New World
I do not believe this story is at its best, but I will continue to work it over time. I will be happy for any questions and advice to help improve my little story.
The air felt cold as he watched the ground moved beneath him, yet the sun shone brightly through the clear skies. He could only see his shadow follow when he kicked the worn out patch. The chains creaked and echoed in his ears; it barred the cheers of the other children, who parted and moved to another section of the playground when he had approached. This he did not like nor could understand how to change it, but he was sure of one thing; he missed being home.
His mother could be heard talking from afar but her words were not for him. She had spoken less since moving; at least, it had been less with him... on anything. He had begun to shut his door when she would drink from her black bottle. The one she hid from dad. The one that made her talk loudly to the neighbors and to the other mothers. The one that made her cry at night when dad worked late; sometimes, she would say words he was not allow to say, bad words against 'them'. She even told him that she hated those "filthy fluffs". Mother wasn't mother, not anymore.
Dad has been working a lot more; whether at night or in the morning, he was always asleep and unable to see his dad. Dad had told him, growing up, to be respectful to the "Anthros". He met the big one before moving; the one that worked with dad. The "Anthro" was really big, bigger than his dad, and had pointed ears that move in all directions. He hid behind his father's legs when the big dog-thing smiled; big teeth. Dad said not to be afraid and he wasn't, sort of. It couldn't be helped when the dog-thing spoke; like thunder that shook his bones, he gripped his father's legs but he was brave, he didn't run away.
He came to a stop and just hanged; kicking his feet in the air but it was wasted energy. His mother laughed loudly that it gave him the "chills". He sighed and walked to the edge of the playground, past the broken court and around the loose fence to the small woods. There was time to explore, or rather walk out some of his boredom. The dried up leaves crunched under his footsteps. He slipped on a root but didn't fall and continued until he reached the edge of the woods.
There was a fence that split the woods in two. He went up to and peered through it, almost hoping to see one of them, but all he could see were the tops of some houses. They were out of sight beneath the slow rolling hills. With another sigh, he picked up a stick and scrapped it along the wire fence, trailing it without much thought.
He missed his friends and the games and the fun. Why did he have to move away from it all? Tracy, Elwin, Philip and Casey, they all promised to be friends forever. He tossed his stick hard against the fence, only to have it bounce through then fall un-dramatically to the other side.
There was a stir behind a tree from where the stick fell. He almost ran but stopped himself because he was a big, brave boy. He turned back with tight little fists and looked into the black eyes of the creature. It was a mouse, maybe a rat that stood there, watching him as closely as he did to it. It had brown fur all over except for the white under its chin and the ears, they were black when they turned away but pink, when they turned to him; listening and twitching. Its black nose twitched. He could not tell boy from girl but it looked like a boy. It was wearing tan shorts and a black shirt and its tail rested behind it.
He noticed a book in its clawed paw. It has been awhile that he sat in his father's lap with an open book in his. He really loved to read. The kids here made fun of him for it when the teacher had asked what he liked to do at home. He loosened his fists and dared to walk up to the fence placing his hands on the links. Mom hated them, dad didn't. He will be brave.
The rat-mouse thing took a step, then another, and another. He stood his ground. It was not much bigger than him anyway. He watched so closely that he hadn't notice the free paw was resting on his right hand. It was warm and kind of soft. They stood there, locked eye to eye for almost an eternity.
"Hi."