Quiet Enlightenment

Part 2, Chapter 5 - Forbidden

Monday, October 5, 2015

"And then I ended up running through the corn field wearing nothing but my bibs and a smile." Butch said as he scooped a pile of trash into a long-handled dustpan before depositing it into the nearest garbage can.

"Wow! College sounds like a crazy place!" Toby said with excitement in his eyes as he walked between the groundskeeper and a barely interested Calvin.

"Yeah, and just wait until I get to the part about the sheep farm outside of town." Butch continued.

On the sidewalk across the street from the park, Orson found himself spacing out as he walked home alone. Being completely tired from a rough day at school, his mind didn't quite register as he noticed the three walking down the opposite sidewalk.

"What the hell?" Orson muttered to himself as he realized that his little brother was walking with a stereotypical shady-looking janitor.

"And the boss didn't even know that he just ate a cookie full of dung." Butch said as he continued to ramble on. Calvin was already trailing behind when a firm hand on his shoulder brought him to a complete stop. Both Toby and Butch continued to walk on without noticing a single thing.

"What are you doing?" Orson said as Calvin shot his best friend a glare behind his back before turning to face his brother.

"That's Toby's new friend, Butch."

"...You know better."

"He's not too bad." Calvin quietly said, not wanting to throw himself under the bus.

"He's a stranger. You are not supposed to talk to people like that!"

"Oh, am I supposed to keep my head down and never acknowledge another human on this planet?" Calvin snapped back as his irritation reached a breaking point.

"Hey, watch your tone."

In an act of rebellion, Calvin found himself rolling his eyes.

"That's enough. We're going home. You're grounded." Orson said as he pointed towards their house. Calvin huffed and started walking with Orson following behind. Meanwhile, Toby and Butch continued with their conversation without noticing the brothers' quarrel continuing in the opposite direction.

"Go to your room." Orson calmly said as Calvin chucked his backpack onto the great room couch.

"You're not mom or dad!" Calvin protested.

"When they're not home, I'm in charge! And this is for your own safety!"

"And that's why I was walking with Toby and that guy! I don't like him, either, and I don't trust him alone with Toby!"

Orson plopped down on the couch without saying another thing. Calvin growled a bit before going into his bedroom and slamming the door behind him. For a bit, Orson felt bad because he grounded his brother for potentially being a good-Samaritan. He got out his phone and thought about texting Olivia, only to sigh and put it away.

Back at the Gabriel house, Olivia found herself sitting at her desk finishing her homework with the television on the background. As the clock rolled over to six, a strong melody signaled the transition to the evening news.

"Tonight... a manhunt resumes as a criminal from Oregon escapes from a prison transport. Also, is toilet paper causing ear infections? All that and more in your local news at five!"

Hardly paying attention to the news, Olivia picked up her binder and tried to stuff it into her backpack.

"Portland-area residents mourned the passing of thirteen-year-old Elias Conner over a year ago, in a freak accident that led to a massive criminal activity bust."