Animal Crackers by Raima Join
“Muahaha,” the strange little teenager in a lab coat laughed before he started coughing. “Darren! How many times do I have to tell you, get ready for school,” a slightly chubby, middle-aged woman screamed. “And why is there so much smoke?” “Mom!” Darren whined. “How many times have I told you not to enter my lair?” “Excuse me?” the middle-aged woman shrieked, putting her hand on her chest. “Who do you think you’re talking to? Do you pay the bills?” “No ma’am,” Darren replied. “That’s right. Now get going before I have to drag you,” his mom said sternly. With that, his mom went back upstairs. Darren quickly traded his oversized lab coat for an oversized hoodie and shoved his books in his backpack. Not being aware of the chemicals in his bag spilling all over the animal crackers his mom had packed the previous night, Darren then bolted up the stairs, where he grabbed the doorknob. “Hold it,” his mother’s voice said. Darren froze and turned around. Lo and behold, his mother was standing there holding a camera, an unamused look on her face. Darren groaned, knowing what his mother wanted. “Mom, I’m too old to be taking first day of school photos,” Darren complained. “Well too bad. Now give me a big smile,” his mom replied. “Also, I packed some animal crackers in your bag in case you get hungry.” “Okay,” Darren answered. After the small five minute photo session, which felt like an hour to Darren, he left his house and headed towards school. He was finally a senior in middle school, most people would look forward to it. But after Darren’s best friend moved to another state, there wasn’t much he was looking forward to. He had known Kate ever since they were in kindergarten, they were inseparable. Darren wasn’t really a people 179
