“Peaceful Park”

The lake once ran red

With the blood of brothers

Now all is quiet.

“Perennial Youth Part 1.1”  

“You can’t do that!”

A little child sat in the grass. Dirt was covering her rosy innocent face and flowery dress. Her eyes were pools of confusion and worry that faced the harsh, condescending face of the child above her.

“Julie, don’t do that!”

Julie looked at the red-haired boy for a few seconds before continuing to play with the dirt. She moved the black earth, studied it. The look of the dirt seemed so pleasing to her that she could not stop herself. She smiled in wonder.

“I said don’t do that!”

The little boy couldn’t handle it anymore. He moved toward Julie, and he started to drag her away from the dirt mound. She screamed and thrashed herself, yet the boy couldn’t let her go. Using all the strength he had, he desperately pulled her from the dirt that she loved so dear.  

“Let her be.”

The boy looked away from Julie and let her go. He looked in wide-eyed disbelief.

A woman sat in the abode of her lawn chair. She was in a place of relaxation that was briefly troubled. She looked at the boy sternly before returning her paradise, Ray Bradbury.    

“Nani, did you see that?”

The woman did not look up.

“Julie wasn’t supposed to do that.”

“Why not?” asked Nani.

“Well, Daddy said,” the boy began.

“Daddy’s not here.”

An older boy with dark hair got up from the table and faced the little boy.

“But what about—?”

“It doesn’t matter,” the older boy interrupted. “He’s not here. Nani is.”

“Frederick, let your brother believe what he likes,” Nani said calmly.

“But Nani,” Frederick began.

“Young man, I don’t agree with Harry, either,” Nani continued. “But in my house, everyone believes whatever they want. They can disagree, but they mustn’t get too worked up about it.”

“See?” said Harry.

“And that goes for you, too,” Nani said facing Harry.

Harry’s face turned a new shade of red before stalking toward the basketball net near the garage.