Brian's
Sea Venture
Excerpt
from Chapter Three:
Treasa's Nightmare
By
Jurgen Braunohler
As a sullen Brian came down the hall, the front door opened and in
walked Dad. Instantly a smile lit up the
kid's face. Although he loved his
mother, it was plain who the role model and hero in his life was. Tom Horwood was a Canadian of British
ancestry, amiable and good natured. He
happily ambled down the hallway past Brian to the bathroom with a self-absorbed
look, without so much as a glance in the boy's direction or a word of
hello. The youngster's expression
changed to disappointment and then to indifference. He grabbed his own jacket and walked out,
without being noticed.
“Honey! Have you seen Brian?”
asked Treasa through the door as Tom dried his hands.
“I thought I saw him as I came in” he replied.
“Why, is he missing?”
“He`s not in any of the bedrooms and we have
to go soon.”
“Well” said Tom, “why don't we just
eat. We can go without him if he doesn't
show up. He's done this so many times
already.” Tom didn`t believe in coddling
anyway, but it was a pity. A little more
attention just might have changed what the fates had in store that night.
As
the Horwoods drove to the University of Toronto's Convocation Hall with their
daughter Aileen for the concert, Brian arrived at his friend Harvey's
place. 15 year old Harvey was a nice
guy, but a real slouch. The rest of the
place showed the same disheveled neglect and the parents were out. The entire house was gloomy. Also present was their mutual friend John, a
real troublemaker who could turn violent and who, at the age of 16 had been
smoking for some time. The other two
were just starting to dabble in this, while John himself was dabbling in more
dangerous things.
With
a round of applause, the popular Irish band The Chieftains trooped on stage and
things got underway. The Horwood family
had an excellent view from the balcony of the packed auditorium and all
thoughts of Brian were forgotten. A
haunting, traditional Irish melody played on a pair of flute-like tin whistles
soon gave way to the intoxicating rhythms on the drum known as the bodhran,
followed by other instruments. Brian and
his friends, meanwhile, were on their way to a nearby mall and a collision with
destiny.
Young Jenny was sorting things out at the cash register when Brian and
his two buddies entered the convenience store, which had no-one else in
it. She cast them a warm smile and a nod
of hello. John whispered something to
them after which they all wandered in different directions. One boy stuck his head out into the mall and
looked around.
“Give me everything you've got – don't f...* with me! Put it in a bag!” Jenny found herself physically dragged by her
shirt half over the counter and face to face with the vilest expression of
John, who was now pointing a gun at her.
“Jesus Christ!” gasped Harvey.
“We were only going to lift some smokes!” But he was grabbed by John, who ran out the door
with him.
“HEY!!” yelled a security guard running up the hall. The startled Brian froze, as the image of
trembling Jenny, so much like his own beloved sister Aileen, immobilized him at
the critical moment.
Tom
and Treasa had no idea of the disaster taking place. A huge round of applause and a standing
ovation followed one of the most spectacular fiddle performances they had ever
seen. Only Aileen, who was genuinely worried
about Brian, expressed any concern.
“You
know” said Tom, “we're worried too, but Brian is just going to have to learn
from his own mistakes.” Meanwhile, down
at the police station, the boy was experiencing real fear as his lawyer sat
down to speak with him.
“You
have no idea what you have done, have you?
Okay...Do you know where your parents are?”
Treasa woke up in a cold sweat, the last words of her nightmare etched
in her mind. That anyone would question
the whereabouts of Tom or her, the most responsible parents on the planet, was
as unthinkable as their conduct in that dream.
Yet what to do about out-of-control Brian? Then the reports of his two friends robbing
the store – her dream was probably accurate.
She considered that sail training vessel again, the Sea Venture. But how to get Brian into that youth
program? How?
Jurgen Braunohler
Originally from Toronto and a writer &
author for 19 years, many insights have contributed to this novel: as a tall
ship seaman, nautical historian, rehabilitator of juvenile delinquents, youth
program staff, house parent raising homeless kids and others, social activist,
artist, musician and adventurer, among other things. The events in this story have been inspired
by personal experience.
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