Another Way Out (1)

Kenneth laid sprawled on top of a wet hill. He let his arms rest on the back of his neck. His hair fell matted on his forehead from the dew. The sun faded his rich red color hair, and made it look like smeared ketchup on a canvas. He put a cigarette to his lips and lit it, staring up at nothingness.1

Yesterday was the same as any other day to him. His dad drinking bottles after bottles of whiskey. Whiskey, that's all he was to him; a bottle of whiskey being poured into a glass, drunk then gone.2

His mom, so fragile, so beautiful, so sick. Ever since she was diagnosed with cancer a few years back, She completely just went off. She never pays much attention to him, let alone her own life and deteriorating marriage. He wonders what it was like to be held in her arms so long ago, pressed against her chest, safe ,loved. He can only imagine from a distance.3

His home was beautiful. His neighborhood was beautiful, everything on the outside was beautiful. But inside something ugly festered in all the rich homes. Kenneth and his family weren't the richest on the block, but they were right next to the Parkinsons, the Millionaires next door.4

No one here ever wanted to cause a scene, it would mess up their reputations. so the adults grilled outside and flaunted their nice cars and clothes, while their ailment children stayed in their rooms until it was time to come out and put on another show. That's how it was, and how it has been for years.5

He continued to stare at the clouds and thought about how polluted the air was because of all the exhaust, and how people had factories coughing out smoky fingers that wrapped around the air's throat and choked it. he put out his cigarette and watched the residual smoke disappear.6

He could hear a car pull up, park, a door slam shut, and someone walking.He didn't look, but he could smell. He could smell the beautiful fragrance that Gabby always wore. "Hey Kenny!" Yup, it was Gabby. He turned his head and saw two feet at his head. He ignored her and went back to looking at the sky.7

"What's up ken? I've been looking for you. wanna go ride out with dusty and them?" Dusty was one of his good friends.8

No answer from Kenneth, just him breathing.9

"Kenny? Kenny?! Everyone's worried about you, you've been gone for like almost every day and when you do come back, you never talk to anyone."10

Kenneth shifts his weight on to his side, he picks at the grass. 11

"I'm just not up for anything Gab."12

"what do you mean you're not up for anything?" 13

She sits down next to him. Kenneth tries not to reach out and grab her into his arms. something that he's been wanting to do for a while. She's just a girl, she’s just a friend.still he had thoughts. He looked at her fluted,delicate neck line...Her skull was a graceful shape,too,which was good:her hair was easily short enough to show the outline of the bone beneath the skin. My little coconut. Kenny though of how her head might feel in the palm of his hand,the short soft hair and the hard bone.Drawing her down...She's so frail, i'd break her innocence if I touch her. He thinks to himself.14

"well I'm just tired Gab." 15

for a while there is nothing said and then Gabby breaks the silence.16

"You know, sometimes I wonder what it's like to have things out of place. Like living in a trailer in New York by a beach on a ranch. Sometimes I just wonder what it's like to be different from everyone else." 17

she looks at him. he doesn't say anything. his back is turned at her. She see that he's still picking at the grass. 18

"sometimes I pick at the grass when I'm sad too. Are you sad Kenny?"19

No reply.20

Gabby gets up "Do you think that I care that you sit here all day and feel sorry for yourself? No one cares Kenny! No one sympathizes about your sad life! Get over it. you're hurting everyone when you do this. there is nothing wrong with you, you're just doing it for the attention. I'm so sick of it, what's happened to you? I miss Kenneth...I miss-- you." she backs away when he turns to look at her. he sits up and she runs away to her car and speeds off. 21

“I’m just tired Gab, so very tired.”  He starts up and begins to walk to the cemetery to talk to his brother.22