Once In Every Ten Thousand Years - 3. Chapter 3

He battled on. Suddenly, a new character appeared in the game. A boy with penetrating blue-grey eyes was staring directly at Ethan as though he was peering into his very soul. Ethan was distracted, and the Sith Lord cleaved him at the waist with a sweeping lightsaber strike. He felt it, but it wasn't really painful. The game ended, and the room came back into focus. Ethan was thankful he wasn't hurt. The boy stood at the game room entrance, still staring at Ethan.

Chapter 3

First Meeting

He was speechless. The shock of seeing the boy gradually eased. Still startled, Ethan managed to utter an uncertain "hi."

There was no response from the intense, glaring boy.

They stood facing each other. The seconds passed. The tension built. Ethan finally blurted, "Hello," still no reply "… I'm here with Mr. Kitchens."

He would have bolted if his legs would carry him. All he wanted to do was escape this place. Fortunately, Mr. Kitchens entered the room from behind the boy.

"I see you two have met. Ethan, I'd like you to meet John Christian Anderson. John, this is Ethan Edwards."

Ethan tried again, "Hi, it's nice to meet ..."

John turned and left the game room before Ethan could finish his sentence. Mr. Kitchens offered Ethan a sympathetic shrug and said, "Let's get started. Come along with me to the training room."

They returned to the lobby and through the door marked 'Conference Rooms.' John was nowhere in sight. They walked down a hallway with several open doors revealing empty conference rooms. Eventually, they arrived at a closed door. Ethan was nervous and thought, 'What have I myself into? '

Mr. Kitchens opened the door. It was an amazing space. The ceiling must have been at least fifty feet high. There were floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides of the conference room and a forest behind the glass. Different from the redwood forest two hundred feet above their heads, this forest was made up of poplars and birch trees surrounding a tranquil lake. In the distance, peaceful green hills crowned by a blue sky punctuated by billowy, slowly drifting clouds. Ethan was mesmerized by this beautiful and unexpected view.

He heard an abrupt, flat voice. "It's not real."

Startled, Ethan spun to the left. John Christian Anderson was seated at a table with his back to one of the walls.

Ethan and Mr. Kitchens took seats at the same table as John. He purposely sat next to his teacher and away from the intimidating boy.

Mr. K spelled out the discussion points for the day and brought Ethan up to date on his and John's recent sessions. As he did, Ethan had an opportunity to observe John discreetly.

With Sandy hair, a trim build, clear skin, and erect posture, his appearance was striking. Still boyish, he was showing the early signs of teenage development. But his eyes, the bright, penetrating eyes, bore into Ethan. They radiated with some internal light, projecting a probing awareness he had never experienced before.

Ethan heard Mr. K repeating his name, "Ethan, Ethan? Are you still with us?"

Ethan snapped back from his observations of John. "Sorry, Mr. Kitchens, I'm a little overwhelmed right now. Can I go to the bathroom?"

"Sure, we passed it when we came in. It's three doors down on the left."

He didn't need to go to the restroom. He just needed to get away from John for a while. He was so confused by this peculiar boy. He was mainly anxious, but something else was hiding below the surface. Ethan couldn't figure it out, but whatever it was, he wanted it to go away. Eventually, he pulled himself together and returned to the conference room.

Ethan arrived as Mr. K was excitedly responding to something John had brought up in his absence. "Interesting, I never thought about it that way. You're probably right! We need to get this published and peer-reviewed. This could appreciably impact autism spectrum treatment."

Switching topics, Mr. K and Ethan discussed high school life at their school. Mr. Kitchens directed the conversation around Ethan's group projects, team sports, and other non-academic activities. He even encouraged Ethan to discuss Friday's 'end-of-school party. The entire time, John was silent and intently stared at Ethan, seemingly ignoring Mr. K.

This was off-putting for Ethan, but eventually, he concentrated on Mr. Kitchens and pretended that John wasn't in the room. It kind of worked. At some point, Mr. K said, "Look at the time. We should be heading out. We're running late, and I know John wants to get back to work."

Mr. K and Ethan prepared to leave. Suddenly, John averted his gaze from Ethan to the tabletop and asked in a flat, expressionless voice. "Are you coming back tomorrow?"

Ethan looked at his teacher, who nodded and replied, "Yeah, if you want me to." At that, John rose from his seat and disappeared out the door.

Mr. Kitchens and Ethan discussed the first session on the car ride back.

"That was remarkable. I've never seen John act like that before."

Ethan replied, "I'm sorry. I tried, but I think he hates me."

"No, that's not it. Usually, after exactly sixty minutes, John abruptly stands up and walks out. We were there for over ninety minutes, and I was the one who realized how long we had gone. On top of that, I've never seen John ask anyone whether they were returning. He'll occasionally order someone to return or, more frequently, dismiss them permanently. Believe it or not, that was a positive outcome."

Ethan didn't know what to make of this. After the first class, he thought he would be fired, and honestly, he was sort of looking forward to it. Instead, Mr. K seemed to think it went well. He relaxed, his spirits rose, and he enjoyed the trip back.

Mr. Kitchens dropped him off at his home and asked, "Same time tomorrow morning?"

"Sure thing, Mr. K."

"I'll send you some bullet points and docs for tomorrow's discussion. Don't worry too much about mastering the material, and keep track of your study time. The institute is more than happy to pay you for your time."

Ethan responded. "I don't want to overdo it."

Mr. K laughed, "Believe me, they can afford it. John's budget is crazy."

Sessions at the Compound

On Tuesday, Mr. Kitchens and Ethan arrived at the compound early again and returned to the conference room they had used the day before. This time, a flower-studded pasture was surrounded by 'Alp-like' mountains. It reminded Ethan of a movie scene from 'The Sound of Music.' His parents took him to a sing-along when he was eight or nine. This was much more realistic.

To both of their surprise, John was already seated at the table, ready for the class to begin. According to Mr. K, he was never early.

Ethan said, "Hi". Mr. K knew better and took his seat. During the early part of the session, the discussion revolved around some nineteenth-century Frenchman Ethan had only learned about the night before. He tried to participate, but for the most part, it went over his head. At least he had a better idea of how the discussions ran. Although he studied several hours the night before, he planned to study smarter today. He didn't want to appear like an idiot in front of John and Mr. K.

John participated in the discussion. Ethan observed that there was minimal expression in his voice. He could tell by Mr. Kitchens' reactions that John's responses were always insightful and sometimes illuminating.

Unlike the day before, when John was constantly staring at Ethan, he would occasionally catch John looking at him today. As soon as he did, John would look away. Mr. Kitchens warned him about this. After only one day, 'John was losing interest in him.' For some reason, this disappointed Ethan.

After the allotted hour, the discussion wrapped up. It was time for Mr. K and Ethan to head home. And then it happened. John turned to Ethan and asked in a monotone voice. "Can you tell me more about your school?"

Ethan and Mr. K exchanged looks. His teacher smiled and nodded. Ethan responded. "Yeah, what do you want to know about?"

"Tell me about your friends. How did you meet them? What kind of things do you do together?"

During yesterday's session, he and Mr. K discussed Ethan's school-related activities. Ethan hadn't gone into any details about his friends.

"OK," answered Ethan. "My best friend's name is Kobe. We met when we were in fourth grade. His family had just moved from Los Angeles, and he was the new kid in class. I'd known most of the kids at my school since pre-school, so I couldn't imagine showing up at a new school for the first time. Looking back, it's funny now, but Kobe came across as sort of hostile. He didn't hit anyone or anything, but he would get into people's faces without too much provocation. By the second day of classes, most kids were scared of him and left him alone.

On the third day of class, I saw Kobe eating his lunch on one of the benches just off the playground. He was by himself, so I decided to talk to him. I remember the face he gave me when I asked if I could sit on the bench with him. I almost turned around and walked away, but I didn't. I asked him where he lived, and he said, 'It was none of my business.' I tried a few different things, like his favorite TV shows and movies, but got a 'screw you' or 'leave me alone' look.

I was ready to give up when I thought to ask him if he played video games. That got his attention. I told him that my parents had just bought me Minecraft. He said. "that's a kid's game." He then told me his favorite game was 'Grand Theft Auto.' I remember telling him, "Wow, my parent would never let me play that game." As it turned out, Kobe's parents wouldn't let him play it either. His older brother bought a copy without his parent's permission, and Kobe watched him play it several times."

Although largely expressionless, John listened intently to Ethan's story.

Ethan told John about gradually befriending Kobe through their discussions of Minecraft, the eventual video game play dates, and sleepovers. Ethan learned that Kobe missed his LA friends and was unhappy with the move to Napa County. In time, with Ethan's assistance, Kobe became a happy kid and one of the coolest guys in the class.

Ethan had been talking for forty-five minutes straight. He was parched, and his stomach was growling.

Mr. Kitchens finally broke in and suggested ending the session for the day.

John stated in his typical intonation, "If you're hungry, there is a restaurant off the lobby. I've never eaten there, but I think they cook my meals and deliver them to my private rooms. It's good. We can eat there."

Mr. Kitchens thought, 'Another first, John's never eaten with any of his guests.' To Ethan, he said. "We should take John up on his invitation. I've eaten at the restaurant a few times, and it's excellent. The daytime chef is a James Beard award winner." Mr. K didn't tell Ethan that the institute paid the chef an exorbitant amount to perform the food preparation duties. The service was free to guests, but only a few meals were prepared daily in recent months. Except for Mr. Kitchens and Ethan, John didn't need instructors anymore. He would only occasionally meet with a business leader, scientist, or engineer to discuss one of his recent innovations or concepts.

They left the conference room and proceeded to the restaurant off the lobby. John led the way, followed by Mr. K and Ethan. The two waiters were momentarily shocked to see John enter the restaurant. They were seated immediately and brought still water and imported carbonated mineral water. One of the servers took beverage orders while the other waiter stood ready to assist a discrete distance away.

Ethan continued telling John about his friends. He and Mr. K would occasionally share a laugh, but John remained largely silent.

The chef personally served the food with the assistance of the waiters. She described each dish and told John it was an honor to meet him finally. John stared at the woman but was silent. Mr. Kitchens and Ethan made small talk and complemented the food until the chef returned to the kitchen.

It was the best meal Ethan had ever eaten. He couldn't believe the layers of flavor and textures in every bite. His ebullience overflowed to Mr. K. They were both having a good time. John was reticent but attentive.

They each had a sumptuous desert. Ethan had an espresso for the first time in his life. He decided that maybe coffee, at least espresso, wasn't so bad after all.

By the time the table was cleared, it was already two in the afternoon. Time had passed quickly. John was the first to depart, followed shortly by Mr. Kitchens and Ethan. Again, John had disappeared. Ethan couldn't figure out how he could appear and disappear so quickly. He was disappointed that he didn't have an opportunity to try at least to say goodbye to him.

Wednesday and Thursday were similar to Tuesday. Mr. Kitchens would send Ethan information about the next day's session, and he would prepare the best he could. The conference room would feature a new incredible view every day. One day, it was a scene of Big Sur looking out to the Pacific Ocean through the Bixby Bridge and the next Kauai's Na Pali Coast. Each day, after the first hour, John would initiate another personal discussion featuring some aspect of Ethan's life. John would never offer anything of his own. They would finish the day over a meal in the compound's restaurant.

On Thursday, as the waiters cleared the table, Ethan noticed that John seemed uncomfortable. He was fidgeting in his seat, and his eyes darted from the table to the waiters, Mr. Kitchens and Ethan.

Finally, when there was a pause in the conversation between Mr. K and Ethan, John hesitantly turned to Ethan and stuttered. "W-w-will you stay at the co-co-compound Friday n-night. It'll be like a sl-sleepover."

Ethan didn't know what to think. Glancing at his teacher, he could see that Mr. K was in a mild state of shock and that this one was up to him.

"Maybe I'll need to check with my parents."

John Immediately stood and hurried out of the room.

A New Challenge

Teacher and pupil eventually made their way home. Both were quiet during the first fifteen minutes of the trip.

Finally, Ethan asked, "What just happened back there?"

Mr. Kitchens responded. "I don't have the slightest idea. I didn't see that coming."

"What should I do?"

"It's up to you, Ethan. After hearing your stories about Kobe and some of your other friends, I can only conclude that John is feeling a sense of loss and trying to salvage some small part of his childhood before it completely disappears. I honestly don't know what you should do. The stuttering was a strong indication of how nervous he was when he asked you to spend the night. John may be more vulnerable than I thought. What do you think you should do?"

Ethan thought for a while. "I'm a little scared. I'm scared for a couple of reasons. John is so smart. I know he can see right through me and tire of me really fast."

"And what's the other reason you're scared?"

"I don't want him to get hurt. Even though he's intimidating as hell, I've gotten to like him. I don't want to be the person to screw him up."

They drove for a couple of miles. Mr. Kitchens, obviously deep in thought, said. "I wouldn't worry about John getting tired of you. He is very observant, and I suspect he sees the same qualities in you that your friends, teachers, and I see in you. You're an exceptional young man, and I'm sure John sees that too."

"Concerning screwing John up. I'm amazed at the progress he's made over this week. Despite his quietness, he is engaging you on a personal level. I don't know what it is, but he responds to you like no one else. There are risks for John and you. It's your call, Ethan."

He was quiet, lost in his thoughts. He felt as though he was on the verge of a monumental journey. Should he travel this path? … Of course, he should. It was his nature to accept challenges and the risks associated with them.

To Mr. Kitchens, "I'll ask my parents if I can spend the night with John."

Mr. Kitchens smiled as he drove up Ethan's driveway.

The following day, Mr. K picked up a nervous backpack carrying Ethan in front of his house.

A frothy hot cappuccino, his new favorite morning drink, awaited him when he settled into the X5 passenger seat.

"I see you got the OK for the sleepover."

"Yeah, it took a little convincing, but they finally agreed. I just have to call them before bed and when I wake up. I brought my mobile."

Mr. Kitchens laughed. "You realize there is no cell coverage in a bomb-hardened shelter buried two hundred feet under an old-growth redwood forest."

It hadn't dawned on him. "What am I going to do?"

"I wouldn't worry about it. That compound has the most advanced communications systems in the world. Just ask John.

"Yeah". The thought of asking John anything was unnerving.

They arrived a few minutes before the nine o'clock start time. The view outside the conference windows was much different today. There was a low horizon dotted with a few timeworn oak trees. The sky was full of angry, fast-moving dark clouds. Flashes of lightning were seen in the distance. It was evident that a fierce storm would soon engulf them.

John was in his usual place. He looked uncomfortable. He wasn't fidgeting like the day before but wringing his hands.

Upon addressing John's distress, Ethan placed his backpack on the table and said, "I brought my stuff."

The boy smiled. It was a genuine smile.

Both Ethan and Mr. Kitchens smiled back. Ethan's smile evolved into a friendly laugh. Mr. K followed suit, and to their delight, John laughed for the first time in his life.

The storm began to dissipate, and the sun broke through the clouds.