CHRIS

(Aged 11)

     Chris sauntered into the living room and casually tossed his Halloween bag on the floor.  He was careful not to upset any of his friends’ candy already separated into piles.  A pair of strong but skinny legs were revealed as he methodically unbuttoned his wizard cape and let it drop to the ground.

“Whew Chris, nice legs!”

“Thanks,” he answered in a soft spoken confidence.  “I been workin’ out.”

     His orange Nike T-shirt was bright with colour against his fair but freckled complexion and his legs were marked with battle bruises from last night’s street hockey game.  Anxious to dig into his own Halloween treasures, he tip toed between the maze of treats and found an empty spot on the floor near the over-sized couch.

     He stretched his long, sinewy frame out against the base of the couch.  His muscular arm draped comfortably over a mislaid pillow.  With his free hand, he scratched his fingers through his cropped, coarse hair, fluffing up the blond streaks.  As he rubbed, he scrunched his nose and furrowed his brow just long enough to reveal the freckle that lived above his right eye.

     He gazed about the noisy room, his head slightly cocked, intent on belonging to the commotion, but never once disturbing it.  His hazel eyes sparkled with wonderment as he watched the smaller curly haired boy open his Halloween bag and shove piece after piece of red liquorice in his hungry little mouth.  His own jaw was chopping furiously on a wad of grape gum.  The piece was so big that it almost escaped several times and landed on his shiny blue satin Nike shorts.  Luckily he had quick reflexes.

     Chris let a small grin creep from the side of his mouth as he continued to covertly observe the young boy’s antics.  Suddenly the boy sneezed and shot liquorice bullets through the air.  Chris’ entire body began to shake in a fit of uncontrollable but silent laughter.  And as he laughed, his smile grew, tucking its’ corners beneath his protruding cheekbones, exposing two large front teeth and gap just wide enough to wedge a straw.  Then his gum fell out.

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