Flash Fiction Friday

PROMPT: Write a scene between two people making the decision to run away.

INSPIRATION: 2 squirrels in our big tree in the front yard.

STARRING: Mark L. Young

WORD COUNT: 669

The leaves were golden. Some brighter than others. The chill of autumn was restless and I could sense it in my step.

Gus was eager to make it up the tree first. I followed, needing no help from my skinny brother. He used to be so agile. Now he seemed goofy. But he got his footing right. Before I knew it, we were far enough up the tree where our favorite branch used to be.

"Remember? You, upside down from there." Gus pointed to a very high limb. His silly grin prevailed. He'd always wanted to be a surfer dude, but then we never moved to the ocean. We were pretty much land locked.

"Yeah, and I thought I could fly back then, too." As I recalled, I'd once been fearless and we'd tormented our mother when we were younger with all our theatrical gymnastics. She got used to it after awhile. Even told the neighbors we were thinking about joining the circus.

"Yeah, if I only remembered that trick, getting from limb to limb." Gus shrugged as if it were a happy memory. I guessed it was true. Now I felt so high. I couldn't look down.

He sat next to me. I couldn't remember the last time we were this close. He was seventeen now. I was only a year younger. Still it felt as if too many things had happened.

He'd fallen in love a couple of times. Everytime, it ended. His fowl mouth so intense. They'd never speak to him again. Now he hung out with some guy who wanted him to do something with him. I didn't know what. But he'd given Gus a gun.

I knew if we talked of it, he'd treat me like all his old girlfriends. It would end badly and he'd probably go to Maxi's and they'd get high.

I had him in the tree with me and I thought of old times.

"Remember when you said we'd always be together?" Yeah, it even sounded corny to me to even say.

"I don't remember that, Vee." His stringy brown hair hid his lightly freckled face. For a moment, he was exactly seven again, and he was the bravest brother I ever knew. I wanted to be just as brave, back then. What happened to us?

I'd seen his sleepy side. Not wanting to get out of bed. Staying home to play his video games.  What had they done to him?

"Just think about it?" I couldn't look down, but I didn't want to be stuck in a tree, either. "We could go to the coast, like you always said." Maybe if it were the two of us, I could look out for him. I wouldn't bring him down like Dad, who was always on his case about his grades. "We could join the circus." I smiled.

I would have to think up something insane. Otherwise, no way could I get Gus out of this old railroad town.

I watched Gus's limber limbs reach up to the thick branch over head. For a moment I thought he might be Tarzan. He did a flip. Kind of awkward, but steady. He helped me get to a higher branch. No way did I want to be upside down, but I wasn't so sure I wanted to come back to earth just yet. Except it was time to come down. We did so without a whimper, but we hardly scampered like we used too.

"If we go anywhere, I'm doing the driving." He informed me.

"Not at your insurance rates. You better let me." We didn't need anything to take with us. It was best to make a clean break. We headed for our old car.

"Could we just think about it, for awhile at Orange Leaf." Gus always knew how much I liked soft serve yogurt.

I winced, thinking that was no plan to runaway. But then again, I guessed its a good idea to have a well thought out plan.