Having A Great Time With Sage

Prologue: Sage

Somebody told me once that "Dying is a part of living and living is a part of dying." Of course, at the time, I didn't understand what they meant, or why they would even say that to me then. I'm getting ahead of myself actually.

My name is Sage, Benjamin Sage Wilson. I'm from a little town tucked away near the mountains called Lily Valley, Tennessee. I was fifteen when I first started to understand what that stupid quote meant.

It was a Saturday morning that started like any other that spring, I woke up early and finished my chores so I could spend the rest of the day hanging out with my best friend. I ran upstairs to grab some breakfast and was immediately greeted by Jesse, our hyperactive German Shepard.

I practically shoveled down a plate of bacon and eggs while my little sister sat across from me, leaning almost entirely out of her seat to try and see the TV in the living room. Jesse sniffed hard from underneath the table and begged for scraps, Holly gladly obliged, dumping half of her plate onto the floor.

Mom stepped out of the kitchen to reprimand her, "Holly how many times do I have to tell you to stop feeding the dog from the table!"

"Aw but mama he looked hungry!" She whined.

"Mom. She's five, it's not like—" I started to defend my sister, but quick as ever, mom cut me off.

"She is plenty grown enough to know better than to throw her food away like that. There's starving children in Africa!" With a frustrated groan she added, "Will you just take him outside so she can eat her own breakfast?"

"Alright, c'mon Jesse let's go!" I jumped up and ran towards the door with Jesse hot on my heels, "Bye mom, bye Holly, see ya later!" The slammed shut behind us.

Jesse rounded the corner and took off down the hill, already knowing we were heading to Josh's house. Josh was outside, taking out the garbage when Jesse almost tackled him. "Hey boy!" He laughed, sitting on the ground, trying to push the dog away.

"Phew, his breath smells almost as bad as yours." I heard him say as I ran up.

"Ha ha, real funny." I pulled my dog away, helping Josh up.

"So what're we up to this fine morning?"

"I thought about taking this one out to the park, sound good to you?"

Josh nodded and ran inside, grabbed his keys, yelled "Hey, I'm goin'!", and ran back out to his Chevy. Jesse and I piled in. Josh turned to the side to back out and realized I was sitting directly beside him.

"Uh, what're you doing?" He asked, cranking the truck.

"Oh, Jesse called the window seat."

Josh grinned and started laughing, "Well then move him over!"

So I sat with Jesse in my lap the whole ride. It wasn't a long drive, Queen's Radio Ga Ga carried us almost the whole way there, finishing up with an ad break as we parked. When we got out we took turns playing fetch with a stick, but eventually Jesse found other things to investigate and play with.

"Hey, I've been thinkin' about taking Ash to the drive-in one night." I tried to bring it up casually.

"Ah, that sounds great except for one little thing: you don't have a car."

"Well no, but I was thinking..."

"That I'd let you borrow mine?"

I grinned, "Thanks man, that'd be great!"

"Nuh-uh, no way I'd let take my truck!" He said with a playful shove, "And besides, she'll know it's mine, she's seen me take you to school."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I dug at the grass with the toe of my converse.