Linus Moonchild

Chapter One

   I stepped from my suburban home into the pale moonlight. The stale odor of cigarettes and summer rain filled my lungs steadily, burning as I inhaled. "Linus," my father shouted from the open garage. "Come out here, don't be so slacky!"

  My red Chucks were soaked up to my socks, making a squishy squashy sound as I walked around the back of the house.

  "Oh, well if it isn't ludic Linus!" My Auntie Viola jabbed at my father, laughing. Her breath smelled of tobacco and Bud Light. "You've grown so much since last time I saw you. soon you'll be taller than me!"

  "Last time you saw me was what, two weeks ago? Auntie, I'm already taller than you," I growled.

  "What? No, stand up next to be, lemme get a look. Daryl, you can judge."

  "No, no. I don't really care right now, I'm heading inside." 

  I hate drunk people. 

  As I walked from the garage back into the cool drizzle, my Uncle Tyler met me at the door. I must've sighed or growled or something because he caught me there, grabbing me by my arms. "Don't worry bud, I'm sober. How's school been? Getting good grades as always?" He asked.

  "Hah, sure," I said, rolling my eyes.

  "Fine, be that way. I've got some old CD's for you." He led me back to his red 2002 Ford Mustang. "Okay, Landmark by Hippo Campus, Stadium Arcadium by Red Hot Chili Peppers, dad music, some Nirvana shit. Not that it's shit," He said handing me every CD his glove box held.

  "Thanks. Can I go?" I asked, fiddling with the grass next to my foot.

  "Go ahead, Lye, I guess I can't really stop you."

   I carried the stack up to my attic bedroom and took out a ballpoint pen, "Too bad you couldn't turn into a sword, or a wand or something." My life wasn't bad, and my father wasn't some sort of party-crazed drunkard, just slow I guess.

  I turn off my lamp and curl up on my twin mattress, drifting off to sleep.