Chapter 53 Damien's Friend's Problem

Damien was watching little Eddym at the moment while Orko was talking to the other ringbearers and Dree Elle was freshening up. "You are a cute little baby Trollan yes you are," Damien said cooing. "You are sweet little guy to yes you are," he said. "You are only almost a month and a half old but still plenty cute," he said.

"Hello Damien," someone said coming up.

Damien saw it was good friend of his that he knew. "Hello Lester," Damien said. "I haven't seen you in a while," he said. "It's so good to see you again," he said. "So did you and your family move back to Eternos?" he asked.

"Sure did," Lester said. "Who is this?" he asked pointing at Eddym.

"This is Eddym, he is Orko's and his wife Dree Elle's son," Damien said.

"So what I heard is true that Trollan wizard who came hear by accident has done a lot," Lester said. "I have seen much of things since I have left here," he said.

"It's true you have missed a lot," Damien said. "But I am glad to see you back," he said.

"It's great to see you again," Lester said. "Hi little guy aren't you cute," he said tickling Eddym making the little Trollan wiggle and try to avoid the funny feeling sensation of it. "How old is he?" he asked.

"About a month and a half old," Damien answered.

"So he's brand new," Lester said.

Then Orko came out a bit later. "Hey Damien thank you for watch Eddym while both Dree Elle and I were busy I thank you for that," Orko said and took Eddym into his arms.

"Orko you remember my friend Lester who moved away from Eternia a few years back," Damien said pointing to Lester.

"Yes I remember Lester," Orko said. "Lester last time I saw you, you were only nine, but now look at you almost 18 like Damien, Andra, Adam and Teela," he said.

"You betcha," Lester said. "Hey Damien now that you are not babysitting do you want to hangout and catch up?" he asked.

"Sure," Damien said. "I will be back by lunch," he told Orko.

"Well you two have fun," Orko said watching them leave.

Damien and Lester were having fun in town. Then Damien noticed Lester pull something out. "What's that?" Damien asked. "Is that a flask?" he asked.

"Yes so what?" Lester answered.

"Why do you have that?" Damien asked as Lester opened it. Then he smelled the contains, there was alcohol in it. "You have alcohol?" he asked quietly.

"Yes you want some?" Lester asked quietly after taking a drink.

"I just remembered I have something I just remembered I needed to do," Damien said and left for the palace. He was wondering what this was all about. Damien didn't know what to think or say. He couldn't believe his friend who was teenager was already drinking. Eternia had laws about this kind of stuff. He knew all planets did he knew that intergalactic law was you had to be at least 21 to drink alcohol.

Ero Dee was passing Damien's room and saw Damien looked troubled. "Damien is everything alright?" Ero Dee asked.

"I don't know," Damien said. "I saw my old friend Lester who just moved back here after almost 8 years away in another part of Eternia," he said.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Ero Dee asked.

"It is but something is now different about him," Damien said. "I just found out something I don't like that he does now and it is not a good thing," he said.

"Oh what is that?" Ero Dee said.

"I don't want to be a snitch," Damien said.

"Well Damien if it is something that is gnawing at your conscience you should tell," Ero Dee said.

"Okay I found out he's been drinking alcohol, and he is only 17 and I don't know how long he's been doing it," Damien asked.

"Are you sure?" Ero Dee asked.

"Yes I am sure," Damien said. "He even asked me if I wanted some," he said.

"Well did you?" Ero Dee said.

"No, I just made an excuse and got out there," Damien said.

"What is going on in here?" Man at arms asked coming in.

"Damien just found out his old friend Lester who came back to live in Eternos again is drinking underage," Ero Dee said. "his old friend asked Damien if he wanted some but Damien just made an excuse and got out of there," he said.

"I see," Man at arms said.

"You two must think I am a big chicken," Damien said.

"No we don't," Ero Dee said.

"We think you are smart," Man at arms said. "On many planets almost 4,000 people under the age of 21 die from excessive alcohol drinking each year," he said. "Some those deaths are other types of alcohol related deaths too," he said. "You were smart to make an excuse and get away," he said.

"But Lester is my friend," Damien said. "What should I say?" he asked. "I am worried about him," he said. "I don't know if his parents even know," he said.

"Well if you are worried about him Damien go talk to Lester's folks I am sure they want to hear about this," Ero Dee said.

"Yes and to make it easier we will both go with you," Man at arms said.

"Thanks," Damien said. So they went to the house where Lester lives with his folks. They came in.

"It is nice to see you again Damien," Lester's mother said.

"You are growing into a fine man," Lester's father said. "Good to see you too Man at arms and it is nice to meet you Ero Dee," he said.

"Well we have something we need to tell you," Damien said. "it's about Lester," he said.

"He's drinking alcohol?" Lester dad said seemingly knowing what he was going to say.

"Yes how did you know?" Ero Dee asked.

"We have known about this for some time I'm afraid," Lester's dad said. "We don't know why he is doing it," he said.

"Yes and the doctor told us that many teens have the potential of becoming an alcoholic," Lester's mother said. "We have tried to get Lester to open up to us and talk us why he is doing it," she said. "We are so worried about him and it seems to be getting worse," she said. "We want to get him help, but how can we help him if he won't come to us?" she said about to cry.

"Maybe I can talk to him," Damien said. Then Damien went to find Lester in the Evergreen forest under a tree about to take a drink. "Hey there are you sure using alcohol to solve a problem, or problems is a good idea?" he asked.

"Damien," Lester said. "What do you want?" he asked looking surprised.

"Man at arms, Ero Dee and I just talked to your parents," Damien said. "They want you to talk to them," he said.

"They are always up in my business," Lester grouched taking drink.

"They are not trying to invade your privacy because they are being nosey," Damien said. "They are trying to get you to talk to them because they are worried about you and what you are doing and why you are doing it," he said. "You should've see your mother," he said.

"Why?" Lester asked startled.

"Because she was about to cry, knowing that you are drinking and feeling you can no longer come to them if you really need help and seeing you have this problem is breaking their hearts," Damien said. "Your father even looked like he was going to cry too," he said. "Both of them are scared and worried for you," he said. "You can fix this problem by going to them and talking to them and getting help for the problems you are having instead of making more problems for yourself," he said. "You are at the bottom of a bottle right now, the bottom of a bottle of alcohol and it will lead you no where in life is that what you want?" he demanded.

Lester felt himself starting try cry because he knew Damien was right. "No, it is not what I want, I am just thinking if I came to my parents about these problems they might not take them seriously or treat me like I am still a little kid," Lester said.

"Lester you parents love you and they know you are not a little kid anymore and they love you more than ever right now because they are seeing your struggle," Damien said. "So let's go back to your house so you can talk to your parents I promise it will be alright," he said.

So both Lester and Damien went back to Lester's house. There both Lester and his parents had a much needed talk. Then Lester was taken to get help for his problem. Damien was hoping it was going to get him the help he needs.

Then a couple of weeks later Damien got a letter from Lester. "It's a letter from Lester," Damien said. "He says he is glad he admitted he had this problem, and he met other teens like him with the same problem and now he is getting the help he needs." he said. "he is looking forward to seeing me again and hopefully during that time he will have sometime being clean from drinking any alcohol," he said.

"That's great news," Ero Dee said.

"That is very good," Man at arms said.

Damien was very happy for his friend.

"Hi in today's story you read about something that is a problem for many, underaged drinking," Ero Dee said. "it is not a problem on a far off planet but on earth," he said. "Many kids and teens are drinking alcohol and it's a bad thing," he said. "To a brain that is still growing and developing like of a child or a teen alcohol can do a lot of damage," he said. "It also effects how you think and stuff," he said. "it can put you in real danger," he said. "If a friend pressures you to drink don't be afraid to say no," he said. "If they make fun of you or call you a chicken don't let it bother you, it takes a lot of courage to say no and do what is best for your health," he said. "Until next time," he said.