Hidden Burdens (working title)

Meltdown in the Park

Author's Note:

Sorry for the tease. Soon after I uploaded this I took the chapter down for an idea that came to me, but didn't work out. I still made a bunch of other changes, though. I'm more satisfied then what it was, at least. As a head's up, this'll probably happen on occasion since I would love to publish this someday as a book over on Amazon.

-- & --

Mary and Miguel returned Sunday afternoon.

The house had been a little quiet without Mary pranking and teasing everyone and Miguel asking to play a game or play something in the loft. The return was short-lived since Kayla had to take Kimmy to meet Zach and his foster dad for their visit. Having been gone for the last four days, Miguel wanted to tag along. They were meeting at a park so Kayla didn't see any harm in letting him come along. On the drive there, she explained to Miguel what Zach's foster dad had shared with her, about how to interact with him.

"Just be nice and patient with him," she explained, adding Zach may not even respond at all.

"He doesn't talk like Kimmy?" Miguel asked.

"He does, just not like you and me. He'll probably say a random word, here and there."

"If he's like Kimmy, I bet Zach will be fun to play with." Miguel smiled over at Kimmy.

Kimmy stared back at him, unsure how to react. Miguel thought she was fun to play with? Was that why he always asked her even after the constant rejections?

Zach and his foster dad were already at the playground when they got there.

A few other kids occupied the playground, running around and screaming in delight. So Kimmy noticed right away Zach would have to share the slide. They were closer to Miguel's age, so Miguel had someone to play with. Everything was fine until the kids lingered on the slide, trying to climb up and around it.

Zach sat at the top of the slide, ready to slide when he noticed the kids weren't moving out of his way. He screeched for the kids to move.

One of the kids suggested going down another slide, pointing to the closest one.

Miguel didn't like the kids climbing on the slide either and suggested they let Zach take a turn. The kids turned out to be one of those who did not care nor listened to anyone else and continued to climb on the slide.

Kimmy could see Zach was frustrated and feared what would happen next. He screeched once more at the top of his lungs but the kids ignored him, even when Zach banged his foot on the slide.

Zach shot to his feet and paced around the octagon-shaped playset, fuming and screeching his head off. He smacked his head repeatedly in anger. Kimmy cringed whenever he would hit himself. The hollow sound alone bothered her as if she could feel it, having accidentally bumped her head herself.

"Is he okay?" Miguel asked from the top step behind her.

Kimmy kept her eye on him as Zach paced. She shook her head. Zach was going into his blind zone. All because some dumb little kids wanted to "steal" the slide from him.

Zach ran over to screech in his sister's face as if expecting Kimmy to do something. But Kimmy had no idea what to do. He fumed and stomped onto the shaky bridge connecting the playsets.

Kimmy hadn't realized she had been holding her breath and released it when he stormed off.

Zach's foster dad came over to see what was going on.