(GE Copy)

Chapter 20: Begging Bounties (Part 1)

“Everyone loves a comedian, until the comedian start making jokes about them.”

Laying under the white starry morning ceiling, seas of white waved by the eye while restless legs wrestled with their mind. The sun that poured in warming light, seeped in and radiated abound, with stars of mica twinkling overhead. Hours pass with no idea why, just thoughts and memories passed him by. In grass feathered dales and lakes without sails, from planes of sunder and valleys of thunder; was there anywhere in his head could not reach, while under his covers still tied up in bed.

Aaron’s mind revelled in the possibilities of his power; to have that shred of impact he wanted upon the world, with only a mere jar of water. All his thoughts revolved around this, rolling in his sheets, until the thought of Kaylemen returned from the night before and the words that were spoken there. “Have you come to any epiphany yet?” He called to Aaron as everyone walked down to greet him. Aaron remembered what he said to him as well.

“I want to believe there is more to it...” And the two continued as always. “As I’ve mentioned, it seems to require a will, an ambition, to know the place that it reaches on the other side, and to call upon it... How it’s called upon, I don’t know... And as you say, it’s only a trick, but the cause that trick is based upon, I cannot comprehend... Only that it works and somehow we could access it these portals, even well before we learned how to sense the stones. It’s a deeper anomaly, but without trusting it... It won’t open...”

“Then perhaps you’ve found a mystery that goes beyond what I cannot fathom.” It seemed as though this pleased him, and he had continued in support of that. “This is good, maybe that mystery was given to you to understand, and not to me. If there were years on my life where I could come to learn it, I would be most humble to understand it... Now go, and with what you have learned, discover everything else you can.”

There was only one thing that troubled him, and Aaron rolled in bed as he recalled, “But if I can’t discover it with your knowledge, why do you figure that I’ve succeeded?” Parsing the meaning of Kaylemens puzzling quandaries and vast mysterious wisdom,

“Silly boy, it’s not the tools you use, it’s to know that it is out there. Everything’s a tool, from your eyes to your nose, but knowing the tool well enough to safely determine what something is not, that takes a certain knack. The hills weep oceans of rolling manna, and clouds pour out energy like clear lightning with every drop; if your arriving waters are neither of these, then it must take a finer ear to understand. When there is difference, even between the wisdom of two wise men, there is an opportunity to learn. Do you suppose ears can see and fingers hear? A divining rod will not find you more wood. Where expectation does not meet reality, that’s where you start looking... Nothing worse than being stuck at a dead end road to nowhere, always keep at least one mystery by your side at all times... Yes, a mystery is a lovely thing. There’s nothing more useful than finding a skill that doesn’t apply to what you already know, because it means you have something new to learn and a basis to start with... But, don’t think you can stop visiting me from time to time.”

Aaron shook his head and fluffed his pillow, playing back what else happened the night before. The portal, how it opens, how it connects; there was so much he could do with it all. Of course he was curious how the portals worked, but he wagered how little he really needed, he already knew enough to make it work and the things he wished to do with it.

A little water, a plastic tub, somewhere special, maybe; but where? Aaron sat to ponder the endless possibilities that finally dawned on him. For being such a ‘brilliant boy’ he never put much thought into what he could do. He could use it to go anywhere. He sat there a while, thinking of the best places he loved growing up, all the things he wanted to do, and the fact that he could go there in an instant. His favourite store by the trestle bridge, the park that was out of town, even sliding into places he normally couldn’t access... Maybe, Aaron wasn’t so sure it’d work if he poured it under a door that he never seen the other side of. Heck, he could skip the bus, though he’d rather skip class instead. He thought and thought until the it’s practical use, turned into every cheeky place he could put it, every prank, and every naughty thing it could achieve. It made him exceptionally giddy.

He relished in bed, watching the room come alive with excitement, he couldn’t wait to get out there but his mind wouldn’t rest. More ideas, more places, more applications, more questions. If there were dirt and silt in the water, would they vanish when the portal was made? There were still so many ideas left untested. For once, Aaron was excited to discover the possibilities of his new device, something school made mundane and Belship made impossible. Could the portal bend? Could it be frozen? What would happen if something was left inside when the portal closed? Could it be weaponized? What other ways could he store it, and how much was it going to cost to make all the way points he wanted to install. How would he hide them? “Aaron!?” His mother called, “Are you going to spend all morning in bed?...” No, he wasn’t; he probably would have, but there were ideas to put to use.

Could the water connect to other waters that weren’t from the pond? Aaron’s mind still continued as he trounced down the stairs. He wasn’t so certain it would, because of the dilution effect last night. He pulled open the cupboard for a glass, and filled it fresh from the tap. Could a person contain the liquid in a dispenser? Aaron pulled some lunch meats out of the fridge and some bread. Could he pass even more water through from the source, and have an infinite supply in wait? He slathered the slice with Mayo, not really paying much attention, then stacked it with other things. Was there a limit to the water that he could use? When would it dry up? Why was Felicity here?

Seriously. Aaron looked to his side, seeing the hungry pantry raider sift through the colourful packages, pop a box, crunch the hard pasta shell inside and put the thing away in disgust. “They could see you from the hallway...” Aaron whispered loudly. Felicity kinda just shrugged. Aaron moved over, trying to block sight, hearing his mom walk by the living room. She turned around, tending to something else and he relaxed.

“Aaron,” Turning his head back, Felicity informed blushing. “You’re... You’re in a very intimate position with me” Leaning his soft cold back against Aaron’s chest “I didn’t realize you were so serious about me after all...” Snidely, pulling a humouring gesture with his face as he teased, then laughed.

Aaron stepped back, waving the whole thing away. In a chipper and entertained tone, his mother called out, “What’s with all that girlish laughter in there?” Walking up to the doorway.

“Quick, hide!” Aaron sternly whispered. “Hide, hide, come on, stop wasting time and transform or something!”

“Well, what’s so funny?” His mother entered, “I haven’t heard that tone out of you since you turned thirteen, used to hear it from your bedroom all the time.” Coming to inspect his face

“Oh,” Aaron dismayed. “Oh no... You mean you actually heard that...”

“All the time. You’re voice always cracked at that age... Usually when you were alone and playing pretend.” Tilting her son’s head to the side, “You got a cut on your neck, you need to disinfect that, it’s turning red... No” Turning him further, “Just a shadow... Come on.” She said as he pulled away from her arms. “You’re mother’s always going to check you till the day I die, so get used to it.”

Aaron left the pantry, shaking the snake off his arm towards the table legs, hearing a thud as he did so. “Sorry... That was my toe...” Aaron mentioned as he continued past the fridge to finish his sandwich. Spoiler, it wasn’t his toe.

Walking up to close the abandoned pantry, Crystal reorganized the mess. “Who keeps opening these packages?” She complained, “I thought it was the store’s fault the last couple times, but I checked this one before I bought it...” Watching the anger build in her as she loudly dropped the box back onto the shelf, she walked up to Aaron, and shooed him from the drawer for a baggy. Felicity, slithered between the table legs towards the side that faced away but Crystal walked the other way around and irked at the jutting displacement of the seating. Forcefully sliding the chair back into place, she was too focused to notice the thud that was the Felicity’s head getting impacted a second time.

Aaron slapped his sandwich together rather quickly, making a breakout while his mom’s back was turned and retrieved the volatile serpent before it’s hexing curses could be audibly observed. It crawled back into Aaron’s shirt, huffing it’s grievances. Walking further into the minefield, Aaron walked past his Father who was cleaned for the day. Shining cream into his beard, and a touch of gel for his comb back, dignified, and reeking of fresh cologne, Old Paul was off somewhere. He turned to his son mid way, and caught his attention. “Boy...” Still giving his beard a treatment, until putting the comb in his pocket. “It’s taken a bit, but I do believe that I’m piecing things together finally; the late nights, the scrapping, the silence from your end on the thing. Quite the odd one she is, but so it most your love interests lately... Speaking of, where’s that girl that was waiting for you this morning? Saw her on the couch watching soccer, had a street name or something, can’t remember what it was; Serendipity or something? Say’s that’s what you and the guy’s call her. What’s wrong Aaron?”

“Just, um...” Aaron sputtered for an answer, as his widened eyes looked like his deepest secrets were laid bare. “I... Didn’t think you’d take it so well... Um, he was here? She? Watching soccer?”

“Yeah, I forgot the TV on last night, found her entranced sitting in front of it. Real early bird compared to the night’s you’ve been clocking in with her, didn’t even knock before coming in or anything... And don’t worry, I’ve had plenty-a-girls when I was your age, sometimes two or three at a time... I don’t recommend that one.” Aaron’s face turned beat red, “It’s hard enough keeping one soul happy in this world, without making things complicated. I don’t know how those Californian new-agers do it; so if you still got ties with that Sophie girl, you’d want to settle that rather quickly... Unless you’re all into that thing. Still, not sure how you’re mom’ll take her but I don’t have a problem with you getting some life experience while you’re still young enough to bounce back from it. Even if the girl is in the twenties.”

“We’re not dating...”

Paul smiled, unbelieving. “Sure... Well, when you finally decide it’s ‘official’ then you come to your old man: I’ll tell you a thing about the fairer side of the coin, and a real lively girl I knew named Susie... I know this serendipity girl seems like a real exciting one, but kind like that, they’ll only change you and never change themselves. I need you to know that. Baggage piles up, and we’re always the ones to blame for someone else’s problems, taking in their weight while they refuse to bare their own. Same happens from men like that too, probably more so, but you’re not dating that side of things, odd as she is. One day, you’ll know what kind of girl you’re with by the fruits of her actions and what they seed within you... I’m still not happy with how you’re acting up, but at least the pieces are falling together for your old man to understand what’s going on in your life... Thought I lost you completely for a while, but you’re my son, and I know you’ll make it through.”

Aaron couldn’t keep up with all the misunderstandings, nor how to explain any of it. He looked down and accepted that it was just a period of time to endure, and his father seen the change in him.

“...Look, Son, you’re a good boy, no matter what I get to telling you... I don’t always get to tell you, because it usually happens when you’re acting up... But... You really are growing up hard ball with this one. There is only so much I can do. We don’t usually understand how much we change for some people, because we’re too busy making all the choices in our lives to notice what they are... but a man is bound to change, it’s only natural; all I wish is for those changes to be your choice, not because you want to impress someone else, or because they make you feel that you have to for their sake. Maybe I’ll get things wrong from time to time, but in it all, hidden somewhere in this old man’s experiences, there’s some facet of truth to the whole thing that you can appreciate when you’re older. Something that is under the surface, and won’t change between generations. Don’t let her change you, for the sake of her own sorrow; we all need to change ourselves from day to day, and that just means that you’ll be here tomorrow, but your relationships may not. Do your best, and you’ll attract the best.” Slapping his son’s shoulder, with Felicity under it. He lifted his hand, looking at it a tad confused, then to his Son, before moving on. “Aunt Eustis is coming over, just so you know if you want to lay low. She’s bringing Creamed Corn Salad, I know... I’m questioning my live choices already.” Then let his boy on his way.

Picking up his bag before the Aaron left for town he stopped, stumped, looking at a little piece of folded paper. He lifted his bag to go but the curiosity struck him and he dropped his sack to pick up the note. Inside, written in a purple ink was a little message that got left behind seemingly ages ago. “The heck is this?...” Reading back whatever nonesense was inscribed, that, well... for the life of him, he couldn’t remember actually writing or what it could be referring to. “When you have forgotten, return to your teacher, it will return when you are safe there... When the hell did I write that?” Chucking it aside. “Man... Must have been years ago.” Marvelling at the ancient piece of recent history. “How’d it end up here? Last time I wanted to see any teacher was back in middleschool, probably... Hand writing was a lot better back then too. That or it’s someone else’s.” Pondering whether to keep it or not, he tossed it into the trash can.

“How’s the non-applicable fatherly advice?” Felicity heckled playfully, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d call this whole awkward timing thing is a damn comedy routine.”

“He means well... I know he does...” Kicking it off his mind, as they moseyed down the road.

“Doesn’t change what’s really going on, does it?”

Aaron’s mouth twitched, as Felicity ironically returned the conversation, and Aaron pondered “I wonder some times...”

With a restocked set of portal canisters and a strong ambition, Aaron moved out to his first of many places, not sure where that was going to be exactly. The closest locations were often the most boring. The school roof, pass. The park, not really much reason to go there, actually. Soon most places seemed like he was doing it for the sake of doing it, and he was. Finally, he put down the container, reluctantly, upon the school roof after all. Aaron gave it a test, putting his head past the threshold to see the lawn by his house, and it became exciting again. Finally, the Zachery method: a cannonball with a little oomph. It was a lot better to be landing on the other side with at least some stretch of runway, and a softer ground. Aaron accidentally hit the edge of the water tub upon entry, and solved a few questions in the process as he made a swift disconnect from the other side. He was going to need tubs with shorter rims to them. Aaron got up, smirked, and began to jump uncontrollably. He was home, travelled a half hour walk downtown to here in an instant, and the school roof wasn’t so boring after all. It was a good thing Aaron kept a spare jar in the garage which tested theory number three at this point. Kinda. Does it go bad and/or turn to vinegar?

No. Not after two days anyway.

As the portal reopened, Aaron felt a heavy weight around him, but shook it off and slipped into the other side with a lot more caution. There was a strange snagging sensation on his pants like something grabbed it as he was pulled through by Felicity, but there will always be more bugs to iron out. Bugs that would cost a lot of money if he waited, so, Aaron was happy to get it out of the way. He jingled the fresh allowance in his hands, and headed to the dollar store for the rest of his supplies.

It wouldn’t take long until instinctively walking past Sophie’s. He sneered as he huffed and walked on. Some part of him held on. He looked back as the front steps faded behind the neighbours fence. His frustration overwhelmed him, but his gut was weak. Aaron shivered in anger like the wobbles of a furious chihuahua and finally came to understand that what he actually felt inside, was guilt. Aaron wanted to turn and apologize but the words were too hard to find. Neither did he want to see his old teacher, and he left them as his feet carried him reluctantly down the road.

Two dollars each, low rims, clamp lids, really classy plastic. He bought four of them and kept a dollar sixty in change after taxes. Aaron left with a smile and some excitement for what was next on the list. Felicity however, wasn’t understanding the whole roadside robbery system; and having explained it like three times, Aaron just gave up. “So, they make you pay them money...” Felicity recapitulated. “And also to figure out how much you owe them yourself?... Or else they take even more money from you... And throw you in jail if you cant? Your people accepted this?”

“Yeah, sixty years or so ago to offset the war costs or something like that. Ask Zack, he’s got a banker and a veteran in his family... I only got a vet.” Looking off the edge of the parking lot, Aaron gauged the highway traffic passing down the hill on Ninety Seven and wondered, “The only question now, is how do we get to Penticton? It’s like fifteen in cab fees, and I spent all my bounty money from that damned stone last month. Hitch hike?... I’m not sure I’m calling too many favours from the family with Aunt Eustis in town or I’d look like I’m avoiding them, which I am... Also, it’s not like I can just go up to Zack’s place and ask his folks for a ride.”

“Why does all this stop you?”

In the attempts to address the blatant ignorance of societal stipulations, Aaron thought about it. “Actually...” Looking back to the hill behind him, past the old glorified walk in clinic they called a hospital, which wasn’t very far away. Aaron picked up his heels, and chuckled. “I think I might be overthinking it. Yeah, actually. It’s worth a shot.”

Now, roughly since the late ‘two thousands’ early ‘twenty tens’, ambulances finally dropped patients off there again, instead of having to travel all the way down to Penticton with cardiac arrest victims. Thus the building and location was finally reinstated as a proper hospital again; and not just a walk-in with a lab stapled on it’s side... but for a time, back when this story is situated, it was a prevalent dark humour joke amidst many honest citizens about their fears of falling dangerously ill during that prior decade.

They walked up the road, took the side shoot, and came upon the old yard full of pine cones and needles. They greeted Aaron, even if they were somewhat wary of the prideful youth that accompanied him. Sitting with that morning’s newspaper, Aaron greeted Zack’s father. A man with a permanent five-o-clock shadow, and bold flat cheeks. His hair was just like Zack’s, but shorter at only a few inches, and combed out with a sharp gel. He reeked of whatever stale lingering deodorant he sprayed on a few days ago, like it still clung to him after all this time. His long sleeve button up was tucked tightly into his pants and belt even while leisuring back at his own home. Aaron never did learn if the slight pudge was a beer belly, or a heavy toned six pack that matched his chest and forearms but the man screamed stern and stiff from the first day they met.

Aaron started to feel a little less confidant than when he first walked up here. “I was wondering...” Nervously, Aaron approached. He could see the vexation in the man, as he always had an issue with ‘beating around the bush’ “If... I could get a ride into Penticton.”

“Honey,” Zack’s mom answered, “You could take Aaron.” In an overly cheery tone.

“Sure...” The man replied lowering his paper, unimpressed, and active to fulfill his wife’s request. “What time do you need to come back, anyway?”

“It’s okay, I have a way back waiting there.”

“Nonsense, it’s no problem for us,” Still replying in his obligations, and without a smile “It gets me out of the house.” He returned, as though it actually relieved some recent disagreement that was laden on his mind.

“Wanna come Zack?” Aaron invited.

Zack rose himself from the table, eager to come along but his Father halted it “He can’t. Gotta stay here and finish his work.”

“His work?”

“Because Zack has two weeks before finals, and he needs to study.” The man implied it as though Aaron were supposed to have already understood the reasoning. “Meanwhile, you’re friend can stay here and we can get to meet them... Be nice to know who you’ve all been hanging out with.”

“Nah, Felicity’s got a place to go... I’ll... Take the ride, though... Yeah.” Aaron agreed, watching the man silently set out for his keys as though he were offended. Out of earshot, Aaron muttered. “...And yet he has no problems taking me with the same finals up ahead... The hell is that about? Oh well.”

“And you’re just gonna take it anyway?” Zack returned aggravated. “Man this is like when they bought my present right in front of me a whole week early they wouldn’t let me play it until my birthday... But they sure let you play it on my own PC, and I had to look away because it would spoil it for me... Remember when I said ‘you have family issues?’ and all that.”

Sighing, Aaron agreed, if only briefly, and promised. “Yeah, that was a bad move back then. Sorry... I’ll make it up to you and drop a portal on the other side, and we can catch up from there if you got the time later... Unless your tied to the house too.”

“No... They’ll let me run around town here, just... No ride into town apparently.” Zack shrugged as he returned to the paper’s he already studied twice now. “And fek if I know what that’s all about...”

“That’s messed...” Aaron shook his head, hearing the jingle of keys to snap for his attention.

The old car was still in excellent condition as he clicked it open from the garage steps. Well maintained, sleek design and polished. It was the travel car, as his work truck stood adjacent with a pig’s pen of dust caked on the wheel wells; and still he could complain at whatever ‘punk asshole’ scratched it by writing a smiley face in the dust with their finger. He rolled down the windows, letting the Okanagan air slip on in before hitting the highway. There wasn’t much to say, and probably the less spoken, the better but the tension was making things rather uncomfortable. The man rolled up his long sleeves, exposing a faded tattoo of a scarred circle and some other shapes on his wrist that were still half covered as well as the letters ‘...h, tray’ barely poking out.

Half way down the road, the man finally spoke again with a sigh, halting the heavily awkward trip so far. “Truth is, I’m doing this to set him right. He needs to know that he doesn’t just get things because he can get away with it. You’ve grown up, still a kid, but you talk when you’re spoken to, and ask politely even if it is annoying and pisses off the people trying to help you. Zack won’t even do that much when he pisses us off. You’ve got a lot more growing to do, and I kind of wish my son would take some pointers from you.” Taking a hard drag of his cigarette, “Cut’s, scars, you actually get out of the house every once in a while. All Zack does is sit in front of his fucking computer like a looser. How’s he supposed to get a girl with that pretty boy skin of his. I can see it too, behind your eyes; don’t think I don’t see the same angry glare in your eyes that I’ve grown up with: The sly spite that gets the girls in a frenzy, some things don’t change between generations. They always want what ain’t good for them, guy with a chip on his shoulder... Looks like the world’s on your shoulders and you can hold the pain of it in. You’ll be popping cherries before collage... Looks like you got the restraint to get on with the day too, I see that, takes some people their whole lives to learn that; Taking no shits from no one, you might actually get somewhere with that. See, Zack, he’s wet spaghetti, no backbone, people walk all over him. You don’t use him like that do you?” Aaron shook his head, “Good we understand another. He’s spoiled, and acts like he’s king shit around here, but he’s still my son. Maybe he’ll figure out the world ain’t so bloody sunshin and roses, and grow up. When I was his age, we actually got our first cars, independence, no more asking mom and dad for shit. We drank and put cigarettes out on our wrists to prove who was more manly. Your generation doesn’t know shit about how to do anything right, but you” Flinging the finished stick out the window. “You keep those eyes under a leash, you might actually smarten my kid up. So, what time do you need to get back?”

“Someone else is picking me up...” Aaron assured “They’ll be really mad at me if I don’t show up, and then my parent's will give me heck.”

“Give you heck, huh? Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re parent’s are weak on you. They haven’t done you too many favours because of it. It’s nice that you respect them and all, but it makes you a target to get walked over... And they do while looking like a real nice guy as they do it. Whatever you’ve done to grow up the way you are, it’s working for you. Yeah, it’s hypocritical, I know, I want my son to respect me, but at least I earn that respect. Call it nature, the way of the damn universe, you sign up for that when you forget your rubber. Look up kid, you’ll make it somewhere, I can see it... Just gotta remember that people squander everything they got. When you see an opportunity, you’re doing the world a favour by taking it and doing something with it when they won’t. Too many wasted opportunities, because no one lifts their fingers to take it. Anyway, you never told me where you were headed, other than town...”

“The beach. I’m supposed to meet my cousin here.”

“Right.” Taking a hard left onto Lakeside Drive, “Northside, yeah?” Taking a cranking look to the next lane in case he had to turn off for Skaha. Aaron nodded, “Yea? Northside or Skaha?”

Pointing towards the lake, Aaron confirmed, “Here, I’ll find her somewhere.” Eventually finding a parking place along the crowded street. Aaron got out, waving off Zack’s dad, and thanked him.

“So, where she at?” Having got out of the car to help. “Wanna make sure you meet up otherwise if she’s held up I’ll need to know when to drive you back. She’s your ride, right?”

“Yeah. I see her, you can head back now...”

He stood there, watching Aaron sit down on the sands beside a stranger, until finally figuring that it’d just be rude to interrupt him, and figured also that it all worked out. “Better not get any complaints for this one.” Getting back into his car and driving off. Aaron got up, relieved to have ditched the clingy man, and walked the sands, counting the contents of his bag.

Slithering out from the plastic sauna, Felicity transformed back again, panting. “Too hot for wise remarks, give me a moment...” Before falling into the lake, and taking an uncomfortable bubbling length of time to remove themselves from it. “We’re swimming next time...” Watching Aaron walk off. “Can you at least fill that bag with some of this so I have something to swim around in?... You’re making me walk, aren’t you?...” He muttered.