The Last Laugh

Chapter 14 - Gone

***

Early the next morning, Uncle Victor and I left his little house in the woods. He hadn't come with

luggage since he'd only planned to spend the weekend. He had only a backpack.

Once he'd locked the house, he turned to me.

"Carry this on your back." he said, handing over the backpack. I took it in confusion. He wanted me to

carry it when I was the one with wounded feet and a bad knee? Without a word, I hung the bag on my

back.

Then, he squatted to my surprise.

"Get on my back. We won't be able to leave these woods fast if you walk with that knee."

Oh. Maybe I shouldn't have judged him that fast.

I did get on his back. He carried me as we walked through the forest.

"How are we gonna reach Tennessee? I believe you didn't come with a car." I said in wonder.

"There's this farmer I pay to drive me up to Tennessee and back here whenever I come for or return

from weekends."

"Oh. And where is he?"

"Waiting for us out of the woods."

"Okay."

I was silent until uncle Victor and I finally left the forest. And he wasn't wrong, there was a man of about

50 years old with a cowboy hat, leaning against his truck.

Uncle Victor let me down and went over to greet the man.

"Hello, Mr Thomas. How's it going?" They shook hands.

"I'm fine, mate. Leaving already?" he asked in that rural accent people from our area and hometown

had.

"Yup. Business." Uncle Victor opened the back door of the truck and turned to me, "Cmon."

I came over, greeted the man before getting into the backseat.

Uncle Victor then closed the door.

"Your son?" the man asked.

"Yes. Long story." he replied and they both laughed before he got into the front seat. Mr Thomas got

into his own seat and started the car.

I was leaving. I was going far far away! Away from aunt Christina.

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After a three hour journey, we stopped at my hometown. I'd misses it so much. Uncle Victor and I went

to our ranch, that now belonged to aunt Christina, and took my papers and passport. I never believed

I'd be using that passport one day. My dad had done it recently before dying. Maybe he'd planned on

us travelling. Now I would never know. I took my traveling bag full of clothes that I'd left before going to

high Meadows. I also gathered some precious belongings along with pictures of my mom and dad. And

with that, we resumed on our journey to Tennessee.

--

When we'd reached Tennessee, we got a room in a motel to spend the night. Uncle victor paid Mr

Thomas.

"Thank you, Victor."

"Thank you too for having driven us here. You can go home."

"Okay. Goodnight, little boy."

"Goodnight, sir."

It was only 8:00pm.

Just when Mr Thomas was about to leave, uncle Victor remembered something.

"Oh, I forgot! Please, drive me to one last place."

"Um, okay."

He turned to me.

"Stay in the motel room and eat the food I bought and watch TV. I'll be back. Don't open to anyone.

Okay?"

"Okay."

And with that, he took his wallet and left.

I sat down on the bed to eat.

**

About an hour later, uncle Victor returned.

"Hey, buddy." he locked the door behind him.

"Hey. Where had you gone to?"

"Oh, I asked Mr Thomas to drive me to the airport not far from here so I could pay the plane tickets."

"Plane tickets??"

"Yup. I finally allowed Mr Thomas to go home."

"Back to Barnville?"

"Hahaha, no. He lives here in Tennessee."

"Oh, okay."

"Better get some sleep, boy. Tomorrow we're heading for Los Angeles, California."

I couldn't believe my ears. A little rural boy like me, I was going to Los Angeles. That night I hardly

closed an eye.

***

We woke up very early the next morning. I showered and cleaned up quickly then uncle Victor did

same. At eight o'clock, Mr Thomas was already waiting for us in front of the motel. I felt excited and

afraid at the same time. Was this real?

We got into the truck and soon drove off.

In a few minutes, we were out of Tennessee. We drove on and on in silence until uncle Victor broke the

silence.

"Why didn't you call me?" he asked.

"What?"

"Why didn't you call me? I gave Lawyer Jay my card with my number on it to give you. Why didn't you

call."

I looked at my fingers.

"Aunt Christina tore the card immediately after the lawyer left."

"What?? She did that?"

I nodded. Uncle Victor was fed up. He'd heard enough. He faced his front all speechless and unable to

believe what he'd heard.

I leaned back into my seat and stared out the car's window, completely lost in thoughts. I was going

away. Far away. From aunt Christina. From high meadows and its horrible memories. I had only three

good memories, Uncle Ken, Dad and Heather. I looked at my arms and feet. Bruises. Dried up wounds

and a still hurt knee. Tears welled up my eyes. I felt anger rise from within me. I felt something heavy in

my throat. My mouth was bitter and my heart began to beat faster. Hatred. Yes. I felt sudden hatred

and pain. And they all appeared at once in that truck. Yes, I'd just realised how much pain and hunger

aunt Christina had made me go through for a year and a half. She'd taken advantage of my

vulnerability as a child and my love for my dad to seize away my inheritance. How could someone be

so wicked.

Tears rolled down my cheeks. I bit my lower lip hard in order not to make a sound. It was now that a lot

of things ran through my mind. I was beaten, maltreated, starved and forced into slavery. I was not

treated like a human being. I sobbed silently in the backseat. And then a final decision crossed my

mind. I would never be the same again. I was done being the vulnerable and naïve little boy that

always smiled and played like an idiot. I would be someone else to go along with my new identity. I

would be me, that is, Sheridan, only around uncle Victor. I was going to revenge. I was going to be

called Ace. And I was going to find out the truth behind my dad's death and that of uncle Ken.

Aunt Christina and Sawyer had ridiculed me. I couldn't actually blame Sawyer, she was only a stupid

kid seeking her mother's attention. The blame was on Christina. Why would I call her aunt? She was a

witch. She'd not only ridiculed me, she'd called me a bastard, an idiot, dumb, stupid and ugly. She'd

called me ugly. She'd said no one would be dumb enough to like me. Revenge.

I wiped away my tears. She would regret.

Just at that moment, uncle Victor turned to me. He was about to say something but stopped when he

noticed my swollen and red eyes.

"You're crying?"

"N– noo."

"But you're–"

"I'm not crying. My eyes hurt." I cut in quickly. He stared at me and just nodded before facing front. He'd

clearly not believed me. As long as he didn't say anything, it was fine by me.

**

An hour later, we stopped at an airport at the entrance of a different town. It was populated as a lot

people seemed to be travelling or returning. Uncle Victor paid Mr Thomas and we told him goodbye as

he drove off.

Uncle Victor turned to me with a smile.

"You ready, buddy?" he asked, giving me his hand. I smiled back.

"Yes." I held his hand.

"Good."

We walked into the airport.

I'd never been to an airport. I was so excited. I looked at places with a broad smile on my face while

uncle Victor showed our passports to the woman at the counter.

"Son?" he called and I turned. He motioned for me to come over and I did. He held my hand and we

walked towards a door where a flight attendant collected our tickets. She then opened the door for us

and we went through. I was soon in the plane itself! First class! Its interior was as big and beautiful as

I'd imagined it. I was so happy.

We found our seats and settled.

"Ace." I said all of a sudden. Uncle Victor looked at me.

"What?"

"My new name. Ace."

He smiled.

"Ace, huh? Nice. Ace what?"

"I– I don't know yet."

"Ace. Ace stonewall."

I looked at him and repeated.

"Ace stonewall."

"You like it?"

"Yes!" I smiled happily.

"Then that's it."

The plane soon took of. I was still in awe. I looked through the window and saw clouds and the sky. I

was so happy. I watched TV behind the seat in front of me and was served good food and drinks. As I

remember, it was a great memory.

By the time we reach California, it was day time. I didn't know what day it was or the time cause we'd

stayed up in the air for a really long time. I was still in awe. California was as big and cool as on TV. I

could not believe it. I was in Los Angeles, California! I was.

We grabbed a taxi and headed for uncle Victor's home. We reached soon. His home was a mansion.

Big! It was beautiful and rich.

We entered the house and a pretty woman of about twenty five welcomed us. Uncle Victor kissed her.

"Sheridan?"

"Yes?"

"This is my fiancee, Laury. Laury, this is Sheridan. Paul's son."

She turned to me with a broad smile.

"Paul's son?? Oh, dear how are you?" she hugged me. I whimpered a little because she'd touched a

wound. She released me and that was when she noticed my bruises. She turned to uncle Victor.

"Victor? What happened to him??"

"Long story. I'll tell you. Let him rest."

"Oh, um okay."