Juniper
The Hobo and Betsy
I didn’t wake myself up. A homeless man gently smacked my face. I saw him smile when I opened my eyes. “That’s good. You wouldn’t be the next body I had to bury. “
I sat up and looked at my surroundings. I’m in a shack of some sort. “Where am I?”
“You’re at the edge of town. Betsy and me found you in this shack. Is it yours? I’m sorry I broke in.”
I shook my head. “It’s not mine. And who’s Betsy?”
The hobo whistled. “C’mere Betsy.”
A white Labrador came trotting to us. “She’s a good buddy to have, but she love to eat and whines when she’s hungry.”
Proving a point Betsy whined. We ignored Betsy and I continued thinking. This man obviously doesn’t know I am, or he wouldn’t have helped me at all. How’d I get here? All I remember is chasing after Jamie and then getting trapped in some tar or whatever it was. Oh, my God! I forgot about Jamie! I have to go find him!
I turned to the smiling hobo. “Thanks for waking me up, but I need to go.”
“There’s no problem. We homeless help each other out. We only have each other in this crazy world. Besides, if I knew you lived in the shack, I would have run.”
I had a little experience with homeless people because back then no one would sell us a house or a single room. I and Jamie would stay with the homeless. “It’s not my shack or anything, but I don’t think anyone would mind you if you stay here.”
He laughed. “Thank you.”
“I have to go.”
“Wait. Will you tell me your name? My name is Andy.”
“I’m Harley.”
“Goodbye Harley.”
“Good bye Andy. Bye Betsy.”
She wagged her tail. I left.
I arrive at home with the usual stares. I’m used to people watching me from afar and glaring at me. I don’ resent my parents for all the hate that is thrown at me, I was raised without them and I only knew I have a brother a couple of years ago.
I live in a one-story house with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It’s big enough for me and Jamie to live in. It’s small enough to not get us noticed. I’m comfortable with it, which means that we accept it like any other house.
I want to tell someone about Jamie. He isn’t at home and he hasn’t contacted me. I’m worried that he is still in that cave with glowing lights and the black muck. It’s not like I could tell anyone that he was absent. If someone knew, they would immediately call the police and have me arrested for letting him escape. We’re not supposed to exactly leave the city without someone knowing. It causes chaos around the city. They are afraid that we will become just like our parents and try to do something like they would do. I wouldn’t dare attempt something like that. Jamie and I would be killed right after we even think about doing something. I wouldn’t do anything that would cause us harm. I didn’t know a mine was dangerous.
I sat up and looked at my surroundings. I’m in a shack of some sort. “Where am I?”
“You’re at the edge of town. Betsy and me found you in this shack. Is it yours? I’m sorry I broke in.”
I shook my head. “It’s not mine. And who’s Betsy?”
The hobo whistled. “C’mere Betsy.”
A white Labrador came trotting to us. “She’s a good buddy to have, but she love to eat and whines when she’s hungry.”
Proving a point Betsy whined. We ignored Betsy and I continued thinking. This man obviously doesn’t know I am, or he wouldn’t have helped me at all. How’d I get here? All I remember is chasing after Jamie and then getting trapped in some tar or whatever it was. Oh, my God! I forgot about Jamie! I have to go find him!
I turned to the smiling hobo. “Thanks for waking me up, but I need to go.”
“There’s no problem. We homeless help each other out. We only have each other in this crazy world. Besides, if I knew you lived in the shack, I would have run.”
I had a little experience with homeless people because back then no one would sell us a house or a single room. I and Jamie would stay with the homeless. “It’s not my shack or anything, but I don’t think anyone would mind you if you stay here.”
He laughed. “Thank you.”
“I have to go.”
“Wait. Will you tell me your name? My name is Andy.”
“I’m Harley.”
“Goodbye Harley.”
“Good bye Andy. Bye Betsy.”
She wagged her tail. I left.
I arrive at home with the usual stares. I’m used to people watching me from afar and glaring at me. I don’ resent my parents for all the hate that is thrown at me, I was raised without them and I only knew I have a brother a couple of years ago.
I live in a one-story house with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It’s big enough for me and Jamie to live in. It’s small enough to not get us noticed. I’m comfortable with it, which means that we accept it like any other house.
I want to tell someone about Jamie. He isn’t at home and he hasn’t contacted me. I’m worried that he is still in that cave with glowing lights and the black muck. It’s not like I could tell anyone that he was absent. If someone knew, they would immediately call the police and have me arrested for letting him escape. We’re not supposed to exactly leave the city without someone knowing. It causes chaos around the city. They are afraid that we will become just like our parents and try to do something like they would do. I wouldn’t dare attempt something like that. Jamie and I would be killed right after we even think about doing something. I wouldn’t do anything that would cause us harm. I didn’t know a mine was dangerous.