Child's Play

Guns

Picture: Leslie; Age 5

I jumped up as I heard the door open, meaning my mom was home. Excited as always, I ran to the front hallway, hugging my mom's hips, not being that tall. She pushed me away, going to her and daddy's room. I nearly ran after her, but instead sunk down to the floor, staring at the same door daddy would soon open. I was lonely. I sat there for another thirty so minutes before my mom came back out. She looked at me, and I stood up, "mummy, wanna play Clue with me?" Daniele Willis shook her head, walking off muttering how kids waste so much time and how she would like a nice shot.

I cocked my head, wandering what a shot was. Did mommy mean she wanted a gun? My eyes got wide, and I ran after her. "Mommy! Do we own any guns?" My mom looked down at me, her eyes questioning. "No." She lied.

I could tell she was lying. I was good at that. "Mommy, you shouldn't be using a gun!" I whined. "Leslie, I'm not going to be using a gun." She growled back. "Now get out." I nodded, skipping out to leave her use guns by herself. In my own room, I wondered if most kid's mom's had guns. I snuck into my dad's office, calling my friend Alice from school to ask if her parents owned a gun. Her dad picked up, already home from work. "Hello?"

"Hi Mister Alice's Dad!" I chirped. "Can I talk to Alice please?" He hesitated for a second. "Sure, Leslie. Just a bit." I sat on my dad's spinning chair for a couple minutes before I heard quiet voices on the phone.

"Rob, I don't want Alice talking to that kid." Alice's mom.

"I know, but Alice absolutely adores her."

Alice adores me? I didn't know what adores mean, but it sounded pretty nice, so I kept listening.

"She's the daughter of two psychopaths! Have you seen her slut of a mother? She's probably not even her real daughter!" I had no idea how she was describing my mother, but her words didn't sound nice at all. I waited for Alice's dad's kind response.

"Kate, the poor girl can't help her parents choices..." he said softly, nearly that I couldn't hear. Alice's mom sounded really angry now. "Rob. Alice will not be talking or seeing her- Alice! Honey! Hey!"

I heard Rob pick the phone up. "Here, Alice, Leslie called." I cleared my throat, pretending to totally not have been listening the whole time. "Hi Alice!"

"Hey Leslie! What's up?"

"Stuff. How about you?"

"Meh. Quinn is totally watching me from outside."

"Ew. Boys are so gross."

"I know right."

"Yeah."

"Mmhm."

"Alice?"

"Yeah?"

"Do your parents own a gun?"

Alice sounded scared. "N-no. My parents aren't insane!"

"Oh. Yeah... right. Sorry for asking. My... my dad's home. Bye." I quickly hung up, feeling bad that I had lied but mad that she had called my parents insane. That wasn't very nice... are my parents insane?"

That night at dinner I asked my parents if they were insane. "Are you two insane?" My dad looked up from his weird brown liquid called beer or something. I didn't remember. "What do you mean, Les Love?"

I always liked it when he called me Les Love. It made me feel less lonely. "I dunno...just... Alice said only insane people have guns."

"Well Alice is insane. Doesn't know what she's talking about." My dad leaned over, kissing me on the forehead. I smiled, nodding and going back to my dinner.