There weren't too many children April's age in the City, but there were playgrounds, including a rather nice one right by the community gardens. Tom kept an eye on her while she played, but she seemed to be having fun on her own.
A boy a little older than her gave her a rather insistent push. "I want to play on the monkey bars."
"We can both play on the monkey bars," said April, not stepping off the railing.
"Are you stupid?" the boy asked, pushing her harder. April jumped down, feeling uncomfortable. She didn't want to fight back, but this kid was getting on her nerves!
Suddenly, Tom was there. "Hey kid, how about waiting your turn?"
The boy looked up at Tom with a frown. "I don't have to listen to you! You're not my dad."
"Do you know what happens to kids who don't take turns?" Tom asked. The boy stared at him hard and then shook his head. Tom crouched down and said darkly, "At night, a raven flies into their room and pecks out their eyes."
The boy blinked, then jutted out his chin defiantly. "That's not true!"
A rustling of feathers startled him. Turning, he saw a raven sitting on the monkey bars, eying him thoughtfully. Shaken, the boy backed up a few paces. "N-nevermind," he stuttered. "The monkey bars are all yours." He then took off running, back towards the gardens.
April started giggling, and Tom shrugged innocently. "Thanks, Orwell," he said, and pulled out a piece of jerky for the bird.
A boy a little older than her gave her a rather insistent push. "I want to play on the monkey bars."
"We can both play on the monkey bars," said April, not stepping off the railing.
"Are you stupid?" the boy asked, pushing her harder. April jumped down, feeling uncomfortable. She didn't want to fight back, but this kid was getting on her nerves!
Suddenly, Tom was there. "Hey kid, how about waiting your turn?"
The boy looked up at Tom with a frown. "I don't have to listen to you! You're not my dad."
"Do you know what happens to kids who don't take turns?" Tom asked. The boy stared at him hard and then shook his head. Tom crouched down and said darkly, "At night, a raven flies into their room and pecks out their eyes."
The boy blinked, then jutted out his chin defiantly. "That's not true!"
A rustling of feathers startled him. Turning, he saw a raven sitting on the monkey bars, eying him thoughtfully. Shaken, the boy backed up a few paces. "N-nevermind," he stuttered. "The monkey bars are all yours." He then took off running, back towards the gardens.
April started giggling, and Tom shrugged innocently. "Thanks, Orwell," he said, and pulled out a piece of jerky for the bird.
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