Chapter Eight

As they shuffled their way through the halls, Seth continued talking to Alex. “So you remember the quad path, right? You know the branch that splits off and heads down toward Roger Brook?”

Alex had to think back for a moment. “Yeah, I remember. That rocky path that sits on the edge of the mountains. That’s about as far as we’ve ever gone, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, that’s it,” Seth replied. “Hetrick says he might have found the remains of an old express road that’s supposed to cut right through the mountains and he wants to try to get a closer look at it.”

“Really?” Alex responded with interest. “What do you mean an old express road?”

Seth shook his head. “I don’t know. Apparently it was closed and blocked off some twenty years ago or something like that. But Hetrick says it’s supposed to be completely abandoned and that he thinks he’s found an entry that could lead to it. Danny told me that’s where he wants to go later today when they take the truck out.”

Alex took a quick glance back at his sister. Nickole had not been listening to their conversation as they walked. She had fallen back a little bit, and it seemed as though she was a bit more distracted today than usual. Alex did not care. He preferred it if Nickole did not butt into the social life of he and his friends. He was not worried, though. Alex had gone out driving around with his friends in that area lots of times and Nickole knew it, but he also knew that Nickole could never bring herself to rat him out to their mother.

However, there was definitely some reason their mother did not approve of him going driving around with friends on the borders of the mountains. Alex did not know what it was because she never told him. The path he and his friends were planning to take was one of a series of small dirt roads that skirted the mountainside just west of the village of Lake Placid, some of which stretched out for miles. They had mostly been used as tracks for fourwheelers and dirtbikes, but over the past few years, the novelty had worn off and the tracks were all but abandoned. Every time Alex’s friend’s older brother took his truck out on the paths he would track further and further out, almost like he was mapping it.

Of course, if what Seth said was true, about Hetrick wanting to go as far as near Roger Brook, then it would be the farthest Alex had ever gone outside of home on his own, so naturally he was a bit excited. Roger Brook was a small creek about seven miles out from his home that extended down from Oseetah Lake and flowed into the Adirondacks. It was hardly more than trees and rough paths out there, so what exactly were they expecting to find, he wondered.

As Alex and Seth were nearing the hall that led to their own classes, he turned around to face his sister, who still seemed a bit distracted. “Nickole,” he called out to grab her attention. Nickole stopped in her tracks. Alex pointed toward one of the staircases leading to the next floor where many of the younger students were separating from the crowd. “That’s where you’re going.” 

Nickole followed his attention to the staircase and then she glanced back at him one last time before she headed off on her separate path for the day. Alex watched her go until she disappeared up the stairs with the rest of her peers.

“Is she alright?” Seth spoke up. “She seems kind of distracted lately.”

Alex shook his head and turned to catch up with his friend. “You have no idea,” he muttered. “Everyday it feels like she tries to get closer to me, it’s almost like-” He was suddenly cut off when something bumped into him from the side and sent him stumbling toward Seth, who caught him and set him back on his feet.

“Watch it!” a voice yelled out from just behind him.

Feeling annoyed and not thinking about it, Alex snapped back before he even turned around. “You watch it!” he fired back with frustration.

“What did you say?” the same voice responded instantly.

As Alex gathered himself, he suddenly froze and his eyes widened, realizing the severity of his situation. Alex exhaled anxiously and turned to face his confronter. “Davis,” he mumbled to himself.

The name of the boy standing before him was Drake Davis. He was a typical classroom bully. He was significantly taller than Alex, by about a head's height. His hair was cut short and he was wearing a black tank top in an unnecessary effort to sport his juvenile muscles. They had known each other all of their school years, but never on any good terms. In Alex’s mind, he was not exactly afraid of Davis as much as he was simply annoyed by him. He definitely imposed an intimidating stature as the two of them glared at each other, but Alex still waited for the day when someone would knock Davis off his feet once and for all. 

“What are doing, Lee?” Davis began menacingly.

Alex tried to tread carefully, but instead responded before he could think. “Going to class, what the hell do you think I’m doing?” That was the wrong move and he knew it. Alex winced as soon as he said it and cursed himself in his head. Davis dropped his own backpack on the ground and inched closer to Alex, staring him down.

Sensing the impending battle, Seth threw himself into the middle of it. He grabbed hold of Alex’s shoulder and pulled him back, putting his hand up in front of Davis’ path. 

“Come on, Davis, let’s not do this,” he said, hoping to be the peacemaker. Davis turned toward Seth. At this point, Alex felt like he was watching an animal trainer attempt to calm a wild beast. Several students had stopped and huddled around in silence, most likely thinking the same thing. Seth continued to sweet talk their aggressor. “Are you having a good morning, Davis?” he joked. “We’re having a good morning, and we’d prefer it if the janitor didn’t have to wipe blood off the floor today, okay?” Seth laughed at his own joke, hoping to calm the atmosphere a little. Alex was certainly not in the mood for any fight to break out, but it was obvious that the audience around them was itching to see a little bit of action.

Usually, everyone knew Davis had the tendency to be stubborn as a mule when it came to picking fights. It had been that way for as long as Alex knew him, and many times he had to learn that the hard way. However, to his surprise Davis took a deep breath, picked his backpack off the floor and backed away. Seth lowered his arm in relief.

Davis only scowled at Alex. “It’s pretty convenient having someone else do your fighting for you, isn’t it, Lee?” Davis mocked. “You just remember that the next time you wanna try to act tough.” His final sentiment was short before he turned and walked off in frustration. At the same time the small circle of students dispersed, clearly disappointed.

Seth looked at Alex and shook his head in a teasing manner. “He’s right, you know,” he joked with him. “Why did I have to be one to end that?” Alex disregarded his comment and they continued to follow their peers down the hall. “It’s okay, I hate him as much as you do,” Seth added.

“I don’t hate him,” Alex responded. Seth looked at him with a confused glance. A short grin came across Alex’s face. “I’d just like to kill him, to be a little more accurate.”

He and Seth laughed at the jest following their near-brutal experience with their old Elementary School wrecking ball. “Yeah, don’t do that,” Seth said with a sheepish smile. “I’d rather not bury you.” As he came to the door of his first class of the day, Seth held his fist up in front of his friend. “Alright, see you at lunch I guess.”

Alex brought his hand up and bumped Seth’s fist. “See you after school then, too.” Seth turned and headed into his own class. Alex continued down the hall toward his own destination. This was where all of his days began, and as far as he was concerned, he would simply have to suck it up and get through it like everyone else.