Mutant

Five

The picture frame stood by the lamp as motionless and inanimate as possible. The dim lights in the room made its image as fixated as possible.

Arch looked at this frame and swallowed the sore lump that was in his throat. Inside the frame was a mere joyful picture of his family. The memory was just so perfect. Mabel and John had stood in the back while Arch, Lizzie, Autumn, and Annie had kneeled in the front. They had been in Spain on that windy day, but their smiles were still beaming about. Arch could tell how different their eyes were when they smiled, how gentle it was. As if everything was peaceful and peachy and no conflicts battled on in their lives. As if no deaths were involved.

Mabel came up behind Arch, and laid her fragile wrinkly hands on his shoulders.
"Good picture huh?"

Arch tried not to be choked with tears as he spoke.
"Why can't things be simple? I mean, why can't we just live in pictures, they seem so much better than now."

Mabel could see the hurt in Arch's eyes.
"I know things aren't working out Arch, but you must learn not to look in the past. The future is what really matters, it's what heals. Your father is dead and we can't change that. But we can look into the future and live up to his name. That's how we'll keep him alive. Do you understand that?"

Arch didn't reply, but he understood. No matter how bad it hurt to understand.

Mabel held his hand and said "Come on, let's pray."

The two of them knelt down and closed their eyes.
Mabel did the prayer.

"Dear God, please guide us in the right direction to happiness and love. Please protect my kids and strengthen them not only in courage, but in wisdom. Don't let the demons enter our minds to distract us or yet, to hinder us on our way. We hope you're with us and John. And in Jesus name, amen."

Mabel opened her eyes and then warmly smiled at Arch. "We'll be alright."
Then she stood up and left.

Arch took a deep breath if reassurance. Alright? Of course we'll be alright.
********************

The days dragged on and on and soon found Arch forgetting about his father's death.

Arch woke up one hot berating Wednesday and quickly put on his swimming trunks and a t-shirt (along with his scarf of course). He slyly slid downstairs where Lizzie was shouting,
"Your weird friends are here!"

Arch zoomed by Lizzie and swung the door open. In front of him stood an averaged height blonde girl with scrunchy pigtails and weird knobby legs. This was Ellie Hills, one of Arch's best friends. Arch has known Ellie ever since second grade, and he found her to be pretty weird and silly. She would always say and make the stupidest jokes, and when no one laughed, she would start laughing at her own useless jokes. But really in the end, it either turned out you liked Ellie, or you didn't. And her goofiness played a major part in that.

Behind Ellie was a boy who seemed to be staring at Ellie quizzically. He was wearing black rimmed glasses with blue swimming trunks and a red Big Bang Theory shirt that read "Bazinga!" In yellow bold letters. This was Emmer Golwyn, who was also Arch's best friend. Arch found him more smarter and intellectual than Ellie, but a little too geeky and annoying. But when the combination between Ellie and Emmer came together, it just clicked.

Ellie and Emmer were probably Arch's only friends, and Arch would somewhat feel relieved to see them, because they were all he had to communicate in the outside world.

"What up Arch," Ellie said. "Are you ready to spaghet-get-gettio?"

Arch didn't even crack a smile. He could even see Emmer shaking his head in the background, due to utter disappointment at the weak attempt.
"You know you don't make sense sometimes," Arch exclaimed.

Ellie shrugged. "Did it have to? You understood me at least,"

Arch could feel the heat beating on his skin over and over again, and it seemed to be coming from inside the house. And truth be told, he didn't want to stay there any longer.

"Come on," Arch said as he stumbled alongside Ellie on the heated cemented ground. "The pool has probably melted. Let's get going."