Post by Ariessya on Jul 16, 2009 14:00:20 GMT -5
Chapter Two
I walked over to the park, a peaceful place about a two minute’s walk from my house. And yes, I call it my house because I paid most of the bills and kept the place in good shape. Neither Megan nor Owen had anything to do with it, and if it wasn’t for me, then all hope would be lost for our family’s future.
I sat on the end of the slide and put my head in my hands. Man, if it wasn’t for my responsibilities, I would just run. Run as far away as possible. But the girls needed me, and who knew when my drunken father would come home? If he wasn’t in good shape, then I would have to get him away from my sisters. He would sometimes beat them, and I could not let that happen.
“I didn’t know you lived around here.”
A familiar, annoying voice made me want to scream. It was Carmen, the girl who was always trying to talk.
“No, I don’t often walk around the neighbourhood,” I responded through clenched teeth.
Carmen perched herself on the rim of the slide. “I guess that’s why I’ve never seen you. Daron, why don’t you ever talk to anyone?”
I looked up at the sky, asking the heavens why Carmen had to show up now of all times.
“Because I’m not a socially inclined kid.”
Carmen sighed. “Even the quietest, shiest and most wallflower-like people talk sometimes. C’mon, you’re not the average anti-social person.”
I scowled. I hated the fact that she had to bring this up, and I didn’t want to think of a quick solution. I was too distracted to think of a convincing one…
“Yeah, well, I’m not the average person,” I growled. “Why do you keep trying?”
Carmen shrugged. “I guess I am a social person, and I’m trying to get to those who are trying to cut themselves out of society.” She stared at me. “You happen to be one of them, and I’m trying to understand.”
I turned away. “If you really want to know, I’ll give you a taste. I have a large family, and it’s pretty rough in there.”
She smiled. “See? Opening up isn’t so hard.”
I glared at her, angry that she wanted to treat me like a child. “Yeah, it actually is hard,” I snapped. “That tidbit of information makes it sound like I have a family of six, and my siblings are just spoiled brats. That is nothing like what it is in my house. It is so very different, and I hate people that assume that I’m just whining and complaining about the hardships of sibling rivalry.”
Carmen stared back, but she was shocked at my words. I could see in her brown eyes the apologies and confusion. “I’m sorry…” she began.
“Don’t be,” I muttered. “I don’t want your sympathy. It isn’t going to change anything.”
I stood, intending to go somewhere solitary, but Carmen followed suit.
“You know, it’s nearing the end of the school year.” So she was trying to change the subject. Fine.
“Yeah. So?”
“Are you planning on staying in contact with other people?”
I didn’t need time to think about it. “People like who? I don’t have any friends.”
She glanced at me. “I thought maybe you’d miss my company for two whole months,” she joked.
I didn’t laugh. “I highly doubt it, but if you want my email, I’ll give it to you.”
She smiled a little. “You say you don’t have any friends, but have you ever considered the fact that other people have expressed interest in you?”
“Me? The ‘anti-social’ as you call it?” I would have thought that people would ignore me just as I ignore them. Carmen, I supposed, was an example of how wrong I was. The persistent ‘everyone’s a leader’ –type personalities would never give up on people who ‘needed’ them.
“Yes, Daron. I know some other people who want to know what you’re about. They just don’t know how to talk to you.”
“Whatever,” I grumbled.
Carmen smiled. “Come on, Daron. Give in a bit and talk to someone once in a while.”
“I’m talking to you, aren’t I?”
She sighed. “Yeah, you are. But you have to open up to the world around you, because there are so many opportunities that you’re missing out on!”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you and I aren’t exactly friends, and this conversation isn’t exactly persuasive.”
“Well, think about it. Because I think you would make a good friend.”
I stared ahead of me. She really didn’t change my mind at all.
Carmen turned and walked out to the street. I should have done the same, seeing as how I was already late for my shift, but I didn’t want to go anywhere near my house.
I walked into the shade of a tree, hoping to finally get some peace.
Something snarled, and I backed away. But whatever the snarling thing was advanced towards me, and it was a large dog. Probably rabid. I walked a little faster. But the dog followed.
It isn’t foaming at the mouth or walking funny, I thought passively. The back of my mind was trying to stay sane while the rest of me was spiked with adrenaline. It’s just overaggressive.
It paused, looking back to the tree with its ear perked. I paused, too, not knowing exactly what to do. In an instant, though, it was turned on me again.
I’m going to be mauled by a dog.
And I was right: the dog leapt at me, jaws parted to reveal rows of sharp, white teeth. Clumsily, I lifted my arms to protect my face, and the weight of the animal crashed into me. I yelled as we landed on the ground, and the dog ripped at my left arm, tearing open my skin. I felt the pain… The dog was on my chest, and I struggled to breathe properly. It was too heavy to shove off, so I could only lie helplessly as I was attacked.
The air didn’t come. My chest compressed, the corners of my vision went green, then pink, then white, the black…and the black just consumed my world.
I passed out.
End of Chapter Two
I walked over to the park, a peaceful place about a two minute’s walk from my house. And yes, I call it my house because I paid most of the bills and kept the place in good shape. Neither Megan nor Owen had anything to do with it, and if it wasn’t for me, then all hope would be lost for our family’s future.
I sat on the end of the slide and put my head in my hands. Man, if it wasn’t for my responsibilities, I would just run. Run as far away as possible. But the girls needed me, and who knew when my drunken father would come home? If he wasn’t in good shape, then I would have to get him away from my sisters. He would sometimes beat them, and I could not let that happen.
“I didn’t know you lived around here.”
A familiar, annoying voice made me want to scream. It was Carmen, the girl who was always trying to talk.
“No, I don’t often walk around the neighbourhood,” I responded through clenched teeth.
Carmen perched herself on the rim of the slide. “I guess that’s why I’ve never seen you. Daron, why don’t you ever talk to anyone?”
I looked up at the sky, asking the heavens why Carmen had to show up now of all times.
“Because I’m not a socially inclined kid.”
Carmen sighed. “Even the quietest, shiest and most wallflower-like people talk sometimes. C’mon, you’re not the average anti-social person.”
I scowled. I hated the fact that she had to bring this up, and I didn’t want to think of a quick solution. I was too distracted to think of a convincing one…
“Yeah, well, I’m not the average person,” I growled. “Why do you keep trying?”
Carmen shrugged. “I guess I am a social person, and I’m trying to get to those who are trying to cut themselves out of society.” She stared at me. “You happen to be one of them, and I’m trying to understand.”
I turned away. “If you really want to know, I’ll give you a taste. I have a large family, and it’s pretty rough in there.”
She smiled. “See? Opening up isn’t so hard.”
I glared at her, angry that she wanted to treat me like a child. “Yeah, it actually is hard,” I snapped. “That tidbit of information makes it sound like I have a family of six, and my siblings are just spoiled brats. That is nothing like what it is in my house. It is so very different, and I hate people that assume that I’m just whining and complaining about the hardships of sibling rivalry.”
Carmen stared back, but she was shocked at my words. I could see in her brown eyes the apologies and confusion. “I’m sorry…” she began.
“Don’t be,” I muttered. “I don’t want your sympathy. It isn’t going to change anything.”
I stood, intending to go somewhere solitary, but Carmen followed suit.
“You know, it’s nearing the end of the school year.” So she was trying to change the subject. Fine.
“Yeah. So?”
“Are you planning on staying in contact with other people?”
I didn’t need time to think about it. “People like who? I don’t have any friends.”
She glanced at me. “I thought maybe you’d miss my company for two whole months,” she joked.
I didn’t laugh. “I highly doubt it, but if you want my email, I’ll give it to you.”
She smiled a little. “You say you don’t have any friends, but have you ever considered the fact that other people have expressed interest in you?”
“Me? The ‘anti-social’ as you call it?” I would have thought that people would ignore me just as I ignore them. Carmen, I supposed, was an example of how wrong I was. The persistent ‘everyone’s a leader’ –type personalities would never give up on people who ‘needed’ them.
“Yes, Daron. I know some other people who want to know what you’re about. They just don’t know how to talk to you.”
“Whatever,” I grumbled.
Carmen smiled. “Come on, Daron. Give in a bit and talk to someone once in a while.”
“I’m talking to you, aren’t I?”
She sighed. “Yeah, you are. But you have to open up to the world around you, because there are so many opportunities that you’re missing out on!”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you and I aren’t exactly friends, and this conversation isn’t exactly persuasive.”
“Well, think about it. Because I think you would make a good friend.”
I stared ahead of me. She really didn’t change my mind at all.
Carmen turned and walked out to the street. I should have done the same, seeing as how I was already late for my shift, but I didn’t want to go anywhere near my house.
I walked into the shade of a tree, hoping to finally get some peace.
Something snarled, and I backed away. But whatever the snarling thing was advanced towards me, and it was a large dog. Probably rabid. I walked a little faster. But the dog followed.
It isn’t foaming at the mouth or walking funny, I thought passively. The back of my mind was trying to stay sane while the rest of me was spiked with adrenaline. It’s just overaggressive.
It paused, looking back to the tree with its ear perked. I paused, too, not knowing exactly what to do. In an instant, though, it was turned on me again.
I’m going to be mauled by a dog.
And I was right: the dog leapt at me, jaws parted to reveal rows of sharp, white teeth. Clumsily, I lifted my arms to protect my face, and the weight of the animal crashed into me. I yelled as we landed on the ground, and the dog ripped at my left arm, tearing open my skin. I felt the pain… The dog was on my chest, and I struggled to breathe properly. It was too heavy to shove off, so I could only lie helplessly as I was attacked.
The air didn’t come. My chest compressed, the corners of my vision went green, then pink, then white, the black…and the black just consumed my world.
I passed out.
End of Chapter Two
