Loose Strings

"Quick now, Timmy, we have to get to the store before they run out of everything."

Her hands gripped tighter on his mittens.

"What are we getting, Mommy?" he asked.
"We're just getting presents for Christmas."

His eyes were watering from the harsh winds.
The big poofy coat and scarf he had on wouldn't let him walk straight.
He had to waddle and it made it hard to keep up.

"Do you want me to carry you, Timmy?"
"No Mommy, I can do it all by myself!"

The snow picked up and pushed the two back every time they chose to step forward.

"Mommy, can we go home? It's too cold! Brrr!"
"We can't go home until we get presents. I don't want to disappoint anyone."

Suddenly, the sound of an ocean came from around the building. He was confused because he knew there were no oceans in the middle of a city. Then a parade of people with determined faces almost ran the parent and child over.

"What's the meaning of this? Why is everyone running this way?" His mommy shouted.
"There's a sale at the other end of town! Fifty percent of anything when you buy three of something!" a shopper told her.
"You don't have to push me and my poor child around for a stupid sale. Come on Timmy, let's get out of here before more unpolite citizens come this way."

That's what he thought she said, but he couldn't be sure because the parade of people had taken him away. He was lost in their legs and many bags of shoes and other stuff. He finally managed to get out, but didn't know where he was. He was in the middle of an alleyway between a red building and an orange building, which would seem cheery until the initial shock wore off. It smelled like wet newspapers, fresh from the crowd. Even though he was scared to be away from his mommy, he decided to walk down the alleyway.

"Mommy! Mommy!" he yelled.
"Jane! Jane!" He yelled out her first name because he figured out that a lot of people have mommies and she might be confused.

The floor of the alley was littered with murky puddles even though it hadn't rained in forever. It was snowing though. At least the red and orange buildings would keep the wind down.

All of a sudden, an old man in a suit jacket and lab coat ran by the boy, just like the crowd.

"Quick son! Take this and hide!"
"What do I do wi-"
"Just read the front!"

He was gone just as fast as he had came. He handed the boy a wrapped package covered in faded yellow paper and a string holding everything in place.

More footsteps came splashing in the slush on the sidewalk so the boy hid behind the dumpster. Three men in black suits and sunglasses ran by, but they were gone too.

Timmy looked down at the box and flipped it around to look at the front:

"Do not open until 2010".

He'll find out in seven years.

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12/7/08 5:13 PM