Three Brood Instigators

64. Unforgivable, Unforgettable

"We never fail when we try to do our duty, we always fail when we neglect to do it."
~ Baden-Powell ~

Wilkes remembered the final page message of the biographical book he was returning to well.

"Appreciate the book," Wilkes returned it to the librarian.

The librarian responded with delight as she scanned the book back, while Wilkes was still questioning his own sash for the past few weeks. "Are you ok, young scout?" the librarian noticed.

"Oh, uhm," Wilkes glared away from the badge. "I am fine. I just... I haven't washed up my sash in a while, that's all."

"Never forget it, young scout. It is a sign of courtesy to keep your sash with care," the librarian advised.

Wilkes walked back to the locker, he tried very hard not to stare in the mirror, only to see James receiving a paper from someone else, as James immediately ignored Wilkes the sooner he saw him.

"Wilkes," she greeted.

"No, please," Wilkes immediately left.

"Wilkes, I am sorry. Ppease, listen to me, I..."

"Izzy," Wilkes stopped. "I am... hurt because of all this," Wilkes stared everywhere. "Everyone's the same... and it's not just the fact that you lied... it's the fact that I now know who you really are now... you are not an honest girl scout, Izzy," he said, Izzy stared down, Wilkes regretted. "I used to look up to you," he admitted. "Forget it, get away from me."

"Wilkes, no, I..." Izzy was hurt. "You were a true companion to me, Wilkes," she said that make her stop. "Do you think I have another friend apart from Mamie? Do you think just because I was a top-A student, I'd have everything, be recognized by everyone? No, I don't," she expressed. "[weep] Students here [weep] they are a fake. They lie, they only want attention. I am not like that, we have the same opinion, Wilkes. I did this because I wanted to be a scout, I want to change the world, and not for the attention."

"If you neglected to even try truthfully, then it doesn't make any difference, Izzy," he said. "You are right, they all lie, not only for attention, but to find the easy way to make one," he realized. "Stay away... from me."

Wilkes left with pain deep down his heart.

"On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."
- The Scout Oath -

Wilkes' distraught ran down as deep as Solomon's nearby logs as a facsimile of his enemies at the academy.

Solomon sighed, "What do you want from me, Wilkes? Haven't you got another domineer to enlighten, huh?"

Wilkes sat at the paintball crates, Solomon had to stop to his pique.

"To what do I owe the beating to then?" Solomon asked.

Wilkes nodded up and down, and realized, "There are no real scouts in the academy, Solomon. And even if they were, they were never getting anywhere."

Solomon listened, "Like you are?"

"Maybe," Wilkes said, rubbing his face. "I don't know anymore. I thought if I applied to the academy, not only will I solely learn the true ways to be a scout every day. I thought, I would also meet the companions that shared my enthusiasm," he said. "I was wrong, regardless if it was a scout academy, a grammar school, a prep school, a boarding school, a military school, I guess they are the same nonetheless—I should never expect too much."