Joshua Beacon's Adventures in the Parallel Universe Read online

  Joshua Beacon’s Adventures in the Parallel Universe

  D. R. Schmoo

  Dedication

  I dedicate this book to God for giving me the gift of writing. And to my family, who have supported me, believed in me, and encouraged me.

  CHAPTER 1

  Wham! A big, meaty hand hit the open bookbag in Joshua Beacon’s hand.

  Splat! All of his papers, books and supplies hit the floor and scattered everywhere.

  Cha-ching… all of the quarters, dimes, and nickels his mom gave him for the vending machine bounced and tumbled out of sight.

  “Ha-ha-ha-ha!” The sound of laughter seemed to go on forever and ever as Joshua scrambled to pick up his belongings before they got trampled.

  As he was gathering his things, he thought that he noticed a few sympathetic expressions, but no one dared to help him. Even if they felt sorry for him, they were afraid to show it. There was an unwritten rule at Dill Emma Elementary School. If Jimmy Gates had an enemy, that person had no choice but to say that he was their enemy too.

  Although Jimmy had only moved to the area a year ago, he had everyone in the fifth grade under his control. He was a husky Irish boy with flaming red hair that stuck straight up into the air, a super long chin, and a face full of freckles. Jimmy was about a head taller than all the other fifth graders. Joshua had overheard someone say that he had failed the second grade…twice. But no one dared to ask him about it for fear of getting on his bad side.

  Jimmy was very smart and very sneaky. He knew just how to act to make adults believe that he was harmless. However, when their backs were turned, Jimmy turned into the worse bully in the school. Although he barely got passing grades, Jimmy could have easily used his brain instead of his fists and earned mostly A’s and B’s. But for some reason, he refused to apply himself when it came to academics. Instead, he targeted certain students for his reign of terror and used his smarts to create many ways to hurt them.

  Joshua’s torment started when Mr. Miller, the science teacher, had called upon Jimmy to answer a question about the kingdom of Monera and what two categories it was divided into.

  Unfortunately for Jimmy, Mr. Miller was known to be pretty tough and an old school type of adult. If a student failed to answer a direct question, he usually made them write the answer on the blackboard five times and they got a point deducted from their class participation grade. When Jimmy couldn’t come up with the answer, Mr. Miller told him to go to the front of the room and wait by the blackboard.

  Unfortunately, Joshua needed the five extra points that class participation would give him to bring his grade up from a C- to a C. His parents would hit the roof if he brought home anything less than a C. So, when Mr. Miller asked him to answer the question, he felt that he didn’t have any other choice, than to answer it. The end of the grading period was less than two weeks away. It was unlikely that there was going to be many more opportunities for Joshua to bring his grade up.

  “Monera is a kingdom of organisms that has two domains: Archaea and Bacteria. The third domain is Eukarya.” Joshua replied.

  “Very good, Joshua! If you know how, please spell those words for Jimmy so that he can write the correct answer on the board.”

  It didn’t seem possible, but Jimmy’s face got even redder when the teacher made that comment. He swung his gaze from Mr. Miller to Joshua and gave him such a death stare that Joshua felt like he was going to melt into the floor!

  From that moment on, Jimmy decided that Joshua was his enemy. He thought that Joshua was a smarty pants nerd that had purposely showed off so that Jimmy would be embarrassed in front of the class.

  Nothing could have been further from the truth. Joshua was afraid of speaking in front of people. He hated being the center of attention and he certainly didn’t enjoy embarrassing anyone. He knew what it felt like to be singled out for ridicule. It hurt…it really hurt. If he had known that answering the question would have caused Jimmy to target him, he would have risked Mr. Miller’s disapproval, forfeited the possibility of improving his grade, and kept his mouth shut.

  From that point on, Jimmy seemed to get a great deal of pleasure from making Joshua’s life miserable. The bigger boy had put “kick me” signs on his back, a stink bug in his backpack, crazy glue on the handle of his locker and accidentally on purpose knocked his lunch tray out of his hand.

  Jimmy was smart enough to not to get caught because the principal had held more than one school assembly about bullying and what would happen to the students who did it. The consequences wouldn’t be pretty.

  Joshua was usually on guard because he knew that he could expect just about anything from Jimmy. However, his mind was on a project he was working on for his mom and dad’s anniversary next week. Joshua wanted to do something special for them because their family had been having some especially hard times.

  Money was tight. Once, Joshua had overheard his parents arguing about it when they thought that he was asleep. Joshua’s dad, who was a carpenter by trade, hadn’t been able to work very much because he had hurt his back when he slipped on an ice patch two years ago. Joshua’s mom began working as a seamstress to help pay the family’s bills, but she was only able to find part-time work at a bridal shop.

  Before he knew what was going on with the family’s finances, Joshua had begged his parents for a pure-bred German Shepard. That breed of dog was expensive because they were so smart and easy to train. But Joshua figured that since it was just the three of them in the family, his parents could afford it. When he overheard them arguing about money, he felt guilty for asking for a pet.

  Until that time, he hadn’t thought about how much things cost. He just always assumed that his mom and dad had money for everything. Once he found out that this was not the case, he started to become more considerate. He stopped asking them for a German Shepard and tried to forget about how badly he wanted a dog.

  So, when his parents had surprised him by going to the local rescue agency and adopting a dog for his tenth birthday, nearly a year ago, he was incredibly happy. But a little part of him felt sad because he knew that they really didn’t have the money. So, he decided to do something nice for them to show his appreciation.

  Joshua was a really good artist… everyone said so. When he was in third grade, his drawings of horses had been so good that the art teacher had put it in the display case by the principal’s office.

  Joshua didn’t have money to purchase a gift. He and his parents had made an agreement. The money that he would be getting for an allowance would go towards purchasing the things his dog needed. He was more than happy to say yes to that. Having a dog was definitely worth never having any extra money to spend!

  So, Joshua decided to paint a picture for his parents to show them that he was thankful. He was using a copy of a photo of his parents that was taken the year before he was born as a guide. It was his favorite picture of them. They looked so happy! Joshua had been secretly working on the project for a long time. It was almost finished.

  He had been thinking about how happy his mom and dad were going to be when he gave it to them when Jimmy had knocked his bookbag out of his hands. Joshua sighed. He should have checked to see where the bully was instead of daydreaming. But as least he had avoided any injuries this time. The last time Jimmy knocked his tray out of his hand, Joshua had slipped on the chocolate pudding he had selected for dessert and bruised his right knee. It was stiff and swollen for four days. He had to pretend that it didn’t hurt so that no one became curious and started asking questions.
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  Joshua’s heart raced as he hurried to pick up his stuff. If he was late for class, he wouldn’t be able say that Jimmy was responsible. Even the thought of trying to explain things was too horrible to imagine. Since he didn’t have much time, Joshua decided to stop searching for the money his mom gave him. Instead, after hastily checking to make sure that he had everything else, as he rushed down the hall towards Mrs. Seibert’s room for social studies.

  Jimmy and his boys were a few feet ahead of him as he approached the room. Joshua felt someone bump into him and the next thing he knew, he had tripped and landed smack dab into Jimmy’s back. Almost in slow motion, he watched Jimmy’s books, papers, and pencils fly out of his hands. They went one direction and Jimmy went the other.

  Joshua was frozen to the spot in fear. His whole body began to shake, sweat popped out on his forehead and his eyes grew as round as saucers as he watched the bigger boy slowly get to his feet.

  “You are so dead! No one pushes me down… especially a little pipsqueak like you! Get ready to die, loser!” Jimmy was careful to issue the threat in a voice so low that it was almost a whisper. He made sure that none of the adults in the area could hear him. But the angry scowl on his face showed Joshua that he meant every word!

  “But…but…” Words failed him. Even if he wasn’t terrified to talk to Jimmy, what could he say? He didn’t know who bumped into him and even if he did, Jimmy probably wouldn’t believe it. Joshua sighed with acceptance and sadness. He knew that Jimmy couldn’t beat him up now because there were too many adults around. But he also knew that it was just a matter of time before the bully made good on his promise.

  ▬

  The rest of the day passed in a blur. As he walked home, Joshua thought about how much he hated going to school. It wasn’t that he hated school. As a matter of fact, Joshua liked learning about new things. The problem with school was that Jimmy Gates was there. As hard as he tried, he just couldn’t figure out what it was that made Jimmy pick on him.

  After briefly greeting his mom, Joshua went straight upstairs to his room. He didn’t even go see his dog, Warrior. His mind was too troubled. He shut the door and stood in front of his dresser and gazed at his reflection in the mirror.

  The boy that gazed back at him was just an average kid. He was about the same height and weight as most of the boys in his class. His pecan brown skin was smooth and unblemished. His slightly wavy black hair was cut into a box cut, which highlighted his dark brown eyes and high cheekbones.

  A long time ago, his mom had showed him a picture of his great-great-great grandfather Matthias, who was born a slave. Except for the fact that Joshua’s skin was a lighter tone, the resemblance between them was remarkable. So, although Joshua didn’t see anything spectacular about his looks, he was proud of the fact that he looked like one of his ancestors. Some people even said that he was ‘cute,’ but he hated that word. It reminded him of something that someone would say to describe a baby.

  So, what was it that made Jimmy pick on him? Joshua didn’t think that it was because he was African American since Jimmy had several friends that were Black. But the answer to that puzzling question would have to wait because at that moment, Joshua heard his mother calling him.

  “Joshua! Joshua! Don’t you hear Warrior barking? You wanted a pet. Make him quit yapping! He’s giving me a headache!”

  “Sorry, mom!” Joshua replied, as he hurriedly scampered down the stairs. Warrior had been acting strangely for the last few days. It wasn’t like him to make so much noise.

  As Joshua approached Warrior’s dog run, he noticed two things. Warrior’s water bowl was empty, and his food dish hadn’t been touched.

  Worry about his pet’s lack of appetite caused a deep frown to mar Joshua’s face. He knelt down beside Warrior and stroked the animal’s soft fur. Warrior was a mutt, but it was easy to see that he had traces of Golden Retriever and Labrador in his blood line. His entire body was a deep golden color, except for a white star shaped spot right above his eyes and on the tips of his front paws.

  Joshua’s eyes gleamed with joy. He loved being a pet owner and he took his responsibilities very seriously. He gave Warrior a bath once a week and brushed his furry coat until it shone. Each day, he carefully measured two cups of dog food and two cups of water and poured them into Warrior’s shiny red bowls. While the dog finished his meal, Joshua usually did his chores and his homework. That way, he had more time to spend playing with his pet. He knew how important it was for Warrior to get exercise. Besides that, it was fun!

  Joshua made a mental note to conduct some research about things that could make a dog lose his appetite. But he had to wait until his parents were in the living room to use the family’s old-fashioned, desktop computer.

  Mr. and Mrs. Beacon were very firm about monitoring Joshua’s internet use. Joshua sighed inwardly. He had to be the only kid in his class that didn’t have a cell phone, tablet, laptop or even a social media account of his own. As badly as he wanted to be liked and accepted by the other kids and have his own electronic devices, he knew that there was nothing he could do to convince his parents to allow him to have them…even if they could afford it. But who was he kidding? Even if his parents allowed him to have those things, he didn’t have any friends to connect with anyway.

  His parents were adamant that the discussion about allowing him to have certain media devices and electronic privileges had to wait until he was thirteen. They said that they wanted to make sure that outside influences didn’t impact the values they wanted him to live by. Joshua wasn’t exactly sure what that meant. But he had learned at a young age that some battles were not worth fighting. The most important battle that he had won was getting a pet.

  Since Mom was allergic to dogs, Warrior had to sleep in his doghouse during the spring, summer, and fall. Joshua and his dad had built a spacious doghouse with a fifteen-foot dog run at the edge of the back yard. When the South Dakota weather became too cold for Warrior to stay outside, Mr. Beacon had built a cage in the garage for him to sleep in.

  “Hey boy, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you eating? Are you sick?” Joshua said softly as he patted Warrior’s head. The dog looked up at him with soulful eyes and whimpered.

  Joshua scooped up a handful of kibbles and offered them to Warrior. Immediately, the dog devoured the food and licked Joshua’s hand, as if asking for more.

  “Oh, I get it. You’re lonely. I know that I haven’t spent a lot of time with you in the past few days, but Mrs. Dawton expects me to finish that book report by Friday. I only have one more day and it’s not going well.” Joshua hand fed the rest of the dog food to his pet. He was relieved to see that Warrior just wanted some TLC (tender loving care).

  Mrs. Dawton’s assignment was just going to have to wait. After all, Warrior was his friend… his only friend. And taking care of a friend was more important than worrying about a stupid English assignment.

  As soon as Warrior finished the last of his food, Joshua grabbed his leash and secured it. “Hey Dad! I’m going to take Warrior for a walk down by the stream!” He yelled as he passed his father’s woodshop located next to the garage.

  “Okay son. But remember that your mom will be finished cooking in about a half hour. We expect you to be back on time so that we can eat dinner together.”

  Before his dad changed his mind, Joshua ran quickly out of the yard and down the well-trodden path that led to the cluster of Ponderosa pine trees behind his house. Through the gaps between the trunks of the trees, the Black Hills could be seen in the far distance. As soon as his house was out of sight, Joshua undid Warrior’s leash and let him run free.

  The boy and his dog ran joyously down the path. The combination of mountains, prairie and hilly terrain created an atmosphere that invited wildlife. It wasn’t unusual for Joshua to see a chubby muskrat or a busy beaver foraging on the banks of the West River. Once Joshua and his dad had even en
countered a bobcat when they had been out pheasant hunting.

  Although that encounter happened almost two years ago, Joshua could still remember how frightened he was like it was yesterday. The bobcat was an adult male. It was tan in color with grayish-brown and black streaks on its body. It wasn’t that big…only about three and a half feet long, but it had big sharp teeth and dangerous looking claws. It had been taking a drink of water from a lush stream when they happened upon it.

  For thirty breathtaking seconds, the animal had stared at them, and they had stared back. But finally, the bobcat seemed to lose interest and sauntered away into the thick underbrush. His dad had warned him not to venture out too far from their home because in addition to bobcats, there were wolves and coyotes in the area. However, since Warrior had become a part of the family, Mr. Beacon felt more comfortable allowing Joshua to go out for walks alone. Warrior loved Joshua and would protect him if the need ever arose.

  Joshua sat down on the bank of the stream while Warrior explored. The water in the stream was as clear as glass. Joshua looked at his reflection without seeing it.

  I’m so tired of being afraid, he said to himself, as he skipped rocks across the steam. He began to make a mental list of the things that he was afraid of: Jimmy Gates, sleeping in the dark, heights, talking in front of a crowd, getting bad grades, making his parents mad, being late for class, saying something stupid… the list went on and on.

  I’m going to be eleven in less than a week. Pretty soon, I’m going to be a teenager. And right after that, I’ll be a grown-up. Maybe it’s time that I try to stop being so afraid, he thought.

  “Woof! Woof! Woof!” Warrior’s frantic barking drew Joshua’s attention. His heart leapt into his throat with fear for his dog’s safety. He hoped that the dog hadn’t come upon a wild animal. Joshua followed the sound of his barking and found Warrior with his front paws on the trunk of one of the tallest evergreen trees. As he barked, he was staring at something in the branches.