Son of Fred -- Early Reader ages 7-9 (Ch. 7)

Chapter Seven - Lots Of Fun…

 

Victoria Park was really huge. Now that he was alone, it seemed more like a jungle. It was filled with noises and other strange sounds and…danger?

"No. That was a partridge."  He knew the word from his student encyclopedia. Shawn laughed. “Floppy-Joe” was the new name he gave it. Its wings beat faster and faster.

Now it was up and gone away.

He tried to copy its quick movements. Shaw began flapping his own arms, as quickly as he could. "I'M FREE!” he shouted at the sky.

"I'M SON OF FRED!"

There was no one to say, “Be careful.” Or, “Don't do that you noisy boy.”

His life had been full of rules even though his foster parents were kind. "But strict!" he laughed out loud. He liked to laugh.

And his strong voice echoed down the trail.

Shawn was not used to making happy noises past his backyard. Now he was so noisy, several boys from school began to follow him.

His anxious feet headed for the Wishing Well.

It was on the other side of the boardwalk bridge. And there was only one special wish to make.

It burst out of his mind and fell with his penny into the well. It felt good to say the words.

"I want to find my dad Fred."

His coin swirled down and down, landing with a THUNK!

Later he made his way along the creek bank, noticing foam flecks by a logjam. The slow current accepted his flung stone. 'KER-SPLASH!"

"KER-SPLASH!" he repeated. "KER-SPLASH! KER-SPLASH! Ha. Ha. Ha!" His voice bounced along the riverbed.

"Hey," he shouted at the water. "I'm Me. I'm son of Fred."

Some boys following him were quite surprised. They couldn't help but wonder. Shawn? Alone in the park, and not even hanging onto the boardwalk rail, like he usually did?

By now the trail climbed higher upon the rising hill.

They remembered his screams of fear in the past. And that was even when his foster parents were there. 

Now the boys were simply amazed. And began to circle him quietly. Almost like three cats after a mouse. Here he was, alone. And no foster parents to protect him.

“Far out,” they said to each other with high fives. Bugging him was going to be fun.

"Hey Shawn! What're you doing here? All by yourself!" they yelled.

Maybe they could have some fun with him. Like, push him around a little. And take that smile off his face.

The three boys huddled together as they worked out a plan.

"Hi guys! Can I play too?" His quick question took them by surprise.

Once he was fearful whenever they came around. His smile was full of teeth.

It wasn't a crooked smile anymore.

It wasn't a scared-cat smile either. Nor even a pretend smile. It was a brave 'Son of Fred' smile.

It was a huge, HUGE smile. 

It was a laughing, monster smile.

"Who needs him?" One of the boys asked. "Come on let's beat it. He's weird anyway." The others hesitated, not sure what to do.

"Want to come with us, Shawn?” asked one boy with a smug look on his face. “That’s if you’re brave enough to hike to Waddell Falls.”

“If you’re not a baby-face," the oldest boy added.

"Why not guys? Give the kid a break. He proved he could be a brave little guy," another said.

"I don't know,” said the third boy. “Let's rough him up instead. Yah, give him a bloody nose."

The conversation flowed back and forth like a river. And a little shouting took place between the boys as they argued.

Then one of the boys gave him a shove. But Shawn stood his ground.

Another placed his face close to Shawn, and growled.

But Shawn’s morning GROWL was louder.