The next generation (chapter 9)

By: Amee Eliza


Aaron shifted on the grass. He just stood there as moths batted around in his stomach. This man named Ben was sometimes a figure a young boy could be intimidated by.

Ben was not tall and overshadowing but rather so small that it felt like he could wriggle his way into a person's train of thought. Steal what did not belong to him.

His aged blue and white tennis shoes rested on his feet as he stood on the lawn. The sun beat down on the blond haired boy's head.

His eyes were a mixtures of hues. Grey like angora rabbit fur. Green like an emerald. Blue like the sky.

He had a determined brow though. It rested strong above his eyes and when he made any expression they to molded together, low, or high.

His brows were darker that his hair and Amelia told him it probably was inherited from his father Thomas.

"Hey Aaron. Want to throw the football around?" Tubby Tom asked with a smile that was very much like the smile he always gave young Aaron.

Tom wore a funny expressions almost all the time. It was rarely sad. Sometimes his mouth hung open when he was shocked. Like the time he was shocked when Aaron hit his head and George the dog happened to see and pulled him out. It was a beautiful beach day and everyone migrated there that day. Even Ben was there with a green robe and perusing a "Time" magazine.

Little Aaron was but six at the time and had wandered too far and when he hit his head (Amelia guessed from the bump) he passed out and when regaining consciousness had gotten caught in a rip current. The mutt saved the boy as Aaron grabbed his fur and the dog swam back to the smooth beach.

Mr. Gregory was not to be seen. Ben lit up and stroked the dog and said: "Good Boy."

Amelia was so shook up that tears were present in her eyes. She hugged him and he was glad to be safe in her arms.


The sun was cooling down and Aaron denied Tom.

"Got to do something important." He asserted.

"Oh, I see little man. You can't play with ol'Tom anymore?" He chuckled.

"Maybe later Tom." Aaron told him.

He walked up to the Linus house and kicked the door.

He waited.

So, he knocked.

"Hi?" A voice called from the screen door.

"It's me Mr. Linus."

Ben approached (with what looked to be a grin to Aaron).

He opened the door.

"Aaron? What are you doing here?" Ben said pushing his head forward.

"I want to ask you things. Please." He added the "please" as he stepped in.

Ben tried to look official and said: "Sit down."

The grand piano looked beautiful. It was black and sleek. A duster leaned on the side of the piano.

Aaron looked over to the pictures of Alex, boys, and a painting.

"Why is that woman holding a hamster?" Aaron blurted out.

He turned to Ben.

"I guess I'll have to answer that the reason she is holding a hamster because it was her pet." Ben said his words drawn out.

"Hmm..." Aaron replied.

He looked at the woman again and could not help saying the words: "She is very pretty."

Ben looked down to the ground and smiled.

"Thank you." He replied.

"Now, what are your questions?" He said motioning his hands to Aaron.

Aaron forgot all about the offer to sit down on the leather couch, so he stood.

"First I want to know what happened to my Mom?"

Ben exhaled. "I guess there is not easy way of answering this."

"You're Mom is dead. Your Dad? He is alive."

Aaron teared up.

"Dead? How did she die?"

"Her father, your grandfather, wanted her back."

"Are you saying he took her to heaven?" Aaron pleaded.

Ben paused and looked dismayed.

"I don't know Aaron." He looked like he was remembering something. Something dark.

"Where are the dinosaurs?"

"I-" He began with a grin.

The door swung open.

Alex.

"Hi Alex!" He ran up to her and hugged her like a boy would cling to a special teddy bear.

"Hi Aaron." She smiled. She smiled a stressed smile.

"Where were you Alex?" Aaron asked looking up to her.

"With Richard. He is teaching me to live off the land." She announced with pride. But then lifted up her hands to show her blisters.

Ben frowned.

"It doesn't hurt." She told her Dad.

"Blisters- Yikes!" Aaron said sucking in air as if something stung.

"Oh about the dinosaurs." Aaron reminded Ben.

"Let's get something to drink." Ben announced.

Aaron agreed.

Ben came in balancing a platter with three glasses filled with milk. They had colored straws. Two blue and one green. Aaron had the glass with the blue one.

"Now let me tell you the tale of the dinosaurs that use to roam on this island." Ben began hardly believing himself.

Giving milk and telling stories to dumb kids?

"Well, you see this island has been inhabited for millions of years. Different people have been here: from Adam and Eve, Romans, and even aliens." He stopped.

No one laughed (as he had hoped).

"When the dinosaurs roamed the humans had to hide in caves, mountains, and bamboo huts."

"We have lots of bamboo here." Aaron beamed.

"I am going to take a shower." Alex said (relieved to escape the tale).

"Then the dinosaurs died because the volcano on the island (the very volcano you can see on clear days) ran over with lava and they were killed off. But the humans did not die, because a scientist named Mr. H told them that they needed to escape before it exploded."

"Ben?" He said sadly.

"Yes?"

"I miss my Mom."

Ben thought: "I miss her too."


Author's note: Ben is making some of this up but he is guessing too. Pay attention to the last line. Can you tell what I am getting at? Please read! I will dance if you do.