“One More Throw”
Sep 24, 2019“Come on, dad,” cried Danny. “One more throw!”
Charles was tired. He was still in his button-up shirt, which now had a dark blue sweat stain covering his whole back. It was another long day but it was his night with Danny, as much as he would rather have Becky take him for the night.
Charles and Danny had already been throwing the ball around for thirty minutes. The kid had a shitload of energy. Charles hoped Danny would have tired out after ten minutes but he just kept running after the damn ball and throwing it back and running and throwing, reminding Charles of his coke-fueled coworkers.
“Okay, but this is the last one and then we’re leaving,” said Charles. He bent over to pick up the ball. He winced as his back told him this was the final throw or he’d be lying in this field the rest of the night. He stood and reached his arm back as far as it would go and threw the ball as far as he could. He’s gonna earn this one, Charles thought to himself.
The ball flew high and far. Danny squinted in the remaining sunlight. He couldn’t see the ball anywhere. A few moments and he saw it dropping down underneath the sun and he yelped and started running after it.
Charles collapsed to the ground and watched his son run off. He couldn’t tell where the ball landed yet. Danny disappeared into the thicket of large trees. They were starting to lose their leaves and the ones that clung to life changed to dark yellows and reds.
Charles lay on his back looking up at the leaves of the tree hanging above him. How the fuck did he get so tired? He just wanted to sleep forever. He wanted to drop Danny off at Becky’s and drive away and never come back. They’d be fine without him. Becky was still hot and could find herself a rich, good-looking husband. She still had her youth and enough energy to chase Danny around and go out for drinks with her gals afterward. Charles was alone except for the days he had his son. Work work work because he had nothing better to do. Work, drink, sleep, repeat. What a life. How the fuck did I get here? he thought.
He opened his eyes. He must have nodded off. He propped himself on his elbows and looked around. No sign of Danny. He figured the kid would have been back by now, stepping onto his balls to wake him. He looked toward the trees and saw only tree branches and leaves swaying in the breeze. They seemed to groan as the wind picked up. Leaves fell onto Charles from above and he shivered. The tree above him groaned and he could hear the branches creaking. Where the fuck is Danny? he thought and stood up now with a sense of panic. The wind picked up and the tree above him swayed heavier and goddamn it if Charles didn’t hear a low voice grumbling, “we have him.”
Panicking, Charles grabbed his stuff and ran toward the distant trees screaming for his son.