Chasing the Big Wolf

4. Don't Panic

"Blaze? Where are you?" the farmer whispered under his breath. It had been days, yet there was no sign of him. William, the farmer, knew that only one person had the answers to his questions.

"What have you done this time, Joyce?" William asked with a stern, frustrated voice. Joyce laughed sarcastically. "I'm his keeper, William," she teased. She was disappointed that the first thing he asked about was Blaze.

"I don't have time for your childish games. Don't you know the Jungle is dangerous, Joyce?" William hated his wife's childish behavior. He never loved her; Blaze was the only person who helped him out of kindness.

"Don't panic, William; he might have run away," Joyce said, unfazed.

"Yes, Father, why do you care about him more than me? Am I not your son?" Junior asked.

"You were a mistake. Tell him, Joyce. Tell him you forced yourself on me. When I was at my lowest moment. Tell him the real reason you chose to be with me!", Joyce was full of lost words. She was filled with fear and frustration.

"Don't say that to your son, William! If you didn't have an affair with Blaze's mother, this wouldn't have happened."Before Joyce could finish her words, she was slapped by the irritated William.

"You're playing the blame game? At least Blaze is my son. But that one is not mine!", William pointed to Junior. 

By this time, Joyce's son was in tears. In his tiny little heart, he prayed that Blaze felt the same pain as him. The same feeling of rejection and hate.

"I'm leaving; pack your things and leave before I come back. If you dare to step foot on my property, I'll kill you myself. Understood?", William warned. Packing his things for the journey ahead.

"By the time you reach home, he's dead. I made the most of it. Oh, one more thing. I knew you were going to act like this. This property is in my name, not yours anymore, Mr. William." Joyce teased. Holding back the laughter that is stuck in her throat.

William wasn't surprised. He was well aware of Joyce's envious ticks. "Fine, I'll see you in court," William smirked.

Knowing Joyce lied, he secretly followed her when she tried to change his will but failed to.

The following day, he changed everything to Blaze. Then hide the papers far from Joyce's reach.

"Daddy, don't leave me", Joyce's son cried. With tears streaming down his face,

William looked at him with pity; soon it turned cold. The boy had similar features to his mother.

William walked over to him, placing a watch in his hands. "Be good; never become like your mother. Who only pretends to get what she wants from people and tries to kill them after? As the saying goes about karma, it always comes back around."

William left about these words. He had nowhere to start. He walked into a bar to have a drink before the long journey.

"That lady is wicked to throw the boy in the Jungle of Lost Bones." One of the men said,

William heard this and then went over to gather further details.

"How does the boy look", he asked.

"Who are you?", the men asked. He was none other than the leader of the gang that left Blaze stranded.

"I am his father. So please tell me", William pleads; he was desperate but worried.

"Dark brown skin, black hair, a fit body—he looked homeless. For all I can tell", William paid for the drink and rushed out from the bar on his horse.