"Anias. I thought I told you not to mess with my stuff." I snatched my book out of her hands.

"Well, maybe you should put your stuff away or hide it. Maybe it wouldn't be in my hands if you took care of your stuff." She exclaimed.

"Well... maybe you shouldn't have... you know what, I can't right now." I leaned back, placing my book on the couch as I sat down. "Man. This wound is still killing me. I can feel the stitches and the pain that comes with it. But, I just want it to heal at this point."

"Maybe you should stop moving around instead of constantly pushing yourself. Maybe that's why you feel drained." My little sister looked up at me.

"Maybe you're right. Nothing really feels the same after what happened. But, it's a lesson learned."

Darwin came running downstairs as if something had happened. "Has anyone seen my photo album?" He asked.

"It's on the bookshelf with everything else." Mom hollered out.

"Also, I need my pain meds." I hollered.

"Give me a minute. I'm just finishing up the dishes, and I'll be right out. And don't you even move a muscle." She peaked out, giving me the look. "I know you, young man." She mumbled.

She placed down some breakfast and my pill on a napkin. I can't swallow a pill like most people do. So, I trick my brain into swallowing the pill with the chewed up food. It tricks my brain into thinking I'm only swallowing my food. I devoured my breakfast. My family looked at me like I hadn't eaten in a week.

"Gumball. Slow down before you choke on your food." My mom called out. I laughed.

"Like I'm go -" coughing and gaging as I reached my hand out to my mother, who franticly ran over to me. I laughed, looking at my disappointed mother as she crossed her arms in disbelief. "Man. You fell for that real quick."

"Finish up eating. You have some stuff to do. Not heavy work or moving around. But folding clothes and towels while you're always sitting on the couch." She walked away.

"Oh, come on. That was a good one." I hollered out to her.

"No, I thought I had to take you to the hospital again." She hollered back.

Darwin sat down next to me while pushing out Father over just a bit. He placed the laundry basket down next to me. "I did my part, which is washing and drying. Now you do your part." I moaned and cried out. "You get lucky, you know that?" I glared at him. But nodded my head.

My mother grabbed my plate and folded the little table up while I started working on the laundry basket. It is easy to do, especially when it's the o ly chore she gave me. It feels great to be sitting down doing nothing. But, it also sucks sense I can't see Penny or hang with her due to the doctors orders. I can't move too much or push my body too far. Including my stomach. He says I have a few more months to go until they can take the stitches out.

This summer sucks. And I want a redo.

"Okay. I'm done with the laundry. Can I watch TV now?" I asked. She looked at the basket. Clothes are folded nicely. But the towel looked like they were half-assed.

"Do the towels again. This time, fold them properly."

"Fine." I did as I was told. Folding and placing them down in the basket. "Can I at least, you know, go out today with Darwin?" I asked. Giving her the puppy eyes.

"No." She seemed pissed. "As the doctor said. If you push yourself too far and open that wound back up. I will smack the living hell out of you for another doctor visit." I looked down, folding the last towel.

"Okay." I placed it in the basket. "I just. I wanna see my friends. It's been almost a month and I haven't had a good start to summer."

"Look, Gumball. I understand. But, with your wound and you stepping out those doors. Who knows what would happen to you. I can't see my baby boy end up in the hospital again. I can't do that. I work so hard for you guys and make sure you three have food on the table, a roof over your head, and a healthy body and mindset." She rubbed my cheek. "I know I'm being a bit harsh. But, life is always gonna be harsh. You're gonna go through obstacles and tough times in your life. But right now. Right now, you need to realize that I'm trying to keep you from being six feet under."

"And I understand that, mom. But I'm growing up. I'm learning. I know I'm not an adult yet, or do the things you guys do. But I want to hang out with my friends and enjoy my summer. I don't want this summer to suck and I end up remembering this -" I stopped, realizing all the trauma and all the pain I suffered. Should I forget what happened?

I gulped, "i... I want to forget what happened. But my memory of that incident just keeps coming back. I just want to enjoy the rest of my summer. I wanna see my friends and have fun." More and more I think about it, the more I start to realize how much I have suffered. I stood up, looking at her. "Look. I'd rather live somewhere else than let you tell me what is good for me." She stood, fuming with rage.

"And if you think you know what it best for me. Think about me being in this house all summer, all bundled up on the couch, gaining weight like dad, and suffering because I can't see my friends." I stopped. My father stood, slowly walking away with a look of fear and pain from my words. More fear towards his wife as she slowly lifted her hand up towards my face.

Everyone left the room except for Darwin, who sat at the top of the steps. The slap on my face echoed. "Look at me, Gumball." She was pissed. "Look at me when I'm speaking to you. You don't talk about your father like that, nor do you say those words in front t of your family. I am your mother, and I birthed you, clothed you, raised you to be respectful, and I sure as hell did not raise a young man to speak back to his parents. Now, sit you ass down on that couch and don't speak another word." I could see the rage inside of her. She was holding back the tears in her eyes.

"You know what." I stood up. "Maybe I'm not accepted here. Maybe you did make a mistake having me. But you have no right to slap me across my face like that. I understand your parents did that. And that was their time. But, I was injured and in pain." I wiped away my tears. "Maybe you should look at yourself instead." I pushed her out of my way. I could hear her fall to the floor, and Darwin ran down the steps towards her.

I opened up the door. Leaving it wide open as I ran past the neighbor's and out down the sidewalk towards the school. I could hear my mother call out to me. Screaming my name while Darwin tried running after me. I turned, looking back at them as I kept running.

"Gumball," Darwin yelled. "Gumball. Come back." I would heat his voice fading away as I inched closer and closer to the school.

I stopped, catching my breath and checking on my stomach. Everything seemed fine. I slid down against the school building as I cried out. All my emotions were everywhere. My face was all hot and red while my tears stung my face. I just wanted something to happen. Something to change. And I seemed to have jinxed it. I stopped, huffing and sniffling as the ground shoot violently. Even worse than the last time. I stood, turning towards the schools building as the windows shattered.

"Fuck!" I yelled out. I ran towards the street as parts of the building started to crumble. Car alarms started going off while the ground beneath me started cracking. I watched in disbelief as half of the school was split in two. Not down the middle. But more towards the left side, close to the second window. I stepped aside, looking up and back down before falling to the floor. My eyes shifted towards the the small parts of the building as small pieces started flying down towards me. I curled up in a ball as I covered my head l, screaming out.

But me being stupid. I looked up, staring at the building. My eyes widened. And before I knew it. I was unconscious.

~~~~~~~

My head hurts. Everything hurts all over my body. I jolted up and lifted my shirt to see if my stitches came out or I opened up my wound. I sighed, relieved that I didn't bleed out or scratched open my wound. "Man." I mumbled. "What the hell happened?" I looked around. Realizing the horror that took place. The sound of the wind pushing through the rubble as a whistle like noise echoed through the foggy, smokey air. Small fires and smoke lifted into the air, breathing in the toxic atmosphere.

I soon realized what had happened. "Shit!" I whimpered. I started remembering everything that happened. The fight I had with my mother, running away, and a small piece of concrete from the school that had crumbled apart. Hitting me on the head.

I rubbed the top of my head, feeling a small bump from where it landed. Thank god I can remember everything. I thought. I stood up, getting a good look around. The more I look at the mess. The more I realize how messed up everything is. The school was in somewhat a decent shape. But half of the building collapsed during the quake. Some of it seemed to have pushed its way towards me while I was unconscious.

I looked around to see even more devastating effects that happened while I was passed out. I couldn't believe my eyes at the sight of the building all collapsed. Some houses on fire while others either burned to the ground, or just collapsed during the quake.

I could hear a faint voice calling out. The sound of coughing as a man tired pulling himself out of the bricked up concrete wall that landed on his legs. I took a step closer, getting a good look at him as he stared back at me. "Kids." He groaned. "Kid. Hey kid! Help me." He coughed, spewing up blood.

"Help me out, will ya?" I pushed off a few on top of him. He slowly crawled his way out towards me. His left leg completely broken and he finally made it out. "Grabe those two sticks over there." He tore off parts of his jacket while I handed him the sticks. "Put this in my mouth." I looked at him funny. "Come on kid. I got no time!" I did as he said. Watching him push his bone back into the joint had made me turn away from his cries. He screamed out in pain before timing the two sticks together.

"Give me that long stick over there so i can use it to walk around." He stood up, looking at me. My face all banged up and hair scattered everywhere. He took a few minutes just staring at me. "Welp. Best to be going now kid." I watched as he walked away.

"Wait." I yelled out. He stopped. "I wanna head home. Is there any way you can help me?" I watched as he turned, looking at me. "Kid, do you understand that we're trapped here until the army comes along." I nodded my head. "Well. You might wanna start scavenging for food while you're at it. Because that earthquake basically left a large enough crack for no one to get across here for miles."

"Can I come with?" I asked. He just stood there, twitching before he just said yes.

"Maybe I should lead you home. Make sure you make it back safe. Who knows. Maybe your parents sent out a missing kids report." He smiled. "Probably has a lot of money to give for that report." I couldn't hear the last part. But I ran up, walking next to him. He lifted his hoodie and hid his face from me.

"What's your name?" I asked. He hesitated for a moment.

"The names, Mcgucket. Yeah, Stan Mcgucket. I lost my way here and got caught in the earthquake. It's just. It's been a painful few months for me."

"It's getting dark. Should we make a fire and call it quits?" He asked. Changing the subject real quick.

"Yeah. I'll look for food." I thought I scavenge for food sense he has a broken leg. He started up the fire while I roamed around the empty buildings for some cans. It's quite weird that nobody else is around. Probably left on foot to the nearest place for shelter. But, I kept my hopes up.

Walking back while he warmed up at the fire. He started cooking the food and opening the cans. It felt odd sitting down across from a stranger. But, I wouldn't mind getting to know someone. He seemed friendly.

"So. How did you end up here?" He asked. "It's just a kid like you wandering around all alone with no parents in sight." He slid the can of beans over towards me.

"Oh... yeah. I kinda... um. There was an argument with my parents. We didn't agree with some things." I kicked a small rock, uncomfortable with the conversation.

"Ha! You remind me of myself. Look, kid. Parents are supposed to protect their children. Raising their kids up to understand that consequences to your actions will affect you and the people around them." He took a bite out of the meat.

"Look. I understand about being an adult and all." He stopped me right there.

"No, you don't understand what being an adult is like. You're still young. And you should enjoy being a kid. You see. Life goes by real quick the older you get. I'd enjoy that moment if I was in your shoes." He spat a bone out,"you see. Being an adult comes with a lot of responsibilities, and those responsibilities are work, bills, any issues with your vehicle that just come out of the blue, medical, death, age. I can keep going."

I glanced at him. "But, what about all the gun stuff?" I asked.

"This is what you need to understand. You work to pay for the food, bills, and roof over your family head. You get free time. Be happy you have family and friends by your side. Because one day, you'll wake up regretting what you did or said to anyone in the past. And one day, when they're gone. You can't apologize to those people or make amends to the mistakes you made. I'd go back to your family, who seems to love and care for you. Because one day, your parents won't be here to help you in the future."

He's right. Maybe I was a bit too harsh on mom. But, even her parents pushed her to have something they couldn't have. All the after-school events and them trying to push her to do better than they did.

"Hey, kid." I looked up at him, "I understand that you're in a bad situation. But think about it, will ya. I wish my parents were still here. I'd ask them so many questions right about now. But, growing up is realizing that you have to figure out things on your own. Sometimes, it's okay to ask for help."

"What about you? Do you regret anything?" He went quiet. "I-im sorry. Shouldn't have asked that question."

"No, I do. I regret a lot of things. But not everything." His eyes locked on mine. I got uncomfortable real quick. "I'd shut your eyes and go to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."

I lost my apatite. Something about him started giving me weird vibes. Something familiar in his voice. I was lying on the hard ground as I listened to him shoving food in his face. My eyes opened as I looked down towards the school.

I miss my family. Especially my mother. I turned, looking at the man. He mumbled a few words as he cleaned his hands. I began shaking as I saw the knife in his pocket.