Notes: This isn't the first fic I've ever wrote, but it's the first one I've posted here. It's a one shot and has no bad language, violence or adult content.
__________________________________
It was 7:30am. The sun shone brightly through the pastel yellow curtains to my bedroom, daylight blanketing me where I lay. I yawned, rolled over. I slammed my fist down on the digital alarm clock as it started buzzing uncontrollably. God I hate that noise. I dragged myself to my feet before I dressed for work in my pink shirt and smart black trousers. Before I left the room, I dragged a brush through my long brown hair; I'd been noticing more grey streaks with every passing day. I gave my husband a smile. I swear he's gone deaf lately – he never wakes up before ten. That's him though. Lucky, lucky him.
"Hey! Get up!" I called, doing the rounds into my kids' rooms. Larry, the eldest, was 12, and to my surprise, he jumped out of bed with a surprising amount of energy. Unusual for him, I thought as I went on to drag James and Nick out of their room and down the stairs. Then I went about making breakfast. Toast as usual.
Nothing much was said as the boys and I ate, until Larry piped up, "Muuum!"
I immediately knew what he was going to ask. I'd heard it all before and there was no way I was letting him go camping alone with his friends this weekend. I prepared myself with a sigh.
"Can I be a Pokemon trainer?" he continued with an eager smile. I knew how much he loved his Meowth and Oddish, but I can't believe I was considering it. I knew it'd make him happy, but was it safe?
Seeing my confused face, he continued. "Mum, Kim from school said she can go, and we'll be together so it's alright, and Robbie went when he was only 10 and he got on alright with it, he's doing great now! So please mum, please?"
It was a big decision, and I knew I should have thought about it, but he had convinced me. Maybe I was tired and it was the coffee talking, but I'm not a bad mother, honestly.
"Promise me you'll be ok," I said, my voice quavering as I reaching out to hold his hand across the round, blue-cloth covered table. He nodded, and I bravely nodded back. "And I want to hear about everything you've done. Promise you'll call me?"
"I promise," he replied, noticing how my eyes were watering. I stood up, pulled him out of his seat and gave him the biggest hug I possibly could. Looking him in the eyes, I knew he was a good boy. He'd never tried smoking or drinking, and I'd met his friend Kim and she was a nice girl. Both of them were more mature than some older teenagers I knew, who hung around down the street every night, bottles of vodka in hand.
The rest of the morning was spent rushing around and collecting whatever we could squeeze into Larry's grey backpack. I made sure he had enough clothes and food to last him until they reached the next town over. He couldn't come to any harm, could he?
At 8:00, I waved him goodbye, thinking how proud I would be of him when he returned home. I had to let him do his own thing sooner or later. Like they say, if you love him, you'll let him go. I put on a brave face as I got the younger boys ready for school. They seemed confused as to where Larry had gone, but I just told them he was walking to school with a friend.
Unwillingly, James and Nick scrambled into the back of the crimson Ford Fiesta parked in the driveway. I started the engine and drove casually down the asphalt roads of New Bark Town, passing the Pokemon Laboratory where I resisted the urge to call to see if Larry had made his way there yet. The Primary school was in the quieter end of town, but a large place nonetheless. Kids from four to ten years old from all around the town came here from nine until three every weekday. I dropped the boys off, waving them goodbye as they walked up to the doors holding their lunchboxes like all little children have.
Then I drove myself to work.
It was a long day at the travel agent's, even though I only work 'till five like anyone else. I didn't know exactly why that was. I told myself constantly all day that Larry and Kim were fine, but don't think I made any sales all say because I was too distracted.
The evening seemed rather empty without Larry to entertain us. He was a lovely boy, always making jokes and telling funny stories. I was just too stressed to sit down and relax when my husband Mark made a romantic meal after James and Nick had gone to bed. He knew something was wrong, but I refused to tell him what. Instead, I took our camping gear and walked out of the door in silence, heading towards the trees and the wilderness.
I set up the tent and unrolled a purple nylon sleeping bag on the dried grass underneath the stars. I made myself comfortable, hands behind my head, stargazing. Why didn't I just let him go camping instead of letting him set off on some 'adventure'? He would have loved this. Instead, he's out with a friend, probably in the middle of nowhere at the moment. Maybe they've set up a tent now. Maybe they're sleeping. I wonder if Larry's lying down outside on the grass, stargazing, thinking of me?
__________________________________
It was 7:30am. The sun shone brightly through the pastel yellow curtains to my bedroom, daylight blanketing me where I lay. I yawned, rolled over. I slammed my fist down on the digital alarm clock as it started buzzing uncontrollably. God I hate that noise. I dragged myself to my feet before I dressed for work in my pink shirt and smart black trousers. Before I left the room, I dragged a brush through my long brown hair; I'd been noticing more grey streaks with every passing day. I gave my husband a smile. I swear he's gone deaf lately – he never wakes up before ten. That's him though. Lucky, lucky him.
"Hey! Get up!" I called, doing the rounds into my kids' rooms. Larry, the eldest, was 12, and to my surprise, he jumped out of bed with a surprising amount of energy. Unusual for him, I thought as I went on to drag James and Nick out of their room and down the stairs. Then I went about making breakfast. Toast as usual.
Nothing much was said as the boys and I ate, until Larry piped up, "Muuum!"
I immediately knew what he was going to ask. I'd heard it all before and there was no way I was letting him go camping alone with his friends this weekend. I prepared myself with a sigh.
"Can I be a Pokemon trainer?" he continued with an eager smile. I knew how much he loved his Meowth and Oddish, but I can't believe I was considering it. I knew it'd make him happy, but was it safe?
Seeing my confused face, he continued. "Mum, Kim from school said she can go, and we'll be together so it's alright, and Robbie went when he was only 10 and he got on alright with it, he's doing great now! So please mum, please?"
It was a big decision, and I knew I should have thought about it, but he had convinced me. Maybe I was tired and it was the coffee talking, but I'm not a bad mother, honestly.
"Promise me you'll be ok," I said, my voice quavering as I reaching out to hold his hand across the round, blue-cloth covered table. He nodded, and I bravely nodded back. "And I want to hear about everything you've done. Promise you'll call me?"
"I promise," he replied, noticing how my eyes were watering. I stood up, pulled him out of his seat and gave him the biggest hug I possibly could. Looking him in the eyes, I knew he was a good boy. He'd never tried smoking or drinking, and I'd met his friend Kim and she was a nice girl. Both of them were more mature than some older teenagers I knew, who hung around down the street every night, bottles of vodka in hand.
The rest of the morning was spent rushing around and collecting whatever we could squeeze into Larry's grey backpack. I made sure he had enough clothes and food to last him until they reached the next town over. He couldn't come to any harm, could he?
At 8:00, I waved him goodbye, thinking how proud I would be of him when he returned home. I had to let him do his own thing sooner or later. Like they say, if you love him, you'll let him go. I put on a brave face as I got the younger boys ready for school. They seemed confused as to where Larry had gone, but I just told them he was walking to school with a friend.
Unwillingly, James and Nick scrambled into the back of the crimson Ford Fiesta parked in the driveway. I started the engine and drove casually down the asphalt roads of New Bark Town, passing the Pokemon Laboratory where I resisted the urge to call to see if Larry had made his way there yet. The Primary school was in the quieter end of town, but a large place nonetheless. Kids from four to ten years old from all around the town came here from nine until three every weekday. I dropped the boys off, waving them goodbye as they walked up to the doors holding their lunchboxes like all little children have.
Then I drove myself to work.
It was a long day at the travel agent's, even though I only work 'till five like anyone else. I didn't know exactly why that was. I told myself constantly all day that Larry and Kim were fine, but don't think I made any sales all say because I was too distracted.
The evening seemed rather empty without Larry to entertain us. He was a lovely boy, always making jokes and telling funny stories. I was just too stressed to sit down and relax when my husband Mark made a romantic meal after James and Nick had gone to bed. He knew something was wrong, but I refused to tell him what. Instead, I took our camping gear and walked out of the door in silence, heading towards the trees and the wilderness.
I set up the tent and unrolled a purple nylon sleeping bag on the dried grass underneath the stars. I made myself comfortable, hands behind my head, stargazing. Why didn't I just let him go camping instead of letting him set off on some 'adventure'? He would have loved this. Instead, he's out with a friend, probably in the middle of nowhere at the moment. Maybe they've set up a tent now. Maybe they're sleeping. I wonder if Larry's lying down outside on the grass, stargazing, thinking of me?
