Sixty-Seven Salamanders
By Jeffary Joseph
Copyright 2019 by Jeffary Joseph
License Notes
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 1 - Fate
It was just like every other time. Whatever I did or tried, it always ended the same. I was sick and tired of it. A number of complex thoughts and emotions ran through my mind. What would I do after this? What did my future hold? Focus, Adin. This was it; this was finally my chance to change my fate, if even just a little. Everyone was counting on me; I would not fail. Focusing back on reality, I watched as the enormous football player thundered towards me like a runaway train, which of course was very, very bad for my health.
My first reaction was to avoid him but knew that wasn’t an option, so I steeled myself for the inevitable impact instead and pumped my legs as hard as I was able; my cleats ripped up grass and dirt as I accelerated towards him. My heart pounded wildly in my chest so loud that I could hear it and wondered if everybody else in the bleachers on both sides of the field could, too. People usually run away from the really big guy that’s about to flatten them like a pancake, my inner voice said. I know, but this is our chance to finally kick some ass! My other voice argued.
I cleared my head; there was no running away – it was now or never. He was only a few feet away now and seeing my chance, I made a move. I concentrated on nothing but speed sprinting forward and lifted from the ground to launch at my opponent. At that moment, it almost felt like I was flying, a cool breeze pleasantly streaming into my face. Then, I hit a brick wall. You were taught never to leave your feet when attempting to tackle an opponent and now I understood why. As I slammed into the much bigger teen and blacked out, I had an idle thought. This is what being hit by a bus must feel like.
My name was being called, but I just wanted to stay in lala land. Besides, my head was pounding like Gallagher had used it as his personal watermelon.
“Adin!” The gruff voice called yet again.
I moved to get up and earned a stab of pain in my lower back. Virtually every bone in my body felt twisted and broken. It was then the recent memory of trying to tackle that moving mountain played. I must be crazy. After another moment, I managed to open both eyes; even my eyelids seemed to pound with the force of what happened.
“Are you alright, Adin!?” The grizzly man closest to my head asked in a panicked voice, kneeling as he examined my entire body for injury.
I wasn’t used to my tough coach being in such a flustered state. It made me want to laugh, despite the situation, but I managed to suppress it. “I’m fine, Coach O’Leary. He was just really... big.” I blinked slowly as everything came back into focus, the images before me becoming sharper and clearer. Attempting to sit up again was successful, though it still hurt like hell.
“Do you think this is a joke? You could have seriously hurt yourself!” The older man boomed, although noticeably more relieved.
Now this is more like the coach I know. “I just wanted things to be different… Aren’t you tired of losing?” Our football team hadn’t qualified for the playoffs in twelve years, and Coach O’Leary had been at our high school for most of them.
He watched me for a moment, then clenched his jaw. “…Can you stand?”
It was ironic, by not giving me his answer, he had done exactly that. Nodding without another word, I grabbed his outstretched hand for support to get up. My legs wobbled for a second, probably making me look like Bambi trying to stand for the first time. Once I realized that I wasn’t going to dive headfirst into the ground, I looked around to take in the surroundings.
I hadn’t realized how quiet it’d been until all the roars and clapping hit me. It wasn’t exactly the applause I’d been looking for, people grateful that there wasn’t a dead kid on the field. As I stiffed-legged my way back to my team’s bench, the scoreboard caught my attention. I already knew the result but looked anyway, and there it was.
HOME - 21; AWAY - 28
It reminded me that no matter what I did or tried my goal was just out of reach; this was my life. My teammates jostled and gave me pats on the back upon reaching them. And I knew they meant well, but their friendly smacks felt more like hammers to my already battered body. After the field was cleared, we made our way to the school’s locker-room. I wasn’t the only one tired of another failed year. The walk back was heavy and oppressive. All we needed was a dark cloud over our heads, and our team’s somber mood would’ve been perfect.
Well, except for Shawn; he was smiling and skipping cheerfully, like always. “Dude, that was awesome!” He excitedly turned toward me.
“I didn’t know being knocked out was so cool.” I deadpanned.
“Nooo, not that, man! You dropped Taylor Louis like a bad habit! And you even made him fumble the ball!”
That stopped me right in my tracks. Taylor Louis was one of the top football players in the state of Florida; a few teammates bumped into me and complained. “So how the hell did we lose the game?” In my mind, I had pictured a scene more like a bowling ball rolling over a pin.
Shawn rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile. “Well… one of his teammates picked up the ball and scored.”
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I had managed to bring down one of the best players in the entire state, and we still lost.
“Are you alright, Adin?” He noticed the blank look on me.
Everyone knew Shawn Porter wasn’t the brightest crayon in the box, but what the heck. “Have you ever wanted to change something, but no matter what you did nothing worked?” My serious eyes met his.
“I think I know what you mean, dude. Kinda like when you’re in a cramped elevator and you gotta let one loose, right?”
I stared at him for a few seconds, trying to figure out if he was teasing me or not. And he stared back with a huge grin plastered on his face, causing me to release an audible sigh. “Something like that. Come on; we’re falling behind.”
Several minutes later, I exited the stadium a bit more invigorated. The locker-room showers weren’t exactly luxurious, but they did their job. Shawn usually gave me a ride after games, so I waited by his truck.
He emerged from the school himself not long after me. “Spending time with Big Bird?” He asked merrily as he approached.
Why he named his truck such a name, I never knew. I don’t think I wanted to. We’d known each other since freshman year, and most things he did or
said didn’t make sense. After a while, I stopped trying to figure him out. Some made fun of him for it, but he never changed. Maybe that’s why I liked him. Most people in this town were too worried about their image to totally be themselves, even me.
“Thanks for the ride, Shawn.” I couldn’t afford a car, so it helped out a lot. Seeing the full moon hanging idly in the starry sky made me think about my sister, Arena. I hope she already ate dinner.
Shawn’s truck started after a few tries, and we left the school.
“I still can’t believe you went head to head with the Taylor Louis!” He piped up midway through the ride.
“Well, he was pretty damn big,” I smiled.
“I know, dude! I heard they feed him babies or something.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “What store sells babies, Wal-Mart?”
“I don’t know. I’m just sayin’; no one is supposed to be that big.”
Shawn continued to talk, but I zoned out and stared at myself in the rearview mirror. My dark skin matched my mood. I ran my hand through my nappy, black hair. I should probably get a haircut soon. My eyes were the typical dark brown with thick eyebrows on my angular face. I was more on the slender side which hadn’t helped me much with Taylor. Turning my head towards the window, I watched the scenery as we approached town.
What would I do after this? What could I do? The questions that were buried deep in my mind resurfaced. The place I lived in, Maple Hills had a population of only around seven thousand. Safe to say, you could call it a hick town; we didn’t even have a shopping mall. There wasn’t a lot to do here, and the opportunities were few. Bright lights interrupted my thoughts as we drove by our makeshift movie theater to see showtimes for the ‘new’ Harry Potter movie up for the third straight month.
They should’ve stopped after the last one. I felt like the town was mocking me. It was just another reminder that I was going nowhere. Football was one of the only things that kept me preoccupied, but that was gone now, meaning there was plenty of time to think about my bleak future. Wonderful. It was my final year of high school with only a couple of months left until graduation, and I had absolutely no plan.
As a senior, I knew that it was time to stop messing around and start concentrating on work. I was rewarded with top-notch grades that even rivaled the best in my school, albeit a smaller one. I was confident that I could gain entrance into at least one decent college, until getting hit with a wave of rejection letters. I did eventually receive one letter of acceptance, but it was a hollow victory since they would only grant a partial scholarship.
The economy was still struggling after the United States declared war on North Korea a couple years ago, and we, its younger generation, were paying the price. We had discovered the Asian country was developing an illegal, nuclear program and gave them plenty of chances to disband, but they held fast. Eventually, we had no choice but to engage them. Even now, U.S. soldiers were dying on North Korean land.
Usually, war was profitable for the economy, and it was – just not for everyday citizens. The large corporations that provided war material and goods had no competition, none. They could charge whatever they wanted and did. The war had become so expensive the government started borrowing from private banks. As a result, taxes increased, and the dollar became inflated; they even stopped giving out student loans. To sum it up, there was no way I could afford to go to college. Most of the money from my part-time jobs went towards paying bills, anyway.
Although my mother did her best, I knew she and my sister depended on my chances of getting a decent career, especially since Dad passed. He was a scientist who died in a lab accident years ago. It seemed like a lifetime ago; ten years now – no, eleven. I tried picturing his face in my mind’s eye but could barely remember it. I mentally sighed. Basically, I would be born, live, and die in this town.
"Home sweet home!" Shawn pulled me away from my thoughts.
I thanked him and watched him drive off. An effort to raise my arm in farewell delivered a shock of pain, making me wince. Dragging myself to the front door of my one-story house, I rang the doorbell, ready to faceplant in my pillow and sleep until the next ice age. I’d forgotten to take my key that morning, so all I could do was wait, but after a minute there was still no answer.
“Where is she?” I asked to the empty air, slightly annoyed. “Arenaaa!” I twisted the doorknob, even though it was pointless, but it opened. “What the…”
Arena never left the door open since watching a movie called Home Invaders years ago. She had even slept in my bed for a whole month afterward. I cautiously opened the door and called out to only receive silence. Maybe she’s just playing music in her room or something? But then why would she leave the door open? My heart raced as I stepped into the house.
The lights were off, and it seemed empty. I considered calling the police then but thought better of it, not having even checked her room yet. Starting in that direction, I felt an impact. Something, or rather someone attacked from behind, jumping onto my back. Panic instantly filled me; it was not the correct way to ask for a piggy-back ride. I lost my balance from there and tumbled to the floor, the attacker right along with me.
I was stunned for a second, but quickly regained my composure, the stranger on top of me now. Their face was hard to make out with the lack of light, but that was hardly the biggest concern at the moment. I had to attack first to get the upper hand. Luckily, I had taken boxing lessons every summer since I was eight and though I hadn’t practiced in a while, I was still somewhat confident in my skills. However, before I could channel my inner Muhammad Ali, the person kissed me on the cheek. Okay, now this is getting weird.
“Are you scared?” The piggy-back attacker asked in a high-pitched voice.
Confusion still racked me, but I was able to register who it was after calming a bit. Arena. We played pranks on each other often, but I thought giving your sibling a virtual heart attack was a bit overkill. All in all, though, I was relieved. “Yeah, you got me good, but you know what?”
“What?”
I could tell she was grinning even with it too dark to see. Reaching up, I commenced giving her the fiercest tickle attack I could summon, forcing her to fall on top of me giggling. “What were you thinking scaring me like that, huh?”
“Okay, okay, okay! I’ll tell you if you stop, I give up!” She squealed through fits of laughter.
After a few more tickles, I finally relented. “This better be good, ‘cause I’m in a tickling mood.”
She sat up. “We wanted to surprise you!”
Before I could ask who ‘we’ was, light filled my eyes as the living room light was switched on.
Chapter 2 – Surprise Visitor
I tossed my head back to see a light-skinned girl step out of the kitchen. On her head was a big wad of black, curly hair that reminded me of a bird’s nest in all its craziness. She also had grapes in her hand - the grapes I’d planned to eat later.
“What’s up, punk?” She grinned.
“Your underwear.” I was still lying on my back, so they were clearly visible in my upside-down vision.
“What?” She looked down at herself.
“Blue is my favorite color.” I gave a wide smile.
“Perv.” She threw one of the grapes right at my head, allowing me to expertly catch and eat it. “And to think I came all the way out here for you.” She cracked a smile.
I finally stood up and faced her with Arena off me. “Really? I didn’t know you cared so much.”
“Not like that, idiot.”
I still remember the day I met Candace. Our fathers had been friends, so when he died, she had attended the funeral. I was off in some corner of the church crying when she approached me from behind.
She’d startled me when she suddenly spoke up. “If you have time to sit around crying, then you should be helping your family.”
At the time, I was shocked at how someone could be so mean, especially in that situation. My
sadness quickly turned to anger, but before I could react to her insensitive words, she did something else that surprised me. She hugged me. Being two years older, she had to bend over, her sudden hug sending me into another fit of cries.
And then she told me something I still remember to this day. “This isn’t fair, and it sucks, but this is when you have to be strong, even if you aren’t. Don’t cry, Adin.”
That was the last day I ever did. Even when I would fall off my bike or bump into something, I would just smile. She was even the reason I started boxing. The memory fading away, I studied her face. Maybe she didn’t know, but she made me strong.
“I have something for you.” The older girl dipped back into the kitchen and came out with a white envelope. “Ta-da!”
I grabbed and looked at it suspiciously. “You came all the way from New York just to hand me an envelope?”
She smiled and nodded. “I saw my parents too, but yeah.”
“What is it?”
“Open it and find out, silly.” Her smile grew even wider.
I studied the envelope closer. It was addressed to me with my name and address neatly handwritten, but there was no indication of the sender. I then tore it open and pulled out a yellow letter.
Dear Master Adin Anderson:
We at Addison College have been interested in you for quite some time. We believe you contain the potential to contribute a great deal to our school and eventually society, just like your father before you. He was a valued member of our institution and has not been forgotten. We believe you have his drive and determination and with your acceptance, Addison College and I welcome you.
Sincerely,
Dean Dexter.
I stood there frozen. Was this real? A ticket just like that to get out of this town? A chance to actually accomplish something in this life? I never was a big believer in destiny or fate, but at that moment, I felt like the stars were lining up. The fact that it was the Addison College made the situation even more unbelievable. If you knew anything about the place, then you knew it was near impossible to get into; you’d have better luck hitting the lottery. “I can’t believe this!” If I had the ability to do backflips, I would’ve done them right there, but instead settled for jumping up and down.
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