“You’re a writer not a therapist, don’t try to add so much emotion to your work. You do better when you don’t think at all and just write what comes to you.”

My editor sat beside me berating my writing due to the unnecessary romantic or dramatic scenes that I can’t seem to naturally add-in. I nod along knowing that I’ve been in a slump for a good half of the year now. Nothing has been selling since my first big box office hit Vampesque. A dark comedy vampire novella about the trivial novelty of becoming a half-vampire in the middle of modern-day Brooklyn. It’s almost as if that was all I had in me. While my editor dug into my phrasing and commented on things that I know won’t get any better, I tapped my pencil to the sound of the ticking clock.

After the meeting finally came to an end, and I had seen my editor out the door, then collapse into the single la-z-boy recliner laid out in the primitive empty living room. I laid back thinking of things to do to take my mind off of the stress of the story that wouldn’t come. I decided the best way to clear my head was to take a long walk out and feel the fresh breeze out. remembering that a park was just a couple of blocks away, I decided to stroll along that path. I was thinking, that maybe the scenery would get things oiled up and going inside my mind. The gears were all rusty and definitely not cranking like they used to. I covered my eyes from the intense glare of the sun. The clouds paraded around in the sky, but not close enough to block out the sun. I watched the leaves blow around the trees, dancing like small tornados, making cylindrical piles. A strong gust blew my hair about causing it to flutter around. I lost focus of the view around, just as the park was starting to come into view.

CLACK,CLACK

“FUCKING HELL”

A less than innocent voice shouted out aloud, along with the sounds of a skateboard scraping against concrete.

I stared straight towards the shout, narrowing my eyes to make out the view. I stopped in my tracks, watching a child skateboarding in the parking lot of the park I was aiming to find solace in.

I walked warily along the cracked pathway towards the entrance of the park. I tried not to make eye contact with the child. “CURSE YOU! YOU INSOLENT WOODEN PLANK”

Chided the child, throwing their tiny hands into the air.

I looked over my shoulder at the constant clacking and yelling behind me. Standing in frustration, stood a small girl with a black and red flame-designed helmet, and protection pads on her head, knees, and elbows. She maneuvered herself onto the skateboard but couldn’t quite get the technique down on the trick she was trying to land.

I decided to turn away and walk on towards the entrance of the park. As I turned away, I thought, maybe, I too, could try my hardest.

“Fuck”

I yelped out, grabbing the back of my calf. I kneeled down, reaching around to grasp ahold of it. To the left of me was a paint-chipped, plainly designed skateboard, flipped over on its side.

I was still groaning out in pain, Whistling through my teeth, when the little girl came running over after her runaway board. She was panting straightening her childlike flamed helmet.

“I’m ok”

I said in a soft grunt, not wanting to worry the little girl, who shouldn’t feel responsible.

She flared her nostrils audibly, loud enough to let her annoyance be known.

“shut it.”

She said, as a small foot pressed against my back, launching me forward onto my hands and knees. I let out a small yelp, trying to catch a semblance of balance. I turned to look at the little girl grab her board and attempt to run off.

“hey…” I attempted to yell out but was interrupted, by a small casual voice.

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“Oh, Sorry jackass…umm I mean mister, didn’t mean for your back to get in the way of my foot, or your leg to get in the way of my board.”

She added a tee hee and a small, exaggerated hand bop to her helmet.

I got to my feet and dusted myself off, straining my left leg for a possible injury. My bigger problem was in front of me or walking away from me. She had just called me a jackass, after kicking me in the back. Maybe she didn’t mean to, I thought. maybe it was just a big accident, and she was scared. So, I tried brushing off the comment and nodded at her with encouragement.

“you’ll get it; you just keep at it.”

I said with confidence brimming towards her.

She turned to me in disgust as her face twisted into a snarl.

“Listen here jack ass! I know I’ll get it. You don’t have to tell me you insolent fool.”

Insolent fool… damn that hurt. I had to stop myself from collapsing in front of the little girl. It then clicked with me that she was just that, a little girl. Why was I letting her words affect me in the slightest? Though a better question would be, where in the hell were her parents? Wouldn’t they have noticed her daughter having a confrontation with a stranger?

I scoured around for anybody, but nobody was around. I just smiled bitterly at the little monster adding.

“Where are your parents?”

The little bitc…monster patted her helmet down and answered with disdain, giving me a preemptive stare.

“They’re in hell, and if you don’t stop bothering me, I’ll send you to meet them.”

I mentally took a step back reassessing the situation and choked up. Maybe I was being a bit thwarted in her case. I mean her parents were obviously not on this earth anymore, and she has a sort of resentment toward them.

Now that I was thinking about my minor mistakes. I made the wise decision to leave and let the situation play out by itself. I’m sure she has a guardian around, or maybe her house is right around a corner or cul de sac.

I really was an adult for making the conscious decision to leave the situation at its boiling point. I feel like I had grown by bounds just in these last couple of minutes Yes! it made sense, her attitude had been shaped by the sins of her parents, not much I can do for a child on the edge of adolescence. I feel enlightened that a self-serving man like me can look at this poor neglected child and smile at her with such Vigor.

“The fuck is up with that creepy smile asshole?”

My face automatically frowned at the intense sadness that she must have gone through, to get all the way to this point in life already. I relaxed my face and reached for her helmet, giving it a small rub.

“Nothing, Goodluck kid.”

She raised her eyebrow in disgust and backed off.

“You aren’t one of those pedophiles? Are you? Look I’ll kill you and slice it off if you even look at me weird again.”

‘It’

I unconsciously covered my private area, gulped, and backed off.

“Hey, I’m no damn pedophile you dammed bra..”

My mouth went tight as I backed up to give her some more space. I had just grown from enlightenment. She obviously is just very wary and unsure of the situation. I frowned again, feeling choked up in the back of my throat.

“Look kid, I’m no kiddie lover, I was encouraging you. You do know what that means? Right?”

I had a thought mid-sentence that maybe she didn’t even know how to write or read. I was slowly dying on the inside of this poor defenseless child.

She smiled brightly at me with her eyes fully closed. I relaxed thinking, aww she’s warming up to me. I intended to take a step towards her when I felt the malice of Alcestis come for my head.

I faltered back onto my ass. A swinging roundhouse-up kick came blaring at my head, Causing me to misstep and fall backward.

The little girl who was still mid-spin was slowly coming to a stop.

I stared shamelessly at her.

Not because she looked cool, or that she had kicked my ass in a couple of milliseconds.

No, it was because the flashy flame-designed helmet had come unfastened and fallen to the ground.

The little girl realized my gaze had gone stiff.

“My horns” she gasped awkwardly aloud. She then raced to cover any evidence of the long dark horns protruding from her head. Realizing her haughty mistake she turned and ducked, shouting.

“You saw, didn’t you?” She was now scrambling to put her helmet on.

“Saw what?” I looked awkwardly away from her and at anything else in sight. “I didn’t see a thing”

“LIAR”

she was starting to whine as she placed her hands on her face. “Daddy’s gonna kill me if he finds out. I can’t go back to hell now, I’ll be a laughingstock”

I sat back listening to this child whine away, spouting nonsense and all.

“Hey, I can just explain to your dad that yo…”

She peeked from her hands giving me an intense glare. Dropping her hands to her side, with a straight face, she said.

“So, you did see…”

Her face took on an evil incarnate death stare.

“Uhh…I just mean… just the tip of them”

I squeaked out, fiddling and stumbling on my words.

My legs were shaking. I couldn’t stand up, but I managed to scoot back on my ass.

She stalked towards me.

“You’ll have to take responsibility”

She said pondering the thought.

I was shaking at the dark aura pouring out of her.

“What kind of responsibility…”

A high ax kick came blaring down onto my head, and as I started to fade out, I could faintly hear the words.

“Welcome my new caretaker.”