Afraid of The Dark

Foul Language

A/N ))

My friends are reading these.  Hi, guys. I love y'all.

The next day, the daycare was a lot calmer.  

Even with about thirty children running about, most of them were well behaved.  The few who played too rough or were caught being a bully were scolded and some were even put in time out.

I played in the ball pit with some kids, gently throwing the balls at each other.  Well, I threw them gently.  These kids seemed like they were trying to bruise me.  

Sunny was running through the play spaces, playing tag.  Looking at him, I could tell he was slowing himself down for the sake of the kids.  

Coward.  

I pulled a muscle getting myself out of the ball pit.  My arm burned.  Even with grippy socks, I managed to slip and fall on my ass as soon as I got out.

"Ow."

I stood, trying to catch my breath from the marathon my body just went through.  Was I getting old?  Wack.  

It didn't take long to find Sunny.  He was on top of a slide, avoiding the touch of a child holding the title of 'it'.  His head rocked from side to side in amusement.

I called the kid over.  Maybe I wanted to see how fast Sunny could run.  Maybe I was just bored.  Hell, I was just tired of being pelted in the ball pit.

After a quick agreement, he gave me a high five then ran off, yelling, "They're it!"  I felt an evil smile stretch across my face. 

Sunny's face twisted in intrigue.  

I was going to tag this guy.  

I gripped the slide and pulled myself up as fast as I could.  It wasn't that fast.  Sunny jumped off before I lifted my head.

I dropped back down and gave chase.  While I was faster than the kids, I could barely keep up with his long ass legs.  My hand was centimeters away from his arm as we dashed around children and play structures.

"Ho ho ho! So close yet so far!" he teased.  This guy didn't have a respiratory system.  He had a motor.  This wasn't fair, but I wasn't going to let him win.

He dived into the ball pit, missing the children who played within.  I stayed outside and crouched just by the walls of it.

Soon enough, another child jumped in.  I hoped he'd mistake the kid for me.  I could hear fumbling beneath the surface as he tried to avoid what wasn't there. 

I held my breath.  

Sunny, thinking he was in the clear, jumped out of the pit, landing right next to me.  I grabbed his ankle before he started running.  

It took a couple seconds of him running to realize I was attached to him.  He looked down, feeling something was weird.

"Oh! You caught me!  Now I'm it, right?" he asked.  I was a little scared.  I let go, stood and fucking ran for it.  

I never thought I'd be so terrified by jingle bells.  This motherfucker was fast.  I almost hit my head on multiple play structures avoiding him.  

Some kids stayed where they were, cheering us on.  They picked sides.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Stacey and the other desk employee taking bets.  So unprofessional.  

Upon the distraction, I did not see the bright red fucking slide as I barreled towards it.  I swore I could hear a warning from Sunny behind me.  

Pain burst through my head as it collided with the hard plastic slide.  I landed on my ass, holding my head.

"Shit, that hurt like a bitch," I said, not thinking.  It was not until I heard a child repeat what I said that made me realize my mistake.  

Sunny started chastising the children around us before picking me up.  My head was ringing.

He put me back in the corner, shook his head, then left for the desk.  While I don't appreciate being treated like I child, I didn't want to deal with the children at the moment.  

Something freezing hit me in the back of the head.

"Fu- That hurt," I corrected myself.  Sunny stood behind me with their arms crossed.  Even with that damn smile, I could tell he was upset.

"Use the ice for your head.  You'll be spending at least thirty minutes in time out for excessive use of foul language!" he exclaimed.  Well, at least he cared.

I put the ice to my head, yet again staring into the corner where the two walls met.  Sunny was still trying to get the children to stop repeating me.  I admit it was a little funny listening to.

"Sunny, what's a bitch?" one child asked.

"Why do you keep using those words?  They aren't very nice!" he said, honestly trying his best.

"But what is it?" the child pressed on.

"I don't know, but please stop saying it."

This dude didn't know what any swear words meant.  I couldn't help but laugh a bit in my corner.  

It must be weird, outlawing the use of language you didn't understand.  

A kid poked me.

"What's a bitch?" he whispered.  These kids really wanted to know.  I assumed Sunny wasn't looking if he was this close without being pulled away.

"It's an insult for adults," I whispered back.  You can't stop a child's curiosity, but you can give them the minimal truth.  

I shooed him away, continuing through my prison sentence.  Behind me, I could still hear the children pressing Sunny for answers.

"STOP LAUGHING, MOON!" he shouted, embarrassed.  So, did Moon know the meanings to those words?  Now that was strange.   

I laughed a little too, muffling it with my hand.  

"You know what?  I believe it's nap time," he declared, ultimately giving up.  The children immediately scrambled, grabbing napping mats and small toys to hold.  

Before Sunny turned out the lights, he turned to Stacey and asked why she was laughing as well.  She tried to play it off, saying it was a joke she remembered.  Of course, Sunny wanted to hear it.

Knowing damn well it wasn't what she was really laughing about, she asked him why the chicken crossed the road.  

He didn't laugh at it, not getting the punchline.  After being told, turned off the lights, just about ready to cry.  

A/N ))

1045 words.  Short chapter.  I hope y'all have an excellent new year.