FanStory.com - DUEL with the DEVIL - Chapter 2by Jim Wile

Background
A brilliant young chemist creates a new opioid with unknown benefits and pitfalls.

Recap of Chapter 1: The story begins when Brian Kendrick is 12 years old. Early one morning, he is awakened by his 18-year-old sister, Fran, with the devastating news that their parents were killed in a car accident the night before. Being of legal age, Fran, who is a student at junior college, where she is studying law enforcement, becomes his legal guardian, and they stay in the home together.

Their grandparents come for two weeks to stay with them through the funeral. Following the cremation, Brian and Fran hike to the top of nearby Pilot Mountain and release their parents’ ashes to the wind.

Chapter 2

I’d like to say that I matured rapidly and became a responsible teenager in the wake of my parents’ death, but that would be a massive stretch of the truth. While I physically matured with the onset of puberty, my emotional maturity lagged way behind.

While Fran dealt with insurance companies, bank accounts, lawyers, and the like, I spent my time eating and playing games. I bought all manner of junk food, sat at the computer playing mainly chess, and gorged myself on King Dons, ice cream, and potato chips. I had always been a slightly pudgy kid, but I began putting on pounds at an alarming rate.

I disguised it from Fran as best I could by wearing my baggiest tee shirts and jeans, but at dinner one night, she looked at me closely and said, “Brian, I hate to tell you, but you’re getting fat. I’ve been cutting you some slack since Momma and Daddy died, but it’s time now to knuckle down, start eating right, and get some exercise… and other things.”

This high and mighty tone of hers pissed me off. “Oh yeah? Like what?”

“Look, I haven’t been watching you closely enough because I’ve been busy taking care of stuff and keeping this household running, but you’re going to have to start pulling your share of the load, and that starts with taking care of your health. I’ve seen all those junk food wrappers in the garbage, and from now on, that’s going to stop. Momma wouldn’t have let you eat all that stuff.”

“Well, you’re not Momma.”

“Listen, twerp. I’m your legal guardian, and for all intents and purposes, I am your momma now, and you’re going to do what I tell you. And I don’t mind smacking you around either, like Momma and Daddy never did.”

She was angry, and I knew she meant it. “All you do is sit on your fat ass all day playing chess on the computer. It’s like an addiction with you. So is junk food. From now on, you’re going to get up early with me, and we’re going to work out together before going to school. Plus, I’m making up a schedule of chores, and you’re going to start doing more around the house.”

“Anything else, Momma?” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Yeah. I’ll still buy your food and clothes, but I’m not going to be paying you the allowance you used to get from Daddy because we can’t afford it anymore. If you want any spending money, you’re going to have to get some sort of job to earn it.”

“What do you mean? How about all the life insurance money?”

“They didn’t have nearly enough. I don’t think they counted on both of them dying at the same time, leaving us with no income. There’s enough to pay the bills and for your college, as long as you go to a state school, but there’s not much after that.”

“Jesus, Fran. You buy stuff for yourself all the time using their money.”

“What stuff? I don’t buy anything for myself that isn’t a necessity. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I didn’t either; I took a chance I’d nail her on something, but it didn’t sound like Miss Goody-Goody was fibbing about it. I clammed up after that.

“Look, Brian,” she said in a softer tone. "I know it’s been tough. But we’ve got to be tough now. Yeah, we’ve been dealt a raw deal. But it’s time for you to get beyond it now and learn to be self-sufficient.”

She tried putting her hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off. I was angry at her, but I guess I was also angry at myself. She was right about things, but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of admitting it.

“I’m going up to my room,” I said, petulantly, and stormed off up the stairs. When I got inside, I slammed the door and laid down on my bed with my face in the pillow. And I started crying.

This surprised me. I hadn’t cried since that initial time when Fran told me Momma and Daddy were killed. I didn’t cry at the funeral or on top of Pilot Mountain when we spread their ashes. I guess I’d been keeping it bottled up, but it came pouring out of me now. My sorrow at their death, coupled with Fran’s pointing out how self-centered and immature I’d been, made me lose it. I cried and cried until I finally stopped after what felt like ages and just laid there.

The next thing I knew, I heard a pounding on the door and Fran’s voice saying, “Time to get up, Brian. We’ve got a workout to do before breakfast.”

What was this? I couldn’t believe it. I must have fallen asleep and slept through the night. It was still dark outside the window. I guess she was serious last night about that early morning workout. Man, I had to pee real bad, though. “Alright, I’ll be there in a minute!”

It was more like five minutes, but I eventually joined her in the family room downstairs. It was 6:00 AM. Fran had a 30-minute workout routine that she had learned at junior college, and she went through it with me. To say that I struggled would be a gross understatement. I was totally out of shape, and I was exhausted after only 10 minutes, but Fran kept urging me on. I was determined to show her I wasn’t a total wimp and kept going as best I could. It ended with pushups, and by that time, I could only do five before collapsing. I was unable to push myself up again.

Fran could see I’d had enough and told me to lie on my back and relax for five minutes to cool down while she continued to do pushups. When she reached 50, she lay on her back too and relaxed for five minutes to cool down.

We finally sat up. “Hey, you did alright for your first workout,” she said. “I know it was hard, but it gets easier when you continue to do it.”

“And I’ve gotta do this every day?”

“You can have tomorrow off to ease your aching muscles, but we’ll resume the following day. After a few every-other-days while you start to build up your muscles, then you can do it with me every day.”

“Jeez, I can hardly wait!”

“Hey, you’ll get so you look forward to it. It’s a great way to start the day. Gives you lots of energy. Now why don’t you go up and take a shower, and I will too. Then I’ll even make you breakfast.”

This became our morning routine, and after a few weeks, I had to admit she was right; I did have a lot more energy. We were exercising together daily, and I could feel myself getting stronger and replacing some of that fat with muscle.