Infinite Testament (9 page)

Then it dawned on him: the girl was Sara Ixley.

The shock of seeing her knocked Bruce backwards into his
seat. His jaw dropped; it fell out of his seat and rolled down a few
aisles. He didn’t know what he was feeling, but it hurt.

Bruce stood up and watched. The cheerleaders broke
apart and wandered around. Sara approached one of the male cheerleaders,
who leaned over and conspicuously kissed her. It was a quick kiss.
Bruce snarled. The sight gave him a headache. Bruce continued, like
an explorer in the wilderness, to watch Sara Ixley.

Natalie stood up to ask Bruce, “You okay?” He didn’t
look right. “I’m fine,” he responded, “I just need to use the bathroom.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Upon hearing this, Vince shot up. “I have to go too.”

The three of them hiked to the bathroom. Vince
finished first and stood outside the bathroom, waiting for his friends to
finish up and meet him. A food vendor grabbed his attention. His
stomach commanded him to buy some food so he hopped over.

The stadium was like a giant outdoor party. People
yelled, drank, and shoved each other. Vince struggled to squeeze his way
through the crowd and managed to reach the line for the vendor.

“Hey!” yelled a voice from behind him.

Vince looked. It was a drunk Michigan State
fan. His wide pupils and Michigan State t-shirt told him that much.
“No cuts! I’m getting my beer before
you
, Michigan boy!” His
group of friends behind him laughed like idiots.

Vince looked at the sign for the vendor. There were
hot dogs, fries, and some other food items. No mention of beer. This
guy was in the wrong line. “There’s no beer here,” Vince informed him.

The drunk Michigan State fan gave Vince a small
shove. His eyes were struggling to remain open.

Vince stumbled and uttered under his breath, “You don’t
need to do that.” He wanted to avoid a confrontation at all costs.

Too late. The drunk’s wrath had been awakened.

Bruce left the bathroom. Maybe he shouldn’t have been
so distraught about Sara Ixley. Obviously, she had moved on just
fine. She was just a young fling, he told himself. He vowed from
that moment on to let her go. It wouldn’t be easy, but he would
try.

Bruce looked for Vince. He wasn’t where he was
supposed to be.

The irate Michigan State fan reminded Vince of a gorilla;
he beat his chest and roared. Vince tried to walk away but was pulled
back by his shirt.

The drunk yelled, “You don’t walk away from me!”

“Okay, sorry,” Vince conceded as he hung his head.

The rabid fan gripped Vince’s shirt and threw him to the
ground. A crowd of people yelled in reaction to Vince’s launch. He
found himself surrounded with a circle of people wanting to see what happened
next. Bruce plowed through and helped Vince to his feet.

“Come on, buddy,” Bruce said. Vince lifted himself
off the ground with Bruce supporting him. Bruce looked at the drunk
Michigan State fan. It was a face he recognized. Not again.
No way.

It was Ronnie.

All the muscle he had two years ago was gone. Now, he
was a skinny scrawny rat.

“Look who it is!” Ronnie blurted out in a drunken slur,
“Bruce, my old friend!”

Vince brushed himself off. He stepped back and
allowed Bruce to take control of the situation.

Bruce stared at Ronnie. He had dozens of his stupid
Michigan State friends with him. “Do I need to put you in your place
again
?”
Bruce asked. Really. How many times did he need to beat Ronnie to a
pulp before he learned his lesson?

“I’ve changed, Bruce,” Ronnie said.

“It looks like it,” Bruce responded sarcastically.

“Don’t judge me! I’m at a football game having a good
time! Your friend is the one who tried to pick a fight with me!”

“I doubt that.”

The small crowd hushed with anticipation. They hoped
this would be it, the moment they waited for: a fight! The tension built
as Bruce got right in Ronnie’s face. This was where he would hit
him! Instead, Bruce simply stared at him. He was sick and tired of
Ronnie. Add the Sara Ixley sighting, and Bruce’s heart was stone-cold
black. He threatened, “You better stay away from my friends. You’re
a loser Ronnie. If I see your face again, you’ll be sorry.” He held
his gaze in Ronnie’s dark eyes until he was sure he heard him clearly.
The animosity between the two intensified with every second. Bruce broke
the deadlock and turned to leave with Vince. The crowd was disappointed
and began to disperse.

“That’s it?” Ronnie asked. “I want a rematch.”

Bruce stopped. Turned around. The few from the
crowd who hadn’t left yet rebuilt their enthusiasm. Someone yelled, “Kick
his ass!” Bruce would love nothing more. He locked eyes with Ronnie
yet again.

Bruce informed him, “You don’t want a rematch.”

“Fight me.”

Bruce shook his head and nonchalantly chuckled.
“You’re pathetic.”

Bruce turned to Vince. “Let’s go.” The crowd
finally dispersed. Ronnie yelled something to Bruce, but he didn’t hear
it. He didn’t care what he had to say.

Bruce muttered to Vince, “Don’t tell Stephen about
this.” Vince nodded as they left to find Natalie.

Just another secret for Bruce to keep from Stephen.

When the next year, sophomore year, came, Vince made the
easy decision of continuing to live with Stephen and Bruce. The two had
made their mark on him. Not only did Vince learn how to deal with people,
but he also found a balance between work and play. There were a mere two
months of classes left then Vince would officially be on his way to junior year
and his roommates would be seniors.

Stephen, Bruce, and Vince had upgraded to a much bigger
place. They now each had their own room. There was a kitchen and a
family room. It wasn’t
nice
by any stretch; it was a typical
college apartment: cheap appliances, white walls, and a mess of clothes
everywhere.

And now Vince had a girlfriend: Natalie.

That he was dating such a stunning woman was a fact that
took a couple months to soak in. It was rare to find such a perfect
package of both beauty and brains. She was a biological engineer!
They took all the same classes together. They were the perfect
team.

Vince, asleep, sat on the blue couch in the living
room. It was cheap and torn up but was the most comfortable spot in the
world. His head was plopped back on the pillow behind him. Vince
was loose and relaxed, a big change from just one year ago. Natalie,
donning high-heels, clicked over to him. She was exquisitely dressed with
a green dress that flowed down to her knees. She was apparently ready to
go somewhere nice.

“Viiiinnnncee,” she said, as drawn out and flirtatious as
possible.

Vince’s mouth was wide open and his eyes settled shut.

She stomped her foot. “Vince!”

He shook his head awake and sprung to life.

“Natalie?” He noticed the way she was dressed.
“Natalie!”

In Stephen’s room, Stephen rested on his back, sprawled out
on his twin size bed. Bruce sat in an office chair, happily spinning
around. He could barely contain his excitement.

It was his turn.

Stephen grumbled, “I don’t know if it’s
really
your
turn… but it’s close enough, I guess.” Stephen got off the bed and
reached deep underneath. He swiped through clouds of dust and forgotten
items. In his hand emerged the item Bruce had waited for.

The ELPIS box.

Stephen snapped the box shut. Bruce stared at
it.
“I get to keep it,” Bruce blurted.

They were on Silver Beach at St. Joseph, Michigan, on
Summer vacation, preparing to enter third grade. Tiny 8 year-old versions
of Stephen and Bruce stood in one of Bruce’s ditches on the beach, staring at
their newfound treasure.

The sun’s rays pierced their backs and illuminated the
box’s dull wood. The box was roughly the size of a shoebox, but slightly
smaller. The engraved letters were clear to see. “What’s ELPIS?”
Stephen wondered aloud.

“Probably the name of the guy who lost it,” Bruce provided.

Stephen stared at the letters. ELPIS. He rubbed
his small hand over the engraving and could feel the crevices under his
fingertips. They seemed to be carved delicately, with pinpoint
precision. What did the letters mean? What was the box for?
He had no idea.

But he wanted it.

“I’m the one who found it,” Stephen stated. “I think
I should get it.”

Bruce’s mouth dropped open as he shook his head in
surprise. “What?!” Stephen’s statement was far from the
truth. If there was anyone who deserved credit for finding the box, it
was Bruce. He turned around and pointed at Stephen’s castle
structure. “You built the castle! I’m the one who was digging!”

Bruce turned back to Stephen, but he was gone. Huh?

While Bruce was pointing at the castle, Stephen climbed out
of the hole and ran. He took off, clutching the ELPIS box. His
running feet kicked sand behind him, launching it in the air as he attempted to
escape Bruce. Where would he go? He didn’t know. Both of
their moms drove to the beach together and they would undoubtedly all leave
together. Stephen just needed to get away.

One problem: Bruce was bigger, faster, and stronger.
Bruce jumped out of the hole and ran to chase him down. Stephen zigzagged
his way across the beach, making slow progress with his short, 8-year old legs.
He took a sharp turn toward the water, hoping it would provide him with some
refuge.

Stephen was the gazelle and Bruce was the lion; there was
no escape. Bruce breathed heavily as he honed in on Stephen.
Stephen’s turn toward the water actually helped. The flimsy, dry sand was
harder for his feet to grip; the wet sand was more packed and allowed him to
grip easily. Bruce dug in his toes and closed the gap between them.

Stephen was within reach. Bruce held out his hand to
try and pull his shoulder. He grazed a hand on his back but couldn’t grab
him. Stephen slipped away. He had some breathing room.

Stephen and Bruce’s moms sat in beach chairs, wearing giant
hats, sunglasses, and bathing suits to help their tans. In front of them
ran Stephen and Bruce. This was not typical frolicking on the
beach. They looked at each other. No words needed to be
spoken. The boys were up to no good. Again.

Bruce was close enough to Stephen. He leapt through
the air and pounced; the lion had his gazelle. They both crashed into the
sand. The same wet sand that helped Bruce reach Stephen also provided him
with a harder fall. They skidded on the unforgiving surface, grazing and
cutting their bodies. The box slipped out of Stephen’s hands and bounced
away. Bruce reached for it. Stephen yanked him back. The two
wrestled as they desperately tried to reach the box.

A hand swooped in and picked it up. It was out of
reach now. A shadow eclipsed the sun and daunted over them. Mrs.
Pandora’s giant hat blocked all the light and Bruce’s mom was right behind
her. Stephen and Bruce looked up at them. Not good: they were in
trouble.

“Why are you boys playing so rough?”

Bruce’s mom added, “Are you trying to kill each other?”

Stephen stared at the box. There was no telling what
their mothers would do with it. They were irrational. They could
throw it in the ocean and get it over with. They could keep it for
themselves. Whatever they decided, it probably wouldn’t be good.

Bruce exclaimed, “Stephen took my treasure. I found
it!”

What a sell-out.

Stephen and Bruce picked themselves off the ground.
They were both draped in sand, especially Bruce, who wore a mask of it on his
face.

“Is that true, Stephen?” his mom asked.

Stephen shook his head. Mrs. Pandora looked at both
of the kids, who were wearing their best sympathy faces.

“What’s in here anyway?” Stephen’s mom
inquired. She began to unlatch the box.

“No!” Stephen and Bruce shouted as they held out their
hands.

Stephen’s mom looked at them suspiciously. “What’s
going on here?”

Stephen spoke up, “We found that treasure
underground. And now Bruce is trying to keep it for himself.”

Bruce didn’t approve. “You’re trying to steal it!”

“Alright,” Bruce’s mother interjected, “Here’s what we’ll
do. You both switch off with it. Stephen has it one month and Bruce
has it the next month. This way you can
both
have it.”

“Every year,” Stephen insisted. A year seemed far
more reasonable and less of a hassle. Plus, the odds of Bruce forgetting
about it became much greater.

The mothers looked at Bruce. He shrugged. A
year switch-off was fine with him.

“Paper, Scissor, Rock for who gets it first,” Stephen
challenged.

“Okay,” the mothers asserted. This was a non-violent
solution: perfectly usable.

Stephen turned to sand-covered Bruce. “Ready?”

They bobbed their hands. “Paper, Scissor, Rock!”

Bruce laid out Rock. How typical. Stephen
expected Bruce to resort to such brute force methods. Stephen held out
paper.

“Paper beats Rock. ELPIS is mine!”

Stephen’s mother handed him the box. It would be his
for a year. He admired the priceless ELPIS box resting in his hands.

“Tell you what,” Mrs. Pandora said, “Why don’t we all get
some ice cream?”

Stephen and Bruce lit up. Ice cream? They never
went for ice cream! That was the best idea she ever had.

“This box is magic!” Stephen whispered to Bruce.

Over time, it would prove to be true.

Bruce snatched it from Stephen’s hands. He
examined the box.
It was in bad shape when they found it and was
in bad shape now. Good: nothing’s changed. He unlatched the hook,
opened the box, and looked inside. “I see the contents still
remain.” Pleased, he snapped it shut.

Natalie sat on Vince’s lap with her arms around his
neck. “I have a surprise for you today.”

Vince’s interest was piqued. “Oh yeah? What is
it? I have a surprise for you too!” Without hesitation, he put his
hand in his pocket and pulled out two tickets. “We’re going to the theme
park!”

Natalie’s face dropped. She wasn’t as excited as he
envisioned. Uh-oh. He must’ve made a mistake. “What?
What did
you
have planned?”

“We were going to meet my parents for lunch.”

She would rather do
that
? “But these tickets
are only good for today,” Vince countered.

Natalie tinkered her finger along Vince’s
chest. Her sensual touch glazed along, exciting him. Natalie
continued, “And I had a little romantic evening planned for us later.”
Her lips honed in on his as she glared into his eyes. She stopped her
momentum just before kissing him. Her teeth gently squeezed Vince’s
bottom lip.

Then abruptly, Natalie pulled back. “But I guess we
can go to the theme park.”

Back in Stephen’s room, Bruce triumphantly held his ELPIS
box. “Thank you, Mr. Pandora,” he said.

“I hope it brings you all the joy in the world,” Stephen
replied.

Vince appeared in the doorway holding two tickets above his
head. “Guys, you’re going to theme park today!”

“Yes!” Bruce yelled. “The joy is all mine!”

Bruce sprung up to grab the tickets. “Thank you
Vince. You’re a lovely man.” Vince noticed the old, beat up wooden
box that Bruce clutched.

“What’s that?” he asked.

Bruce looked at the box. He looked at Stephen.
Oops. “Uhhh… Just a… uhh… box of treasure.”

“Oh. Okay,” Vince said, uninterested in inquiring
further.

Meanwhile, at an apartment at Michigan State, Lisa Binsby
prepared to head to the same theme park with her best friend, Kristen.

Lisa stood, with crutches tucked under her arms, at the end
of the hallway. “You ready Kristen?”

“Yeah!” she yelled as she frantically gathered her
belongings.

Matt, a muscular, good-looking guy wearing a green and
white letterman’s jacket approached Lisa and wrapped his arms around her.
She affectionately leaned into him and whispered, “Have fun at practice today.”

Matt smiled. He always did. No one had more fun
than the Michigan State quarterback. “I will.”

She looked at his brown eyes and sparkly smile. She
was a lucky girl.

“I love you,” Matt declared.

“Love you too,” Lisa whispered back.

They quickly kissed.

Kristen walked down the hallway toward them. “Time to
let her go, loverboy.”

Matt smiled at Kristen and unwrapped his arms from Lisa.

It was time to go.

Their lives would never be the same again.