(Untitled)

[hereand_now]

Wolf has found the big bouncy thing near the Compound.

Now that he's here, he wishes he would have found it earlier, because it's the very best thing on the island. Besides the good people, of course, and maybe the cows. They're all pretty great, but this is fun. This is the most fun he's had since Jack and that nice man let him ride in the back

Comments

[little_moons]

It's... Fucking adorable, is what it is. Almost sickeningly so, and I let out a snort of laughter, making my way over to him on feet that have a mind of their own. I mean, how could somebody stay away from that, anyway?

"What the hell are you doin', man?"

[hereand_now]

"Bouncing!" Wolf shouts, shooting into the air again and twisting at the same time so he can face Neil. "Come bounce with me, Neil! It's almost like flying." He's never flown before, not when the only people in his world who can fly are the ones with wings, but he thinks this must be what it feels like.

"Come bounce!" he insists again, slowing his jumps so that Neil can climb up if he wants to. "I wish I had one of these at home. I would've used it every day, right here and now!"

[little_moons]

Laughing, I kick off my shoes and climb aboard, 'cause why the hell not? "My best friend back home had one. But she'd kinda outgrown it by the time we met."

Wendy and I were both surly, cynical little shits, even at ten years old. Jumping on a trampoline only would've been fun if we were sneaking inside somebody else's fence to do it.

[hereand_now]

"That's sad," Wolf says, because he can't imagine ever outgrowing something that brings him so much joy. At times, he understands that he's simpler to please than most, but it's never bothered him.

"I would use it every single day," he says, still beaming. "I'll use it every day here, after I help take care of the cows. Anne won't mind, as long as I do my chores first!" He doesn't have chores, not really, but he does what he can to look after the animals in the barn.

[little_moons]

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of time for it. Anne isn't much of a slave-driver," I say with a snort of laughter, jumping with a little less enthusiasm than him, but I dunno if I've ever been as fuckin' full on, innocently cheerful as he is.

Not in a really long time, anyway.

[hereand_now]

Wolf knows about slave-drivers. He knows about Morgan, but more importantly, he knows about Osmond now, the same man who was called Sunlight Gardner in Jack's world. He's a slave-driver, complete with a whip and the kind of anger Wolf hopes he never sees again.

"No, Anne's great," he agrees emphatically, because she's nothing like Osmond.

[little_moons]

"Yeah, you know, she was one of the first people I ever met here. She's been here even longer than me," I say, bouncing a little higher, and I gotta admit, it is kinda fun.

[hereand_now]

"How long have you lived here, Neil?" Wolf asks, reaching his arms up and over his head as he bounces once more, then collapses onto the springy material. "A long time?"

[little_moons]

"Five years," I say, slowing to a stop and then sinking down onto the trampoline beside him.

"Longest I ever heard of anybody bein' here's about six years."

[hereand_now]

"Six years," Wolf repeats, trying to imagine where he was six years ago. Just a little Wolf still, helping his mother and father with the herds, but mostly still playing in the fields.

Phil Sawyer had stopped coming by then, but Wolf still held onto the overalls, sleeping on them as a pillow. "That's a real long time. I was still just little back then."