Brain and Heart

XIV: Flashback I

I reached to touch my head slowly and was greeted by a puddle of blood. "No..." I said.

No, no, No!

Tommie's POV:
It went dark. Then, after a moment, I could hear the sound of a child.

"1. 2. 3"

She counted slowly, and I could hear my heart pounding.

"16. 17. 18"

I couldn't move. It felt as if I was in a small box. I was scared, and soon I found it hard to breathe.

"30. 31. 32"

I heard the sound of giggling and running footsteps. More children. I was stuck, but I didn't cry out for help.

"45. 46. 47"

As she counted higher, my thoughts blurred.

"57. 58. 59"

My heart reached its limit.

"60! Ready or not, here I come." She happily cried out her sound of accomplishment, as she had just finished counting.

I heard footsteps getting closer, and yet I was crouched up, ever so still.

"Is anybody here?" I heard her cry out. I held my breath to stay quiet.

"Found you!" She cried out.

"Aww man." Said another young girl.

"Help me find everyone else."

They searched and got farther away. I heard the sounds of children screaming and laughing. They were having fun.

"Is that everyone?" I heard a soft, faint voice ask.

"Yeah, I think so."

I sat in my box and waited.

"Kids!! Come outside! I just put the food out!" Said a woman. I recognized her voice and almost tried to reach for it.

After I heard all the children leave, I heard another voice. "Tommie?"

I knocked on my box. And heard him get closer.

"How'd you get in here?" He asked while the sound of ripping tape screeched in my ears. When the box opened, I sat up and was slightly blinded by the light.

"Come on, Tommie." He held out his hand to me. He was very young. Maybe 5 or 6, a part of me couldn't remember.

"Come on." I reached for his hand and let him take me out of the box.

"Thank you, Griffin," I heard myself say.

He smiled, and we ran outside. I watched him dig his hands into a bowl of watermelon, grab small pieces, and shove them into his mouth.

I think I may have laughed, but my head started to get fuzzy.

"Are you okay?" I looked back and saw another little girl. She had tan skin and pretty eyes. She seemed a bit nervous.