Walking to school was one of the best parts of young Johnny’s life. Especially because he passed by his neighbor Dave on the way there everyday. If anyone were ever to see Johnny and Dave together, surely they would not miss the true genuine friendship they have developed with one another. While Dave was the polar opposite of Johnny, they still managed to find common bonds with each other and could not be separated. 

There was one thing though that Johnny and Dave shared in common the most. They were both adopted into foster families. Johnny always wondered who his father was or even if he had any siblings. Dave did not really care for his own family background but always found it interesting when Johnny would fantasize about the career his father must have had or the life his fictional brother had built for himself. 

When Johnny and Dave met, it was sort of an accident. Dave was the talented athlete in the school while Johnny was small but found a true passion in science. Anyway, before they knew each other Johnny was constantly picked on. Walking to school was not as great as it had been before he met Dave. Often, he was beaten, bullied, or made fun of just simply minding his own business. One day, one of these incidents of bullying took place in front of Dave’s house. See, Dave was not like the stereotypical jock who only cares for himself. Dave thinks about others and would do anything to help a friend or acquaintance. Quickly after noticing what was happening to Johnny, he sprung out of his house and yelled at the bullies who would not stop punching and kicking. “Get away from him!” Dave screamed as Johnny was in agony. The bullies promptly listened as Dave was bigger than them. Thankful- Johnny waved to his new-found protector to which was responded with a salute almost as smooth as if they had done this before.

From this point on, a life-long relationship would result. Dave had invited Johnny over to his house to hangout that night and their relationship sparked. They began by talking about the things that they really enjoyed doing and the aspects of their life that they had in common. After the fact that they were both adopted was brought to the conversation. Dave began to further explain how when he was left at fire station as a baby and had a brother whom he did not know the whereabouts of. His foster parents always told him that his brother went on to move in with a family that genuinely cared for him and Dave was delighted by that. Johnny however, was never told anything about his relatives. This can explain his delusional fascination with them as he would have always loved to meet them and know what they were like.

Throughout the rest of their high school years they spent most of their time with one another. Whether that be playing football together or going to amusement parks, they truly were inseperable. But, tragedy ensued and the relationship between Dave and Johnny would soon come to an end. One of the goals that the boys had set for themselves was to one day hike to the top of Mount Donny. Mount Donny was unlike most other mountains since getting to the top and grasping the magnificent view was a feat that could only be accomplished by few. Neither boys were prepared so they gave themselves a year to train and Dave set the date for December twelfth to begin climbing. Exactly one year and three days ahead. 

The training for this climb was grueling. Even Dave’s superior athleticism and stellar physical fitness was no match for the great Mount Donny. As days went by the harder they trained. Day by day, Johnny and Dave pushed each other to higher limits. They both went from not being able to climb a hill without breathing heavily, to running ten miles and rarely breaking sweat. About a week before, Johnny was having regrets. “It’s not safe!” he said. “We can’t do it!”. Typical Dave, he would not let Johnny quit without even putting up a fight. Dave completely shut the idea down of Johnny giving up early and he motivated not only Johnny, but himself to keep pushing forward.

Finally, the day had arrived. It was time for the boys to relish all of the work they put in and create a memory that will last forever. Driving up to the mountain was daunting, especially to Johnny due to the massive size of it but knowing he had his friend to lean on eased his worried mind. As their journey began, both of them held up okay. Dave was hiking at a slow jog while Johnny settled right behind him. Both boys were slowly ascending Mount Donny and they pushed each other as they went. About a quarter mile from the top they encountered a bear.

Slowly, they came to a stop and watched as it crossed the trail they were on. It seemed to have been feeding on a deer that had been recently caught. “That was close!” Johnny said. “No kidding.” Dave replied. Step after step, they trekked their way up the mountain until they were just able to reach the top. They stopped for a moment to gaze at the majestic scenery that surrounded them atop the tall mountain.

“Wow!” Johnny gasped. Both boys were in awe as they watched the running of oxen from down below and the clear blue river sway from afar. It was at this moment Dave had a realization. Dave had many friends but there was something about Johnny that made him special. Whether it was because he enjoyed his presence or if he just felt like he was the brother he never had. Dave always appreciated when Johnny and he spent time together.

“Let's take a picture to honor the moment!” said Johnny. “Ok”. Dave held up the phone as they got close to the edge of the mountain to make sure the marvelous scenery was still visible. “Make sure the camera sees the river!” Johnny yelled. Dave snapped a photo to which was validated by Johnny. As Johnny walked away from the ledge his foot had hit a rock and he slipped. Dave turned around in pure horror as Johnny’s body slowly slid off the cliff. Grasping and clawing, Johnny could not grip on to anything. Dave dove to where Johnny was but it had been too late. He watched as Johnny fell down the mountain and shrieked. He always knew he would protect Johnny if he was ever in trouble but at this moment he could do absolutely nothing. Johnny was airlifted to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on the twelfth of December, the day the boys were making a triumphant memory. Crushed- Dave grieved as his best friend in the world had lost his life and for the next three years all Dave could do was think about the ways that he let Johnny down. 

“I should have protected him”, “It’s all my fault”, Dave would say over and over as Johnny was always at the top of his mind. Suffering from all of the grief, Dave had decided to visit the foster parents of Johnny to get a better understanding of the kid Johnny was and learn more about his family. As he approached, Johnny’s parents were anxiously awaiting his arrival. While walking in the house, Dave felt a gust of wind fly by his face almost as if Johnny were there to tell him something. Quick conversation between Johnny’s parents and Dave occurred, mostly made up of banter over Johnny to which was appreciated by Dave.

Johnny’s mother decided to bring out old photos from the attic and Dave marveled at the sight of Johnny as a young boy and he was fascinated by his baby photos. Something in particular about one photo though was peculiar. In one of these photos, Johnny was photographed with another baby in the hospital nursery. The other baby had been tagged with the same bracelet saying the same last name, “Johnson”. What Dave noticed the most though was the scar on the other baby’s forehead that perfectly matched his own. He then asked the parents of Johnny which hospital he was born in to which they responded with the same hospital that Dave knew he was born in. 

Dave had come to the largest realization of all. Johnny, his friend, his companion, and his partner was actually his own brother. Tears shed from Dave's eye as he always knew him and Johnny were connected in some way, somehow. He could have never imagined it though in this way. 

He then proceeded to walk home not saying a word to Johnny’s parents and in complete silence, he was grateful to be a brother. Dave was no longer just the adopted kid. He was Johnny’s sibling. From that point on, whenever he would feel that certain gust of wind, he knew that it was Johnny, his younger sibling letting him know that he was there.