A Grizzly Return Home, Part 2

Light poured into the darkness as the bag was zipped open with Damien's hand on the tag. His heart beat with anxiety as he expected the worst. Standing behind were Desean and Judy, waiting to see the bag's contents. Reluctantly, Damien had to hand it over.

From the moment he arrived the night before, he only wished to disappear. He wanted so badly to just stick to the background, unseen by anyone he didn't know, left in complete privacy. Just as he should've done before. Unfortunately, this desire of his was destined to shatter from the moment he woke up today.

He sighed a frustrated sigh as he turned to Desean and Judy. He reached his arm out with the bag there for them to take. And so, they did. Desean reached out and took the bag by the handles. He brought it over for Judy to see, as Damien gave them an unfriendly glare.

"Damien," Desean began, trying to assure the lad, "Please understand that we are not doing this out of spite. We just want to be sure you don't have a weapon."

"Whatever." Damien scoffed.

His response saddened Desean a bit more. It was like a knife was thrust into his heart, and was twisted ever so slightly. He decided not to respond. There was nothing that could be said that would ease the situation. This had to be done. He only needed to look through the bag and get it over with. So, he swallowed the pain and opened the bag.

To their surprise, not a weapon was found. In fact, it seemed like the bag was filled with several books. Desean reached in and shuffled past the books to see if there was anything hidden. Though nothing was there.

Both of them smiled in relief to know that not a weapon was smuggled into their home. In fact, they were instead thrilled to find that Desean's suspicions were unfounded. Their beating hearts rested in their joy.

Though, there was one other issue. Damien stood before them, steaming and furious as his privacy was now invaded. It had to be done for the safety of the family. Though, in Damien's mind, this was a breach of trust; a betrayal of sorts. All along with the embarrassment and humiliation he'd suffered today.

"Damien," Desean began to apologize, "I hope you understand that…"

"I want to be left alone." The lad interrupted.

"Okay," Judy agreed, "But just know that we…"

"I want to be alone." Damien said sharply. "So, please leave."

Both Judy and Desean said nothing. With their tails between their legs, they left the room.

As they left, Damien closed the door, cutting himself off from the rest of the house.

Once he felt that he was alone, he made his way to the bed and fell upon it, arms stretched out. The events of the day began to take their toll on him. He remembered every instance of embarrassment. He thought to himself how they could all be avoided if Desean never made him attend church that day. Just as before, so much pain and suffering could've been avoided if he would've kept to himself. The only difference was that this time he had no choice.

Tears silently descended down his cheek. Damien was overcome with a powerful sadness; one he's been trying to resist all day. Though, no one was there to see. So perhaps, he could let himself go for just this moment. The clock ticked closer and closer. Damien knew he could do nothing to stop it.

Though, there was some relief. Desean and Judy were so focused on finding a weapon, that anything else was totally invisible to them. It was unfortunate that Damien's secret stash of books was discovered, but they wouldn't even bother inspecting the contents.

He smirked at the irony. Two adults finding a set of books on the occult, and they didn't even know it. Softly, Damien chuckled over the realization. He reached over and picked up one of the books. On the cover was a young woman dressed in a dark violet tunic. One hand held a torch who's flame lit the shadows around her. The other hand held a set of keys. At each side was a large black dog, standing as if to guard her. Damien realized that as long as the book didn't display a horned figure and a hive pointed star, no one would ever complain.

Perhaps he could take the book out in public. Perhaps other people could see it. They'll always judge a book by its cover. So, if they don't recognize the symbols, they won't ever know. Though, he wished he could be like the book, able to walk in open space without attracting unwanted attention. Though, one day he will. That is if he studies hard enough.

The lad took something from out underneath his shirt. On a metal chain, there was a black obsidian pendent in the form of a key. Upon the pendent was a three pronged wheel.

" It will happen one day." He said to the pendent. "I will show that I am worthy."

At the Barbecue, Ivy held the black book for a moment. Since then, it never left her mind. Its leather bindings wrapped around her thoughts. It caused her to thirst for its meaning. What was the book about? And why was Damien so protective of it?

After she was sent to her room, Ivy spent her time by her computer, trying desperately to remember the name of the book. It wasn't a word she recognized. All she knew was that it started with a K. Name after name, she typed into the search engine; Kerbulious, Kybalios, Korberian, Kyrgoria. But each search came up fruitless. It was then a knock on the door interrupted her work.

"Honey," Judy asked from behind the door, "May I come in?"

Ivy turned the swivel chair she rested on to the door,

"Sure, Mom." She replied.

The knob twisted. The door slowly came open. Judy walked in with a troubled look on her face. Ivy could tell something unpleasant happened to her. Though, suddenly, Judy forced a smile.

"How are you doing?" She asked her daughter.

"I'm fine." Ivy replied, ignoring her mother's troubled look. "What's up?"

"I was hoping to talk to you about the day we just had," Judy explained, "And what happened at the barbecue."

Ivy threw her head back, grunting in her frustration.

"Mom, I told you." She pleaded. "I had nothing to do with it."

"Then why did Delia steal Damien's book?" Judy took a seat on Ivy's bed. "She does anything you tell her."

"All I said was that I wanted to know what Damien was reading." Ivy began to tell the story. "Delia decided on her own to go over and take the book. I even told her not to."

"Why did you want to know what he was reading?" Judy questioned.

"Because, I thought it was weird how he was at a barbecue and all he wanted to do was read." Ivy explained.

"He just lost his family." Judy told her with a solemn face. "And now living with a family he doesn't know. Imagine how he must feel right now."

"Plus," She continued, "We probably shouldn't have taken him out to church to begin with."

"Then why did we take him?" Ivy inquired.

"Your father made him attend church with us." Judy explained. "He wanted to introduce Damien to some people."

Ivy smirked a bit.

"That's just like him." She said cheerfully.

The two shared a short laugh, as mothers and daughters tend to do. This was followed by a moment of silence. Ivy's sweet smile fell into a serious look.

"Mom," She began to say solemnly, "I'm not sure if I feel comfortable with him living with us."

Ivy's words wiped the smile off her mother's face.

"Why, Sweety?" She asked, looking worried.

"Because," Ivy paused, "I'm worried him living here will end up repeating history."

"Is this about the Alicia Michele trial?" Judy anticipated.

Ivy nodded her head.

Judy responded with a sigh.

"You and your father." She said.

"What do you mean?" Asked Ivy.

"After we told you and Gerome to go to your rooms," Judy explained, "Your father asked to look through Damien's bag."

"The one he wouldn't let anyone else touch?" Ivy inquired.

"That's the one." Judy answered.

"And what about it?" Ivy asked again.

"Uncle Martin and Reverend Paul talked him into thinking Damien brought a gun into the house." Explained Judy. "He wanted to look in the bag to make sure. I was originally against it, but he convinced me by bringing up Alicia Michele."

"Wow!" Ivy exclaimed as she listened. "So, what was in there?"

"Just a stash of books." Replied Judy.

Maybe that's why her mother looked upset as she came in. She had to do something she really did not want to do. But Ivy understood why. Still, she could only imagine how hard it was for her mother to do that.

"Is that what was going on in the other room?" Ivy asked.

"I'm afraid so." Judy replied solemnly.

"So, there's something else I'd like to talk to you about." Implied Judy.

"What about?" Ivy asked.

"Tomorrow," Her mother began, "Your father and I are scheduled to be meeting with a psychologist that Damien met with in Vito."

"Okay." Ivy replied.

"While we're out, he'll be attending school with you and Gerome." Judy continued. "And since he's closer to your age, I'm asking you to show him around."

"What?" Ivy was not thrilled over this news. "Well, what grade is he in?"

"He's a Sophomore." Judy answered.

"Are you kidding?" Ivy shouted as she lifted herself from her seat. "I'm not babysitting someone who's a year older than me."

"I'm sorry," Judy apologized, "But someone needs to do it. He's already been enrolled before he got here last night. And he'll need someone to help him get acquainted with his new environment."

Ivy sighed as she knew she couldn't say no.

"Alright." she agreed. "But, before you go, I'd like to talk about last night."