The Wilderness

Introduction

I open the door. "Grandpa!" My two grandchildren, Elizabeth and Jared, say with excitement, genuine smiles of love brightening their young faces. I smile and hug Jared, then bend down a little to hug Elizabeth. It takes some effort to get back up, and I make a mental note to call my doctor about my increasing arthritis pain tomorrow morning.

​"How are my two favorite grandkids?" I ask smiling.

​"Very good! Look at what Dad just bought me!" Jared exclaims as he shows me the latest technology. I look at my son, who smiles at his son's joy.

​"What about you Elly?" I ask Elizabeth.

​"Good," she says with a shy smile.

​"How are you Dad?" John asks as Jared and Elly run into my house. I know they will head for the fridge first thing.

​"A little pain in the knees, but nothing more," I answer.

​"You should call the doctor then."

​"Yeah, I will tomorrow." He nods.

​"Thanks for watching the kids tonight. Just call Lauren or I if you need something, or if the kids get too rowdy," John says with a laugh.

​"I doubt there will be a need for that, they are both well-behaved," I tell him. "You and Lauren raised them well."

​"I learned from the best," John says as he starts to head back to his van, where Lauren is waiting for him. "Bye Dad."

​"Bye John," I wave as John gets into his car and drives away.

​"Grandpa, I got straight A's on my report card," Jared says proudly as he shows me the paper, holding a cookie in the other hand.

​"Wow, good job Jared," I say, "How's high school?"

​"Awesome! The food is sooo much better than at the junior high!" Jared exclaims. "I can even buy one of those Mexican drinks; I think they're called Jarritos."

​"Well, that hasn't changed then," I say with a sigh as I remember my first year at East Bell High School.

​"Didn't you go to EBHS when you were in high school? Dad says you did," Jared says.

​"Yep, sixty-six years ago," I say with a nod, and suddenly I feel very old. I am very old.

​"Wow, I wonder what cool things happened back then..." Jared says, obviously thinking of something.

As for his question, I remember all too well what happened back then, when I was only fifteen...

​"Jared!" Elly suddenly snaps.

​"What? I was just wondering," Jared says a bit annoyed. Elly and him give each other a look and I can tell there's something going on.

​"What's the problem?" I ask. The two look at each other uncertainly.

​"Well, Dad told us not to talk or ask you about your life before you met Grandma," Jared explains with a hint of hesitation. I sigh, and settle down into my chair. It feels like it was only recently that she had passed, yet it was actually four years ago. For a moment I'm lost in my reminiscences, but I eventually snap out of it. 

​"Why's that?" I ask, though I know why.

​"I don't know, just that it has something to do about when you went to high school. That's all Dad ever told us," Jared says. He looks at me with anticipation, and I know that he's hoping I'll tell him what happened. I look over at Elly, and I can tell she's hoping I'll explain as well, though she's hiding it. Had this come up five, even three years ago I probably wouldn't even consider telling them. But Jared is fifteen and Elly is thirteen, surely old enough to hear about the turbulent events of my freshmen year.

​"I take it you two would like to know what happened," I say. They both smile in answer.

​"Well, I guess you are both old enough huh? But I'm warning you, it's a long story," I warn them.

​"I don't care," Jared says nonchalantly.

​"I read long books a lot, they are the best," Elly says with a small smile. I sigh, and take a moment to remember it all. The school, the kids, my friends, my teachers, the trip...

"Okay," I begin and Jared and Elly hurry to the couch across from me and sit, looking at me with eagerness, "it started on the day of the school's freshmen trip to Alaska. Back when I was fifteen..."