John Cook sat alone in his bedroom, squished into his beanbag chair, watching The Island of Dr. Moreau. On the floor around him were potato chip bags and empty cans of Dr. Pepper, there was a freshly opened Dr. Pepper in one hand and a half empty bag of Ruffles in the other. For the past three days this was all he had done- sit and stare at the television screen. Now that school was over for the rest of the year and his parents decided they needed a vacation, John could do whatever he wanted. And he was doing just that. John was not a social person, he didn't go out for sports, go out with friends or girls, in fact the boy just didn't go out. Mostly he sat in front of his computer or television and played games or watched movies and shows. Right now was different though, right now he had three more weeks until his parents came home. John was at peace now, his mother usually bugged him every hour to go outside and play. John laughed when she said that. Play- like he was six years old again and he sat in the front yard grass and inspected the tiny bugs that scurried away when he lifted a rock.
"I am playing, Mom, I'm playing Final Fantasy."
His mother sighed, "Why don't you call your friends and have them come over? You could play games together or have a movie night."
John squinted at her in disbelief, "What friends? You think your 'anti-social and lonely boy' is gonna suddenly change and frolic with the rest of the human species? Please."
Mother's face turned into hurt surprise and she knew her son knew everything she talked about.
"The walls are thin, Ma, and I'm a light sleeper."
It was hard for John to explain to his mother that he wasn't the only person on the planet like this, and that he didn't enjoy the company or even the presence of 98 percent of the human race. Being in his room got him away from everyone else, just like he wanted.
Staring at his TV, John heard a jet fly directly overhead his house and he jumped, it was a fast sound, gone quicker than he had realized and he was confused. 'Jets don't fly through here,' he thought 'and certainly not so damn close!' And then a noise like a glacier breaking apart exploded behind his house, behind his room and the ground shook for only a second. The sound was so loud and sudden, John jumped again, harder and sloshed his soda onto his face and shirt. Jumping up, he ran to his window and looked out into the backyard where a hole had appeared in the ground- it was smoking.
"I am playing, Mom, I'm playing Final Fantasy."
His mother sighed, "Why don't you call your friends and have them come over? You could play games together or have a movie night."
John squinted at her in disbelief, "What friends? You think your 'anti-social and lonely boy' is gonna suddenly change and frolic with the rest of the human species? Please."
Mother's face turned into hurt surprise and she knew her son knew everything she talked about.
"The walls are thin, Ma, and I'm a light sleeper."
It was hard for John to explain to his mother that he wasn't the only person on the planet like this, and that he didn't enjoy the company or even the presence of 98 percent of the human race. Being in his room got him away from everyone else, just like he wanted.
Staring at his TV, John heard a jet fly directly overhead his house and he jumped, it was a fast sound, gone quicker than he had realized and he was confused. 'Jets don't fly through here,' he thought 'and certainly not so damn close!' And then a noise like a glacier breaking apart exploded behind his house, behind his room and the ground shook for only a second. The sound was so loud and sudden, John jumped again, harder and sloshed his soda onto his face and shirt. Jumping up, he ran to his window and looked out into the backyard where a hole had appeared in the ground- it was smoking.
