A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission

Chapter 11: Like No Other Night

The cheers of a countless mass welcomed me as I traversed into the open stadium. A little snowfall fell about, but in comparison to the recent blizzard this was a mere squall. The bite of the wind however burned my cheeks. As Sparky trotted next to me I could tell he was feeling the chill too. The other dog trainers had been bickering about the poor conditions for a race, but that wasn't about to get me down. I figured that I would just beat them anyways, because the weather is just right for my dog and me. I also had to give a lot of credit to Kent, the Potion Master's grandson, for entering the event with his dog. It was a chocolate lab named Togo and looked like it could be rather quick. But I was more interested in beating the upper echelon' dog trainers with their monocles and hair implants.

"Mr. Munich you have box assignment number three. Please prep your dog for the race. We have five minutes to race time people!" the Official informed us.

The time ticked away and I looked into the stands to see a massive number of faces. Everyone from the entire county must be here, freezing on cold wooden seats to see some dogs chase a mechanical rabbit. Everyone from the county has come to see what my dog can do. I stared up into the stands to see something very encouraging, but very scary at the same time. Cliff, Harris, Rick, and Ann were all standing in a line, each wearing a shirt that bore a letter of my name, except for Cliff, who had stylized a massive "J" right onto his chest with black marker. Indeed, the shirts read "JAKC" in a nice line. Apparently Harris and Rick mixed up their spots. Cliff shouted something to them that looked like very correcting to say the least. Harris and Rick bumbled around so that "JACK" would be correctly displayed in the stands after Harris pushed several people to fix his mistake and Rick almost crowd-surfed his way down the stands.

"Gentlemen may the best dog win. On your marks!" the Official yelled, lulling me out of my trance. The mechanical rabbit was already on the track and rearing to go.

"It's do or die Sparky," I told my dog as I gave him a pat on the head and cleared the course.

KERPOW!! Off went the gun. The gates fell down, the mechanized rabbit began running and the dogs trailed behind suite. Sparky was hauling, taking the lead from Togo and the rest of the pack. Sparky even began to pull away by handfuls of meters from the others, save one dog. Indeed Togo was putting up a fight, but it seemed as though he couldn't keep up with Sparky for the long haul. Suddenly, however, Togo gained second life in his legs. He began to up closer and closer to Sparky, but it looked as though Sparky would still win. With 100 meters to go, it looked as though Sparky, while losing distance ever so slowly, would still be able to hold Togo off. However, it was apparent this was not the way things were meant to be. Togo and Sparky were neck and neck as the closed in on the last ten meters. Togo pulled his nose ahead of Sparky mere milliseconds before he could cross the finish. Sparky didn't have anything left in him. He looked like he was in a terrible pain. I was proud.

"Hey Jack, nice job there! I thought for sure you would win!" Kent said with shortness in breath. He was so excited he might have forgotten to keep taking in oxygen. He wasn't very tactful about it, but I think that was his way of saying 'good game.'

"Hey, you did a nice job too dude. Your dog sure knows how to run" I congratulated. How could I be angry for a little kid beating me? At any rate, I picked Sparky up (He was still quite a small dog) and carried him to the winner's pit.

Sparky was awarded a nice silver second place medal that could go next to the silver medal from the Sea Festival. Ah well, silver is prettier than gold anyways. Too bad gold is more valuable.

.....

The next morning would make it the 20th of winter. I couldn't believe winter was already two-thirds over with. Actually I suppose I could. I don't really like seasonal unemployment. In the midst of my cold breakfast grandpa's old phone that belonged in a museum began to ring. I've always hated early morning calls, but I figured that it was probably something important, like the government or something.

"Aye, whatcha' need?" I asked, still somewhat groggy, as I picked up the phone.

"Hey Jack, this is Ann" spoke the voice of my favorite carrot top, save Rick.

"What's going on Ann? It's like..." I began as I glanced over to my clock."... it's like 6AM."

"Yeah, isn't it beautiful?" Ann chimed in. I wish I had the heart to yell 'NO' at her, but I just couldn't.

"Hey Ann, would you want to, you know, get to the point?" I pressed. "I'm kind of on a tight schedule" I lied. Truth be told, I was in a rather bad mood. I hadn't slept well the night before. But then again, I hadn't slept well at all since I found Karen in the snow bank that day.

"Umm alright... Cliff and I need to ask you some stuff that is kind of important" Ann spoke. It almost sounded as if she was making this stuff up as she went along.

"Aight, when do you want to meet?" I asked.

"Four days from now, down on the beach by my house" Ann scheduled.

"Kay', I'll be there" I agreed.

"Alright, we'll see you then" Ann concluded.

"Okay, see you later Ann" I promised as I hung up the phone.

I was unsure of what Ann and Cliff really needed to see me for, but whatever the reason, I'd be there. I couldn't back out on Cliff now. He had been there for me so many times before. I secretly feared it had to do with the last thing I'd ever want my best friend to do. Marriage. The mere thought made me clench my fists in fear until my knuckles turned white. I mean, everything is all right at first, but then Ann wouldn't let Cliff and I hang out any more, then she'd make him carry her kids around at festivals and change their diapers and sell anything remotely cool that he owns for more 'practical' things. I recall my Father having to sell his Camaro shortly after he and Mom got married. The poor soul will lose all of his dignity!

.....

Our planned night was rapidly approaching. Despite its bleak look, I was actually growing fond of the winter's peacefulness. Other than finding some rare metals in the mountain, which Rick begged me to death for, everything was now calm and quite. Even my now vast legion of sheep and my ever-growing calf dared not speak a word. As I prepared to disembark from the farm for the beach I threw my heavily weighed bag full of minerals into my shipping crate. Perhaps I could finally have a bathroom added to my house.

The quiet stroll to the beach was just that and nothing more. Quiet. Upon reaching the vista the overlooks the beach I only saw a single figure on the beach, which was definitely female, probably Ann. I jumped down onto the sandy slope overlooking the shore, sliding down, being careful not to trip. However, the closer I came to the mysterious girl, the more it didn't look like Ann and the more it looked like... Karen.

"Great" I said to myself as the dark silhouette turned around to see me, clearly in astonishment.

"What?" Karen said, clearly baffled. I could barely make out her face. "Jack, why are you here?" Karen asked, seemingly on the defensive. She was trying hard to avoid any argument.

"I was supposed to meet Cliff here" I informed her. She should have had a pretty good idea of where Cliff would be, being his cousin and all.

"Hmm..." Karen pondered for a moment, still keep her voice subtle and quiet. " He's probably in his cave, freezing his rear end off right now."

"Well then. This makes no sense," I said, half talking to myself, half talking to Karen. She seemed disinterested in what I had to say though, and turned back around to look out at the ocean. She sat down and curled up gazing into the rolling waves, silently wishing this I don't want to even dare imagine.

"You look cold" I said, slowly strolling over, sitting down a safe distance away from her.

"Yeah, just a bit" she said, still ever so subtle.

I figured now was the right time. I felt bad enough about the whole situation and let enough steam blow off that to keep on fighting her was pointless. Being mean to her got me nowhere except being embarrassed in front of half of the village.

"Hey, about yelling at you and all" I began to say. She darted a look at me that seemed quite defensive. "I'm... sorry. I accept your apology."

Karen gave a small laugh. "It's ok Jack. I figured you would."

"Oh really?" I said, slightly insulted.

"Yeah, I knew cause' you aren't like my dad. You... have a heart," Karen said, turning from happy to sad very quickly.

"Look, things will be alright" I assured her. "Your dad isn't that bad. I mean he's... oh crap," I cursed as I suddenly remembered that I owed him labor. I had been so busy avoiding their entire family because of the recent incidents I had completely forgotten about him willing to give me some work. "I completely forgot about the jobs he'd left for me."

"It'll be alright," Karen said, now trying to assure me. "He'll get angry and maybe cuss a little bit, tell me he doesn't like me hanging around you, and then he'll forget about it."

I was edging closer to her now. "Here, curl up in this" I said as I handed her my jacket. She was shivering awfully, it was the least I could do.

"I couldn't just take this from you" she said, edging closer to me. She threw my jacket back over my far shoulder, but wrapped it around herself as well. I was drawn in extremely close to her, my jacket serving as a blanket for the both of us.

"I wish I had someone to tell me I couldn't be around you. Then maybe I could get some work done," I said as I peered into her burning emerald eyes. Then, from some gut instinct within me, I kissed her. I pulled back somewhat quickly, wondering what I had just done. Four long years had gone by since I last attempted such a move, and until now I hadn't realized I'd missed it.

"You are working, Jack" Karen whispered, looking somewhat flattered.

We fell onto our backs and peered up into the night sky. The strata tonight were clearer than I have ever seen before. I chose one star above all else in the sky to remind me of tonight. It was Thuban, one of the Draco's imperishable stars. It could be seen at any time of year. It would not fade from the night sky. It was perfect.

.....

The next day I felt exhausted. The long walk back home after taking Karen back to the vineyard seemed to take an aeon, draining every little bit of energy from me while still avoiding a dire hospital visit. I crawled out of my bed to let Sparky out, and then crawled right back into bed. I felt like I wanted to sleep forever.

I awoke hours later to a horde of hungry sheep all bleating their hardest to get their meals first. After feeding Fluffy, Fuzzy, Fluzzy, Fuffy, Furry, Flurry, and Tookie-Tookie I let Little Miss, my calf, eat something as well. While I was watering them however, I heard the doors behind me swing open. As I reared around behind me to see who ever it was I felt my foot slide into the most undesirable of aspects: Little Miss's droppings.

"Most smooth, young grasshopper" My favorite senior citizen clad in red jibed.

"Grandpa!" I said with excitement.

"You are the new king I see" The Potion Master stated.

"Yeah, I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing" I pondered.

"Hmm... well then. Seeing that you are king, you will need one of these," The Potion Master said as he dug through his cloak.

"Ahah!" he sang at last, and pulled out a small flute type thing.

"Umm... and that is?" I asked in bewilderment.

"An Ocarina. You are the king, and so you have the honor of dressing in a costume and playing this ocarina along with three others in the town square on the 27th" The Potion Master explained.

"So, is there, you know, a reason for me to do this?" I questioned.

"You're king! It's tradition," The Potion Master said. To him this whole thing was as natural as leaves falling off the trees in the fall.

"What tradition? I was never told on any tradition I had to uphold," I stated.

"Why, the tradition of the Spirit Festival of course!" The Potion Master exclaimed. " The holiday of the dead!"

"What?!" I exclaimed. From what little I got out of this conversation I would be doing a song for a bunch of dead people.

"Let me sum it up for you" The Potion Master decided. "You play an Ocarina and the people around you pray for their deceased friends and relatives."

"But- I don't- there's not- it isn't," I babbled.

The Potion Master didn't seem to hear my incessant garble coming from my mouth, and instead shoved the ocarina into my hand. "It plays just like one of those fancy guitar things your generation uses" The old man promised as he walked out the door.

So I was doomed to a public embarrassment. At least I could pull my friends out of the crowd to play with me so I didn't look like an idiot all by my lonesome.

.....

As the next two days passed by I found the ocarina extremely easy to play. The sheet music the Potion Master gave me was easy enough anyways. Hopefully I wouldn't be too embarrassed. Of course if I didn't mess up the song every one could still laugh at the silly costume I had to wear that the mayor sent in the mail. It made me look like a Chia pet.

The festival took place under the cloudy sky and many came and gathered to pray for their deceased loved ones. I sent one up for Grandpa, thanking him for everything he's left me with. Since that night that I had spent with Karen under the stars, many of my problems had seemed to disappear. But my thoughts also dwindled on her and her grandmother. She would surely be praying for her tonight.

Of course for the song I drug Cliff, Rick, and Harris up to play instruments with me, much to their dissatisfaction. We actually did quite the decent job. I had a hard time imagining anyone screwing up on a night like this though. It was too special for everyone here. I would have died myself if I had ruined this for anyone I think. It was like we were working against the night, trying to keep the music flowing until everyone silently left for their homes.

The last person remaining at the festival was Karen. I knew what she was thinking about. Or at least I thought I did. Once she disappeared into the night we let the song die down into a lull and then into nothing at all.

As I walked back home alone I saw a single dark silhouette standing in the middle of the road. I couldn't tell who it was, only to realize I had forgotten to take off the Chia pet the mayor called a mask. I tore the covering off of my head to find that it was the one person standing in the middle of the road that I wanted to see more than anyone else right now.

"Karen!" I said as I ran over to her.

"Jack..." Karen started. She seemed very sad.

"Did I play well enough?" I asked, unable to think of anything better to start a conversation about.

"Jack listen to me" Karen pleaded.

"Karen, I have something I should have probably told you a long time ago" I told her, completely ignoring her last statement.

"Listen to me damn it, before you hurt us both" Karen scolded.

"What?" I asked, deeply confused.

The wind picked up as she fought back against tears in her eyes. "Jack, I'm leaving. I've got to."

"What do you meaning, leaving?" I asked with sudden concern.

"Leaving from the village is what I mean" Karen spilled out. "I'm leaving for Edgewater on New Year's Day."

I crushed the mask in my hand into a mess of straw and continued on home without saying another word to her. My shoulder brushed hers as I paced away, leaving behind what would surely be another painful memory. I could live with her being a jerk to me for all that time and using me to push Kai away if she honestly meant that she was sorry. I could forgive that. This feeling, however, was something I hadn't felt since I was seventeen.