Chapter 6
Robert and Ryan had just woken up as we pulled up to the long gravel driveway that led to the lodge. Ryan jumped out the truck and ran inside. “Ryan come here!” I said.
“Jason let him go. He may be in shock after what happened today.” Robert said.
“He seemed fine earlier back at the cabin.”
“Come inside, we need to have a talk.”
“I know.”
Robert went into his gun room and locked the door. Ryan was in his room and didn’t want to come out. I walked into the lodge and walked up to my room. I opened the French doors and walked out onto the patio. I sat down in the comfortable cushioned lounge chair and looked down at the rushing river below. Contemplating what had happened earlier this morning was hard for me to wrap my mind around. I felt such an emotional rage inside of me that made me feel alive, but it also terrified me. What if one day I would not be able to control this rage or anger? Suddenly there was a knock at the door.
“Jason, can I come in?” Ryan asked.
“Yeah, Ry, come in,” I said.
Ryan walked through my room and came out onto the patio and sat in the chair opposite me.
“Sorry I ran out of the truck like that earlier dude. That bear earlier was intense and I thought I was gonna die,” he said.
“I understand Ry, I really do.”
“How did you know what to do Jason? Why did you bring that gun?”
“I brought the gun Ry just in case something happened. I had been target shooting for a while with my ROTC recruiter, so I knew what to do. I couldn’t very well let you get eaten by that bear now could I?”
Ryan half smiled at me.
“Well I guess not. Do you think Robert is mad at you for taking that gun?”
“I don’t know, but even if he is, I would do it again without hesitation. But he didn’t seem to be mad at all. His reaction was pretty strange if you ask me. Besides I always told you I would protect you and be there for you and that’s exactly what big brothers do, right?” I said.
“Yes. I don’t know what would have happened to me if it wasn’t for you, bro! Hey, your room is nicer than mine, but mine has a fireplace. Come on, you never got a chance to see it.”
Ryan and I both walked down the hall to his room. As we walked, I looked out of the window and saw Robert out front cutting firewood. As we went into Ryan’s room I noticed a large bear skin rug on the floor. I wondered if Robert killed it. The room had a large fireplace and two large windows that opened up to the racing river below. The river in back of the lodge was perfect for fly fishing or rafting. I definitely wanted to come back up here in the summer. Right now, it was January and Ryan and I were still on winter break from school. The snow had started to fall and it was getting colder outside for sure.
“Hey Jason, this room is bigger than the one I have back in Texas.”
“Yes, I know, but you know we’re going back home soon,” I said
“Yes, I know, and then you’re going to start training to go off and be a Navy SEAL, right?” Ry said.
“Where did you hear that from?” I asked
“I was sitting at the top of the stairs the other night and heard you and Robert talking.”
“Ry, I didn’t want to tell you yet ‘til I knew for sure I got in and was going away. Are you upset with me?”
“Yeah, because you promised to never leave me.”
Ryan started to cry. I went and sat next to him and put my arm around his shoulders. “Even though I won’t be here physically, I will call you as much as I can.”
“I know, but it won’t be the same. You’re gonna miss all my games. I want to come and enlist too when I’m old enough,” Ryan said as he shook his head.
“Well of course! I will be waiting for you when you enlist. Be prepared, it won’t be easy.”
“I know, but I know you will help me any way you can, right?”
“For sure.”
“Come on Ry, let’s play a game before we have dinner.”
“Okay, I’m going to finally beat you this time dude!”
“Not a chance Ry!”
Ryan and I played video games in his room for about an hour. I then went off to my room to sleep for a while. As I laid on my bed I thought about the journey ahead I was about to embark on. I was already in the middle of my junior year in high school. Once back in Texas I was going to take my ASVAB, ACT and SAT tests. I was happy that over the years I put in the work academically and physically and I was already first in my class. Once I got back home I had a lot more work to do.
There was a knock on my door.
“Hey Jason, can I come in?” Robert asked.
“Yeah, sure.”
Robert came in and sat down on the bed next to me. Ryan walked in but stood at my bedroom door.
“Jason, I just wanted to let you know I had some time to think about what happened in the woods with the bear. Even though I was upset you took my gun, I was also incredibly proud of the courage and strength you displayed out there. You have a strength and power inside of you that I have only seen in a few people. I am very happy you and Ryan came into our lives. But I want to properly teach you how to handle all kinds of weapons, so when we get back home I want to start training you myself. But you are grounded for two weeks when we get back home.”
“Okay, I expected to get grounded.”
“Wow Jason, you’ve never been grounded,” Ryan said.
“Shut up Ryan, let’s go get some food.”
Robert, Ryan, and I went down to the kitchen. Ryan set the table while Robert and I cooked dinner. I got firewood and started a fire in the fireplace. We all sat down at the table and enjoyed our last meal before going home. Tomorrow we would hit the road and head back to Texas because school started back in a few days. I was eager to get back to playing football. I had to make sure my diet was good and that I was eating plenty of chicken, fish, and veggies so I could bulk up. I probably needed to put on around forty pounds of muscle. After dinner we all went to bed early so we could get an early start in the morning to drive home.