Sublime Awakenings

Sublime Awakenings: Chapter 18

Water squished from his tennis shoes onto the living room carpet as Todd closed the door behind himself. He kicked them off before heading for the stairs.

“Who are you?” His mother asked in a drug-induced daze from the couch.

“No one.” His voice was almost monotone.

“Then why are you in my house?”

“I'm not.”

“Oh.” A took of trepidation consumed the brunet's face, and she reached for an unmarked bottle on the coffee table. “Maybe I should take some more pills then.”

“Why not? Having a kid has already ruined your life, so who needs brain cells.”

He turned away before she could agree with him, heading up the stairs and into his room. Removing the now damp change and stuffing from his pocket, he tossed it onto his desk before discarding his wet clothes in a green, plastic laundry basket. Quickly patting himself dry with the towel used for that morning's shower, he casually flung open his closet door, picking random darkly colored items. After dressing he flopped down on his bed, messaging his temple in hopes of relieving some stress. If he was still eight, he would have tried to drown the terrors of that day in tang.

“You're getting rather rash, Todd. First this morning with your father, and now worrying that pathetic creature down stairs into an overdose. You best tread lightly, my boy. 'To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.'”

“Shut up, Shmee.” Todd could feel himself breathing faster, but he fought the fear back, due partly to shocked complacency from the attack of the “green” and partly to anger. “I know it was you. I found your stuffing in my pocket. And how do you know Oscar Wilde?”

“I know everything you know, Todd. Everything. And yes, I accompanied you to skool. It is my job to protect you from trauma, and you are so very good at attracting it. I have noticed, however, that you are much more desensitized to traumatic events now. You've been spending too much time with the scary neighbor man. I want you to stay away from him as much as possible.”

“So, you're saying that you didn't have anything to do with the cafeteria food absorbing people? Because I seem to run into a lot more 'traumatic events' whenever you're around.”

“Maybe I just know when you need me.”

“Or maybe you like to cause unspeakably horrible things to happen to me and anyone who happens to be near me at the time. Or maybe I really am psychotic.”

“You're not psychotic. You're just different. Luckily, you have me.”

“I have to go.” Todd rose swiftly from the bed, checking his new pockets for any stowaway stuffing before stepping into a pair of boots that Nny had given him for his birthday, over the summer.

“Where are you going?”

“I thought you knew everything I know. I'm going to the mall early to buy some more art supplies.”

“Take me with you.”

“No. I've had about enough of you tagging along. Stay here and out of trouble. I mean it, Shmee.”

“Of course, my boy. Anything you say.” The bear's reply was patronizing and almost sarcastic.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:

- “To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.” is from The Importance of being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.