Infinite Testament

by Greg Ness

  “Come on, buddy,” Bruce said. Vince lifted himself off the ground with Bruce supporting him. Bruce looked at the drunk Michigan State fan. It was a face he recognized. Not again. No way.

  It was Ronnie.

  All the muscle he had two years ago was gone. Now, he was a skinny scrawny rat.

  “Look who it is!” Ronnie blurted out in a drunken slur, “Bruce, my old friend!”

  Vince brushed himself off. He stepped back and allowed Bruce to take control of the situation.

  Bruce stared at Ronnie. He had dozens of his stupid Michigan State friends with him. “Do I need to put you in your place again?” Bruce asked. Really. How many times did he need to beat Ronnie to a pulp before he learned his lesson?

  “I’ve changed, Bruce,” Ronnie said.

  “It looks like it,” Bruce responded sarcastically.

  “Don’t judge me! I’m at a football game having a good time! Your friend is the one who tried to pick a fight with me!”

  “I doubt that.”

  The small crowd hushed with anticipation. They hoped this would be it, the moment they waited for: a fight! The tension built as Bruce got right in Ronnie’s face. This was where he would hit him! Instead, Bruce simply stared at him. He was sick and tired of Ronnie. Add the Sara Ixley sighting, and Bruce’s heart was stone-cold black. He threatened, “You better stay away from my friends. You’re a loser Ronnie. If I see your face again, you’ll be sorry.” He held his gaze in Ronnie’s dark eyes until he was sure he heard him clearly. The animosity between the two intensified with every second. Bruce broke the deadlock and turned to leave with Vince. The crowd was disappointed and began to disperse.

  “That’s it?” Ronnie asked. “I want a rematch.”

  Bruce stopped. Turned around. The few from the crowd who hadn’t left yet rebuilt their enthusiasm. Someone yelled, “Kick his ass!” Bruce would love nothing more. He locked eyes with Ronnie yet again.

  Bruce informed him, “You don’t want a rematch.”

  “Fight me.”

  Bruce shook his head and nonchalantly chuckled. “You’re pathetic.”

  Bruce turned to Vince. “Let’s go.” The crowd finally dispersed. Ronnie yelled something to Bruce, but he didn’t hear it. He didn’t care what he had to say.

  Bruce muttered to Vince, “Don’t tell Stephen about this.” Vince nodded as they left to find Natalie.

  Just another secret for Bruce to keep from Stephen.

  13

  When the next year, sophomore year, came, Vince made the easy decision of continuing to live with Stephen and Bruce. The two had made their mark on him. Not only did Vince learn how to deal with people, but he also found a balance between work and play. There were a mere two months of classes left then Vince would officially be on his way to junior year and his roommates would be seniors.

  Stephen, Bruce, and Vince had upgraded to a much bigger place. They now each had their own room. There was a kitchen and a family room. It wasn’t nice by any stretch; it was a typical college apartment: cheap appliances, white walls, and a mess of clothes everywhere.

  And now Vince had a girlfriend: Natalie.

  That he was dating such a stunning woman was a fact that took a couple months to soak in. It was rare to find such a perfect package of both beauty and brains. She was a biological engineer! They took all the same classes together. They were the perfect team.

  Vince, asleep, sat on the blue couch in the living room. It was cheap and torn up but was the most comfortable spot in the world. His head was plopped back on the pillow behind him. Vince was loose and relaxed, a big change from just one year ago. Natalie, donning high-heels, clicked over to him. She was exquisitely dressed with a green dress that flowed down to her knees. She was apparently ready to go somewhere nice.

  “Viiiinnnncee,” she said, as drawn out and flirtatious as possible.

  Vince’s mouth was wide open and his eyes settled shut.

  She stomped her foot. “Vince!”

  He shook his head awake and sprung to life.

  “Natalie?” He noticed the way she was dressed. “Natalie!”

  In Stephen’s room, Stephen rested on his back, sprawled out on his twin size bed. Bruce sat in an office chair, happily spinning around. He could barely contain his excitement.

  It was his turn.

  Stephen grumbled, “I don’t know if it’s really your turn… but it’s close enough, I guess.” Stephen got off the bed and reached deep underneath. He swiped through clouds of dust and forgotten items. In his hand emerged the item Bruce had waited for.

  The ELPIS box.

  Stephen snapped the box shut. Bruce stared at it. “I get to keep it,” Bruce blurted.

  They were on Silver Beach at St. Joseph, Michigan, on Summer vacation, preparing to enter third grade. Tiny 8 year-old versions of Stephen and Bruce stood in one of Bruce’s ditches on the beach, staring at their newfound treasure.

  The sun’s rays pierced their backs and illuminated the box’s dull wood. The box was roughly the size of a shoebox, but slightly smaller. The engraved letters were clear to see. “What’s ELPIS?” Stephen wondered aloud.

  “Probably the name of the guy who lost it,” Bruce provided.

  Stephen stared at the letters. ELPIS. He rubbed his small hand over the engraving and could feel the crevices under his fingertips. They seemed to be carved delicately, with pinpoint precision. What did the letters mean? What was the box for? He had no idea.

  But he wanted it.

  “I’m the one who found it,” Stephen stated. “I think I should get it.”

  Bruce’s mouth dropped open as he shook his head in surprise. “What?!” Stephen’s statement was far from the truth. If there was anyone who deserved credit for finding the box, it was Bruce. He turned around and pointed at Stephen’s castle structure. “You built the castle! I’m the one who was digging!”

  Bruce turned back to Stephen, but he was gone. Huh?

  While Bruce was pointing at the castle, Stephen climbed out of the hole and ran. He took off, clutching the ELPIS box. His running feet kicked sand behind him, launching it in the air as he attempted to escape Bruce. Where would he go? He didn’t know. Both of their moms drove to the beach together and they would undoubtedly all leave together. Stephen just needed to get away.

  One problem: Bruce was bigger, faster, and stronger. Bruce jumped out of the hole and ran to chase him down. Stephen zigzagged his way across the beach, making slow progress with his short, 8-year old legs. He took a sharp turn toward the water, hoping it would provide him with some refuge.

  Stephen was the gazelle and Bruce was the lion; there was no escape. Bruce breathed heavily as he honed in on Stephen. Stephen’s turn toward the water actually helped. The flimsy, dry sand was harder for his feet to grip; the wet sand was more packed and allowed him to grip easily. Bruce dug in his toes and closed the gap between them.

  Stephen was within reach. Bruce held out his hand to try and pull his shoulder. He grazed a hand on his back but couldn’t grab him. Stephen slipped away. He had some breathing room.

  Stephen and Bruce’s moms sat in beach chairs, wearing giant hats, sunglasses, and bathing suits to help their tans. In front of them ran Stephen and Bruce. This was not typical frolicking on the beach. They looked at each other. No words needed to be spoken. The boys were up to no good. Again.

  Bruce was close enough to Stephen. He leapt through the air and pounced; the lion had his gazelle. They both crashed into the sand. The same wet sand that helped Bruce reach Stephen also provided him with a harder fall. They skidded on the unforgiving surface, grazing and cutting their bodies. The box slipped out of Stephen’s hands and bounced away. Bruce reached for it. Stephen yanked him back. The two wrestled as they desperately tried to reach the box.

  A hand swooped in and picked it up. It was out of reach now. A shadow eclipsed the sun and daunted over them. Mrs. Pandora’s giant hat blocked all the light and Bruce’s mom was right behind her. Stephen and Bruce loo
ked up at them. Not good: they were in trouble.

  “Why are you boys playing so rough?”

  Bruce’s mom added, “Are you trying to kill each other?”

  Stephen stared at the box. There was no telling what their mothers would do with it. They were irrational. They could throw it in the ocean and get it over with. They could keep it for themselves. Whatever they decided, it probably wouldn’t be good.

  Bruce exclaimed, “Stephen took my treasure. I found it!”

  What a sell-out.

  Stephen and Bruce picked themselves off the ground. They were both draped in sand, especially Bruce, who wore a mask of it on his face.

  “Is that true, Stephen?” his mom asked.

  Stephen shook his head. Mrs. Pandora looked at both of the kids, who were wearing their best sympathy faces.

  “What’s in here anyway?” Stephen’s mom inquired. She began to unlatch the box.

  “No!” Stephen and Bruce shouted as they held out their hands.

  Stephen’s mom looked at them suspiciously. “What’s going on here?”

  Stephen spoke up, “We found that treasure underground. And now Bruce is trying to keep it for himself.”

  Bruce didn’t approve. “You’re trying to steal it!”

  “Alright,” Bruce’s mother interjected, “Here’s what we’ll do. You both switch off with it. Stephen has it one month and Bruce has it the next month. This way you can both have it.”

  “Every year,” Stephen insisted. A year seemed far more reasonable and less of a hassle. Plus, the odds of Bruce forgetting about it became much greater.

  The mothers looked at Bruce. He shrugged. A year switch-off was fine with him.

  “Paper, Scissor, Rock for who gets it first,” Stephen challenged.

  “Okay,” the mothers asserted. This was a non-violent solution: perfectly usable.

  Stephen turned to sand-covered Bruce. “Ready?”

  They bobbed their hands. “Paper, Scissor, Rock!”

  Bruce laid out Rock. How typical. Stephen expected Bruce to resort to such brute force methods. Stephen held out paper.

  “Paper beats Rock. ELPIS is mine!”

  Stephen’s mother handed him the box. It would be his for a year. He admired the priceless ELPIS box resting in his hands.

  “Tell you what,” Mrs. Pandora said, “Why don’t we all get some ice cream?”

  Stephen and Bruce lit up. Ice cream? They never went for ice cream! That was the best idea she ever had.

  “This box is magic!” Stephen whispered to Bruce.

  Over time, it would prove to be true.

  Bruce snatched it from Stephen’s hands. He examined the box. It was in bad shape when they found it and was in bad shape now. Good: nothing’s changed. He unlatched the hook, opened the box, and looked inside. “I see the contents still remain.” Pleased, he snapped it shut.

  Natalie sat on Vince’s lap with her arms around his neck. “I have a surprise for you today.”

  Vince’s interest was piqued. “Oh yeah? What is it? I have a surprise for you too!” Without hesitation, he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out two tickets. “We’re going to the theme park!”

  Natalie’s face dropped. She wasn’t as excited as he envisioned. Uh-oh. He must’ve made a mistake. “What? What did you have planned?”

  “We were going to meet my parents for lunch.”

  She would rather do that? “But these tickets are only good for today,” Vince countered.

  Natalie tinkered her finger along Vince’s chest. Her sensual touch glazed along, exciting him. Natalie continued, “And I had a little romantic evening planned for us later.” Her lips honed in on his as she glared into his eyes. She stopped her momentum just before kissing him. Her teeth gently squeezed Vince’s bottom lip.

  Then abruptly, Natalie pulled back. “But I guess we can go to the theme park.”

  Back in Stephen’s room, Bruce triumphantly held his ELPIS box. “Thank you, Mr. Pandora,” he said.

  “I hope it brings you all the joy in the world,” Stephen replied.

  Vince appeared in the doorway holding two tickets above his head. “Guys, you’re going to theme park today!”

  “Yes!” Bruce yelled. “The joy is all mine!”

  Bruce sprung up to grab the tickets. “Thank you Vince. You’re a lovely man.” Vince noticed the old, beat up wooden box that Bruce clutched.

  “What’s that?” he asked.

  Bruce looked at the box. He looked at Stephen. Oops. “Uhhh… Just a… uhh… box of treasure.”

  “Oh. Okay,” Vince said, uninterested in inquiring further.

  Meanwhile, at an apartment at Michigan State, Lisa Binsby prepared to head to the same theme park with her best friend, Kristen.

  Lisa stood, with crutches tucked under her arms, at the end of the hallway. “You ready Kristen?”

  “Yeah!” she yelled as she frantically gathered her belongings.

  Matt, a muscular, good-looking guy wearing a green and white letterman’s jacket approached Lisa and wrapped his arms around her. She affectionately leaned into him and whispered, “Have fun at practice today.”

  Matt smiled. He always did. No one had more fun than the Michigan State quarterback. “I will.”

  She looked at his brown eyes and sparkly smile. She was a lucky girl.

  “I love you,” Matt declared.

  “Love you too,” Lisa whispered back.

  They quickly kissed.

  Kristen walked down the hallway toward them. “Time to let her go, loverboy.”

  Matt smiled at Kristen and unwrapped his arms from Lisa.

  It was time to go.

  Their lives would never be the same again.

  14

  The sun shone brightly on the theme park. Colors seemed more vibrant and attractive girls more beautiful. Stephen and Bruce, not yet aware they would be meeting Lisa and Kristen, waited in line for a motion simulator, Space Escape.

  Bruce stared into the distance as he waited in line. The packs of people were enough to keep his attention. Meanwhile, Stephen’s eyes locked with another man waiting in line. The man’s eyes darted away.

  “Hey Bruce, look at that guy.”

  Bruce looked, not sure who Stephen was referring to. “Huh?”

  The man had short black hair. His clothes were wholly plain: beige and white. He wore an old backpack that flimsily rested on his shoulders. It seemed like he came to the park by himself; he was alone whenever Stephen saw him. And he didn’t appear to be having a whole lot of fun. In fact, it looked like he wasn’t happy to be there at all.

  “Forget it,” Stephen said. He didn’t want the guy to know he was talking about him. It seemed to Stephen that he had been on every ride right behind them. Like he had been following them. It was unlikely, but it was odd how often Stephen had seen him.

  Stephen peered back toward the man. He was gone. He must have moved. Maybe he was stuck behind one of those giant stuffed animals people were holding. There was a big green frog floating above the line, sitting atop someone’s head. As the line dripped forward, Stephen peered beyond the frog. Nope. He wasn’t there. He wasn’t anywhere. The man wasn’t in line anymore.

  Strange.

  Later, Stephen and Bruce stood outside the Paramnesia roller coaster with Kristen and crutch-bound Lisa. Hoards of people whizzed by them. Some walked by, visibly irritated by their intrusion in the middle of walkway. No matter, Stephen and Bruce were formally meeting two girls who would be tied to them forever.

  It was among Bruce’s finest work in action. Kristen grabbed the picture out of Bruce’s hand and looked at their goofy faces. Kristen looked up at Bruce. Her metamorphosis from stuck up beauty to friendly was complete.

  “My name’s Kristen.”

  Bruce coolly held out his hand. “Bruce.”

  Kristen shook it. “I still think you’re a jackass.”

  Bruce smiled. “You’re not alone.”

  Kristen tried to pull her hand away
. Bruce held on and tugged it back. He inquired, “What are you doing tomorrow night?”

  Her eyes squinted in thought. “I don’t know. I might be busy.”

  Stephen and Lisa watched on as Bruce and Kristen openly flirted with each other. Stephen shot a glance at Lisa. She found the whole escapade hilarious and smiled back. Woah. There it was again. The smile. Had there ever been a more lovely sight than the smile he just witnessed? He paused to catch his breath. Stephen could only smile back.

  Bruce let go of Kristen’s hand. “Well, my lady,” he said with a forced British accent, “I would be honored if you would accompany me to dinner tomorrow evening.”

  Kristen laughed. She replied with a playful British accent of her own, “I don’t know, sir. I simply think I may be too busy.”

  Bruce got down on one knee. “But my lady, it would be of great honor to myself, my family, and the Queen if you obliged and accompanied me to dinner. Or supper. Call it what you will, it doesn’t matter to me.”

  “Well sir,” Kristen replied, “If it will please the Queen then I will accompany you.”

  Bruce hopped to his feet. “Splendid!”

  Stephen chimed in, sans accent, “This is the stupidest thing I have ever seen.”

  Bruce, keeping his accent, grabbed Stephen’s arm, “I forgot! This is my slave. Slave Stephen.”

  “Really?” Stephen asked. “The British have slaves now?”

  Kristen grabbed Lisa, “And this is my slave! Lusty Lisa!”

  Lisa tilted her head. “Lusty Lisa?”

  “This is wonderful!” British Bruce proclaimed. “Perhaps our slaves can join us?”

  Stephen’s heart stopped. Even though the whole exchange was lighthearted, Bruce basically just asked Lisa to go out with Stephen. He hoped she would. His eyes nervously darted around. Wait a second, there he was again! There in the distance: the guy who was following them! He stood with his plain clothes and ugly blue backpack staring at them. What a strange man. Whatever. It wasn’t a concern right now: Stephen wanted Lisa to go out with him.

  Kristen shook her head, “Unfortunately, my beautiful slave is seeing another slave already.”