Furuba Chapter 1
Title: Furuba (1/26?)
Author : ME!
Beta: gummibearfreak thanks muchly :D
Word count: 1,516
Summary: “I’m sorry. I lost my home again.” He blinks back tears and wonders why these two men he barely knows are being so kind.
Rating: PG-13
Ryan is supposedly a handsome “prince” to everyone at school. But you should see his kitchen. It’s a mess and he’s too lazy to do anything about it and so, the pile of garbage continues to grow.
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“I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything. It looks pretty hot today, maybe I’d better wear my flip-flops”
A boy stands outside his makeshift “home”, a tent full of his belongings.
“Dad I’ll leave you to tend the house, Kay? Don’t break anything.”
This is Jonathan Jacob Walker, his father who raised him by himself, passed away recently. So he began to live in this tent, earning his own money and continuing to attend high school. Because of his personality he doesn’t mind the insects or being alone, he enjoys the challenge. It doesn’t matter how bad the situation gets he’ll still be standing and will fight no matter how hard the battle is, although he’s completely opposed to violence.
He stumbles upon a house, it’s large and there are small painted stones drying out the front, 12 in all.
“How rare!”
A small man stands before him, a surprised smile upon his face.
“What is a boy like you doing here?”
“Oh! I’m sorry, I should have called to see if anyone was around I guess, sorry for looking around. I like these ornaments.”
The elder man smiled and nodded.
“Go ahead and look.”
Jon studied the 12 stones for a moment frowning once he’d finished looking at the small animals painted on each one.
“There’s no cat…”
“Cat? My, My, Have you heard of the zodiac legend then?”
“My dad used to tell it to me years ago, when I was little.”
Jon lay in bed, his Dad sitting beside him telling him his usual bedtime story.
“One day God told All the animals,‘Tomorrow I am having a banquet and inviting you all. You must not be late’ the mischievous Rat decided to play a trick on his neighbour, the cat, and told him that the banquet was the day after. On the day of the banquet the rat rode on the back of the ox, then followed the tiger, the monkey etc. The celebration lasted until the next morning. Except for the cat who was deceived… Jon? Why are you crying?”
“Poor cat..” he stands, tiny little hands pushing himself up and clenching in determination “I know. I’ve decided I won’t be a dog anymore I’ll be a cat!”
(I’d just like to point out that Jon is actually an OX but for this he’s a Dog okay?)
“I like cats that much.” it’s said earnestly, as if it were possible that he could change. Signs he would.
The elder man grins.
“I wonder how he’d react if he heard you say that.” Jon looked up and stared quizzically at the smile playing on the others lips.
“Huh?”
“You’re true sign is a dog right? No wonder I feel so close to you, I’m also a Dog see there’s a connection..”
Something hits the side of his head; a loud thunk could be heard and the yelp of the elder man.
“You look more like a paedophile like this…” A classmate of Jon’s is standing to the side of them holding his school bag, head angled down. “Shame on you moving closer and closer.”
“What did you put in there a dictionary? Bricks?”
“Two dictionaries actually.”
Jon listens to the two men bicker, concerned about the elder man.
“Walker? Are you okay? I hope Pete didn’t do anything creepy.”
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“Walker?! What happened this morning?! Why did you come to school with Ryan?!”
The girl standing in front of him was loud, and assuming things that had never happened. She jumps when a lead pipe is thrown down beside Jon.
“Why don’t you stop assuming and get to class?” Lyn stood behind Jon with Hayley beside her. They were his best friends; they’d supported him through his father’s death. He was living with his grandfather until two weeks ago. But then renovations needed to be done on his grandfather's house and he asked Jon if he could stay with friends. Jon had agreed and left it at that. He couldn’t ask Lyn, she lives in an apartment with her father and there was barely space for them let alone Jon as well. Hayley lived with her large family, and it didn’t seem fair to ask so Jon bought a tent and decided to camp out, after all he was going to live on his own after high school anyway.
Although a few days ago the harsh wind almost blew his home away, but he stayed strong.
He thinks about this while he works. Serving the customers in Starbucks, making their choice of beverage and taking their money.
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It’s dark in the forest tonight as he walks “home”, if you can call it that. He’s exhausted from work and his posture has slipped. His bag hangs heavy in his hands as he walks, he slips into his little makeshift home, talking to his father. He looks up to the sound of laughter above him and meets the eyes of a man and a boy of around his age; his cheeks flush with embarrassment about his makeshift home.
They take him inside with the man still laughing and settle at the kitchen table, the boy talks unaffected:
“So… When did you start…Living in that tent?”
“About a week ago.”
“I thought that was odd. This whole hill belongs to the Clandestine Family. And we haven’t sold any or leased it out…”
The young boy in question fidgets slightly where he’s seated.
“Please. Let me stay there awhile. As soon as the renovation is done I’ll move back to my Grandfather’s. I don’t have much… but I’ll pay you. Please. “
The man’s head come up from laughing and he turns to look at the boy pleading with him.
“It’s dangerous there you know. The grounds loose, and there are perverts running around.” (you mean you, don’t you?)
The boy stands full of energy and determination.
“That’s okay! I’m already used to the insects and rain.” It’s a moment before he wobbles slightly on his feet, feeling dizzy and watching the world turn before stumbling backwards and hearing his name being called out.
“Walker!” A hand to the forehead. “Fever. No wonder you look pale!”
“Ice ice.” The elder man walks through a door that seemingly links to a kitchen and when I say seemingly I mean…
“This place looks like a garbage dump.” Jon was standing at Pete’s side looking over his shoulder.
They don’t speak for a moment and in the distance a howl can be heard. It’s late and the night owls have begun to awaken.
“It’s going to landslide tonight, “ Jon looks up at Pete curiously. “ the last storm made the ground loose. I shouldn’t go out tonight.”
“But what if the landslide’s near my home?” The two men standing before Jon both raise their eyebrows but beckon the boy off the sofa. They walk with him to the place his “home” once was, now though just a lot of mud. The three Males stand there for a moment or two before Jon drops to his knees, attempting to dig through the mud with his hands.
“Dad’s picture is still in there! Dad!”
Ryan was taken aback at Jon’s sudden movement.
“Walker. You still have a fever, and the grounds still unstable. Come on, stay the night in our spare room and we’ll get your things tomorrow.”
“But Dad! I need to get him out or … or he’ll be in pain!” Pete places a hand on Jon’s arm and smiles warmly at him.
“Come on, let’s do what Ryan suggested yeah? If you get hurt your dad will feel much worse.”
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They’re back at the house, Jon lying on the sofa, duvet wrapped tightly round him.
“I’m sorry. I lost my home again.” He blinks back tears and wonders why these two men he barely knows are being so kind.
“You feel really bad don’t you? I can’t imagine how you feel…”
“No I don’t feel bad, a little ill but not bad. Because I know that there are worse things than losing your home.”
Pete nods letting Jon know that he can continue but when he doesn’t he frowns. “Tell me.”
“I didn’t tell him to be careful” Jon’s voice is quiet, not quite normal volume but not a whisper either, “that morning of the car accident, I didn’t say it. I’d been up all night studying for a test and I was so tired. That was the only time I didn’t say it. I overslept and I was late for school. I didn’t really want to go to high school. I wanted to work and help dad around the house, but he always said ‘ I only ever got to go to middle school. But I wanted to be a high school student, so you have to do that for me.”
Jon paused and Pete wondered how this boy could still be so happy when he’d lost so much.