Sunday Scribblings - Prompt # 11

PROMPT

Write a short scene in which one character reduces another to uncontrollable sobs without touching him or speaking.

Eric slammed his fist angrily into the wall of the court house. This was crap and that judge knew it as he banged his gavel down in judgement of Eric. It was just a stupid hazing ritual that he and his frat brother's had done a hundred times without incident, until now. One of the new recruits ended up in the hospital from alcohol poisoning, so Eric, Tim and Ryan were being held responsible.

They had all three come from privileged families with top notch attorneys. Tim and Ryan got community service but Eric's adopted dad had their family lawyer draw up a special sentence request for Eric. They requested that Eric spend Christmas break with a local church group going to the Republic of Panama. The judge was more than pleased to comply but Eric felt betrayed and confused by his dad's actions.

Eric's dad calmly followed behind, waiting for him to calm down. As Eric turned back towards his dad he gave him a look that demanded an explanation. His dad took him aside to a near by bench and said "son this is not a punishment it's a gift." "Gift?" Eric shouted, "how is this nightmare a gift?" His dad gave him a one arm squeeze and replied "lets go home son." Eric knew by his dad's demeanor that this conversation was over.

Eric had been told he would be building a school and that is something he knew he could do. He had helped his dad build their hunting cabin. It was the thought of missing Christmas dinner and all of the festivities with his family. He was hoping to join his friend's in Aspen for some skiing. He simply could not understand the cruelty of this plan. Deep down he felt frightened for the first time in years as he said goodbye to his family. They acted as if he was going off to spring break for god's sake.

Tired and dusty Eric awoke from his seat on the rickety bus. There was a hot breeze blowing through the windowless bus as Eric gulped from his water bottle. He hid behind his shades as they entered the village. The smell was foul enough to make him raise the neck of his t-shirt over his nose and mouth. It was the eye's of the children running along side the bus that made him lower his glasses and take notice of the village.

Stepping into the crowd of begging children he had remembered the pain of hunger from the look in their eye's. He was too young to remember the village before he was taken away, but he had a few memories of his mother's face. He was told that he was found wandering the streets hungry, after his mother had died, when they found him. He tried to mentally see his life living in this village but it was impossible to imagine. As he moved about the village he realized what his dad had meant. This was a way to give back to his people and appreciate all he had been given.

He fell to his knees sobbing uncontrollably that his dad would give him such a gift.


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