Amused

Amused

“What you think it’s funny, huh?” Aaron gazed up at Tyson, hands on his knees.

“Not that you threw up, just that you’re such an idiot you actually ate it,” Tyson sneered, “You know Mom told you not to.”

Aaron hated to admit it but Tyson was right, every year at the state fair their parents gave each a twenty dollar bill once they were inside the gate.

“Don’t spend it all in one place,” their Dad would say chuckling, digging his spurs into the ground before heading off to the rodeo tent on the far side.

“You boy’s heard your father now,” she knelt to kiss each on the forehead, “Look after him, Ty. And Aaron, don’t eat any of that gosh-blamed funnel cake this year, you know it tears your stomach up.”

Both boys would nod and beam, Ty grabbing Aaron around the neck in a brotherly way.

“Good boys, now, I’m going to meet up with some of the girls from book club and play some bingo for a while. If you need me, I’ll be in the big blue tent in the middle, alright?”

It had been the same for the past few years, Tyson had been tasked with babysitting. As soon as their mother walked away Tyson wrapped his arm around Aarons neck and scrubbed his head roughly with knuckles.

“I’ll be back in awhile to take you on the baby rides alright? Be where I can find you,” then Tyson would run off to find his friends.

It was almost exactly the same each year, except their parents used to give just ten dollars. Every year, Aaron meandered around the rides, saying hello to a few people from school. Normally he would find someone to go on a few rides with like his friend Bigsby. But this year, Bigsby was sick and couldn’t come to the fair and the lure of the funnel cake had been too great.

“Shut up,” Aaron said, hands still on his knees, people parting down the fairway on either side.

Tyson looked down with disgust, “Seriously, Aaron, you know it makes you sick. Why did you eat it?”

But Aaron couldn’t explain. He had seen the funnel cake and just known he wanted it. Aaron and Tyson kicked some hay over the mess, people around them muttering about nasty children.

“C’mon, you want to ride some rides?” Tyson asked, eyeing Aaron warily. Aaron nodded and they struck off up the fairway, rides and game booths on either side of the wide path.

“Hold up, Ty, I don’t feel so good.” Aaron stopped to sit on a bench, the metal burning through his pants. He fanned himself with his hand, but the day was simply too hot.

People standing nearby started to talk, “The smaller one really doesn’t look too good,” one man muttered.

Tyson suddenly looked fearful, “Aaron, I think you’re going to hurl again.” And sure, enough a moment later Aaron had his hands on his knees.

“Alright, I’m going to get Mom,” Ty said, staring at Aaron. This time, he looked white, face morphed with terror. But Aaron didn’t understand, he had only been a bit sick. Until he looked down and noticed his hands. The hands stretched over the knees of his pants didn’t look normal. He stared down at them in fright.

The sounds of frightened voices broke through, “That boy!”

Soon there was a group of people forming a small circle around him, staring in shock. Aaron only stared at his hands, shocked to see they were a deep purple.

“What?” he said but was shocked again. His voice didn’t sound normal. “What’s going on!?” he yelled in fright, but it sounded… garbled. Like a language he didn’t understand but knew how to speak.

As suddenly as they gathered around the people all ran, screaming in all directions. But they suddenly looked small. Aaron felt woozy and tried to sit down, but the metal of the bench gave way beneath him. He stared down at his legs, splitting through his jeans. They were rapidly turning purple and swelling to the size of tree trunks. He felt his head swell his vision turning blue around the edges, and suddenly a pain split his head.

“Aaron!” Aaron turned, his blue tinged vision blurry with pain.

“Mom?” he asked, in his new garbled voice. His mother stood, hands on hips with her eyes crossed in anger.

“How many times do I have to tell you, not to eat the funnel cake!”