Gonzales

16

The sun was high in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the backyard. Marco, Luca, and Leo were in the middle of a heated football game, their shouts and the sound of the ball bouncing off the grass filling the air.

And then there was Aurelio who had always been a bundle of energy—playful, fearless, and always up for an adventure. 

Today, his exploration led him into the thick bushes near the fence. He crouched down, his little fingers brushing the leaves aside, when his eyes locked onto something small and strange.

 A spider. 

It wasn't just any spider—it was a large, dark one with long, spindly legs that scurried across the ground. 

Aurelio's face lit up with excitement as he reached down to gently pick it up, feeling the soft, rapid tickle of its legs against his palm. "Wow," he whispered to himself, Aurelio giggled, the sound like a melody carried by the wind. He wasn't afraid of the spider at all—in fact, he found it utterly fascinating.

He quickly stood up, holding the spider carefully in his hands, and started running towards his brothers , his small feet thudding against the grass. His laughter echoed as he approached his older brothers.

Aurelio, unable to contain his excitement, bounced over to them, holding out his hands toward Marco and Luca. "Look, look! I found something!"

Both Marco and Luca immediately looked up, their eyes narrowing in skepticism.

"Aurelio," Marco began, a warning tone in his voice, "what do you have there?"

Aurelio giggled again, his voice high-pitched and full of mischief. "It's a spider! I found it in the grass. It's so cool!"

Luca's face immediately contorted in disgust. "Ugh, Aurelio, put that thing down! I don't want a spider anywhere near me."

Marco, though more composed, wasn't fond of creepy crawlies either. "Yeah, little man, we don't need to see your pets right now. Go put it back where you found it."

But Aurelio, of course, had no intention of following their advice. He continued to giggle, holding the spider closer to his chest as if it were his prize possession. He had already decided that today, he would be the one in control of the situation, much to his brothers' dismay.

Aurelio darted toward them, his small feet barely touching the ground as he ran with abandon. Marco and Luca's faces twisted with a mixture of fear and irritation as they instinctively backed away. Leo, still lying on the ground, rolled his eyes but didn't seem overly concerned.

"Aurelio, stop!" Marco shouted, but Aurelio wasn't listening. Instead, he took another step forward, and with a gleam in his eyes, he reached out his hands toward his brothers.

Luca squealed, a sound that seemed to come from the depths of his soul. "No, no, no, no! Get away! Put it down!"

Aurelio, now thoroughly enjoying the reaction he was getting, gave a mischievous grin. "But I don't want to put it down, Luca. It likes me. It's my friend now."

"Put it back in the grass!" Marco said firmly, his tone much less playful than usual. He took a few more steps backward, instinctively positioning himself closer to the corner of the yard, where the wooden fence blocked off their view.

Aurelio wasn't going to let up. He took another step forward, still holding the spider in his cupped hands. Marco and Luca now found themselves pressed against the corner of the fence, both of them flinching every time Aurelio moved closer. Their eyes flicked from Aurelio's innocent face to the creature in his hands.