Adam and Thomas

Chapter 13

The surprises came one after the other. They kept on exploring the forest and found a small pool full of water plants. “This is where the frogs we hear at night live,” said Adam excitedly.

Adam was happy every time they discovered something. Thomas was still reserved. Still fearful. In the depth of his heart he was still thinking about his parents and his house, and when he didn’t think about them, dreams came at night and showed them to him.

Nevertheless Thomas wasn’t the same Thomas whom Adam had first met in the forest. He was still fearful. But he climbed the tree without help. Also, when he climbed down from the tree, he did it more steadily.

They ate raspberries and blueberries as well as an apple or two, but that good fruit wasn’t filling. Hunger made them dizzy. They sat next to the stream, and from time to time they’d drink some water.

Are we going to die of hunger? Thomas’s eyes asked.

Adam looked at him with friendship and said, “The forest has a lot more gifts to make us happy. Gradually we’ll discover them. If we’re alert and diligent, we’ll find them. Just a few days ago we found a cloak to protect us.”

But what will happen in the meantime, until we find the gifts? Thomas’s eyes asked once again.

“Thomas, we have to get used to the food of the forest. True, it’s different from the food we had at home, it’s not easy to get used to new food, but we’ll do it.”

“You’re a boy who believes,” Thomas surprised Adam. “You don’t get discouraged easily. I keep asking myself: Why am I here? Why have I been punished? That’s probably wrong of me.”

“You can correct mistakes. If we don’t think about the past, but if we think about what we have to do, our mood will improve.”

Thomas listened carefully to Adam’s words and asked, “Who did you learn that practical way of thinking from?”

“From Mom and Dad. I also love to hear my grandparents. They always tell me useful things. When I’m sad, Grandma tells me: ‘Things to make you happy will come your way. You mustn’t be too sad. You have to accept what’s good and what’s not so good, because everything comes from God.’”

Thomas meant to ask how we can know that everything comes from God, but hunger made him tired, and he fell asleep.

That night Thomas awoke from a bad dream and sat up, stunned.

“What’s the matter, Thomas?” Adam asked gently. “I had a bad dream, and it’s hard for me to shake it off.”

“What did you see? Tell me.” “I’m hesitant to tell you.”

“Was it a clear dream, or a mixed-up one?” “It was a clear dream, but painful.”

“Tell me. You’ll feel better.”

“I dreamed I was in school, during recess. Suddenly the children stood up and told me I was going to be punished. ‘Why? What harm did I do?’ I asked, and my body was trembling. Everybody fixed me with their eyes and said, ‘We’re tired of you. Your constant excellence not only makes us angry, it’s unbearable.’ ‘I’m prepared to give up the excellence,’ I told them. ‘You already promised that once,’ the main bully said. ‘We don’t believe you anymore.’ ‘What can I do to make you believe me?’ ‘We decided to whip you. Lie down on that chair.’ ‘If you want to hit me, hit me, but I won’t lie on that chair.’ Hearing my words, they all burst out in hard laughter and slipped their leather belts from their pants. They whipped me hard, and it was painful. It’s a good thing I woke up.”

“Thomas, you had a very bad dream,” said Adam, “but you resisted like a hero.”

“I was trembling,” Thomas admitted.

“In that situation, one against many, anyone, not just a boy, would have trembled. It’s important to say that you resisted like a hero and didn’t give in. Bravo. After a dream like that you deserve a good breakfast.”

When he heard Adam’s words, Thomas’s eyes filled with tears.