of catching him before tragedy was the result.
Jake was at least as surprised as Josiah, when Josiah glanced back over his shoulder and noticed Jake just a few meters behind him. He did his best to grin at Josiah, then tucked in behind Josiah and his rival when Josiah turned his attention back to the task in front of him.
That final, steep climb looked to be less than three hundred meters ahead. And to Jake, it looked four hundred meters high— and almost straight up! He began to doubt that he'd ever see the top of it.
Josiah picked that moment to make his move. He began to pull gradually away from Jake and the other runner, increasing his turnover rate by a few percent and digging his toes into the slope.
Jake groaned when he realized that the other runner was going to do the smart thing. He let Josiah go. He understood that he'd have the advantage as soon as they reached the top of that climb. And with more than a thousand meters remaining in the race, he'd have time to make up any ground he lost to Josiah now. Josiah's success would depend on Jake.
Jake waited until they had almost reached the steepest part of the hill. Josiah was fifteen or twenty meters ahead of them. The runner beside him appeared to be fully in control of himself. Jake thought that he carried himself like a champion. He sighed, then immediately banished the thought from his mind.
Jake understood that Josiah had one chance. He wasn't likely to have more than fifty meters on his rival before they crested the hill. They needed to break him on the hill.
Jake sighed again. He summoned every reserve of energy he had left in his legs and lungs. Then he tapped his heart for just a little bit more.
Just before they hit the base of the steep incline, Jake surged past the other runner. As he passed him, he turned his head and gave the guy a cheeky little grin, then waved goodbye.
Jake thought his lungs might explode as he drove up the hill. He wasn't sure how much longer his legs could manage to support him.
But his heart would carry the added burden. Because he could hear Josiah's rival right beside him, gasping and straining to match Jake's pace. It was a canny move to let Josiah pull away from him, rather than try to match the stronger runner on the hill. But there was no way he was going to let this sawed-off little twerp get away from him!
Jake used that knowledge to push himself beyond his limits, and another hundred meters or so farther up the hill. Then the other runner began to slowly pull ahead of him. Jake knew that he was spent. He prayed that his effort would give Josiah the edge he needed to finish the job.
Jake was caught off guard, almost amazed, when he finally crested the top of the hill. He had been sure he would never get there. But the sight that greeted him made his heart soar.
Josiah was a good fifty meters ahead of his rival and was actually drawing away from him! On the downhill! For the moment, at least, it made all his pain worthwhile.
Jake focused his concentration on the second most difficult thing for a runner to do: run downhill. A whole new set of muscles came into play. Gravity and his own weight created a jarring impact with every stride he took. In his exhausted condition, it was a struggle just to maintain his balance.
Jake reduced his tempo, focused his attention on staying upright, and let gravity do the rest of the work for him. He wondered inanely if he could be disqualified if he stumbled and rolled all the way down the hill. To maintain his spirits, he cast an occasional glance ahead, where Josiah continued to pull farther away from his rival.
The final kilometer was a nightmare for Jake. The occasional transitions to level ground, and the rare brief climb, were jarring experiences. Eventually, other runners began to surge past him. He thought he counted six, but it could have been more. Or possibly only three, he reasoned. He was almost seeing double by that point in the race.
As he neared the finish line, Jake was simply looking for a comfortable spot to collapse. But the screams of the rest of the Black Bear contingent urged him on and kept him going. He even made a feeble attempt to sprint the final fifty meters. He knew he had been passed by two more runners during that sprint, but he stayed on his feet.
He was exhausted and almost completely disoriented when he finally stumbled across the finish line.
"Keep moving. Keep moving," race officials were encouraging the finishers. Jake kept moving in the only direction he was capable of moving. Down.
He was pretty sure he could hear a comforting voice encouraging him to keep taking deep breaths. "The medical people will be here in just a minute," the voice promised.
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