Chapter 1 Continued

I had thought nothing of it do to the fact that I was four and was thinking it was just another normal visit. When we pulled up I saw a lot of other kids that seemed to be around my age. A few of them seemed familiar and many of them didn’t. Out of all the people there I was quickly able to pick out my cousin. He had an extravagant birthday hat on and everyone seemed to focus on him. My mother pulled me out of the car and told me to go join the other kids. To me there backyard seemed like such a foreign place. It was full of kids and adults. There were balloons and decorations as far as a four year olds eye could see. It was like a dream come true, but the problem was I had thought it was all for me. I was having the time of my life. I played in the bouncy house, I had gotten a balloon animal, and I was allowed to eat all the junk food I wanted.

Finally it came time to unwrap presents. I watched as this mountain of gifts was revealed. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My eyes were quickly glued to the present wrapped in the blue poke-a-dotted wrapping paper with a strategically placed red ribbon off to the side so it was easy to open. It all came back to me; it was the same gift that I had “helped” my mother wrap. It was the foot long bright red fire truck of my dreams. Without even thinking I sat next to my cousin while my mom handed me the gift. At the time I didn’t hear her because I was too focused on the present I was about to receive but she said something along the lines of give this to Jason and wish him a happy birthday. The minute that present reached my hands there was a loud banging sound. I had pushed my cousin from grabbing the present out of my hands and he hit the ground with one loud bang. I paid no attention to what was going on around me and ripped it open. Sure enough I was right; sitting in front of me was that bright red fire truck.

Lying next to me on the ground was my cousin. He had cracked his skull open on the brick walk way. When all had fallen quiet I had finally looked over at my cousin to see what had happened. My smile quickly withered away as I saw blood surrounding him. Not two-seconds later the ambulance arrived. They had swiftly placed my cousin on a gurney and carried him away. The silence was broken as I heard many voices cloud my head. Voices of anger and sorrow filled the once happy environment. Tears had so quickly fallen from my cheeks to the ground. Everything that once was so clear had become all bleary and distorted. My mother had soon pulled me out of there and buckled me into to the car seat. She told me everything was going to be ok don’t worry, but even at the age of four I had a doubtful feeling about that.