Edit (5-26-13): If you're reading this, I'm terribly sorry.
"Not only are fish the subject of ever-expanding research by ichthyologists, but they are also incite the interest and whet the imagination of students and the general public, for whom a fascinating glimpse into the extraordinary world of fish is provided in aquariums all over the world..."
Gabriel Duncan wasn't paying attention to the current video about fish. Psh, why the hell were they even watching a video about fish? It's not as if Gabe would grow up and become a ichthyologisht, or anything like that. He was sitting a his table, shared with by a boy named Jason, who was a quiet, hard worker, but he always back-talked the teachers, and a girl named Anna who wasn't quiet, but very shy. They were both watching intently, while Gabe sat there, looking out at everyone. This was the problem with him. Everyone else seemed to always be interested in what was being shown, whereas Gabe would take time to look out at his classmates and study them. Is this what a psychologist did? Right now, everything was calm and peaceful. A handful of students were drawing idly on a piece of paper, or their binders, or their folders, and others leaning back in their chair, rebels. No one was stirring beyond getting more comfortable, or taking a deep breath and sigh. Only Gabe new of the mass destruction that could be caused by the littlest mistake; the littlest change in the game play.
"Swimming, wriggling, crawling, floating in the waters that cover about 75 percent of our world is an immense population of animals whose full extent we scarcely realize..." All that Gabe heard from this was, 'Swimming... Water... 75 percent... Animal shoes fill a tent...' Although the last one could have been heard wrong, he didn't care enough to figure out what it was that the man was truly trying to say. In the background of the video was a few ugly looking fish, that seemed to capture the interest of his peers. "Fish swarm this planet in millions upon millions, breeding, growing, living, dying, in everything from puddles, to ponds, to the great oceans." Cross Marine Biologist off the list of career paths. Any more time in this class, and Gabe would die.
Sometime later-not that long to the others, but a lifetime to Gabe-the video got to it's point. Then the credits rolled to some funky muzak, and Gabe looked up just in time to see the lights flicker back on. Most of the students groaned when this happen, eyes adjusted to the dim light in the room, just moments ago. Mr. Cartee turned to look at the class, who were still stretching and yawning.
"Okay, Classay, today I am going to hand out-" Suddenly the room was full of loud groans for the unexpected, but still, totally expected class assignment. "Oh, so all you people don't want these extra fancy, super cool, field trip papers? Okay..." and then the room was filled with, 'What, who said that,' and 'I want one.' Just like that, the balance was fixed, and life for these people was normal.
Gabe got to look at his paper before anyone else, because Anna started with them, and passed them around the room starting with Gabe. It read, 'Dear Parents and Guardians, The year has so far been built upon learning and now we want your child to have a look at life outside the school. On October 10, we will be taking an overnight field trip to the Denver Downtown Aquarium.' Blah, blah, blah, yak, yak, yak, and a few more lines, and it was over. Bus would leave at 8 in the morning and be back to school at 9 the next morning. Food would be provided. No flash photography allowed. Positions for Parents. So that's why the hell they were watching a video on fish.
"No." It was the first word out of Amy's mouth. It was the first word that made Gabe mad. It was the first word.
"Why not?" Gabe asked, utterly confused by Amy's lacking in letting him go on a stupid field trip to the aquarium. "Why are you making such a big deal out of this?"
"Because, I don't want you to go to the aquarium, and what I say goes!" Amy was starting to raise her voice, which was never a good sign. Ever. And now the two of them, in a raging battle, were standing in the beginning of the doorway, Gabe closer to the couch, Amy closer to the door.
"That just a stupid reason and you know it." He growled as she folded her arms across her chest as a defense.
"I will not be spoken to like that."
Gabe had enough at this point. Enough lying. Enough pretending. He couldn't take it anymore. The pain he held, knowing the truth was just too much for him to handle. So he exploded. "No, I won't be spoken to like this!" He started, his voice booming through out the entire house, drawing all of the rest of the members of the house to come out from the kitchen and look at the scene that was unfolding in front of them. He knew he shouldn't be talking like what he was about to say in front of Charlie, but he did anyway. "I am sick and tired of your games! I can't take it anymore, the crap you feed me everyday! I couldn't believe it at first, but know I can. Hell, why should I care? Because I do, that's why. Yes I know I'm adopted! Yes, I know that I am not really your kid! And yes, I know who my mother is! So just leave me alone! Leave the the alone, because I'm done here. I'm done here." That felt good. And then it was quite. Mrs. Dabney was probably calling the cops as they didn't speak, and probably telling them a horrible murder had just taken place next door.
Everyone was looking at Gabe. Amy in shock, Bob in horror, Charlie in confusion, and Teddy in awe. No one looked angry, but give it sometime. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... and Gabe bounded up the stairs so fast that no one even noticed that he had used the couch for leverage to get up the stairs before the invisible demons could get at him. He slammed the door shut, and then pulled his chair to the door, leaning it against it, and locking it from potential persons that want to get in. Gabe knew that this was bad, it was very, very bad.
He began to compile things in an old backpack; two days worth of clothes, his homework and permission slip-that caused this mess in the first place-a flashlight, his extra food, a bottle of water, and a hat. Then he piled a bunch of stuff in front of his door and made a lump of himself in the bed using pillows. Step one was complete.
Gabe took out his almost never used cell phone. Most kids die of Texttious when they get their first phone, but not Gabe. In fact he seemed little interested in anything having to do with that phone, probably because it was purchased after the fact at matter here. He got up off his bed and started to play his music, so the people downstairs wouldn't hear him, but he could just fine. It laid in his hands, new and shiny, just begging for Gabe to use it. And he did. The number was Speed Dial 2, an easy button to press. It took Gabe a few seconds to press it though, and no matter how hard he tried, pressing that button would never be easy. Ever.
It rang once, twice, three times, and Gabe was starting to get anxious. It wasn't until the fifth ring that someone finally picked up the phone. A gruff 'hello' was what Gabe got. His voice had dropped a few octives since the last time they spoke. "PJ?"
Silence was cast over the phone, and for a second, Gabe thought that he had gotten hung up on. But he hadn't. "Hmm, loud music, a call in the middle of the day from a brother who had said that he hated me, and chicken... so what happened?" It wasn't wondered why they were brothers, real or not. They both knew each other so well, they could pick up distress on the phone. Now that was pretty impressive, for some kid.
"Look, I don't want to talk about it, but I kinda have to... so okay. Me and Amy... I mean Mom, we got into this really bad row, and I started screaming and cussing, and I ran up stairs."
"Okay. So, this story involves me how?"
"Look, I know that... That we both said somethings that we didn't mean... okay, that came out totally wrong, forget it. You know, forget I called."
"What do you need?"
"To get the hell out of this house."
"That's the spirit kid! Okay, so, remember the run away plan of '06? Okay, so our money is still hidden in the wall panel behind your bed."
"It is?" And, oddly enough, when Gabe reopened the wall, there was still the money jar. "Wow, it is."
"So your going to leave the house. I suggest the window, it's the fastest way out of the house without going downstairs. And if you go directly to the left once you get down, you won't be seen by anyone who looks out the window. You walk the four blocks to the bus station like I showed, and look for Marion. She's an... well, ex-girlfriend, and you just have to tell her that your PJ's brother and you want to go see him. Pay her, and she'll get you on the bus without any recollection. Your going to be going indirectly to Dinosaur. You know where that is, right?"
"Yeah, Moffet county. We visited there on a vacation once, remember?"
"Oh, yeah, I remember. Why do you think I chose this place? Anyway, are you ready to write things down?" Gabe scrambled for a piece of paper and a pencil. "Okay. You'll get on the I-70, and you'll be going west. You'll stop in Steamboat Springs, an you get out and get something to eat, if you have to. Catch the bus going to Craig. From there it'll only be about and hour and a half. So, you should be here from around nine to ten. Got that?"
Gabe took it in for a minute. "I-70 west. Steamboat Springs, if I'm hungry, Craig, then you... how will I know it's you?"
PJ chuckled. "I still look the same. I'll meet you by the men's room. If anyone asks, your mother is sending you to see your father. She's a cougar."
"Uh... Gotcha. Do we have to meet... by the bathrooms?"
"Do you wanna meet under a bus?"
"Okay, nevermind. Then... I'll see you soon?"
"Yeah. Now go catch that bus! Oh, and word of advice, leave now, without a note. They'll know it was me that inspired you."
"Bye PJ." And he click off. That was a lot of information to talk in. Marion. He had to go get Marion.
Taking his backpack off the bed, Gabe sighed. It was true, this was the home that he grew up in, it was all he knew, sure. But he was ready, finally, for something more. Subconsciously, Gabriel Duncan knew this. He knew that he had outgrown his life as a Duncan. He knew that even though the people downstairs claimed to love him, they didn't. Not really. All this he knew, had always know, really, and it was time to face it. Not that he wanted to say it, but it was a bit scary.
Marion Lewis was a bored looking girl. She was hot, from Gabe's point of view, yes, but her life would never take her anywhere, which was unfortunate. She would grow up, get married, live in a house, have a kid or two, get divorced, then drink herself to death, or pole dance for money, or become an escort and get herself killed. Not that it had to happen that way, but nine times out of ten, it did.
Gabe couldn't speak. He was stunned. She was wearing a uniform, yes, but Gabriel still was amazed. His tongue was nastily tied in a pretty little bow, and he could feel the sweat rolling down the nape of his neck, even though it was rather cool outside. "Can I help you?" Marion said without looking up from doing her nails. She was chewing gum.
"I-" he squeaked. What was he doing? Gabriel Duncan doesn't squeak. He shouts. Demands. But Marion was on top of things before he had the chance to change the game. It was actually a bit stunning.
"Look kid, it's nice of you to look me up, or stalk me, or whatever you did, but, like I just said, you are a little kid. I have a boyfriend, and I have better things to do than wait for you to ask me out on a date. So you can scurry along like a nice little boy, and go play with those Tonka trucks. That's what kids your age do, right?" Suddenly, Marion didn't look so hot anymore, and so Gabe took in a deep breath and decided to get it over with.
"I'm PJ Duncan's brother." He said simply.
"Oh?"
"Yeah. And I need to see time, without... 'recollection' on your part."
"You wanna go see him?" she asked, suddenly aware of all of the people within earshot. She made sure to make things look as if a normal transaction, taking the money, giving a ticket, and telling him where to wait. And he had almost made it, too, when a cop pulled up next to him. Gabe was sitting on a bench, backpack hidden, just starring off into space, when the bus pulled up and he noticed it.
Being on the bus was a bit different than he expected. He'd been on buses before, but now, he realized that he really was leaving, and Gabe felt bad. Really bad. This was going to be a very, very long bus ride to Dinosaur.
Love it? Hate it? Anyway, see you guys next Monday after this one... And if you give me a review I will hug you. And buy you cookies. And ice cream. Mhmmm... Ice cream. Review!