Growing Pains Interlude

Hey everyone I'm back. Thanks for the positive feedback I received from the first chapter with Molly and her sister, Mia, meeting Stylee. Now, let's begin the second chapter that highlights the turbo charged boy himself, Gil. Enjoy.

Chapter 2

Before the chorus started to play again, the music suddenly cut off. The sound of guitar strings strumming and heavy drums used stopped banging on Gil's eardrums. Gil lifted his head to figure out what happened to the music. Scanning his environment, he noticed an older version of himself hovering over while firing a glare at him. The man's arms were folded in front of his chest.

"What happened? You have one job. One simple job and you can't even do that," he said to the teenager.

"W-What are you talking about?" Gil asked while rubbing his eyes.

"Do you remember what was supposed to come in today?"

Gil sat himself up and was sitting normally on the couch. "Uhm…. yeah. The instruments haven't arrived yet?"

Gil's father just shrugged, but it was more obvious and disappointment than confusion. "I was about to ask you the same thing, Gil," he said. "I told you we have a shipment of instruments coming in and I need you to sign for them while I was away. So, where are the instruments, Gil?"

"Obviously, the delivery guy hasn't brought them yet."

"And how the hell were you watching the story, Gil? You got these damn headphones on and music blasting loudly in your ear," the man ripped his headphones off his head.

Gil thought his Dad was finding another excuse to lecture him again. Although complaining for the most part, the teenager read the note his father shoved in his hand. "Wait, the guy came? How come he didn't say anything? I was in this store the whole time."

"You were listening to music. So, now I have to drive halfway across town just to pick up the instruments myself."

"Okay, Dad, I know you're disappointed. How about picking the instruments up tomorrow?"

"Because Bubbletucky is hosting a festival involving students at a summer camp in three weeks and they need the instruments now. So, we have to go pick them up by today."

"We?"

"Yes, we. You're coming with me because I can't count on you. Now, let's go before they closed."

LINE BREAK!

Just before the father and son about to come across at the intersection until the light started turning yellow. Gil was hoping his father would just run the light because eventually it will turn red. However, the adult knew better and slowed their truck down. The vehicle was at a complete stop once the light changed red. "I have to be honest, son. I'm becoming very worried about you."

"There's nothing for you to worry about," Gil protested. "I don't why you always have something to say."

"You see, Gil, that's the problem with you kids now: don't want to work for anything. Rather spend your time on those social media sites and taking inappropriate pictures of yourselves for strangers to see all over the world. Gil, you need to…" He turned his head to the side and found his teenage son on his phone, thus proving his point. The father snatched the phone from his son's hands. "You didn't even hear one word from me, did you?"

Gil chuckling nervously was all his father needed to prove his point. Once the light changed to green, the truck drove into the intersection and made a sharp left. "Sorry?"

"Like I said, all this technology is making you kids lazy and pitiful. When I was in high school, I didn't have all this technology. These smartphones, tablets, social media, FaceTime…"

"Alright, Dad. I get the message. Why are you always hard on me?"

"Because life is hard," his father answered. "You'll be a sophomore in high school next month and its time I help you at least get an early start on what life is about. You should really be thinking about what you want to do with your life."

It wasn't the first time Gil received another 'life is hard' or 'you kids are irresponsible' lecture. Rolling his eyes during the conversation, he stared outside of his window while pretending to be listening. Nothing much for him to do since his phone was snatched out of his hand. While his father's words were fading down, Gil noticed smoke ahead at an intersection. "There are more things in life than listening to music and being on phones all the time. Do you understand?" His father asked him. "Gil, don't make me turn this truck around."

"No, no, Dad, there's smoke up ahead," the son pointed at the thick smoke.

"Yeah. You're right. OH, SHIT!"

SKIIIIRRT!

"OWW! Where's the fire at, Dad?"

"There."

Inches from the father and son, there was a massive pileup in the center of another intersection involving three cars and a semi-truck. One of the cars collided with a telephone pole while the other two cars came to conflict with the semi. "HELP! HELP! HELP ME!"

"What was that?" With traffic backed up, Gil decided to investigate.

"Gil? Gil. Son! Where are you going?"

The teenager joined a crowd of people who were watching the situation. Some of them were making calls to rescue teams, others were checking on the victims, providing aid, food, and water. However, a major of the group were standing on the sides watching or recording. "IS THAT GAS?" Someone shouted.

"What? Gas?" Gil scanned around the crash until he spotted something spilling from the side of the semi-truck and onto the red car underneath.

"Gil, why did you leave the truck like that?"

"Dad, I think someone's in that car. It's getting covered with gasoline," Gil explained. A closer look into the car, the driver was trying to break his way out, but no amount of effort was strong enough to break that window. To add insults to injuries, fire started to spark. If nobody did something to help the trapped driver, within a few moments, that car was going to erupt in a fireball. Gil questioned who was going to be brave enough, but obviously there was no takers. "Dad, that person needs to be saved."

"I know that, but we just can't run over there. All we can is wait for fire rescue and pray for the best," his father replied while placing a hand over Gil's left shoulder. However, the son shrugged him off in disappointment. If nobody was going to help, then he would have to rescue the man himself. "Then I'll go," Gil ran toward the car ignoring his father's protest.

"GIL! GIL GORDON, GET BACK HERE! SON!"

"Don't worry. I'll get you out of here." Gil attempted to open the door the old fashion way, but the door was jammed shut. "This door won't open." Then he thought of another idea which included a rock he picked up from the side of the road. Gil tapped on the window to get the driver's attention. "Get back. I'm gonna smash the window," he announced exhibiting the rock in his hand.

Gil's father ran after him after seeing what he was about to do. "GIL, NO!"

However, it was too little too late. Gil smashed the window into pieces and the fire spread rapidly, covering the driver's side of the car in a thick layer of smoke. The teen even stumbled backwards and lost his ability to see the driver. His screams reached the maximum level, Gil had no idea how to rescue the driver and prevent himself from getting burned as well. He sank into a depression state at the thought of somebody might lost their life because of him.

When all hope seemed to be lost, sirens erupted the area. Gil examined all four directions of the intersection and spotted two large red fire trucks speeding toward him. Flashing lights also blazed down the street. Coming out of the driver's seat of the leading fire truck was a tall male with a white mustache and wearing a full firefighter's uniform. "Alright, team, let's get those hoses out. We have a driver trapped in a burning car. Go! Go! Go!" The man said to his team.

"Yes, sir," his team replied.

"Hey, kid, get away from that car!" The fire chief yelled at Gil.

Several firefighters jumped out of the fire trucks and hooked up a fire hose to a nearby hydrant. With one flip of the nozzle, water was sprayed into the flames. For a moment or two, it didn't seem like the flames were going down until water from a second hose was sprayed. The car was still covered with smoke, but the flames have officially died down. "Angel, the jaws of life," the fire chief ordered.

"You got it, chief," a female firefighter rushed to the car carrying a device in her hand. The device was orange and had two gigantic blades on the end.

"What is that?" Gil asked to himself as he witnessed the firefighter lady starting device. The two blades began cutting through the car door, but that was the last thing Gil saw before the area was covered with the remaining smoke. Two more firefighters jumped in to help out. Within a few minutes, everyone came outside carrying the injured driver. Not only was he alive, but it appeared the only damaged was a broken leg, or at least that was it looked like to Gil.

Everyone burst with applause at seeing the man alive as he was carried to a waiting stretcher. Paramedics surrounded him, placing a neck brace around his neck and an oxygen mask around his mouth. He was rushed into the back of an ambulance and that was the last time Gil, his father, and everyone else saw him.

LINE BREAK!

Gil was astounded by the effort those emergency teams put in to rescue that trapped driver. However, he couldn't help but feel terrible about almost killing someone. If only held back just a few more minutes and tried another method or two. He watched as a fireman was extinguishing the car. Gil suspected that way no flames will appeared. His father walked toward him with some news about all the victims who were involved in the crash. "Just spoke to some people," he began explaining. "The guy trapped in the car had his leg pinned to the door and the stealing wheel."

"Is he going to be okay?" Gil asked.

"He suffered a broken leg and smoke deprivation, but he'll survive."

That was the best news Gil heard all day. He sighed with relieved and rubbed his blue hair with one stroke from his hand. "What a relief. And the other victims?"

"There was another driver who went to the hospital for minor injuries, but I heard it'll be an overnight visit. As for everyone else, their concerns will be finding a ride for a while."

"But everyone is okay," Gil scuffed in response.

"And that's all that matters. Thank God because this crash could had ended real tragedy." Gil searched the area one last time and spot the fire chief helping his team load up the trucks. After witnessing his wonderful leadership, Gil's head was filled with questions. "Anyway, traffic is slowly moving regularly again. Let's get those instruments before the…" Gil jogged over to the fire chief and once again, ignoring his father. "I'll just wait in the truck."

"Excellent job, team. We saved a life, protected lives, another fine job. All of you, the fire chief said to his team.

"Umm…Mr. Fire Chief, sir? Can I talk to you for a second? I have some questions," Gil asked.

"Sure, kid. The chief and the teenager moved to the side until the two of them were alone. "So, what do you want to talk about, son?"

"Well, I'm Gil Gordon, by the way," Gil introduced himself as he shook the man's hand. "Secondly, I was amazed by your leadership the way you and your team handle that fire. You guys—you guys really saved that guy."

"We're just doing our job, kid. You seemed to be interested in learning the ways of firefighting, son."

"Well, my Dad always lecture me about figuring out what I want to do with my life since I'm in high school."

The fire chief laughed in response. "Oh, I'm laughing at you, Gil. Your story reminded me when I was a teenager and my parents were on my neck about my future. Ha ha."

"How did you deal with it?"

"Well, all it takes is one day and my future was decided for me. I'm not trying to persuade you into becoming a firefighter because this job is dangerous. But if you do, just remember a real firefighter serves the people and saving lives."

Random vehicles passed by them as traffic flow was slowly getting back into normal. Those were the same civilians that fire chief and his team of highly trained firefighters protected on a daily basis. Gil wanted to asked another question, but before he opened his mouth, his radio went off. "We got another call, chief," the female firefighter from before announced to her boss.

"Looks like somebody else needs our help. Sorry, Gil, but I got to go."

"Yeah. I understand. It's not a problem," Gil said.

"But if you have any more questions about being a firefighter, here's a pamphlet and my card. Fill free to check it out anytime."

"Okay. Thanks." The two fire trucks left the scene with their flashing lights still flashing and sirens blaring the streets. "That was awesome."

On the cover of the pamphlet was a team of firefighters in front of a large red fire truck outside of a fire station. The pamphlet was filled with firefighters doing heroic work for their city such as rescuing people, volunteering, and of course, putting out fires. A separate section revealed a few website links about registering or volunteering at a local fire station.

There are more things in life than listening to music and being on phones all the time. For the first time in his life, Gil understood what his father was trying to tell him. He didn't fully understand on what that meant yet, but after that day, the teenager saw a preview with his own eyes. "Maybe there are more things in life than music."

Chapter two is complete. It took a little longer than I expected, but I wanted to focus on Gil beginning to question his future. Gil is at that stage in his life where he's trying to figure out life and what he wants to accomplish. It's a very complicated state in every young person's life where they are filled with a carefree, yet curious personality. We all go through that and some of us are still figuring life out. With that being said, what life has in store for Gil?

Chapter three is up next and Goby takes the leading role. Stay tuned.