The Myth and The Guardian

Austin was curious to see how Drs. Wilson and Farmer would react to his latest decision. The boy did not see any point in wasting any more time on the matter, and he had to tell them immediately.

“I have been thinking, and there is really no point in me trying to teach a class. I am confident in my ability, but I think it would be best that I focus on being a student for the time being.” Austin said in a mature tone.

Dr. Farmer was a bit shocked by the news, but he managed to keep his composure. Dr. Wilson on the other hand could not hide his emotion. He was happy to hear the news that Austin would not be teaching a class any time soon.

“Austin, I must say that I am glad that you have made this decision. I would rather you focus on studying, learning, and meeting people.” said Dr. Wilson.

Austin had not even thought about the fact that he would be around other students. He did not know how he would react to working in a classroom, or how he would react to the inevitable glares he would receive daily. The boy hid the fact that this bothered him, and he just focused on the current conversation.

“I hope this news will not disappoint anyone.” Austin added quickly.

Dr. Farmer told him that they had made arrangement for him to teach one class during the second semester, and his decision would not disappoint anyone other than people who wanted to use the attention that he would bring to Harvard. Austin could tell that this would not be an issue because the fact that he would be there would be enough publicity for the school.

Austin enjoyed the entire process of getting to Cambridge, Massachusetts. The car ride to the airport, the plane ride, and the car ride to the college. The two new friends he had made were extremely hospitable to him. They made an entire day of the arrival process, and it was filled with great food, laughter, and shopping. They had quite the time shopping for clothes for Austin. Austin did not know what he wanted to wear or what he liked. He relied on the salespeople in the stores to tell him what looked good on him. He allowed Dr. Wilson to choose the shoes he would wear and Dr. Farmer chose his jacket.

“The school is paying for all of this?” Austin asked as all of the expenses added up quickly.

“Yes of course, it’s not every day that Harvard has a genius coming to campus, well at least not one your age.” Dr. Farmer added playfully.

The entire day was one of the best that Austin had ever experienced, and he was excited to start his new life. Suddenly it dawned on him to ask where he would be staying. He had almost another month before classes began, and did not know if he would stay in his dorm room.

“We have a nice room picked out for you at the school, and we made sure that you would not be bothered by a roommate.” Dr. Farmer answered.

Austin was relieved to hear this news because of the random dreams, nightmares, and events that had happened to him.

“But tonight you are both invited to my home for dinner and you can sleep there if you would like to Austin” Dr. Wilson added sincerely.

Austin was impressed with the size of Dr. Wilson’s home, and he hoped he did not raise any suspicion with how quickly and eagerly he agreed to dinner. He could not help but to remember his desire to understand Dr. Wilson more. There was something about him that just forced him to be curious. Mrs. Angela Wilson, Dr. Wilson’s wife, was an extremely pretty woman. She looked like a former swimsuit model, but Austin could tell that she was too insecure to have ever been a model. Her demeanor let him know this fact from the very beginning. She was overly energetic because of her nerves, and she was constantly checking her hair in every mirror she passed, which is uncharacteristic of someone who has been referred to as beautiful their entire life. She was still a very intimidating woman. Her long dark hair shined, and her body was completely fit and curvy. Still, she had a kindness about her that made people feel comfortable around her.

Austin enjoyed meeting Dr. Wilson’s children as well. Amy, his fifteen year old daughter, was the exact image of her mother. She was nice and very intelligent, and she had a passion for art. Austin could tell that she was shy and soft spoken like her mother too. She covered her smile when she laughed and seemed to study the reactions of others before reacting to a joke, phrase, or statement.

Joseph, Dr. Wilson’s sixteen year old son, was the athletic type. He was muscular and extremely confident in everything he said or did. Some may even consider him a bit cocky in certain ways, but overall he seemed to be a good person. The both of them enjoyed Austin and treated him like a closely related cousin. Austin loved the way they all seem to interact with one another, and he felt honored to be surrounded by a family with such traditional love and affection.

He soon abandoned his plan to study Dr. Wilson and his family to get explanations about the man’s personality, characteristics, and outlook on life due to the arrival of the Anderson family. Frank, Susan, and Chris Anderson were the Wilson’s next door neighbors. Frank and Susan were the scientific researchers that Dr. Wilson and Dr. Farmer had told Austin about during their first visit to the orphanage. They both taught in the more advanced areas of Scientific Studies as did Dr. Wilson, but most of the time they were involved with research. The three of them split up six classes a day and spent the rest of their time working in the labs.

Austin was filled with admiration by the eccentric way the Andersons interacted with one another. Although they showed each other affection, they would go from loving family to fierce debaters with one another. They spent most of the night creating small arguments about proving and disproving scientific theories and the existence of supernatural phenomenon. Susan was about to talk about their latest research of supposedly mythical items, but her husband stopped her as if he did not want her to share details. Austin noticed that Frank also made a gesture toward him as if making her aware of his presence for some reason.

Austin did not pay much attention to the gesture because it could have meant anything. As far as he knew, they could be researching some ancient artifact that enhanced sexual experiences, and Frank could have thought that Susan had forgotten children were in the room. Austin was still fascinated by the Andersons unnatural point of views. He could almost relate to them on a personal level. They questioned everything, but they also accepted everything until it was proven false. Austin valued this chosen belief due to the unexplainable happenings that had taken place at the orphanage. He did not want to completely agree he believed in ghosts and magic, but he did believe that something was haunting or trying to possess him. Austin listened closely as they spoke and shared some of the details of their past adventures in mythical item searching, and he had no choice but to agree that it was all immensely exciting.

The Andersons were also overly polite and kind to Austin, but the intensity of their kindness was suspicious. Frank and Susan talked to him for over an hour and eventually made the statement that he should visit them soon. Austin accepted the invitation and wished them all a goodnight. Susan hugged him, Frank shook his hand, and Chris just gave him a pat on the back and looked at him like an alien. He assumed that it was because of his intelligence, but he was not sure because Chris seemed more frightened than intimidated. Everything about the family raised Austin’s suspicion and fascinated him at an alarming rate. Finally, Austin decided to enjoy the rest of the night and resume his original task of figuring out Dr. Wilson.

The rest of the night was casual and boring. Everyone was a bit sleepy from the day and the abundance of food, but they still managed to make small conversation with one another. Dr. Farmer had dosed off a few times and decided it would be best if he went home. He said his goodbyes and left after one last cup of coffee. Dr. Wilson called Austin into the living room area of the gigantic home and talked to Austin about what he had to look forward to the upcoming school year. After twenty minutes of talking academics, Dr. Wilson surprised Austin with a question.

“So, have you figured me out yet or do you need more time?” Dr. Wilson said with a smirk.

Austin who was only a little shocked by the man’s perception gave an embarrassed grin and replied

“A little more time and I think I will have you all figured out. If you don’t mind me asking, how did you know?” Austin quickly asked.

Dr. Wilson placed his hand on Austin’s shoulder playfully.

“Well, I may not be a genius, but I noticed it when you first arrived. Instead of meeting my family, you stared and listened to them like a prosecutor does a witness, and you are usually a bit more talkative than you were tonight.” Dr. Wilson explained in a cocky voice. “Quickly, what is another word for talkative?” He added.

“Loquacious. So what if my silence was a direct result of fear or intimidation of new people? Austin answered and asked with the ease of a five year old saying the word “No”.

Dr. Wilson clapped his hands together to show how much he was impressed with how much Austin’s mind was developed for such a young boy.

“People like you rarely get afraid or intimidated by people. Sure you may feel awkward around them, but never inferior.” Dr. Wilson finally replied.

After a few more minutes of talking, Dr. Wilson showed Austin where he would be sleeping. The room was large and extremely neat. The bed was the most comfortable looking piece of furniture that Austin had ever seen. There was a full bathroom through a door inside of the room with everything Austin would need to prepare for bed. He showered, brushed his teeth, and put on a pair of his new pajamas.

Austin noticed that in the corner of the room was a mini refrigerator stocked with water, soda, and snacks. He knew that there was probably one in every room to avoid having to take the journey downstairs late at night. Dr. Wilson had a beautiful home and what appeared to be an amazing life. Austin slept that night in immense relaxation with the exception of one new detail. His thoughts were focused on one thing and one thing alone which made him feel horrible. Instead of feeling grateful for Dr. Wilson and his family’s hospitality, all the boy genius could feel was jealousy.

The next morning, Austin could not enjoy the impressive breakfast that was made for his visit. All he could do was try to hide and figure out this new feeling of jealousy he could not ignore. He felt it within his core, and the feeling hurt him more than he thought it should. He wanted a family, and he did not know how to get one of his own. He could not trust anyone to set up interviews with foster families because nobody could be trusted. He knew that the greed of people would more than likely be superior to the amount of good that was in them, and they would want him just for his fame which would only grow over the years. Besides, he did not want a normal family by modern standards. He wanted the type of family that Dr. Wilson came home to everyday. That’s when he figured out his previous question of what made Dr. Wilson how he seemed. It was not mere happiness, success, or independence. It was not his job, his wife, or his kids. It was a combination of all of them that made the man shine like he did.

“Love” Austin thought to himself. “Love in the general sense of affection given, received, and shared among a group of people in a way that proved its unconditional immortality had the ability to make anything better.”

Austin did not know about the romantic part of love, but this overwhelming display of love within a family had proven to be the most beautiful piece of human nature that he had every witnessed. He wanted it or rather needed it now, and he had to find a way to have it.

“Austin, Austin!...” Dr. Wilson finally got the boy’s attention from his own thoughts. “Are you alright? You’ve hardly touched your breakfast.” Dr. Wilson said in a concerned tone.

Austin thought for a moment and then replied:

“Not really. Dr. Wilson, since I agreed to do those hours of therapy with you, would it be alright if we started right away?” Austin tried to hide his sadness while speaking.

Dr. Wilson agreed and they went into the study and sat down.

“Austin before we begin, I must confess that I am not a licensed therapist or psychologist. I was urged to choose a career path in psychological studies, but I loved science and chose to study it instead. However, I assure you that you will find these sessions helpful. I am not one to brag, but when it comes to understanding emotions and thoughts, I am what some called gifted in the area. I would not refer to myself as a genius like yourself, but I do seem to have a way of understanding certain aspects of this particular study without any help from books or any type of formal or advanced education in the subject.” Dr. Wilson admitted to Austin while searching for some type of reaction.

Austin suddenly became excited about the session. If anyone could understand what Dr. Wilson just confessed then it had to be him. He just understood certain subjects as well, and it’s difficult to describe exactly how it works.

“I completely understand.” Austin said sincerely.

Dr. Wilson gave the boy a smile and replied:

“I figured you would.”

Austin began by telling Dr. Wilson about how obsessive he became about random topics, ideas, and other thoughts. Dr. Wilson explained to Austin that an obsessive nature was normal for people of higher intelligence.

“Knowing things without having to work for understanding is a gift, but it gets quite boring after a while. So, when you find something that is even the slightest challenge for you to figure out then, your brain rises to the challenge and pushes itself to solve that one thought. The more you focus on and learn about the topic, the more you subconsciously want to know everything about it.” Dr. Wilson explained.

“I knew you would come to that conclusion, but I do not mean I cannot stop thinking about it. I mean it literally becomes my only thought until I figure it out or make myself exhausted trying to figure it out.” Austin explained.

“Austin, you have to see that your brain is not normal by any means. Everything that would happen to a normal brain happens to yours but it is magnified by unimaginable extremes. Thus, when you obsess, you go above and beyond the contemporary extreme, and you cannot help but to work your brain until it cannot be pushed anymore. That is the only way you know how to stop obsessing and accept that you could not figure something out during your first time thinking about it. It’s not exactly a healthy way to think, but that is what makes you who and how you are.” said Dr. Wilson in a voice that let Austin know he was expecting him to question his first answer to the question.

Austin knew that what Dr. Wilson had just said made too much sense to be false.

“Now Austin, what else seems to be bothering you?” Dr. Wilson asked.

Austin did not want to tell the man about the jealousy he felt towards him. The boy managed to create a smile and lie.

“Nothing, I was just concerned about how intensely I obsessed over certain thoughts of mine.” Austin said in what he hoped was a believable tone.

“You mean like your jealousy?” Dr. Wilson asked slowly.

Austin was completely shocked for once, but he did not allow it to overpower his curiosity.

“How do you know that? Is it obvious when I’m around you and your family?” Austin asked in an embarrassed tone.

Dr. Wilson could tell that this type of conversation was difficult for the boy genius. Everything was fact or fiction, equations, and calculated conclusion for him. The boy did not have to slightest inkling of how to live life and deal with emotions. Austin did not want to talk about the jealousy any more than the brief mentioning of it, but Dr. Wilson was not one to give up so easily.

“Austin, I understand why you may not want to talk about this. I know you feel bad and that scares you, but the real reason you are afraid is because of what you might say. I am not going to force you to talk, but I promise you that anything you may be feeling is a completely expected emotion of an orphan.” Dr. Wilson added sincerely.

Austin did not say much the rest of the session, but he knew deep down that Dr. Wilson was trying his best to help. After the session, Austin went back upstairs to gather his belongings and prepared to go to his dorm room. He said goodbye to Dr. Wilson’s family and thanked them for their hospitality. They all told him how much he was more than welcome to stay longer, and Dr. Wilson and his wife assured him that it would not be an inconvenience. Austin considered the offer, but he knew that more than anything he wanted to be left alone. His head was filled with thoughts and questions about his own family, and it hurt him to be around the Wilsons. Every minute he spent watching how happy they were because of one another made him more and more aware of the emptiness inside of himself.

The car ride to the school was silent in the most awkward of ways. Dr. Wilson tried to make a few jokes to help Austin forget his thoughts, but nothing was funny enough to distract the boy. Finally, Dr. Wilson gave up on trying to ease the boy’s pain and began to feel sorry for his young friend. He could not imagine what it was like to feel alone all of the time. Austin seemed to be handling it better than expected, perhaps a bit too well. If Austin never opened up about what he was feeling then Dr. Wilson could not help him at all. Still, Dr. Wilson knew that the boy genius would have to come to terms with his emotions on his own time. Dr. Wilson began to get lost in his own thoughts while he focused on the road ahead. The rest of the ride was completely silent with the exception of the Beatles’ cd playing softly in the car stereo.

“We’re here Austin. Do you need help carrying your bags up?” Dr. Wilson asked automatically.

Austin was silent for a moment before he finally answered.

“No, I can manage.” The boy genius replied trying to fight back his tears.

Dr. Wilson did not want to look over at Austin because he knew that it would not help the situation.

Austin had been thinking about his biological parents the entire car ride. He wondered if they were still alive, or if they had been murdered or in an accident. Why had they abandoned him? Would they try to find him once they realized how famous he was becoming? These thoughts had been bothering him all morning long, but he tried his best to hide it. He hoped that Dr. Wilson was the only person who noticed anything. Austin thought about how much it hurt that nobody called to claim him back at the orphanage once the pictures had been placed up. He was just a kid, and somebody had to miss him. Somebody had to love him, right? These thoughts were not helping him feel better at all. For a moment, Austin began to feel angry at Dr. Wilson for figuring out what he was feeling.

“Austin, are you sure you can carry all of them by yourself? Would it not be easier if I carried a few bags as well?” Dr. Wilson asked again trying not to show his awareness of the boy about to cry.

Austin got out of the car without answering and opened the back door to get his bags. His throat was feeling tight and sore, but he had told himself that he would not let Dr. Wilson see him cry. He started grabbing bag after bag, but he could not hold them all. Suddenly, Austin became determined to get all of his bags on his own. It was as if he could solve some of what he was feeling by getting those bags by himself. He knew what he was thinking made no sense at all, but he could not ignore the feeling. He was not worthless, and he did not need any adult to help him do anything. He would be fine without them because he was possibly the smartest person that ever lived.

He had all of the bags stacked up in his arms, but they fell to the ground as he tried to walk away with them. Dr. Wilson got out of the car and came over to help, but Austin did not want his help. He was furious at this point, and he could not control his emotions at all.

“Austin, it’s okay, just let me help you.” Dr. Wilson said to boy in a sympathetic tone.

“Look Dr. Wilson, I said I can get my own stuff! Now please just let me do it!” Austin yelled at the man.

“Austin, I’m just trying to help...” Dr. Wilson started to say but was interrupted.

“Damn Joel, I said I can get my own bags! Now just leave me alone and go back to your family! You’ve done enough for the poor sad orphan boy for one day. So just go!” Austin said with a mixture of anger and pain as he forcefully picked up his belonging off of the ground.

Dr. Wilson knelt down beside Austin and put his arm on his shoulder. Austin continued to pick up the bags and tried not to make eye contact with Dr. Wilson. Dr. Wilson did not know how to help ease the boy’s pain. He could not do anything but be there for his young confused friend, and he hoped that the boy would will his emotions under control. After a few moments, Austin started controlling his breathing better and wiped his eyes. Dr. Wilson thought that this was the end of the breakdown, but he was wrong. Austin dove into his arms and cried uncontrollably. The boy’s emotional breakdown pained Dr. Wilson, but he knew that Austin needed to let out this sadness before it got worse.

“How could they hate me so much? What did I do? Please, just tell me what I did wrong because I’m sorry. I have no mommy and daddy Joel. I’m all alone, and I can’t figure out why they want nothing to do with me.” Austin sobbed.

The boy cried harder and harder, and Dr. Wilson held the boy like he was his own son.

“Do not blame yourself Austin. It’s not your fault. It’s okay, everything will be fine. I promise.” said Dr. Wilson who was becoming more and more attached to Austin.