Oasis: The Fate of the World Rests on the Shoulders of One Ragtag Group

By Josiah C. Sierra

A wheelchair-bound young man, Tobias Cain, is gifted the ability to walk again by a goddess called Oasis. Alongside being able-bodied, Tobias can also release waves of energy from anywhere on his body. The goddess Oasis will fight with all her might to stop the planet from being consumed by an evil tyrant god called Bastille. The two gods have battled for millions of years. Oasis has not yet saved one world, but Earth will be different. Fighting alongside a group comprised of other gifted individuals, Tobias could be the key to possibly saving the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Dec 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781532039065

Josiah C. Sierra

Josiah Sierra, born August 7, 1996 in Fredericksburg, Texas. He was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at age three. Attended all thirteen years of schooling in the Kerrville Independent School District in Texas. Graduated from Tivy High School in 2015 at the age of eighteen. Currently lives in the Texas Hill Country with his family.

Book preview

1

Tobias

"H ENRY, SHUTUP! YOU’RE having a nightmare again," I shouted.

My roommate Henry is like clockwork, night terrors make him scream his head off every morning at four. His blood curdling shrieks always wake me from the deepest of sleeps and I can never drift back afterward. I pushed the nurse call button on the help remote that is always clutched in my hand at night. The call button illuminates a dim light above the door of our room. It will take a while for the aid to get here tonight though… Fat Pam has the graveyard shift this week. Pam always has a box of snack cakes in her desk. When Pam stuffs her face with desserts, she enters a state of zen; during those minutes of pure bliss, time slows down for her and she never notices the help light right away. It will take approximately four minutes for Fat Pam to notice the help light and another forty-five seconds to get to the room. I know because I’ve counted numerous times. Pam is only consistent on two things, the time it takes for her to answer the call, and stuffing her chubby cheeks with diabetes filled treats.

The door cracked open, a small thread of yellow light beamed brightly in my eyes. Pam squeezed inside, rushing to the side of Henry’s bed. She stroked Henry’s forehead and shushed him like a dog scared of the cracking thunder from a storm. That’s not going to work Pam. Wake his ass up! I thought. Pam grabbed Henry’s shoulders and shook him slightly.

Henry, it’s just a bad dream sweetie. Everything is okay, Pam whispered. I’ll give Pam credit for one thing, she has a soothing voice. Henry continued to scream hysterically. Henry, sweetie wake up! Pam said louder. Henry finally stirred.

Mama? he whimpered. Henry lost his parents three months ago when two violent robbers broke into his family’s home. His dad tried to stop the robbery but got a belly full of buck shot. His mom rushed the robbers, but got her head blown off. When the robbers heard the echo of Henry’s crutches coming down the hallway, they rushed off. Henry saw his parents, dad with his guts hanging out and mom with her face missing; dead on the living room floor under the Christmas tree. Those images are the reason for his night terrors. The next day, child services scooped Henry up and dropped him off at the Lewis County Orphanage for the Disabled. Henry’s only been here a couple months, but I have him beat by fifteen years. Henry will be here for long time too; because the truth is, no one wants to adopt cripples.

No sweetie. It’s nurse Pam. You were screaming again. Just try and go back to sleep now, okay?

I will. Sorry I woke you Toby, Henry said.

It’s okay. I was awake anyhow, I said. Which was a lie.

You boys get a little more sleep. We’ll be getting you up an hour before the school bus gets here, Tobias. Pam left the room.

The bus arrives at seven. Great, that gives me another two hours of lying on my uncomfortable bed, all bright eyed and bushy tailed. Damn it! I should’ve asked Pam for the t.v. remote. I would much rather catch the tail end of Adult Swim than be alone with my thoughts. Henry went right back to snoring. Maybe his snores will sooth me back to sleep. Maybe, but it doesn’t seem possible.

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The blinding fluorescent lights being switched on woke me right away. I was so pissed off; I had just fallen asleep five minutes before Fat Pam and the LVN Rita busted in. It took Pam a couple of tries to wake Henry. When he finally woke, Rita handed him his crutches, and he started making his way toward the cafeteria. I got very jealous of Henry sometimes; yes, he was crippled, but he had way more mobility than I did. I was born with Muscular Dystrophy; a disease that slowly weakens the sufferer’s muscles, until all vital organs eventually give out. Most people affected by this disease don’t live past their twenties. I’m eighteen, my lungs and heart still functioned properly but my basic muscle function is severely shot; I can’t lift my arms anymore, not even an inch. When I need to adjust the position of my arms, I drag them along with my fingers. I lost the ability to walk ten years ago and have been in a power wheelchair ever since.

Rita left the room for a second. She came back pushing a stainless-steel patient lift in front of her. A patient lift is much like a mechanic’s lift, but instead of hoisting 500-pound engines out of cars, it lifts people. While Pam gathered my clothes, Rita began stuffing the sling under me (a sling is the apparatus constructed of mesh fabric that hooks to the lift and hoists the patient). Rita stuffed the sling under my left side as far as she could, then she placed one hand on my shoulder and the other on my hip and shifted me onto my left side. She pulled the sling’s slack out and adjusted me so that my body was straight up and down with the sling. Rita had some wicked biceps and triceps from doing this day after day. Rita and Pam proceeded to dress me. Pam pulled off my briefs and replaced them with a fresh pair. Next came my pants. She lifted one leg by the ankle and fed it through one pant leg, she did the same for the opposite leg. Rita pushed a button on the side of the bed and it sat up like a recliner. Pam changed my shirt, and then leaned me forward to pull my pants up over my butt. Rita pushed the lift under my bed and fastened the sling’s loops onto the lift’s hooks. Pam began pumping up the lift. Slowly but surely, I rose off the bed.

A few minutes later I was lowered into my power chair. Carefully, I was leaned forward, and the sling was pulled out from under me. Rita retrieved my glasses and put them on my head. I inched my index finger toward my chair’s power button and turned it on. I wrapped my hand around the joystick and rolled toward the cafeteria. Rita followed me while Pam sat back down at her desk and stuffed a Twinkie into her mouth.

I pulled under the tallest table in the cafeteria and waited for Rita to get my oatmeal. I noticed Henry across the cafeteria sitting in front of the t.v. munching on some cereal. Henry didn’t go to school; he took classes at the orphanage along with twenty other kids. His therapist thought it best if Henry didn’t attend public school; his PTSD and need for crutches would be ingredients in the recipe of bullying. I preferred attending public school, however. Being around other handicapped kids all day, really makes me feel different; more so than being amoung able bodies.

Rita came back and put a spoon in my hand and placed the hot cereal in front of me. I could feed myself, but it was a bit of an ordeal. I had to lean my head down and scoop spoonfuls into my mouth by flicking my wrist. After breakfast, Rita walked with me outside. I liked to wait outside in the cool morning air until the bus arrived, especially during the Spring.

The bus pulled up right on time, seven o’clock on the dot. The bus driver got out and walked to the back. He pulled open the back door and a platform folded down. The platform lowered to the ground and I backed onto it. It lifted, and I pulled into the bus. I parked in the center of four hooks, the bus aide came over and fastened the hooks to my chair (the hooks help my chair not slide around while we drive). The driver got into his seat, we slowly started to move forward. Rita waved as the bus bumped away.

After picking up several more special needs students, the bus arrived at Evander High, home of the fighting Centurions. The bus drop off was at the school’s rear, near the gymnasium. We drove past the baseball fields where the varsity b-ball players were participating in their early morning drills. The bus squeeled to a hault in the designated handicapped bus parking area. The bus aide unfastened the wheelchair hooks and I rolled onto the lift platform and was lowered. Once on solid ground, the driver unzipped my back pack that hung on my power chair’s back handle bars. He retrieved my school binder and placed it in my lap. He wished me a good day as I drove down the sidewalk toward the school building.

The gymnasium was the area where all the early students were shoveled. Before the first bell, the school only allowed students to eat in the cafeteria or wait around in the gym. The principal feared students would participate in frowned upon activities; if allowed free roam of the building before classes started. A nerdy kid with sparkly braces and comically big glasses, held the door open for me as I neared the gym doors. I thanked him when I entered. I hated being in the gym, the constant mumble of 300 whispering voices gave me a migraine. I rolled across the freshly waxed floor; I could feel several eyes on me. The kids in school have seen me around all year, but some assholes still stare when I roll by. I guess that’s what being the only student in a wheelchair gets you. I found an empty spot where the gym and main building connected. I parked near a pack of gossiping sophomore girls. Their high-pitched voices were annoying; but that was better than the commotion on the bleachers. I waited there patiently, until the bell rang.

I beat the rush from the gym, but hit dense traffic in the main hall. My first period class was in the social studies wing, located on the opposite end of the school. I weaved around unvigilant walkers. I bumped over a few feet, but it was their fault for not looking. Three minutes before the tardy bell, I arrived at my US government class. Unsurprisingly, I was the first one there. My teacher, Mrs. Doles, was busy typing in grades on her computer and hadn’t noticed me come in. Only when I accidently bumped into my modified desk, did she look up.

Morning, Tobias, Mrs. Doles said, while continuing to stare at her computer screen. I didn’t bother replying; she wouldn’t have heard me anyway.

Finally, during the last ninety seconds before the tardy bell, my classmates flooded in. I stared the pretty girls up and down as they walked by, admiring their plump produce. An average looking kid in a wheelchair like myself, would never land a hottie, but that’s what my thoughts are for. When all the students were seated, Mrs. Doles walked to the front of the class.

Okay guys. Today is the final day I’m giving you to work on the test review. The test over chapters twenty-two, twenty-three, and twenty-four is tomorrow. If I see everyone working diligently I’ll give you all the answers at the end of class. Get to work.

This class won’t be getting any answers; all the students in here, save for me, were chattier than Twitter. No worries though, I finished the review yesterday and I know all the answers are right, because I triple checked them. I was the hardest worker in class, even though flipping through a text book is an extreme workout. I didn’t talk that much, so now I had to wait fifty minutes for class to end, while being bored out of my mind.

One of my special privileges at school is being able to leave class five minutes before the bell, to beat the hall traffic. Sometimes, when the class door is propped open, I sneak out a little earlier than usual. When Mrs. Doles wasn’t looking I could creep out ten minutes early. The halls were empty, and I loved them that way. I could hammer down on the joystick and no one would yell at me to slow down. I sped down the main hallway, enjoying the wind flowing over my face and through my hair. I closed my eyes. I was a bit of a daredevil, I liked to drive blind sometimes. After a few seconds I got scared and opened my eyes, I’m glad I did. I was heading straight toward a wall. I turned at the last second and my chair did a quick donut. My legs and arms floated weightless in the air for a split second. My heart was pumping rapidly when I came to a hault. Embarrassed, I scurried to my next class, hoping that there were no witnesses.

My next few classes went by the same as first period. Since I wasn’t a slacker, I had completed all my assignments, a day in advance. So, I had to sit with nothing to do for three straight hours. When the bell rang, it was time for lunch. I stayed in my class a couple minutes waiting for the hall to clear then I headed off. I never ate, I didn’t want people to stare at me while I struggled to feed myself. Instead of sitting in the cafeteria, I relax by the outdoor picinic area. Lunch is the only time I can hang out with my friend; we didn’t have any classes together this year. I mostly had aquintences at school, but Donnie is my only good friend.

I parked at my usual spot under a young oak tree. A few minutes later Donnie walked up. Donnie and I have known each other since kindergarten, he moved away for a couple years but came back in eighth grade; we’ve been tight ever since. Donnie had many friends, but always blew them off to talk with me.

What’s looking good cooking? Donnie said. He walked up balancing a foam lunch tray on his palm.

Not much. Just been bored all morning. And do me a favor, cut the shitty jokes, I replied.

Alright, I hear you. Donnie sat on the grass. Get any new games lately? Donnie rarely played video games, but he always asked me about them.

No. My social security check doesn’t come until the first. I’ve been stuck with shitty Call of Duty. We sat there silently for a moment while Donnie took a few chomps of his soggy Salisbury steak. So, what’s going on with you and that girl, what’s her name, Katie? I asked.

Oh her. I broke it off. She couldn’t even give a mediocre blow job.

Not as good as your boyfriend huh?

Donnie chuckled. Fuck you. He swallowed the last of his steak and bit into a bright red apple; the juices dripped off his chin. Prom is next week, he said with a full mouth. Are you gonna go?

Hell no! I don’t want to be a loser and go by myself, I replied.

Why don’t you ask a girl to go with you?

I scoffed. No girl would want to be my date; they would run off as soon as they saw my wheels. An obese, pizza faced dude would have a better chance of finding a date than me.

Don’t beat yourself up like that. Donnie scratched his chin, he was stirring up a ludicrous plan. I have an idea. You should ask Ellie, I’m a hundred percent positive that she’d say yes. Who could so no to this handsome face? He reached up and pinched my cheek.

Ellie was a senior from the next town over. Her school had a program called Buddies, an extracurricular program where the students travel throughout the county volunteering at different places every day of the week. Buddies come to the orphanage every Monday; Ellie is my buddy. We’ve grown very close in the past months; I didn’t want to ruin our relationship by asking her to prom. I have a big crush on her, but I highly doubt she has the same feelings towards me.

I don’t think that’s a good idea. She probably wants to attend her own prom anyhow.

The prom in Braxton isn’t for another three weeks. I know, because a girl invited me, Donnie said.

Yeah, but Ellie also has a boyfriend… a douche bag jock named Jarod.

He doesn’t own Ellie. She can do whatever she wants. If she wants to go to prom with you, then Jarod can eat a bowl of dicks. Donnie was getting frustrated with me, I could tell.

But…

Goddamn it Tobias! Donnie sprang up. Why are you coming up with so many stupid fucking excuses? You’re always complaining about how no girl wants to go out with you, but you don’t know what girls will say, because you never ask!

It’s easier for you to ask girls out; you’re normal.

I don’t want to hear that shit! You know what… I’m out of here. You’ve pissed me off. I’ll see you around Toby. I watched Donnie walk into the cafeteria, he sat down at a table with a group of his friends. I sat under the tree thinking about what Donnie said until the fifth period bell rang.

2

T HE CURB IN front of the orphanage was lined with cars. The Buddies were here early; they usually didn’t show up until four thirty. Knowing that Ellie was waiting for me made me feel better, but I was still bummed out about the argument with Donnie. I rolled off the lift platform and down the sidewalk. Lisa, Rita’s afternoon substitute, let me inside. The main room was filled with orphans and their Buddies. The orphanage staff always converts the main room into a game room before the Buddies arrive. Giant tables are set up, plenty of board games are put out, and a ping pong table is even pulled out. I don’t like any of that shit. Ellie and I usually just head into my room and play Xbox.

The room door was half closed, I pushed it open with my feet. Ellie and Henry were sitting on his bed; both holding a controller in their hands. The two were playing a split screen multiplayer game in Call of Duty. Henry was kicking Ellie’s ass. Henry glanced over at me.

Hey Toby! I know you don’t like when I play the Xbox without asking you first, That’s not true. I didn’t just not like it; it chaps my ass into a raw, mangled stump. When Henry does that, it’s like going to someone’s house and taking a stinky shit in their bathroom, and not flushing. …but Ellie wanted to practice before playing against you.

Yeah, I wanted to practice so I could finally beat you. Ellie said.

Henry defeated Ellie by chucking a grenade at her character’s feet; she went up in a cloud of smoke and blood. Well it doesn’t look like I’ll beat you today; Henry’s killed me at least thirty times in a row. Ellie smiled at me and my heart fluttered. She had one of the most, if not the most beautiful smile; the universe has ever seen.

Where’s your buddy, Henry? I asked.

Billy has a cold, but he’ll be here next week. I’ll scram, so you two can play.

You can keep playing. I said as I looked up. Ellie, I thought we’d go for a walk today.

Sure. Ellie popped up.

Thanks Toby, Henry said.

The afternoon was hot; it was pushing ninety degrees outside. Luckily, there was a cool breeze, which helped bring the temperature down a bit. The only good thing about the beating sun is that it brilliantly shines off Ellie’s reddish blonde hair. The slight curls in her hair glow beautifully, they’re almost blinding. Everything about Ellie is beautiful to me, her caramel tanned skin, her ocean blue eyes, the dimples when she laughs, her long legs, how sweet she is… I just loved everything about her.

We walked down the street and back up again in silence. Ellie sensed something was bugging me. What’s up Toby? Something’s really bumming you out, and it’s starting to bum me out too. It’ll probably help if you talked to me about it.

I sighed long and hard. I had an argument with Donnie today, probably the biggest of our friendship.

What was it about? Ellie asked.

It was about you actually.

Ellie giggled nervously. Oh really?

Ellie, can we sit down?

Sure. We found a park bench a little way up the street.

I took a moment to prepare a speech. Ellie, I really like you. I know that no able-bodied person would ever want to be with someone who is handicapped, and I also know that you have a boyfriend. But I think you’re just the most beautiful girl in the world, and I really mean that. You’re so kind and caring; unlike all the other girls your age, they’re mostly all sluts and bitches. I paused, then started to ask the big question. My school’s prom is next Friday, the answer will probably be no, but…

Yes.

What?

Yes Toby, I’ll go to prom with you. Ellie scooched closer to me; what she did next surprised me. She leaned in and pecked my cheek; my heart stopped beating. You’re so sweet Toby. By the way, I broke up with Jarod last week. He’s a real dick head.

Yeah he is, I said. We shared a laugh.

We should get headed back now, Ellie said.

For sure.

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Ellie stayed awhile after all the other Buddies left. She finally had to leave when her mom called; Ellie was late for dinner. Ellie’s parents were great people, I never met them, but from a few stories that Ellie shared; I knew what kind of parents they were. My parents weren’t so loving, well they loved me until I was diagnosed. I fell a lot as a toddler, my parents took me to the hospital after a pretty nasty tumble down the porch steps. I remember while the nurse was stitching up my knees, the doctor took my parents into the hallway. They talked for some time, then my mom became hysterical. She started screaming at the doctor and throwing things; it took my dad five minutes to calm her down. I didn’t know at the time, but my life was about to completely change.

The following week we went back to the hospital where I underwent an outpatient muscle biopsy. A couple days later the results came in the mail. My parents went into the bedroom and they talked for a long time, and cried a lot. What happened after that is a blur. The next thing I remember is pulling up to the orphanage. My dad took me in, while my mom waited in the car sobbing. My dad stayed with me until I went down for a nap, and when I woke, he was gone. I never saw either of my parents after that. I don’t blame them for their decision, they were young and couldn’t see themselves caring for a disabled child. I’d probably do the same thing if I was in their shoes, but I haven’t forgiven them either. They gave me up. I was their son and they were too selfish to care for me, but I got over it a long time ago. I’ve accepted my life as an orphan.

I had an hour until bedtime, an hour was plenty of time to play some Xbox Live. The orphanage’s internet isn’t the best, but it works fine for playing online. A couple matches in, there was a knock on the door. Fat Pam came in holding a cordless phone. It’s your friend, Donnie. Pam handed the phone to me and left the room. I put the phone on speaker.

Hello?

Hey Tobias. Uh, I wanted to apologize for this afternoon. I’m sorry I yelled at you, bro. I don’t know what came over me.

Don’t worry, man. That’s water under the bridge. Hey, she said yes!

Who?

Ellie, she said yes to going with me to the prom!

Hot damn! See, all you had to do was ask. Hey, you know my friend Fernando? His dad owns the Rockin’ Taco downtown.

Yeah, I know of him.

Well, his dad is closing early this Saturday and he’s letting us use the spot for our own little prom. I want you to come, and you should ask Ellie to come.

That sounds fun… I’ll ask her tomorrow. Curfew here is eight, but I’ll stay out for as long as I want. I’m getting shipped off to a group home shortly after we graduate anyhow; I won’t be punished for very long.

Awesome bro! I’ll see you tomorrow."

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At four a.m. Henry’s screams startled me awake again. I remembered to ask for the television remote this time, after Pam calmed him. I flipped through the channels until finally landing on a super early morning news program. I never understood why the local news came on at four in the morning. Who needs to know what the traffic is like this early? The two anchors discussed the weather, who the candidates were for the upcoming presidential election in eighteen months, and guess what? They even showed the four a.m. traffic cam.

After repeating the same topics at five, a new story came up. Warning, this next segment shows graphic images, the male anchor said, in a robotic voice. The screen changed to an image of multiple chopped up bodies; from the number of arms scattered about, the body parts belonged to at least seven people. The title bar resting at the screen’s bottom read, Brutal 1867 murder copied once again. Last massacre committed eighteen months ago. The anchors told the story of how a traveling pioneer family stumbled upon the scene in the middle of Wyoming Territory. The bodies weren’t cleanly chopped, it seemed more like the bodies were hacked apart with a dull, rusted machete. People just assumed savage natives were responsible for the attacks until two years later when similar murders popped up in cities like New York and Boston. Since the late 1870s, more than 150 copycat killings were committed. The most recent murder occurring in Fresno, California, only five hours ago. Generations of murderers copying the same slaughter over 140 years, was a bit farfetched, but that was the only explanation. Or was it? I thought on the subject until my eyes became heavy with sleep. I switched off the t.v. and closed my eyes; hoping sleep would catch me.

3

I T WAS SATURDAY afternoon. Donnie said he’d meet me at the orphanage at six and we’d walk to the Rockin’ Taco. Downtown wasn’t too far away, maybe a mile at most. I put off asking Ellie to come until yesterday; I already asked Ellie out once, but I didn’t think I could do it again. Finally, I worked up enough courage to call and invite her. She said yes without any hesitation. She was going to meet us at the resturant at seven. The party didn’t start until eight, so it will be just us three, for an hour.

Donnie arrived fifteen minutes late; he was never a very punctual person. I told the nurses we were going out, but I didn’t tell anyone where we were going, and I also lied and said I’d be back by curfew. Hopefully no one freaks out when I don’t show up, and calls for a police search party. If the cops find me, I’ll politely tell them that I am a legal adult and can do what I please. That should send them away.

There was a fifty percent chance of thunderstorms this evening. It seemed like it wouldn’t rain for half our walk to the restaurant, but a few minutes later a cool wind kicked up and silver rain