Touching Spirit Bear Two

In our last chapter we met Cole, who hates everyone.
Now, he's being dropped off on a deserted island in the middle of butt fuck... I mean Alaska somewhere. We learn in our second chapter that Edwin the Tlingit Elder built a hut on the island for Cole to live in. Cole hates him too. This, you will discover, is a reoccurring theme.
Cole also hates the hut. "Cole resented teh cabin and all this gear. When his father had agreed to pay all the expenses of banishment, it was just another one of his buyouts. Cole had news for him. This was just a sorry game. He twisted harder at the handcuffs and winced at the pain. He wasn't afraid of pain. He wasn't afraid of anyone or anything. He was only playing along until he could escape. " While the exiling bit is somewhat on the harsh side, at least his parents are trying to make sure that he has what he needs to survive.
We flash back to Cole being angry and in jail. He doesn't trust anyone and threatens Garvey if he's lying. Blah, blah, anger issues. He also had to plead guilty to get into the program. Which he didn't like. Of course. He doesn't like anything. Garvey continues saying that Cole is wasting people's time if he doesn't want to change and Cole keeps on calling him a fool.
Then they get to the island and the hut. The hut is a ways from water. Cole wants to know why it's so far away. Edwin tells him that other animals use the stream too and how would he feel if a bear moved in near him. Cole says he'd kill the bear.
Yes, a fifteen year old boy thinks that he can kill a bear.
Yes. Really.
This is foreshadowing, by the way.
There is some spiritual babble about animals being able to teach us more than anyone. Then we get this, "Off the coast of British Columbia, there is a special black bear called the Spirit Bear. It's pure white and has pride, dignity and honor. More than most people.
"If I saw a Spirit Bear, I'd kill it," Cole said."
Yes. Again with the killing of bears.
They tell him not to eat anything he doesn't know what it is. There's a book that'll tell him what's safe to eat and they'll check on him every couple of days. Cole bitches and complains.
Garvey gives him a blanket an 'At.oow' it's a very special blanket that's handed down from generation to generation and pass it on to someone you trust.
The two men finally leave. Cole flicks them off when they can't see him. Very mature.
Then we flash back again, where Cole gives the committees what they want to hear to get into the Circle Justice program, or we're told it. There's some dialog but really it's just telling. And Cole bitching. It gets tiresome quickly. And really I don't care about it. I just want to get on with the plot.
And then we go back to the Island where Cole cries... and back to jail where he cries more this time about the fact that his TV privileges were revoked because he didn't do his homework and he isolated himself and then threw a temper tantrum. No really.
Garvey comes in after the tantrum and tells him that he'll sponsor Cole.
We go back to the island and Cole sets his supplies on fire. Yes. His food, his shelter, his equipment, all on fire while feeling sorry for himself.
Category:Touching Spirit Bear
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