THE PINNACLE
By Stephan Lewis
Prologue
He took careful aim, his index finger pressed ever so gently against the trigger. The slightest movement would cause a deafening explosion, the difference between life and death. This was the power Kain held in his hand. His target in clear view through the infrared scope attached to his lethal AK-47. Kain stayed on his knees, weapon ready to answer any command given. The final absolution only he could provide, no matter what his final decision was.
Chapter 1
Jeromy was studying hard, it was almost one o’clock in the morning. Finals were just two days away. This wasn’t the way he wanted to spend his Saturday evening however his parent had laid down the law once and for all. He needed to pass both Chemistry and Humanities in order to graduate high school. His college admittance hanged in the balance. Jeromy was no great scholar, rather an average student who didn’t work very hard at maintaining decent grades. All of this caught up with him this senior year and now it took all of his concerted efforts to ensure he did well on these final exams. Otherwise he’d be spending his summer vacation in school. Thus he sat there trying to keep his eyes open, fighting against those idiotic symbols that represented the various elements found in the world. “Why can’t they just say ‘water’ instead of H2O?” Jeromy thought to himself. He pushed his books aside and rolled over on his back, arms stretched out over his head. He locked his fingers together letting his head settle into the cupped area they provided. Putting one knee up he crossed it with his other leg. His thoughts broke away from his tedious studies and wandered about three miles away. A picture of his girl friend Jennie appeared, sound asleep with her soft delicate face buried within her pillow, brunette hair overflowing. Jeromy fell into a dream state without realizing it, forced upon him from the fatigue of his intense studying. They were together hand in hand, shoes kicked off, stockings and socks as well, stomping playfully in the majestic waves presented to them by the mighty Atlantic ocean. They turned and smiled at one another, brushing their lips together shyly, wiggling their toes in the mushy sand beneath their wet feet leaving imprints only to be washed away with the next thunderous crash of the high tide.
Waking up abruptly Jeromy reflected back on these images, knowing they’d been a reality just a week before – heading to the beach after the Senior Prom. “What a magical weekend that had been,” Jeromy thought out loud as he re-lived this wondrous time in his mind. Jennie had been part of the Prom committee. She’d worked hard with the other members getting a super band, the Kool Cats. They’d made the gymnasium over to create the image of their theme for the evening, Stairway to Heaven. Stars and all of the known planets with their associated moons had been painstakingly developed, down to the minutest detail. The infamous “stairway” leading to “heaven” took center stage.
Only one couple traversed these stairs that evening, the Prom King and Queen – Ted Smithhouse and Julie Packston. Funny because they couldn't stand one another. Yet on this one occasion having been voted King and Queen by their peers, they put their differences aside and strolled up that “stairway” leading to “heaven” as if they were the perfect couple. This illusion cast to everyone out in the audience (who clapped wildly) even though each one of them individually knew better. Strange how love/hate relationships can be placed on “hold” if the occasion warrants.
A loud thud startled Jeromy. He looked down and saw his Chemistry book face up on the floor staring guiltily up at him. He bent over and picked it up closing it tightly knowing that it was useless to try and continue studying that evening / morning. He reached over and turned out the single lamp that had illuminated his room. He took the remaining items, notepad, pencils and stray papers and threw them on his desk. He got up his room engulfed in darkness and took off his shirt, pants and underwear replacing them with his pajamas. He crawled back into bed pulling the sheet up tight to his chin. He tried to fall asleep however his sub-conscious took control and he was once again at the Prom with Jennie.
They’d gone to the Prom with another couple, Jeromy’s best friend Scott and his girl friend Suzanne. Jennie didn’t like Scott all that much but tolerated him because of Jeromy. She’d become friends with Suzanne and they used to spend time together discussing their respective boy friends. Once they got to the Prom the two couples separated. Jennie had work to do with some of the other prom committee members trying to take care of last minute details. Jeromy tagged along staying behind the scenes with the other boy or girlfriends of the various committee members. They chatted quietly amongst themselves waiting for them to re-appear. Once everything was checked and double checked Jennie broke away. She and Jeromy were free to enjoy this night just like all of the other seniors. Jennie looked radiant in her strapless pale blue chiffon gown, the color enhancing her delicate features. Her brown-green eyes were glowing as they made their way towards the center stage. Jeromy stood next to her in his white tuxedo with long tails. His nicely tanned face, deep set hazel eyes and slender build generated a strong contrast to Jennie.
The band began to play and everyone headed for the dance floor. Jennie was a good dancer, hips gyrating, and feet moving deftly to the rhythm of the beat. She looked up and laughed at Jeromy who was having a tough time trying to keep pace with her. No one cared about who could dance and who couldn’t after all this was the Senior Prom. This was their last night to escape from the corridors down the hall that had imprisoned them for the past three years. They all knew that escape would be permanent in a few short weeks. Just as quickly as it began this part of the prom was over and the music ended as the last lyrics of Stairway To Heaven flowed through the speakers. Phase one of this night of nights had finished for all of the seniors who looked to the future while trying to hold onto their past.
As the band began to break down their instruments Jennie and Jeromy hung around to help the other Prom committee members disassemble the decorations that had heightened the spirits of this class of 73’. Scott and Suzanne left with some other friends not wanting to wait around. Jennie was glad because this gave her Jeromy all to herself once the committee’s work was completed. They changed their clothes and stored them away and then drove down to Fantasy Island beach, their favorite location. This was partly because of the name, but mostly due to the beauty of this small beach town on the Atlantic. Few people outside the local communities knew about this beach. It was a little off the beaten path, harder to reach than the other beaches. Those would be crowded with seniors this evening and the thought of them having a quiet location separate from the maddening crowd made this even more special for Jennie and Jeromy. They left their shoes, stockings and socks by the blanket they’d brought with them. A cooler filled with soda (neither of them drank liquor), sandwiches and munchies for snacking later held down one corner of the blanket. A small portable radio held down another. They went for a ‘midnight’ stroll hand-in-hand; it was almost one-thirty in the morning. They talked softly so as not to disturb any of the sleeping town folks, discussing the success of the prom night they’d just left. An almost full moon and many of the glorious star formations within the galaxy filled the clear June sky. If they’d taken the time to look they would have recognized many of the same stars as those that filled their gymnasium hours before. However neither of them were star gazers therefore the meaning and names of each star cluster shining brilliantly above them remained a mystery. They couldn’t distinguish a star from a planet, maybe recognizing (if someone pointed out to them) the big and litter dipper. But for these two high school seniors recognition of the stars was not a prerequisite for being here this early morning. They accepted the beauty of the moon and stars in the sky for what they were, no hidden meaning or understanding necessary. Jeromy saw the star’s sparkle in Jennie’s eyes, wondering if it was true love being reflected back towards him.
Exhaustion from a full day of studying overtook him and Jeromy felt himself falling into a deep sleep. A smile remained on his lips, his sub-conscious losing control after filling him with these wondrous thoughts from his previous weekend.
Jennie woke up early that Sunday morning having gotten to bed early the previous night. Normally she would have been out with Jeromy on a Saturday night going to the movies or bowling or just hanging out with him and their friends. Jeromy hadn’t been permitted to go out. His parents stated he had to study for his final exams. She would do some studying of her own later however it wasn’t really necessary. Her grades were already guaranteed – straight A’s. She never struggled in high school most subjects came easily to her even though she was taking all advanced classes. Her high intellect had gotten her into her favorite Ivy League school – Yale. With a full scholarship no less. This would take her far from home and from Jeromy. Jeromy sat next to her when she opened up the letter that confirmed her early admission. He congratulated her, feeling the happiness she felt, and the sadness as well.
“Well that’s eleven weeks away. We still have to get through graduation and then we have the entire summer together,” Jennie had said to Jeromy. “That’s if Jeromy graduates,” Jennie said out loud to no one as she decided how she wanted to spend her Saturday evening without Jeromy. She didn’t understand why he had so much trouble with Chemistry. She’d offered to tutor him and he’d gladly accepted. He planned to come over later that Sunday afternoon after she got back from church. “He has to graduate! I won’t let him screw up our summer vacation, it’s the only time we have left together,” Jennie stated to herself. She was determined to force him to understand that he would pass his Chemistry final. “Besides we both have jobs lined up during the week, leaving us our evenings and weekends as the only free time,” she finished her thought process. With this last thought Jennie climbed out of bed stretching her slender body. She started her warm-ups before beginning her daily morning exercises. She reached into her bureau drawer pulling out a hot pink leotard. She smiled as she squeezed into the leotard stepping out of her silk nightgown. She bent over and picked it up and went to hang it lovingly in her closet. She loved the feel of silk against her growing womanly body, sorry that to date no one else shared the pleasure of seeing her in it. Jennie was a mature seventeen and a half, her body was constantly sending her signals that she was finding more and more difficult to ignore and control.
She strenuously put her body through its paces, the instructor’s voice in the background on her stereo barking at her to keep those thighs twisting. Jennie thought back to the first time Jeromy had seen her exercising, wearing this very same outfit. He’d come over earlier than the time scheduled for their date. She was working out in the family room since no one else was home. She did not hear his knocking over the instructor’s blaring commands. Since no one answered Jeromy looked thru the window and saw Jennie jumping in place. Going back to the front door that was unlocked, he let himself in. He walked quietly and watched from the hallway as Jennie’s body moved in ways that Jeromy had never seen before, ways he never dreamed were possible.
Jennie caught his reflection in the mirror off to the side, saw him staring intently but he didn’t notice that she was aware of his presence. She teased him unmercifully, spreading her legs wide apart, bending back wither arms between them, her leotard stretched tight against her firm breasts, nipples visible through the slender material. She then did a split, legs at completely opposite sides of each other. She then bent her back straight behind her letting it touch the ground, head staring at the ceiling giving him a complete view of her body. Ever so slowly she brought her legs together, every muscle firm, stretched to their utmost limit. She then picked her head up looking back, pretending to notice him for the first time. She let out a gasp making him think that he’d caught her by surprise.
Jeromy tried to hide his manhood thinking he might faint right there on the spot, never had he been so aroused. Jennie looked down just for an instant and was painfully aware of his condition, her own not being that much better as she felt a wetness deep within.
The instructor stopped and the silence brought Jennie back to the present. She looked around for a moment expecting to find Jeromy there staring at her over-sized Pink Panther instead. Realizing where she was, sweat pouring off her body Jennie turned the stereo off and headed for the bathroom. She grabbed a towel out of the linen closet draped it over her shoulder and turned the shower to cold. She peeled off her soaking leotard throwing it into the hamper. As she passed the mirror she turned to examine herself. Jennie worked hard at keeping her body in shape. Anyone looking at the reflection in the mirror would have been appreciative of this fact. She opened the shower door and stepped cautiously into the waiting shooting icicles. She caught her breath as the spray hit her letting the coldness remove the heat she’d been feeling a moment before, not all of it related to her physical workout.
Jennie’s mom heard the water running knowing that her daughter would be down shortly for breakfast, dressed to go to church. They still had fifty-five minutes, plenty of time to eat and get to church that was only five minutes away. Denise Thurowgood was proud of her daughter, their only child. She was brilliant, someone who always made her parents proud. It was hard to imagine that “her little girl” would graduate High School next weekend and move far from the nest a few short summer weeks later. As the water continued to flow upstairs Mrs. Thurowgood reached over and patted her husband’s hand. He put the paper down smiling at his wife of almost twenty years. He too had felt the joy of raising an only daughter. He thought back to that memorial date – November 28, 1955. He’d been pacing the waiting room floor for hours (back then there was no such thing as natural childbirth or a husband actually joining his wife during delivery). Finally the doctor came out and called him going into a far corner away from prying ears and eyes. There was a look of both elation and concern. Joe Thurowgood held his breath waiting for the doctor to speak. “Congratulations, you’re the father of a fine healthy little girl,” the doctor said and put out his hand and took Joe’s. In the same breath he continued, “Unfortunately there were some unexpected complications with your wife. She started to hemorrhage just after delivery. She’s lost a lot of blood and we’ve done everything we can. Her condition has stabilized and she’s been moved to Intensive Care. It will be touch and go for the next couple of hours, however we believe that she will put through this just fine.” This had been the happiest and saddest day of his life. Joe took Denise’s hand in his, squeezing a bit too hard, happy to be sitting across from her. They smiled at each other as Jennie walked into the kitchen shaking out her long shiny brunette hair, a brush in her hand. Joe reflected back for a moment more – the outcome of Jennie’s birth that eventful day meant that she would never have any brothers or sisters. Her mom took the brush from her hand as she sat down. Her mother proceeded with the morning ritual as she started the procedure of combing her daughter’s hair with a hundred strokes. Once her hair was brushed silky smooth Jennie had her morning breakfast consisting of orange juice – freshly squeezed and a slice of rye toast – dry. Upon completing her breakfast they all got up together as a family smoothing out the creases of their Sunday best and walked the short distance to their place of worship. This was one of the true enjoyments the Thurowgood embarked upon, every Sunday morning at nine forty-five. They took their leisurely stroll to join the thirty-three other families in this weekly gathering. Jeromy’s family also attended the same church. His mom and dad along with two brothers and three sisters (Jeromy’s family was one of the larger families in the parish) would all get together on Sunday morning in church.