Okay…hey everyone! Just like ya'll to know that I changed my penname (just in case you didn't know). This chapter is all about Zigzag (Well, actually…the whole thing except the first 4 paragraphs is a Flashback)…Must warn you it might be a lil depressing. Also, the next chapter will be about Zigzag, except it's going to have a song transformed into it. I'm not going to tell you the song, although I already have it in mind. It's real cool, cuz it goes really really well with what I'm going to write.

            So, yeah. That's what's going on.

            Hope to be seeing your review! ^_^

            ~Bodo

            ~*~*~*~

            Zigzag lifted his palm only inches in front of his face, but he was not able to see the dark tanning of his skin. Even though he was somewhat relieved to not be in the blistering sun, he felt it was better, for you at least had your friends by your side.

            Zigzag was assured that no one in the world could be feeling what he was feeling at this moment. It felt as if the darkness had sucked out his soul, almost the feeling that he would never be happy again. A deep depressing weight was holding his stomach, making him feel sick and light headed.

            He recognized this feeling almost immediately. When his father had died 10 years ago, he could distinguish the exact feeling and could remember it even today.

            He had remembered walking up to his dad's open coffin at the funeral with his mom, Joanne. She had told him that "daddy can hear you, hunny…just talk and he'll listen". She had walked away crying, leaving him to look at his pale faced father.

            **Flashback**

            "Daddy?" Ricky called out softly to his father, "Mummy said that you could hear me, daddy."

            Ricky waited patiently for an answer from his father, but it didn't come, "You said you'd never leave me daddy. You said, 'member? You said so, so you can't, daddy. You promised we'd go to the Yankees game tomorrow, 'member? You said so yesterday, daddy."

            Again, he waited for an answer from his dad, but none came.

            Ricky hesitantly lifted his right arm and touched his father's hand. He let out a soft cry and drew back immediately. His father's hand was ice cold.

            Closing his eyes, he whispered, "Daddy, what's wrong?"

            A pair of warm hands found his shoulders and turned around him lightly. When Ricky opened his eyes again, he was met with the weak (yet warm) smile of his mother. She pulled him into a tight hug and rubbed his back soothingly.

            Her son pulled back and said in a concerned voice, "Daddy's sick, mum."

            "Yes, Ricky. Daddy is sick,"

            "So why won't he answer? He has to get better by tomorrow, though. Cuz he promised he would take me to the Yankee's game!"

            Joanne sighed softly, "I don't think daddy will be able to take you tomorrow, Ricky."

            Ricky looked confused, "Why not?"

            "Daddy's in a deep sleep right now." A couple tears streaked down her cheek, making her mascara run.

            "Oh, well, can you take me tomorrow?"

            Joanne laughed softly, "Yes, hunny, I'll take you."

            "Okay. Bye mum. I have to say 'bye' to daddy before we leave."

            "Alright, sweety. I'll be waiting at the door with Aunty Lisa."

            Ricky turned back to his father after his mother left, "Okay, daddy. I have to go, okay? But I'll see you later. Maybe I'll even see you at the Yankee's game! You can come once you get better. Just make sure mum doesn't see you. She'll be worried that you're still sick."

            Ricky sighed before he heard his mother calling him, "I'll see you later, daddy. Mummy is calling. Oh yeah," His voice dropped an inch and he leaned over the casket so his was close to his father's face, "Don't tell anyone, but you have to be all better by next week. Mummy is taking us all out to dinner for a surprise party for me! I heard her making reservation's on the phone, daddy. So you have to be there, cuz I'll be a whole 7 years old!" Sighing again, he turned his attention back to his father, "I really gotta go now. See you later. I love you, daddy." And he placed a small kiss on his father's cheek before returning to his mother.

            A week later, Ricky had learned that his father wasn't coming back. At the Yankee game (6 days ago) with his mother, he had been searching for his dad every 10 seconds, yet he didn't come.

            That wasn't his only disappointment. Every night he would stay up until 10 (way past his bedtime) waiting for his father to open his bedroom door and give him a good night kiss, or give him the "Tickle Treatment" (in which he would tickle Ricky until had either gotten a bad case of the hiccups or had surrendered saying, instead of 'uncle', "Daddy! Daddy!"). But none of it had come.

            Yet the worst of them all was when his father hadn't shown up for his 'surprise' birthday party. All of the presents were either signed with a sloppy signature from his friends, or in cursive saying,

            "Luv, Mum"

            None of then had said, "Luv, Daddy" or "Here you go Squirt. ~Daddy".

            Since then, Ricky had been up in his room (on the top floor), his vision fixed on his purring cat. A faint knock came from the door, yet he didn't say anything.

            "Ricky, can I come in?"

            He didn't answer. He didn't even look up when his mother slowly walked into the room and sat on the corner of his bed.

            "Daddy's not coming back, is he?" Ricky asked after a few seconds of silence.

            Joanne sniffed and said, "No, hunny. I'm so sorry," And she pulled him in such a hug that squeezed his insides tightly.

            Ricky felt a large lump in his throat; tears gathered in his eyes and whispered, "But why?"

            "Daddy was sick for along time, Ricky. But the doctors didn't know that."

            "Why?"

            "They thought it was only the flu bug."

            "But I get the flu bug lots of times. Maybe I'm sick like Daddy, too?"

            "No, hunny. You wouldn't be able to get this type of sick."

            "What sick?"

            "It's a Heart Attack, hun. They almost always happen with adults."

            "Will you get a Heart Attack, mummy?" His eyes growing wide with the possibility could be.

            "No, sweety. Not anytime soon."

            "So you won't leave me?"

            "No, Ricky. I'll never leave you."

            "Promise?"

            "I promise."

            Ricky stuck out his pinky, "Pinky swear??"

            "Pinky swear," Joanne laughed as she shook pinkies with him.

            Ricky then suddenly turned serious, "Can daddy still hear me, mum?"

            Joanne smiled sadly, "Yes, daddy can still hear you."

            "Will daddy come and visit me?"

            "…I'm not sure, Ricky. Maybe you'll just have to wait and see."

            The room became silent before he quietly asked, "Where is he?"

            Joanne paused, "In Heaven, hunny."

            "Is Heaven fun?"

            "Oh yes," She smiled, "Lane's made of gold, and you get to play all day in the clouds. Jesus is there…you remember me telling you about Jesus?"

            "Yeah…can I go there??"

            She laughed, "That won't be for awhile, Ricky," She paused when Ricky frowned, "In the mean time, you get to stay here and take care of me."

            Ricky sighed, slightly smiling, "Alright."

            "Now, I'm going to go and cook dinner. How's about Macaroni and Cheese?"

            "Yeah!" Ricky shouted, grinning.

            "Okay, go wash up, and be down for dinner in about 15 minutes."

            "MmHmm." Ricky answered as his mother walked out of his room and into the kitchen.

            Ricky slowly looked out his window and up into the clouds, expecting to see his father dancing around. To his surprise, there was no one. For the second time that day, he felt a rather large lump in his throat. It felt as if he would never be happy again without his father there to play football, or take him to Yankee games. A deep depressing weight was holding on his stomach, making him feel sick and light headed.

            He had just realized that his father was never coming home.