Chapter One - Justin

Finally, fifth grade was over. There would be no more teasing and no more mean children to deal with. Justin was ecstatic that day had finally arrived as he was looking forward to the relaxation of the summer break. However what Justin did not realize was that the events that would take place that summer would forever change him. He would mature into a strong and courageous young man.

School had always been difficult for him but fifth grade had been by far the most challenging. He painfully discovered how mean children could be the older they became.

During Justin’s fifth grade promotion presentation he sat in the audience with his mom, his step-dad and his grandpa because he never attended practice. The tremendous excitement and the singing of the children during practice were too overwhelming for him. He would cover his ears when he sensed their enthusiastic energy and refused to enter the auditorium. He craved to be part of it all but the excitement caused him great anxiety.

Justin’s five senses were much more heightened than most typical children. He was not aware of how highly sensitive he was until he became a little older. He would sense other people’s energies and would react to how they were feeling. There were times when he would walk into a crowded room and felt perfectly fine. Then there were times when he would walk into a room and would feel so overwhelmingly uncomfortable. He would cover his ears with his hands and become agitated. His mom would have to remind him to take deep breaths and calm down.

When Justin was five years old he was diagnosed with mild autism and before he was able to express himself his mom was his voice when he was unable to communicate. He was an extremely bright child. Even though no one told him he had autism he knew it.

He was very uncomfortable in social situations and the children at school made fun of him because of that. He really wanted to be social but he did not know what he was supposed to do in those situations. The road to learning how to make friends was painful at times but he eventually learned how. He had two very best friends, Jonathan and Jolene.

Jolene had white blond hair; bright blue eyes, always wore a big smile and was petite. She was a tough little girl but had a kind heart. She was like Justin’s mom, sensitive to his needs. She was also a gifted child and was mature for her very young age.

Jonathan’s dark brown hair and very fair skin lit up his blue eyes. His smile made him very approachable and people felt comfortable around him. He was a slow reader and academics were a little difficult for him.

Chapter Two – The Friends

Sometime in the middle of July, Justin’s mom had to go to New York on business. His grandpa and his step-dad Dennis watched him while his mom was away.

Besides his grandpa, Justin thought Dennis was the greatest man he had ever known. Dennis loved Justin as if he were his own biological son. He very rarely had to discipline Justin but when he did he spoke with authority and gentleness at the same time. He spoke to Justin in a way that he could understand just the way his mom did.

One day while Justin’s mom was in New York, Jolene and Jonathan went to visit him.

That day, the children were enjoying themselves in the backyard playing backgammon and jumping on a small trampoline when Jolene suggested they go exploring somewhere.

“I’m feeling a little antsy. Do you guys feel like going somewhere,” she asked as she got off the trampoline.

“That sounds like a good idea,” said Justin.

“My mom is gone for a few days on business for work too. She left me with that babysitter that I can’t stand.”

Jolene had snuck out of the house while the sitter was in the kitchen making lunch for her boyfriend. Jolene continued, “Every time my mom goes out of town she leaves me with that sitter. She never watches me or wants to play with me because her boyfriend is always there day and night. I don’t like it.”

“Does she know where you are right now,” asked Jonathan.

“No, and I am not about to call her and tell her where I am. I don’t care if she knows or not.”

“Why don’t you tell your mom about her?”

“I have lots of times. I told my mom how her boyfriend’s there all the time. How she never helps me with my homework. How she totally ignores me because she is too busy spending time with him.”

“That’s not good. You need to tell her again. I can tell her if you want.”

“No, it won’t do any good. I just think my mom does not believe me because every time she goes away for a few days that babysitter is always there. She probably thinks I’m making the whole thing up.”

“Why don’t you come here when your mom has to go somewhere,” asked Justin.

“Thanks Justin, that is what I do now.”

“Let’s not talk about the babysitter any more. Let’s go somewhere,” Jonathan cried out.

“Guys, have you ever gone to the woods,” Justin asked.

“Where are the woods,” asked Jolene.

Justin pointed to the huge mountains that were visible from his backyard and said, “The woods are in there. My grandpa said there’s a park near there.”

Jonathan asked, “Are you sure Justin? I have never heard of park near there.”

“Dennis took me for a walk there a long time ago and I liked it. We did not walk too far that day so we didn’t see the park. I want to go back again.”

“Let’s go,” Jolene said enthusiastically.

Jonathan was a bit more hesitant. “It’s really hot. We’re going to get really hot and really tired. What are we going to eat and drink?”

“Jonathan, be a little bit more adventuresome. Live a little, and stop complaining. Think that we are going to have a good time and we will. Let’s go! You’ll have something exciting to tell your other friends,” Jolene said.

He stopped complaining very quickly. It was amazing to watch her talk people into doing things. Dennis referred to Jolene as a little salesperson.

The children did go for a very long walk into the woods. In fact they were gone for three days and two nights. That walk turned out to be a magical and unforgettable experience for them.

Chapter Three - Packing

There were these magnificent hills about half a block up the street from Justin’s house. Even though people would refer to them as hills he called them mountains and behind those mountains were the woods. He admired those hills when he sat on his front porch. He found them beautiful and majestic. Sometimes the mountains were brown and sometimes they were a very deep color green. Justin often imagined himself being on the very top of the biggest mountain looking up at the moon.

As they were getting ready to go on their walk they commented on how hot and humid it was that day. That morning had been very overcast however by mid day all the clouds had cleared up but it was still very muggy.

The kids decided to take a picnic lunch into the woods with them. They used Justin’s backpack to pack their lunch and everything they needed for a picnic. They packed it with a white flannel blanket, several small bottles of water, a few sandwiches and lots of fruit roll ups. They also decided to take Justin’s cat Jezebel. Even though she disliked the kitty carrier, he grabbed it so they could carry her in it.

She was a beautiful white and gray furry cat and a bit of an unusual and mysterious cat. Inside her frail little body lived a big black panther waiting to be unleashed. Justin adored her and they communicated with their thoughts by looking into each other’s eyes. When he was a baby Jezebel would jump inside his crib and sleep by his tiny feet.

After the kids finished packing Justin looked for his grandpa. He found his grandpa laying on the couch in the family room nodding out as he attempted to watch an old re-run of a show that his mom loved to watch, NYPD Blue.

“Grandpa, wake up,” said Justin.

His grandpa quickly opened his eyes and said, “What is it Justin?”

“Grandpa, my friends and I are going out for a walk. We’ll be back before Dennis comes home. Okay grandpa?”

“Okay, just be careful and be back in two hours. I want to make sure you guys clean up and have dinner before Dennis comes home.”

“Don’t worry grandpa, we will.”

“We’re taking a walk around the neighborhood Mr. Beck. We’ll make sure Justin is okay,” added Jolene.

“Okay, thanks kids. Take care of each other,” said Justin’s grandpa as he sat up on the couch.

Justin’s grandpa was a worrier by nature. As they were about to leave his grandpa noticed the children were taking a backpack.

“What’s with the backpack,” he asked.

“We have stuff for a picnic,” Justin responded.

“I thought you were going for a walk?”

“We are and we’re going to sit and eat too.”

“Okay. Be careful kids. Stay close by.”

What his grandpa did not realize was that the children had planned to have their picnic in the woods and Jezebel was tagging along with them.

Chapter Four – The Journey Begins

They said their good-byes to Justin’s grandpa then walked out the door and down the front steps. One of the neighbors across the street waved at them and smiled when he saw their happy faces. The children waved back and began their walk heading north toward the hills. As they approached the end of the block, Jonathan was already talking about how hot they were going to get.

“Jonathan stop being so negative. Try to have a good time. We’ll be fine,” Jolene said.

As Jonathan and Jolene continued to discuss the hot weather, Justin smiled and became quiet. Listening to their chatter and being a part of a group made him feel happy. This was a new experience for him. The previous summer his playmates had been his mom and his step-dad.

Suddenly Jonathan and Jolene noticed that Justin had not joined their conversation. They were always very good at getting him to talk with them.

“Justin, you’re smiling from ear to ear, you look really happy. Are you,” Jolene asked. “Yes.”

“What’s making you so happy?”

“I don’t know.”

“Have you been smiling since we left your house or since you’ve been listening to Jonathan and me?

“Since I’ve been listening to you and Jonathan. You guys are funny.”

“We’re coming to the end of the street. Which way should we go, right or left,” asked Jonathan.

When the kids reached the end of the street, Justin shook his head and squinted his eyes. He breathed deeply and looked toward the right of the street and then toward the left. He shook his head again and then walked toward the right and crossed the street. Jonathan and Jolene followed him and as they reached the street Justin was standing on, he crossed the street again and walked back to where they had just been. He paced back and forth.

His friends could not understand what he was doing and Jolene called out to him. He stopped pacing and she approached him. She looked at Justin’s face. His once happy face was now the face of a confused little boy.

She grabbed his hands and squeezed them like his mother did when he became nervous. “Take a few deep breaths,” she said.

“I feel nervous,” he said.

“I think we should go back to Justin’s house,” Jonathan said.

“NO, we need to turn right and keep going.”

Jolene agreed, “Yes, let’s keep going we’ll be fine.”

The kids turned right and continued to walk. As they walked, Justin’s breathing became more profound. He kept taking deep breaths in and deep breaths out. He tightened his grip on the handle of the kitty carrier and slapped his other hand on the front of his thigh. The smile on Justin’s face was replaced with a somber look. He then turned to his friends and asked, “Are you guys sad or upset?”

Jonathan said, “No, why would I be? I feel great.”

Jolene did not respond instead she observed Justin carefully as the children continued to walk in silence. He stared straight ahead without blinking his eyes. He continued to slap his free hand on his thigh and seemed very determined almost as if he were on a mission. She was having second thoughts and wondered if maybe Jonathan was right when he suggested they should go back to Justin’s house. She shook her head quickly, then her arms, and hands. They had walked two blocks when Jolene finally asked, “Justin, can we stop?”

“I think we should keep walking,” Jonathan said.

“Okay, can I hold Jezebel for a little while,” asked Jolene.

“No, I want to carry her,” Justin insisted.

“We have a few more blocks to go before we get to the gate to go in,” Jonathan announced.

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