Bicycle

I pushed one pedal down with my foot as my bike advanced a few feet from my driveway. I turned right, pushing harder now going downhill. My bike was a ten speed that mom got me when I was six... of course she had the seat lowered, and we raised it as I got older... but now I lived with my auntie Maggie,at 13 years old. I knew everyone in the neighborhood, across the street was Tabetha, next door was Margaret, next to her, Lynette. So on and so forth. I waved to Mr. Rellenzo as I passed his house, and turned the corner quickly.

I was feeling the strain of the steep hill I went of every day... it was the same, pulse-pounding pressure on my legs as I strained my way up. I made it to the top in time to wave hi to Margaret on her way home from church. I turned right once again. Always stick to our block of the neighborhood. It's like was auntie Maggie's motto, she said it to me constantly. I looked at my sweaty hands as I rode up yet another hill. "Ugh, auntie... why do you live here?" I asked myself aloud. I finished the hill and looked both ways, taking my third right turn.

I was feeling the pain now, my legs burned, my arms itched, my face was red. The hills in this neighborhood were really steep. I rode on the last stretch before Maggie's street. It was finally flat road. And I took this chance to stop, and get some water. I took a gulp of water, and placed my right foot on my pedals once more. I pushed forward once more, getting that few feet of momentum. Then pushed in the same old same old circular motion that propelled me to my destination.

As I rounded the final corner I noticed a speeding black minivan heading straight for me. I braced myself for the pain of the plastic-aluminum vehicle about to slam into me. I heard a quick swerve and I closed my eyes. I heard nothing after that, I thought I was dead. Buy when I opened my eyes, I was fine and the skid marks from the tires showed the curved rubber burns that slid past me. I felt my heartbeat calm slightly as I began to push myself once more at the final few meters to auntie Maggie's house.

I Kicked down my kickstand in the back yard, and turned to the massive back wall of the house where I resided with my aunt. I entered through the back door, and glanced at the clock. It was 7 P.M., time for a shower. I ran into the kitchen for a glance at dinner. It was roast chicken. I feel like I might have needed to say this earlier but auntie Maggie was a larger woman.... and when I say larger I mean LARGER. I hugged her gently. "Smells delicious auntie...." I said as I tuned to go upstairs to the bathroom where I could refresh myself with a cold shower.

"Hold on just one minute, Richard. Aren't you forgetting something?" When Auntie Maggie asked this, I stopped cold, I thought maybe I was in huge trouble.

"Yes Aunt Maggie?" I asked as I tuned around.

"Didn't you forget to say something?"

"I-I... uhh..."

"It starts with an I and end with you?"

"I love you Auntie Maggie."

She smiled and shooed me away now. I ran up the stairs and turned to the bathroom. I opened the door and stepped in, the cooler air in this room felt good, almost crispy. I removed my shirt and looked at myself in the mirror. I had short cut brown hair and dark brown eyes. I was a scrawny Caucasian kid with a love for bike riding. I didn't have any friends, but my neighbors all loved me to death, and I could live with it. I turned away from myself in the mirror and quickly removed my pants, underwear, and shoes, to step into the shower.

I turned the knob to cold and felt the relieving water wash over my body. The effects were almost instant. The water blasted away the heat and sweat and stress of the day as I reached for the soap. I brought the little blue bar to my skin and slid it from my chest to my feet. And let the water do the rest. I placed the bar back and reached for Auntie's shampoo. I wet down my hair, and then got a small glob of the shampoo in my hand. I placed the shampoo in my hair and slid my hand through, rubbing my scalp down with the coconut scented shampoo. I placed my head back under the water and rinsed quickly.

I turned off the water and stepped out of the little shower, dragging my towel across my face and the rest of my body, I quickly wrapped it around my waist, stepping into the hall so I could make way to my clothing in my closet cross the hall in my room. I stepped quickly across the hall and rushed to my closet. I dropped the towel and slid some underpants on. I grabbed some pajamas, my blue striped ones. And slid them on. Just it time, Auntie Maggie just started calling me down for dinner. "Richard! The chicken is ready! come and eat!"

"Coming Aunt Maggie!!! I replied as I looked down at myself. Pj's at dinner. How classy. I walked down the steps to see that Auntie Maggie had already set everything up for me. I sat down at the table and Auntie Maggie sat next to me so we could talk while we ate.

"Richie, won't you tell me, have you made any friends in the time that you were here?"

"Auntie Maggie. There ARE no kids here.... I told you that already." This topic always frustrated me.

"I was just wondering, you never know, Richard, someone may move in..."

"Everyone here you've known for years Aunt Maggie! They won't move out till they die!!"

Now it was her turn to raise her voice. "Well excuse me for trying to raise the SPIRIT of you, sometimes, you seem ungrateful."

"UNGRATEFUL!??!?! I have ALWAYS been grateful for this life Aunt Maggie! ALWAYS!!! I always tell you thanks, compliment you! I never ever try to hurt you! And for whatever reason I am the one that gets treated like this! You know what? I'm not even hungry." I picked up the plate of veggies and chicken, and threw it in the trash, storming up to my room and lying down in my bed. I grumbled myself into a deep sleep, I was so angry I had dreamed about being angry.

When I awoke the next morning. I didn't even make breakfast. I wen't immediately downstairs to my bike, and kicked it off the stand. I pushed down and began a early morning bike ride. I turned to the right to tide up the hill, and what did I see? That same black minivan from yesterday. I watched as it sped towards me once more. I closed my eyes as this time. My front tire collided with it bumper of the car. I was sent flying. As I went, the last thing I saw, was this big purple vortex. And then I was asleep for a while.