Coming of Age: The Journey of a Teenaged Drug Dealer

CHAPTER ONE - THE SUMMER OF CHANGE

"Where should I go?" -Alice.

"That depends on where you want to end up." - The Cheshire Cat."

― Lewis Carroll,

Seventeen year old Ryan Hornbeck stepped out of Frank's dilapidated house for what he expected to be his last time as a free man. As he wiped away the blood on his face, some his and some Frank's, he expected to see a convoy of police waiting to arrest him. To his surprise, no one was there.

As he stared out at the front yard's unmowed, long grass and the garbage that spread across it, he saw the thing that had been haunting his nightmares for the last four years...

The classroom door...

The anxiety Ryan had already felt when he stepped outside skyrocketed to new heights. His heart was beating so fast he felt that it would explode. Unable to think of what to do next, Ryan closed his eyes and thought back to a different time; a time before he was...

A murderer...

▼▼▼

The summer of 2014 was a sobering experience in Ryan's life. He was curious about what high school would be like. Middle school was full of juvenile hijinks; a lot of grab-assing, more risque behavior, riding bikes, jumping on trampolines, and playing video games. It seemed like a last hoorah for childhood, albeit with emerging and confusing pubescent energy.

The morning of Ryan's mother's birthday, Ryan's father, James Hornbeck, the newly elected Sheriff of Barclay, stepped into Ryan's bedroom. Ryan quickly hid his copy of American Psycho under his mattress as his father entered. The bedroom had a bookshelf full of YA novels, movies, and graphic novels. Hung up on the walls were film and television memorabilia.

"Do you still have it?" Sheriff Hornbeck asked quietly. He was dressed for work. Even with the heavy uniform on, his strong physique was clear, something Ryan was hoping to achieve himself soon.

Ryan nodded. He reached under his mattress again, carefully avoiding the books he had hidden.

"Your mom's been looking around like crazy for it." Sheriff Hornbeck said.

Ryan found the item his father was referring to. It was a flat gift box with a diamond necklace inside that was worth more than Ryan could comprehend. He handed the gift to his father.

"How are you going to hide it?" Ryan asked.

"I'm taking it to the station," Sheriff Hornbeck replied. "I'll bring it back home for dinner."

Ryan gave his father a doubtful look. "How are you going to get it out of the house?"

"Your mom's still asleep."

Ryan held his look.

"I didn't see her when I came home."

Mrs. Hornbeck's voice from the kitchen said loudly, "Where are my boys at? I'm expecting a, "Happy birthday," down here!"

"Shit." said Mr. Hornbeck.

Ryan reached out to his father who gave his son back the gift.

"Are you going to be able to hide it until later tonight?" Sheriff Hornbeck asked.

Ryan nodded confidently. His father sat beside him.

"Thanks, champ." Sheriff Hornbeck rubbed Ryan's hair playfully, bunching it up into a messy ball. "You need a haircut."

It was true. Ryan's unruly hair had grown past head. For most of his existence, Ryan sported a conservative buzz cut. He never gave his hair much thought, but with high school over the horizon, hair became an insecurity. He didn't want to look like an army brat, but he was also unsure of what to do with his locks. As a result, his hair grew for six months without any visits to the barber.