Tree of Life

Book I Chapter 05

TREE OF LIFE BOOK I

CHAPTER 05

Everyday after school on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, Julian helped out Mr. Cohen, the science teacher, in the lab. A number of animals and class pets were kept there. The class had two hamsters named, Lucky and Sandy, and also three turtles and a new garter snake. Just this month, they were having a contest to see who could come up with the best name for the snake. Whenever it was Julian's turn to come into the lab, he would help clean out the hamster cages, changing out the litter and refilling the water bottles as necessary. He helped to feed the other animals too. Julian was good at it. He had a natural knack, Mr. Cohen had told him. There seemed to be an air of peace and calm that seemed to emanate from his presence, and it kept the animals quiet. Julian didn't know much about that. He just liked to play with them.

Today, after he shot a few hoops with his all-better ankle, Brian decided to join his friend and they trotted out to the lab together. When they got there, they found Mr. Cohen bent over one of the hamster cages, poking his nose through the bars and observing the resident therein.

Julian slipped the bag from his shoulder and let it fall off to one side. "So, how's Lucky doing?"

Over the last month, it became obvious that Lucky was sick. There was this hard lump growing out from the side of his belly. Well, he was getting on three years old, Mr. Cohen had said. It was probably just his time.

"He's about the same," said Mr. Cohen. "Not eating very much. Not moving around much at all. You want to hold him?" He glanced from one boy to the next.

Brian smiled and backed away.

Julian stepped up. Reaching in, he fished the little guy out, just one big ball of fur it seemed, all twitches and whiskers. He pet him a few times. "Isn't there anything we can do, Mr. Cohen?"

The science teacher shook his head. "Not unless you know how to cure cancer." He smiled. He ruffled Julian's hair. "Or maybe you do but you'd forgotten to bring it today?" He chuckled.

Brian's eyes went wide for a second. He rotated around so he had his back to the teacher. He made eyes at Julian.

Julian smiled and tried to shush Brian at the same time. He aimed his eyes toward the other end of the room, at the blackboard.

"Oh!" Brian took hold of Mr. Cohen's arm. "I just remembered! There is this...um...this...question, yes question! That...uh...I wanted to ask you about..."

Mr. Cohen bent his head and raised one eyebrow. "Like a...science question?"

"Yeah...that's it! A science question..." Brian began leading the teacher away from the cages and toward the blackboard.

As the other two moved away, Julian put the hamster back in its cage. He reached into his pocket and fished out the plastic bag with the twig in it. He made up some paste with water from the sink nearby. Retrieving the hamster from the cage, he applied the medicine to the animal's belly where the big bump was. All during this process, he kept his eyes on the other two at the blackboard end of the room and how their conversation was going.

Mr. Cohen pivoted and called out to Julian. "Aren't you done with Lucky's cage yet?" The teacher and Brian were finally making their way back over from the blackboard. Mr. Cohen had finished answering Brian's question, and just about every other question that Brian could think of, related to science and otherwise.

"Oh, yeah!" Julian hurried and placed the gooped up hamster back in its cage after he lathered on the last bit of the medicine. He tucked the creature back inside its wee ceramic house just to be sure.

Mr. Cohen bent and inspected the cage. "Where is he?"

Julian smiled widely. "He's resting." He pointed to the house.

The two boys hustled through the rest of their chores after that while Mr. Cohen went back to grading his papers. Though the boys' hands were busy, they kept a lookout all the while, just in case they needed to distract Mr. Cohen again because just now, the ceramic house had started to glow, like Lucky was watching TV inside.

Nearing the end of the clean-up session, Mr. Cohen came around and clapped his arms on the boys' shoulders. "So everything going okay at school? How're the bullies treating you?"

"We're fine!" The boys chimed in together. They grinned and showed all their teeth. Normally, Julian would have appreciated the attention. Mr. Cohen was a kind man and genuinely cared about them. This he knew. Today, however, he couldn't keep his eyes from darting back to the hamster cage every other second.

There came a knock at the door. A familiar face peered inside. "Julian?" It was Nicole.

Julian spun around to face the teacher. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Cohen! I almost forgot! I have this project I gotta do..."

"Oh right!" cried Brian. "Yeah...that...uh...project thing! Sorry, we gotta go!"

Mr. Cohen straightened up. He crossed his arms on his chest. "Is that right?"

"Yeah, sorry!" Julian gathered his things off the floor. "We gotta go! And thanks for answering his questions! And...see ya!"

They darted up to the door, and seizing Nicole by the hand, they rushed out into the hallway, leaving a frowning Mr. Cohen behind, reaching his hand up and scratching his head.

~~~

By the time the three had gone down the stairs and back onto the ground floor, they had slowed to a walk and Brian and Julian had finally let go of Nicole's hands. Julian did happen to hold it for just a little longer than necessary, but he didn't think she noticed.

"So what were we running for?" She brushed a stray lock of hair from her face.

Julian frowned. "Well...we...what are you doing here, anyway?"

She stopped walking. "I was looking for you two."

The boys stopped too. "Us? Why?"

"It's that stupid health project."

"Health project?"

Health project. The one that was assigned earlier this week by Mr. Arrigo, their Gym teacher. The students had been paired up and were supposed to write a report, complete with diagrams, on different aspects and features of the human musculoskeletal system. Julian and Brian had been tasked with explaining the similarities and differences between the three different kinds of muscle cells-cardiac, skeletal and smooth. It was due in two days. As it turned out, Nicole's partner, Jennifer, has been sick all week and now Nicole had no one to do her project with. She went to ask Mr. Arrigo and he told her to join Julian and Brian and work as a group of three.

Julian blinked a few times. He swallowed. "Uh..."

The fact that Julian had a thing for Nicole was ancient history between the two boys. I mean, what else was new? It's like Julian has been drooling at her ever since he knew how to drool. Ha! Brian teased him about it all the time. It's a wonder that Nicole has so far not caught on yet. Or the whole class for that matter. Just now, Brian had eased in behind Nicole and was making eyes at Julian behind her back.

"So," Nicole said. "When do you two want to work on it?"

Julian blinked. He swallowed again. "Uh..."

"How about right now? 'Cause I've got this other thing..."

"Oh!" Brian zipped over to Julian's side and gave him an elbow jab. He coughed. "Right now's no good for me. I have to go home right away, and..."

Julian turned to him. "But..."

"I know!" Brian's eyes brightened. "Why don't the two of you go off to the library without me, and I'll catch up on what you got tomorrow and we'll go from there?"

"But..."

Brian pulled Julian close. "This time, you really owe me one, big guy." He slapped his buddy on the shoulder and headed down the hall before Julian could stop him. "I'll see you two tomorrow!" As he turned around and sped away he added just barely loud enough for them to hear, "Behave...!"

Julian turned to Nicole. He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. He motioned in the direction of the library. "Shall we?"