Walter

AN ASTRONAUT AMONGST THE FERNS

Mortimer was staring out the window early that morning, hoping he would be feeling better so that he could go to school like normal children did but the shortness of his breaths told him otherwise. He had been born with a weak immune system. People never tried to treat him differently because of it and he was glad his parents always made sure of that.

He liked sitting in front of the window beside the plants, hiding among them. This way he could stare out into the world unseen, imagining himself in those instances, immersed in a vast jungle and exploring for new forms of life. Sometimes he pretended he was an astronaut that had been sent to another world to observe its strange inhabitants.

Today he hadn't decided which role to play and thought he'd let that work itself out on its own. He grabbed his little stool and placed it front of the window in its usual spot. He knew the ferns resting on both sides on him would help camouflage him from the outside world. It was a good spot because the sun would beam in through the window and always warmed him up just right.

So far nothing unusual was going on as cars traveled back and forth. A milk truck appeared to deliver its cargo to a house across the street. He had decided to call the driver Milkman Bob even though he never stopped at their house. Mortimer saw him every day, as well as the old man with a cane that walked with his old shepherd. The dog always stopped under Mortimer's great tree, lifting its leg to mark the same spot once again.

He must know I'm here, thought Mortimer. He always looks at me after he's done marking the tree.

But the old shepherd never barked at Mortimer, it just stared at him for a little while.

"Still staring at that old place, eh boy," said the old man. "I don't know why you do that every day. There ain't nothing there but plants in ther windows."

The old man and the sheppard looked at each other for an instant and then continued on their way.

Traffic flowed in and out of his gaze. A school bus drifter into his vision and disappeared just as quickly. He sat and watched for another ten minutes, but nothing else appeared.

He closed his eyes as the sun peered over the great tree. He felt its warmth on his cheeks. The glow twinkled about his eyelids as the rays of light danced on his face. He liked this part of the morning.

After a time he opened his eyes, slowly at first so he wouldn't blind himself by mistake. He had done that once and had learned from it. So he took his time, letting things slowly come into his vision, letting the world slowly focus itself back into his mind.

From the corner of his vision he thought he'd seen something move. But his eyes weren't ready yet as he turned to see what it was, only to get a ray of light straight on. He squinted to see better and a shape seemed to hover just within his sight.

Mortimer raised his hand up to block the sun a little so his sight would return faster.

A boy and not very tall either, about as high as the old shepherd, he thought. He's not moving, I wonder what he's doing.

He watched this strange little boy for a minute more and then leaned up to the window's screen to called out.