Meerkats (for some reason)

“Did you even understand me? Martin?” 

Drake sighed and kicked the boy lying in the grass from his spot perched on the fence. 

“Ow, hey!” 

“Did you hear what I said?” 

Martin glared at Drake and rubbed his ribs, “If you broke one of my ribs, you're paying for the medical bill, bonehead.”

Drake’s lips turned up and he let out a chortle, “I’m literally a nurse, if I wanted to break something, I would have.” Martin stepped away from the fence, eyeing Drake warily. This time he threw back his head and roared with laughter, a bird in the nearby oak flitted away and Martin groaned. 

“Oh, lighten up,” Drake scolded, “C’mon, let’s go.” 

“Where?” Martin’s frustration was still plain on his face, but Drake saw the curiosity and excitement behind Martin’s eyes.

“Well, if you had been listening you would know that. But I guess you will just have to see.” Drake flashed a bright, mischievous smile and took off running across the field, his flannel whipping in the wind and his blonde hair fluffing and furling as he spun around in the gusts of wind. 

Martin looked at his friend, and back at the fence, across which was his own house standing so warm and inviting. He scowled at it, it seemed to be mocking him saying “Yes, yes, give up another chance for adventure and take another nap, boy.” His scowl deepened and he whirled around, taking off at a jog after his friend, he slowly got faster until he was sprinting, and a grin formed on his face. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the wind whisked around him, hugging his face and playing with his eyelashes. He opened his eyes to see Drake running backward, watching him and an even wider grin grew on his cheeks. For the first time since he could remember, a laugh trickled from his throat and grew to a gushing flow of uncontrollable guffaws. The house and fence were far behind him, and the world was in front.

By: E. E. Huckabee