Goldie

Chapter 2

The sky was bright blue, but did not match my stormy emotions taking place inside me, but it did help me feel better. Dark gloomy clouds always made me feel lonely and tired. They made everything seem grey and dull. The world just seemed better when the sun was out. Flowers opened up and the birds would come out singing like nothing was wrong. Like there wasn't a girl being beaten every day at home and bullied at school.

When I reached the park, the sun was beginning to set. The park wasn't very big, but it was able to fit a basketball court, playground, and picnic area. Near the back wall, there was a small shed, surrounded by a hedge. Between the bushes and shed, I would camp out. The overhang of the shed often shielded it from the rain.

Quietly, I walked over to my spot, hoping that no one would see me. The last thing I needed was someone coming up to me asking why I was crawling behind a bush.

I jumped back as I saw a small boy curled up where I usually slept. I blinked for a second. The boy had golden, tan skin and his hair was long, blonde, and curly. He was asleep, but I didn't care. He was in my spot.

"What are you doing here, kid?" I almost yelled.

The golden boy woke up and stared at me with frightened blue eyes. The kid was only clad in a small pair of overalls.

For a second, we looked at each other with curiosity. Something about this boy seemed so familiar. Maybe I had seen him somewhere a long time ago. Maybe I had met him in a dream.

He began to retreat, but I blurted, "Wait! No, stay here." Then I added reassuringly, "It's okay."

He looked at me nervously.

"How old are you?" I asked, but I had a feeling I already knew.

He counted his fingers then held out five of them. "You're five, huh?" He nodded.

"Where are your parents?"

The boy looked down. His eyes were watering when he whispered, "Gone."

I could tell that the subject was sensitive, but I couldn't help asking, "Did they die?" He didn't respond. "How did they die?"

"Car crash," the golden boy replied quickly.

Part of me wanted to believe that he had it better than I did, but he was just too young to be an orphan. He was too innocent.

After a moment of silence, I questioned him again. "Where'd you come from?"

He shrugged.

"What's your name?" He was unable to answer this question. He kept opening his mouth then closing it like he wanted to say something but couldn't.

"Do you have a name?" At this the golden boy paused, then shook his head so hard I thought it might fall off.

The sky was turning dark and the park lights flickered on. I looked over to the swing set to see if anyone was around. Good, I thought when I saw that the coast was clear. I got up and headed for the swings. When I looked behind me and saw the golden boy hadn't budged, I laughed softly. He reminded me too much of myself: quiet, shy, and scared.

"C'mon, it's safe," I beckoned. Cautiously, he got up and peeked over the bush to see if anyone was around. Then he quietly got up and followed me. The swings squeaked loudly as we hopped on them. I winced. The night was so quiet, the softest sound was loud.

I loved the back and forth rhythm of the swings. I could swing for hours, but I would freeze to death if I did.

The boy and I swung in silence, listening to the swings screech and watching the stars getting closer then farther then closer again. The night was so peaceful. It's a shame that I am afraid of the dark.

"What's your name?" the boy asked me.

I had totally forgotten to introduce myself. "Oh, I'm Ada."

"Age?" He asked slowly.

"Fourteen."

"Home?"

I realized that he was going through the same questions I had asked him. He sure was smart. "I live here." That was only partly true, but it was true enough.

"You live here?"

"Yeah, well, in the spot I found you in," I replied.

He nodded with understanding. "Why?"

"Because my parents hate me."

His eyes widened. "Why?"

I looked down at my feet. "I wish I knew."

"Are you scared?" His question threw me off. I stopped swinging and blinked at him.

"I'm terrified," I said after a long second. It was the truth. I felt so alone. I had no one to protect me or love me or comfort me. Why I was telling this to a five year old kid who had no name, I don't know. However, it did make me feel better to be able to tell someone how I felt.

The boy got off the swing, grabbed my finger with a small hand and said, "Don't be afraid." His huge blue eyes looked at me with intensity.

I nodded. A tear rolled down my cheek. "It's safe," he said, repeating what I had said earlier.

"Goldie," I suddenly blurted. "It could be your new name." It fitted his golden-like features.

His eyebrows creased as he tried the name on his tongue, "Goldie." Then he nodded and smiled.

After a while, we creeped back to the shed. I was tired, so I curled up, pressing my back against the wall of the shed. There was a small blanket I used to pull around myself.

Goldie laid down beside me. He scooched closer to me and without thinking, I put my arm around him and held him near. I fell asleep with a smile on my face. It had been years since I had truly smiled.