No Running

Amelia, Young and Innocent

"Amelia, dinner time come inside!" mom shouted from the back door of our house. I heard the words but paid no mind. The majestic creature I was about to capture had finally let down its' guard. It landed gracefully on the leaves of the rose bushes mom grew in the garden. I could feel it taunting me. "Hah, this foolish child couldn't catch a cold if she tried". It didn't physically communicate these words to me, but I could tell that's what it thought.

I pranced at the creature, leaping like a lion onto it's prey, however, I didn't succeed. I landed in my mom's rose bush. I was now one with the thorns. At that point, the wild creature wasn't of my concern anymore, I was hurt. Tears were streaming down my face. "WAHHHHHH" I was wailing. 

"Ah, Did you try to catch the butterfly again lia?" my dad picked me up, grinning. "There, there my little lion, it's just a scratch." I couldn't hear his words though. The pain was excruciating. It felt as though my body was being constantly pierced. My dad continued to rock me up and down to soothe my aches, but it seemed like nothing could stop the blood curdling scream I pounded him with. So then he had an idea, he took me back inside and into the dining room. There he sat me at the table where mother was preparing for dinner.

"What's wrong with Amelia this time?" she asked.

"Nothing serious Ingrid, she was trying to catch a butterfly and ended up in that rose bush I told you to take down ages ago" dad answered.

"Oh, so we are blaming the bush now? Amelia does this all the time, you honestly should stop babying her, let her know that being reckless leads to stuff like this."

"Amelia is only six Ingrid, kids do stuff like this all the time and it's our job to heal their wounds when they get hurt." Dad had placed me in a chair near the dining room table. Then disappeared into another room. Of course at this point my screams had gotten louder. "Amelia will you please stop crying?" mom begged, but that fell upon deaf ears. She had soon given up with her pleading and continued to set the table for dinner. After a period of five minutes, dad had returned. He had a box in his hand. At the time I couldn't remember what were the exact words written on it. "Now Amelia I'm going to clean you up"  he explained to me. Dad was an expert. As I was an expert at getting hurt, he was an expert and healing my wounds. In the blink of an eye, I was bandaged up, I then began to ease up on the crying. "Now do you feel better my little lion?" he asked.

"Um-hum" I nodded. He than pat my head and sat next to me at the dining room table. "It's about time you stopped crying, you start kindergarten tomorrow Amelia, it's time to be a big girl now." Mom lectured me like this all the time.

"I am a big girl!" I shouted.

"No shouting at the dinner table" she had scolded me again. At this point in time I was pouting. I despised being scolded. It felt as though I was insignificant. Why was mom always this mean to me? Did she hate me? "Your mother doesn't hate you lia" whispered my dad into my ear, as he then began to wink at me. Dad always knew what to do to cheer me up. He had been my best friend since birth. I didn't know what I would do without him. He could never do my any wrong.

"So what are your plans for tomorrow Ray?" mom had started conversation at the table. At this point I knew when adults were speaking I was to remain quiet.

"Just a regular day at the office" he responded.

"Aww, you are going to miss Amelia's first day of school."

"Just make sure you record everything for me."

"So...?"

"So...what?"

"Welllll."

"Oh goodness gracious Ingrid, spit it out woman."

"Is everything going okay at work? I know you said that some people were going to be let off."

"Oh Ingrid, that's nothing to be discussing in the front of a child. Besides, I'm not going to lose my job, I have an important position. Now let's stop all this talk and get back to dinner." Everything went silent after that line. They both were now just focusing on the plate in the front of them. Even though at the time I was young, I could feel the heavy presence in the air. I knew something was up.

The rest of the day had passed. The day was ominous. The sky was grey. Then as though the heavens were crying, it began to pour. "Great rain. That's all we need. I swear the forecast said it was going to be a sunny day" mother complained "Alright Amelia, the school bus should be here very soon, do well on your first day okay? I just wish your dad was here to see you off but he got called in very early." And just like that the school bus had arrived. All the neighbors kids were scattering to it like ants. My mom escorted me to the bus, kissed me on the forehead and waved goodbye.

The school day went in the blink of an eye as well. It was nothing to be excited about I thought to myself. I had more fun trying to catch the mysterious creatures in mom's garden. But, I was glad it was finally over. I hopped off the bus and sprinted towards our house. It was still pouring rain. I didn't like it. Rain was mucky and gross and sad. I knocked on the door and mother answered it. "I'm home" I said. "Welcome home Amelia. How was school?" mom asked.

"It was boring. I don't wanna go back!"

"That won't do Amelia, you have to go to school."

"But why?"

"To learn."

"Learn what?"

"That's an answer for your teachers to solve."Mom then closed the door behind me and went into the kitchen. She was prepping dinner early. I went upstairs to my room. Once I got up there I heard a loud BANG coming from downstairs. I threw my school bag into the corner and ran to the edge of the staircase. "What's happening?" I wondered. Then I began to hear the voice of mother and dad. "You're home early?" Mom asked dad.

"I'm so damned ANGRY Ingrid!" Dad shouted. I never heard him shout like that.

"Angry about what Raymond?"

"That FUCKING company. Twenty years I grinded away only to be thrown to the curb like trash."

"You got fired? But I thought you said your position was secured?"

"Well apparently not Ingrid" Dad began to pace back and forth aggressively. The aura radiating off of him was beginning to scare me. "Well, you can always find another job Raymond. We still have Amelia's college fund we started for her before she was born. We can use the money from that until you get another job" mom tried to over other options. "Don't you damn get it Ingrid? How will I find another fucking job in this economy! There's no way someone washed up like me can get another job or compete with these youngsters out here!" dad shouted.

"Okay okay...maybe I can look for jobs too?"

"So what? A woman like you with only a high school degree and no work experience is going to try find a job?

"RAYMOND!"

I ran back into my room. I slammed the door and locked it. I didn't want to hear anymore. Their bickering was getting louder. I believe I even heard glass being broken. I couldn't bear to watch things unfold anymore.

I just wanted it all to stop.