You're Not Alone

There's Hope Beneath These Feet

This chapter is probably not gonna be the best, but I'm trying to start again from somewhere. If you haven't seen the movie Holes, most of this chapter will be confusing for you. But fear not, we have Wikipedia. The movie is also on Netflix (you should totally watch it, it's great). Or, you can just go ahead and I'll never know.

*Jen*

I sat in the airport terminal, waiting for them to call our flight. I looked at everyone's depressed, melancholic faces. Austin was forced to cancel the tour and I couldn't help but feel like it was all my fault.

I shook my head. I couldn't think like that. If I wanted to get better, I couldn't blame everything on myself.

I put my earphones in and logged onto Netflix, and began watching a movie called "Holes". We weren't scheduled to take off for a good while, so I figured I had more than enough time to watch this movie. It was already quite good and interesting.

I felt the seat next to me press down, and I turned to see Tino smiling down at me. "Is that Holes?" I half smiled and nodded. "Man, I used to love that movie when I was a kid." He took a swig of his water before singing the song from the movie. "'If only, if only', the woodpecker sighs, 'the bark on the trees was as a soft the skies.' While the wolf waits below, hungry and lonely, he cries to the moon, 'if only, if only.'" He shook his head and laughed. "Mind if I watch the rest of it with you?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm only a few minutes in anyways. Stanley just got arrested."

We watched the movie together until it was time to board the plane, and my heart sank a little bit when I discovered that I wasn't seated next to Tino. Instead, I was sandwiched between Aaron and Phil. I was just glad that I liked those guys. I finished the rest of the movie, but experienced a sudden longing for a life like the movie. I mean, Camp Green Lake wasn't exactly a desirable place to live; digging holes in the hot sun all day, no rain, blisters, blood, gross food and yellow spotted lizards weren't exactly my idea of a good time. But what I longed for was the friendship. The comradery of the D-Tent boys and the relationship between Stanley and Zero. I guess we were kinda like the guys in that movie, a smaller D-Tent ourselves. Austin was definitely most like the one they called Zig-Zag; tall, lanky, and a bit odd looking, but a funny friend, no doubt. Alan was the one they called Squid, blunt and brutally honest, but loyal. Aaron was X-Ray, a bit pessimistic, but could always lift spirits with a joke. Tino, was no doubt, Armpit, and the reason was simple. You did not want to smell him when he's been a few days without a shower. Phil was Caveman. A bit of a misfit, but the one who brings everyone together to work towards a common goal.

And then there was me. Who was I?

My first thought was Zero. Because, as the movie said, "there's nothing going on in his stupid little head." Sounded a lot like me. But as the movie went on, Zero was the most integral part of Stanley's purpose at Camp Green Lake, and while it seemed as though his life was ruined, it proved to be for the better. With Zero, Stanley was able to break his family's curse and find the one thing that would help them: the very first Stanley Yelnats' money.

Maybe things would turn out for us like they turned out for the D-Tent boys. While things seemed bad now, maybe they'd all work out in the end.

The plane's lights shut off as night was quickly approaching. I went to sleep with the song ringing through my head.

'If only, if only' the woodpecker sighs, 'the bark on the trees was as soft as the skies.' While the wolf waits below, hungry and lonely, he cries to the moon, 'If only, if only."

•••••••••

After a few hours, we landed back home in sunny California. I sauntered over to the baggage claim, still groggy from sleeping on the plane. Once we retrieved our luggage, we all parted ways. I looked up at Austin.

"I'm sorry you had to cancel the tour." I said, guilty.

"Don't worry. You always come first." He replied, ruffling my hair. "Let's get home."

The drive back to the house was quiet and uneventful, as both of us just hummed to the radio.

We entered the house, both of us not wanting to unpack and our stomachs growling like we'd never eaten anything in our lives.

"We'll unpack tomorrow. How about you find us a movie to watch, and I'll order pizza." Austin heaved.

I knew which movie we were going to watch. I found Holes on Netflix and waited for him on the couch. He laughed.

"Didn't you just watch this with Tino yesterday?" He laughed. I nodded.

"What? It's a good movie." I argued.

"Alright, play it."

We sat in silence as we watched the movie, laughing when it was necessary to laugh, and only making a few comments every now and then.

"My name is Mr. Sir." The actor said in the movie. "When you speak to me, you will call me by my name."

Austin laughed loudly. "I'm gonna make you start calling me that."

I shook my head. "Not a chance."

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out. It was Mason.

Baby, I mis you. Come back to me.

I shook my head, deleting the message and blocking his phone number. There was no way in hell I was ever going back to him.

"What's wrong, Jen?" Austin asked.

I sighed. "Mason."

Austin groaned. "Jesus, can't that kid learn to leave you alone?" I shrugged. "Don't worry about it. For now, let's just try to take our minds off of him. And besides, we still have to finish the movie."

We watched intently as Stanley had his first encounter with a yellow spotted lizard, Mr. Sir shooting it just in time. Those yellow spotted lizards reminded me  a lot of Mason.

Hopefully my comeback wasn't as bad as I feel like it was!

Sorry for the endless references to Holes, but it was a huge inspiration for this chapter, not to mention, my favorite movie from when I was a kid. Call me weird, but I used to always want to dig holes at Camp Green Lake with Stanley, and Mr. Sir, Dr. Pendanski and the Warden. Something about it just seemed so fun.

The song for this chapter comes from the movie as well, and I can't help but tear up every time I hear it. It's called If Only by Fiction Plane.

Thank you for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

-Gracie