Grounded On Juniper Island

Luckless Lior

The first lap had been completed and there was already a casualty. Lior had to retire early after falling face first into a bindi trap. The grazes on his face and the bindis sticking out from his cheeks were only minor compared the concussion that came with it. To make matters worse, Konnor thought it was a great idea to use him as a trampoline.

"Sucker", he taunted. His words were caught by the whirling winds in mid bounce. Somehow it managed to drift to his Father's ear, causing him to rush over to his son's sprawled out body. The lanky figure and withered blonde hair bent over Lior as if he was a weeping willow.

"Won't anyone help me?", pleaded Lior's father, Lynol Lieberg, scanning for helpful faces in the crowd. For Oleg, his plea spurred him into action

Oleg pushed through the few Bounders in front of him. When he made it to Lior he grabbed his forearm and dragged him through the dirt.

"You're a good boy, Oleg. We don't give you much credit," said Lynol slowly nodding to the ground moving beneath his feet.

While most of the crowd eyeballed the race in front of them, the commotion inspired a group of Bounders, who were a few metres away, to join in. The unofficial leader of the pack, Keenan, thought it was a good idea for them to all to carry him on his back. Lynol agreed and directed everyone through the crowd. The warmth of the crowd made the men sweat. The scent of mango and body odour hung in the air. Relief came in the form of a shadow of a palm tree.

At the trunk, Lior's mother Liza Lieberg sat sobbing at the sight of her unconscious son. Lynol, Oleg and the group of men dropped to their knees gently rolling Lior into her lap. She clutched her son whispering words into his ears. Lynol patted Keenan on the back; a thank you and a cue for them to carry on with their previous business. Oleg however stayed with the Liebergs. He thought it was only right to make sure the boy was okay.

"I told you it was a bad idea, but no you never listen to me," said Liza flaring her nostrils at Lynol. The hair she adorned fuzzed in different directions. Her blue eyes shot darts into his chest.

Lynol gulped. "Honey, the boy wanted to do us proud," he said with hesitation. Second guesses ran through his head. In his mind, the wisdom of any parent should never fail his children.

"You know he always makes us proud. What was the point Lynol? Are you trying to live you dreams through him too?" Oleg froze. He was too shocked to move from the confrontation at hand.

"No, I just want him to succeed. Is that too much to ask?",

Oleg cleared his throat. It was an attempt to break the awkwardness he found himself. "Can't we get along?", asked Oleg shaking his head. "Give the boy some peace."

"Oleg, you've proved your point," said Ivan, who had been standing from afar watching the whole ordeal unfold.

"Thought I would't notice, hey son?", said Ivan. The crumpled smile in corner of his mouth said it all; nothing gets past a larrikin.

Oleg looked at the ground pretending he didn't hear him.

Whether it was the time he ran off to Pineapple Lake for the weekend or when he tried to sail into the unknown, his father always knew. 

What an annoying habit, he thought.

"Come on, you promised you'd watch the Bound this year," said Ivan placing his palm on Olaf's back. He tried to shrug him off. It was no use. His sigh acknowledged his defeat.

Ivan nodded at Lynol and Liza. Oleg  gave an awkward smile.

"Send Lior my blessings," called Olaf over the roar of the crowd. He turned away and walked with father back to the Bound. It he had returned to was not what Oleg wanted to see.

 It was the sight of Kai leading the Bound. It inspired the majority of the crowd to turn into maniacal apes, hollering and hooting to an off beat.

He held his ears and squinted his eyes. The world around him turned into slow motion; drawn out and uninteresting, and above all the last thing he wanted. The claps of the crowd was hypnotic. A slow metronome made the ground swell at his feet.

It felt like it went for hours. In reality seconds passed. Gradually, he eased himself out of the surrealism.

"Dad, I was just making sure Lior was okay," said Oleg. The shrillness of his voice brought it to the sound of falsetto.

"Good one, as if you weren't planning to go elsewhere." Ivan paused for moment. He then slapped his thigh letting out a sarcastic laugh.

Oleg didn't answer. His feet powered on away from his Father. The crowd parted as he pushed through the mass of bodies. He caught sight of his Mother, who was clinging on the gate fixated on every movement of the Bounders.

Clasping his hands together around his mouth, Oleg called out to her. It caused her to bounce making her body flinch. When Ursula realised who it was her arms became outstretched begging for a hug.

Oleg rolled his eyes and lips. I loathe her affection

But the kindred spark inside of him, told him otherwise. Parental love. It made you feel queazy at times but at the end of the day he was lucky to have it.

Once Oleg  had reached her he squeezed her, lifting her into the air. Salty water smeared his shoulder. Oleg's biceps became tense trying to push his arm fat as he held her above him. Ursula looked down. The blue sky and radiant sun was a beautiful backdrop for the occasion. The underling of eyes were red, her nose brimming with mucus while her lips couldn't stop quivering.

"You promised me," she blubbered.

Oleg  looked away. The heat of his face could have branded him with the word GUILTY. He wanted to say sorry, but deep down he couldn't. Jane was special. She drove him to be even more disobedient to his kind hearted parents.

He never intended to hurt them, though there was a newfound calling at stake. Her name was Jane and he had to know more about her. His gut told him what he had to do.