Not Really

Jesse was a lonely boy. He was left home alone quite often and was a rather timid chap and so didn't have many friends so to speak. What he wanted more than anything was a brother, a big brother or a twin brother; but it was too late for that unless they adopted. He soon gave up on his dream and tried to move on. He resigned himself at the young age of 10 that maybe he was meant to be alone.

One summer day, Jessie decided to rebel. He was tired of being locked in that sterile, cold, lonely home and managed to shimmy out the front window and into the world. His babysitter was a pale blond teen with track marks up her arms and who pinned the loss of any valuable objects on him. She liked to tell his parents that he was a troublemaker and that she thought he would be a delinquent for the little things like daydreaming during breakfast or trying to get his parents attention while they were home. She had just fallen into a drunken sleep with her sketchy friends in front the television and didn't notice he was gone. it was mid-afternoon on a Saturday, his parents were on a cruise and the babysitter was passed out. it was the perfect time to escape. 'Just a little walk' he thought 'Won't go very far'. As he ambled down the road soaking in the sunshine and the birds and he saw an older girl walking behind an energetic little boy saying. "Slow down you idiot! You're gonna get run over!! But if you slow down and walk with me, I'll buy you some ice cream and I won't tell mum. Okay?" With that short display between a brother and a sister, he was hit with a sudden powerful longing and became lost in his thoughts thinking of things he might have done if he had a big sister. Ways of feeling less alone.

As he thought and thought he walked and did not falter. Sometimes he would pause at street corners watching the cars pass by and wondering if a big sister would have helped him cross the road or taught him how to tie his shoelaces. He became so consumed by these imagined memories that he forgot about the time and about how to get home and just walked. When he finally became fully aware of his surroundings it was because of the cold. the sun had gone down and he was all alone in the strange environment.

In an attempt to retrace his steps he walked right into a sort of festival in the street. There was dancing and alcohol and he didn't feel safe. He thought of turning back but just thinking of walking alone in that darkness was more frightening to him than the rambunctious crowd of adults. he ventured in slowly. Sticking to the walls careful not to bump into any strangers in an attempt to avoid trouble.

In this case, however, trouble found him anyway.