Silver & Gold (Scomiche)

Beginnings

He hated this new house. It was too big and too fancy and there were too many rules. ‘Don’t touch this. Don’t go in here. Take off your shoes.’  Hmph. Stupid

He wasn’t a baby anymore, he was 7 now. He knew how to be careful without everyone freaking out at him every two seconds. 

He sighed aloud as he found nothing exciting when he went searching through the huge attic or any of the bedrooms or even the drafty old basement, save a few cobwebs and huge spiders. It was boooorrrinnng. Leave it to his parents to pick a house out in the middle of nowhere with no other kids around. He still hadn't forgiven his father for taking this new job and ripping him away from all of his friends in Arlington. It really wasn't fair. 

He continued to pout as he made his way outside, heading out towards the lake and the huge garden that covered acres of their new land. It was surrounded by a tall wall of topiary and looked like something you’d see in one of those movies about old rich people. At least it was colorful.

He’d been wandering around amidst the foliage when he swore he heard giggling. He would have been afraid, but it really sounded like another kid.  Maybe there was a neighbor!  

Sometimes his curiosity got him into trouble, but hopefully that wouldn’t be the case this time. He chased the voice all the way to the far wall of greenery. He put his head closer to the leaves, listening as he kept hearing the giggles, and then a quiet singing. He stood back, trying to figure out a way through the thick bushes and into the woods on the other side. It took awhile but after a bit of searching he found his way out. He was able to wiggle on his stomach through a weak spot near the base of the wall and he grinned triumphantly once he was on the other side, dusting off the dirt he would no doubt get in trouble for later.

It much darker now that he was in the thick cover of the trees, but he wasn’t deterred and he took off once again after the voice. After quite the trek he pushed through the brush and into a clearing, complete with small stream, a few huge rocks and a boy about his age chasing some butterflies.

 He laughed when one of the butterflies landed on the tip of the boys nose and he let out a giggle as he tried to look at it. 

The boy gasped a bit once he set eyes on Scott, eyes wide with a look that was a lot like the one Scott usually made when his mother had just caught him doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing. The butterfly quickly flew away. 

“Hi. Are you my new neighbor?” 

The strange looking boy tilted his head and regarded him as if he’d never seen another boy before. He took a step back. 

“I’m Scott.” 

“What is Scott?”

He laughed.  “Me. My name is Scott.” The boy didn't seem sure if he wanted to answer or not. Scott took a minute to look over him. 

Kids sure do dress weird here. 

“My name is Mitchell.” 

“Wanna play, Mitchell?”

The boy just watched him with wide, strangely teal colored eyes and a raised eyebrow before giving a shy nod.  

They laughed and chased the butterflies, watched the fish swimming in the small stream. Mitchell taught him how to climb the trees without breaking the branches or falling and shouted words of encouragement when he got scared. 

They were sitting on one of the huge rocks while they caught their breath after chasing a bunny for quite some time before Mitchell insisted that it was tired and was done playing. 

“Why are your clothes so weird.” He looked over the strange clothes, the embroidered lines, the sparkling silver thread and the icy blues of the fabric. He looked like he came out of that movie with the hobbits and the guys with wigs. 

Mitch pouted and looked down at what he was wearing. “My clothing? You are the one whose clothes are .... weird. You look like a sunset moth.”