Chapter 12
Echoes
I was running.
“Hey, Hank! What’re you doing later?”
He smiled.
Out of the crossroads and into the noisy streets.
“I’m going to do homework.”
Honking cars and shouting people.
He sighed. “You know – it’s not healthy to work so hard.”
I didn’t know what to do.
“It’s not healthy to lounge about all day either.”
“Are you saying I lounge about all day?”
“Yes.”
“Well, it’s true. So, we’re two-of-a-kind then.”
“Something like that.”
“Come on! It’s Friday. You can do your homework on Sunday. Let’s go have fun. Let’s go
I didn’t know where
to the mall!”
“Not today, Donny.”
“Man, forget it. I’ll go by myself.”
“You do that.”
I turned around and walked away.
to go it didn’t matter where just that I was gone.
“Oh yah!”
He grabbed me by the shoulder.
“I almost forgot to give this to you.”
He handed me a tin-wrapped plate. I opened it.
“I can’t believe I almost forgot. My mom made some last night for our study session, but you left before she finished.”
A slice of strawberry cake.
A flat line ticking in my head.
“What’s this for?”
“It’s supposed to be a surprise ‘cause you were accepted to Lawrence College! Congratulations!”
Run Run Run
“I don’t know what to say.”
As fast as you can
“Thanks would be good enough. Or say you’ll go hang out.”
“Thanks.”
Out of breath but still running.
“So close.”
lives so fragile to be connected to shatter fragments build cities and ruins…
We laughed.
Reachin-
The bell ringed.
Callin-
“Alright then, Hank. Take care.”
“You too, Donny.”
Lunch had ended. I went to Calculus and Donny to English. Sixth period ended. I walked home. Sirens flaring as the ambulance blared down the street past me toward the mall. Anxious. Nervous. Uneasiness.
Giving.
I began to run.
My feet had taken me there.
“What’s going on here?” the voices intermingling in my head.
“I need your help, Eason.”
No comments:
Post a Comment