STOIC

THREE

EMMERSON

Emmerson 5

Stoic 10

DAY OF EMMERSON’S BIRTHDAY

“Don’t do far, and remember to be back home early.” I heard Daddy scream at me as I ran full speed into the woods. No one would stop me, not my brothers, not Stoic. I would climb all the trees I could and jump headfirst into the river.

As I arrived at my favorite spot, I saw my old friends playing. Noah, Mason, and Oliver used to play with me every day, but that was before Stupid Face got angry at me for not doing my homework and slammed down two of them on the ground at once. Now, they ran away every time they saw me.

I approached them with my hands up, “I come in peace.”

The three of them stopped what they were doing, eyes landing on me and immediately after, desperately looking around and behind me. I knew what they were looking for, the devil’s shadow.

“Can I play with you guys? Pretty please!”

“No, go away!” Oliver shouted.

“Yeah, go away, or Stoic will kill us,” Mason added.

“He won’t ’cause he doesn’t know where I am. Please,” I pleaded, putting my hands together and begging.

“No way, I don’t want to die,” Noah said.

“No, I promise. He won’t find us.”

Why wouldn’t they believe me?

“Yes, he will! The Dokken always finds you. No! No! And no!” Mason screamed in my face.

Well, that was not necessary.

“No, he won’t,” I screamed back at him, emphasizing every word. “The Dokken” sounded like a mythical monster’s name. Pretty appropriate, I gave them that.

Noah raised a hand with a smirk on his face as if to say, “I got it!”

“Okay, we will let you play with us, but only if you accept our dare.”

“OK, fair. Go ahead, tell me, what do I have to do?” Yes! I had a chance! I stood tall with my hands on my hips.

The three of them gathered in a circle and talked in a low voice. After a minute or so, Noah walked forward.

“We dare you to climb that tree and bring the sparrow’s nest down with you.” He pointed at the very top of the tallest tree.

“Done!” I said, full of confidence, not even looking up at my destination. I rolled my sleeves up and pushed my hair back, but it bounced back in my face. I could do this. Taking decisive steps, I walked my tiny feet to the tree.

“She’s not gonna do it. She’s scared. What a baby.” The little jerks joked around.

Let’s see who would be laughing after I got that nest.

Looking up, I didn’t feel as confident anymore, but I wouldn’t show them. I decided to do honor to my name and be brave.

I started climbing the tree and soon realized that the task was going to be more difficult than it seemed. It had rained in the morning, and the tree bark was damp and slippery. Refusing to give up, I kept climbing. After getting halfway up the tree, I lost all confidence, and I was not even sure if I knew how to climb down.

“You’re not gonna make it, you loser.” They mocked me, and I knew they were right. I was stuck.

The three boys were so distracted laughing and making fun of me that they didn’t notice Stoic getting closer to them.

Who was the loser now?

“Where the f**k is Emmerson?” his voice boomed. The three kids instantly shat their pants. They tried to run for it, but it was too late—there was no escaping him now. Before they could run, Stoic had one by the neck and the other two by their shirts.

He was angry. When I heard the harshness of his voice, I knew I was in for a whole lot of trouble. I looked down, and I saw my frightened friends trying to get out of The Dokken’s claws.

My foot slipped, and I let out a high pitch scream as I held on for dear life.

“Emmerson,” he said softly. Stoic dropped them all when he saw me. He didn’t even look at them. As soon as they hit the ground, they all ran.

“Don’t move. I’ll get you. Don’t move, Emmerson. Hold on.”

It must have been just a matter of seconds before I felt Stoic’s hand grab my arm.

How did he get up here so fast?

“Hold on to me, Emmerson.” He pulled me toward him. And for the first time in years, I was so happy to see his stupid face that I hugged him. He hugged me back so hard it almost hurt.

“Hold on.” He put me on his back, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Hold on tight.”

I wrapped my legs around his torso.

“Don’t be afraid, Emmy.”

I wasn’t.

Stoic climbed down the tree with me on his back. I could tell it was tricky, but he did it. I got to say, Stoic was strong and talented, but only for the physical stuff. Lucky him.

Once we were on the ground, he put me down, and I waited for the screams. I closed my eyes, flinched, and waited… but nothing. I opened one eye, but Stoic was just looking at me. Serious. Frowning. He pulled my right arm up and looked at it. He pulled my left arm up and looked at it. He dusted my pants and turned me around.

“Are you hurt?” He sounded angry, but once again, he always was.

Was he worried?

“No,” I said softly.

“Good.”

Silence.

Stoic just sat on the ground right in front of me. After what felt like minutes of silence, Stoic took a deep breath and stood up. I then saw the ugly red bleeding scratches he had on his arms. I felt bad.

“Come,” he commanded, and I followed. No questions asked.

I thought Stoic would take me home and tell on me, but no, instead, he walked us to the river. Near our home, there was a beautiful river with a sandy beach and a waterfall. I loved the sound of the water falling hard against the rocks.

Stoic signaled for me to come closer. He started cleaning his arms in the river, and I carefully walked to him.

After two minutes of silence, I decided to speak, “Don’t tell Dad.”

“I won’t.”

“I’ll never do it again.”

He nodded his head and kept cleaning his arms.

I sat there looking around, completely absorbed by the scenery when I felt Stoic grabbing me and then throwing me in the water.

“That’s what you get for not listening.”

I jumped and gasped for air. Stoic was there at the rocks, looking at me with that serious face of his again. The cool water felt great. Ha, if he only knew! This was not a punishment for me. I’d been wanting to swim in the river for a long time now. I giggled, he was so dumb. I was like a literal fish in the water. I loved it!

Stoic sat on a rock, “Don’t swim too far.”

“What if I do?” I said with a bratty voice. I liked bothering him. Stupid Face got angry fast.

Stoic jumped in the water with me and made a huge splash. “Swim, Emmy, or I’ll get you.”

I squealed and started swimming as fast as I could. There was no way I would let the monster catch me. I screamed and swam even faster, and I was gaining some distance when Stoic caught me. He held me like a football and walked me back to the shore. I kicked and splashed the water with my arms and legs all along the way. I didn’t want to go. Stupid Stoic always ruined the fun.

“We need to go back.” He made me stand on the shore, squeezed my shirt a little, and tried to pull my hair back and off my face.

“Emmy, a hill or a valley?”

What? Another stupid question.

Stoic had the habit of making up nonsense questions, and he never explained why he asked them after I answered.

“A hill?” I voiced as a question more than an answer, and he nodded.

He put me on his back and carried me back home just in time for my birthday dinner. My mom helped me change my clothes, and once I was clean and dry, I joined my brothers in the backyard. The table was set, and Daddy and Uncle Erik were barbecuing.

Stoic arrived moments later with a box in his hands.

Oh no! Not another ugly monster doll.

He put the box down and went to play with Kenzo.

I ran after Ethan and played with him until Mom called us all to the table. Dad put a candle on a cornbread muffin, and everyone started singing “Happy Birthday” to me.

“Make a wish!” I heard Auntie Ida say.

I closed my eyes, thinking hard about what to wish for. There was only one thing I wanted, for Stoic’s scars to heal. It was my fault, after all.

I opened my eyes, filled up my cheeks, and blew an exaggerated amount of air onto the candle. My family clapped, and Ethan rushed to me with three boxes of gifts.

The first was from my uncle and auntie. They gave me a music box that had the most beautiful melody. I ran and hugged them both before returning to open the rest of my presents. The second gift was from my family, a fishing pole. I loved it! I couldn’t wait to learn how to fish! I hugged the fishing pole and kissed it. The third was Stoic’s.

I was ready to see an ugly doll, but instead, there was a dress inside the box. I lifted the thing with a confused expression on my face. The dress was green and simple. It looked more like a long sleeveless shirt than anything else.

“I don’t want to wear a dress!”

“Emmerson! Don’t be like that. Say thank you,” my mom said, giving Stoic a reassuring nod.

“I don’t want a dress. I want a sword!” I didn’t want a sword, but that was beside the point. I didn’t want to dress like a girl. Girls were boring.

“You need to start acting like a girl, Emmerson, not a savage little animal,” Stoic said in a low voice.

What did that mean? Was he crazy? Had he lost it?

I shot my meanest glare at him.

How dare he?

“You’re stupid,” I said, stomping my feet.

“Dumb,” he said in between his clenched teeth, but loud enough for all to hear. Stoic was not even looking my way; his eyes were fixed on the distance.

“And you’re an ugly poop,” I screamed, the worst insult I could think of.

“Clueless ignorant,” he murmured, keeping his blue eyes away from mine, which made me angrier.

Dad coughed, “OK, kiddos, let’s not fight.”

“But I don’t want to dress like a girl.” I was not going to let this go.

“One day, you’ll be a woman, Emmerson, and there are girl things you might want to learn,” my father said. “Why not give it a try?” he asked.

With those cute, sweet green eyes of his, how could I say no?

I pretended to be thinking for a few seconds. “OK, I’ll try, but if I don’t like it, I’m not wearing a dress ever again in my life.”

“Deal. Except for your wedding, OK?”

“OK.”

You won, for now, Stoic.