Fevered dreams

Sunlight filters down blinding me. I'm laying on my back in the grass. Cars are going by in the distance. A warm breeze drifts on by rustling the grass by my ear. I sit up to see I'm at the park my parents use to take me to after lunch on a day off. My body is small, I look my small hands over.

"Ragon! You can't nap here silly." My mother's caring voice caresses my ears one more time. I turn with so much joy in my heart that it drowns out the ache. Wait. Why did it ache? "If you're sleepy we can go home hunny."

Her sweet scent of soap clings in my nose as I give her a hug. My mom hugs me tight and I feel safe. Her long black hair tickles me when it cascades over her shoulders onto me. The gentle look in her brown eyes tells me she will always love me no matter what.

"Mio, is our little boy tired?" My dad's deep voice carries over the whole park. He is on his way back from a smoke break.

"Daddy!" I shout from my mom's arms.

"Fuutarou." My mother smiles up at dad with me. His dark hair shines in the light, his smile and blue eyes compete with the suns radiance.

"Should we head home and start making the family dinner?" He asks squatting beside us, ruffling my hair.

"Yes!" I beam up at them of both.

They both chuckle then take my small hands in theirs. We walk to the market to get a few ingredients before heading home. Why do I feel like I missed this place? Oh well, we are having curry tonight and I'm in charge of the rice! My parents say I'm the best rice maker in our whole building. 

I stand on my stool to wash the rice the way my mom showed me how. Dad is chopping up ingredients while my mom stirs the pot to saute the carrots and onion. The smell of onion and carrot cooking mix well with the other veggies my dad is chopping. Soon dinner is done and we are sitting at the table. My parents on either side of me.

The simple talk of tomorrow's packed lunches excites me. Especially when mom says she will pack a sweet treat for me. 

"But I want a sweet treat!" Dad protests that he also wants one.

"No! They are only for me!" I smile and giggle knowing my mom will be giving me a treat tomorrow.

"Oh fiiiiine." Dad gives a big sigh. "You can have it, only because you are so helpful." He ruffles my hair again.

Mom is smiling so sweetly at both of us. Dad has a big grin too. I can't help but smile so big my face hurts.

That night my grey cat named Bell, is curled up on my chest as I fall asleep. 

◇□◇□◇□◇

What's this feeling? I'm in pain but I'm not bleeding. I'm sad but it hurts so much worse. Mom and dad are coming back right? I look up at their pictures. There are lots of people around. Some are crying, some are talking and others are silently staring.

"Come on Ragon. It's time we go." My grandma says taking my hand. We didn't visit my dad's mom often but I do know how mean she can get. So it's best you do as she says.

We go to her house. She tells me we can not keep Bell due to her allergies. Next thing I know Bell is being left at a shelter. My hand is stretched out to the howling cat in the crate as I'm being dragged away. Tears blur my vision.

Now I'm sitting in the principals office. I'm older but not by much. Everyone is upset that I punched a kid. Why would I do that though? Anger is coursing through me. Grandma makes me bow to apologize. I can't fight back. I have no where else. No one.

I changed schools. Walking home from school I see an animal shelter. There's no way Bell is still here. I walk down never ending halls, looking in places cats shouldn't be in but are. I open cabinets, drawers, a fridge, and very strange couch all filled with cats. Finally I find a box of kittens in one room. One looks like Bell. 

"Is that the one you want?" Mom's voice comes from the hall.

I run out the room, kitten in hand to find mom.

"We can get her but what's a good name?" I here my dad to the right.

I sprint down the hall. Following their voices. I kick something, it's dad's lighter. Picking it up I continue on down the hall, I end up in a class room. There's Thomas. We're friends, he has helped me stay out of trouble. I look at my empty hands. Bell's gone again.

"Hey don't cry, thats why everyone picks on you." Thomas says. "Or you can keep crying, a good punch would keep the guys quiet. They wouldn't talk if they got beat up by the crybaby of the class."

He laughs but what he says makes sense. Being beaten up by some crybaby would be embarrassing.

"But being a crybaby is embarrassing so maybe tone it back a bit?" Thomas grins.

"Alright." I agree. 

"Thanks man." He says running off. I chase after him.

I can't find him. The hall catches fire so I run down a different hall. I step outside the school into snow. The cold air pricks my skin.

"Why you hang around that new kid? You think he is better than us?" Some kids are surrounding Thomas. 

"He just moved here. Everyone is curious about him. The girls for sure can't keep their eyes off of him." Thomas states.

"Speaking of girls. I heard you talked to my girl today." A big guy looms over Thomas. Thomas steps back glancing over his shoulder and meets my gaze.

"Oh no! An oppressing boyfriend." Thomas strikes a dramatic pose.

"Who you calling o-oppre-oppressmessing. Whatever! You jerk!" He raises his fist to strike Thomas. I'm there in a flash with my fist in this kids gut. He flies back 10ft. I feel like I have been here before but the kid didn't launch like he just did.

"L-lets get out of here." The other two stumble over each other.

"I'm dead." I say knowing full well the tongue lashing my grandma will give me.

"Don't worry, the teachers will take my testimony over theirs any day." Thomas says giving me a wink.

A thick fog now blows between Thomas and I. I'm lost in this cloud. Little yips are coming from ahead. Following them I end up falling into a never ending pit. Above me, Potato the chiwawa, has wings and is fluttering over head.

"Potato!" I shout sitting straight up and reaching out infront of me.

There in front of me, sits a very shocked old man. His blue eyes are wide open with big bushy white eyebrows.

"So he does have eyes." Pearl states popping up over my shoulder to get a better look.