Our Neighbor's Plump Berries

When a child's innocence could lead to so much more ...

The sun had yet to rise up and into the pale lilac

sky, its 5 in the morning on Saturday which would

explain the quiet and asleep neighbours. But

padding on the sidewalk were two small chubby

legs of toddlers in their sleeping ware, out of bed

and comfort of their home walking down the road

to the house next door.

The older one of these two sneaky rascals was

Arabella, with her pink flowy sleeping gown, and

silky hair running down to her shoulders that might

make you think she’s quite the angle but she’s the

complete opposite. She’s loud and obnoxious with

regularly scraped knees, bloody and dirty, running

and chasing.

While the younger one out of them was Alex, with

his curly hair bouncing at every step he takes, and

his clear brown eyes that reflect the sun. he’s

walking with a basket in his small round clutches as

his silk white shirt and shorts ruffles by the chilly

wind, he’s barefoot whereas his sister had enough

time to grab her worn-out sneakers with untied

laces dangling before rushing out of the door all

hushed and quiet.

With little to no trouble those two had made it into

their neighbour’s greenly yard without having

anyone spotting them,

Arabella quickly rushes over to the first tree she

could reach and starts looking around and under

every one of them, and far off stood Alex rubbing

the sleep from his eyes as he looks over at his dumb

sister making a fool of herself running and looking

until she turns and looks at him with her eyes

blown wide and ushers her hands at him to come

where she’s standing under wide and big trees, he

complies running softly as to not make any

disturbing sounds for their neighbour to wake. Even

though they never met them nor saw them around

Alex's reasons it’s just for safety.

“Alex look!” She says enthusiastically pointing at

round blueberries, Alex gasps upon seeing them

driving the sleep away as the shape and plumpness

of the berries surprise him.

“They’re big!” He says bringing his face closer to get

a good look, though impatiently Arabella snatches

the berry from its branch and stuffs it in her mouth

and shows the visible motion of her biting down on

it, and once she does the juices trapped in the round

thing explodes and rushes everywhere between her

teeth and tongue. But when the taste of it hits her

she squeals and shifts on her toes excitingly, quickly

she rushes to grab another one and hands it to Alex.

“But shouldn’t we first wash it?” Asks Alex looking

behind the berry that covered his sister’s head from

how close it was to his face, Arabella though with

stuffed mouth and confusion speaks up.

“Ho shwad dat?” She asked with her words all

muffled, yanking the berry out of her little brother’s

chubby hands.

“Mama!” He answered with a small and shy smile

tugging at his lips upon uttering that word, though

Arabella sighs loudly and with little to no effort she

stuffs the berry in his mouth and he whimpers from

the intrusion. But the burst of saccharine taste

overwhelms his tastebuds, he drops the basket to

the ground to cover his mouth with his small

starfish hands as he indulges in the heavenly taste

of the fresh berry.

“See?” Says Arabella loftily at her little brother

proving to him that waking up this early to sneak in

and grab some of their neighbour’s berries wasn’t

as bad of an idea as he presumed it to be, carefully

she gets hold on the basket abandoned on the dirt

and hands it to Alex as she turns around and starts

grasping at the berries that were hanging by the

branches and hiding behind leaves.

Picking and dropping, the two worked in incredible

efficiency having filled the basket almost full.

But their hard work halted when the sound of

metals clinking and screeching from inside the

house drew their attention, both of them were

alarmed and bolted behind one of the wide trees

that swallowed their figure.

The sounds grew louder and louder, there were

noises of cracking and humming of a machine. And

then it all stops abruptly.

Then the back door leading to the back yard

creaked open by an inch, a rustling noise of plastic

back being placed on the porch was the last thing

the kids heard before the door closed. Once their

thumping hearts slowed down Arabella was the first

one to look around.

Everything looked just like it was except for the new

addition over at the porch right next to the door, it

was a black trash bag filled up and a tight knot

secured it, but something about it unsettled

Arabella, it was ominous and eery as it just sat

there.

"We gotta get out of here and quick!" Whispered

Arabella to her brother who was trembling from

fear of getting caught and his grip on the basket was

so tight it turned his tiny knuckles white.

With lightning speed the two bolted out from

behind the tree they hid in and made their way to

the back yard door.

But then the pitch-black bag shuffled which caused

Alex to stumble on his feet from fear that something

was alive inside but with no hesitation, Arabella got

a tighter hold on his pale wrists and dragged him to

stand with both of his feet under him and speeded

to the sidewalk.

After making it to their house’s front door they

sneaked in and placed the basket filled with berries

on top of the dining table feeling nauseous from

thinking of taking a bite. Their small bodies felt

heavy as they tiptoed up the stairs and into their

bedroom where everything was left just the way it

did when they woke up, climbing in felt like a chore

and when they both made it up they sighed loudly

from exhaustion as they plopped onto their

separate beds. And then both laid on their backs as

they stared at the ceiling.

Thinking about what was in there, questioning what

could’ve been in there. So much so that sleep wasn’t

willing to embrace the children and send them off

to a tranquil slumber.

They just laid there wide awake.