Trollhunters story: James Lake Sr. leaves

Jim's Birthday

Prelude:

"Birthdays really aren't Jim's thing. They always remind him of the day when his dad disappeared. Not "magic" disappeared, more like "walked out, 'cause he's a dead-beat" disappeared. I just moved into the house across the street, and Jim's dad got him this sweet bike kit for his fifth birthday, and then he just took off. The pieces laid there in the garage for years. Last

I heard, the guy ran off with his girlfriend to be a ski-bum in Vermont." -Toby Domzalski (Trollhunters)

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Jim tore through the wrapping paper, getting to the present underneath. The box was huge. As big as he was! When the last of the wrapping paper tore off, he saw the picture of a dark blue bike--complete with two big wheels, and two smaller wheels in the back. Plus the bike had really cool lightning bolts along the side.

He gasped and cried "Oh boy, I've wanted one of these my whole life!", jumping up and down with his hands on the box. His dad smiled, making his blue eyes sparkle. James Lake Sr. was sitting on the couch next to Jim's mom, Barbara Lake. She turned toward him, and wore that face she sometimes made, like whenever Jim's dad had let him have chocolate for breakfast.

"You got him a bike?" she asked, worry laced with uncertainty in her voice.

Jim's dad turned his smile toward her. "Well, sure. Didn't you hear him? He said he wanted one his whole life."

They turned to see their now 5-year-old son jumping around in circles with his arms out saying "I got a bike, I got a bike!"

"Well....is it safe?" she asked, concern still trailing her tone.

"I mean, it's got training wheels, and it's made for kids, so it can't be too much of a hazard."

Jim had stopped turning in circles and came back to the box. "Can we go ride it now? Can we, can we?" he asked excitedly, still hopping a little bit.

"Well, buddy, it's not that easy," His dad said, laughing slightly, and sat forward. "It's a kit. You have to put it together."

Jim's hopping stopped, and he stared down at the box. "You have to put it together?"

"Yeah, ya know, like make it. Putting all the pieces together. They're all in there, we just have to put it all together. And then you can ride the bike all you want."

Jim resumed his hopping. "Can we make it now?"

"Sure, we just have to get it out into the garage."

Jim squealed and tried to pick up the huge box, though he had no avail of even getting it off the floor.

"Here Honey, let me help you." His mom bent down and picked it up for him. Jim raced outside to the garage before either of them got there.

He jumped up and down while he waited for them. "Calm down, sweetie," his mom laughed. "Or you're not gonna have enough energy to even ride the bike."

His jumping ceased; for now. He only bounced a little as he watched his dad take out his military knife from a pocket and cut the box open. Jim watched them take out all the parts from the box. There was the big blue piece--the center of the bike. And then the two wheels. And a bunch of other metal things he couldn't guess the names of.

He sat down and started examining the pieces. Admiring the lightning bolts on the center part of the bike. His dad unfolded the instructions manual, and started to read. He scrunched up his face in confusion after a moment and muttered, "Golly, this might as well be in French."