Chapter 19: Origins- Return to the Port

One night in late December, David gave me a night of resting.

"What? We're not gonna train tonight?"

"Nope!" He called from under the bar. "'Tis the season to be jolly, and I'm feeling quite generous tonight." He pulled out a bottle from under the bar with a few glasses. "Time for us to 'ave a drink. After all, that's wot bartenders do."

"What's that?" I asked, pointing at the bottle.

"This righ' 'ere is one of my favorite sodas I 'ad a lot when I wos a kid back in London. I still drink it a lot to this day."

"I thought we were really drinking."

David gave me a smug smile. "Nice try there, Blake. We're waiting another three years."

"Fair enough." I replied. "It was worth a try."

I sat down at the table with David as he poured out two glasses and handed one to me.

"So tell me 'bout you, Oliver. You got any family?"

I sighed. "Yeah. Two parents, 2 uncles, 2 aunts, several older cousins and a sick little cousin."

"Oh... Sorry to 'ear 'bout that."

"No, it's fine. I'm going home soon for Christmas. At least I'm hoping I'll be allowed to do so?"

"Absolutely. You got family, and I got family. We both need to be there for them. This'll be our last meeting until after New Year's Eve. I'll expect you 'ere the same time on the night of the 7th of January."

"Agreed. Merry Christmas, David."

"Merry Christmas, Oliver."

The next day, I woke up, and headed to JFK for the long flight to Seattle. I was hoping that Lucy would be there to visit. Before I left, I got her a Christmas gift: a plush bunny from some cartoon that she was really into that I had found from the letters she had sent me in New York. I hadn't seen her since I had left a few months ago. The most I had heard of her progress was a letter from my dad saying she was in chemotherapy, and she was taking it well. But her long brown hair was not on her head anymore.

My family had called last night, excited that I was coming back home. I heard talk of some big news going on. I hoped it wasn't that my mom was expecting, because my parents agreed they'd stop at me. But I still couldn't help but feel some worry about that.

The flight was long, and tiring. It wasn't until we passed over Idaho that I started to notice the familiar evergreen forests replace the flat farmlands.

Finally, I saw the Space Needle from above as the plane began it's descent. I found myself soon grabbing my bag from the luggage carousel, and headed out to "arrivals". A long line of people stood shoulder to shoulder holding signs with names. Normally, I would have ignored them, but one read "Oliver Blake". It was my mom.

"Mom!" I came up and hugged her. "What are you doing here?!" I asked. I took a quick glance. She didn't seem like she was carrying. But I always knew that looks can sometimes be deceiving.

"I didn't want you to be taking a cab home. Plus there's a surprise waiting home!" She said.

"Oh, god. Did you convert my room into a storage area?"

My mom only laughed. "No, Oliver. You'll just have to wait and see when you get home."

After leaving the airport in the car, she started asking questions.

"How is New York?"

"They don't lie when they say it's the city that never sleeps." I said. "The nights there are super noisy."

"Have you met any new friends?"

"Yeah, I've made a couple."

"Anybody special?" She said in that annoying voice.

"No, Mom. I haven't found a girl yet. Although I still have faith I will."

"That's the spirit. You don't worry, Oliver."

I didn't like how Mom talked like that. I would find that girl, but I felt her encouragement was annoying. I had faith I would do it at my own pace. I just hadn't found the right girl.

When I got home, I really was surprised as Mom was expecting: Lucy ran up from the door and gave me a big hug.

"Ollie!"

I was so surprised by her, the hug made me fall on the driveway.

"Jeez! Get this girl playing for the Hawks!" I exclaimed. "What're you doing here, Lucy?!"

"I'm in intermission."

I was confused. "You're what?"

"Intermission. It's something else that I can't really pronounce right, so I call it intermission."

I headed up to the living room with Mom and Lucy. Aunt Terri and Uncle Alex were up there waiting for me. Uncle Alex had shaved his beard shorter, so I was a bit thrown off, almost asking who he was when I walked in.

"Lucy's in intermission?" I asked, she down on the ground, clutching my leg tightly.

Uncle Alex laughed. "She means remission! The chemo worked!"

"Oh my god!" Next thing I knew I was giving Lucy a big bear hug.

"Uh, Ollie, you're suffocating me."

I laughed, letting her go. What she said was coming from someone who got escorted out of Disneyland for hugging Pluto too hard.

"So I guess you're well enough to spend Christmas with the family!"

"I know! And you're here too!"

"C'mon, Lucy. You're cousin's had a long flight. He's probably wanting to talk to the family." Said Mom.

Lucy went into the kitchen while I sat down.

"Looks like you're becoming a real hunter, Oliver!" Said Uncle Alex.

"What makes you say that?"

"That you're growing out a beard."

I laughed. It was true I had let it grow out a bit. But it was more a stubble than something Alex usually had.

"So how is it in the big city, Oliver?" Asked Aunt Terri.

"Oh, it's great. I'm learning a lot in Econ. Already played the stock game."

"Anything good?" Asked Uncle Alex.

"Started with 5 grand, ended with 10."

"That's my boy!"

I jumped. Dad had just walked into the living room.

"Oh, c'mon! My son leaves for 5 months and doesn't wanna give his old man a hug?"

I stood up and did that.

"Good thing you're here, Dad. I got an idea of a surprise for Lucy. I just thought of it."

Uncle Alex looked over in interest. "What're you thinking, Oliver?"

Dad sat down. "Yeah, son. You have some kind of plan?"

"Uncle Alex, does Lucy still believe in Bigfoot?"

"...Yes" he said suspiciously.

"Then I got something I think would make her Christmas better. She's in remission, but I think she should have something a little extra on the side."

I could see the wheels turning in both Dad and Uncle Alex's heads. Then, like a light, Uncle Alex figured it out.

"I think Lucy's old enough to go hunting."

A few days later, Lucy, Uncle Alex, Dad, and I were headed up the rocky road to the hunting grounds. Lucy kept saying how excited she was. She seemed quite eager even if that meant taking a few deer with us. She'd gotten smarter over the past few years ever since I shot my first deer, understanding what Dad and I were really doing. And she seemed to take it well. One thing I knew about Lucy was that she wasn't an average 11-year-old.

"I'm so excited! I can't wait!"

I knew she'd be saying how much fun she had here after hunting.

"Oliver." Said Dad. "When we get there, I got an early Christmas present for you in the back."

Now I was excited. But I had a good idea of what it could be.

When we got to the hunting grounds, there were no trucks around. Good. The less bystanders in this, the better.

I got out, pulling my hood up over my head. My green hunting hoodie was now torn from all the bushes I had run through, and too small for me. I almost wished that that was what was waiting for me in the back of the truck. But it was just as good.

My dad had gotten me a brand new compound bow, complete with a marksman sight and a spring launcher. Granted, while I was quite comfortable with my regular recurve bow, which was also in the truck, I was glad to get this. It would make hunting a lot easier.

"Ok, Lucy. When we go out, you listen to me and Uncle Shawn no matter what. And only shoot when we tell you." Said Uncle Alex.

"What about Ollie?"

"I'm gonna head off somewhere else. I can cover more ground, and I'll make less noise on my own. With any luck I can get us another deer." I said.

"Careful with the new bow, son. It packs a good kick."

"I got it, Dad." I said, slinging my quiver over my shoulder.

And with that, I headed off. Dad and Uncle Alex helped me plan out this for Lucy for 2 whole days. We had a good way of communication as well. All I had to do was find the package, and maybe score a few kills to throw Lucy off.

I was lucky enough to find a deer while I was up on a higher rock. My dad had told me before I left the truck that he had it's draw length and weight set for me. All I needed was to shoot. I pulled an arrow out of my quiver, and got the shot ready. The deer suddenly looked up, and right at me, just as I was about to let go.

I couldn't spook the deer, or he'd run off, and I'd get sidetracked and forget why we really were here. I wasn't expecting this deer to be smarter than normal. I froze, and didn't move a muscle. The draw weight on the bow was heavier than I expected. I thought I had it tough with my last bow. Now I was begging one of two things to happen: Either the deer ignore me, or I suddenly have my recurve back in my hands. But neither of those things happened. I could feel the string almost trying to slice my fingers off. Then the deer finally looked away, and went back to eating the grass, giving me the chance to shoot it.

I let go, and the arrow sprang off the bow with almost lightning speed, slipping right through the deer and out the other side. The deer fell, and I ran over. After slinging the deer over my shoulder (which was quite heavy), I checked the time. I had only a few minutes to get the gear, and find the others. Luckily, the hiding spot wasn't too far.

After carrying the deer the rest if the way, I made it to the hollow tree. I reached in, grabbing the furry coat, pants, and hood.

I had decided that Lucy should have a chance to see something as awesome as Bigfoot. What I didn't tell Dad or Uncle Alex was that I was doing it because I was afraid. I was afraid that Lucy's cancer would come back soon after this, and she would check out without seeing something like this.

After struggling a bit with the suit, I finally was ready. I even had prepared a special pair of shoes to look like Bigfoot's feet. I left the deer, my hood, and my bow in the hollow tree after leaving. Finally I waited for the signal.

*Bang!* I heard a loud gunshot, and started sprinting for it. It was really hard, especially with the Bigfoot shoes on. The gunshot could be any other hunter, but I could feel that it was the others.

*Bang!* the second shot rang out. There was only one left to hear before I knew I was to come into sight. This was much closer than last time.

*Bang!* there was the third one. It sounded really close. I slowed to a walk, and crept around, making sure it was the others.

"...good shot, Lucy!" I heard a voice. "It looks like we'll be having some good rabbit for dinner in a few days."

That was Uncle Alex. I needed to wait for the code words before I could let them see me.

"I wish Ollie was here. I want to see how he hunts." Said Lucy.

"I'm sure he'll turn up somewhere, Lucy. He's a good cousin, and a great hunter."

Those were the code words. I gave myself plenty of distance before walking out into the open.

I heard Lucy shriek a bit before she quieted down. I kept my cool, and started walking like I thought a Sasquatch would. Really I was just walking like normal, but also trying to keep my balance in the big ass shoes. I looked over to where the others were, daring them to move. None of them did, and I saw Lucy had the rifle out. But she was probably only using the scope to see me. And luckily, I had made sure my face was well hidden. She'd only see a big person covered in fur when she looked at me.

I went back to walking my Sasquatch walk, and when I was certain that they could no longer see me, I started back to the hollow tree.

Hopefully Lucy took in that moment. I wanted nothing more for her than to have a good life. She never really had problems with bullies or anything. She was one of those "glass half full" people. But I kept thinking of her cancer, and her attitude on the situation. If she was in remission, there was a good chance it would come back.

I was soon at the hollow, putting my tattered hood back on and grabbing the deer and my bow. I headed out with the deer, and started whistling for the others. Before long I heard someone whistling back. I headed towards the noise, and Lucy flung herself at me, making me drop the deer.

"You should have seen it, Ollie!"

I dusted myself off. "Wait, what?"

"I can't believe it either!" Said Uncle Alex. He winked at me.

"What was it?!"

"We saw Bigfoot!" She squealed excitedly.

"No kidding?! Holy crap! I wish I was there, but I was able to score us this!" I pointed to the deer.

"Excellent, Oliver. But we're not done here, yet. Lucy wanted to see you hunt a bit."

"Ok. Sure." I agreed. I could tell that Dad knew I had overheard them talking while I was "away".

I grabbed my bow, and drew an arrow out.

"Best give me some space. It'll make less noise."

Lucy nodded, and I climbed into the tall grass around, ready to spring back into the hunter that I was back home.