Everest Bounds; Upon The Shore| Book One

Chapter One

A young man was running through the streets with a couple loafs of bread within his arms, his dark brown hood flying off of his head revealing his long, shaggy black hair. He flicked his hazel eyes back and forth before deciding to take the alley way. He quickly ducked out of the way and made sure the soldiers didn't follow him. He smiled to himself and continued on his way, finding his best friend. "Hey Jack, surprise. I brought you something." The brown haired boy who was addressed as Jack only sighed and shook his head "Kasper, you are going to get yourself killed one of these days. And it won't be by the soldiers, it'll be by your mother." Kasper only rolled his eyes, "that's only if she finds out," Jackson laughed and punched his friend's shoulder "come on, we should probably get back to my house before we get caught." Kasper nodded and started walking with his friend. 

They carried out their conversation before reaching Jackson's small house. A woman with messy, frizzy brown hair came walking out the door with her hands on her wide hips "Jackson, Kasper what trouble did you boy's bring this time?" She said, but it was only in a teasing manner, there was a twinkle of amusment in her eyes. "Don't look at me mom, it's all Kasper over here." Jackson nodded his head to the black haired boy who only shrugged in response as he walked up to the woman "here you go Melissa. I managed to snag a couple for you guys." Melissa was about to protest his actions when two small children came running out. Both with rags for dresses and the same brown frizzy hair as their mother, accompanied with dirt on their smiling freckled faces "Kasper! you really got that for us?!" One asked. "Kasper, you're amazing!" The other exclaimed. Kasper only smiled "it's all in a days work you two," Kasper looked over his shoulder and sent a wink to his friend, who only rolled his eyes with a smirk in return. Jackson walked up and took the bread from his friend and handed it to his mother and younger sisters, "you should probably get home Kas, your mom is probably worried sick about you." Kasper nodded "alright, see you tomorrow. And be careful." Jackson smiled "right back at you."

Kasper took the same alley way he and his friend traveled by until he reached the town square, it was close to his house so he just threw the hood of his cloak over his head. On his way home he saw his mother walking through the streets. He smiled and crept up behind her slowly before grabbing her shoulders "boo!" The woman jumped and turned around prepared to slap whoever it was, only sighing when she saw it was her child "Kasper, you scared me." The boy only laughed and took the food that his mother was carrying into his arms "I take it you just finished getting some food for dinner then?" His mother nodded "only spent twenty silver on it all," Kasper frowned "they just keep making the prices higher and higher don't they?" Kasper's mother sighed and nodded "there isn't much we can do Kas, all we can do is try and make it work."

As they were walking home they came across a large crowd, both mother and son gave each other concerned glances, knowing it was the upper class again. The upper class and that stupid drafting system of their's of course. The black haired boy's mom reached up and pulled the hood over her son's face more. A father was getting taken away from his wife and infant child, Kasper could only grit his teeth as he watched. His mother tugged on his arm, a sign for them to keep walking. Kasper obliged.

His mother gave him a worried glance "Kasper, don't worry about it. As long as we keep you hidden, you shouldn't get taken away." They family reached their home and stepped inside, Kasper set the food on the counter and took his cloak off "still, doesn't change that fact that it's wrong. That stupid drafting system has ruined so many families." The black haired woman only sighed as she began to chop up vegetables "Kasper..you know that the upper class controls the laws." Kasper groaned "I know but it makes me so angry! I wish we could just leave here and go to another country," Kasper's mother only chuckled "the only way for us to do that is to travel by sea and we could run into the Everest Bounds," Kasper raised an eyebrow "the Everest Bounds? Mom, that's just an old story that dad used to tell when I was younger." The mother only smiled "they were true stories Kasper. Your father used to travel with the crew captain, Sebastian," Kasper rolled his hazel eyes "okay, whatever you say mom."

The mother and son ate dinner quietly before bidding a goodnight to each other. Kasper could not get any sleep that night. He sat on the edge of his window and stared out to the ocean. He sighed quietly "if only you were here dad. If your stories were true, maybe we could get us out of here." He smiled softly at the memories of the stories of the pirate crew that his dad used to tell and he thought about what his mother had said earlier "nah, there's no way that they could be true. There would be so much more talk about them around here if they were." That still didn't change the fact that they still amazed Kasper and made him crave freedom even more. Kasper wondered what it was like. To be free of all rules and to have the salty sea air in your face all day long and the sound of the ocean in your ears at night. To sing a bunch of fun songs with old drunken men. To just be free.

He shook his head as he began to think too much about it. He got off of the edge and lied down in his bed, pulling the blankets around himself tightly, staring at the moon before drifting off into sleep.

The next day he ate breakfast with his mother before saying a goodbye and ran off to find Jackson. Once he did he threw an arm around the brunette's shoulder, startling him slightly. "Hey Jack, what's the plan for today?" Jackson sighed and removed his friend's arm "just the usual, take care of my family and only cling to hope that the upper class doesn't find me." Kasper frowned, his friend seemed to be in a foul mood today. "Everything good?" Jackson shook his head at the question "soldiers came to our house last night Kasper. My mother barley got them to leave without finding me." Kasper's hazel eyes widened "Are you sure you didn't get found? If they found out your mother was trying to hide you, you'll all be killed!" Jackson ran a hand through his short hair "you think I don' know that Kasper! I couldn't get any sleep because of it last night!" The long haired boy sighed "What should we do?" Jackson shrugged and climbed boxes leading up to the roof of a building, Kasper followed. The two boys sat next to each other and stared at the town that they called home. It was once a comforting place where children and families could live happily without fear, now everyone jumps at their own shadows. Kasper frowned "man I hate this. I hate having to live in fear. Damn Swinence, they'll choose whatever reason and state that it as why they should declare war." Jackson nodded in agreement "nothing we can do about it though. What the upper class says, goes. You know that." Kasper clenched his fist "that's what angers me the most. Those stupid upper class and their stupid laws." He stood up "I wish we could just teach them respect." Jackson looked up at his friend "I know you do, but we can't. Unless we want to get hung." Kasper frowned at his best friend "you are such a buzzkill." Jackson laughed and shoved his friend playfully as he sat back down "Oh shut it."

The two boys sat and talked for most of the day. Kasper brought up what his mother had said the night before, causing Jackson to laugh "that Emily! She's just pulling your leg Kas. The Everest Bounds are just old wise tales that your dad came up with so you would stay out of trouble." Kasper chuckled "yeah I know. But still, I don't get why mom would say that they were real, it's real confusing." Jackson shrugged "who knows why mom's do anything. But it's still amazing though. The thought of being out there on the ocean. It's thrilling." Kasper nodded in agreement "yeah, I get you." The two boys stayed there on that roof nearly all day, talking about the freedom they craved and how they were never going to get it. They both knew that even though they craved freedom more than anything, survival was the only thing they could seek. They watched as the sun lied itself to rest on the horizon.

The stars were twinkling into existence and the full moon was rising over head by the time the two boy's reached Jackson's home. Both boys walked in and were greeted by Melissa. "I just finished putting Ariel and Ashlynn to bed. Jackson where on earth have you been?" She asked in a worried tone Jackson scratched the back of his neck and laughed sheepishly "sorry mom, Kasper and I were out in the city all day." Melissa shook her head and sighed "you two are going to be the death of me one of these days," Kasper and Jackson gave small laughs. "I should get going, don't want to make mom think that the upper class got me." Melissa gave Kasper a tight hug and a soft smile "we'll see you tomorrow Kasper." The boy nodded with smile as he opened the door "tell the girls that I say hi, since I didn't get the chance to today." Melissa smiled "I will. Goodnight sweetie." Kasper gave a good night then rushed back to his own home.

He walked through the door "mom! I'm back." Emily appeared from the hallway "where on earth have you been young man? You know I hate you being out so late." She scolded. Kasper chuckled "sorry mom, Jack and I lost track of the time of the day," he explained. Emily only shook he head "You're Tom's child alright," she gave a smile and cupped her son's cheek "but that's why I adore you more than anything. All of the gold in the world could never replace you." Kasper smiled softly. He may of resembled his mother with his looks but he had his father's heart and personality.

And he was going to learn that he was more like his father than he would of ever assumed.