.:Limbo:.

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Finding The Beauty

“Find the beauty in the negative space?” I repeated a few moments after she’d said it. “That’s a new one.. I should write it down.”

“It’s not actually new, you’re grandfather used to say it before he passed..” Indigo replied quietly, watching a few kids walk by.

“He did? I honestly don’t remember that..”

“You wouldn’t. I’m guessing you were about,” She paused, eyes rolling back to the sky, “Three?”

“I guess so.” Looking around, I saw nothing had changed. I miss the moments like this, where I felt like a normal kid again. I loved it.

Taking the woolly sleeve of her sweat shirt, I started to walk along a narrow cement path that kids called the ‘catwalk’, and the walkers took their daily routes home to their families, they walked to the elementary school that was maybe ten minutes away if you walked.

“Where are we going?” Jerking away, she blew some hair from her face, then pushing it behind her pierced ear.

Catching a leaf, I stepped out of the way of a few kids riding bikes passed us a little to fast.

“We’re going to go where my childhood began.” I laughed, twirling the leaf between my long fingers.

Indigo gave me a blank stare, rolled her eyes, and walked faster. Sometimes I really didn’t know what her problem was. I didn’t think she knew where she was going, but as soon as we got into the neighborhood off of the catwalk, she hung a right, walking on a persons dying lawn, her bare feet unaffected by the small points of some pine needles that had fallen from the summers heat. I sped walked next to her, looking at all of the houses around us, enjoying the rusty smell of the leaves, the humidity making the winds and the temperature outside perfect. Taking my hoodie off, I tied it around my slim waist, and watched some mourning doves perching on a phone line. The sky had turned a deeper yellow, making everything canary. Caught up in my surroundings, Indigo had stopped in front of me, and I ran into her.

“Watch it, Genius!” She wailed, hitting my in the nose blindly.

“Gah! I’m sorry!”

“You should be.” Walking through the small gap in the fence, I watched her climb up on top of the red, paint peeling monkey bars, just as I did until I graduated elementary school.

I took my time walking to her, enjoying everything altogether. I really didn’t know how long it’d been since I’d climbed these old bars, so, thinking I still had my charm, I tried to lift my legs up, hooking them through the bars. Getting one leg through, I tried to lift the other, and I pulled a hamstring. I gasped, and bit my lip, giggling at the needle-like pain. Looking up at Indigo, seeing her smirk down at me, I frown.

“I thought you played football.” She snickered, the sunlight hitting her eyes making them shine chocolate.

“I do. Listen, I haven’t played in a year.”

“So, you still don’t stay in shape enough to climb the monkey bars?” Indigo giggled, and looked up, smiling. I noticed something I hadn’t before, she had a very small eyebrow and nose piercing.

Finally hooking my other leg through, I lifted my arms through one rectangle, and pulled myself up, grunting as I did so.

“I’m in better shape then you are, and you know it.”

“Doubtful.”

I switched over to my side, letting my legs dangle over the edge. Indigo was facing me, but her head was turned looking out over the playground, watching a few kids ride their skateboards and bikes in circles, trying tricks, and talking. I watched them also, almost hypnotised by the way the rode in their circles over, and over, and over again... I heard someones feet hit the wood chips, and I snapped out of my reverie. Looking down, seeing Indigo look up at me with curious eyes, I smile.

“Where are you going?” I ask, starting to slide off.

“I don’t know.. going crazy. Wanna come?”

I smile wider. “Sounds fun.” I land next to her, my shoulder brushing hers once again.

The kids look over at us, obviously younger then I, they murmur amongst themselves, then one turns to us.

“Hi!” He calls, adjusting his flat brimmed hat, smiling, showing his black and red braces.

“Hey!” I yell back.

I immediately felt strange, because it seemed like they started to grow older...  like more my age in a matter of seconds. As they grew, their clothing changed, as well as their style. The young boy that had greeted us became more... shady looking. The other two did just the same, growing some gruff on their faces, and they reeked of cigarette smoke. Indigo, clearly getting the same thoughts as I did, started to retreat back towards the jungle gym. Being a man, I stood my ground, almost feeling my feet dig into the tar play pad.

“Who’s the girl?” Another asked, smiling, baring his rotten, yellow teeth that matched the sky.

“A friend.” I remain my composure for her sake, glancing over to the third kid, who had pulled a pocket knife.

“Ryker, what are you doing?” She hissed behind me.

I didn’t answer her, not risking taking my eyes off of these punks.

“She’s pretty. What’s her name?” The first asked, riding a bit closer, starting to circle us.

“Like I’d tell you.” I snarled, taking her hand protectively, just as I would do to my sister, or a girlfriend.

“Don’t sass us, Winstead.” The second coughed.

“How do you know my last name?” I asked, eyes narrowing.

Like a flash of light, I felt something lodge into my stomach. Looking down, I saw the grip of a blade sticking out from my mid-section. He stabbed me. He stabbed me. He stabbed me. My thoughts were the only things I could hear, even over the screaming, and the thrashing. I fell on my back, hands slippery with my own blood, not able to pull the knife out. I closed my eyes, wanting to sleep.

Just like that, I had sent myself further into Limbo.