I'm Half Doomed & You're Semi-Sweet

Child Years:

A smile spread across my face as the sun spread over my skin and I remembered how great this day, my birthday had been. I'd gotten a few presents that I'd really wanted Nintendo games, boardgames and a hat. It was strange how I was now seven, but hardly felt any older.
I squinted my eyes as the sunlight reflected off the silver slide not far away from me. I gripped harder onto the chains of the swing and swung my legs back and forward, faster. I loved the feeling as I got higher. My mum smiled at me from a bench nearby while she sipped at some coffee she'd bought. Kids ran around, but didn't come near me. I felt miles away from their laughter and fun. Alone. Slowly the air seemed to get colder as the sun headed towards the horizon, setting for the night.
I kept swinging higher and watched as the parents around the playground checked their watches, phones or looked at the sky for the time. My hat got whipped off my head, but I ignored it. I kept watching the parents call their children or grab them off the playground in a rush. I still never understood why parents got so scared like that.
I stopped swinging and stretched my legs until they dug into the bark padding floor and jerked to a stop. Mum ran over to me as I got off to grab my hat and stare at the cars speeding out of parking spaces. She scooped me into her arms and ran off to her car like everyone else. She made sure I was strapped in, before she jumped in and locked all the doors. She patted my knee as I looked out the window, clutching my hat tightly.
For as long as I could remember, everyone acted like this. Before the sunset, we had to be inside. No one would tell me why, all I know is that everyone got frightened. The same as I didn't know how my dad had died when I was three.Mum wouldn't say. The thought hurt her. Blurred memories I still held onto.
When we retched home, we rushed inside. My mum locked and closed the curtains to every door and window, but left the outside lights on. My mum never let me watch TV unless it was a kids video. She said it wasn't good for me, but I think she was hiding something. Some nights my mum and I would sleep together. She got so scared she cried. Sometimes I swore I could here someone walking outside or trying to get in. She felt safer with me next to her.

But tonight I slept in my own light auqa coloured room, with my lamp on the bedside table. That night before bed, I looked out my window into the night, only lit up with the dim street lights, to spot something sitting on the curbing. A little kid around my age, looking at the road in silence. What was he doing out there? Where were his parents?
I quietly opened the window and quietly tried to get the kid's attention.

"Psssst" I hissed, into the dead night air.

The kid suddenly jumped up and spun around to me, stumbling on the curb. He looked like he wanted to make a run for it, but didn't know which way to turn. He had a hood on his head so it was hard to make out his shadow face.
I used my hand to tell him to come closer. He nervously walked across the front lawn and stopped a few feet away from my window.
The sleeves of his bulky black hoodie covered his hands. His long black jeans dragged along the ground over his sneakers. His skin was a pale tan, dead look. His lips ruby red, chocolate brown eyes and goldenish short hair. His eyes looked frightened and that he might cry any second.

"Don't be scared" I said, feeling slightly nervous "What are you doing outside?"

The boy hesitated for a few seconds "Walking around" his voice was sort of flowing.

I gave a confused look "Where's your parents?"

"Getting food" the boy said, looking up the street "Not my favorite thing".

I nodded and smiled. He replied with a shy look.

"I'm not aloud out at night" I said, looking at the sky "Only day".

The boy's eyes widened "Really? I'm only aloud out at night. Before the sun rises and after it sets".

I let out a little chuckle which people usually called cute. He blinked at me a few times as if he didn't understand something. This kid was weird, unusual.

"What's your name? I asked, throwing my hat on the bed.

"Peter" the boy replied "But I hate it, so I get called Pete. What's yours?"

Pete was now right by the window, skin slightly glowing in the dim lamp light.

"Patrick" I said, quietly.

I knew not to give my name to strangers, but he had told me his and he seemed friendly enough.
Pete smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. His pointy teeth did look quite, well pointy and sharp. His nose twitched slightly.

"You smell funny" Pete said, snickering behind his hand that now covered his mouth.

I bit my tongue, feeling my cheeks brighten with embarrassment. Did I stink? No one else complained. My mum was a very clean person.

"Actually it's a really nice smell, sweet, I like it" Pete said, laughing.

I chewed on my lip, but smiled which turned into a laugh. Yeah, this was a weird conversation just like the kid, but it was funny.

The next few days at night, we'd talk about nothing much, sometimes about the city, about our parents and about friends. The topic was short. None of us really had friends so we decided to be best friends. It was quite fun and I was beginning to learn Pete was so different from the other kids I'd seen and knew. He didn't care that I had no friends or didn't like certain things. Such a happy kid. He had one creepy habit that would cause him to burst in laughter and me to look freaked out. Sometimes he'd begin to sniff my neck as if he liked the smell. He'd get so close that I could feel his lips brush against my skin. I had to jab him in the ribs with my elbow when he started to get carried away. He liked to sit close to me and just listen like he was younger than me. I liked his company and so did he. Suddenly I wanted it to be night quicker and wishing I could actually explore the nightlife with him. My best friend forever.
Everything was great until my mum found me one night talking to Pete through the window and she completely flipped. She threatened to throw a book and lamp at him. Pete ran off looking terrified. She growled me and had forbidden me to talk to the nasty kid. But that nasty kid was my only friend. Why couldn't we be friends like other kids? What was wrong with him? What was I too young to understand?
And that was that last time I saw my friend.