The Drowning River

Daniel sat on the floor of his new bedroom, feeling sad. New rooms were supposed to be fun and exciting with toys and cool things to look at, but all this room had were boxes overflowing with Isabel’s boring, grown-up stuff. The walls were plain white with no awesome posters or glow in the dark stars like his old room at Mami’s house. And Isabel was too busy cooking to play. She took away his tablet and wouldn’t let him watch stuff on her phone. She said he had to “limit his screen time.” Whatever that meant.

He missed being at the Joneses. There were so many kids there! Always someone to play with in that house. Why couldn’t Isabel take the other kids to live here too? That would have been more fun.

And why couldn’t they go see Mami?

He missed her too.

All he could do was set his new doll onto his lap. He liked the doll’s straw hat and big eyes. The nice lady at the store said he could tell the doll his problems, so he gave it a try.

“I’m bored,” he whispered. “There’s no friends here, or games to play and…Isabel’s mean.”

I’m your friend…He heard the doll’s voice in his head, clear as day, and gasped in delight.

“Really? What’s your name?”

Pablo.

“I’m Daniel!” He danced Pablo around in his hands. A magic doll! There might finally be some fun around here!

Let’s be friends forever and ever and ever. We’ll never have to be sad ever again, because we’ll always be together. How does that sound?

“I like that.” Daniel squeezed the doll tight to his chest. “I’m tired of always leaving people. First Mami and now the Joneses.”

Hey, let’s play the best friends game.

“Okay. How do we play?”

Turn around.

“Huh?” Daniel turned. Directly behind him, a big pair of scissors sat on top of a taped-up box. He frowned. “Isabel said not to touch those. She’ll get mad.”

Don’t worry. We’ll put them back when we’re done.

That was good enough for Daniel. He tucked Pablo under his arm and stood, grabbing the scissors. The handle was so big, he dropped them with a clatter, but quickly picked them back up.

Hee hee! Yay!! Pablo cheered.

Holding the scissors made Daniel’s heart thump hard in his chest. This was almost as exciting as when Isabel pushed Daniel on the swing super high. He giggled, dropping the scissors again.

Pick them up and hold them tight in your hand.

“Okay.” Daniel did as he was told. He couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next.

Now hold out your other hand. And then…press the scissors into your skin as hard as you can.

“W-won’t that hurt?” Daniel asked, feeling unsure and squirmy for the first time. He didn’t like getting owies. One time he tripped and fell in the Joneses driveway, and it cut up his knees so bad, he cried.

No, it’ll be fun fun fun! It’s the only way we can be friends forever. Just hold onto me tight and do it! On the count of three!

One…

Daniel made sure Pablo was still under his arm.

Two…

Then he held up the pointy part of the scissors over his palm.

Three!