THE RUNNER - (Apocalyptic Tendencies #1)

Prologue

Life for the citizens living on the outskirts of Fargo, North Dakota could not have been simpler than it was on this beautiful Saturday morning. The wind was not too strong but not too light. The sun was shining with blue fluffy clouds surrounding it. A group of white elegant birds were forming a perfect v-formation in the sky. Suddenly, a loud bang and a quick bird chirp is echoed through the surrounding area. One bird falls straight to the ground lifeless. 

'That's it son! You really are getting the hang of this,' shouted Joel Pearce 'Is hunting something that you enjoy doing? You don't seem too excited.' 

Joel Pearce was an older man, a gritty man that didn't appear to be an approachable person. His scruffy gray and black beard with unkempt shoulder long black hair was what gave away that impression. He had ocean blue eyes. His face was covered with wrinkles surrounded by rough tanned skin. Although he was only a man in his late forty's he had aged quite badly due to his time in the military and the stress of life circumstances.

'It's not that... I just- I just have a lot on my mind,' thought Jamie. 'School starts on Monday, and I'm worried that sophomore year will be just as bad as freshmen year was.' 

Joel was being very attentive at this moment. Although Joel and his son always got along the best over the rest of his children, he was never used to Jamie asking for advice from him like this. Joel's oldest son, Blake was never interested in spending time with him, whether it was going to the drive in with his girlfriend Abby or going to a house party with his football buddies, Blake always had somewhere better to be. On the other hand, his youngest daughter Ella had a good heart. A heart that most people would say she got from him. They just never seemed to connect because of her favoritism toward her mother.

'Well of course your worried. Sophomore year is a big one, things start to change.' Joel explained. 'I would think it wouldn't be normal if you weren't worried about it.' Joel was trying to make this easier for Jamie. 'Dad I'm not like Blake. He's dating one of the hottest girls at school, he's the starting quarterback, but it's not fair. He's an asshole!,' groaned Jamie.  'It's almost like he is living some sort of bullshit fairy tale.'

Jamie wasn't wrong. Everything did come easier to Blake at Stone Ridge High School. From the moment Blake started freshmen year he had some sort of stardom to him among the students and teachers. Maybe it was his charm, or his good looks. Maybe it was his athletic ability. Jamie could never seem to figure it out, considering how bad of a person he could be. Jamie had asked Blake before if he could help introduce him to people or put a good word around the school but Blake couldn't see the benefit for himself in doing that. Why should he risk the star image he gained at Stone Ridge for someone that is too socially awkward to figure things out for themselves?

Joel sighed, expressing his sympathy toward what Will had just told him. He picked up the once elegant, soaring bird - now cold and lifeless and put it into his duffel bag. 

'You know Jay, your right. Blake is- he isn't like you,' Joel admitted. 'One day Blake will realize what he values most doesn't matter anymore and everything he sacrificed wasn't worth it. You on the other hand are special. What makes you special is that you know the proper things to value.'

Jamie shook his head. He knew he shouldn't have brought this up. He knew his father wouldn't be able to understand. 

'Listen Jay, life likes to throw curve balls in your direction. What makes you unique is how you react to the curve ball and grow from it.' Joel could tell the message he was delivering wasn't being understood. 'Just remember who you are, and never change who you are for other people, regardless of the situation.'

Jamie then realized by the way his father's eyes began to water, that the advice his father was giving him was what must of helped him get through the divorce with his mother. He began to feel sympathetic for him. His father lived a lonely and sad life, Jamie knew this. When Jamie was only two years old his parents had divorced. Of course, because of the divorce happening at such a young age, he wasn't sure of the complete story, but he does know some things because of what Blake had told him during their childhood. Joel loved their mother Amber more than any man was capable of. They lived a great life together following their marriage and birth of their three children. Things took a turn for the worst when Joel was drafted into war. He was away from the family for many years, but he would always write letters to them and stay as involved as he could be, although it must not have been good enough for Amber. She had met a new man while Joel was away at war. A very wealthy lawyer by the name of Cedric Gruder. From there, the divorce papers were filed. Amber had taken their three children and moved into Cedric's mansion of a home and changed their children's surnames to Pearce-Gruder. (Blake preferred just Gruder). Amber had attempted to almost completely forget Joel ever existed. Blake liked it better this way. Cedric gave him everything he could ever ask for, the newest football cleats, a brand-new 1987 Pontiac firebird and of course pocket money. Jamie and Ella on the other hand knew how great Joel really was as a father and managed to see through all the constant bribery from Cedric.

The long twenty-minute drive back to Cedric's house was a quiet drive for both Jamie and Joel. Both weren't prepared of how upsetting things would have gotten on one of their usually casual hunting trips. They finally arrived at the front gate of the large piece of land Cedric had. The gate had an intercom and large fence like doors that would open at the press of a button only from Cedric's office, inside the home. Joel then clicked a button from the outside of the gate and next to the intercom. It made a buzzing sound and then Cedric's voice could be heard on the intercom. 

'Who is it?' requested Cedric

Joel rolled his eyes and leaned out the truck's opened window.

'It's Joel, Open up Gruder.' 

No response was given. A buzz was heard once again and the fence door's opened giving Joel's truck entry into Cedric's driveway. Joel's truck looked out of place on this land. It was an old and rusty truck. A blue two door GMC Sierra. The drive from the front gate to the house was too long and unnecessary. Cedric owned a large piece of land which was always kept clean and fresh looking by his full time yard workers. The house itself was a beautiful castle-like home with many windows and two white support beams near the front doors.

Joel shifted the truck into park and handed the rifle that he once bought Will for his twelfth birthday back to him.

'I'm glad we got to talk about everything today, we should do that more often,' Joel thought. Jamie nodded his head, he agreed he just wasn't quite sure what to say.

Joel continued 'Just try and remember what I told you, even if it doesn't make sense to you now...one day it might.'