Growing Up
This is a Draft
This is a draft for a story I’ve written out which is meant as a prequel to another story.
Joseph Smitthy had always been a good ol’ boy, the kind of man whose roots ran deep into the soil of his homeland. Born under the unblinking crystal lights of Avaleris’ inland farms, his upbringing was one of simplicity and vastness—a boy raised amidst the wild expanse of a world that still felt untamed. Avaleris, with its unique blend of towering mountains, endless grasslands, and ancient technology woven through its natural beauty, was a planet like no other. It was a place where dinosaurs—creatures long thought extinct on other worlds—still roamed freely, serving as both livestock and guardians of the lands.
Joseph’s childhood was an odd mix of tradition and wonder. The ranch where he grew up had been in his family for generations, and the life of a rancher was ingrained in him from the moment he could walk. His father, a stoic man with hands calloused from years of hard labor, had run the place with the kind of silent efficiency that made Joseph admire him. He often spent his days working alongside the great beasts, the dinosaurs that roamed their lands. Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Ankylosaurus—these were creatures of legend on many worlds, but for Joseph, they were just part of life.
But ranch life wasn’t all hard work. There were moments of freedom, moments when Joseph would ride across the plains, his hat tipped low to shield his eyes from the glare of the twin suns above. In those days, the days of his youth, he was free. The future stretched before him, limitless and full of promise. It wasn’t uncommon for him to spend his nights chasing after the excitement that only came when the work was done—wild nights that faded into a blur of laughter, music, and adventure. Avaleris’ inland towns, bustling but still small enough to know nearly everyone by name, were full of opportunity for mischief, and Joseph wasn’t one to pass up on fun.
He’d find himself in bars where the air was thick with smoke and the low hum of conversation mixed with the occasional roar of laughter. The sound of boots hitting the wooden floorboards as men danced, the clink of glasses as drinks were raised, and the sweet tune of a fiddle playing in the corner—it was all part of the charm of those nights. The town folk adored Joseph. To them, he was the picture of the Avalerian dream: young, strong, full of life, and yet grounded in the simple joys of the land.
And then there was Vust Oreamia, Joseph’s closest friend. Vust was trouble, no doubt about it. Where Joseph was steady, Vust was reckless; where Joseph respected the law, Vust skirted its edges. Yet, despite their differences, the two had been inseparable since they were boys. Vust had a sharp wit, and even sharper tongue, often getting them into situations that Joseph would later have to find a way out of. To some, Vust was a petty criminal, someone who never quite found the straight and narrow. But to Joseph, Vust was the spark that made life exciting. He was the wild wind that stirred the still waters of Joseph’s quiet world.
Vust’s schemes were legendary among their peers. From harmless pranks that had the townsfolk laughing for days, to more daring escapades that skirted the boundaries of the law, Vust always had something up his sleeve. There were times Joseph should have walked away, should have left Vust to his own devices, but he couldn’t. Something about the thrill of those nights, the rush of adrenaline as they outwitted the local lawman, kept pulling him back in.
On weekends, the two of them would saddle up and ride into town, the dust from the dirt roads trailing behind them as they passed the wide-open dinosaur paddocks. Joseph would tip his wide-brimmed hat to the girls, flashing a smile that was equal parts charm and innocence. He hadn’t seen the darker sides of the world yet, hadn’t faced the hardships that would come later in life. Back then, everything was simple. They’d laugh, drink, and by the end of the night, they’d be weaving their way back to the ranch, the stars twinkling overhead and the soft glow of Avaleris’ moons casting long shadows over the fields.
The dinosaurs, massive and serene in their pens, would watch as the two young men rode past, oblivious to the weight of the world outside their small bubble. In those moments, with the cool night air on his face and the sound of Vust’s laughter echoing in the distance, Joseph felt invincible. There was nothing that could touch him, nothing that could take away the freedom he felt in his heart.
But like all things, those days didn’t last. Time has a way of catching up with even the most carefree of souls, and as the years went by, the wildness of Joseph’s youth began to fade. He grew up, and the weight of responsibility settled onto his shoulders.