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The familiar click of the can as I shook it reassured me. A smooth blue line followed the curve that I wanted as I knelt in the gravel. A few more shakes and my masterpiece was complete.
The first light of dawn was peeking over the treetops and I heard a jogger singing off tune and approaching down the trail. I quickly stowed my cans and ran a last sweep to make sure I was done.
I hid behind a bush as the jogger rounded the last bend. The look on her face as she stopped dead in her tracks was worth it. I took off for home, there was not much time left to sneak in and grab my school bag.
It wasn't that I hated school, or even the other students. I was actually pretty good, B+ average in AP classes. I was just so, well, alone. It felt like no one ever saw me.
The last thought was reiterated as someone shouldered me as I walked down the hall. I rubbed my shoulder as I turned into my first class.
The teachers didn't even really pay much attention to me, not that that really mattered. Only three more weeks and I could get out of this hell hole and then the rest of my life to do what I loved. The doodles on the cover of my binder belied my true desire, though art came in a close second.
The end of the day was like any other Friday, this year anyway. I cut through the park behind the school to get to my babysitting job. I had the kids (3 and 5) from after school on Friday until 9pm Sunday night. I felt sorry for them, but tried my best to make it nice for them.
On Saturday, we went to the playground. It wasn't much, just an old wooden structure built a bit like a ship, but it was close, which is all that mattered. We rounded the bend and the girls screamed and raced forward.
Three hours sleep a night for a week was worth it to see their faces light up. Before, when I'd brought them here, the structure was faded and peeling blue paint, covered in gang tags and other graffiti. Now, it was a bright orange ship, yellow decking, green railings, and red ladders. There were even waves breaking at the bow.
I laughed and watched the girls play. The other kids who were weekend regulars had similar reactions to the bright new play structure.
I loved painting, but kids were my joy. I couldn't wait to be these girls' full time nanny in three weeks.
The first light of dawn was peeking over the treetops and I heard a jogger singing off tune and approaching down the trail. I quickly stowed my cans and ran a last sweep to make sure I was done.
I hid behind a bush as the jogger rounded the last bend. The look on her face as she stopped dead in her tracks was worth it. I took off for home, there was not much time left to sneak in and grab my school bag.
It wasn't that I hated school, or even the other students. I was actually pretty good, B+ average in AP classes. I was just so, well, alone. It felt like no one ever saw me.
The last thought was reiterated as someone shouldered me as I walked down the hall. I rubbed my shoulder as I turned into my first class.
The teachers didn't even really pay much attention to me, not that that really mattered. Only three more weeks and I could get out of this hell hole and then the rest of my life to do what I loved. The doodles on the cover of my binder belied my true desire, though art came in a close second.
The end of the day was like any other Friday, this year anyway. I cut through the park behind the school to get to my babysitting job. I had the kids (3 and 5) from after school on Friday until 9pm Sunday night. I felt sorry for them, but tried my best to make it nice for them.
On Saturday, we went to the playground. It wasn't much, just an old wooden structure built a bit like a ship, but it was close, which is all that mattered. We rounded the bend and the girls screamed and raced forward.
Three hours sleep a night for a week was worth it to see their faces light up. Before, when I'd brought them here, the structure was faded and peeling blue paint, covered in gang tags and other graffiti. Now, it was a bright orange ship, yellow decking, green railings, and red ladders. There were even waves breaking at the bow.
I laughed and watched the girls play. The other kids who were weekend regulars had similar reactions to the bright new play structure.
I loved painting, but kids were my joy. I couldn't wait to be these girls' full time nanny in three weeks.
This is the twentyfourth piece for Flash Fiction Month. I'm doing the project by telling the stories in #IamAnthro. For more information, check this out.
*Flash-Fic-Month
Tonight's prompt was "It's a way to say that we are here, that we exist" from an ad on youtube. Not sure I held true to it, but it inspired me to write this out. As a bit of background, I'm a nanny to a little boy (just under two years) and there is a park near his house that we sometimes go to (if we don't go to the further park) that is very similar to what I described in the story. It's very decrepit and I want to, before the end of summer, have a get together with people from the neighborhood and whoever else is interested to fix the park up and make it look nice for the kids. I want to do this, but it probably won't end up happening.
*Flash-Fic-Month
Tonight's prompt was "It's a way to say that we are here, that we exist" from an ad on youtube. Not sure I held true to it, but it inspired me to write this out. As a bit of background, I'm a nanny to a little boy (just under two years) and there is a park near his house that we sometimes go to (if we don't go to the further park) that is very similar to what I described in the story. It's very decrepit and I want to, before the end of summer, have a get together with people from the neighborhood and whoever else is interested to fix the park up and make it look nice for the kids. I want to do this, but it probably won't end up happening.
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Oooh this is awesome. A bit of foreshadowing then BAM! Surprise ending. I love it. You are awesome.