Okay, I admit. This is more of a filler chapter than anything else. I'm sorry. Hopefully there will be some action in the next chapter.
Also, (and I know I should have added this to the last chapter) I want you to know that I have never been to the Wading River Congregational Church before in my life (I haven't even been to America, yet) so if I've gotten something wrong or completely made up something that shouldn't be part of the building, I'm sorry. I went off pictures, words and my own experience on some of the churches I've been to in Australia when creating the inside of the church.
That said, I hope you enjoy this chapter anyway and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.
Chapter 15:
A Kind Parting
After the service, the Pastor led Jaden and Buddy into a room off the main part of the church. It was a small room with a small table, a couple of chairs and about a million drawn pictures of doves (wouldn't Aphrodite be happy), a man with his heart on fire and a ring around his head and other religious things. Above the doorway was another, smaller cross and on a small table in the far corner of the room stood a statuette of a woman holding a baby.
The Pastor noticed Jaden looking at the statuette. " That is the Virgin Mary hold the baby lord Jesus Christ." He explained.
" I'm sorry. I don't know them. I no longer… follow what I believed in." Jaden replied, looking down at his feet.
By the very fact that this man was willing to talk to him told him that he was a mortal. And because he was a mortal, he had to be extremely careful with what he said. If he was lucky being banished, he knew he wouldn't be so lucky if he went around telling every man about Olympus. Zeus would probably kill him on the spot if he blurted everything about the Greek gods still being alive. And he did not plan on dying any time soon.
" I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps it is Jesus who you are searching for."
" Maybe. Or maybe I just need to travel for a bit longer. It's only been two weeks since I left and all I have is whatever's in the suitcase and the dog."
" I understand. Maybe there is something in the store that you can use? I'm sure the people there would understand your situation if you give them this."
The pastor then went to a draw that Jaden hadn't had seen before and took out a small piece of paper and a pen. After writing something onto it, he then handed the paper to Jaden. As a final show of kindness, he led both Jaden and Buddy back outside the church and over to a small shed like building near the church.
With a final farewell, the man left Jaden and Buddy standing in front of the shop. Now alone, Jaden looked down at Buddy only to find that the dog was looking up at him expectantly. With a sigh, Jaden turned back to the shop.
" I'm only getting what he absolutely need, okay Buddy?" He said, almost to himself. He got a surprise when Buddy barked in agreement.
The shop was full of all sorts of things from books to clothes. The first thing Jaden actually saw was a backpack. It was a decent size and had an army patterning on it. Placing it on his back, the bag sat comfortably and didn't seem to disturb him much. In fact, he completely forgot that he had put it on when he noticed an even smaller backpack big enough to fit one maybe two bowls in it. An instant thought came into his head and he picked up that bag as well.
After about twenty minutes in the shop, Jaden came out with quite a small amount of what he called 'loot'. Aside from the two backpacks that he had picked up, he also had a small bum bag that he could put his money in and still hide it under his shirt, two small wooden bowls, some shirts that were a little bit big on him, some blankets, three young child books that he thought would help with his dyslexia, a stuffed toy for Buddy and a tin can that was really an old money box just without the lid. What was even better was that the ladies at the register let him have everything for the price of three dollars (which was the only money he had). Unfortunately, he couldn't sedate his Hermes blood until he had snatched a coil of rope from one of the front tables.
Walking over to Buddy, he found a fabric bag of tinned and packaged foods as well as an undecipherable note. Shrugging his shoulders at the note, Jaden picked up the fabric bag and took his suitcase in hand. Calling Buddy to his heel, the two made their way back to area that Jaden had used as a campsite that morning.
By the time they made it back to the campsite, it was already lunch time. That was when the first of the wooden bowls was used for the first time. Jaden unpacked the army bag and, after clipping the bum bag around his waist, placed the ashtray and the lighter of the two wooden bowls on the ground. He then opened a packet of beef jerky from the food bag and gave Buddy three of the strips as well as a slice of bread and some water. He, himself, enjoyed two strips of beef jerky, a banana and a slice of bread.
" How was that, Buddy? Better than breakfast?" Jaden asked once he and the dog had finished their 'meal'. His reply was a simple yawn. " Okay, then. You get some sleep while I pack the bags."
Jaden watched as Buddy settled himself for sleep - walking in a circle before curling up to go to sleep – before emptying the suitcase and food bag. From what he could make out thanks to his dyslexia, he had about three cans of corn kernels, three cans of spam, two cans of peas and corn, one can of peaches, one can of pears, two cans of spaghetti and meatballs, two cans of sausages, one can of rattlesnake, one can of alligator, one can of mushrooms and three cans of fish. And those were just the cans.
He also had one bag of peanuts, five bags of beef jerky (one of which had already been opened), two bags of dried fruit mix, three bananas, three apples, a loaf of bread, an orange, a cucumber, a packet of pretzels and two packets of biscuits. There was also the three new bottles of water that he had found in the food bag to add onto the two bottles that he had already stolen.
Thinking hard, Jaden decided to split the food items in half and put them into the army backpack and the suitcase. Most of the cans went into the suitcase along with the two packets of biscuits, three of the beef jerky bags, the bag of peanuts and the three water bottles from the food bag. His backpack, he decided, was going to carry one can of corn, one can of spaghetti and meatballs, one can of fish, two beef jerky bags (including the opened bag), the two bags of dried fruit mix, the pretzels, the water bottles that he had stolen, the fruit and the bread. Packing it all away, Jaden was amazed at the amount of food he now had.
After a quick five minute break (trying to read labels when you're dyslexic is hard work), he began on the easier task of putting everything else away. The rags, books, rope, flashlight, batteries and the darker wooden bowl went into the army bag. The clothes, tin box, toothbrush, hairbrush, blankets, sheets, fabric bag and everything else that was in the suitcase were packed into the suitcase… well everything except the jar of bones. That was a special tenth birthday present from Blake Hunter and he wanted to keep that with him wherever he went.
Finally, he packed Buddy's bag. The bunny toy that he had picked up earlier that day sat in the rag-wrapped dog bowls from lunch and the three items were just able to be squeezed into the small bag. Once the bags were packed, Jaden began on his little project; making the small bag fit Buddy. Unfortunately Buddy, now awake, wanted nothing to do with the idea.
" Come on, Buddy. I promise it's the lightest out of the three bags." Jaden begged. " Please let me tie it around you."
The dog growled at the bag.
" It only has three things in it; your bowls and your toy bunny."
Still, Buddy wanted nothing to do with the idea of having something on his back.
" Please? Look, I'm begging you."
At this, Jaden went down on his knees and put his hands together. All he received was a glare that told him everything except yes. With a sigh, he looked down at the bag. He had started by tying an extremely tight knot into the side of the bag with the rope. Now he just had to fit the rope around Buddy so that the dog wouldn't lose the bag so easily. And that was the current problem.
" Okay, Buddy. You win… for now." the boy mumbled, somehow managing to pack the dog's bag into his own. " Let's go for a walk before we settle down for dinner."