The Monitors

Chapter 1 - Happy Birthday!

Heat waves rippled across the road as the car rolled down the highway. "Are we there yet?" Damon asked as he rolled down the window. "Damon, the answer hasn't changed from when you asked me a minute ago. Not yet". Linda said with a chuckle and a smile. "Now roll the window up, you're letting all the cool air out". Damon crossed his arms and slouched down in the backseat of the car. Staring out the window Damon noticed how open the desert was. "Hey Mom, is Arizona the hottest place in the world"? Damon asked. "No honey, it just seems that way because you haven't been anywhere else." Linda said. In the window, Damon could see his reflection. He was a small 7-year-old boy. He had straight dark brown hair that appeared black to most people. It went down to his eyebrows. He had dark brown eyes.

Damon stared at the mountains out of the window in the distance. "I hope there aren't too many kids at the party. I don't like talking to that many people". Damon said nervously. "Don't worry honey, I talked to Boston's mom last week. She said there are only going to be about 20 kids there. There is no reason to be worried. Boston has been your friend ever since Pre-School. You are going to be just fine." Linda said with a smile. Damon glanced at the rear-view mirror and his mother's eyes met his. He felt reassured. Linda leaned forward and let out an excited gasp. "I felt him kick!" she said. Damon leaned forward and looked at his mother's very pregnant belly. "I still don't know how you got that thing." Damon said unamused. Linda chucked "Let's save that conversation for later in the future". Damon rolled up his window and put his chin on the door. It was quiet. No radio playing, just the muffled sound of the car tires rolling across the pavement of the highway. Damon felt the AC on his skin "This is kind of nice" he thought. Glancing out into the desert, getting lost in the mirage of blurry plants passing the window, his eyes slowly closed.

A car door slammed shut and Damon opened his eyes. He had dozed off without even noticing. His mother pulled into one of the many parking spaces at the park. Damon rubbed his eyes and unbuckled his seatbelt. He felt an unnerving amount of anxiety. As he opened the door and got out, he shut the door behind him. His mother held her hand out and Damon grabbed it. "You sure are growing fast. Soon you'll be as tall as me." Linda said as she put her hand on Damon's head and measured it to her waist. "Mom." Damon said timidly while fixing his hair with his left hand. As Damon walked up to the park benches there read a sign that read Happy 8th Birthday Boston! In colorful letters.

"Hello Mrs. Archer!" came a voice from behind Damon. As Damon turned around there was a woman with brown capris and a button shirt with flowers on it. She was blonde with blue eyes and seemed to be middle-aged. Damon couldn't help but notice how tall she was. Damon felt intimidated. As he slowly creeped behind his mother the woman looked down to Damon and said "It's okay little guy! No need to be shy I'm Boston's mom!" She said as she bent her knees to match Damon's height. Damon's mom waved her hand as a gesture for Damon to come out from behind her. As Damon slowly inched out from behind his mother he said "Hi, M-M-Mrs. Roberts". She held her hand out and Damon hesitantly shook it. She smiled at Damon and Damon smiled back relaxing slightly.

A man then appeared from behind Mrs. Roberts "Hey you." said the man as he kissed Mrs. Roberts on the cheek. "Oh Hi!" said Mrs. Roberts smiling. The man and Mrs. Roberts bent down to Damon's height. "Damon this is Mr. Roberts he is Boston's father." said Mrs. Roberts. He put his hand out and Damon shook it. Damon could not help but notice how strong Mr. Robert's grip was against his little arm. Along with the brown suit that Mr. Roberts was wearing. "N-Nice to meet you both." Damon said. "The pleasure is all mine. Boston has told us all about you. I can't believe it took us this long to finally meet you!" Mr. Roberts said enthusiastically while cleaning his glasses.

Then from out of nowhere, Damon was punched in the arm. He turned around and saw Boston. A small blonde-haired boy, with blue eyes and freckles wearing a green shirt and brown shorts. "Hey! What took you so long?" Boston said. With those words Damon's face lit up with a smile and a look of happiness. Boston was the only one who had the ability to bring this out of Damon. Damon punched Boston back in the arm. They both laughed and Damon chased Boston around the swings. "Thank you both for inviting Damon. It's really good for him to go things like this. Your son just has some effect on him that I can't seem to figure out. He's just a happier person. Those two are great friends." Linda said to Mr. And Mrs. Roberts as they all watched Boston and Damon play.