Summer Shorts - Anthology

b l i n d s by bo0ksnstuff

b l i n d s by bo0ksnstuff

I let the popsicle melt on my hand, its orange color staining my skin. Staring at the lava lamp next to me, I knew that the popsicle was the only thing that spoke out "summer."

There were no beaches for me, no pools. Just me and myself.

The last day of school felt like a lifetime ago, when in reality it had only been a week. Summer was supposed to go by faster.

Being grounded sucks.

Summer lasted about two months, and only one of those many days is worth mentioning.

July 18th.

I woke up early that day, blinded by the light that always found its way through my blinds.

I knew I had exactly thirty minutes until my mom's alarm clock would ring. Exactly thirty minutes for me to use the computer without being caught.

I silently got out of my old and creaky bed, making my way to the desk. I couldn't even get there, to my desk, which was only three feet away, before I heard it. A bird's cry.

The sound was a lot louder than it should've been, making me turn around and head for the window.

I pulled open the blinds, peaking my head out. After letting my eyes adjust to the bright summer light, I noticed a giant brown bird in battle with another red bird.

I had seen bird fights before, but none as intense as the one I saw that day. The birds seemed desperate — as if trying to kill each other.

Then I heard another cry. Smaller, but more anxious. In the tree, I saw a brown, small ball of fluff with a beak. A baby bird.

It stared into the sky, crying out repeatedly. Maybe it wanted food.

Then I realized what the fight was about. The brown bird was trying to protect their child. Their property.

I shut the blinds again, returning to my task of going to my desk.

3:00 PM.

Later that day, I heard another sound. Laughter. Balls hitting the ground.

With nothing to do, I opened the blinds again, surprised at how bright it was outside. Surprised at how bright it could even be outside.

There were some kids, laughing, dribbling basketballs. They were so close to my house, so close to my window, that I could make out all features. I think one kid had way too much sunscreen on.

They all wore cheap flip-flops, running, dribbling, and impressively managing to keep their shoes (if I can call it that) on.

Then one of the kids looked at me. Oh, shoot.

I quickly got away from the window, letting the blinds sway back and forth.

7:00 PM.That time there was no sound. Just curiosity. I was so curious about the outside world. As if I had never been outside.

I'd been outside plenty of times. Nearly every day.

But I had never bothered to view the outside world through a window. It looked so much more different then. A whole different experience.

I silently opened the blinds, not knowing it was possible for it to be bright at 7:00 PM.

Summer, am I right?

Wait.

I closed my eyes, opened them again.

No way.

I pinched myself.

I've got to be dreaming.

I pulled open the blinds completely.

Damn.

I didn't hear anything. No alarms, no yelling.

But I saw plenty.

There was a freaking fire right across the street.

At first I stood there, clueless. What was I supposed to do? Do I call 911? Maybe they already did?

Just out of instinct, I opened the window, and jumped right out (let's be glad I was on the first floor).

I ignored the thoughts in my head. Mom will be mad. You don't even know these people.

But I had one decent reason to help the family that I knew was in there — the boy there is so freaking hot.

The mother stood in the front lawn, crying into her husband's shoulder. Their daughter stood, talking into her phone.

"Hurry up! My brother might be dead!"

Please don't be the hot kid, please don't be the hot kid-

The "hot kid" ran straight past me, running towards his house. "Mom, I'm sorry but I'm going in!"

Damn. Hot and heroic.

I shook my head. What the heck? Don't just stand there and daydream!

"I, uh..." I looked around. What was I supposed to do? Hang out with the parents? Reassure the girl? Follow the hot boy into a 99.9% chance of death? "WAIT, I'M COMING WITH YOU!!"

I ran as fast as I could, catching up to the boy. "I'm Claire. Maybe after saving whoever's in there, we can-"

He went to his house, totally ignoring me. Fine, I see how it is.

I had some second thoughts, but I went in the house anyway, knowing I had nothing better to do with life. "Why aren't the smoke detectors working?"

I didn't see the boy, but I heard a reply. "It's probably just broken. With me in the house, it's always so hot that the smoke detectors would constantly be ringing."

For some reason, I wasn't afraid of the fire. And the boy seemed pretty chill, too.

"What's your name?" I asked, squinting as my eyes began to sting.

"My name's Mason, but people call me a**h**e."

It was hard not to laugh at that one.

"God, what the hell!?" I heard Mason shout.

"What?" I jumped to avoid the fire spitting at me.

"My brother's not even in his room! He probably snuck out again, that fool."

"So... we came in here for no reason?"

"Summer's great, isn't it? Doing things for no reason just because you have nothing else to do with life?"

It was silent after that. The fire in the house was the only sound. I could've just walked out, since I was still right in front of the front door. But I couldn't see where Mason was, and leaving him didn't seem like a great idea.

11:00 PM.

I couldn't believe my mom had extended my "grounded" period.

I... saved someone. Well, tried to, I suppose.

I also socialized with someone! My mom always told me to do that.

But then again, I didn't really think things through, like at all. Who the heck would follow someone into a burning house because they're hot?

Experiences are experiences, I told myself. At least now I have experience in talking to hot people.

All because I opened those blinds.

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