Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2012 20:40:07 -0700 (PDT) From: Brian Roberson Subject: A summer abroad part 11 All the usual caveats apply "A Summer Abroad" XI "Tribulations" Josh and Mark were in absolute shock. Josh felt like he had been kicked in the gut. He sat down slowly on the bed, put his hands together, and stared at the floor. Mark sat on the couch amidst all the clothes and started crying. Aunt Mary came in and stood in the doorway. "What happened with Etienne?" She asked. "I don't know. He yelled at us and said he didn't want to see us again and then he stormed out. We didn't say anything." Josh said without looking up. "Oh wow. Well, I guess give him a day or two and then go see him and maybe whatever upset him will have cleared out of his head by then." Josh continued staring at the floor while Mark wept on the sofa. "I'm sorry..." She said sadly as she slowly closed the door. "How could he say those things?" Mark sobbed in an agonized voice. "I don't know. I really don't know..." Josh said. Mark then let out an anguished wail and started bawling like a small child who's dog had been run over in front of him. Josh lost it too and began sobbing on the bed. Neither boy had ever felt so sad and hurt in either of their lives. Both of the boys afterwords became completely depressed and refused to leave the room. Mark curled up on the love seat facing the backboard and was racked by sobs every few minutes or so. Josh lay on the bed feeling depressed and sad and wanted nothing more than to get off the island and try to forget about this whole experience. Tears were streaming down his face as he thought about Etienne. He thought of Etienne's smiling face and warm sense of humor and his kindness. Etienne's harsh and angry words as he left were ringing through his head. He buried his face in the pillow and began sobbing. He truly wanted to die right there and then. "Oh...Etienne...." He sobbed into the pillow in pure anguish. Mark began a high pitched jag of sobbing from the love seat, and both boys cried themselves into a dark and anguished sleep. At around six PM , Aunt Mary came into the room with a tray of soup for the boys. "I brought you guys some soup, if you want to eat something." She said. The boys were awake but were just lying there numb and not speaking. "Just so you know, I went over to Etienne's grandmother's shop. She said she hasn't seen him all day, and that she's a little worried about him." Aunt Mary said. The boys both leaned over and looked at her when she said that. Aunt Mary put her head down and left the room. The boys both leaned back over and went right to sleep. That night, on a rooftop near his grandmother's shop, Etienne sat and wept inconsolably. He did what he had to do, but it hurt him more than anything ever had. He simply could not allow himself to get any closer to Josh and Mark, who were leaving in a little over a week. He loved both of them more than he had ever loved anybody, and the thought of them leaving sent him into the deepest despair. He felt that by ending it now, it would make it easier for him to eventually recover from the seperation, but he was starting to wonder if he had made a big mistake. At least they could spend the rest of the time together, but he was scared that he would be that much more heatbroken when they left if he did. It was bad enough that Scott was leaving, but being apart from Josh and Mark made him want to die. Josh got up in the middle of the night. He had to express his grief to the person who was closest to him. His brother David was ten months younger than him, and was his best friend. Mark was sleeping on the love seat, so Josh retreated to the bathroom. He got out a piece of notebook paper and started writing. Dear Dave, Well I guess I'm coming home soon. I miss you alot and I'm really looking forward to seeing you when I get back. I really wish you were here now because I'm feeling so bad and no one can cheer me up like you can. I'm going to tell you some really personal stuff so please tear up this letter after you read it so that Mom and Dad don't see it. That boy Etienne who I told you about. Well, I kind of left out in my other letters that he was a bit more than just a friend. I was going to tell you all about it when I got back because I didn't want it in writing, but I know I can trust you with this just like I've always been able to trust you with all my other secrets my whole life. Etienne told me that he didn't want to see me anymore and I have no idea why. I didn't do or say anything to cause it, at least that I know of. Oh Davey, I'm hurting so bad right now! I can't even think. I want to kill myself. I wish you were here. I don't know what to do. I love Etienne so much, and he hates me and I don't know why. Why does he hate me? I've never been so confused about anything before. All I did was be his friend and his companion. Now he doesn't want to see me anymore. I feel dead. If you were here it would be better because you always make me feel good when I feel bad and you're the best brother ever. I know I say that to you all the time, but I really mean it. Now, when I feel worse than I ever have, you're not even here to make me feel better. All I want is to leave this stupid island and come home. I hope when I do that, I can eventually forget about all of this. I'm going to need your help to do that. I know I've always been able to count on you before, but now I really need to. Anyway, I guess that's all I have to say about it. I'll give you all the details when I get home. I'm glad to hear that you've been able to stay out of trouble all summer. Maybe you'll be able to break your record you set two years ago for not getting in any trouble (ha ha)! Anyway, I guess I'll get going. I love you. Don't forget to destroy the letter. Your brother, Josh Josh put the letter in an envelope as tears streamed down his face. He put some stamps on it, put on his flip flops, and walked out amongst the drunken crowd to the cafe next door to slip it into the mailbox. He then returned to his room, lay down on the bed, and cried himself to sleep. The next morning, around 7 AM, there was a knock on the door. Everyone was sleeping but the knock was persistent. Aunt Mary came out in her nightgown and answered the door. Scott was there with his family waiting for him in a parked cab. He was wearing Josh's necklace. He said that he was leaving and Josh had promised to give him his address and phone number. Aunt Mary went to knock on the door, and although Josh was awake on the bed, he said nothing. Aunt Mary returned to the front door and said the boys were asleep, so she gave him the information. Scott looked crestfallen that he wouldn't be able to say goodbye to Josh and Mark in person, and he sadly returned to the cab. Josh squeezed his eyes shut and tears came pouring out as he heard the cab pull away outside. Mark had been awake on the love seat too, and he let out a big, gasping sob before bursting into silent tears. Both boys lay there and wept nonstop for an hour straight. Josh and Mark both found themselves unable to sleep anymore around noon. They both sat up and sort of just sat there with bleary eyes. It was Mark who finally spoke first. "I think we should go over to Etienne's and see if he's there, Josh." "I don't know..." Josh said. "I want to go over there. I want to see his face again." Mark mumbled. "I do too...but...but..." "But what?" "What if he cusses us out again? I don't think I'd be able to handle it. I can barely handle now what happened. I feel so sick inside." "I have to know...what we did. I have to know why he hates us now." Mark said as tears welled up in his eyes. Josh went over and sat next to him. He put his arm around Mark's shoulder and Mark pushed him away. "I'm going over to Etienne's. You can come with me if you want to. " Mark said. He then got up and put his sandals on. "I'm going with you." Josh said as he slipped on his sneakers. Etienne was lying in his bed looking sadly up at the ceiling. He had finally arrived at his house the evening before after spending the day hiding in the caves and walking along the beach. He felt sad and lonely and depressed. He missed Josh and Mark so much that his stomach hurt. He also felt embarrassed and ashamed at how he had gone about seperating himself from them, but he could think of no other way. He then heard a knock on the door. "Etienne! Etienne!" It was Josh and Mark. Etienne quickly got up, put on a t-shirt, a pair of pants and his shoes. The knocking continued. Mark was calling his name out as Etienne went into the hall and opened up the trap door in the ceiling that went up to his roof. He quickly climbed up and closed the door once he was up on top of his house. "I don't think he's home." Josh said. "He is. I feel him." Mark said. They then heard footsteps running above. They backed up and looked up at the roof just as Etienne jumped from his roof onto the small furniture store that was next door. "There he is! He's on the roof! ETIENNE!" Josh cried out. Mark and Josh began running along the street following Etienne as he jumped from one roof to the next like a gazelle. Mark was the more athletic of the two, so he was a few paces ahead of Josh as he ran along the street. "ETIENNE! ETIENNE!!!" Mark cried out as he ran. Etienne got to the end of the row of houses and shops, where there was a small cafe. He slid down the awning and onto the street. The street turned into a dirt road that went into a brushy area. Mark and Josh tried to follow him but he was too fast and had too much of a head start. They both stopped and stood panting as Etienne ran full speed down the road and disappeared. Mark began sobbing and slowly sank down to his knees. "He hates us, he really hates us..." He whimpered as he grabbed a handful of dirt and let it fall back down through his fingers. "ETIENNE!!!" Josh screamed at the top of his lungs before he too sank down to the ground sobbing. Etienne ran and ran down the dirt road until he finally collapsed exhausted into a small culvert. He burst into tears, which made streaks down his dirty face. He sank down to his side after awhile and lay there silently. As he lay there he suddenly began to be bothered by flies. At first, it was just a couple, then it was a few, then it was many. They were landing on him and he could feel them crawling around all over him. He soon bolted upward, and saw small green flies buzzing all around him. He got up and went a couple of steps to his left. It was then that he saw a dead and decomposing wild boar lying next to the road in the blazing sun. It was covered in flies. The boars belly had burst open and huge, white maggots were crawling all over it in a teeming mass. Etienne gasped, recoiled in disgust, and walked briskly past the dead animal. He soon came upon a small dirt path that lead back down into the village, and towards the clothed beach. He turned onto the path and slowly walked down. Josh and Mark walked slowly back to the villa in pure misery. They didn't want to go to the beach, they didn't want to go to bed, they didn't want to eat, they didn't want to do anything. They passed a small bar that was open. "Josh, I'm going to get something to drink in here. I guess I'll meet you back at the villa later or whatever." Mark said. "I'll have a drink too. Maybe it'll make me feel better." Josh said. The boys entered the bar, and saw that other than two passed out tourists slumped over in a corner, they were the only one's in there. The bartender put a couple of napkins in front of them and asked them in French what they wanted. "Do you speak any English?" Mark asked. "Oui. What you need?" The bartender replied in a ridiculously thick French accent. "Uhhh...hey Josh, what are you getting?" "I don't know something with fruit juice so that it doesn't taste so gross." Mark turned to the bartender. "I guess we'll have some liquor and some kind of fruit juice." He said. The bartender rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation. "What liquor? What fruit juice? There are many different kind of both!" "I don't know, I guess orange juice and vodka." Mark said. "Two screwdrivers!" The bartender said in English. "Stupid Americans." He muttered under his breath to himself as he mixed the drinks. He then put them on the bar in front of them. After Mark and Josh paid the bartender, they both took furtive sips off the cocktails. "Hmmm, that's not so bad." Josh said. "Yeah, pretty good." Mark said. The boys finished the drinks and then had another, and then another, and then still another, and then yet another one. After their sixth, they were both starting to feel sweaty and dizzy. They were also almost out of money. Instead of feeling better, they both felt worse. A female prostitute had come over to offer her services, but they boys both refused, and she was starting to hurl insults at the boys. The bartender was apparently her pimp, or was involved in some way with her, and was becoming increasingly unfriendly, so the boys left after leaving the rest of their money as a tip. They both weaved their way back to the villa. As they arrived at the villa, Josh suddenly vomited yellow foam all over the doorstep. Mark then held him steady as Josh vomited out another wave of yellow foam and liquid. Mark himself didn't feel too good either. He unlocked the door and the boys both staggered in. They interupted Aunt Mary and Bertel who were making out on the couch in the living room. They weaved past them and staggered towards the bedroom. "What's wrong? Boys? Boys? What's wrong?" Aunt Mary asked as she followed the boys to the bedroom. The door then shut in her face and was locked from inside. Josh then lay on the bed in a cold sweat as the room spun around, and Mark vomited repeatedly out the window. Etienne had spent the afternoon roaming the far end of the beach, the end where he and the American boys had never visited. He felt very lonely and very sad. He repeatedly thought about jumping into the water and swimming out until he couldn't swim anymore, and then just sink to the bottom. Eventually he sat down in the sand and watched the sun as it sank low. Once it was hanging red and angry over the horizon, he walked back the way he came and wound up back in the street. As he walked towards where his Grandma's house was, he saw a teen aged boy standing next to a building in the dusky light and staring at him. Etienne thought he looked kind of nice and he smiled at him. The teenager smiled back and motioned for him to come over. Etienne walked over and said hello to the boy in French. "Hello." The teen ager replied, also in French. "What are doing out so late? Shouldn't you...be in bed?" "I might want to go to bed." Etienne smiled. "Would you like a cigarette?" The teen ager asked as he pulled a pack of Gauloises out of his pocket. Etienne nodded, and the boy pulled two out, lit them both up, and handed one to Etienne. Etienne took a deep drag and looked into the boys eyes. "So, what do you like to do?" The teen ager asked as he took a drag. "I like many things." Etienne replied. "Do you, maybe, know somewhere we can go?" "We can go to my house, come, follow me." Etienne smiled. Etienne lead the teen ager to his house, and unlocked the door. Right after he unlocked the door, two other teenagers came swarming in from behind. The first teen ager then grabbed his arms and held them behind him. Before Etienne knew what was happening. He was punched hard in the jaw, then in the right eye, and then twice hard in the stomach. He sank down to the ground sputtering and coughing, blood flowing out of his mouth. "Disgusting homosexual." The first teen ager said as he kicked Etienne hard in the ribs. One of the other teens then stood him up and the first teen rifled through his pockets. Etienne however, had no money on him. "Aughhh! The little tepette doesn't have anything! I guess we'll have to see what's in his house!" The boy then took a switch blade out of his pocket, flicked it open, and stabbed Etienne in the chest. Etienne gasped in pain, and then sank to the ground. The boy then kicked him hard in the head, and the three of them all swarmed into Etienne's grandmothers house like a group of marauders while Etienne lay unconscious and bleeding in front of the door. End of "Tribulations"