#playgroundpost

[zeroterabytes]

Favourite playground equipment? (Can choose specific ones, general, or non-equipment options like dirt :)

Monkey bars. Just nice to hang on them

[eden-likes-to-write-blog]

A Good Role Model

I’ve studied for years on how to read people, spent the better part of a decade locked away in the campus library reading paragraph upon paragraph on how to take apart the little bits and pieces of what made humans do what we do. I can still feel the uncharacteristic smoothness of textbook paper under my worn fingers, I can hear the hushed whispers of group projects across the library, the taste of cheap coffee on my tongue and the soft burn of nervous bile in my throat before a final exam. I’ve studied for this my entire adult life, perfectly practiced words and technique. When he entered my office, I was ready.

“-Wanted for five accounts of Arson, 35 murders, and 15 accounts of resisting arrest-” The television behind me stopped abruptly as I turned it off, I had heard enough.

“Ah, I see you’ve made it. Please, Red, take a seat- or would me rather call you something else?” I said in the most welcoming voice I could muster, extending my hand to the leather couch beside my armchair.

He looked powerful, confused, and deep in him I could see fear. The boy was scared, barely drinking age by American standards. The electric power fled from his eyes and hands. “I’ll stand,” He said strongly, and with dignity, as if he were putting on a brave face, “and Red is perfectly fine, Dr..?”

“McDonough, but you can call me William if you’d like,” I said kindly. “We don’t usually except walk ins, but I’m sure we can make an exception. I don’t have any appointments today,” I smiled. “Except for you now, of course.”

Red squared his shoulders, and the blue glow of power flickered back into his eyes. “I’m not here for an appointment,” He growled.

“My mistake,” I apologized. “Why did you come to see me then?”

“You can turn into anything, I’ve seen it!” He said.

I knew he’d seen it, obviously. He’s been tailing me for days - I showed him on purpose. I wanted - no, needed him to come here. “You have?” I rasped, scandalized.

“Yes,” He admitted, proud of himself. “I’ve been following you for days.”

I know, I thought to myself. “You have?” I said, bewildered. “Well, then, you’re here to kill me,” No you’re not.

Red nodded condescendingly, but I could see he was hurt. “I’m assuming you know how my power works, then?” He asked, wandering over to my oak desk and running his fingers over the leaves of one of my potted plants.

I was stunned, I didn’t think he’d ask that. “There’s been rumours, yes, but nobody is really sure but you.”

“S.P.A.R.C. thinks it knows,” He said offhandedly. “Everybody does.”

“I was told you stole powers from magic users,” I said. “When I talked to people 10 years ago, they were afraid of you.”

“Nothing much has changed, I’m just taller now,” He added. “I have to kill people to take their power, William.”

I had suspected as much, but I kept that to myself. “I’ve noticed I’m not dead yet, what else do you need?”

Red sighed. “If you can turn into a human, I want you to teach me.”

Taken aback, I brought myself to calm and gentle words. “Teach you how to shape-shift? You know I can’t, it’s impossi-”

“No,” Red cut me off. “I want you to teach me how to be human.”

There was a long pause, and silence hung thick in the skyline office like molasses. “Red, you’re already human,” I said gently.

“No, I’m a monster,” His voice was quiet like a mouse, and pained. Tears pricked at his eyes. “I always have been.”

“Who told you that?” I inquired, handing him a box of tissues.

There was another pause. “Everyone,” He said as he fell back onto the couch.

“Listening to S.P.A.R.C. is never a good idea,” I warned. “They gather us and slaughter us like pigs, they make us hide powers that could save lives-”

“Or end them.” Added Red.

“Red,” I said softly. “They’re the monsters, I promise.”

“But what about me?” He asked. “I’m just as bad.”

I shook my head. “No, you’re not,” I reassured him. “No one is inherently bad, you’re a human, just like the rest of us. You may have a dark power, but what’s inside you isn’t dark - it’s just going to take some practice to ignore what your power wants you to do.”

“You’re sure I’m not a monster?” He inquired. Somewhere along the lines the power had flickered out of his grey eyes again. He made eye contact with me, and no matter how many walls he put up I could see he was just a hurt kid, confused and frightened by the world he’d woken up to.

I smiled. “I’m sure,” I said, with confidence. “You’re a human - you just need some practice being a nice one,” I ruffled his hair affectionately. “And maybe a role model or two.”

Red grinned, “Thank you, Dr. William,” he said genuinely, and stood from the couch to make the walk to the door, where he paused. “Oh, and William?” Red asked.

“Yes, Red?” I responded.

“Why aren’t you afraid of me?” He inquired, looking over his shoulder.

That answer was simple. “Because I know you’re good, and I trust you. You wouldn’t hurt me,” I said.

“No,” He smiled to himself. “I don’t think I would.”

That night when Red took his leave wasn’t the last time I saw him. He came in every Friday there after, a half hour after closing. He called it “good human” practice, but I knew that he didn’t need any practice being kind, or forgiving, or nice - he just needed someone to believe in him.

---- If this gets a good enough response I might just do a part two, so... Possibly 1/??? Depending on how much people like it.

[eden-likes-to-write-blog]

Study Date - Zachary & Joel

I threw my bag down into the dirt, sending a cloud of dust into the frosty spring air.  Fumbling through the tears that blurred my vision, I ripped the crumpled bus transfer out of my back pocket, furiously trying to smooth it out against my thigh in an effort to make it readable.

Just then, barreling down the sidewalk to catch up to me, his blond hair sticking up in all directions, tie undone and pants unbuttoned, was Zachary. “Wait!” He shouted, “Joel, I can explain!” He added, sliding to a sudden halt beside me and gripping the bus stop pole for support to keep himself from being thrown by his momentum into the street.

I shook my head, stepping forward and leaning off of the curb so I could get a good look at the bus, slowed down by Chicago's late rush hour traffic. "You have about one minute," I relented, turning to face him, "but there had better be a 'sorry' in there somewhere, or so help me..." I threatened, trailing off.

Zachary took a moment to search the windows of the suburban mansions for onlookers that might report the happenings to his father, and once satisfied, took a deep, shaky breath. "I am so, so sorry," He said at last. "I thought you knew that 'study date' was code for 'let's hook up'. I should have clarified, and I'm sorry I didn't." He added, eyeing the bus nervously as it pulled up.

"What do you think I am? A whore? Like everybody else thinks?Is that what I am to you?" I replied.

"No, I-" He started.

"Sorry, out of time," I said curtly, picking up my bag and turning on my heel. As I stepped onto the bus platform, I felt him surge forward ad grab my sleeve.

"Joel, wait!" He said desperately.

I spun around and pulled my sleeve out of his grip, "Wait for what, Zachary, for you to grow up!" I shouted back, "What were you going to do, huh? Did you set up a camera so you can show all your shitty friends what I look like naked? Did you want to embarrass me again? Invade my privacy again?"

Zachary sucked in a deep breath. "Oh," He said. "That's what this is about."

"Damn right that's what this is about!" I shouted, furious now.

"Are you going to get on the bus or not?" The bus driver said, impatient and irritable.

"Hold on, just another minute," Zachary answered, handing her a $50 bill.  "Joel, that was is freshman year."

"'That was in freshman year'," I repeated mockingly. "You don't see the way they look at me in the hallways, Prescott. You don't have to hear the things they call me." I said evenly.

"I-" He started.

"No," I replied, putting a hand up to stop him. "Look at this," I said, pulling out my phone and scrolling through my text messages.

"Joel," Zachary started before he was cut off again.

"Either get on the bus or get off the bus," The bus driver drawled.

Zachary turned to her, irritated at being cut off once again. "It's okay, my father's the mayor." He said, flashing his ID.

"Here it is!" I exclaimed, holding out my phone for him to see. Plastered across the screen like an unwanted flyer was the picture, sent to me by one of the many students that had collectively decided to witch hunt me. It was me, laying in the alleyway behind Zachary's manor at his party last year. My eye was swollen and my skin bruised, I was laying beside my own vomit and crying in pain, my pants and underwear pulled around my ankles. The word "faggot" was scrawled across my forehead, shirt pulled up to reveal my beaten chest. The phrase "will suck dick for food" was also written across it in permanent marker, along with my phone number and all of my social media accounts.

"That wasn't me," Zachary said, tearing up at the sight. "Joel, I couldn't even look at that photo, that wasn't me," He said. "You think it was me?"

I blinked a few times, looking at the photo again in disbelief. "No, but you did!" I accused. "James told me you did!"

"James?" Zachary exclaimed, "Are you kidding? He wouldn't..."

"He told me-" I tried.

Zachary shook his head, "He told you wrong, Joel. I would never," He said, and with that, Zachary suddenly looked like he'd made a very serious decision. He stood taller, his expression powerful. He was so captivating that Joel almost didn't notice the bus had started moving, and the passengers were listening intensely. "James is a dick, and I'll get to the bottom of this. I promise." He said finally, his voice deep and certain, "In the meantime, Joel: I really like you, and even if it takes telling my father, getting rid of James, or even taking you to the moon and back, I'll do it." Zachary said decisively. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to get on this but with you, and I'm going to take you to that Sally's place you like, and I'm going to buy you a big chocolate milkshake with whip cream on top and chocolate drizzle," Zachary added, reaching out and holding my hand tenderly. "We can talk about this, properly, what do you say?"

I stared down at my hand in disbelief, "Chocolate milkshakes are my favorite," I whispered dumbly.

Zachary chuckled, "I know."

"You remembered?" I looked up at him hopefully.

He leaned forward, pulling me into an embrace. "Of course I did."

Part 1???