Will of Man - Part Two Read Free Page B

Tyson.
     
     
    Tyler’s Journal Entry: 278
    Date: October 31
    Day: Friday
    Weather: Cool
    Days since the LAST DAY: 1 year, 5 months, 30 days
     
     
    Today was Halloween. It started off great. Mom made Tanner and I costumes. Tanner was a zombie baseball player and I was a zombie farmer. Mom made homemade candies, and Dad made his specialty – caramel corn balls.
     
    Everyone from the community joined in the center of town and waited for the church bells to signal the beginning of Halloween. At six o’clock the bells rang and we set out.
     
    Mom and Dad decided Tanner and I were old enough to walk the town ourselves. Besides, the two of us joined forces with our friends and made a candy hunting posse. We had a great time.
     
    People in the community went all out and really showed us kids a great time. I think Halloween is better now than before the LAST DAY. Maybe because people have more time or they just want to bring back the memories of better times. Either way, it was great!
     
    However, when we returned to meet Mom and Dad at the local park, we found Dad in big trouble. He was surrounded by the three men who earlier in the year trespassed on our property. Apparently they remembered Dad and wanted to harass him for giving them trouble.
     
    I was scared for Dad. He’s too nice of a guy and avoids trouble when he can. The three men were obviously drunk and looking to give my Dad trouble. They were calling my dad a coward for calling for help that day. Saying a real man would have dealt with them alone.
     
    They were teasing him, saying there’s no flare gun now. And asking him what he was going to do with no flare gun to signal for help.
     
    My mom was scared and was telling the men to leave my dad alone. My Dad told her to go find us and head to Kendrick’s house in town. Dad was standing his ground but looked worried. I think he was more worried about Mom than himself.
     
    The men were walking in circles around Dad like sharks circling their prey. My Dad just stared at Mom making sure no one touched her. One guy threw an empty beer can at my Dad and hit him in the back of the head. My Dad didn’t take his eyes off Mom.
     
    Dad kept telling Mom to find us. But Mom wouldn’t leave him and kept yelling at the three men. I ran to Mom and told her we were there and that we could go.
     
    Dad saw that Mom had us and he began to walk towards us and out of the three men’s circle. The big one named Tyson jumped in front of Dad and pushed him back. That guy was big and mean looking.
     
    Dad said “I’m leaving now. Find someone else to bother.” But the man wouldn’t let Dad leave. Mom yelled at the man and the man turned to Mom and told her in a very impolite way to shut up.
     
    I guess Dad had enough (remember, he was a really good boxer in his youth), because when the man turned around, Dad let him have it. Dad always said, “In a street fight, you hit hard and fast and you don’t let up until the other man gives up or can’t fight anymore.” 
     
    And that’s what he did. I knew Dad had some skills back in the day, but he was moving like I’d never seen him move before.
     
    BAM! BAM! BAM! He hit that guy so fast and hard and so much I thought he killed the guy. The guy would fall down, and every time he’d try to get up, Dad would lay into him again.
     
    Then the other two grabbed Dad from behind.
     
    I don’t know if they were trying to pull Dad off or wanted to take their turns, but Dad let them have it too. He grabbed one by the shoulders and pushed him back against the side of a shed and just started swinging away.
     
    His hands were moving so fast, I could barely see them. When the man tried to swing, Dad would duck and weave then pop back up and start pounding away again. It was amazing!
     
    By the time Dad was done with the second guy, the third wanted nothing to do with Dad. He held his arms up and backed away as fast as he could.
     
    Dad had a look of determination. Nothing was