Flashes

Standing on the walk in front of my house, I watch metallic blurs whiz by. My dad is standing next me, and together we yell “SLOW-”

Flash

The car door slams shut. I can feel the seat belt against me, restraining me from moving around, just as the booster seat below me does. Sammy sits next to me. I turn to her, and she smiles.

Flash

Jolting upright in bed, the warm covers fall off of me. I look over at Thomas, who says to me “J.T., I don't need the rails on my bed anymore. Help me take them off” I agree and swing my legs out of my comfortable, warm bed. We carry the rails up to the attic, and then go back to sleep.

Flash

My parents and I walk into the school. Everything is new to me. This is a sort of orientation, I think. On a bulletin board, wooden cutouts in the form of bright red apples hang from ribbon. On each apple, written in black letters, is a name. I look for mine. It is not there. Only one that reads “James” My father takes it, and tells me that he will change it to read “J.T.”.

Flash

I look at John. “Three, two, one, GO!” We race down the blacktop at breakneck speed until-

Flash

My mom slows down as we get to the house. My friend is waiting on the steps. As we pull into the driveway, I look up. The sky is a truer blue than ever I had seen before. I go inside.

Flash

We play with the action figures. She asks if I want some Halloween candy. It is soon after Halloween. I say yes, and we walk into the kitchen. She gets a stool and pulls it up to the refrigerator. Standing up on the wobbling wooden stool, she grabs a basket off of the top of the refrigerator. She climbs down. We go to her room to eat it.

Flash

The end of the school year is here. We are moving soon, far away from here. Each member of our class gets handed a paperback yearbook. We sign each others. When we get to the page with the guinea pig, we go over to him and he bites a little bit out of his page, his equivalent of a signature.

Flash

I am standing outside of my new school, getting ready to lineup in order to go inside for my first day of school at this new place. I am upset, for I do not know anybody. Only now has it really dawned on me that I will no longer be going to school with my friends. I realize that all them are back in Westfield. My dad crouches down in front of me, and takes out a British ten-pound note. He was in London the day before. He gives it to me, and tells me that I can hold on to it for him.

Flash

I am back in John's house. I have not seen him since we moved. He is glad to see me. We walk to the end of the hallway to a traffic light and go into his room on the left.

Epilogue

It is now years later. I am on Facebook, sending out friend requests to some people I just met. Suddenly I remember something. Walking across my room, I retrieve a tattered note from a hidden place in my room. The writing of a seven-year-old reads:

“J.T., I hope you like your New home. I well miss you. Your frind John.”

I fold the note back up and return it to its place.

Flash

Leaning back, I remember.