Ascension (The Ascension Series)

by A. L. Patterson

  “What about faith in everyone else?” John asked.

  “I don’t know, John. The world is difficult. I just keep my family close. And I honestly just don’t have the energy to care for everyone. Some people want to save the whole world. Me? I just want to save my family. Because the way I see it, if everyone looked after their family then the whole would be alright.”

  “Trust me when I tell you that there are a lot of people who don’t give two craps about their family,” John told him. “One tragedy occurs and they just don’t care about anyone that remains in the aftermath.”

  “John, the pathway to peace is paved with hardship,” Andrew said as he bowed his head.

  “I’m not sure I agree with everything you said. Being a Marxist and all,” John laughed, “But I respect you. Everybody respects you. You’re just that type of person, y’know?”

  “Well, there are a few people that like to ruffle my feathers, but mostly, I think you’re right,” Andrew smiled.

  “Oh yeah,” John asked, “Have you heard about Clark’s party?”

  “Yeah,” Andrew said, “He told me about it. No location yet.”

  “He just found a spot,” John told him. “It’s gonna be outside. Across the tracks.”

  “It’s pretty empty out there,” Andrew said.

  “That’s why it’s the perfect spot. It’s gonna be rockin’ by the time we get there.”

  “Then I’m there,” Andrew said.

  John peered out the window for the remainder of the bus ride.

  Later, before the first class bell rang, Clark was walking around campus inviting kids to what he called the “first, biggest, and best party of the year.” Helping her boyfriend out, Sarah was telling other students as well. She was certainly persuading more boys than Clark.

  “Party on the other side of the tracks. Saturday night,” was all it took for Sarah to say and every guy could be placed on the nonexistent attendance list. She told her cheerleading friends who all agreed to show up. By the time Charles entered the building and began hyping the party, Clark knew he’d have a hit.

  “Yo, listen up,” Charles told a crowd. “This party is gonna be the tightest, coolest, craziest shit you’ve ever been to. There’s gonna be lots of liquor, everybody’s gonna get wasted but don’t let Principal Hayes here that part. Saturday night on the other side of the tracks. Spread the word, yo.”

  Clark was asking Charles how many people he thought would show up when Daniel LaRent approached them and offered to help get alcohol.

  “Big Dan, it sounds like a plan, my man,” Charles answered. “Cool with you, Clark?”

  “Yeah, sounds great,” Clark agreed.

  When Charles sent out mass text messages and posted information online, Clark was suddenly being approached by huge amounts of kids from every grade. They were all interested and Clark told them to simply show up on Saturday night “and preferably bring drinks.” He wasn’t sure that Charles and Big Dan would be able to bring enough drinks for the huge amount of students that said they’d be attending.

  After their first class, Clark was again inundated with kids who wanted to attend the first party of the year.

  “Over the tracks! Saturday night! Can’t miss it!” is all Clark said before he finally made it to his second class.

  “And in two hours you’ve become the coolest kid at this high school,” Donny the Geek told him in computer class.

  “This is nothing,” Clark said. “Wait till I’m quarterback.”

  “Whoa, You’re gonna do that?” Donny asked.

  “Probably not,” Clark admitted, “But I can dream, right?”

  Clark noticed the computer teacher, Mr. Kelsey, was slouching in his chair and flipping through a box of old papers.

  “He really doesn’t give a flip about what we do,” Donny said. “This is like Franklin Pierce High happy hour.”

  Donny quit speaking when he looked up past Clark and noticed Chloe Li on the other side of the room. She was standing up from her computer and assisting another student. Clark didn’t need to turn around to know what fixated Donny.

  “Chloe?” Clark asked.

  “Yeah,” Donny mumbled.

  “I’m gonna ask her if she wants to come to the party on Saturday. I’ll tell her you’ll be there,” Clark said.

  “No! Don’t do that!” Donny reached his hands up to stop Clark but Clark had bounced out of his seat and headed directly for Chloe.

  “Hey Chloe,” Clark said, “I’m hosting a party over the weekend. You may have heard…”

  “Oh yeah,” Chloe smiled, “I have.”

  “I know you’re usually pretty busy but would you care to free up a bit of time and stop by on Saturday night? And Donny wants me to tell you that he’ll be there.”

  Chloe looked past Clark and saw Donny. His hands were placed up to his freckled face in embarrassment.

  “Oh, he’s just acting silly,” Clark said.

  “Well, sure,” Chloe said. “I’ll be able to make it.”

  “Great,” Clark told her. “You’re gonna have a blast.”

  Clark made his way back to his seat when Donny peered behind him to make sure that Chloe was no longer looking at him.

  “What’d she say?” Donny asked.

  “She said she’s gonna be there,” Clark answered. “And I told her you’ll be there too.”

  “Why’d you have to mention me!?”

  “Calm down. Look, Donny, this weekend is gonna be your chance. Just start by asking her if she’s seeing anyone. She’ll know right away what you’re hinting at.”

  “I don’t know if I can do that!” Donny began biting his nails.

  “Sure you can. Heck, you can even have a few drinks first. It’ll take the edge off.”

  “Are you kidding?” Donny asked as he clasped his hands up to his bright red hair. “I’m not gonna ask her out while I’m drunk! I’ll make a fool of myself.”

  “Donny,” Clark corrected him, “In this state, you’ll make a fool of yourself if you ask her out while you’re not drunk.”

  “Well that’s why I’m not gonna ask her out.”

  “Not right now, you’re not. This weekend will be a different story.”

  After an attempt at playing matchmaker during school hours, Clark was ready to have dinner with Sarah’s parents. When the final bell rang, Clark quickly met up with Sarah and hopped aboard the bus that she regularly took. He called Charles and made arrangements to be picked up from Sarah’s apartment when the family dinner was over. Charles, always happy to take his car for a spin, told Clark he’d be there at the drop of a dime.

  The school bus stopped at a street corner and Clark made his exit as he followed Sarah hand-in-hand.

  “Why don’t I ever come to your place more often?” Clark asked.

  “My parents can be a little strict,” Sarah told him. “They like me focused on school work and athletic programs… not boys.”

  “Yeah, well now that scares me.”

  “Don’t be. They’ll like you. Well, is your GPA still 3.0?”

  “I think so,” Clark answered. “I did pretty well last year. Don’t know how much I can keep that up though.”

  Still holding hands, they turned right at the street corner and straight ahead of them was a very well kept apartment building across from a pristine park. Clark and Sarah headed for the apartments.

  “This is really nice,” Clark said.

  “I prefer your place,” Sarah told him.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, I just like houses more than apartments. We lived in a house until my two older sisters moved out for college. Then we made the downgrade. That way my mom can put more money into her business as a fitness instructor.”

  “Doesn’t she have a place?” Clark asked.

  “Yeah,” Sarah answered. “She has a little place downtown but she does house visits too. Y’know, my mom actually served as the fitness instructor for Charles’s mom once.”

  “What h
appened?” Clark asked.

  “She told me Charles’s mom, Mrs. Walsh, was too demanding.”

  “How can the client be too demanding on the instructor?” Clark asked.

  “Oh, you have no idea,” Sarah told him. “Mrs. Walsh goes through fitness instructors like red bottom shoes. If the regimen doesn’t keep her at the perfect size, you’re gone.”

  “Wow,” Clark said. “Rich people problems.”

  “Uh huh,” Sarah nodded.

  They made their way into the entrance of the refined apartment complex but only after Sarah looked around the parking lot.

  “I didn’t see my parents’ cars outside,” Sarah said as they entered the complex. They made their way up to the third floor via the elevator and entered an extended white hallway. Sarah directed Clark down the hall and they stopped at the door labeled “3-14.” Sarah pulled out a small ring with a single key on it and used it to unlock the door. They went into the apartment and Clark discovered a beautiful pad of white furniture, glass tables, and frame-less paintings on every wall.

  “Wow, this is really nice,” Clark told her.

  “Thanks. Mom did all the decorating,” Sarah said before turning her attention down one of the halls in the apartment. “MOM!” she yelled out. “DAD! Are you here?”

  While still in the living room, they took a glimpse at the tv which was televising the local news.

  “Negotiations continue in the potential reconstruction of the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge,” said the newscaster. “In other local headlines, violent crimes have reportedly spiked over the past month in the Cincinnati area of Hartwell.”

  Sarah grabbed the remote and quickly turned the television off. She told Clark her parents had yet to arrive so they were alone together.

  “So we just wait on them?” Clark asked.

  “Really?” Sarah asked him, “We’re alone in an apartment and you ask if we should just sit around and wait?”

  “You’re right,” Clark laughed while hitting his forehead, “I don’t know what I’m thinking.”

  Sarah grabbed him by the hand. She hurried down the hall and into a room on the left. They entered Sarah’s bedroom. The walls were white but all of the accessories, bed covers, posters, and décor, was primarily pink.

  “Lots of pink,” Clark said.

  “My favorite song,” Sarah said. “But you know what? I’m starting to like silver. I think that’s my new favorite color. I’m gonna redecorate everything in my room silver. But forget about that.”

  Sarah unbuttoned her shirt and tossed it to Clark.

  “You think we have enough time?” he asked.

  “Well, I hope so,” Sarah shrugged.

  “What if your parents catch us?”

  “Then they’ll probably kill you.”

  “Um,” Clark mumbled, “Do they think you’re a virgin?”

  “Yeah, probably.”

  “Then if they catch us they’ll kill me twice.”

  “Shut up, you’re wasting time,” Sarah groaned. “Are you ready or not?”

  Without a verbal reply, Clark speedily removed his shirt and unzipped his pants. This would be their first time having sex at Sarah’s place and a new locale was always thrilling, Clark thought, especially when the severity of getting caught was being killed twice. Minutes later, Clark and Sarah heard a clanking at the door. They rushed to get all of their clothing back on, a chore they had become quite good at, and were fully dressed by the time Sarah’s mother was in the living room.

  Sarah’s mother was a short dark haired woman in workout clothes. She was sweating with several bags in her hands when she walked back to Sarah’s room. Sarah opened the door and her mother was standing in the doorway.

  “I didn’t know you two were here,” her mother said, still catching her breath.

  “Yeah, mom,” Sarah said. “We just got here.”

  “What are you doing back here?” her mother asked.

  “Oh, I was just showing Clark around.”

  “Okay,” her mother said. “Well nice to see you, Clark. I think we briefly met about a month ago.”

  “Yes ma’am, we did,” he said politely. “Nice to see you again, Mrs. Ryan.”

  Mrs. Ryan turned her attention back to her daughter, “I’m going to jump in the shower and get ready for dinner. Your father should be coming up now.”

  Sarah’s mother turned around and made her way into her master bedroom.

  “Your shirt isn’t buttoned up right,” Clark told his girlfriend. “And your hair is kinda ruffled.”

  “She didn’t notice,” Sarah said as she buttoned her shirt properly and grabbed a brush to straighten her hair. Just as she finished the front door opened again and her father made his entrance. Clark and Sarah sprinted to the living room to greet him.

  Sarah’s father was an average sized dark haired man dressed in a brown suit and blue tie. He removed his dress coat which bared his nametag. It read, “Lawrence Ryan: Bank Manager.” He waved to his daughter after closing the front door.

  “Hi Sarah,” he said.

  “Hi dad. Mom’s in the shower. This is Clark.”

  “Why hello there,” Mr. Ryan said as he shook Clark firmly by the hand. “Now I finally have a chance to get to know the young boy my daughter’s dating. How long now?”

  “A few months,” Clark said.

  “Then it’s definitely about time for that dinner meeting,” Sarah’s dad said.

  “Dinner meeting?” Sarah asked her father.

  “Well, that’s just a business term I like to use.”

  “So is mom cooking?” Sarah asked.

  “Goodness no,” her dad said. “Don’t you remember the last time she tried to cook? I ordered food from a really nice restaurant though. They should be delivering it any moment now.”

  Her dad walked over to the dinner table and strategically rearranged the centerpiece bowl of potpourri. He turned the bowl a few centimeters to the left and smiled, “Perfect.”

  Minutes later, Sarah’s mom entered the room in a flowery dress with her hair down.

  “Laura, you look terrific,” Sarah’s dad told her mom.

  “Thanks, Lawrence,” her mother replied.

  The doorbell rang and Sarah’s dad informed them that it was the delivery boy. He opened the door, paid the boy, and was handed several boxes of food. They all went to the dinner table when Sarah’s dad began separating the boxes. He opened each of the boxes and pulled out a plate which he gave to each of them. The meal consisted of steak, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, and a skewer of shrimp. Sarah’s mother made lemonade and minutes later they were all enjoying dinner when Sarah’s dad decided to strike up a conversation.

  “So Clark,” he said. “How are these grades of yours?”

  “3.0 GPA,” Clark said.

  “Good, that’s very good.”

  “That’s terrific,” Sarah’s mother added.

  “Keep it up,” Mr. Ryan told him. “So what do you want to do with yourself?”

  “Well I want to try out for the football team.”

  “Football?” Mr. Ryan scoffed, “Son, I’m talking about professionally. For the rest of your life.”

  “I guess I’m still thinking about it,” Clark said.

  “Yeah?” Mr. Ryan said, “Definitely give it some thought. A 3.0 GPA is pretty good. Put those smarts to use. And college is a must.”

  “Yes, sir,” Clark said.

  “Clark’s great at English, history, math,” Sarah added.

  “And how about you, Sarah?” her dad asked her. “Any future plans?”

  “I’m going to college,” Sarah told her father. “And then I’m thinking about being a fitness instructor like mom.”

  Her mother smiled while her father shot her a stern look.

  “I think that’s super,” her mother said. “You definitely have the body for it. You know that, Sarah? You take after me.”

  “Just stick with the education,” her father said. “Now Clark, wh
at do your parents do?”

  “My mom’s a secretary at the Hyde Park Community Center.”

  “Beautiful place,” said Mr. Ryan.

  “And my dad is a machine operator at BioTech Industries.”

  “BioTech Industries,” said Mr. Ryan, “owned by Paul Walsh. His son is, er, Charles Walsh. I know he goes to the same school as you two. You know him, Clark?”

  “I… I may have seen him around,” Clark said.

  “I wouldn’t want you being friends with that kid,” Mr. Ryan said while chomping on a piece of steak. “I’ve heard bad things about that spoiled kid. He’s the type that thinks of girls as pieces of meat. Wouldn’t want a guy like that around my daughter.”

  “Oh, I’m definitely not like that, sir.”

  “Good.”

  “Clark is the nicest boy I’ve ever met,” Sarah said. “He’s always kind, considerate, and really sweet.”

  Sarah’s mother smiled, “That’s really nice. It sounds like you’ve found the right young man, Sarah.”

  “I hope so,” Mr. Ryan said. He raised his glass of lemonade and asked for a toast as the others followed. “To Clark!”

  They finished dinner but not before Sarah asked her parents if she could attend a little “social gathering” on Saturday night. Her father was reluctant but gave in after her mother said she was perfectly fine with it. They then had a small disagreement when Sarah’s mom agreed to let her stay out until midnight. Her father said she’d have to be back home by eleven. They finally came to an agreement on eleven thirty.

  Clark made his exit when dinner was over. He refrained from kissing his girlfriend with her parents in sight so he merely waved her bye. Then he sent a text message to Charles. Clark realized that Charles was either in the vicinity or was driving at breakneck speed because Charles arrived only two minutes after Clark texted him.

  “How’d it go?” Charles asked as he drove off with Clark in the passenger seat.

  “Not bad,” Clark said, “Her dad’s a hard hitter but he didn’t have much to grill me over. So it went okay.”

  “That’s why I’m not into the relationship stuff, man,” Charles told him. “Don’t feel like confronting a bunch of alter cocka daddies.”

  “Alter cocka?” Clark asked. Charles laughed.