Chad Jones's Arc

Chapter 6 of 7

Chad walked the woods line the next morning, looking for the campsite he'd found a week ago. DeShawn had unloaded half his truck and was working on something at the barn. This left Chad free to deal with the squatter problem he'd been avoiding. He found it by looking up. Someone had built a watchtower from scrap lumber and pallets, rising above the trees with platforms at different heights. Vines wound through the supports, and the builder had cut shapes into wooden panels that caught the filtered light. Chad circled it twice before he saw Chester sitting on the lowest platform, watching him. His best friend since third grade looked thinner, unshaved, wearing clothes Chad recognized from high school. Neither spoke for a long moment. Chester climbed down slowly, like he expected Chad to start yelling. Instead Chad asked the only question that mattered. "How long?" Chester's voice came out rough. "Since March. Lost my job, lost my lease. Heard you bought the land and figured... I don't know what I figured." Chad looked at the tower, the fire pit with its careful rock ring, the tarp shelter tucked against a fallen oak. This wasn't desperation. This was someone building a life in secret because he didn't think he deserved to ask for one out loud. Chad knew that feeling. He'd worn it under his jersey for years. Chad sat on a stump near the dead fire. "DeShawn's at the barn. He's staying permanent now, helping me figure out the farm thing." He watched Chester process that, saw the question forming. Chad answered it before it could become an excuse to leave. "You built all this?" Chester nodded. "Took about two months. I was going to tell you, I just—" Chad cut him off. "You're telling me now. Come meet DeShawn. We need to talk about what we're actually doing with this place." Chester stared at him. "You mean..." Chad stood and started walking back toward the barn. "I mean I'm done running scripts. You want to hide out here, that's your call. But if you want to stay and build something real, we're doing it together. All of us." He didn't look back to see if Chester followed. Behind him, he heard footsteps on leaves, quick and uncertain, then steadier. By the time they reached the clearing, Chester was walking next to him.