Chapter 3: Changes

It's about 7 in the morning when I heard Miss Clara's voice over me. I really didn't feel like waking up, I was having a rather good dream. But, her persistence proves dominant when I open up my eyes. As I sit up, Miss Clara quickly put my glasses on. As I look at her she was wearing a hot pink turtle neck sweater, a slightly big turquoise necklace, her hair was let down and a head piece that looked like an arch over her head. She had a very subtle pink lipstick; her nails were done, but not painted. She had blue jeans that were slightly loose, and she had on running shoes. "Do I look okay Christopher?"

Now, though I was able to see her, my mind was fogged out at the moment. I stand on the floor and stretch out and take a second look. "Well Christopher?" She seems eager.

I walk over to my dresser and withdrew a pair of Spiderman briefs. "You look great Miss Clara, you always look good." I unbuttoned my shirt and slipped it off and let it sit on the floor. Then as I unsnapped my pants they were falling mid-thigh when my body clenched together from a hug and kiss. She excitedly says, "Thanks honey you're the best and wish me luck at the house, this may be my last chance to impress the clients. "

I turned around and slid my underwear down and slip the new pair to my waist, "Well, I am sure you will do fine, you always do." I reassure her.

"Ok thanks honey, bye bye."

I was still tired, "Bye Bye." Then she exited my room calmly, locked up and I hear her car turn on and drive off. "Good luck." I whisper to myself.

Then I grab my night clothes, open the closet, throw them in the hamper, and then took a pair of jeans out and slipped them on over my underwear. I zip and button them into place then all I felt like doing is falling back on my bed and fall asleep. And 'twas exactly what I did, up to another couple hours. I woke up and I am very hungry, so, I proceed to do the going out of the house ritual and then head to Teddy's BBQ, when I went in it looked much different. The floor was white tile with grey grout; the walls were now half wood paneling, half red drywall. The beams were still dark wood and the ceiling was now tin tile. The tables were light wood when I was able to see the underside. I hear country music and Teddy grilling, nothing else. The restaurant was dead. However, like Teddy, he breaks the uncomfortable silence. "'Ey Christopher what'sa cooking? Like the new place?"

"Well Teddy, it's definitely brighter in here." I say trying to figure things out.

"Yeah and that ain't even then best thing, you gonna wanna see this." He says happily. He quickly grabs me by my waist and swiftly sets my feet on one of the rounded square tables. I yelp in surprise, with a giggle cause it tickles. In the dead center is a color and cropped print of my coloring of that cowboy pig. My cheeks go red and I giggle out. I couldn't really say anything, only giggle out the embarrass feeling. "Well 'lil buddy? What'ya think?"

I try gathering myself together and come up with something to say. "Well…It is definitely something," I gather. "It's lovely, I like it."

"That'sa absolutely awesome!" he exclaims

"Well, why the change?"

" 'Cuz Big Momma was cookin' her famous steak when our grill blew a pipe and started a fire, the smoke damage was bad, so, we did our ver' best to contain it and re fix up the place, it was lucky big daddy was shoppin' for some new stuff anyway. Evr'one is a'right though."

My eyes grew a little big, "Wow, I'm sorry about your restaurant Teddy."

"It's a'right buddy, nobody got hurt, and I like the new look." I carefully hop down then he cleans my foot prints off the table. "So, what can I get'ye buddy?"

I didn't know actually, but, I thought quickly, "Well, I'm not sure Teddy, I came in here because I was hungry, but, you don't have any of the good meat ready do you?"

"Hmm, well, tel ya' what, I'll make us some eggs and bacon how 'bout that?"

"That sounds pretty good." I say

"a'right so let's hop up to the table and let's eat. " He says in a smile.

I walk in the dead center counter like table with the bar stool, it too looked different, it looked darker. I guess he stained it; it is defiantly a cool looking setup. Teddy was in front of me with his new cooking equipment and started frying up eggs bacon and fried potatoes it looks like. After about half an hour he finished both of our plates and sat them on the counter table. We start eating and we talk about general topics such as weather and such. About another half hour and we finish our plates and he throws them in the dishwasher. I stay for another ten minutes before leaving with a gracious good bye. After a few minutes I walk by the park and odd enough, it looked like a barren wasteland, a ghost town in its present time. All I can hear is the traffic go by me from behind, other than that, it was dead silent. It spooks me, it's summer break on a Sunday, which is usually the day kids go out and play. So seeing it sit still was astonishing.

The small pebbles shift and grind around under my feet. The swings, the play set, the big rocks, the sand box, everything, just deserted. The swings creak and grass and trees sway against the cool summer wind. I walk a little more further from the roads; engine and horns start to settle as I walk on the dirt exiting the park. I don't know what is making me stay here, but I felt frozen. Frozen like a picture, everything was still as the gusts stopped. My chest feels uneasy, very uneasy.

"Hi Christopher." I hear squeaking out behind my ear, I screeched very loud and I jumped near out of my shoes as I fall on the ground. Heavily breathing I look over its Trevor, I yell out at him.

"What do you think you're doing sneaking up on me like that! You gave me nearly a heart attack!"

He cowers back a little, "I'm sorry Christopher I really didn't mean to."

I kip up on my feet and catch the rest of my breath, "It's alright, just, don't do that again."

"Ok. Believe me I won't, cause I came here to tell you something important."

"What is it Trevor?" I look him directly in the eyes.

"That guy has been snooping around here again; he creeps out the parents and kids so they left here yesterday, almost 2 hours after you left. I really think you should leave this park, and now."

"Ok thanks for the heads up."

"No problem man, now go." He gives me a frightened shove. He has never really been scared or worried before, so, seeing the frightened Trevor I started running as he got into his dad's car and they speed off. As I was running I call Miss Clara, the phone kept ringing. "Come on Come on!" I almost freaked out. Her voice mail came on, "Miss Clara call me back as soon as you get this it's really important I mean life or death please call back!" I kept running. I ran as fast as I could. I had hit some back alleys so that way I could get home faster. I was less than ten feet from my house when the flashy black redneck truck sped on the curb of my house. The wheels screeched to a stop and a guy got out, I kept running. Little did I know by the time I put my key into the door I felt something hard hit my head. The door was the last thing I saw before blacking out, I was so close.