The Alex Box: A Tale of Loss and Legacy

Agitation

She retracted her shoulder while removing a small neat towel from it,

Picking up the ice pack, and wrapped it with the towel, she gently placed it on his afflicted knuckles, bringing him to do the pressuring himself.

 

"I've got to go prepare dinner before it's too late." She said, 

He nodded apprehensively.

She made to leave but then, stopped by the door, looked back, 

"Ryker." 

"Mom?" He jerked up his head to meet her gaze.

"You can talk to me, okay?" 

"And remember, Mom always love you." She consoled him with a big assuring smile. 

Ryker nodded with a strong sense of reassurance, as the door reunited with its jambs. 

He never stopped brooding over the biggest problem he had at hand for a while.

He was ruminating on the best tactic to get Jude off his block, totally 

Alone once again, Ryker is back to his thoughts, back to his plight. 

The past couple of years, he had grown up to squarely face his problems, even though most of it he further messed up, but he never bought the idea of tendering supplications to anyone- at least, not until Jude lumbered in. 

He looked up at the ceiling and slowly brought his gaze down until he was staring blankly at the painting on the wall, a tripartite canvas painting with a mesmerizing background of nature at dawn that enhanced the constellation of stars. It was crafted in a classical, artistic setting, displaying the words,

"INHALE & EXHALE."

"Umph!" 

"I have to show Jude, I certainly am not faster; but smarter than his bullets." 

Ryker murmured grimly.

 

Just then, he felt an electronic vibration pulsate through his thigh, he remembered owning a smartphone, meant for the pocket. 

Except when he wants to watch his boxing tutorials, and do his home workouts.

He always has his phone on DND mode, never a freak of social media nor is he fond of the internet really much. 

He doesn't like to think of his incapability to afford the 'moolah' consuming subscription as the deterrent; rather, too preoccupied with being some melancholic hector in the streets and striving for an independent means of making ends meet. 

(Needn't no reminder, stupid Jude won't rest, I already knew…) 

He contemplated pulling out the phone to get the message, agitated. 

His frustration boiled over once more at the troubling image- the device displayed the time of the like an explosive ticking away. 

Interpreting the time of the day to him in exact numbers, he was blown away, realizing it was now 5:45 pm. 

He was yet to come through with an accomplishable plan, 

His agitation could only allow him thoughtless ideas that are viable in a world of dummies. 

He felt really helpless, stupid and very sorry for himself.

But to his sheer surprise, Jane Maureen, one of his childhood friends though undoubtedly the closest. 

Mr. Fred Maureen's only child, only a year younger than himself, with whom he had no grudges, was the sender. 

During the sweet old times, Jane was his best friend. As two children of opposite genders, they formed an enviable phenomenal bond of friendship that was stronger and more remarkable than that of their fathers. 

Though, their friendship only grew stronger after the tragic demise of Ryker's father. 

But then, when his father's horrible extinction had shattered the gentle but lively and lovable Ryker everyone was quite acquainted with, 

and no amount of words, commiseration, and attempted condolences really worked the magic of bringing back the mirthful boy. 

He was left in his misery, totally disengaged.

And he taught himself a new way to live, rules to follow, a tactic to disguise the sadness, the despair, and the irretrievably lost gem of hope. 

That had made him into a ball of fire, for he charged at any annoying post, without an iota of forgiveness, 

Not even at the slightest mistake. 

(Guess it isn't so necessary after all, my dad's killers never acknowledge the word 'forgiveness' to deem it fit of observance.)

 He'd tell himself.

Seldom did he go home after the hectoring rally, he adapted to the streets, for he had qualms about provoking his mother as he may not spare his siblings from the fury, not even the toddling Riley, 

If they should do anything that annoys him.

 

Gradually, he had lost all his childhood friends for the wild, malicious desires he nurtured.

But, all through that, he had Jane. 

He was grateful that, despite all oppositions and disapprovals,

At least, there's still one who could see the reasons behind his actions, those folks are just too blind!

Excluding Mr. Fred of course, the man who he couldn't fathom why he was perhaps extremely nice towards him, even so that he disregards him and his tendency to care for him and about him, like he was his father.

Whose support and apathy he has always received unsolicited, but implicitly. 

Because as a public servant, morally and perhaps constitutionally, he wouldn't approve of a violent, rowdy Ryker.

Jane knew he was always right and she defends him, even right on the spot of any incident involving his mischievous contribution, she would pout and grimace at the hapless injured, maybe seriously injured fellow, as she would keep on ranting 

"Well, they'd asked for it" to anybody who stoops to reprimand Ryker.

So that her perplexed mom finds it worrisome, she discussed it with her dad 

"Honey, we need to separate those kids, this can't continue." 

"I'm paranoid about Jane associating herself with that boy these days, and getting involved in all his belligerency."

Seemingly, Mr. Fred never cared to share her view or borrowed the look of things from her perspective.

"Can't you see he's only getting along with her and no one else, soon he'll get it all together and be the Ryker we once knew? He may not, if he's got no one at all to be free with, think about it." 

"Perhaps, you have a point there, but I'm more concerned about my child's safety."

"You can see for yourself how wild he's become, even to his siblings." 

"What if he harmed my daughter?" Mrs. Maureen had said in a dismal tone.

 

"If this is so serious you had to monopolize our daughter, well, he won't" The husky voice of Jane's dad finalized as footsteps receded.

They had overhead them in what seemed like an argument when he had sneaked in through Jane's window room to come get her, so they would go bullying at the playground again. 

Their bicycles he had parked well for the escape earlier.

But as they listened in on the conversation with their ears glued to the door, they'd forget they were planning an escape, 

"Come on, let's get going" he chuckled as the conversation ended. 

They helped each other climb out of the building to help ease the stress compounding the ordeal of that childhood mischief, and hurried down to the bicycles.

They were about to rushed down hand in hand, but then she withheld her hand, gave him an incredulous look she stopped, reluctant to step any further, 

"C'mon, Jane. What happened?" Confused Ryker queried.

"Promise me you won't be angry at me." She said.

"Oh c'mon!" He had said humorously, as her looks and the utterances combined to make up an amusingly funny appearance to him then.

But then she wouldn't even bulge, 

"Okay, I promise, I won't be angry at you" he he had finally admitted, and she smiled gleefully as she raced him to the bicycles. 

Seems like her mom did later win the likes of arguments with her husband, with the points he had provided her by growing into a belligerent, impulsive troublemaker. 

Now feuding with the olders and getting into heated conflicts.

Perhaps why he had been denied of his only genuine friendship, as she was sent off to a boarding school in the neighboring state, and never allowed to come home even on holidays either, except for the December celebrations as they would be traveling. 

Thus, he has not set his eyes on Jane for almost four years now.