Golden Shadows

Chapter 1

Here we go again, I thought. I could not understand why this kept happening to me. My teacher, Mrs. Dempster, continued staring at me, the class joining in. We were all playing kickball on a class trip to another middle school in our district, just a stone-throw away from the long boarded-up old gold mining caves.

It was the first time I had actually gone to their baseball field. It was a nice change of pace from our regular outings, and I’d hopefully get lucky enough to see Adrianna. What a lovely girl, so funny with a great smile, small ears, a slim figure and golden hair. Oh that hair… it flew in long beautiful strands of strawberry short cake. Her hair color was close to perfect; red-golden -superb wavy and balanced hair on a 14 year old girl I’d had a crush on since kindergarten. How could I forget the first memory of genuine bliss? But for the time being, I was concerned about my own hair color.

Good God, I was red in the face with embarrassment, and my hair was as white as a dove flying through a snow storm! White, the color white, was all I was thinking about. I knew that was the reason why sixty plus pupils from my class and the other school were looking in disbelief. Worm, my best friend in the whole world, gave me his Adidas baseball cap to hide my ‘zombie boy hair.’

Thanks, genius, I muttered. I did not call him Genius, in a sarcastic manner, but more in a good-thinking-genius manner. I often called Worm by his other nickname, Genius. He was good looking and athletic on the outside, but a smart, quick, funny and all-round brilliant friend on the inside.

Mrs. Dempster grabbed me and brought me under the shade of a tree with a massive trunk. She sat me down and asked me why my hair had turned white and if this had ever happened to me before. Yes, once before, I replied. I will also get a massive migraine soon enough.

Oh the shame! Especially with Adrianna watching and all the others smirking, some with jaws wide opened. The feeling of a gold digging-pick ax rammed through my skull, the pain of the migraine was indescribable! I lay down in the burnt brown grass and waited for the paramedics to come and bring me to the hospital again.

The sun was scorching hot in the hot June afternoon; the Nevada sun was relentless this summer. So, here I was, on the ground, with all these people around, astonished at the color of my hair. Surely, they’d never ever seen a 14-year-old with hair as white as snow. Although, I’ve never seen snow in real life, I did see it on TV every Christmas. Oh how I wished to have some snow to roll in now and rub all over my face and forehead, anything to ease the headache and relieve me from this damn sun.

The tree was barely making enough shade for me and Mrs. Dempster, and the glare of the high sun was preventing me from taking a good look at Adrianna, standing there ten feet from me in her little summer dress. Strawberry Short Cake, I kept thinking. That was the last thing I remember before I passed out.

The school had obviously contacted my mom about the incident at Yellow Gems’ Middle School because she was at my bedside when I woke up in the hospital room. The room was familiar to me, clean, sterile, with Peter Pan wallpaper. I had visited this same room twice before in the past year or so.

Are you ok, my little darling? she whimpered. Mom was always so sweet and caring. Carlos! Your hair came back to normal. For pity’s sake, why in the devil is this happening to you? she exclaimed. It was funny how she was looking at me like I had the answer to her question.

I don’t know, Mom, I guess I played kickball too hard again, I said, confused.

When it’s this hot outside, you should not exert yourself, Carlos, Mom said. She was clearly concerned. Although we didn’t have much money, our family did very well in terms of harmony together and with the community. And, living in a small community as we did, everyone knew about one another’s situation.

Dr. Pinoche came in. He had a schnauzer for a nose and bushy eye brows that probably needed their own daily hygienic ritual. Not to knock the guy, particularly because he was such an outstanding physician, but you’d think that a man of his stature and wealth could afford a nose job. At least a trimmer for his eye brows, not to mention his ear hair, nose hair and the chest hair popping out of his button shirt.

Hi, Carlos, how are you doing? asked Dr. Pinoche.

I’m doing much better, I replied. How long was I out for? I asked.

Dr. Pinoche examined my chart carefully; his nose could cast its own shadow. You were out for just a little over one hour, he said. He then went to my mother and informed her that I had some sort of ‘vitamin deficiency and mineral imbalance’ in my body and that for some unknown reason, my hair would lose all of its color when I had a ‘spell’.

But why now, Doctor? my mom asked.

The onset of puberty can make the body do strange things. I’m happy that Carlos’ hair came back to its original colour, he replied. I suggest for Carlos to drink plenty of O.J. and eat lots of fruits, veggies and red meat for tonight’s dinner. The other thing that could be triggering these spells is the drama he went through last September, the doc explained to Mom. I know that this is Carl’s third visit here in the past few months, and all things considered, the death of a loved one can take a huge toll on the body of a young person. We all know what happened to your husband and it must have been traumatic, especially as Carlos saw and was part of the accident. I would recommend some counselling. I know a great counsellor who works with young teens, continued Pinoche. I liked Dr. Schnauzer. Despite his hairy holes, he had a strange aura about him, and it seemed that he knew something we did not. Deep down inside, I knew that his second prognosis was more accurate than the first one.

The doc told me to stay in bed and wait until my I.V. was empty. By the time I’d sucked up all my I.V., Worm, my younger brother Eduardo and my older sister Carmella came in for a visit.

Yo, Car, you ok? asked Ed, concerned.

Car, Car, Car, I told you not to play in the sun in the afternoon! nagged Carmi.

Worm, however, was a bit more focused on his own matters. My cap! Where is it? Come on, bro... gimme my cap back! he begged.

Momma threw the dust covered cap to Worm’s chest. Have a little sympathy, Robert, she said with a tinge of disdain. Worm looked sorry, but you could see his sorrow was quickly overridden by the fact that summer vacation had begun.

School’s out! School’s out! Worm said. Let’s go biking, I’ll double ride you home, Car, said Worm.

Mom cut us off: No, no. No playing tonight, boys, she interrupted. Carlos needs his rest, and I need him strong enough to help out at the store this weekend. You know how busy we get. Although my mom sounded cold at that time, she meant no harm. The priority was to get me back to good health.

Mom owned a little general store in the middle of town that was especially busy on weekends. She didn’t have staff but herself, me and my siblings. We all chipped in on the weekends and on some weeknights also.

Worm dusted off his hat in the germ free environment. It was time for me to get out of bed and go home.

Chapter 2

On the way home in my mom’s red clunker-of-a-car, I kept thinking that this might actually be more serious than we had thought. Although Doctor Pinoche did have a point about eating well, I knew that my diet was not the main factor in the recent spells I’d been having.

As we pulled into the driveway of our home, I got a whiff of something sizzling on the BBQ. Grandma was grilling something yummy up in the backyard. Grandma came to live with us and Mom when Grandpa died in the accident. Although money was sometimes an issue, having connections with the local butcher and baker always served us well. So, tonight it was discount T-bone steaks for all! Mom tried to grow veggies in the backyard but the Nevada sun and dryness of the region made a lush garden nearly impossible. We often had withering and stunted veggies on our plates. But we rarely complained.

As I got out of the clunker, and walked towards the backyard, I heard a faint voice. Car! Car! It was Adrianna. I was happy to see her, but was a little down because she did not come to see me at the hospital.

Hey, you, her lovely voice sang. Are you feeling better? Sorry I couldn’t come to see you at the hospital, something came up. What did the doctor say? she asked.

He mentioned that I might need to eat better and see someone for counseling about the deaths of Dad and Grandpa. But I really don’t think I need it, I said.

She whispered ever so slightly to me, Car, summer vacation is coming up; I suggest you get some rest, read some books, watch TV and be a kid for once in your life!

She was right. She always was. I would take her advice over an old doctor’s anytime. You’re right, Addi, I might just do that, I replied. Her dress was still pink and wavy, just like Mom’s car. It truly was an old clunker. Dad used to love that car…

As we all sat on the over-used and splintered picnic table, I reminisced about Dad and his BBQ apron and the giant BBQ fork that he loved so much. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but in reality it was less than a year since Dad and Grandpa were crushed in the accident. It made me sad. Poor Mom… Poor Grandma… She looked young for seventy, and for the first time I noticed how Grandma, Mom and Carmi all looked alike.

Hello? Are you there, Car? Addi prodded.

Sorry, I replied. I must have been day dreaming. I shrugged. Despite my thoughts, I was happy to have everyone here, especially Adrianna. The fact that she still came by after the accident meant she was a big part of our family.

Carlos, eat all of your rice and beans. I also gave you extra carrots. You need to keep your strength up, said Mom.

Ed was swatting in vain at an annoying fly. It made me think about Dad again. If Dad were here he would catch the fly with one hand and whip it against the wall like a baseball. We loved it when he did that. At family dinners on a summer night we missed him all the more.

With all the excitement of today, sleep was nearly impossible. I stared at the clock; it was only 3AM. Although I had the tendency to be an early bird, even I didn’t wake up until about 6. All I could think about were the many events of today. The hair, the hospital, Adrianna, Dad. I couldn’t just lie in bed anymore.

It was still dark outside and I could not see where I was stepping in the room, and the last thing I wanted to do was to wake Ed up on a Saturday morning. This weekend would be a great one; the teachers hadn't give any homework, plus Ed was going to work at the store all weekend. He had actually offered to go instead of me. While it meant my shift would only be delayed, at least I wouldn’t have to lift the heaviest boxes that came in only on the weekend.

I went outside in the dry, dark morning, and sat in Dad’s old rocking chair. The chair made squeaky noises against the creaking wooden floor of the porch. I had fixed myself a snack and was chewing on my peanut butter and tomato sandwich, Dad’s favorite. I stared into the darkness. When the sun poked through the dark horizon I could make out the mountain range. I kept thinking of what Addi had said to me about enjoying my summer, and I wondered if Mom would agree. Mom was a strong and strict woman, as was Grandma, but she was always flexible when