Ronald felt like he was suspended from a cliff; the ledge was safe, and there was life on it. On the other side was a bottomless pit; falling into it would ensure he would never get out and experience life again. A hand was holding his, and that hand was Marie’s. She had the power to lift him back onto the ledge and restore him to safety...or she could release her grip and wave a vengeful goodbye as the pit swallowed him up.

He was about to find out what she would do.

Questions buzzed around in his mind like a swarm of angry bees, and he had no idea which one should come out of his mouth first.

“Ronald, I knew that would leave you speechless, so let me start by saying a few things. First, I have absolutely no intention of reporting you, or personally retaliating against you, or doing anything that would destroy your reputation. I said we would still remain friends, and I stand by it.”

“But...why? Why not report me? How can you just gloss over what I’ve done? Actually, what I want to know first is how you even knew it was me. When Ashley and I launched that firework, we were sure nobody was around.”

“Nope, you weren’t as alone as you thought you were. Right after I heard that firework go off, I looked at the source, and saw you clear as day with another squirrel. I knew who you were, as you’re MArcus’ son, but I didn’t know who the other one was. Anyways, after that firework blasted upwards, you two took off. I take it that your launch did not go the way you wanted. You looked so panicked.”

“You are right about that, but I still don’t get how you saw me.”

“I noticed you through the gaps in the bushes in front of our house. Seeing you was no problem, but you weren’t likely to see me. Anyways, before I answer any more of your questions, I would like to know why you did this in the first place. I knew about how nice and responsible your family was, so what you did came off as a surprise to me.”

“Well, this is going to sound pathetic, but that girl you saw me with, Ashley, pressured me into doing it. Just hours before that, we were both working at our jobs, and we agreed to go on a date afterwards. I thought she just wanted to do something casual since we had just met, but she claimed she had something more “exciting” she wanted to do with me. I first worried that she wanted to take this down the road of promiscuity because I know that would’ve been very wrong. She assured me that wasn’t the case, but even then, I shouldn’t have agreed to go out with her. At her house, she had illegal fireworks-”

Marie quickly interrupted him. “They’re all illegal, actually, but go on.”

“Oh...well, she had fireworks stashed at her house. She claimed they were her older brother’s, but told me he wouldn’t care if you took and used some of them. I warned her that using them near the forest would be a bad idea, but then she started calling me a wimp and a coward, and a goody-two-shoes. That didn’t bother me at first, but then she started to threaten me. She said that if I didn’t use them and have fun with them, then she was going to use them herself and then frame me for any damages caused. I-I panicked from her threat, and...and I launched the firework...I’m so sorry...I was put in a position of “damned if I do, and damned if I don’t.” Going out with that...that person was the worst mistake of my life.” He clearly wanted to use a different word for her, but didn’t want to cuss in front of Marie.

“Well, hindsight is 20/20, but going with letting her do it herself would’ve been better on your part, even if that defective firework was still going to hit my husband’s building. If she started framing you for its destruction, you could’ve accused her with slander. A court would ask her to prove her accusation, and since she wouldn’t have been able to, she would’ve been guilty of smearing your name, and you would’ve gotten compensation. Whether or not that’s something you would’ve gone all the way with, there still would’ve been no way for a court or detective to prove you guilty.”

This only made him even more upset; the thought that the police could uncover the evidence any day now and place it on him was tragic. If only he had used his brain.

“If you’re worried about evidence against you being found, then I wouldn’t worry about it. In crimes like this, it’s very, very difficult to find out who performed the launch. Believe me, if the evidence was there, it would’ve been found already. You actually committed the perfect crime, though I know that’s not something you’d want on a certificate or anything.

“That’s weirdly relieving and sad…”

“It’s so hard because the evidence literally blows up and becomes impossible to find. They would have to locate your DNA somewhere amidst all that residue, and since it got swept away and discarded, there’s an almost zero-percent chance anyone can prove it was you. The only real way to prove it would be if there were multiple eyewitnesses, but there’s only me, and one witness alone isn’t enough to prove anyone guilty in this case. You are very, very lucky that not one surveillance camera was on you; otherwise even I couldn’t have helped you out.”

“Do you, uh...do you think I should report myself? I know I should be honest…”

Marie shook her head emphatically. “No, do not do that. I don’t think you know how serious the punishment is for the crime you committed. Illegal fireworks in other places only result in fines, or a little jail time, but that’s not the case here. Since we live in a forest, the punishment for launching a firework or any type of pyrotechnic is VERY severe.” she paused for effect. “If you had been caught and convicted, you would’ve been in prison for at least fifteen years. I wouldn’t want that for my worst enemy.”

Ronald put his paws over his mouth and gasped; to think he could’ve been behind bars until he was thirty-two, and maybe more if someone had been killed. Tears welled up in his eyes, as he couldn’t fathom dealing with that. Marie noticed him about to go into a panic attack, and she got up to go comfort him.

“Shhh, it’s alright, Ronald...nothing’s going to happen to you, and like I said, I am not going to tell this to anyone, ever. That punishment alone was a huge reason why I kept my mouth shut; you’re young, and you have so much of your life left to go. What you did was beyond foolish and stupid, but even then, I knew you were better than what you did that morning, and you don’t deserve to be locked away for so long. I wanted to give you another chance to live your life, and not let it be wasted because of a terrible lapse in judgment.”

“Something still doesn’t make sense to me.” He finally said after calming down. “How come you didn’t confront me about it sooner? On that night you made us pizza, you could’ve taken me aside and made me admit it.”

“That’s because I wanted you to make that decision on your own. I wanted you to make the decision to do the right thing and not let someone else do it for you. At the very moment I heard about how you wanted to help Jack rebuild his business, I immediately knew that was your conscience at work. I’m not saying you’re not a genuinely nice and caring person, because I believe you are, but you can’t tell me that your decision to get up that early and help him was completely altruistic. You felt guilty about what you did, and you wanted to do something to alleviate and assuage that conviction. When you were at our house for the pizza, I took note of how your demeanor and body language changed after I said you were “a good kid,” and how you said you weren’t good at all. I did that on purpose; I wanted to prick your conscience just slightly so you’d get to this point. It’s not good for you to keep something like that unconfessed and secret; it makes your spirit rot and decay. Remember how the wages of sin is death? That can also be said about how it can kill you on the inside if you don’t do something about it. When you confess it to the ones you offended, which would include God, it’s liberating. I wanted you so badly to get that point, and seeing you here makes me so happy.”

Ronald couldn’t believe his ears; she hadn’t known him for very long, and was able to read him like a book. That night they had pizza together wasn’t just a friendly get-together, it was about one person trying to help another come clean and restore his soul. Maybe another person would’ve been angry; feeling played and manipulated, and accuse Marie of scripting her civility, but Ronald didn’t believe that. He didn’t believe her words were shallow and scripted, but rather, the opposite. She was genuinely thoughtful and quick to praise others, and she said what she said not just out of niceness, but also to act as a needle to poke at his heart so he’d do the right and honest thing.

“You are far, far nicer than I deserve...I feel like you should at least be a little angry. I mean, I did destroy Jack’s business and caused you and everyone else unneeded stress. It doesn’t seem right for me to just get off totally scot-free. I actually WANT some kind of punishment...just not the fifteen years in jail, of course.”

“I laud your sense of justice and fairness, but it’s not my place to inflict that on you. If this is something you want to settle in your own heart, then telling your own parents would make more sense. They’re the ones responsible for teaching and guiding you, and only they have a right to punish you as they deem fit. Besides, I think the guilt you were experiencing was punishment enough; the sadness I noticed in your face at times during our dinner and the picnic told me everything. I actually feel bad that you couldn’t fully enjoy your time with us, but maybe, now that you’ve let it out of the bag, we can have another gathering in the future where you won’t feel bad.”

“Ooh, what about that trip you were planning? The one with the brochures?”

“Oh, well, we did intend that just for us. Actually, more for Jack so he could take some time to relax. However, we’d be happy to have you, and maybe another of your siblings over for dinner again on a Friday or Saturday night. Dylan and Beth actually talk about you a lot; they loved it when you came to play legos with them, and they keep asking me if you’re going to come over again. Next time you feel bad about yourself, just remember you have at least two adoring fans! Of course, I’m a fan too; you’re a good kid, and I mean that.”

“That’s a flattering way to put it; I can’t imagine having “fans,” but thank you. I hope my parents won’t think any less of me after I tell them; I know my dad was okay with spending his own money to help Jack, but I don’t know how well he’d take it if he found out it was because of my stupidity. I cost my dad over $500,000…”

“I’m sure they will be very upset at you, and that’s just something you’re going to have to face up to. They are your parents though, and they’re not going to hate or disown you for this.”

“Yeah, but I also kept lying to mom in the process. She caught on to the fact that I was hiding something, and then I lied about what it was. I also lied to her about being at my job when I was actually out with my ex-girlfriend. It was like I was already standing in my grave, but then decided to make the hole deeper just to ensure I couldn’t get out.

“That’s how lying works; you engender one to cover up another, and then a third lie to cover the second, and soon you have an unbearable mess that might be impossible to fix...or not impossible, but costly.”

“I’m going to get the grounding of a lifetime, but...it’s only fair. I’m also not looking forward to telling Jack himself. To let me work for him for those two days, pay me all that money for it, and then to let me eat at his table...and then find out what I did to him?”

Marie’s eyes bulged a little and her voice became uncharacteristically panicked. “You are not going to tell him a thing.”

“It’s only right, though…”

She shook her head. “It’s enough that you told me; it is much better for Jack if he never finds out, trust me on this one.”

Ronald had never seen her so scared, and now he became concerned. “May I ask why…?”

She sighed, clearly wishing the conversation hadn’t wound up here. “Yes...but I will warn you that you’re not going to see Jack the same way anymore. I’m actually very glad you told me that you were going to tell him; it gives me the chance to warn you.”

“Warn? I mean, what could he possibly do to me? Jack’s very chill-”

“Ronald, he’ll literally KILL you if he finds out.” She stated bluntly; not a hint of sarcasm in her voice. “If you value your life, you will not utter a peep to him about what you did. I am being completely serious right now.”

Ronald didn’t know what to say. This morning was just filled with plot twists, but this one was the worst.

“Ronald, I really, really did not want to tell any of this to you, or anyone else, ever. Please promise me this one thing; that you are not going to repeat any of what I’m about to tell you to another soul. This is solely for your self-preservation.”

He simply nodded, starting to wonder if he was actually dreaming.

“Thank you.” She got up and went to close all the blinds and curtains, as well as the windows. It got noticeably darker inside, and much quieter...too quiet. The only souls in that house right now were Ronald and Marie. She then told him they were going to go to a room in the back of the house, away from the front door. He followed her, feeling like he was just transported into a psychological horror movie. They walked into her bedroom, and she locked the door.

“So…” Marie took a deep breath, “I think we’re completely safe from being overheard now. I know you are alarmed, and I know you didn’t come here expecting to hear something this frightening. I am sorry about it, but your safety is important, and you telling Jack what you did will jeopardize it.”

“So why is that? I haven’t seen so much as an ounce of anger in him.” Ronald replied, and then he recalled how back on pizza night, while he and Jack were conversing, that Jack mentioned he suffered from an anger problem, and sometimes thought evil things about people who hurt him in the past. Ronald didn’t think much of it at first, as he thought anger was a common problem; he didn’t think it was going to be something that might end his life. It was also alarming to him how Jack admitted to being a Christian, and yet had the potential to kill someone.

“I guess anyone has the power to kill someone, even believers...I just never thought Jack would fit that description…”

“The way Jack experiences it is very different from normal people, and it’s due to a painful event that happened to him nine years ago. Everyone around him is usually safe, but there is a very specific trigger that will set him off into an uncontrollable rage. I should explain what happened to him first so that the catalyst makes sense to you.”

Ronald didn’t know what to expect, but he listened carefully so he could learn how to avoid pulling that trigger on Jack.

Marie cleared her throat, and began. “Two years before starting his own business, and before we were married, Jack worked for a boss who also produced and sold technology for the disabled. This was a world he was passionate about, and getting this job was the most exciting thing for him at the time. He worked hard, learning from his boss as much as possible, and staying overtime whenever needed. Even when his boss suggested he go home and take a break, he insisted on staying at least another hour to clear up some unfinished business.”

“He sounds like a good worker and admirable employee; he seems to be in a great situation.”

“Just like how today was for you, Ronald, with unforeseen twists; Jack’s life has had them too. What happened to him was something he couldn’t have seen coming. After just one month on the job, everything changed for the worse. He came into work one Monday morning, expecting everything to be the same, only to find that his entire desk had been cleared. He was fired with no prior warning and just told to go home. Of course, the boss himself wasn’t there, but one of his supervisors was, and he simply told Jack that his boss was done with him.”

“Huh? Why?!”

“When the supervisor relayed the boss’ message to Jack, he said that he was lazy, incompetent, a goof-off, and constantly late, so he had to be let go.”

Ronald couldn’t believe his ears, and for a moment, couldn’t blame Jack for wanting to kill someone. He replied with a cuss word, kind of wishing he could at least throw a punch at that liar. That didn’t describe Jack at all.

“They were all lies, and before Jack could defend himself and request a personal meeting with the boss, he was escorted by security and not allowed back in. At least they had the courtesy to dump all his personal effects out with him.”

“I hope Jack got to confront that slanderer and give him a piece of his mind, and then sue him.”

“Jack was so hurt by what had happened that he didn’t even want to look at his boss...at least not right away. He was constantly very down on himself and hopeless; I had to do everything I could to validate him as a person, and future husband. One day, he told me he finally wanted to confront his boss, and get closure. He didn’t seem at all angry to me, but...he looked very stoic. His face was neutral, as though he had only one job to do, and wouldn’t return to his normal self until it was done. I haven’t seen him like that before, and vague expressions like that scare me. The only movement on his face was the little sparkle in his eye, and it made me think I was getting a look at something going on in his brain. I told him to go ahead with it, but I followed him from afar. I didn’t want him to do something foolish or dangerous; I didn’t know if he planned on forgiving his boss, or getting revenge on him. It was when he saw his boss leaving the office for the day...that’s when..” Her eyes started watering. “...I got my answer.”

Ronald just listened.

“He ran towards him at full speed, yelling that he was going to tear out that wolverine’s throat. Jack didn’t want to get any answers, or any closure...he just wanted his boss dead.”

She wiped her eyes, and Ronald was dumbstruck.

“His boss locked himself back inside the building just in time, and I pounced on Jack, screaming at him to stop. I held him tightly, not from any affection, but to just restrain him. He turned back towards me, and I was horrified by the emptiness in his eyes. I didn’t know what was happening, but this wasn’t the man I was going to marry and have children with; this was some devil that was controlling him, or some other nightmarish enigma that was consuming him from the inside. Whatever it was, his brain had broken, and I continued to hold onto him tightly. I sobbed, begging Jack that I wanted the real him back right now; I wanted to see that man that I loved, not this monstrosity from hell. He slowly calmed back down, and when he returned to normal, he asked me how he had gotten here. This confirmed for me that, at the very least, his brain was not functioning as it should’ve during his episode. It makes me think he might have a multiple-personality disorder, or some kind of trauma disorder that stemmed from his being smeared so suddenly and callously for seemingly no reason. I happen to think that his boss did that out of envy, as Jack was a brilliant and outstanding employee, but we’ll never know now. As for that wolverine, he never called the police on him for some reason, even though Jack could’ve easily gotten decades in the slammer for that. My theory is that the wolverine himself may have had skeletons in the closet of his own, not the very least being his slander against Jack, and he wouldn’t have wanted the police to find those, so he did nothing.”

“I...I never would’ve guessed any of this about Jack...Do you think there’s any cure for him? I’m scared of him now, but I feel bad for him too. He doesn’t deserve to suffer like that just because of some...jerk.” He struggled to find a not-cuss word. “I wish I knew what to do, but now I’m terrified of interacting with him.”

“As long as you just act like yourself, you have nothing to worry about, and it’s not like you’ve seen him do anything crazy lately, right? He only gets this way when he feels like he’s been cruelly mistreated in some way. There have been a few nights where he’d wake up from a bad dream, and he’d have that spark, or glint in his eye. He always got that when his dream had his former boss in it, and he always tells me how much he hates it and just wishes it would stop. He feels like he’s in a prison, and can’t get that wolverine out of his mind. When I show affection towards him, it goes away, but it’s never permanent. Thankfully, he’s been able to act normally the vast majority of the time, and not one person has ever sensed that he was harboring this problem, but it worries me that he could still snap. Ronald, I’m afraid that if you tell him anything, then you will now be that wolverine, and you won’t live to tell about it.”

So even though Ronald would likely remain safe around Jack, the thought that he could end his life in seconds horrified him. Marie was right, he was probably never going to see him the same way ever again, and that was depressing, considering how innocent he thought he was.

“What I’m really hoping is that this upcoming trip will take his mind off of wanting to know who the culprit is; even with his business better off than it was before, it still makes him very upset that the guilty party hasn’t fessed up. I know it hurts you now that you can’t do the right thing with him and confess, but trust me, you’re better off saying nothing.”

Ronald nodded, getting a lot more this morning than what he expected. He almost wished that Marie had just simply yelled at him and told him to leave instead of finding out Jack’s dark secret.

“So…” Marie wanted to change the subject. “Don’t you have school today?”

“Yeah, but I was so distracted and anxious over confessing to you that I knew going today would’ve been pointless. I’ll just copy down my friends’ notes tomorrow and get caught up that way.”

“I understand, I just don’t want you to fall too far behind. Anyways, if you’re not planning on doing anything else right now, you can stay here for a little while; maybe we can find some more light-hearted things to talk about over coffee. I don’t want to talk about this issue with my husband anymore; it’s soul-crushing.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Ronald nodded and accepted her offer. He respected her even more now than he did before; starting a family and remaining married to a husband who could fly off the handle at any moment. She didn’t see him as a monster, as others would’ve; she saw him as the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with and raise children with. Jack was a normal person who just wanted a normal life for himself and his family, but he fell victim to a set of circumstances that created something in him neither of them wanted, but can’t seem to do away with.

The two enjoyed some coffee and snacks together, and the conversation never turned to Jack the rest of the morning, aside from her mentioning they were going to go to Bluerock Forest after all, and that they were going to leave two Fridays from now. The rest of the time was spent in small talk, and at around lunchtime, Ronald announced he was going to go now and talk to his parents. He didn’t appear too nervous about it, knowing that at least they weren’t going to kill him.

“Take care, Ronald.” She gave him a hug. “I’m glad you’re deciding to do this after all, but make sure to remind them not to tell Jack.”

“Right…well, our family’s friendship was fun while it lasted.” He sighed.

“It doesn’t need to end; you’ve been able to sympathize with my husband and see him as a normal person, and I believe your parents will, too.”

“I hope so; I really don’t want to lose what we have, and I would hate to be the reason why our friendship dies.”

“I know your parents will do the right thing, and I believe we’ll get through this okay. As long as we just talk and act the way we’ve always been doing, nothing bad will happen.”

The two said good-bye to each other, and Ronald started his journey back home. When he returned, his mom questioned why he was back from school so early.

“Did you have a minimum day today?”

Ronald shook his head. “No, I actually went over to talk to Marie about something that was weighing on my heart, and it’s something I need to talk to you and dad about too.”

“Hm, do you want to wait for him to come home and tell us both at once, or do you just want ot get it off your chest now?”

“The sooner, the better, so I’m just going to tell you first. To start off with, I am so sorry I’ve been such a liar to you lately; I didn’t work any extra shift that night, and there was no theft on mine or Ashley’s part. I’m just going to tell you the whole truth, and I’m going to warn you that it will be very ugly. If you and dad wind up grounding me for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t blame you.”

“Wow, that serious? Unless you murdered someone, I can’t think of what you would’ve done to deserve lifelong punishment. Thanks for telling me the truth though about the extra shift; at least you’re getting on the right foot again.”

“I should’ve done it sooner, but I guess now is better than later. Anyways, just brace yourself for this…” He cleared his throat. “I’m the one who burned down Jack’s business. Ashley and I were playing with fireworks, and though I knew it was wrong, I was a wimp and let her push me around. I launched one myself, just thinking it was going to explode in the air, like it should’ve, but it was defective, and instead, blew up on the ground...right where Jack’s business was. I realized I could’ve killed someone, and I know this is going to haunt me the rest of my life. I am horribly disgusted with myself, and I deserve to be locked away for life. I’m so sorry for my thoughtlessness…”

His mother didn’t gasp or scream, but there was a look of utter pain and betrayal on her face. “I...I wish you had just stolen some snacks…I have no words, Ronald...None...”

And just like that, she walked away from him without any further words, went into her room, and slammed the door. That was it.

Ronald wished a defective firework would just fall on top of him right now and disintegrate him into a pile of ashes. This was about how he expected her to react, and it was as painful as he knew it would be. He collapsed into the nearest chair and sobbed; the weight of his transgressions crushing his guilty conscience. He never liked making his parents feel so disappointed and hurt, especially as they had the kindness to take him and his sister in as their own children. They gave him a special kind of grace that not every orphan gets to experience, and then to just turn around and hurt them like this was the epitome of backstabbing.

And he also still had to tell his dad.

The next time Ronald’s mother made an appearance was when Marcus came back home from work. She did not look happy at all.

“What’s wrong?” Her husband asked her.

“Let Ronald tell you.”

Marcus turned his attention to the squirrel, who looked so weak and fragile. Cecilia and the three pups were within earshot, and now they were curious about what Ronald had to say. They moved in closer and took a seat.

“Well...now that everyone is here, I think now’s a good time to put this out in the open.” He sighed, already feeling sick again. “The one who burned down Jack’s building was me…”

He repeated the same account as he did with his mother, and added that Marie knew all along. Their stares and expressions of shock were what he had expected; the only difference was Marcus, who, for the first time in years, was growling at his own son.

“There is NO excuse for this, Ronald!” He barked. “For heaven’s sake, you’re practically an adult, and you go and do this horribly stupid and reckless thing?! What’s the matter with you?!”

“I’m sorry…”

“You could’ve burned down a lot more than just that one building; that fire could have destroyed so much more, and even ended a few lives!”

“It’s not like I wanted that to happen! I know it was stupid, but if I knew it was defective, I would have never launched it.”

“That is besides the point; you shouldn’t have even been around those fireworks to begin with! I expected so much better from you, Ronald. Your mother and I didn’t raise you to be this irresponsible; we want all of you to be good, honest, and caring people. I don’t want any son or daughter of mine to be a lawbreaker, and I pray that this is the only time we ever have this conversation.”

“We won’t; I promise I won’t ever do anything like this again....I just...I want to ask you and mom to forgive me...I never wanted to hurt you like this..”

“We do, son.” His mother stood before him. “No matter what you do, that doesn’t change the fact that you’re our child. We still love you, as heartbroken as we are.”

“This also won’t change the repercussions of your actions.” His father added. “I am thankful that the police won’t find you out and take you away, but Jack and Marie will always be affected by what you did, even though they have everything back to normal. You should be thanking Marie every day for her forgiving attitude; to know that about you all along and still call you a friend. Of course, you are going to tell Jack about this, and then I am going to ground you.”

That reminded Ronald.

“Uh...I’m afraid that I can’t do that, and if you don’t believe me, you can call Marie and ask her yourself. It’s better that Jack never knows about this.”

And this was the part Ronald dreaded talking about more than his actual confession. He related to them much of what Marie said, and as he did, he felt like he was driving a dagger right into Jack’s heart. He knew Marie wanted him to tell them this for the sake of his own life, as it’d stop them from mentioning it to Jack and endangering their son’s life. However, it was like he was murdering Jack’s reputation and portraying him as an absolute psycho.

“I also know this doesn’t deflect anything off of me, and I still should be grounded, but this is just so you don’t accidentally say anything to him about it and send him into a blind rage. I...I hope you don’t think of him differently for it...I like the bond that our families have, and I believe we can maintain it as long as he never knows. He’s a good husband to Marie, and father to their children, and he should still be treated like and thought of as so.”

“That is insane...I haven’t seen any trace of murderer in him,” Marcus said. “I still trust him because I don’t think for one second that a murderer is what he really is, but that is a terrifying thought. We will not tell him anything, and we’ll treat him like we always have been. However, it might be best to keep your distance for a while, until someone finds a way to help Jack’s condition.”

“I also will not tell Jack anything,” his mother promised, “even if he didn’t have this problem, I would still leave that up to you; it’s your responsibility to confess your own crimes, not ours.”

“Your mother is right. With that said, we are going to think of a punishment for you, but it’s also fair to commend you for finally speaking up about it and going to Marie, even though it meant you skipped school. I also commend you for trying to do something good for Jack in wanting to help him, but we can’t ignore the wrong you’ve done either.” Marcus still looked stern and displeased, but at least he wasn’t growling anymore.

“I understand, and I think it would be fair if I tried to pay back what you spent for Jack, since you still would’ve kept that money if not for me.”

“What I spent to help him is vastly more than you’ll ever make at the movies; it does irk me that this was because of you, but I’m not going to cry over money. We’re still extremely well-off, and it won’t take very long to replenish what I did spend. Besides, we did get a genuine friendship out of this, so I can’t be too mad. Ironically, your destruction led to that.”

Later that night, Ronald felt like he was able to sleep much more easily than the night before. The challenge of confession was now over with, his punishment was in the process of being decided, and now he didn’t need to tell another soul about this ever again. Of course, the possibility of Jack murdering him was in the back of his mind, and as awful as it was, he could avoid it by simply not telling him. He spent more time thinking about how good of a boss he was, and the normal, wholesome way he treated his family.

“Maybe he’s not too different from anyone else; who doesn’t have their deep, dark secrets that can be activated by a singular trigger? Jack’s may be extreme, but I think anyone could relate to harboring a troubled spirit. After all, just one trigger for me caused me to destroy a man’s business, and yet that was something I thought I’d never, ever do. I don’t need to be afraid of Jack...he’s just a normal guy…”

Over the course of the week, Ronald was able to focus on school again, and the fact that Jack was not barging into his classroom or house to rip out his throat was proof everyone was holding true to their word. However, Ronald was feeling hesitant about seeing Jack again, at least for now. He would be at home, doing his homework, and he’d sometimes drift off and imagine Jack pounding on his door and screaming at him to open so he could tear him to shreds. Cecilia, being one to look out for her brother’s well-being, asked him all the time how he was doing; if he was being weighed down with the dread of being murdered. He kept saying no, but that was because he didn’t want to make her more alarmed than she already was. She also kept saying she didn’t believe him, but there was nothing she could do if he didn’t want any consolation.

On the Friday night following that school week, Ronald offered to go with his mother grocery shopping. Sure, she could afford a servant to do that for her, but that would take the fun out of shopping. Besides, Ronald wanted to make an effort to be on good terms with her again, and he wanted to be more helpful. She accepted his offer and let him accompany her; she had mellowed out by now, and was happy to have him here with her.

“Your father and I have been talking,” she said to him in the car, “and we think it would be fitting if you did some community service. I know you see the value in helping others, but we’re thinking it’ll be over the weekend, during your free time. As for the money, don’t worry about it. Save up what you earn because you’ll need it for your own expenses in the future.”

Ronald nodded; he was hoping something tangible of his would just be taken away instead of his Saturday, but considering everything, this was much better than he deserved.

“There are homeless shelters, food kitchens, community clean-up programs, hospices, and more; there’s a lot for you to choose from, and even though we’re phrasing this as a punishment, there are folks who would genuinely love having your help.”

“I admit I don’t look forward to losing my Saturdays, but this beats going to prison for fifteen years.”

The store was fairly busy that evening, as everyone was doing their weekend shopping. He offered to pick up items from the lower shelves for her since he was considerably shorter, and look out for items his mom was hunting for. The two were almost done when she realized she forgot something.

“Shoot, I forgot something.”

“What?”

“It’s for Claudia’s school project. I’ll be back; just stay here with the cart.”

Not one second after she left did Ronald hear a familiar voice behind him.

"Oh, hello, Ronald.”

As soon as he recognized it as Jack’s voice, he dove under the bottom shelf and hid there. A few others saw this and were very confused.

“It’s only me.” Jack laughed, looking under the shelf at him. This would be a useful place to hide from Jack if he was on a murdering spree, as Jack was twice Ronald’s size, and thus, couldn’t fit under this shelf.

“I didn’t realize you were so skittish; sorry I scared you.”

Ronald slowly crawled back out to face the normal-looking, not-killing, Jack. “I’m so sorry, I-I was just, you know, uh, lost in thought and then I suddenly heard someone call my name, and I jumped. So, uh...how are you?”

“I’m doing fine, though you don’t seem fine yourself. Why are you so nervous? You don’t seem comfortable talking to me for some reason.”

“Oh, well, I’m actually just nervous about, uh, tomorrow. I have to retake a math test tomorrow since I didn’t do so well, but I’m scared I still won’t pass.”

Here we go again with the lying.

“Maybe a study buddy might help; I had one in school when I took Physics, and we helped each other pass. Even if you don’t do too well, at least there’s the rest of the year.”

“Yeah...So, uh, what brings you here?” He asked, even though he could clearly see the items in his cart.

“Ah, well, my wife normally likes to do the shopping, but I offered to do it for her tonight since she told me she wasn’t feeling well. I’m just picking up dinner for the next few nights, and some medication for Dylan, since he actually is sick.”

“Oh really? I’m sorry to hear that. I hope he gets well soon.”

“Thanks. It’s weird; he somehow looks totally fine and normal just by looking at his face, you wouldn’t have been able to tell he had a problem just by looking at him. It’s interesting how life’s that way sometimes; someone could look fine on the outside and be hurting on the inside…”

Ronald’s eyes widened, wondering if Jack was setting himself up. He was so afraid about slipping up, but then his mother came back.

“Oh! Uh, hey Jack.” She froze for a second when she saw him with her son; worry flashing across her face for a second before realizing the sable was doing nothing wrong.

“Hi, Diane. I just bumped into Ronald here and were just talking.”

The two engaged in some brief small talk as well; Diane noticing the things in his cart and finding out that his wife and son weren’t feeling well. She did a much better job of talking to him like a normal person than Ronald did.

“Well, it was nice seeing you again.” Diane said. “Take care, and tell Marie and Dylan I send them my well-wishes.”

“I will, thank you. Take care!”

Back in the car, Diane commented how it broke her heart that Jack loved and cared for his family in these simple ways, and yet he was tortured and marred on the inside. The fact that he appeared like a completely normal person in all his other mannerisms made the existence of the psychotic beast inside much harder to believe. She couldn’t picture him harming anything, not even a housefly. Ronald also told her how Jack and Marie were both Christians, and how sincere Jack seemed about it when they both talked that one pizza night.

“There’s nothing stopping a saved soul from dealing with horrible struggles like that.” Diane commented. “We’re still people who have to work through our own problems with the tools God has given us. We should pray for Jack that he finds a way to rest in God’s grace when he starts feeling the urge to act on his extreme aggression. Your father and I have been doing that, and you should be too.”

“I have been, though I’m also praying that I not be scared of him anymore. We’re not supposed to live in fear.”

“Also good, and I’ll remember that too when I pray tonight.”

“And maybe that nice trip they’ll be taking soon will help Jack relax. Maybe the stress and pressure of his job is part of the problem; if he got away from it for a little bit, maybe he’ll feel a lot better. Marie told me they haven’t taken a family vacation in a long time, and perhaps his soul is secretly yearning for one.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Meanwhile, Jack was back at home, treating all three of his family members. Beth had caught whatever her brother had, and needed in on the medicine too. He prepared them all dinner, and after giving his children some medicine (which, according to Beth, tasted “yucky!”), he sent them off to bed. Marie seemed to have something else, but told Jack she didn’t quite know what it was. The truth was that she felt a cramp in her stomach, and it meant that she might be pregnant again. She knew it was likely, but didn’t want to tell Jack yet. If she was carrying their third child, then she wanted to spring it on him after they got back from their trip. She wouldn’t have too much longer after that, as the baby would grow, and it’d be a secret to no one any longer.

After the kids were sent to bed, the couple stayed up in the family room and conversed about how much they were looking forward to the trip.

“So, you ‘ve never been to Bluerock Forest?” Marie asked her husband, feeling a little disoriented and distracted.

“I haven’t, but it looks very pleasant in the brochure. It sounds like you could really use the trip too, though you wanted it more for me. You seem either sick, stressed, or just a little unfocused.”

“That could be it; we’ve gone through a lot over the last couple of weeks.”

“It has been interesting, to say the least. I gotta say, even though money’s just a temporary thing that can vanish in a moment’s notice, it is rather nice having so much of it now. Pesky things like rent and bills aren’t even a worry on our minds anymore. Plus, I’ve given all my employees a 25%-raise, so now they can have a bit more financial security too.”

“Definitely a great way to keep them working for you, and you told me that you wanted to expand too and sell other kinds of items as well.”

“Yes; I want to try to develop technology that can help with speech, smelling, and tasting in the future. It’s not enough to provide help for only two of the functions that we use our heads for; I want to go up to five.”

“Oh wow, people would really love that, especially the speech one. Are you thinking of something that might help the mute, or just for people with speech impediments?”

“Helping the mute to speak sounds way too complicated and impossible, but I think helping people with speech problems, like stammering, is doable. For now, though, I want to just focus on the next few weeks, and spending quality time with my family in a quiet, serene place. Work can wait.”

“I agree…” she looked into his eyes and held his paw. “I love you.”

“I love you too, my sweet, darling Marie.” he said and then kissed her. He decided to get up and dim the lights to set up a quiet, intimate mood between them.

“I’ll go put on some music.” Marie said, and she went to go put on a CD with soothing, Baroque-era music. It was classy, and perfect for a husband and wife who just wanted to spend some quiet time together. Marie was feeling emotional; she was likely going to become a mother for the third time, and she was going to spend a solid week with just her family, with no one else around in a beautiful, azure-hued forest. She also strongly believed it was going to help her husband along the way to getting cured of his disorder. He needed to be away from work, and anything else that might remind him of that wolverine. She wanted him all to herself for a long, uninterrupted period of time, as she wanted that time to let him know how much he was loved and appreciated by his family. Maybe that wolverine, and what he represented, wouldn’t be so much of a bother to him if he put more thought and energy into those who did care about him. People have hurt her as well, but she didn’t let them live rent-free in her head; her God, her family, and her friends were more worth her time than the people who didn’t care about her. She wanted to kick that wolverine out of his head so badly, but he was going to have to be the one to perform that eviction. If he managed to do so, then the murderous beast inside him might finally die, and indirectly, Ronald would have nothing to fear about him anymore.

As they sat beside each other, Marie lovingly massaged the back of his neck.

“I hope you are truly happy with having us in your life…”

“Of course I am; why wouldn’t I be?”

“Part of the reason I really wanted us to have some alone time together, as a family, is to get certain unwanted guests out of your mind. You know who I’m talking about, and I want him out once and for all. If I had to guess, constantly being at work, and working with the same things you did at your old job, hasn’t helped you get him out of your head, and I just want our little vacation to help put you at peace, and take you away from that environment for a little bit.”

“I want him out too...and it’s normally not so bad when I’m with you, but when he strikes in my dreams, his face and form seem so real to me that it makes my blood boil. I really hate scaring you like that at night, and I wish I...I didn’t have this psychotic monster inside of me…”

“I do too, and perhaps our trip will help put him away for good. It will only be us; your family, and no one else. No work obligations, no schedules, no...anything; just us…” She kissed him lightly. “I want to give you the gift of spending uninterrupted time with us, in perfect peace…”

Even the thought of that eased Jack’s mind. Ever since starting his current job, spending time with his family, or quiet time in prayer or the word of God, has not been easy. This vacation just may be the start to healing his soul.

“Oh...I wish we were there right now.” Jack said. “The way you put it sounds heavenly…”

“Well, it’s not heaven, but I really want you to have some peace again.”

“It almost makes me wish our good friends were coming along.”

“Maybe another time; I just want this to be us…”

The two were already picturing themselves there, and were starting to fall into a dreamlike trance where they weren’t paying too much attention to their words.

“That’s fair…” Jack replied, zoning out. The combination of the low lights and soft music lulling him deeper into that dream.

“But yeah...they should come with us sometime...Marcus...Diane...Ronald…” She listed their names.

“They’re good people; our friends...they deserve a good time too.”

“Yeah, they all do.”

“Especially Marcus and Ronald; they’re heroes in their own right.”

“He couldn’t have raised a better son, despite everything.”

“Yeah...wait, what?”

It took a few seconds for Marie to recollect what she just said, but as she repeated it in her head, she wished she could take back those last two words. This was the Freudian Slip of the century.

“What do you mean?” She asked, acting like she didn’t understand him.

“What did you mean by ‘despite everything’?”

“Oh, nothing, just a slip of the tongue.”

“But why those words?” He asked, the music now turning into background noise. “Did one of them do something I’m not aware of? It sounds like you’re either criticizing Marcus as a father, or Ronald as a son.”

“I think you’re reading too much into my words.”

“Come on, Marie, words just don’t slip out randomly, even when you’re dreaming, or drunk. If there’s a problem I should know about, then let me hear it. If I had to guess, it sounds pretty significant.”

“It’s nothing, that’s all. It was just, uh, a remark about how I think Ronald doesn’t take school seriously enough.”

“...Really? I don’t buy that. Why would that warrant a ‘despite everything’? Lots of students his age don’t; who cares?”

Like Ronald, Marie was a terrible liar, and she was hating herself for letting her tongue slip and endangering his life.

“Marie, please don’t tell me you’re hiding something from me.” He frowned. “You’ve had nothing but good things to say about Ronald and Marcus, and suddenly this random ‘despite everything?’ I’m not dropping the subject until you tell me. One of them did something that you know about, and I don’t.”

“Oh Jack…” Marie’s eyes were starting to water, and she took hold of his paws and looked into his eyes. “I’m so sorry, I...I do know something, but before I tell you, I need you to make me a promise; a promise more serious than our wedding vows…”

As Marie was pleading with Jack, he recalled his strange encounter with Ronald earlier that evening. He dove under the lowest shelf when he greeted him; something he had never, ever done before. That’s something you’d only do if you were scared...so scared that you thought you were going to die if you weren’t fast enough.

“Ronald...he acted like he was terrified of me today at the store...do you know something about this?”

“Jack…”

“The only one who would have any reason to be terrified of me is that wolverine, after I had nearly killed him...Ronald wouldn’t act that way unless he thought I was going to hurt him…”

He glowered at his wife. “You told him something, didn’t you.” He stated as matter-of-fact, not question.

“Jack, just please calm down, and let me explain. I made a terrible mistake, but I beg of you, for the love and grace of God, to not impugn Ronald. H-he did something totally reckless, and I just want you to promise you will do him no harm. It was an accident-”

“He’s the one who burned down my business, isn’t he.” He finished for her, also stating this as fact.

This was it; Marie now had blood on her hands. Unless Jack miraculously changed right now, Ronald was as good as dead. With great heaviness of heart, she spilled the beans; every last one of them. She emphasized the part about it being an accident several times, as well as how much he helped him rebuild, and how remorseful he was when he confessed to her. She did everything possible to lift up Ronald’s character.

Despite everything.

“I see...You know...I am sorry that I was starting to think I couldn’t trust you, but you had a valid reason. I can’t believe Ronald did this...but he’s not a bad kid; he just got screwed up by the wrong crowd. I am angry he did this, believe me, but if you thought I was going to go after him like I did my former boss, you would be wrong. He screwed me over on purpose, and Ronald was just being negligent.”

“So...you won’t come after him?” A glint appeared in her eyes; a glint of hope.

Jack shook his head. “I won’t; our families are friends now, and friends don’t kill each other…If that was what you wanted me to promise, consider it done.”

Marie embraced him and cried. Maybe she was wrong about him all along, and she threw Ronald into a state of fear for no reason.

“I think we should just go to bed now and put the night behind us.” Jack said.

“You’re right, and again, I’m so sorry I was being secretive and not trusting your character.”

“I forgive you,” he kissed her, “and I don’t blame you for any of that. You just wanted Ronald to be safe. You can rest assured that I will not lay a finger on him, okay? That killer only lives in my dreams now; he won’t come out again in real life.”

“I couldn’t have heard happier words.” She kissed him back. “Good night, my love.”

“Good night.”

The two held each other’s paws as they drifted to sleep. Marie felt so bad for misunderstanding her husband, and Jack felt bad about distrusting his wife, but they knew how to reconcile with each other, no matter the fight. She curled up beside her husband and rested her head against his chest; Jack putting his other arm around her into a gentle hug.

“I have my husband back...finally…”