Prologue
1954
When I left the House for school on October 22nd, It felt like a normal day. I walked to the local high school, Greenway, with my friends, bags slung over our shoulders, and making idle conversation. I remember glancing back at my house as I walked away. The lights were all out except for the one in my dad's room. He was my only parent; my mom had left when I was about ten to chase her drug addiction. My dad had a hard time trying to fill the void she'd left behind. He was under a lot of stress trying to make ends meet for us and I worried about how he was coping with everything. I found out in the worst way possible.
When the end bell rang at 2:30 that day, I sprinted across the school yard, hopped the fence and ran towards home. The whole weekend was ahead of me and I couldn't wait to just go to sleep. The whole week had been one sleep deprived nightmare. As my house came into view, my pace slowed until I stopped on the sidewalk directly across from it. An ambulance and a new white car I'd never seen before sat in the driveway. The lights on top of the ambulance were flashing and the siren was blaring away loudly. I watched as a stretcher with a black bag strapped to the top was brought out of the house by two EMT's. As I watched a policeman approached me waving his arms,
"Hey kid, get out of here, there's nothing to see, now leave before I have to arrest you for loitering" He yelled. As he began shoving me along the sidewalk I said
"Wait, wait. I live here." The policeman froze, one hand on my arm. He drew his free hand to a breast pocket and withdrew a picture I recognized from our living room, my most recent school picture. He compared my face to the one in the picture for a moment and then dropped his hand from my arm.
"I'm sorry kid, I didn't… I don't know what…" He seemed to stammer and that's when the truth hit me. I sank slowly to the ground, putting my head between my knees. In what seemed like the first time in ages, I felt my eyes sting and then felt tears fall from my eyes and onto the concrete.
"H-how" I stammered out from the ground.
"Drug overdose" the cop replied, "Looks like heroin but we can't be sure until the final report comes in. Did you know your father did drugs son?"
"N-no" I stammered again, trying to control my sobs. "I never… I never even…"
"It's ok, it's…" but he was cut off by another man.
"It's ok general, I'll take it from here" he said.
"Alright" the police officer agreed, walking back to the ambulance. I looked up now to examine the newcomer. His shoes were shiny; I could see my reflection in them. His pants were very straight and the crease in the front was very pronounced. Like the rest of his suit, the pants were a brilliant white. From his jacket he pulled a handkerchief which he handed to me.
"Thanks" I murmured, wiping my eyes and then my nose as the tears stopped. When I pulled the handkerchief away I saw the initials "F. F." embroidered on the front. I Folded the handkerchief back into a square, getting to my feet as I did so.
"Sorry for your loss kiddo, my condolences. I lost my pops too when I was a kid, just about your age." The man said.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"The name's Frank Fontaine kid and I want to know what you're going to do now."
"Well, I… I'll probably go stay with my mom I guess." I said, trying to get away now, to a friend's house maybe or anywhere.
"That's a lie" he said quickly, "Your mom left you, you have no other relatives, face it kid, you ain't got nowhere to go."
"How do you know?" I demanded.
"Oh, I just get around to hearing things, through the grapevine if you catch my drift."
"Look, what do you want from me" I said.
"Ya got it backwards sport, it's what you want from me here. I'm here to give you an opportunity to change your life, total overhaul. A new name, a clean slate, and a city you could only dream of!"
"I…I…" But he was right, I didn't have anywhere to go. No family, no friend that would take me in indefinitely. As I came to my conclusion, I merely nodded at me. A toothy grin broke over his face.
"That's great kid, pack your bags and we'll go. Hope you like water!" This last statement perplexed me as I entered the house, which already no longer felt like it was mine. I felt like I was intruding upon some sort of grave. I quickly packed a bag with clothes, grabbed my guitar and slid all of the money I had into my wallet which I then added to the bag. When I got outside, the man, Mr. Fontaine, was waiting for me in his shiny white car which was idling noisily.
"Where are we going" I said as I climbed into the back and closed the door.
"Private airstrip, hope you don't mind flying sport." I took one more glance at the house and the ambulance as we pulled away and I kept staring until the house was out of sight down the road.