The Wounds We Heal

Chapter forty-two: Lunchtime Express

"So what do you kids want to play now?" Snowflake asked, looking around at everyone, still hugging Alex.

"I don't know." Aaron shrugged. "Anyone got an idea?"

"Hmmmm. Chase?" Snowflake asked as she separated from the hug she was giving Alex.

"Umm,.. yes?" Chase replied, uncertainly.

"I know! Let's play Red Light, Green Light." A boy said.

"Yeah!"

"Sure!"

"Let's do it!" called the other children in agreement.

"Sounds good!" Snowflake agreed.

"Ok?.. so.. Who's gonna be the traffic cop?" Chase wondered, and he realized some of the kids were looking at him funny. "What?"

"You of course! You ARE a traffic cop! You rest and tell the rest of us red light or green light," Snowflake told him.

Thank goodness! Chase sighed internally.

"Um,.. ok.. so,.. where are you guys starting?" He wondered, looking off into the open gymnasium.

"We're starting at... uuuuuuummmmmm. Good question. Kids? What's our starting place?" Snowflake asked.

"Well I would think we would start at the wall and have our traffic cop stand a small distance from the opposite wall." Aaron suggested.

"Okay?" Snowflake replied, slightly confused.

"Yeah but.. what?" Chase wondered, cocking his head. And looking around, Aaron could see everyone staring at him with various odd looks of confusion.

"Oh! So like,.. you guys way over there.." He pointed and they all began to head toward the far wall to their left.

"And as for you.." Aaron then took Chase by surprise in picking him up. And since he did so by picking him up from behind at the shoulders, he couldn't help but grunt and even wince. But because Snowflake was at a fair distance from them and at an odd angle, she just barely saw it, and still began to wonder.

Seeing Chase's facial expression, Snowflake wondered what she saw.

"Did he just.. wince?" Snowflake said to herself.

"What was that, Snowflake?" Alex wondered.

"Oh nothing." Snowflake replied lightly.

xxxx

Chase squirmed again, when Aaron went to put him down.

"You can stand right here." the boy said, as the pup turned around to face him. Chase then peered out around him to the kids on the opposite side of the gym, all waiting patiently.

"Ok." Chase replied with a shrug. Then Aaron nodded and headed off to join the others.

"Whenever you're ready!" he called, once he'd made it over and turned to face Chase.

"Um,.. ok,.. Green light!" Chase called, and the kids started to run.

Snowflake ran with the kids, but also gave them room so she wouldn't run into them.

"Red light!" shoes screeched, and some kids almost fell.

Chase smiled slightly in amusement.

"Green light!" Everyone started running again, as fast as they could.

"Red light!" Chase called again. And everyone stopped. Alex and a couple kids nearly fell.. Others took a couple more paces before they could securely stop.