Some might say the harshest place in the world is the desert, or the tundra. A place so cold your toes break off, or a place so hot you die of dehydration if you're out there for more than three hours. Kendall Knight disagreed with that statement. He knew the harshest place on Earth was the Diana Ingrid Evelyn Kendra Ilene Erma Simone Dorothy Ida Earls Day Care Center, better known to the children who lived on his street as the DIE KIDS, DIE! Day Care.
Kendall had been playing in the park when he had over-heard some kids talking about it and place had given him the creepy-crawlies ever since. Which is why on August 3rd at seven in the morning, he found himself freaking out at the thought of entering the building his mother seemed so sure of forcing him into.
"But, Mommy! I thought you loved me! Don't make me go in there!" He pleading, giving her his best 'puppy-dog-pout'. It almost broke the heart of Kathy Knight to see him so helpless. She knew she had to go to work, and this was the closest place to keep Kendall while she was waiting tables at Al's.
"Kenny, I do love you! That's why you have to stay here! I can't leave you alone at home, you might get hurt!" See that this wasn't working very well, Kathy bent down the height of her small child. "Listen, sweetie. If you do good and listen to Mrs. Earls, then Mommy will buy you another dinosaur for your toy chest. Okay?" She tired to fight a smile when she saw that Kendall was considering it.
"A T-Rex?" He questioned, raising his eye brows. Kathy hesitated, she had been against getting him the scary looking toy since she had seen it. But, she knew Kendall would love it and would be willing to go inside if she gave it to him.
"Fine. Now, come on!" She said, grabbing his hand and tugging his arm lightly. Kendall smiled and followed his mother inside the tall brick building, thoughts for terror forgotten. Instead, he thought about the soon-to-be-his new toy.
INSIDE INSIDE INSIDE INSIDE INSIDE INSIDE
The room inside was huge. It had zillions and zillions of blocks in one corner, crayons and paper in another, it even had a corner of books for the kids who knew how to read! Kendall's eyes grew huge when he spotted the table in the middle of the room. It was full of toys, all shapes and sizes. There were so MANY!
"Okay, Mommy. You can leave now. Bye! Love you!" He said, pushing his mother to the door. Kathy just laughed and bent down to hug him. She left, telling him she loved him and she would be back in six hours. Kendall just nodded and pushed her some more. Kathy left, closing the door behind her.
Kendall ran to the table and picked up the first dinosaur he could find. He had always loved them, they came in all shapes and sizes, colors and patterns. No two were exactly the same, just like with people.
Unfortunately, it seemed like someone else had the same idea as him. James Diamond reached his chubby little hand towards the triceratops, only to find someone else closing in on it. "Hey! Give me that!" He squealed, trying to tug it out of the other boys hand.
"No! I had it first!' Kendall yelled, tugging on it as well.
"I wanna play with it!' James cried.
"It's MINE!"
"NO!"
"YES!"
"NA UH!
"YA HUH!"
"NOPE!"
"YEAH!"
"NO NO NO!"
"YES!" Kendall screamed, tugging on it one final time. The dinosaur flew out of his hand and smacked into the back of another boys head.
"OUCH!" The boy said, rubbing the back of his head. James and Kendall both burst out laughing.
"Me James." He said, sticking his hand out.
"Kendall." Kendall replied, shaking hands with the other boy. Since that day, the two have been partners in crime.
Second Grade. Just the sound of the words together made Kendall feel like a big kid. He was seven now, and he and James were still best friends. This year, they had started pee wee hockey at their local ice rink. The first day of practice, they met a new kid. He seemed pretty crazy, on and off the ice. The boy wore his helmet EVERYWHERE, and seemed to always be on a sugar high.
Carlos Garcia was definitely one strange kid. He was in James and Kendall's class at school as well.
