Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Why can't I make friends?

My name is Reodo.

I grew up in the woods, in a tiny little cottage surrounded by fencing. There are bits of bright yellow and red cloth tie all around the fence, which I have always been told to stay away from. Mommy and Daddy called them "talismans". I was always sternly warned by them never to venture beyond the fencing. If I was caught sneaking out to chase after a butterfly or to reach out for fruits on the outer branches, Daddy would get really upset.

Mommy and Daddy never told me the reason why I couldn't leave. I've always wondered what's beyond the fences, beyond this forest, and if the 3 of us were the only humans to walk on Earth.

As I got older, Mommy and Daddy found it safer to leave me alone. I have grown to understand their words better, to keep to our promises and to respect their decisions. They would be away for weeks, sometimes months, leaving me with just enough food and water. They always brought me gifts; a little ornament, paper dolls, a spinning top, a robot and the latest gift... a kite. It was a beautiful kite, made up of pastel pinks and yellows and blues and greens, shaped like a fish. I tied it right on the top branch of the tree, watching it flutter in the wind.

(Shhh... don't tell Mommy and Daddy I climbed up so high!)

It must be the magic of the kite. It brought me new friends.

After a few days of having the kite fly right above our house, I started meeting new friends. They looked like they were my age. They were so intrigued with my kite, I couldn't wait to show them all my toys that Mommy and Daddy bought me! I couldn't wait to have fun and play with my new friends.

The first pair of children who visited me were a brother and a sister, Tom and Lily. They were friendly, though. I brought out my cool robot to show Tom. As soon as I handed the robot to him, and said "Hi! I'm Rodeo!", Tom's mouth was wide open like an octopus. There was white smoke coming out from his mouth as the one baby smooth skin turned greyish-pale, wrinkles forming, his hair greying. His outstretched hand was bony, his fingers long and wrinkly and looked as if there were scales on it. He dropped the robot on the floor. Fine, he didn't fancy robots. Lily screamed and was dragging Tom away, I thought they didn't want to play! Girls. Girls like dolls right? I grabbed my paper dolls and was chasing after them. As soon as I grabbed her shoulder, her legs gave way and she crumbled to the floor like a paper doll. I wanted to help her up, but her face was sallow, slightly sunken in and very wrinkly. She was frail. She was sick! I brought them back home to help them.

The next group of people I had visit me were a group of teenagers a couple of years older than me. They seemed pretty cool and hip, had snapbacks (I learnt a new word!) on, piercings in all weird places and tattoos. It seemed like they were doing a dare, but they pushed one of their weird and scrawny friends into my house. His name was Scum.

"Hey Scum! Open that door if you dare!"

"Scum hurry up or I'll kick you ass!"

"Scum stop being such a pussy."

I was watching all of this from a window. Scum looked pretty smart, like he could help me with Tom and Lily. I tried cooking hot soup like how Mommy would when I was sick, but every time I touched them or said something right infront of them, they would get older and older. They were a pile of nasty grey right now. I didn't know what to do about them! It wouldn't be nice to leave the dust out, flying everywhere, would it?

At that point I decided I could use Scum's help. I opened the door, and just nicely, he was leaning against it. He fell forward, onto the floor of the hallway. The door closed behind him and I could see the horror in all his other friends' faces. They ran helter-skelter, out of the woods. Wow! Such friends to leave Scum behind, but I guess we'll get just along fine?

I hope.


It has been 3 days since Scum fell.

He hasn't spoken a word, but he is still breathing.

How come I can't make any friends?

:-(



Submitted March 01, 2017 at 06:47AM by blobofbutter http://ift.tt/2mEljaX

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