Choosing the Right Path

By Peter Moreau

10-year old Dave Gallagher is the star of his baseball team. He and his best friend, Mikey Fournier, are certain their team will win the championship when an outstanding athlete, Steve Sutherland, moves to town. Everything goes perfectly until Dave makes an unfortunate decision. As he struggles with his own guilt, shocking secrets are discovered about Steve's past. Advice from adults in the story provide interesting twists, but each boy must ultimately make his own choices.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Peter Moreau
• Release date: Feb 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311823366

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CHOOSING THE RIGHT PATH

by Peter L. Moreau

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 Peter L. Moreau

License Notes: This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Ebook cover and formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 1

Ready? asked Mikey as the bright sunlight reflected off his helmet.

Ready, answered Dave, nodding his head in agreement. He was looking forward to the challenge, a long bike race in the woods. School was over and it was the first day of summer vacation. Both boys were good students and liked school, but they were glad to finally have some freedom.

Although the two were almost complete opposites in appearance and personality, they had been best friends for as long as either could remember. Mikey Fournier, friendly and outgoing, had short, neatly combed brown hair and was very small for a 10-year old, while Dave Gallagher was tall, lanky and extremely shy. His long dark hair stood out against his pale, almost colorless, skin.

Mikey rarely won the bike races or any other competition against Dave, but no one could say he didn't try. For Dave, the most athletic kid in his class as well as the top student, there was nothing that meant more. He expected to be the best at everything he did and he usually was.

All spring, the two had spent hours developing trails in the woods by clearing brush and laying dead branches along the sides to clearly mark the paths. With some hard work, they had created a system of smooth trails with lots of turns. These improved as they repeatedly rode over them. Although it was enjoyable to hike the trails, it was a lot more fun to ride bikes. They could go a lot faster and, unlike the streets, there were no rules—they could do whatever they wanted. As far as they knew, there was no place else in the world where 10-year olds could do whatever they wanted.

The trails, over a mile in length, led to Glendale Park, where they planned to meet some other kids for a game of baseball. First, though, they had a major problem to deal with—getting by Old Man Smart. The easiest way to get to the trails was to cut through his yard, which they did regularly. Whenever they rode across his lawn, the old man would scream at them. Although they realized Mr. Smart didn't want them on his property, the boys didn't think they were doing anything wrong. They didn't stay there and they didn't make any noise or anything, so they weren't bothering anybody. All they were doing was riding their bikes. To them, the only reason he got mad was because he was a mean, ornery old man.

Stuart Smart, in his early eighties and widowed the year before, didn't see it that way. His beautifully kept lawn was his pride and joy and he was still spry enough to maintain it. As far as he was concerned, Mikey and Dave were two delinquents who were committing acts of vandalism by tearing up his property. If he ever caught them, he wasn't sure what he would do, but he was certain they would never be seen anywhere near his yard again.

Frustrated with his grass being repeatedly trampled, early that morning, Mr. Smart had scattered every piece of equipment that he owned, rakes, shovels, spades and hoes, on the lawn behind his house. Once the boys reached his property, they began their sprint. By the time they had passed the house and reached the back yard, which sloped down to the woods, they were going pretty fast. Mikey was in the lead, but Dave was right behind. Suddenly, each noticed the tools. Mikey had great body control and started jumping over the obstacles like it was nothing; he was having fun. Dave tried to do the same, but, on his first jump, he fell; he had never jumped on a bike before. Before he knew it, the old man was there. He grabbed Dave by the scruff of the neck and held him up, so that he was just dangling in the air. Dave was petrified and, although he squirmed, he couldn't escape.

The old man is strong, Dave told himself. How can an old man be so strong?

I finally caught one of you hoodlums! Now you're gonna be sorry! screamed Mr. Smart.

Dave was totally intimidated and didn't say a word. What was this old lunatic going to do to him?

You must think you're tough, tearing up my yard all the time. Well, let's see how tough you are now, especially without your little friend around!

He then carried Dave, still by the scruff of the neck, and placed him up against his house so that his back was leaning against it. There was no way he could get away.

Standing there helplessly, Dave received the lecture of his life. He had been yelled at before by his parents, but never by another adult and he started to cry. He wasn't injured or anything; he was just trying to get some sympathy. He didn't get any.

The old man was right in his face, spraying spittle on it as he yelled, Oh, you're not so tough now, are you? Crying like a little baby! If your friend was a real friend, he'd be here to help you. Where is he now?

Dave was still much too scared to respond, but he was thinking about what the old man had said. Where was Mikey? He wasn't afraid of anything. Then Dave remembered that his friend had been ahead of him and so intent on winning the race, that he probably hadn't seen Dave's fall. If he had, Dave was certain that he would have come back to help. If there was one person he could always count on, it was Mikey.

The old man wasn't finished with his lecture. He's not a real friend; he's a little baby, just like you. I'm gonna catch that little one someday and is he going to be sorry! He's the ringleader, isn't he? I figured you'd be the one who was dumb enough to fall for my little trap, but I'll have to set a better one for him. Let me tell you something, tough guy, if I ever see you in my yard again or if I ever even see you near my yard again, you will be sorry, very sorry! And tell that other hoodlum the same thing! I'd better never see either one of you near here again!

Finally, he let Dave go. He was trembling as tears streamed down his cheeks while he walked his bike to the street in front of the old man's house. His first thought was to head straight home, but then he realized that his mother would notice right away that something was wrong and he would end up telling her everything. Dave knew he would probably get it worse from her than he had from the old man. When his father came home from work, she would tell him all about it and then he would be in real trouble. Going home would not be a good idea.

Dave decided to ride to the park to meet Mikey and the other guys, as they had originally planned. However, his route would be the long way, on the roads, and not through the old man's yard and the woods. Dave didn't want the other guys to see him crying, so he knew he needed to get control of himself. He never wanted to look bad in front of his friends.

Dave took his time, riding slowly, trying to regain his composure. He was sure that Mikey knew something was wrong and had probably figured out that he had fallen after seeing all the tools in the yard, but Dave thought if he acted like it wasn't a big deal, then that would show everyone how tough he was.

When he finally reached the park, there were lots of kids there, but Mikey wasn't one of them. Some of the other guys told him that his friend was worried and had gone back up the trail to look for him. Dave hurried in that direction as fast as he could, but got off his bike as he approached the old man's property. Walking slowly, he finally noticed Mikey, almost in the yard, hiding behind trees and bushes, like he was on a spying mission.

Mikey, Dave said in a loud whisper.

He turned and looked as a huge smile spread across his face.

Dave, you're OK! When you didn't come to the park, I thought that maybe the old guy caught you. I came back up here to help.

He did catch me, Dave admitted. I fell over one of the rakes. Before I could get back on my bike, he grabbed me. That guy is wicked strong!

How could he be strong? He's an old man.

Take my word for it; he is.

What'd he do to you anyway?

Being so close to the old man's yard, Dave didn't want to press his luck.

I'll tell you when we get to the park. Let's get out of here.

Sure that his friend hadn't been injured, upon reaching the field, Mikey began to crow about how he had won the bike race.

Aren't you going to congratulate the champ? he asked.

Champ of what?

Bike racing. I'm the champion of bike racing. I beat you by like ten minutes. Nobody ever won by that much before. I set the all-time record.

You didn't beat me, Mikey. I fell, so that doesn't count. It wasn't really a race.

Dave absolutely hated losing at anything and, in his mind, it wasn't a fair race because of what had happened, so he hadn't really lost. That didn't stop Mikey as he gloated about one of his rare victories.

Yeah, then, how come you never say that when I crash, Dave? Mikey asked.

That's different.

How's it different?

Dave didn't have a good answer, but, fortunately for him, one of the other kids asked, Dave, what'd the old man do to you anyway?

Other than pick him up and yell, he hadn't done anything, but Dave's friends didn't know that. Thinking about it, even when the old man had spoken threateningly, he had never really said what he was going to do. That was to be left to the imagination.

Dave wanted to act tough in front of his friends, but he didn't want to lie, so he told them, You don't want to know what he did to me. I'm never going through there again and you won't either if you know what's good for you. That guy's even meaner than I thought!

Hah! Mikey responded right away. You're just saying that because you know you can't beat me.

Yeah, Mikey, like you can beat me in a bike race, Dave replied sarcastically. You know I'm faster than you. The only way you can win is to cheat!

Cheat? How did I cheat?

You probably knew the old man had all those tools out in the yard, so you were ready for it. You probably wanted me to get caught so you could win!

Yeah, Dave, Mikey replied with a smirk on his face, you're right. How'd you find out? I went down to his house early this morning and the old geezer and I planned the whole thing.

Although Mikey was not the athlete that Dave was, he wouldn't back down to him either.

You never beat me when we race, Mikey, and you know it. If it was a fair race, there's no way you'd ever win!

I just did!

Yeah, well, I'll race you again any time you want.

OK, let's go back up there right now.

Dave wasn't sure if Mikey was that confident or if he was just putting on a show to intimidate him. Either way, it worked.

I'm not going through his yard. He's not doing that to me again. That man is evil!

I'm not afraid of him. He's about a hundred years old. He couldn't do anything to me. You're just chicken.

Mikey, I'm warning you, you'd better stay out of his yard. I don't want to see you get hurt.

You're just saying that to try to scare me because you know I'm faster than you. I'm not gonna fall for that.

Mikey, I'm telling you the truth. He said he's gonna set a trap for you, just like he did for me. He says you're the ringleader.

That old man will never catch me! I'm too quick.

Some of the other kids tired of watching Mikey and Dave snipe at each other and suggested that they choose teams for a baseball game.

Dave wasn't about to go anywhere near the old man's yard, so he agreed right away, but Mikey kept taunting him.

Come on, Dave, let's go. Let's have the race right now.

All the other guys want to play baseball, Mikey, so let's do that. We'll race later.

OK, later, Mikey agreed.

Dave considered himself to be an honest kid and what he had suggested was kind of true. He had every intention of racing later. He just didn't say how much later.

Chapter 2

Once the game began, the dispute between Mikey and Dave was completely forgotten. It always worked that way. The two could get on each other's cases, but they never stayed angry. Although neither ever said it, deep down, they both knew that, no matter what, they would always remain friends.

Sixteen kids were at the park, so teams were quickly chosen for a pickup game. The pitchers just threw easily, so everyone had a good chance to hit. Dave smashed four home runs and two or three doubles and Mikey punched out five singles, leading their team to a 25 to 22 victory. Every player on both teams reached base several times, so everyone left happy.

After the game, while all the others went home for lunch, Dave and Mikey made a quick visit to the nearby convenience store. Returning to the ball field, they sat in the bleachers and sipped their sodas while shooting the breeze.

Before leaving, Dave timidly asked, Are you gonna do it?

Do what?

Cut through the old man's yard?

No way! Not going uphill, I'm not!

I thought you said you weren't afraid of him.

I'm not afraid of him and he's never gonna catch me.

The old man never did.

While riding home on the roads, Mr. Smart was quickly forgotten. The boys had more important things on their minds. Their town's baseball league would begin in a little over a week and then the games would become more serious. The recreation department had various divisions separated by age group. Because their group was for 9 and 10-year olds and Mikey and Dave were 10, they fully expected to be the stars. On the ride home, they felt pretty good about their team's chances.

Mikey, if you keep hitting like you did today, they'll never keep you off the bases.

Mikey beamed, I hope so. I was trying a little different stance and I think it helped.

Yeah, you were hitting the ball all over the place.

Well, what about you, Dave? You're the best player in town. You're a great hitter and nobody can touch your fastball when you pitch.

Dave had a lot of confidence in his ability. If it had anything to do with sports, he was quite sure of himself. It was the same way with schoolwork. However, when it had to do with other things, like meeting new people, he was the total opposite—he had no self-confidence at all.

Because Mikey's comments had been about baseball, though, Dave was in complete agreement. He was a right-handed pitcher who could throw hard and a left-handed batter with good power. The previous year he had hit a couple of home runs that easily cleared the fence. Everyone said it was the first time they had ever seen a 9-year old do that. So, yes, he probably was the best player in town in his age group, but it was always good to hear someone acknowledge it.

As they often did in the summer, the boys planned to camp out that night after having dinner at Mikey's house. Dave had eaten there often and he had always enjoyed the meals and the company; he knew that Mr. and Mrs. Fournier liked him. Both were born in Québec, the French-speaking