Taming The Bad Boy By Ivy Coleman Chapter 22

*Flashback*

“Come on Hunter, stop being so sour.” Park yelled back with a laugh as Hunter moodily trudged through the mud.

“Why can’t we get ice cream?” Hunter scowled as he caught up with Park’s towering form. Park glanced down at Hunter before reaching over and pinching Hunter’s chubby cheek. “Gah!” Hunter scowled as he waved his hands at Park’s hands.

Park laughed before reaching into his bag. “I don’t have ice cream in here but how about oranges?

Hunter screwed up his face as he poked out his tongue. “Geughhh. Gross.”

Park rolled his eyes playfully before slyly opening his. “Ah okay. That’s a shame you hate them so much because they’re my… favourite.”

Hunter’s eyes widened as he jumped up and down as he reached out his small hands and made grabby motions. “I DO LIKE THEM! GIVE ME! I WANT ONE TOO!” Park chuckled as he handed one down to Hunter who happily munched away at it. He looked up at Park with juice dribbling down his chin as he messily wiped it away with his sleeve. “They’re my favourite too.”

Park nodded as he patted Hunter’s head.

As the two moved farther into the woods Hunter noticed how strangely tall all the trees were and how each noise sent something scuttling after it. He jumped, flinching as he consciously shuffled in closer to Park’s muscular form. Park felt the brush against his lean leg and to he looked down to see Hunter’s expression, to see that Hunter’s hand had secretly grabbed onto the material of his jeans.

“Hunter are you scared?” Park asked as Hunter snapped his head towards Park. His brows furrowed together angrily as his little eyes glared up at the soft, jaded ones looking back at him.

“NO!” Hunter roared. “You’re scared!”

Park smirked before he nodded, humming. “That’s true. I do get scared sometimes.” Hunter’s mouth fell open as he blinked slowly. “You… do?”

Park nodded. Secretly smirking as he watched Hunter from the corner of his eye. Hunter was blown away. He couldn’t understand how someone as strong and smart as his brother ever got scared. Park could do anything. Park was super-fast and super strong and super super smart!”

There was nothing that could beat his brother!

“But heroes don’t get scared?” Hunter mumbled. Park felt his heart strings pull inside his chest before he patted Hunter’s back.

“We do get scared. But… no, no. You’re too young I suppose I should wait till you’re old enough” Park teased as he whistled, placing his hands inside his pockets. Hunter’s eyes got wide as he rushed his small legs to catch up with Park.

“No! I am old! I’m old! Tell me!” he yelled as he tugged at Park’s arm. Park laughed as he knelt down, squatting against the dirt and grasping Hunter’s arms.

“Okay… but you can’t tell anyone about this… it has to be our secret okay?” Park said slowly as he pretended to cautiously look around. Hunter narrowed his green eyes as he cleared his throat instead.

Hunter nodded, fists bunched up by his chest as his eyes were wide in anticipation. Park’s calloused fingers grasped the stone necklace around his neck as he lifted it for Hunter to see. Hunter has already seen it a million times, but he acted as though it was something new to him as he bent down, hands on his knees and gasped quietly.

It glinted in the sunlight, the light brown shade contrasting against the black stripes. “This is a tiger’s eye. Do you know what that is?”

Hunter scowled as he drew back and crossed his arm. He stuck his nose in the air. “Of course, I do”

Park laughed as he brought his hand down on Hunter’s crown, keeping his fingers tangled into the messy, black locks that stuck out in every direction. “Not a real tigers eye, silly. It’s a magic stone.”

Hunter’s head snapped towards Park with the most intrigued face ever. “Magic?”

Park nodded as he toyed with stone in his fingers. “It protects you!”

Hunter’s eyes widened as he stared at the stone. He looked like a boy seeing his hero for the first time. Park gently sipped the black string of his neck as the stone glimmered once again in the light. Hunter froze as Park slipped it over his small neck. “There,” Park smiled, patting Hunter’s chest. “Nothing can hurt you now. You’re protected.”

Hunter picked up the stone with chubby, clumsy fingers as he stared at it. His mouth was still in a ‘o’ shape as he grabbed it in his fist and made a determined face. “I will take care of it!

Park chuckled as he ruffled Hunter’s locks. “I know you will, kiddo. Let’s go.”

The two continued on as Hunter would ask Park a question about nature and Park knew exactly what to say. Park loved nature, he felt peaceful in the serene environment and slowly, Hunter found himself loving it too.

***

“So, don’t draw back too hard otherwise it will just tear, okay?” Park said as he handed Hunter a fishing line. Hunter nodded but the line was too big for his small hands and so Park offered to sit behind him and help but Hunter wanted to watch Park first.

Park stood, ankles in the water as his forest green eyes glanced calmly across the river.

Hunter sat down beside Park’s bag as he mooched through it, glancing up every now and then to make sure Park never caught him. He found a sandwich as he decided taking one bite wouldn’t be too obvious. He was about to bite into it when he heard something. Turning his head, he saw in the distance a bag that kept squirming as it dipped under the water and popped back up again.

Placing the sandwich down he slowly approached the bag, stepping further and further away from Park as he got closer and slowly heard the sound of whimpering cries.

As Hunter got closer he saw that a small, black nose peaked out from the bag. His eyes widened as he heard more whimpering cries. He looked back at Park who was a blur in the distance. He knew he shouldn’t wander off on his own—Park told him that all the time, however, he remembered what Park had also told him about being a hero.

‘Heroes help those in need’

With a determined look on his face Hunter grabbed a hold of the rocks next to him as he lowered his small body into the pooling water. The water immediately came to his chest before he even let go of the rocks. When finally letting go he dipped straight under as the water tried to seep into his pursed mouth. Pinching his nose Hunter swam back up to the surface and kept afloat—every now and then the small wave splashing over his face.

He dove his arms under and out the water as he approached the squiming bag. Cating closer, Hunter noticed the bag was caught on a branch but was right on the edge where everything seemed to disappear.

Hunter grasped the edge nearby as he strained out his arms and wiggled his fingertips but could not grasp the bag. He poked out his tongue as he clenched his teeth and strained again but his small fingertips would always brush the bag. He looked back at the edge be wat holding onto as fear rocked through him. He didn’t want to let go in case he accidently went too far but he wiped the fear off his face as he put a determined look on his face.

‘Heroes don’t get scared’

‘Park wouldn’t get scared’.

Letting go of the ledge Hunter reached out and clasped the bag as he pulled it towards him with a victorious cry. Hearing the cry, Park turned his head as his heart shattered underneath his battered rib cage, his beautiful, striking green eyes widened as he screamed Hunter’s name, rushing towards him.

Hunter looked over in shock as he saw Park rushing towards him. He knew he’d get into trouble but maybe once Park saw the bag of puppies he would be proud of him and then he could be Park’s hero too.

As Hunter went to hold the bag above his head to wave at his brother and show him what he did, he stepped back just one tiny step but enough to go falling off the disappearing edge.

“HUNTER!”

As if being sucked into a black hole, his body abiding gravity and slamming down with a frightening force, Hunter found himself falling and falling, his limbs outstretched in front of him as he squeezed his eyes shut until his back broke the surface of more water and his body plunged under.

He kept going and going, the water seeping into his lungs and nostrils as he silently cried out, his bands clawing at his burning throat as he kicked furiously but the surface only grew further away as the black dots claimed at the edge of his vision. A ripple of waves shot out as a figure dove into the waters below, plunging under.

Hunter’s beat bammered in relief when he saw it was his big brother coming to his rescue.

Part swam towards Hunter as he grabbed him tightly and swam the two up to the surface.

Hunter aped for air as he conged, spluttering out the water in his lungs. He rested his head against Park’s wet chest as he just wanted to sleep and hold onto his brother.

When Hunter glanced at Park through sleepy eyes he pried them open all the way when he registered the fear on Park’s face. Park wasn’t looking at Hunter but around them as he was trying to think, his mind ticking away. He jumped when he felt small fingers on his face. Turning his head, he looked down at the frightened boy in his arms. “Park?” Hunter whimpered, unsure why Park looked so scared.

The 18-year-old boy swallowed down his fear as he put on his brave smile and kissed Hunter’s forehead. “Don’t worry. You’ll be okay”

Hunter dung to Park’s shoulders, he could hear Park’s raspy breathing down his ear as he buried his face into Park’s neck. Park swam the two up near the cliff they fell off as he looked up and assessed it. Park felt the wave hit him with a shockingly brutal force as their bodies rocked back for a moment. Clutching onto Hunter he wrapped his arm around him and used the other to hold onto a piece of rock sticking out.

“Hunter.” Park called as Hunter lifted his head. His eyes had begun to water as he sniffled. He just wanted to go to sleep in their sleeping bag with Park’s warm body beside him. Park looked at him with something in his eyes, but Hunter was too young to understand. Running his fingers over Hunter’s wet hair Park breathed out quietly. “I need you to climb as best as you can okay. Don’t look back, I’ll be right behind you. Promise me you’ll keep climbing”

Park’s voice held desperation that Hunter had never heard before and so Hunter nodded without saying a word. Park carefully let Hunter go as Hunter went to grab onto the first rock, but another wave bit, and Hunter’s body was slammed into a rock near the edge of the water. Park’s eyes widened as he grabbed a hold of a rock nearby and extended his arms.

Hunter cried out as he wrapped his body around the rock but each time a wave come it came harsher than the last and his body got closer and closer to the edge. Even at his young age he knew if he let go then the next wave would seen him over the edge and when he risked a glance over it he could barely see where the water started, it looked like a never ending fall.

“Hunter! Take my band!” Park called out desperately as Hunter shook his head, sobbing as he held on tighter. “Dammit” Park cursed as he bit his fist against the surface. He panicked as he looked back and forth. He needed to get Hunter on those rocks. Clenching his teeth Park let go of his own rock as he quickly swam towards Hunter.

He knew what would happen if he changed places.

“Hunter—hey, is okay now” Part said of as he reached the crying boy. “I’m here now. Trust me.” Another strong wave hit as Park barley managed to grasp his fingertips around the rock Hunter was on. He gritted his teeth, trying ro ride out the force of the wave that so desperately wanted to swallow the both of them.

Hunter still refused to let go until he felt those gentle fingers running through his hair again. “It’s okay to be scared, Hunter. But it’s not okay to let it consume you. You’re a hero remember. So, open your eyes and fight.”

Hunter pried open his eyes as he looked at Park with startled eyes. Park was looking back at him, his black hair slick again his head, his tanned skin slightly red and his jaded eyes wet and raw with emotion as he held out his hand.

Hunter grasped his hand as Park pulled him in close. Swimming as best as he could, they reached the cliff again. Park shakily inhaled, he knew the next wave was coming anytime soon and with nothing to hang on too he knew he needed Hunter at least just below half way up so the wave couldn’t grab him.

Placing his hands underneath Hunter’s behind he pushed Hunter up he grabbed onto the cliff’s rocks and held on tightly. “Just keep climbing, Hunter. I’m right here—don’t be scared.”

Hunter climbed, his fingers bloody from scraping off the rocks as he often swayed and almost fell. He wanted to look behind, but he could hear Park’s voice reassuring him the whole time. Finally, when he was almost half way up he turned back to look at Park.

He frowned, brows furrowing. Why wasn’t Park climbing up?

Hunter didn’t know that Park had to stay in the water in case Hunter fell so he could help him back up again. Hunter watched as Park smailed his gentle smile, now relaxing when he knew Hunter was safe.

Park’s eyes watered as he looked at Hunter. “Hunter look away.”

Hunter couldn’t understand what was happening. He didn’t understand why for the first time he could see his 18-year-old brother crying but smiling at the same time.

And then a wave hit, a harsh, monstrous wave that slammed park’s body far away from any nearby rocks offering safety. HUnter’s eyes widened as he almost lost his grip.

“PARK!!”

He watched with large, frightened eyes as the only person he had left went falling over the edge. HUnter screamed out until his throat was raw but nothing, but a sad echo returned to him.

After being frozen for a while, his fingertips numb and throbbing as crimson dripped down them. His entire body shook as the sky darkened and the stars sadly glistened for him.

***

There was nothing but silence, nothing but the odd sound of crickets as he remained frozen in place.

Finally, he continued to drag himself up, slumping down on the surface once he reached the top. He laid against the grass, soaked and shivering as blood coated him.

It was until three days later that Hunter was found still in the same position. They found him dutching the necklace in his hand and when they did find him he did not fight back as he was too weak from not eating nor drinking and so was immediately rushed to the hospital leaving behind his her figure that lay battered on the edge of the rocks along with the other hero who lay silent in the hands of the water.