Author's note: This is the longest chapter, but it also explains alot in
here. This chapter explains more about Jason's problem then the Legacy
does, and if you read you'll find out what I'm talking about. But, this is
also the last chapter, the next chapter is the shortest and it just the
epilogue. I had the prologue on here, but for some reason it wouldn't let
me upload it, so you can't read the very beginning. I hope you enjoyed the
story and I hope that you'll read the Legacy once I get it up. As always,
please read and review, it does a body good!
Having David talk to me did no good. So Jason came over that day with one last
desperate attempt to get me to change my ways. "I'm taking you some where.
Come with me." he said, without another word and getting into the car. I followed
him silently. We drove for a little while before I got up the courage to ask him where
we were going. "Where are we going?" I asked. He sighed. "My mom doesn't know
I'm going here. I was forbidden to come here, but I need to. It's my last desperate
attempt with you Tommy." he said. I scrunched up my brow. "Oookkk..But that didn't
answer my question." I said. Just then we pulled up to a building. I saw the sign that
said Angel Grove Prison. We got out, and I followed Jason inside. He
walked to the desk and said something to the lady. "I'm here to see
my dad." he told her. She nodded and picked up the phone. A few
minutes later, out walked a guy, escorted by a police officer, with his
hands handcuffed in front of him. He smiled at Jason, who only
nodded in return and sat down, indicating me to sit in the empty seat
next to him. I looked at him. "Jason, why did you bring me here?" I
asked. He sighed and looked at me. "Because Tommy. This is what
is going to happen to you. Take a good look at my dad. If you keep
this up, this will happen to you. I refuse to come visit my dad in
prison, but I don't want to have to visit you here." he said. I sighed. I
looked at Jason's dad. 6 months in prison had turned him into an
animal. I mean, he had grown a full beard and his hair was turning
grey, and he'd only been in there 6 months. I didn't want that to
happen to me. "It's hard, Jason. It's hard to stop. I want to, but I
can't." I told him. Finally Jason's dad spoke. "You can stop, Tommy.
You have to have faith. If you have the support of your family and
friends, which I know you do, you can quit." he said. For the first time
in several months, I saw Jason look at his dad admiringly. "Listen to
him, Tommy. Please listen to him. If not for anybody else, then for
me. I don't want to go through the abuse again, Tommy." he said,
looking at me with pleading eyes. Jason's dad looked at me and
spoke again. "Tommy, I know you. You're a great kid, and I know
you'd never do anything to harm yourself or your friends. You're the
best friend Jason has ever had, and I know that for a fact. If you
won't listen to him, then at least listen to me. Tommy, take a good
hard look at me. Why am I in here? I ask myself that every night. And
every night I get the same answer. If only I had learned how to
control my alcohol intake, then maybe I wouldn't be in here. And then
maybe Jason wouldn't have to live with the scars from all the abuse I
gave to him. I'm losing out on 25 years of my life, just because of my
alcohol abuse. Tommy, please. You need to stop, and I know you
can. If I could take back everything I ever did to Jason, I would, but I
can't, and I have to live with the fact that I almost killed him. And
could have killed him, if he had not broken the window and jumped
out that night." he said, pausing to take a breath. I looked at Jason.
Now this was part of the story that I had not heard before. Jason
sighed, and I knew he would tell me later if I asked. So I would. Then
Jason's dad started again. "You can stop Tommy, I know you can.
And I know you know you can. I know it's not that easy, but with
friends like Jason and the others, I know you can stop. It may take
time, but so what, that will be the time you turn back into to the
Tommy I know. I don't want to see Jason go through the abuse
again. You don't know this, but I can see it in his eyes, Tommy. You
may not physically be abusing him, but mentally he is reliving
everything I did to him, and he doesn't want that to happen again. He
hates me, and I can understand that, but there is no reason for him to
hate you. Stop, Tommy. I know you can." he said, as he was led
back to his cell then by the police officer. We walked back out to the
car, neither of us speaking. Once we got in the car and started down
the road, I stared out the window, thinking of everything his dad had
told me. Then Jason caught my attention by starting to tell the story I
wanted to hear. "He almost killed me, Tommy. Literally. He came
home one night, more drunk than I had ever seen him. I wanted him
to stop, I begged him to stop. But he didn't listen. I tried to call you,
but when I picked up the phone, he pulled it out of the wall. He
picked up the metal baseball bat that was sitting behind my door and
held it in his hands, like he was going to swing at something. Well,
that something he swung at was me. The bat came about an inch
from my face. I was able to duck out of the way, but I wasn't fast
enough for the second blow. The second time, he actually hit me. I
have the scar on my neck to prove it. But the third time, I blocked him
and held him back. I pleaded with him to stop, that he didn't know
what he was getting himself into. I begged him. I told him I would do
anything if he stopped, including not telling the authorities. I told him I
would let him get away with everything he was doing and never tell a
soul if he stopped. But that didn't even help. It wasn't him doing it, it
was the liquor he was consuming. So he swung the bat again, once
he got it free of my grasp. I was able to free myself long enough to
break the window with my fist. While he was screaming and swinging
at me and trying to hit me again with the bat, I jumped out the
window. Tommy, if I had waited another second to break that
window, he would have killed me. You don't know how scared I was
at that moment." he said, finally stopping. I was listening intently. He
had never told any us of this part of the story before. But I did
remember the day he came to school with a black eye and the bruise
on his neck. Maybe that was when it had happened. "Wow. I don't
know what to say. You never told anyone that." I said. He nodded,
not taking his eyes off the road for a second. "I know. I hadn't
planned on telling anyone, because it brought back to many
memories. But when my dad mentioned it, I knew I needed to tell
you." he said. Finally when he stopped at a light, he looked at me.
"Tommy, I don't want to go through this again. You have to stop, you
don't know what this is doing to me. Or to the others. Or to yourself.
Don't just stop for us, stop for yourself. This can eventually kill you if
you don't stop. Or lead you to where my dad is. You heard his story,
but the decision is up to you." he said, pulling through the light and
turning the corner. After hearing that story, I vowed to stop drinking
right then and there, if not for anyone else, but for myself and my
friends. I had wanted to stop, but it became to addicting. I looked at
Jason, but never spoke. He stopped the car once it reached my
drive way, but neither of us made an attempt to move. Finally he
turned to me. I could see his eyes filling up with tears. What I was
doing to myself must have been bringing back painful memories for
him. Without saying a word, I reached over and embraced my friend
in a big hug. Once I was satisfied that he was calm, I released him
and looked into his chocolate-brown eyes. "I'm going to stop, Jase. I
promise. For you, for myself, for everyone. I promise, right here and
now that I will stop abusing the alcohol. You're my witness on that." I
told him, making him promise that he would never let me touch
another liquor can again. He nodded, smiling through the teary eyes.
"You have my word on that, Tommy. I'll never let you touch another
liquor can again. And you have the support of all your friends. Kim,
Trini, Zack, Billy and I will always be there for you, we're you're
friends. Next time talk to us if you are having a problem. Never resort
to using alcohol or drugs to solve those problems, they don't help."
he told me, a note of sterness in his voice. I nodded, holding up my
hand and promising to never ever drink again.
Having David talk to me did no good. So Jason came over that day with one last
desperate attempt to get me to change my ways. "I'm taking you some where.
Come with me." he said, without another word and getting into the car. I followed
him silently. We drove for a little while before I got up the courage to ask him where
we were going. "Where are we going?" I asked. He sighed. "My mom doesn't know
I'm going here. I was forbidden to come here, but I need to. It's my last desperate
attempt with you Tommy." he said. I scrunched up my brow. "Oookkk..But that didn't
answer my question." I said. Just then we pulled up to a building. I saw the sign that
said Angel Grove Prison. We got out, and I followed Jason inside. He
walked to the desk and said something to the lady. "I'm here to see
my dad." he told her. She nodded and picked up the phone. A few
minutes later, out walked a guy, escorted by a police officer, with his
hands handcuffed in front of him. He smiled at Jason, who only
nodded in return and sat down, indicating me to sit in the empty seat
next to him. I looked at him. "Jason, why did you bring me here?" I
asked. He sighed and looked at me. "Because Tommy. This is what
is going to happen to you. Take a good look at my dad. If you keep
this up, this will happen to you. I refuse to come visit my dad in
prison, but I don't want to have to visit you here." he said. I sighed. I
looked at Jason's dad. 6 months in prison had turned him into an
animal. I mean, he had grown a full beard and his hair was turning
grey, and he'd only been in there 6 months. I didn't want that to
happen to me. "It's hard, Jason. It's hard to stop. I want to, but I
can't." I told him. Finally Jason's dad spoke. "You can stop, Tommy.
You have to have faith. If you have the support of your family and
friends, which I know you do, you can quit." he said. For the first time
in several months, I saw Jason look at his dad admiringly. "Listen to
him, Tommy. Please listen to him. If not for anybody else, then for
me. I don't want to go through the abuse again, Tommy." he said,
looking at me with pleading eyes. Jason's dad looked at me and
spoke again. "Tommy, I know you. You're a great kid, and I know
you'd never do anything to harm yourself or your friends. You're the
best friend Jason has ever had, and I know that for a fact. If you
won't listen to him, then at least listen to me. Tommy, take a good
hard look at me. Why am I in here? I ask myself that every night. And
every night I get the same answer. If only I had learned how to
control my alcohol intake, then maybe I wouldn't be in here. And then
maybe Jason wouldn't have to live with the scars from all the abuse I
gave to him. I'm losing out on 25 years of my life, just because of my
alcohol abuse. Tommy, please. You need to stop, and I know you
can. If I could take back everything I ever did to Jason, I would, but I
can't, and I have to live with the fact that I almost killed him. And
could have killed him, if he had not broken the window and jumped
out that night." he said, pausing to take a breath. I looked at Jason.
Now this was part of the story that I had not heard before. Jason
sighed, and I knew he would tell me later if I asked. So I would. Then
Jason's dad started again. "You can stop Tommy, I know you can.
And I know you know you can. I know it's not that easy, but with
friends like Jason and the others, I know you can stop. It may take
time, but so what, that will be the time you turn back into to the
Tommy I know. I don't want to see Jason go through the abuse
again. You don't know this, but I can see it in his eyes, Tommy. You
may not physically be abusing him, but mentally he is reliving
everything I did to him, and he doesn't want that to happen again. He
hates me, and I can understand that, but there is no reason for him to
hate you. Stop, Tommy. I know you can." he said, as he was led
back to his cell then by the police officer. We walked back out to the
car, neither of us speaking. Once we got in the car and started down
the road, I stared out the window, thinking of everything his dad had
told me. Then Jason caught my attention by starting to tell the story I
wanted to hear. "He almost killed me, Tommy. Literally. He came
home one night, more drunk than I had ever seen him. I wanted him
to stop, I begged him to stop. But he didn't listen. I tried to call you,
but when I picked up the phone, he pulled it out of the wall. He
picked up the metal baseball bat that was sitting behind my door and
held it in his hands, like he was going to swing at something. Well,
that something he swung at was me. The bat came about an inch
from my face. I was able to duck out of the way, but I wasn't fast
enough for the second blow. The second time, he actually hit me. I
have the scar on my neck to prove it. But the third time, I blocked him
and held him back. I pleaded with him to stop, that he didn't know
what he was getting himself into. I begged him. I told him I would do
anything if he stopped, including not telling the authorities. I told him I
would let him get away with everything he was doing and never tell a
soul if he stopped. But that didn't even help. It wasn't him doing it, it
was the liquor he was consuming. So he swung the bat again, once
he got it free of my grasp. I was able to free myself long enough to
break the window with my fist. While he was screaming and swinging
at me and trying to hit me again with the bat, I jumped out the
window. Tommy, if I had waited another second to break that
window, he would have killed me. You don't know how scared I was
at that moment." he said, finally stopping. I was listening intently. He
had never told any us of this part of the story before. But I did
remember the day he came to school with a black eye and the bruise
on his neck. Maybe that was when it had happened. "Wow. I don't
know what to say. You never told anyone that." I said. He nodded,
not taking his eyes off the road for a second. "I know. I hadn't
planned on telling anyone, because it brought back to many
memories. But when my dad mentioned it, I knew I needed to tell
you." he said. Finally when he stopped at a light, he looked at me.
"Tommy, I don't want to go through this again. You have to stop, you
don't know what this is doing to me. Or to the others. Or to yourself.
Don't just stop for us, stop for yourself. This can eventually kill you if
you don't stop. Or lead you to where my dad is. You heard his story,
but the decision is up to you." he said, pulling through the light and
turning the corner. After hearing that story, I vowed to stop drinking
right then and there, if not for anyone else, but for myself and my
friends. I had wanted to stop, but it became to addicting. I looked at
Jason, but never spoke. He stopped the car once it reached my
drive way, but neither of us made an attempt to move. Finally he
turned to me. I could see his eyes filling up with tears. What I was
doing to myself must have been bringing back painful memories for
him. Without saying a word, I reached over and embraced my friend
in a big hug. Once I was satisfied that he was calm, I released him
and looked into his chocolate-brown eyes. "I'm going to stop, Jase. I
promise. For you, for myself, for everyone. I promise, right here and
now that I will stop abusing the alcohol. You're my witness on that." I
told him, making him promise that he would never let me touch
another liquor can again. He nodded, smiling through the teary eyes.
"You have my word on that, Tommy. I'll never let you touch another
liquor can again. And you have the support of all your friends. Kim,
Trini, Zack, Billy and I will always be there for you, we're you're
friends. Next time talk to us if you are having a problem. Never resort
to using alcohol or drugs to solve those problems, they don't help."
he told me, a note of sterness in his voice. I nodded, holding up my
hand and promising to never ever drink again.
