The Summer of 1981, Part 30: Promises In The Dark (Middle)

[Padraig]

For those of you who would like to catch up, here are links to the earlier chapters:

Part 1: The Best of Times
Part 2: Wasn't That A Party
Part 3: The Boy From New York City
Part 4: The Voice
Part 5: Feels So Right
Part 6: Sausalito Summernight
Part 7: The Waiting
Part 8: All I Have To Do Is Dream
Part 9: Urgent
Part 10: The Theme From The Greatest American Hero
Part 11: Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through
Part 12: Life of Illusion
Part 13: America
Part 14: Deep Inside My Heart
Part 15: Mister Sandman
Part 16: Hard To Say
Part 17: Bette Davis Eyes
Part 18: Limelight
Part 19: Cool Love
Part 20: Don't Let Him Go
Part 21: Physical
Part 22: Hold On Tight
Part 23: Medley
Part 24: I Love You
Part 25: The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)
Part 26: Everlasting Love
Part 27: It's My Turn
Part 28: I Love A Rainy Night
Part 29: Promises In The Dark (Beginning)


Any feedback is very much appreciated - I would love to hear from those of you who have been reading. Or if you just want to reminisce about some of your favorite music or memories from 1981, please feel free to share. Thanks!!


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Ben jumped a little when Tug’s hand touched his shoulder, not realizing his friend was right behind him. He stepped forward, closer to the cliffside, and turned around to face him. “Tug, let me just say it, OK.”

“Ben, you can say whatever you want, but please, let’s go back toward the house. I don’t like heights and we’re too close to the edge.”

“OK. I’ll go back with you.”

“Good.” Tug turned around and started walking toward his house, but he stopped suddenly when Ben blurted out his next sentence.

“I love you, Tug Yates.”

Tug, surprised, turned to face his friend, but Ben was no longer there. It was as if the Earth had swallowed him whole.


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Immediately concerned but also overwhelmingly frightened at the disappearance of his friend, Tug made his way to the edge of the bluff, dropping the radio as he walked. It bounced forward when it hit the ground, landing on the rim of the hillside, but kept playing the Pat Benatar tune.

Looking down, Tug gasped when he saw what had happened.


-----------------------------------------------------


As soon as Ben had said the words, “I love you,” he could feel the ground crumbling under his feet. Suddenly, there was nothing holding him up as the hillside slipped away and he tumbled downward.

He closed his eyes, thinking he was about to die, but a second later his body stopped when it slammed into a muddy slope. Disoriented by the fall and the driving rain, he tried to climb upward toward the sounds he could still hear from the radio Tug had brought with them.

Just when you think you’ve got it down

Not making any progress climbing blindly, Ben opened his eyes, which didn't help him much due to the darkness and the rain. He could tell he had fallen about five feet downward and now lying upon a steep precipice where the section of the bluff he was standing on used to be. He considered looking down for a way out of his predicament, but knowing that it was a good 100 yard drop to the rocks below, he decided against it.

Resistance nowhere to be found

With no upward momentum, Ben frantically clawed into the dirt, trying to keep himself from sliding off the cliff. His hands managed to find a few old roots, which he grasped with all of his remaining strength, but for the first time in his life he regretted weighing more than 250 pounds.

His choice of footwear also proved to be unfortunate – the flip-flops had virtually no traction on the muddy slope, andt every time he tried to lift his feet to shake them off, his body slid down a few more inches.

They whisper…

Then, as if calling from heaven, Ben could make out Tug’s voice.

Promises…in…the…dark…

“Ben, I’m going to get you up, I promise!”


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But promises, you know what they're for
It sounds so convincing, but you heard it before

Tug quickly lay on the ground and stretched his arms as far down as he could, but Ben was simply too far away. He crept further and further forward, desperately trying to grab onto his friend, but Tug was still a good twelve inches away by the time he realized his own body was beginning to precariously slide down the hill.

As he scooted himself back to safety after his failed attempt, with his friend's life in real danger of ending within the next few seconds, Tug's mind flashed on a conversation that he and Ben had had earlier in the summer when discussing the plot of a Hardy Boys book.


[COLOR="Wheat"]“True. I’m probably asking too much of a book geared for 13-year-olds,” said Tug.

“No, you just like what you like, and you need what you need. And I agree with you – luck and coincidence and perfect timing are sometimes needed to make a narrative work, but it’s also nice to have a little drama and conflict and struggle to see the characters grow. I feel the same way about the last chapter in a story – I don’t always want it end to end with ‘and they lived happily ever after,’ because unhappy endings are necessary, too.”

The words rattled around in Tug’s brain – ‘unhappy endings are necessary?’

What does he mean by that?

Seeing that Tug looked puzzled, Ben continued. “Unhappy endings in stories may not be what the reader wants, but sometimes they are what the reader needs. The readers may even get mad at the author for taking his characters down a depressing road or leaving them with a heartbreaking conclusion, but in time, and with a little perspective, an unhappy ending to a well-written story allows us to really appreciate when things go right for us in real life – like how losing a baseball game makes the next victory all that much sweeter, or in the same way that death gives our life meaning.” [/COLOR]


Tug quickly put the thought out of his head and tried to figure out a Plan B.

'Cause talk is cheap and you gotta be sure

Ben called from below. “Tug, you still there?”

“Of course I'm here, Ben! Can you climb up at all?” Tug bellowed back.

“Not really. I’m holding on to some old roots, but I can’t see much around me and I can’t get any traction with my flip-flops!”

“Please just hold on!" Tug desperately wanted to give Ben hope, but he honestly didn't know what he was going to do.

I can’t let Ben die! I can’t let it end like this!

And so you put up your guard
And you try to be hard

As Tug scrambled to come up with a solution, he again flashed back on a conversation, but this time it was one he had had with his father.


[COLOR="Wheat"]“Tug, I’m sure you’re destined for greatness. Tim may be the famous one, but you’re the one who’s going to do a lot of great things.”

“Oh, come on, you’re just saying that because you’re my father.”

“You’re right,” said Mr. Yates with a smirk. “I did just say that just because I’m your father. I actually think you might do maybe one great thing.”

Tug rolled his eyes. “Just one?”

“Yep, son, just one great thing. And then you’ll be done.”[/COLOR]


Tug smiled as the memory gave him the resolve to keep trying.

I can do this! Saving Ben will be my “one great thing!”

But your heart says 'try again'

Knowing in his heart that he had to succeed, even with all odds against him, Tug again started crawling forward, inching his way down the slope toward Ben.

[philat99]

Well, no one can deny that you've achieved a most dramatic "cliffhanger"!!!!! The suspense is heart wrenching!!!!!
Mike

[burntjello]

Wait! No! My computer must be broken! I can't read the end!
WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?!
You are an amazing author, can't wait for the next part!

[Padraig]

Thanks, guys! I'm glad to know that others care about the characters as much as I do. There will be two more parts to this song, both fairly short, and I will be posting them later in the week.

[Padraig]

Hi guys ?

Since I already posted the "Promises In The Dark" video in the first part of this chapter, I thought I would include the video for Pat Benatar's awesome "Precious Time," the title cut from her summer 1981 album.

If it seems familiar, it's because I have had two characters use the quote "Life is too short, so why waste precious time?" during the story so far (and so very true for Tug and Ben right now!)

Enjoy!

Precious Time