Chapter 7: A Whole New World (Part 2)

Carlos bit his lip in thought, he didn't want to think about going home so soon, but he had to be dependent on the time so he could get home before dark. He didn't want Logan to catch him, especially on his first day outside. Even though he might be gone for the entire day, Logan tends to make surprise visits or go to his room in the middle of the night to give him a goodnight kiss. He wanted to make sure he got home and not get in trouble. "Do we have enough time to do anything else?"

Kendall took out his phone and checked the time, it was ten to four, and the next bus to Carlos's home was at six. He cursed in his mind for not buying the tickets when they got off the bus earlier in the afternoon, they could have spent more time in the city. Now they had to get there thirty minutes before the bus leaves the station to be able to purchase the tickets on time. "We got an hour and fifteen before we head back to the station. We could head to the park or-,"

"The park!" Carlos exclaimed. "I want to go to the park."

"Alright," Kendall took their trash and threw it in the closest trash bin. They then grabbed their prizes and went to the nearest exit. The park was just a couple of blocks away from the mall so they could get there, without Carlos stopping every two minutes, they could get to the bus station on time.

Carlos told Kendall when he was a kid he used to have a slide and a monkey bar and a large playhouse. He will use his stuff animals and pretend that they were on adventures, saving princesses, defeating dragons, and bad guys like in the fairy tales. The monkey bars were used for his physical education, and for climbing castles and mountains while the playhouse was used to play House. Carlos would use his stuff animals like they were his family or children and Logan will be the 'mother' or 'wife' to his 'kids', before he had leave Carlos a lot for work. He also got fake grass for him and pretended he was sleeping outside underneath the stars, but was actually glow in the dark stickers Logan placed inside his bedroom.

As he got older Logan had to put most of his toys in storage because he got too big for them, and started playing video games and reading comics. He still had the monkey bars, but that was mainly used for P.E.

The latino smiled at the memories as he told Kendall, but the blonde felt upset. Carlos wasn't able to have a normal childhood and play with other kids his age, family, or any kind of parents. He felt a twinge of anger for letting Logan coop Carlos in the mansion in his large living area as a prisoner. No wonder the latino was so anxious to go outside.

Carlos knew they reached the park when he saw trees, parents walking with their children, mothers walking with strollers carrying their child, and people jogging and or running for their daily exercise. They crossed the street and started walking through the pathway, leading deeper into the trees, there were picnic tables, some empty, some occupied with couples, families celebrating an event together, or the elderly playing chess.

"I used to come here with my sister a lot when were kids," Kendall said when they reached a playground. It was filled with equipment he had seen in TV, the tall structure, in the middle of a giant sand box where some kids were playing in red and yellow monkey bars, blue and green slides. There were ladders, stairs, and swirl ladders next to the structure to climb, poles where children could go for quick getaways as they played Tag, and two different sets of swings. It was filled with children of all ages playing and laughing together as they enjoyed their games and their company, having the time of their life. "Come on."

Kendall continued walking making sure Carlos was close; the latino gave a final glance at the playground longingly before he followed Kendall towards a different path. The blonde explained how there will be performers and singers in the park, people selling cotton candy and ice cream, and games where the community can get together and enjoy the activities set up for them, like scavenger hunts. He also explained how during the holidays there will events both day and night, his favorite is when its Fourth of July there will be fireworks he can enjoy watching them with his family.

Carlos smiled, he told them that he and Logan will look out his window and watch the fireworks in the distance from different areas in the county. They would stay up late at night and eat popcorn enjoying the view.

Before Kendall was about to explain about egg hunts and haunted mazes, he stopped when he realized they were the only ones in the concrete pathway. Carlos nearly crashed into him making the latino give the blonde a questioned look, "what's wrong?"

Kendall narrowed his eyes and scanned the area, "it's quiet, too quiet."

Carlos looked around and noticed they were in a denser part of the park, the trees were thick and there were many large bushes, boulders, and stones scattered around them. He finally realized they were alone and Kendall had a scrutinizing gaze as his eyes looked over the area. Kendall heard a soft rustle to his left and turned to see a shaking branch that quickly stopped when he turned. He heard the familiar sound of sliding plastic and clicking noises making his eyes widened when he realized what they were in the middle of.

"Take cover!" He grabbed Carlos wrist and pulled him towards the nearest boulder and jumped over it crouching behind it. Carlos felt something fly by his cheek before he was roughly pulled by the blonde and was suddenly behind a boulder.

"What's going on?" Carlos asked frighteningly.

"Nerf War."

"What?"

They turned when they hears footsteps heading towards their direction, Carlos held his breathe while Kendall's arms tensed. He relaxed when he saw a familiar thirteen year old boy.

"Kendall," the boy greeted with a nod. "Good to see you buddy, nice of you to join us."

The young teen had orange hair, brown eyes, and freckles, with a blue headband on his forehead and a black vest with pickets covering his yellow shirt. He wore dark green khakis and black sneakers, he had black fingerless gloves and in his arms was a large orange and yellow recon Nerf gun.

"Tyler," Kendall greeted with a nod of his own.

"Come to play or came for a stroll?" he asked motioning his weapon.

"I forgot there was a game today."

"What's a Nerf War?"

They both turned to Carlos, his frightened expression turn to a curious one.

The gears in Kendall's mind started to twist and turn as an idea started to form.

"You don't know what a Nerf War is?" Tyler asked in amazement.

"I've heard of Nerf blasters, but never a Nerf War."

"Have you been hiding under a rock or something?"

A light blush crossed his cheeks, "you could say that."

"Do you want to play?" Kendall asked surprising Carlos and Tyler.

"Play? I don't kno-,"

"Tyler, how many players do you have?"

The young teen frowned in thought, "a couple of us are down for the count and some had to go home early. We have less than seven players compared to the enemy."

"How long is this war?"

"We're in the final round; we've got an hour, give or take a few minutes, before the game ends."

The blonde's formed a smile on his lips, "think you have enough ammo for two new players?"

A similar smile appeared on Tyler's features, "follow me."

They followed the young teen quietly and as low as possible not wanting to give off their location. Along the way Carlos noticed other kids and teens with Nerf guns both large and small and of different sizes with battle clothes and communicated in hand signals and through whistles and assortments of sounds. A few gave a smile or a wave toward Kendall, the blonde only gave them a nod when Tyler suddenly crouched and cocked his weapon, Carlos watched as he silently communicated with a another teen. He nodded to him and mouthed 'stay here' to them as he went to the boulders and peeked out, in a flash movements Tyler raised his weapon and fired multiple shots. He quickly went back down and turned back to the teen; he gave him a thumbs up and raised two fingers. With a triumphant smile and waved at the two older teens to follow him.

He stopped and looked around before he moved a few branches and revealed a faint dirt trail, Kendall stepped forward with Carlos behind him followed by Tyler. They followed the trail leading to a medium size clearing filled with a couple of kids and teens dressed for battle. Like Tyler some had or did not have black vests, but all of them had blue headbands, some wearing it on their wrists, arm, or tied it to a belt loop and dozens of different types of Nerf weapons.

Tyler lead them through the fray of players until they reached across the clearing where there was a concrete table filled with maps and plastic, rubber, ammunition, next to the table were gallons of water in blue containments, and a large white suitcase with a red cross labeled First Aid Kit. Behind the table were three older teens, two guys and, one girl, that seemed to be in a heated discussion. Tyler walked up to them and poked one in the shoulder, the teen turned to him with a frown on his features, "what is it Tyler, we're in the middle of a debate."

"I found some extra players sir," he said as if he was addressing to a general.

They all turned towards the newcomers, all of their faces brightened when their eyes landed on the blonde, "Kendall!" said the teen who questioned Tyler.

"Dylan," Kendall greeted with a smile of his own.

Dylan was the same height as Kendall; he had light skin, black spiky hair with a piercing in the corner of his left bottom lip. He had a black vest, but with three blue stars on his right breast above his heart on top of a dark green shirt, brown dirtied pants, and brown combat boots.

"Haven't seen you in a while, where have you been?" The teenage girl asked, she also wore a black vest with the same blue stars, but had a red shirt underneath the vest and was petite, she had elbow guards and didn't wear jeans, but black leggings with gray knee guards and had black converse. She also had a red streak in her hair and a bit of make-up and two black stripes on her right cheek. Carlos noticed she had a holster with a yellow and orange small Nerf pistol.

Kendall shrugged, "I've been busy working."

"Who's your friend?" The last teen was a bit shorter than Dylan, but was taller than the girl. He had blonde hair with black streaks, like the rest he had the same vest and three blue stars, but with a black muscle shirt and had guards on his elbows. He has blue jeans with small tears and black sneakers.

"This is Carlos," he placed a hand on the latino. "He's a friend of mine."

The girl smiled and stretched a hand toward him, "I'm Lucy, nice to meet you."

He gave out a smile and took her hand, "you too."

"Kyle," the shorter teen greeted with a shake of his hand.

"Dylan," he nodded as a hello, Carlos did the same.

"You think we can join in?" Kendall asked.

Dylan raised a brow, "we are currently tied with the Reds and are in the final round for the month, we lost many of our boys-,"

Lucy cleared her throat.

"And girls, you haven't played for half a year, now all of a sudden you do?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

They stared at each other in silence, Carlos was nervously staring at them biting his cheek hoping this doesn't turn for the worse, Dylan pointed at the bushes behind him."Grab a weapon Knight, time to make up for lost time."

"I will, under one condition," Kendall said making Dylan give him a look between a glare and a questioning expression. "My friend plays too."

"I don't-,"

"Sure!" Lucy said earning two bewildered teens.

"Lucy!" Kyle protested, "we don't know if-,"

"I said he can play," she growled, immediately shutting his mouth quickly and pale slightly making Carlos fidget where he stood.

"I totally agree with you," Dylan smirked. He motioned for the two to come behind the table, they did and he took out a key chain with he pressed a button on one of the keys and they heard a few beeps before he moved the bush and revealed the back end of a SUV. He opened the door, the minute Carlos laid his eyes inside his jaw dropped from the sight. In the car was every type of Nerf weapon ever manufactured, Kendall grabbed two small pistols and checked them if they were loaded before giving one to Carlos. He reluctantly took it and watched as the blonde took out a praxis Nerf gun with extra ammo.

"Good choice," Dylan commented.

Carlos looked around until he spotted a familiar Nerf long strike and grabbed it. He checked if it was loaded and found it empty he searched for extra bullets and found a pile of them next to a black belt. He placed it around his waist and expertly placed the ammunition in their place and locked everything making loud clicking noises as he expertly dealt with his weapon.

Kendall stared at him with a curious brow, "I thought you never dealt with Nerf before."

He smiled at him, "I have some Nerf weapons, but never been in a Nerf War."

"Then this is your lucky day," Dylan said, they turned and saw his arms stretched towards them, on each hand was a blue headband.

"Welcome to team Blue," he said to Carlos. The latino took it while Kendall took his and tied it around his forehead. Carlos decided to tie it in his forearm.

"You guys ready?"

Kendall smirked, "let's play." He answered before Carlos voiced

I was able to update and write this chapter! Thank you those who are reading, reviewed, followed, or favorited this story.

I am still amazed people like this story. Anyway I have to say I am not an expert of Nerf guns, I don't have one (unfortunately) and never heard of a Nerf war. So I may suck at the types of blasters and pistols that are good or not.

But other than that I hope you stay along for the ride and I hope to have a chapter soon if I can for you guys.