Pro-log
"Now are you sure that you can handle him alone for a couple hours?" Kate was hanging half out the door way, her hand unwilling to leave the handle. Her black purse dangled from her other shoulder, keys in hand. Addison smiled, and nodded reassuringly.
"Miss Austin, don't worry. Aaron and I will be fine." Kate tried to smile, hide her anxiety but she had never left Aaron with anyone else before.
"Alright. If you need me I left my cell number on the counter. His Uncle Jack's number is underneath it if for some reason you can't get a hold of me. Also, I left a list of emergency numbers posted on the fridge."
"Miss Austin."
"Right." She gave one last look to Aaron who was contentedly watching t.v. on the sofa. Then without another word she closed the door, and they were left alone. Addison sighed. How tough did she think that one six year old would be to handle? She walked over behind the sofa, a recognizable scene from sponge bob square pants was playing and Aaron Austin was glued to the screen. Had she been a normal kid, she would have sat down next to him and watched the cartoon. But she wasn't- she couldn't stand to just sit- sit and do nothing. Especially sit and watch television. Addison couldn't even remember the last show that she had watched. Something on the history station maybe? Oh, right. There had been a special on about Joan of Ark that had caught her interest.
"Hey, Aaron."
"Yeah?"
"You wanna go outside and play?" His attention span went very little past the show he was watching.
"AARON!" She said a little louder. "Do you want to go play outside?"
"When sponge bob is over." He replied half heartedly. Addison glanced at her watch, there was at least ten more minutes left to the show. Maybe she'd look into making supper. Miss Austin had said something about fish sticks, and french fries being in the freezer. She made her way out to the enormous kitchen, which was kept almost (at least at the present) spotless. The scene took Addison's breath away. As she walked to the fridge the phone rang, she scanned the room for it as it rang again. Finally she spotted it on the farther end of the counter. She went to pick it up.
"Hello?" No answer. "Hello?" Again no answer. She waited a couple of seconds, though she could hear uneven breathing on the other end she wondered suspiciously why no one answered. She shrugged, then hung up the receiver.
"I wanna go outside." Addison looked up surprised to see Aaron standing in the entrance way.
"Is sponge bob over?"
"I wanna go outside." It was as if someone had programed the sentance in his brain, and he knew nothing else. A machine- with only one setting.
"OK bud we can go outside." He ran over to her and took her hand.
"You wanna see my tree house?" He asked excitedly pulling her to the back door.
As she walked outside the scene reminded her almost of something like in the story of the Secret Garden. It seemed as if they had stepped into some endless jungle- and entirely different world. Trees bent over on either side forming a sort of stone pathway. Aaron led her through it. Then he stopped.
"Why'd we stop?" She asked him curiously, she wanted to see more. Wanted to explore.
"My tree house." There was a ladder attached to one of the taller trees. It went up, and up, until it disappeared through the tree tops.
"Uncle Jack built it." He said thrilled. Addison followed him up the ladder. After what Addison's best guess of seven or eight feet they finally came to the top. The tree house looked much like you would picture any boys tree house. It was a single room, with a window. She noticed that Aaron had placed several nick- nacks in the room, along with a shabby looking circular blue carpet. There was a wooden box in one corner that was filled to the brim with army men and toy trucks, also a play tool belt. Aaron went over to the box of toys and began to pick out some of the people to play with. Addison even noticed a toy air plane that the boy seemed to favorite. She stood in the door way of the tree house. It was small and she had to duck to peek out, but the view was magnificent. She could see over the houses for a couple miles. The horizon was a canvas of blues and oranges. Purples and pinks. It would be dark soon.
/
An hour later Addison found herself pulling a pan of fish sticks and French fries out of the oven. She set them on the top burners deciding to let them cool off for a couple moments before serving. As the phone rang, she jolted around, and scanned the room for its whereabouts. For once it was where it was supposed to be- on the charger. She went to answer it.
"Hello?" Again no answer. This was getting to be a little weird. "Hello?" No answer. No one answered, but Addyson knew she could hear breathing. It was heavy, but rhythmatic.
