Impurity

Influence

The Influence

After we left the adoption center, we headed back home, well in the direction that is. I had gotten distracted at this one shop, with a big triangle and circle on it and I totally stopped walking. I stared at the sign, trying to figure out what that object was. “Axel what are you looking at?” Alma asked, noticing that I stopped walking with her. 

“What’s that?” I ask pointing to the figure. 

“That’s ice cream” 

“What’s that?” I asked tilting my head. 

“I’ll show you, come on” She said walking north east to where I saw the sign. 

It was a tiny cart with a inside compartment, and it made me curious. “What is ice cream? I mean I’ve never heard of it, nor have I eaten it so I’m kind of inquisitive on the subject” I thought to myself. “Ms. Alma, you didn’t tell me what ice cream was. What is it?” I ask examining the cart. 

“It’s food, that’s sweet” she said plainly making me sigh, she is still not answering my question. 

“What can I get you ma’m” a man behind the cart said. 

“One vanilla cone” she said handing him some green paper. 

“Vanilla, what’s vanilla? More importantly, what is a vanilla cone?” I ask watching the man take an oversized spoon and dig out a ball of white stuff. “Good golly! What is that?” I said almost shrieking. 

“Its ice cream,” he said and I raised my eyebrows in question. 

“What’s that?” I ask eying the white stuff intensely. 

“You’ve never had ice cream,” The man said pushing the white stuff on the brown cone. I shook my head. “You can’t be American and not have had ice cream” he said handing me the cone, making me narrow my eyes.

“No disrespect sir, but I’m Greek” I said honestly and he frowned. 

“Just eat the ice cream!” Him and Alma yelled. 

“Thank you” I said taking a lick, then wincing.  

It wasn’t bad, nor was it terrible, it just tasted weird. Exotic to be more clear, like nothing I’ve ever tasted. But it was sweet at the same time, and it melted in my mouth making me shiver. It was cold. I lick again, this time using more of my tongue to get more flavor. It sent chills all over me, but I didn’t care, it just tasted so good. I bit it, sending another rush of cold down me, making my mouth go numb. “Axel slow down on that, its not going anywhere!” Alma gasped when I bit down again. 

“But its good” I defend biting off the last bit. 

“That doesn’t mean you need to choke on it” she sighed and I bit the cone. 

Once I finished the ice cream I felt extremely weird. Not weird as in fall on the floor puking, its weird as in going to lose my mind any second weird. My hand twitched with anxiousness, “Axel are you okay?” She asked looking at me strangely. 

“I feel funny,” I said and my other had twitches with it, “funny as in I’m about to lose it.” I explain, my whole body starting to shake. Suddenly I started running, not caring where I was going --- and unaware  --- but all I knew is I was running full speed away from the stand. 

“Axel, stop running” I heard Alma call behind me, and I ignored her. What’s up with me?Finally I registered where I was going. Home. “Axel slow down!” Alma called when I reached the edge of the river. “Ok Axel, I’m never giving you sugar again” she panted and I smiled brightly eyeing the water. 

“I should jump in this!” I exclaim backing up. 

“No Axel, that’s the sugar talking.” Alma said sternly and I rolled my eyes. 

“Bonsai!” I yelled jumping in the water. 

“I told you not to do that Axel” Alma said for the umpteenth time and I sighed. 

“I’m sorry, I was under the influence of sugar,” I said shivering, “river water is COLD!”

“Well lets get you home and out of those wet clothes” she said rubbing my soaking wet hair. 

I vow never to have sugar for the rest of my life after that moment. Just seeing that I did all of this to myself, and barely had any control of my actions convinced me to never have it again. We reached the house in about five minutes only to see Eli sitting outside drawing Olivia, in a tree. “Oh hey,” Eli said looking up from his drawing. His eyes widened, “what did you do to him?” Eli almost shrieked. 

“He did it” Alma defended, and I shivered again

“Yeah, her flung himself in a river” Eli said sarcastically. 

“I kinda did,” I muttered, “but I was under the influence of sugar” I defended before he could say anything. 

“Okay,” Eli said dragging out the vowel part of the sentence. “So I’m going to keep drawing Livi, and you’re going to put on some fresh clothes before you get sick” He said opening the door and I stepped in. 

I walked downstairs later to eat dinner, we were having fish from the river, and some wild black berries --- no surprise there, if its wild then guarantee we’ll eat it. “So Axel, you’re just going to have the fish and some water, I’m not taking my chances with the black berries” Alma said handing me a big plate of fish. 

“Do I even like fish? I do like deer though” I thought to myself looking at the plate. 

“Oh yeah, and Axel you will be attending school with Eli and Olivia tomorrow so don’t go out for those walks again” she added passing out plates to everybody else. 

“Okay, that sounds fun?” I said not knowing what she was really talking about.