Chapter 2 - Genesis

As a rule, people are noisy creatures. Sure, there might be the odd exception of the soft-spoken one, or the man who thinks before he speaks, but generally speaking, they're loud, boisterous, stuttering, sputtering, and generally just obnoxious. So thought one Ethan Walker, presently 13 years on earth and bored out of his wits as he passively listened to one such roaring individual go on about factoring quadratic equations. Does this guy realize how much of a racket he's making?

"...plus or minus..."

Why is he teaching as though he were Moses, come to bring us the Ten Commandments anyway? He lowered his eyelids and pretended for a moment that it was actually 3:15, not 2:45, and imagined how he would run away from this dull place with its yellowing plastic, fluorescent bulbs, and ever-present stench of mildew and rotting paper in neglected books. He would bolt from the door and run as fast as he could to his sanctuary where he couldn't be bothered with the triviality of quadratic equations and quietly contemplate, searching through himself for something really important.

Public school instructors, even the most talentless among them, all possess an uncanny sixth sense: they can always tell instantly when a student isn't paying attention, and zero in on that student with radar-like precision. "Mister Walker... Mister Walker, please come back and join us..."

Ethan's eyes snapped fully open, the boy now acutely aware of his surroundings again and momentarily blinded by the flickering fluorescents overhead. He felt a twinge of disappointment upon realizing that he was still in the room. Embarrassed by being singled out, Ethan blushed a bit and muttered an apology.

"Would you care to factor the equation on the..."

"x plus two, multiplied by x minus three." Ugh. Could these equations be any easier to factor? Ethan reasoned that despite being easy and dull, this was a worthy exercise; it was fun to give the answers rapidly if for no other reason than to enjoy the expression on the instructor's face. Sure, the other kids resented him for it, but who needs them anyway? They're just buckets of noise like the rest.

"Very good, Mister Walker, " the instructor began, choosing his most condescending voice, "but remember that your talent doesn't excuse you from paying attention during class."

Jackass.

Ethan sank back in his desk, relieved that this embarrassing episode was over, and began thinking of how to counter the inevitable taunting of his peers over it once class was over. Perhaps if he made a quick enough exit, he could simply avoid them. Probably the best thing, since he desperately wanted to get away from here. People are so terribly noisy- always babbling, shuffling papers, grunting... His thoughts trailed off, and again he pretended he was somewhere else, keeping his eyes fully open this time in the hope that his lack of attention would be less conspicuous.

He reluctantly returned to reality, his concentration interrupted by the loud ringing of the school bell. Practically flying across the room, he hastily dashed to the exit, avoiding his peers and the cantankerous Mr. Chen. Escape at last!

Chen saw his students out of the room, shaking his head slightly at Ethan's crazed bolt for the door. In his 30 years of teaching, never had he encountered such an unusual and difficult boy. It was obvious to Chen that the boy was talented- brilliant even- but he often seemed to be in another place. Then there were the times he saw the lad sitting perfectly upright with a blank expression except for a wide-eyed stare. Chen frowned as he began to piece together the puzzle that was Ethan in his mind.

He stepped out into the hall once the students had gone, his graying hair catching a beam of sunlight from one of the few windows in this place. The school was quieting now, students emptying through double-doors into the outside world of fresh air, warmth and sunlight. Another instructor stepped out into the hall, one Ms. Abagail Hawthorne.

"I say, Abagail?" Chen began, stroking his beard in contemplation.

Ms. Hawthorne responded, feigning detachment and boredom, "yes, what is it?" Mr. Chen could be such a nuisance.

"She thinks I'm a nuisance," thought Chen, "but that's only fair, since I think she's a crabby old wench. Still..."

"I was just wondering... do you know this young man, Ethan Walker?"

Abagail frowned scornfully. She knew Ethan Walker. The wretched child has an awful stare. "Yes, though he isn't in any of my classes. Why do you ask?"

"There's just something...odd about that boy. I mean, it's normal for boys to daydream and even misbehave a bit from time to time... but there's just something about the way he does it. And he sometimes has this awful stare... You don't suppose..."

"Yes?"

"You don't think he could be one of those... those..." Chen sputtered, somewhat unwilling to make an accusation, but curious if Ms. Hawthorne had thought it too.

"yes?" demanded Ms. Abagail Hawthorne impatiently.

Ethan ran, harder than his legs should allow. Within seconds he was clear of the school and tore into a field nearby. The sunlight felt so kind in contrast to the bitter cold air conditioning he'd escaped from. The field had been freshly mowed, and the scent of cut grass filled the air. Weeds, hay and grass crunched below his feet as he ran. The occasional squirrel or bird darted away at the last second to avoid the tall, lanky, blond-headed creature as he raced by.

At the edge of the field, he approached a thick wood. Panting, he stopped and leaned up against a tree to catch his breath. The air was cooler here, the sun shrouded by the canopy of branches overhead. A light breeze blew the tops of the trees, shifting patterns of sunlight and shadow on the moist earth below. His breathing slowed as he recovered from his dash for freedom, and he took in several deep breaths through his nose, appreciating fully the earthy smell of the unspoiled woods. Scanning the surrounding area, he found his path, stood, and started down it.

The path, which would have been invisible to those who didn't know where to look for it, led Ethan deeper and deeper into the woods. He felt a chill as the sunlight became more scarce and the breeze blew against his bare arms and legs. As he walked, the path curved to meet a small stream. The stream grew wider, its cool water splashing against the odd stones and fallen tree trunks. In time, the stream disappeared behind a thick cover of brush as the shivering boy's path all but disappeared. Still, he pressed on, knowing his destination was at hand.

Just when the woods had nearly become unpassable, Ethan forced his way through brush and thicket into a vast clearing. Green grass stretched along for hundreds of yards just beyond a short slope. The sun shone overhead, unobstructed by the cover of tree branches, its warm rays quickly overcoming any lingering chill of the woods. He ran down the slope into the clearing below, exhaling deeply as he began to relax, pleased at the awesome beauty and quiet of this place.

Ahead, he could see the stream again, though now it resembled more of a river than a stream. Making his way to its edge, he admired the scenery in front of him; some time in the past, someone had seen fit to build a series of dams in the river. Far to the right, just inside the perimeter of the clearing, water poured with ferocity over the first, roaring like a freight train as it fell a few dozen feet over the edge. At the bottom, the water churned, sending up a light spray and generating a white foam that dissipated as it flowed downstream.

Between the first dam and the second, the stream widened, appearing to be more like a pond than a stream. The water flowed more slowly and ran much more shallow, the bottom clearly visible near the shore and the second dam. At the top of the second dam, the water ran only a few inches deep over the porous and eroding black slab. The second fall was much further and the water cascaded down perhaps a hundred feet before crashing into the rocks below.

Ethan chose a spot next to a lone tree near the ridge that bordered the edge of the stream, midway between the two dams. The sound of the water filled his ears with a nearly deafening roar. Leaning back against the tree, he closed his eyes and sighed, glad to have found sanctuary and quiet at last. Hours passed like minutes as he rested, rejuvenating his mind and banishing the thoughts of the wretched Mr. Chen and his condescending manner.

His trip inside himself was interrupted by an incongruous splashing directly ahead. He opened his eyes and the world came flooding back in. The afternoon was fading now, reluctantly giving way to twilight during those awkward moments when the sky played host to both sun and moon. Standing a short distance away at the shore was another boy, roughly Ethan's age, who was splashing about in the shallow water, trying, failing, and trying again to skip stones across the surface. Ethan gazed at this intruder in his private paradise. He seemed harmless enough... reasonably quiet...

By any account the boy was stunningly beautiful. Ethan silently observed the newcomer with curiosity and awe. How had he come to find this place? Why was he here? Does he know I'm here? Does he care? Should I say something? He traced the outline of this marvel of creation with admiration and curiosity. The boy could have been chiseled out of stone by a master sculptor, or at least Ethan saw him that way. To Ethan, every line on this playful young man's face seemed ideal, every muscle an achievement of perfection. Ethan surmised that he was about a head shorter than himself as he admired the way the young man's face was perfectly framed by short-cropped brown hair, a sharp contrast against his blue eyes. His skin glowed in the late afternoon sun, each droplet of water sparkling brilliantly.

Ethan continued to watch, mesmerized and grinning as this mysterious boy pitched one stone after another into the stream, getting more soaking wet with every move. What an absurd sight to behold! He concluded that the lad was either acting foolish on purpose or simply enjoyed being silly. Ethan chuckled unconsciously.

The unidentified young man heard Ethan's laugh and spun around, making eye contact. Ethan was transfixed, staring deeply into the pupils of this strange character. The distant pair of eyes seemed to draw nearer and nearer until they were upon him, the blackness overtaking everything else. He struggled to break the stare but couldn't, his eyes fixed, seeing something they'd never seen before, too fascinated to look away. The whole world vanished- the roaring water, the moist grass, the diminishing sunlight all disappeared, blotted out by a pair of eyes.

The eyes looked away, leaving a momentarily dazed Ethan Walker shaking the world back into his head. What was that about? What was it he had seen? He was sure he saw something... but what was it? Like a dream, the memory was fading away rapidly as he struggled to regain his grip on reality. His fists clenched around clumps of grass, fingernails digging into his palms. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he realized he was hyperventilating. He closed his eyes, allowing the rushing water to gently soothe his mind and body, slowing his breathing and calming himself down.

He stood up to see the boy walking away toward the second dam. Irresistibly drawn, Ethan arose and followed, leaving his shoes behind to walk along the soft, muddy shore. Where is he going? Does he want me to follow? He does. He must.

The boy led on, doubtlessly aware that Ethan was following. He reached the second dam and, without giving it a second thought, set out across its narrow ledge. The current wasn't terribly strong, nor the water perilously deep, but the price of a misstep could be severe. Still, the wet and silly young man trod across as though it were nothing. He reached the other side and turned around to face Ethan, who had only just arrived at the dam.

Ethan looked out across the ledge. On the other side, perhaps fifty yards away, the boy stood, grinning back at him, an eyes wide open. He crept closer to the edge of the dam, looking over the edge at the countless gallons of water spilling over the edge, thundering as it poured, crashing down on the sharp, jagged rocks at the bottom. His legs trembled as he tried to force himself out onto the ledge. The waterfall was deafening, the freezing spray of water numbing. Much as he tried, some hard-wired desire for self-preservation prevented his continuing; his legs wouldn't budge.

As the bewitching boy across the river turned and walked away, a single tear flowed down Ethan's cheek.