Onwaachige the Dreamer Page 19
Gentle Eagle said nothing in return; he just held his grandson tightly with a deep, unconditional love.
“I brought back a special gift for you,” Joshua finally said, breaking away from his grandfather’s warm embrace. He pointed to the pick-up truck as Black Raven, Gentle Eagle’s son, stepped out of the vehicle.
“My son,” Gentle Eagle said in apparent disbelief. Black Raven ran up to Gentle Eagle, stopping just short of reaching him.
“We have much to talk about,” Black Raven said, visibly attempting to hold back his tears.
Gentle Eagle reached out and hugged his son, a man he hadn’t seen in many years. And Joshua quickly joined the huddle.
The Trading Post door slammed open as Catherine walked out with Pastor Martin.
“Absolutely crazy day!” she said to Pastor Martin, who walked beside her. “I can’t wait to get back to your house, away from this abominable village.” Then she looked up and saw her husband, the man who’d run out on her, gazing back, and standing next to him was Joshua, who had similarly just run away. She was momentarily taken aback by the shock of the situation, but her indomitable will reasserted itself.
She ignored Black Raven and looked straight at Joshua. “You get away from that man!” she warned. “Come here, Joshua, right now!”
“Don’t talk to my son like that,” Black Raven challenged Catherine, seemingly for the first time in his life.
“He’s coming with me!” she said, asserting her authority.
Black Raven showed no sign of backing down. “He’s my son too. And he belongs here on the reservation, with his family.”
Catherine looked furious at the act of defiance. “Do you really think for one moment that I’m going to let you take my son away from me?” she asked, her voice quaking in anger. “To live with you? An irresponsible drunk!”
“Catherine,” Pastor Martin said calmly, as he put a hand gently on her shoulder. “Perhaps we can discuss this in the morning, after we’ve all gotten some—”
“No!” Catherine screamed, obviously not interested in any compromise. “Perhaps it’s time you all learned this man’s dark secret. Did you forget that I knew what you did?” she asked, looking directly at Black Raven. “All those years ago?”
“This is not the time,” Pastor Martin said.
“It’s exactly the time,” she said as she grabbed Joshua by the wrist. “If you want to be with your father, then you should know everything about him. About what he is.” Her face took on a disgusted expression, as though she had just detected something putrid.
“Tell me, then!” Joshua challenged.
His mother paused as though preparing herself for a very unpleasant task. She took in a deep breath, and then let it out. “You really want me to go there?” she said.
“Yes,” Joshua challenged. “Nothing you say will change my opinion of my father.”
“Fine,” Catherine said, preparing to reveal the detestable secret. “I walked in on your father with… with… another man!” She didn’t continue with the story after that. It was as though she thought the revelation was more than enough to win Joshua over.
As he reflected on his mother’s words, everything suddenly made sense to Joshua. He finally understood why his mother had an affair with Pastor Martin all those years ago, and why his mother and father had grown apart over the years. His father, just like his son, was a two-spirit, as well as a gifted dreamer. And unlike Joshua, Black Raven was terrified of being gay and ultimately suppressed it. It wasn’t just the dreams that he ran from, Joshua finally understood. He had rejected every aspect of his true nature. That’s what had destroyed him.
“Did you hear me, Joshua?” she said as she crouched down and gazed into Joshua’s eyes. “Your father is a filthy queer!”
Joshua gazed at his mother and saw the hatred in her eyes. And for the first time in his life, he understood her a little better as well. Fed by her religious bigotry, she had transformed her overwhelming sense of betrayal from Black Raven’s affair into a deep-seated hatred of all gay people. But while Joshua understood her, he didn’t have to like the monster she had become. He abruptly pulled away from her. It was finally time to slay the beast. He walked up to his father and placed his arm around his shoulders in perfect solidarity, while gazing back at his mother. “He’s no queer,” Joshua said. “He’s a two-spirit!”
Catherine stood there, her mouth agape, as if readying herself for another fight.
But Joshua didn’t give her the chance as he carried out one final act of bravery. He walked up confidently to Mokwa, placed his left hand seductively on his shoulder, and gently reached around his neck with his right hand, pulling him closer. And in that moment, he gave Mokwa, his best friend and first crush, a deep and passionate kiss.
A final blast of lightning illuminated the sky, and then the storm was done. It had nothing left.
“Oh, and by the way,” Joshua said, as he broke away from Mokwa. “I’m also a two-spirit!” he proudly shouted.
Visibly broken, in shock, and completely humbled, Catherine walked over to Black Raven and whispered in total disgust, “Take him.” And with that, she walked over to Pastor Martin’s car and sat down inside, waiting for him to join her.
Pastor Martin called back to Joshua as he hurriedly made his way to the car, “Don’t worry, Joshua. She’ll change her mind. I’ll talk to her.”
“Don’t bother,” Joshua replied, enjoying the profound sense of liberation that had overcome him.
“Wow,” Mokwa whispered to Joshua. “You’re a damn good kisser.”
Jenny gave Mokwa a slight jab, as the group watched Joshua’s mother drive away with Pastor Martin.
AFTER TAKING his son to the cot at the Trading Post for the night, Gentle Eagle drove Joshua back to his home. It was nearly 2:00 a.m. by the time they arrived. What an amazing two days it had been. Joshua had woken up the previous morning a fugitive, with no home, hiding out at the village lake. He’d spent today hiking through an immense forest during a raging storm and bitter cold, all the while being guided by little mysterious manitous, who had called to him in his dreams and led him to his father, forever reuniting the two. I wonder what tomorrow will be like, Joshua pondered, as Gentle Eagle led him inside the house.
As he walked inside, a flood of old emotions surfaced. This is where he had lived much of the summer, where he had gotten to know his grandfather, the man who had given him everything. This was where Joshua felt that he truly belonged. He looked over to the couch and noticed the blanket he had used all summer was still curled up in a ball where he had left it, unmoved during his absence.
“Sorry I never made your bed,” Gentle Eagle said. “But I had a feeling you’d be back.”
Joshua collapsed on the couch, facedown, exhausted from the long day. “I missed this damn couch,” he said to his grandfather.
“Can I get you anything before I go to bed?” Gentle Eagle offered. “Maybe a fan or something?”
“No,” Joshua replied. “I got everything I need.”
Gentle Eagle paused as if holding something back. “Well, maybe you’re missing one thing,” he said, as he opened up his bedroom door. Finally free, Pywacky bolted from the room straight toward Joshua. With his tail fully erect, he meowed as he ran up to him.
“Pywacky!” Joshua cried, his eyes tearing up. He made room for his new roommate as the cat leaped onto the couch. He crawled into Joshua’s lap, purring relentlessly, as Joshua embraced his fluffy brother. “Guess we’re both home now,” Joshua said.
JOSHUA GAZED at the beautiful red sun as it peeked above the village lake, radiating light and warmth once again on an otherwise cold, late August morning. Two loons announced their presence to Joshua, as if wishing him a good morning, before they disappeared into a peaceful rolling mist.
It was absolutely beautiful, Joshua thought as he watched the sunrise with Mokwa. The two had arrived early to prepare things at the village for the last day of the summer season. But there wa
s still plenty of time for that. He wanted to spend some quality alone time canoeing on the lake with his best friend, just as they had so often done earlier in the summer. It was a welcome respite from the intensity of the past couple of days.
Joshua pushed off against the shore, and the canoe drifted gently into the chilly lake water. Mokwa sat in front and grabbed a paddle. Pywacky explored his old hangout from the shore, sniffing around, and making sure nothing had encroached on his territory during his brief overnight absence.
“Where to?” Mokwa asked, as he paddled forward with no destination in mind.
“Anywhere,” Joshua said, picking up his paddle and dunking it into the water.
“So, did you sleep well last night?” Mokwa asked.
“Like a baby,” Joshua replied. “It’s good to be home.”
Mokwa smiled.
Joshua stared into the distance, mesmerized by the overwhelming serenity of the cool summer morning. It was such a dramatic contrast to the violent storm from the previous night. He was amazed at how quickly things had changed. Mokwa was obviously taking in the tranquility as well, as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the cool August breeze gently caressing him.
The peaceful moment was fleeting, however, as the pause in conversation sent Joshua’s thoughts racing back to Cody. It hadn’t been that long since Joshua had abandoned him for the Northwoods. He desperately wanted to know how Cody was doing. His dreams had failed to deliver a conclusion to that story. All he had was a nightmare warning him to stay away. Cody must be mystified by his strange disappearance. If only he could contact him somehow and explain to him why he had to leave.
It wouldn’t be easy for Cody, stuck as he was living with Pastor Bob. Joshua couldn’t imagine anything worse. Even his own mother was almost tolerable by comparison. But that was over now. Joshua would live with Gentle Eagle, and his father too, of course, as they began to build a new life together on the reservation. Two dreamers, Joshua thought. What an incredible time it will be. And if it could happen to him, maybe Cody could have a happy ending as well.
“Snap out of it, bro. You’re really living up to your name this morning.”
“Huh?” Joshua said, suddenly realizing Mokwa was talking to him.
“You’re only supposed to dream at night. No daydreaming,” Mokwa said.
“Oh, sorry,” Joshua replied as he shook it off.
“Thinking about Cody again?” Mokwa teased.
Joshua ignored him. He didn’t want to talk about it, not now at least.
“Hey, I get it, bro. It’s hard to get over someone you care about.”
Joshua appreciated the irony. Here he was with his first crush, while contemplating his second one. Why did life have to be so confusing?
“You know,” Mokwa said, “Jenny wasn’t too thrilled about that kiss of ours last night.”
“Oh,” said Joshua, feeling slightly embarrassed. “Why is that?”
“Well, I think you made her jealous,” Mokwa said with a smirk.
Joshua smiled. “Good,” he said. “Let her know what it feels like for a while.”
Mokwa looked back at Joshua and smiled, giving him a gracious nod before turning back around.
Suddenly a cardinal landed on Mokwa’s shoulder. Mokwa’s face lit up with delight, excited to see his old friend. “There you are! I haven’t seen you in weeks.”
Joshua was shocked at the strange and improbable scene. It was the stuff of dreams. The thought unnerved him as he briefly wondered if he were in fact still dreaming. How would he even know? Then a disturbing vision caught his eye as he looked over Mokwa’s shoulder and saw a raging dark storm in the distance. A brilliant flash of lightning announced its presence, followed a few seconds later by a soft clash of thunder.
“Mokwa!” Joshua warned, trying to get his attention. “Look!” he shouted frantically, pointing toward the menacing storm in the distance. This can’t be happening, he thought, not again.
Mokwa looked up at the storm, gazing at it confidently, completely unafraid. “Relax, bro. That storm is receding.”
Joshua took a breath and relaxed, realizing Mokwa was right. He was a dreamer, after all, and he had power over them. The storm was his past. It was time for the present, he decided, readying himself for the perfect beginning to his new life. And with that, he realized, a story that had begun with a nightmare concluded in a magnificent dream.
Also by this author
When family complications take Joshua away from his fundamentalist Christian mother and leave him with his grandfather, he finds himself immersed in a mysterious and magical world. Joshua’s grandfather is a Wisconsin Ojibwe Indian who, along with an array of quirky characters, runs a recreated sixteenth-century village for the tourists who visit the reservation. Joshua’s mother kept him from his Ojibwe heritage, so living on the reservation is liberating for him. The more he learns about Ojibwe traditions, the more he feels at home.
One Ojibwe legend in particular captivates him. Pukawiss was a powerful manitou known for introducing dance to his people, and his nontraditional lifestyle inspires Joshua to embrace both his burgeoning sexuality and his status as an outcast. Ultimately, Joshua summons the courage necessary to reject his strict upbringing and to accept the mysterious path set before him.
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In the months following the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, fourteen-year-old Joshua, a half Native American boy, is new to a Boy Scout troop and spending a week camping in northern Wisconsin. The weaker kids in the troop soon realize Joshua is not afraid to stand up to the troop’s ruthless bullies. Joshua’s bravery and kindness is infectious, and the bullied Scouts quickly find their own inner strength.
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JAY JORDAN HAWKE holds a bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD in history, as well as a second master’s in outdoor education. His first published novel, Pukawiss the Outcast, was a 2015 Lambda Literary Award finalist for young adult fiction. He loves everything sci-fi, especially Star Trek, and hopes to be on the first starship out of here. In the meantime, he teaches at a college prep school and anxiously awaits the day when he can write full-time. His hobbies include camping under the stars, catching a good musical or play, jamming out to alternative music, watching a mind-bending movie, reading almost anything fringe, and generating entire worlds with the stroke of a pen and/or keyboard. He has lived in several Midwestern states and currently resides in Indiana. Though he loves the Midwest, he is often disappointed by its human inhabitants.
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