White

Thunder

By Joshua Hults
 Mom said when I turned fteen she would take me to see Grandpa;
not a day sooner. I heard things about grandpa, things which caused me
great incredulity. But, a part of me, a spirit deeper than any well, knew it
was all true. Marbles dont stack vertically...right? Mom says, when she was
a little girl, she saw grandpa gluing wings onto an injured bullfrog. It
jumped, and never came back down. She said although she could not see
Grandpas lips, she knew grandpa was smiling. When I asked her why
nobody could see grandpas lips, mom looked intently at me, starring
through me. She told me, its wondrous! What is ? I asked. She pulled back
from the land of imagination, her pupils dilated...his beard, its
spectacular.
No one uses grandpas birth name though, epithets like the bearded
angel, or voluptuous beard are brought to bear as titles They speak of
him as if hes...ascended. In fact, I already know more about grandpa than
I do my own-self. Still, I have to go this Friday to meet grandpa for the
rst time. Apparently, meeting grandpa has been ordained, written in the
celestial orbits of the heavenly bodies since ages long past. Dont get me
wrong, its not like I dont want to go, its just... Our departure is on the
day... the one day when Juventud Guerrera ( my favorite masked wrestler )
is scheduled to ght. Did you know that an animal mask worn by a
shaman whilst in a trance enables him to take on the spirit and strength of
that mask? Why Guerrero chose the Gerbil is still a profound mystery to
all of us.
Well its going to be a long drive; Guatemala to Alaska. I guess now is
as good a time as any to document life as I know it today. My father died
shortly after I was born; mainly so I dont have to actually write about
him. Mom and I own a shing shop next to the sea, I wouldnt have it any
other way, and my brother... Hes a moron; seems every week he has a new
girlfriend. I think he moves on once their saliva glands have dried up; last I
heard he was dating some girl named Stephanie, but who knows. Hes ve
years older than I, and moved out. Mom never took him to see grandpa;
said he was an embarrassment to the family blood line. Grandma is
grandpas greatest treasure mom told me. Mom says she can answer
questions with a gesture of her eyebrows, and tame vipers with her modesty.
I believe her. Legend Has it, Juventud Guerreras mask fell o during a
skirmish with turtle man once, and the brightness of his countenance
blinded all who dared glean his true identity. My Uncle Alfredo, which
means advice from elves, told me most of what I know today about
grandpa. Uncle Alfredo is a very strong man, stronger than any man I
know. Mom advised me never to ask Alfredo about his past. One day I
asked if he ever used his strength for good, and he lifted the grand piano in
the living room and told me, the past is like music, some notes can never be
played again. When I asked what he was talking about, uncle Alfredo
gently lowered the piano back down and told me, never mind that. I had
my answer though, uncle Alfredo did something with his muscles in his
past, something he doesnt want anyone to know about. But why ?
Mom suggested that I not talk to strangers on the way, said theres a
lot of weirdos between here and there. The trip lasted just over three weeks,
and I catalogued anything that stood out in my notebook. I saw a fat guy
stuck halfway through a ring of re, a hobbit riding a giant eagle, and
mormons at a red light; they rolled their windows down and proceeded to
ask for directions, I looked away and starred directly in front of me. Mom
was right, there are a lot of weird people.
 A pril 27, 2017 we arrived upon a house made of clay at the foot

of a Mount Saint Elias. Grandpa built this home twenty years ago said
mom. I scratched the back of my head. Look theres grandpa! She said. A
sturdy man with a tangled beard moved swiftly towards us. Grandpa laid
a light hand on our shoulders, and asked if we might close our eyes. We
closed our eyes. Bless your travels he said. Grandpa was a spiritual man,
I felt comfort in that. Come, come inside grandpa beckoned. Grandma
asked if grandpa remembered to bless our travels... Grandma took mom to
help prepare our rst meal together; leaving me and grandpa to catch up.
Grandpa stroked his beard, it was the biggest beard of all beards.
Grandpa looked away from me, rendering thine back upon my gaze.
Grandpa then inquired of me; Elonso, do you know the meaning of your
name? I was about to answer, but...he rushed back in before I could, It
means t for battle. Grandpa turned to face me... It was just as mom said,
neither space and time, nor matter and energy could contain grandpas
smile. Grandpa cheerfully informed me that when he was thirty three, he
wrestled with a Sasquatch; the battle ensued for two days. By day two, it
became clear their strengths were too equally matched. So they both grabbed
a lock of each others beards, and went their ways. Grandpa told me many
great and wonderful things that day.
That night I tossed and turned all about in my bed. I was Jonah in
the belly of the great sh, swallowed in a single gulp by destiny... I was
Juventud Guerrera, strategically rolling to-and-fro in the ring of purpose. I
left my bed, opened my door, and came upon Grandpas library. I surveyed
the room and stumbled on a photo of uncle Alfredo dressed in a wrestling
uniform. He looked young, about my age. This must be why uncle Alfredo
is so strong... Wait there is something else in the picture... He is holding a
mask; it looks like a...turtle? I went back to my room, closed the door, and
pondered myself to sleep.
I awoke. There was a notice stuck to my door, signed grandma;
Elonso, today is a special day. Climbing Mount Saint Elias will require
consumption of many pancakes. We embarked, and the women prayed
fervently for our safe return.
Grandpa reached forth his arm, Elonso grab my hand! Grandpa
pulled me up over a jagged boulder, eortlessly. This mountain divides
nations Elonso. We continued upward... This glorious uplift of trials is
situated on the Yukon and Alaska border. We halted. Do you understand
what I am telling you? Grandpas great beard sparkled with the setting
sun. When we began climbing yesterday, you were just a boy; today a
man. We reached summit at night fall.
Grandpa... What is your birth name? I asked. Grandpa laughed
heartily. You still do not know Elonso? I scratched my nose. Grandpa
reached into his bag. Elonso, look away. I turned and looked up;
envisioning Chariots of valor racing across the moonlit rmament. Elonso,
look upon me. I turned... Juventud Guerrera stood before me; the uttering
of cape upon bare skin matched only by the sound of a doves wings
apping between Heaven and Earth. I am juventud Guerra, your birth
father. On fathers chest was engraved; Mariana and Elonso My
brothers name was absent, did father run out of chest space? It is true
Elonso, a wrestler absorbs the spirit and strength of the mask he wears. I
vowed a solemn vow of solidarity before the host of heaven, that I should, by
no means, allow my mask, which contains the strength and essence of the
Gerbil, to fall into your brothers sensual hands; so I blessed Marianas
parenting, and left instructions for how to nd me. After ve years had
passed, I was cordially invited to the Annual Guild Of The Greatest
Masked Wrestlers Who Ever Lived gathering. That year the gathering was
to be held in Guatemala; the year you were conceived. I asked father about
uncle Alfredos photo; the legend is true, Uncle Alfredos turtle shell defense
was nearly imperishable. I used my Gerbil Wheel Dash Attack to break
through uncle Alfredos shell defense. It worked, however my mask did
cleave downwardly from my face, causing darkness to befall all who would
glean my countenance. Uncle Alfredo has never forgiven himself for what
happened. That is why you are never to ask him of his past. Father turned
and gave me his back...Thirty years ago, your real grandfather was
scheduled for two matches on the same day. Father looked down the
mountain at the small clay house below, One of the matches was scheduled
for early that morning; the other match, later that day. After the rst
match however, your true grandfather... Father cleared his throat, fell
asleep in the changing room... With his mask still on! Father planted his
knee high turquoise boots into the stone, The interface time between mask
and face had well exceeded the maximum limit... Grandpa turned into a
Sasquatch Holy cow. Grandma lives here to be nearer your grandfather.
We made our way back down the mountain. As we were saying our
goodbyes, father reached into his pocket, and handed me the lock of hair he
pulled from grandpas chin. Grandma blessed our travels, and away we
went. Back in Guatemala, I purchased a blank white mask; relying not on
spirits, but on the thunder of my fathers smile. I became...

White Thunder!
 Ps: Uncle Alfredo is training me for my rst masked wrestling

match. He has since forgiven himself. But most signicant of all, he played
marry had a little lamb without skipping over any of the notes for the rst
time since the start of the legend.