Ticking Time Bomb- Karlnap story

-chapter 1: Paradise-

Narrator POV-

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Today our little Karl turns eight. He's finally going to start trying to make friends on the request of his mother. He didn't like the idea of having to go around and talk to people, but he was willing to try it for his mother. She was going to take him to the park today to play with some of the other kids and see if he wanted to start going to real school instead of homeschool after the summer ended. He went to a public preschool until his mother took him to the child therapist and believed it would be harder for him to learn in an elementary school where speaking is needed for basic curriculum learning. She instead pulled him out and taught him in the comfort of their home, in ways he would be able to understand and work. His father was often out for work or at a bar somewhere and wouldn't come home for days at a time, once he was gone for an entire week.

Back to Karl, he was in the car one the way to the supermarket with his mom so he could pick out a couple of cupcakes for the two of them. He had the option for it to be a surprise and for his mother to drop him off at the park, but he didn't like that idea much either. He was a child who liked to be close to other people and showed affection through touch. He enjoyed spending time with his mother as she was one of the only people he knew.

"Karl, wake up buddy, we're here." His mother spoke as she put the car in park and shut off the ignition. "Mm?" Karl hummed a confused tone as he didn't realize he had fallen asleep. He looked around and realized there was a little head print on the window where he had fallen asleep. He giggled a little at that and drew a little smiley face in the middle of it before unbuckling and waiting for his mom to walk around and let him out of the car.

She watched him fondly as he hopped out of the car and grabbed her hand before pointing to the little smiley face he drew. She smiled and nodded at it before closing the door and locking the car. They walked into the store and she grabbed a wipe with one hand and wiped down a basket after letting go of Karls' hand for a brief moment. In that moment he grabbed a little piece of her shirt so he made sure he was next to her.

They walked through the store picking up stuff that they would eat for their actual dinner then his mother asked him; "Do you want pre-made cupcakes with pretty designs or do you want to make some yourself?" She asked, completely ignoring all of the concerned stares they had gotten while walking around the store. In all honesty, both of them had forgotten that they were littered with bruises from Karls' father. They were in short sleeve shirts and shorts as it was summer and quite warm out so most bruises were visible. But even in long sleeves, there was no way to avoid the giant purple bruise on Karls' mothers cheek. It spread all the way from her jawline up to right in between her eyebrow and eye.

He thought about it for a moment, before quietly saying "can we make some together?" With sparkles in his eyes and a giddy grin on his face. She giggled a little before nodding. He jumped and started leading his mother to the cake aisle. They picked out sweet red velvet cupcakes.

After they left the store, they headed to the park. Karls mood dropped a little, but he was still excited to go play.

"The swings at the park are a lot higher than the one at home!" Karl thought as they parked the car again. He wiggled in his booster seat a little before his mother let him out and he grabbed her hand and tried to run off to the swings. She walked behind him after locking the doors. She let go of his hand and sat on the bench next to the swings. He hopped on and started to push himself.

He hadn't noticed but he was going higher than his mothers head. She stood at 5'5".

He wasn't paying her any attention. He was more invested in the kid on the other swing who seemed to be trying to catch up to him. He wore a dark blue shirt with a matching beanie.

Karl was confused by the winter wear on his head but didn't say anything. As per usual. "Will you stop swinging so high so I can beat you?!" The boy with the beanie squeaked. It wasn't an intended squeak, but his voice was rather high pitched. Karl skidded his feet on the ground to a slow halt. The boy tilted his head a little before also stopping. "Why'd you stop? I didn't mean you have to stop swinging." He said with a small frown. Karl only looked at him in confusion. He wasn't used to other kids. "C'mon, dude. What do you want, some help?" He asked, hopping off of his swing. Karl looked to his mother who was engaged in conversation with the other mothers at the park.

"You don't talk much do you?" The boy said from behind Karl, startling him. Karl shook his head. "That's okay then, I like to talk anyways!!" The boy said, happily starting to push Karl a little bit. "Name?" Karl asked quietly. "Name? Oh, what's my name? It's Alex, but my friends call me Quackity because I like ducks a lot." Quackity said with a smile, walking back to his own swing. "What's your name? And how old are you?" Quackity asked, looking over at Karl beaming. "Karl, eight today." He responded with a sweet smile. "Nice to meet you karl!! I'm nine by the way." Quackity said, still beaming like a little angel.

After running around the park for a few hours, Karl's mother said that it was time to go home. "Can we come back tomorrow?" Karl asked as he buckled his seat belt. "Really? I thought you didn't like the park because of all the other kids. Did you make a friend today?" Karl's mother asked, looking at him through the rearview mirror. "Mhm!!" Karl exclaimed, nodding his head excitedly. "Well, that's great sweetie!! Sure, if we find some time, we'll come back." She said, looking at the road ahead of them now.

They arrived at home and spent the next couple of hours just being around each other and cooking together before Karl had to go to bed. He slept great, despite still being littered with bruises. He couldn't wait to see his new friend again.