Quiet Enlightenment

Part 1, Chapter 19 - Connections

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Cameron grunted as he was slammed against the wall. The assailant, being only five inches taller than him, had him by the edges of his collar.

"Let him go!"

"No, not until I find out some answers."

"Come on!"

Cameron looked his attacker in the face. Having this happen to him wasn't that uncommon, the only surprise coming from who his attacker is.

"Kenton, let him go this instant!"

Kenton sighed and let down the younger boy before taking a step back. Cameron straightened out his shirt and calmly said, "You didn't need to intervene; I can fend for myself."

Olivia crossed her arms and replied "No, I think it would be for the best if you're alive and conscious to answer our questions."

After scratching his head, Cameron shrugged and muttered "Whatever."

"Who are you?"

"Uh, don't you know? My name's Cameron. Cameron Elder to be exact."

"Yeah, I know. I know exactly who you are."

"Then why did you ask?"

"Because I also know that you're the brother of the one who killed my friend!"

Olivia silently thanked whatever deity she believed in that Mia wasn't around for this conversation. This wasn't going to go well. Cameron's face turned to that of shock and then a bit of pain.

"So, what are you doing? Stalking us on behalf of your brother? Trying make us suffer more?"

Cameron had enough of this and quickly shoved Kenton. "Hey! That's enough!" Olivia said as she put herself between the two to keep a fight from breaking out.

"You don't know... you don't know a freaking thing!" Cameron said as he took a deep breath.

"Oh, I think I know what I need to know."

"Kenton, let him speak." Olivia said as she noticed something a small drop on Cameron's face.

"Okay, speak then."

Five Years Ago

"So, what do you want to do, Elias?" an eight-year-old blond boy said to his best friend.

"I don't know, William, how about another math game?"

"Sounds good!"

The two boys ran up the hill to a small villa. The two came from quite different families on different sides of the tracks. The two of them laughed and played games all day when the two families got together.

Two Years Ago

"So, you're going to middle school here?" Elias asked as he walked down the street with William. Cameron, ten years old at the time, trailed behind them by several paces.

"Yeah. The parents are splitting up."

"Really? Getting a divorce?"

"What?!" Cameron said in shock.

"Shut up." William snapped behind him. Cameron, still loyal, immediately shut up.

"Wow, that sucks, man." Elias said as Cameron found himself silently crying at the thought that his family was going to break up.

"Can't blame the old man... are you crying?!" William turned around to see tears streaking down his little brother's face. Cameron didn't respond with anything outside of a sob.