Episode 3: Tragedy Part 1

Nicholas and his little gang got to a little motel and decided to rest for the day, they have been traveling for a while and the scorching heat just wasn't making it easier.

"We could have just used the train." Adrian uttered he was so exhausted from the heat.

"Well, I want to explore and see the world, a train will just keep on heading straight and it is no fun." Cole his cousin retorted.

"Besides, there is no money to spare on traveling through sea or railroad and Breezy needs the exercise." Nicholas conveyed.

"Also, you'll never know what beautiful thing we might find on the way." Cole retorted.

"Yeah."

They got to a room and everyone sat on their beds, Nicholas ordered for some food and they ate.

After that Nicholas brought out the necklace and kept looking at it's crest, he had no idea what it means. So he does all he can to memorize it and kept it back in it's original place, and slept off.

These were three good looking men, who decided to take on a journey together no matter what they may encounter.

One would wonder who they were and why they became a gang, but life has thrown so many problems on them but they are determined to continue living through it all.

FOUR YEARS AGO.

"Breezy stop throwing away the carrots, they are costly you know. I used up my little savings to get you those."

*Breezy neighs*

"I know, it isn't enough but at least try to eat, I don't have enough savings for apples which are your favorite, but if mum comes from the market, she might have one for you, until then just eat."

Breezy must have understood what it's owner said and began eating the carrots.

"Good boy..." He uttered as he pats his only friend.

*Breezy snorts*

That was Nicholas Stetson in the fields or at least back of his family's house tending to his personal horse and friend, Breezy.

They were inseparable, ever since he found it in the forest alone and took it home with him they've never been apart.

Nicholas Stetson is a sixteen year old young boy, he looks identical to his mother Iris, his eyes were like hers, blue.

That is something he was grateful for, he might have committed suicide if he had looked any different.

"Nick, I am home." Iris announced.

Nicholas heard his mother's voice and quickly patted his horse Breezy and ran back towards the house.

"Mother, welcome home, how was the market today?" Nicholas inquired.

"It was okay, I sold a lot, and made a lot of profit, and here, look what I brought home for you, some apples... so you could give them to Breezy." Iris conveyed making little Nicholas jump up with excitement.

He ran towards her and gave her a warm hug saying,

"Oh mother you are the best, I love you so much."

"I love you more son." Iris retorted smiling at her boy who has grown up so much.

"What can I help you with mother?" Nicholas inquired.

"Let's quickly chop the vegetables and make dinner, before your father returns home." Iris stated.

"*Sighs* Okay."

At the mention of his father, Nicholas felt a little bit upset, somehow he dislikes his father for something he always does every evening.

"Hey, what's with the facial appearance? He is still your father, no matter what."

"*Sigh* okay, mother, I will chop the vegetables."

He brought out the veggies and began chopping them while his mother Iris got to work with making dinner.

Somehow Nicholas dreaded tonight, it would have been fine if it was just him and his mother.

Sometimes he wished his father was dead.

They lived peacefully during the day but at night, it was a whole different story.

Nicholas' father, Rick Stetson was a drunkard, he was a gambler and does lots of despicable things.

One of those despicable and unethical things he does was raising his hands on his wife, whenever he got drunk and tonight was no exception.

"Nicholas, dinner is ready, come eat before your dad comes back." Iris called out.

"What about you mother? Won't you eat with me?" Nicholas asked innocently.

"He might get upset that we ate without him, so go on and eat, I will wait for him." Iris answered.

"Okay mother."

Nicholas ate hurriedly and went to his room, hours later his father got back home.

A tall man holding a big bottle of whiskey staggers towards an apartment, he looks around and found his wife sitting down unconcerned about him.

He mumbles some gibberish words, giving sign that he was home.

"Father is back, oh Lord, I pray he doesn't hurt mom again." Nicholas muttered in his room.

"Iris, get over here, where is my dinner?" He hollered.

"I have been waiting for you, here is your dinner." Iris said kindly.

"I told you not to ever serve me like that, you should sit with me while I eat." He yelled yet again.

"I am sorry, I will sit with you." Iris apologized even when she did nothing wrong just to avoid any problems.

"Stupid, I don't even know what I saw in you wench." He mumbled.

He began eating and as his spoon fell from his hand, he turned towards his wife and began to hit her, blaming her for the spoon that fell, that she was at fault.

He couldn't be reasoned with, at all. Even when he beats and hits his wife mercilessly, Iris never for once raised her hand on him.

She loved Rick a lot and besides, the next day he'd apologize for everything.

This continued for years, it became a norm that whenever he goes to work, he comes home drunk and vents on his wife.

Iris has always been patient with him, they were after all married and in those times, leaving your husband was considered adultery and those who did that were termed outcasts and sneered at by the community.

Nicholas and his family lived in Redwood City, and had some very prying neighbors but when it comes to when Rick hits his wife, no one comes to her rescue.

Some blamed Iris for putting up with her husband, others supported her, yet others were indifferent.

Most times Nicholas was always alone, he used to have a childhood friend but she left years ago, so he was left with just Breezy and his mother.

But even that was going to change as well.

On one unfaithful night, when Nicholas was asleep, his mother had just put him to bed after waiting for hours for her husband.

He didn't come home at his usual time.

So Iris waited till 11:00 P.M that night, while she was about to close her eyes and fall asleep on the couch, the door opened and there he was, the man she had been waiting for.

"What took you so long?" She asked.

"Get out of my way, scram." Rick snarled and brushed past her, he was half drunk not dead drunk that night.

So when he brushed past Iris, she perceived a woman perfume.

She couldn't let this slide, she was done with being the kind, patient and foolish wife, she just couldn't keep it in so she yelled out,

"You were out all night flirting with some bitch while I am here waiting patiently for you to return home? You must have some nerves, what do you take me for?"

"Iris, now is not the time for this, I am tired." Rick Stetson immediately said.

"Why wouldn't you be? Of course you should be, besides, you had some fling with some women at the beer joint on your way home." Iris retorted.

"And so what if I did? I wanted to explore, is there anything wrong with that?" Rick asked with no ounce of guilt in his voice.

Hearing this Iris got so upset, this was the last straw, she was done with him.

"Fine then, you do what you have to do. I will no longer be here to watch this attitude of yours, I have had enough of you, you bastard." She hollered.

"What did you just call me?" Rick asked to be certain he didn't imagine it.

"A bastard, a coward and everything your loosed ass will ever be." Iris bluntly said.

Rick got very upset and gave Iris a resounding slap on her cheek.

Meanwhile Nicholas has woken up and heard his mother raise her voice against his father for the first time.

So he quickly sprang up from his bed and ran to the sitting room.

Only to find his mother on the floor holding her cheek and his father on top of her, punching her with no hope of stopping.

This got Nicholas upset, he rushed towards his father with a plank and hit him as hard as he could but there is only a little a teenager could do.

Rick left his wife and faced his son and for the first time punched him on his head.

"No... you, leave him alone, you coward, let him go." Iris tries to stop the hitting.