Gabriel's Song

Part 1: The Move...

                                                                                        PART 1

The birds whistled beautifully, on one quiet September morning, in Havern, Florida. Gabriel Pierce and his father Franklin sat together on their front porch. Next to Gabriel sat two suitcases ready to travel. Franklin was on the phone, asking a taxi cab man for a ride to the airport. Gabriel's eyes burned with tears he feared to let out.

Gabriel was 18 years old and a senior at Havern High School. He had many friends in school and was the quarterback for the Havern High Falcons football team. Now that school had started, it was time for Gabriel's plans to come to life. But all of his plants were canceled about a week ago.

Two years ago, Gabriel was diagnosed with a bone and blood cancer. His mother, Anna, who lived with them at the time abandoned them when she found out. Since then, Franklin, who was a pastor at the time, had to pick up two extra jobs in retail. Franklin worked three jobs, in the attempt to pay for his son's medical treatment as well as the other bills for the house. However, just last week the Bishop of Franklin church announced that they were closing down. Franklin lost his highest paying job. Not even both of his other jobs could cover the expenses he had to pay for. After losing his job, Franklin became even more desperate to save his son. He called his mother Mary, who lived in Baltimore, Maryland. Franklin begged Mary for a place to stay and to help him find a job opening. Luckily, Mary had room in her apartment and told her son that her church was in need of pastors and another choir director.

Franklin said that he'd make it to Maryland as soon as he could. "It should take about five days for your plane tickets to be delivered," Mary said. "After that's done, I'll take care of the rest. I can't wait to see my grandbaby again." Franklin shared the news with his son immediately. Gabriel was angry. "Dad," he argued with Franklin, "who's to say that I'll get better if we move? Getting treatments doesn't matter to me, as much as being able to finish the rest of my teenage years at home. That is something I can only have once," Gabriel pleaded. "I'm not going nowhere."

Despite his argument, Franklin moved on with his mother's plan. He didn't want to upset his son, but if he didn't get a job to pay for Gabriel's treatments soon, he could get worse or possibly die. Franklin had to stop himself from crying when he looked at his son. But deep inside he was making the right decision, and nothing would change his mind. Not even the tears that fell from his son's eyes. Hours earlier around 9:00 am, Franklin went out to check the mail he went through the pile, finding a newspaper, 3 overdue bills, and Mary's tickets. Franklin rejoiced as he looked at the plane tickets and went to find Gabriel. Until about 10 minutes ago, Franklin and Gabriel were cleaning up their house and packing their belongings. When they were done, Gabriel ran the house key over to their next-door neighbor, Miss Williams, and waited with Franklin on their porch, for their cab.

Now Franklin was giving their driver instructions on how to get to their house. We are 3 houses to the left," Franklin said to the man, before hanging up the phone. Gabriel sulked, as he cherished his very last moment at home. In less than five minutes, a yellow taxi cab up to the house. The driver stepped out of the car, taking the suitcases from the porch, and loading up the trunk. When he was finished, he opened up the back seat for Gabriel and Franklin. Gabriel walked as if weighted chains were stuck to his ankles and as if he was walking to his own execution. It was a feeling he could not explain.

When Gabriel got in the car, he closed the door with a small thud. He lay his head against the car window. Strangely, Gabriel thought that it would be less painful if he didn't have to watch his only home disappear right before him. Gabriel looked at his father, who was beaming with joy, and he closed his eyes.