A thousand bad times - Post Malone

two

They are in a very fancy part of LA. It's so far removed from downtown. Holi has seen pictures and been told stories of the houses and streets up here. She has never been this far up, never needed to, but wow it looks amazing. The sidewalks are clean it looks like someone sweeps them and picks up any discarded rubbish. The streets are lined with well-kept trees and the houses that peep out the top of the high boundary walls all look expensive and big. People are walking their dogs and running. Running for fun, no one is chasing them. Even the air up here is different, it smells sweeter.

They pull into what must be Austin's house it's beautiful, looks like one of those houses straight out of a magazine or a movie where a happy family life. Once they pull up to the front, Trevor jumps out and is about to say something when his phone rings.

"Shit. I have to take this. Ren take them to the pool house. Don't touch anything"

And then he walks away. Holi is going to touch everything. The driver steps out of the SUV and walks around to where the siblings are. Mac is looking at a bush that has been cut into a ball.

"Rich people do that, they cut their bushes into shapes. Balls, squares, triangles. I once worked for a lady who used to get her bush cut to look like her dog. My name is Ren and please ignore Trevor,  no one likes him anyway. Come on Mac, Holi and Bell I will show you to the pool house"

They walk down the side of the huge house and past more bushes cut into various sized balls. They eventually come out at the back of the house, both Holi and Mac gasp and are frozen in place at what they see. It's an enormous swimming pool with three different slides leading into it, there is a waterfall with a cave under it and a fountain spurting up on the opposite side now and then. It's any kids waterpark dream. When they finally get their heads around the over the top pool they continue to follow Ren to the pool house.

The pool house does not have much furniture
There are a few sofas scattered around, a big black grand piano, a pile of towels, a table with a selection of sunscreens, sun hats and even sunglasses. Some blow-up mattresses are lying around the floor too. There are also boxes of football stuff, bits and pieces of what looks like a dismantled drum kit, a box with t-shirts that have Austin's face on the 'merch' is what Holi thinks people call it. She also sees a few shelves dotted around the walls they hold trophies, lots and lots of trophies, football trophies, and a pile of gym equipment.  There are also piles of big frames with photos or football jerseys framed in them leaning against the wall.

"This is the pool room. It's used for everything and nothing. Usually, if you need Austin he is in here. Says he likes the mishap of it all."

Just then a very sickly looking dog with only patches of hair comes trotting in. Holi and Mac both gasp in horror at it. It looks barely alive. Bell starts wriggling in Holi's arms in an attempt to get down. Holi holds her tighter, she does not know what disease it has. Ren starts to laugh and then picks up the dog.

"This is Sir Charles. He is not sick, he just looks that way. He is a Chinese Crested dog. He is the best."

"What's wrong with his face though?" Mac asks. The dogs face is all offset. He looks a little crazy. He is also missing an eye and his tongue hangs out the side of his mouth.

"Aaah, yes  Sir Charles got his by a train some years back. But don't let that fool you, he has a lot of life and fun left in him. Look I will show you."

He puts the dog down and picks up a big exercise ball. The dog starts to jump about obviously excited about the game Ren is about to start with him. Ren kicks the ball and it goes bouncing all over the poolhouse and eventually outside. Sir Charles is chasing it like a mad dog. Mac runs after him and Bell is laughing and wriggling so much that Holi puts her down and she goes wobble running after Mac and Sir Charles.