The misadventures of a "Big Boy" who convinced his parents to leave him home.
Home Alone and A Burglar Won't Come!
Act 0 - Message
It's the simplest pleasures that matter, don't they? Instead of something recent, why not go back to simpler times?
Let's go back 20 years. At that time, I was a small child.
"I Won't Go!"
A stubborn small child.
ACT 1: Morning
"No, you're coming with us!" A hint of worry clouded my mom's furious face. She always used facts and got what she wanted.
"You said we won't be back by afternoon! They don't have a TV there!" I didn't want to hear the facts. "I need to watch this episode! I need to know what happens so I can talk with friends tomorrow!"
"But we'll be going for half a day? Who will cook lunch for you?" My Dad interjected.
"I don't need lunch!!" I pouted arrogantly. "I can fast the whole day until you come back!"
"You couldn't handle fasting in Ramadan this year!" My father said, reminding me how I complained about food this Ramadan.
"You're the one who said it's okay to eat! I did complete the fast in two days! I'm a big boy!"
"Fair point." My father smiled. "We could also ask his uncle to bring lunch to him."
"He shouldn't learn to bother his uncle like that!" They whispered.
"I can prepare myself a sandwich too." I quickly brought Bread and proudly sliced it with a knife. I felt happy that I learned how to do it the week before. "See?"
My Mom and Dad looked at each other. My Dad smirked. "What will you do if a Theif came to the house and tried to kill you?"
"Thieves don't come!" I confidently rejected. "They never do!"
"Okay then. We'll get back by Sunset." My father. "Don't go out of the house. You're a big boy. Promise."
"Don't open the house to anybody!" My mom pointed at the wall phone near the entrance of the house. "Don't answer the phone if it rings. We will call your uncle and let him know about today."
"Okay, have a nice trip." Somehow, for the first time in my life, I felt as if I won against my parents. "I can be on my own until Sunset!"
"It's still 8 O'clock." My favorite Cartoon wouldn't start until hours later. I smiled as I opened the TV looking for a channel to watch to kill time.
If only I knew how lonely it would be.
ACT 2 - Morning (Later)
I don't remember the details, but the old layout of my house 20 years ago is still itched in my mind. Our phone was situated near the metallic door at the entrance of the house.
The visitors' room was the first one after you enter. The next room was the living room which was also my bedroom. The kitchen was the farthest from there, next to it was the bathroom. My parents' bedroom was facing the kitchen on the opposite side.
The TV was in the living area connecting all rooms. It was our first screen. I was too small to remember when my father first brought it. The wires were hard to connect, and the CRT resolution of it was horrible compared to what would come out in the following years. Yet, it was our TV, and that's all that mattered.
"The Cartoon channel is still closed." I pouted as I pushed the buttons on the remote. The Cartoon channel broadcasted for only half a day at the time. "Didn't they say they'll re-run yesterday's show in the morning?"
It was boring.
It was boring enough that I started going through all the channels on TV one by one. A news channel. A music channel. An education channel. A fashion channel. Another news channel. Soon, that became boring too.
"It's still 10 and some minutes..." I looked at the clock. If I knew it would've been this boring I would want. "Uuuh."
I went to the Kitchen to make something. I only knew how to make sandwiches. I found a lighter before finding the knife. I promised my parents earlier to not try using fire, not that I wanted to. I put the lighter away with the smoking pot. "I don't like lighters."
Not a lot of time has passed since I ate Breakfast, but I was bored so I started preparing food. My comments about fasting earlier went out the window.
I was lucky there was enough cheese for two sandwiches. I didn't think about lunch at the time.
ACT 3 - Noon
A while after eating. I started to switch between channels again. I settled on a channel about animals when I brilliant idea crossed my mind. "The Toys!"
ANIMAL KINGDOM. My father bought me a collection of Toy figures in the shape of animals. I made a Zoo out of them more than once, but I got bored after that. My parents asked me to tidy them up. I forgot so they put them in their Closet.
"It's an adventure!" I went to their room and jumped into their closet. A forbidden Treasure Island.
I would go in and out because the room was dark and the closet darker. I surfed among clothes and brought something out each time to explore it. My childish self didn't care about misplacing some things in the search of my Toys. I found my old set of Crayons, and below my father's Cassette Player, I found my Toy collection.
Proud of the spoils, I started playing with the toys. I didn't care much about returning things to the closet.
As I played Zoo, my ear finally started picking up the TV again.
"...The police are still trying to find the thief right now. What do you think J.?"
"This is the second case of Burglary in City A. this week."
I was placing the figures to make a Zoo when I heard my city's name mentioned on TV. The channel's animal program ended and news started at some point.
"A thief?"
ACT 4 - Afternoon
The Cartoon Channel S. is My favorite channel & it only airs Cartoons. Each week, every show will have a new episode and my entire life was centered around my favorite shows' air times. Each Friday, my two favorite shows are broadcasted after each other at noon.
"Now way I'm waiting for Tomorrow. I need to watch it today!" Episodes are aired multiple times during the week. I never wait for that. "My friends will spoil everything for me if I went with my parents!"
"It's starting!"
My favorite show started and I instantly forgot about my parents, friends and the room. My pouting face replaced with excitement as the first two seconds reminded me of the shocking events at the end of the last episode. The protagonist's friend didn't die after all.
I always loved these Cartoons, the animations that come from the east always had a distinct style. The stories felt epic, and were so different from my culture, they brought me out of the boring world. I thought the TV smiled as it became the portal to a whole different world, I wouldn't mind living in.
"I want to ride that Dragon. I want to hold that sword. I want to be his friend, and want to fight that guy." Thoughts like that weren't uncommon for kids my age, but somehow they felt unique to me. "I'm glad I stood up to my parents and stayed home!"
Then the show's episode finished... I rode the joy of my excitement for a few moments, as I jumped and theorized about the next episode.
"I want to talk about it with someone though."
With nothing to look forward to until Sunset, it downed on me how lonely the next few hours would be.
ACT 5 - Late Afternoon
It was cold. My room was dark. I sat under the blanket, taking refuge in its warmth. I wanted to look at the clock but it was outside the room, and I didn't want to have the 1-minute trip away from the warmth of the blanket.
"Why...?"
I was lonely. I was bored. That would've been worse enough on its own, but after watching my Cartoon a couple of hours ago the Power went out! The house always got colder when the power goes out!
"Why's the power still out?" I held back tears.
I was a big boy, I wouldn't cry "Papa, Mama" because of something like this. But secretly I wanted to. I wished I went with Mom and Dad in the morning.
I was afraid... It's gonna get dark soon.
"I need Candles..." I remembered that I saw a few candles in my parents' closet earlier, but even if I went back to get them, I promised my parents to not use fire. "I never used a lighter before."
I was afraid, and human brain has this weird ability to make up more reasons to fear...
"What if the thief came right now?" Earlier the news talked about a thief running away from the police in my city. He could've gone anywhere. "In this darkness, my house is a good place to hide."
I could see it very clearly. The thief would come here to hide from the police, and he'll see me. I won't be able to hold my screams so he will kill me. I'm a big boy but I'm not strong like that kid in the Cartoon who beat the thief by himself!
"I don't want to die!!!"
*RING RING RRIIINNNNNG *RING RING RRIIINNNNNG *RING RING RRIIINNNNNG
"Asaaaah!!"
The phone was ringing. "Was it the thief? No, he wouldn't call... My parents?" I promised Mom I won't reply to any phone call. She and my Dad won't call me after they make me promise that.
*RING RING RRIIINNNNNG *RING RING RRIIINNNNNG *RING RING RRIIINNNNNG
*RRIIINNNNNG RINGG RRRRRRINGGGG *RING RRRING RRIIINNG *RING RINGGG RRRIIIIIINNNNG
The ringing never stopped. After a while, I couldn't handle the ringing anymore... "Maybe Mom had something really important to say so she had to call home?" I finally found an excuse.
Out of the warmth of my blanket to the Zamhareer of the living area. The house was darker, but I could see my way, so I quickly got to the Phone and took the handset to my ear.
"I know you alooone, I'm gonna kidnap youuuuu~~"
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!" I ran away to my room, visibly broken and I might've wet my pants a little.
ACT 6 - Before Sunset
"Hahaha! So that's what happened..."
"Don't scare me like that!" I punched my uncle. He took the hit as an apology.
My uncle was the one on the phone. My Dad contacted his house telling him about me.
After I ran away to my room, I heard faint apologies coming from the phone, so I went back and found out who it was who called.
He didn't have to say "kidnap."
When I told him the power was out, he quickly said he was coming here. My uncle's home was in the neighborhood so it didn't take him long to arrive.
"Didn't they tell you to not call me?" I noticed a delicious smell coming from him. He brought me my favorite Pizza brand. He put it on the kitchen table.
"They did, but I knew you'll answer the phone if it kept ringing. I had to give you your portion of our meal." My uncle looked around the kitchen. "Looks like you really made sandwiches. You didn't hurt your hands with the knife? I'm proud of you!"
"See? Tell my Dad that. He doesn't think I've grown up yet!"
"I'll tell him you left the kitchen in chaos too." He smirked as he started to put everything I left untidy in the right place. "Did you watch the Cartoon? Your cousin said today's episode was great."
"It was!" I was happy that I had someone to finally share the Cartoon fun with. My father always said that my uncle is 'one of the kids' despite the two being close in age.
"I bet you felt lonely after it finished though." How can he be so accurate?
"No, I'm a big boy, I never feel lonely. See?" I pointed to the living room that had my toys scattered around all over, but it was getting darker so my Uncle looked away from there.
"Hey, kiddo." My Uncle found the lighter in the place I left it and gestured to me. "Do you know where are the candles?"
ACT 7 - Night
"Have you been a good boy?"
I got a scolding from my Mom when my Uncle told her in what state he found the house. I didn't think he'll betray me like that after helping me tidy the animal toys up.
Yet, I secretly felt happy I got scolded. I missed my Mom after this day without her. I didn't realize how I missed my parents until I saw them.
Not so much my Dad, because I'm used to him not being around.
"I love you Mom. I love you Dad!"
"So, we missed the power-out." My Mother smiled, knowing my Uncle helped me with the Power stuff. "Don't tell me you weren't scared! ...You really should've come with us."
"Let me tell you about what you missed." My Dad put me on his lap as he told me stories of their trip. I felt jealous. Especially when I compared missing what he told me, with missing today's episode that I could have watched the next day.
I didn't want to regret my decision. I would never say I regret it. But I secretly did regret not going with them.
"By the way, your cousin is coming tomorrow." My dad said after he changed his clothes as we prepared for dinner.
"I know my uncle told me before he left."
Uncle didn't stay for too long. The power went back as soon as we found the candles and lit them, so he helped around with the house and we ate together. As soon as my parents came, he exchanged a few words with them and left.
"Since you got Pizza earlier, no dinner for you!" Mom said as soon as the delicious smell of whatever she was cooking made my stomach growl!
"Hey, that's not fair. Mom!"
Final ACT - Message Cont.
A lot of things change in 20 years. Your hobbies. Your priorities. Your relationships. Yet, family bonds can't be replaced. Can they?
That day was scary. It's true that a thief didn't come and kidnap me. Being alone in itself is unpleasant. Yet, now it's one of my treasured memories. It's the simplest pleasures that matter. I don't want to forget that day.
So I'm writing this for you. If something ever happened to me. I want that day's events to be remembered, by someone. Aren't you the best person to share my treasure with?
The End.
Author Notes
I wanted this story to go back to a simpler time. I choose the setting to be my house in 2002, though I decided to change all of the layout to stay completely fictional. I tried to have as many retro moments as possible hence the Toys and the Candles.
As usual with my stories, I didn't want to have any names, and it was challenging to not have characters referring to the protagonist by name. I could've named him with an initial like I did with the news reporter J. and City A. but it didn't feel right for him.
When I started writing the story, I only had Acts 1, 3, and 4 in mind. I didn't plan out the uncle coming, but I knew I wanted the boy to fear a thief coming to his house.
I wanted the story to be culturally independent. The only cultural reference in this story is the Zamhareer. According to the most credible Islamic sources, it's a place of extreme cold in Hell. You can imagine it as the Ice version of Hellfire. With this reference, I wanted to show how cold the boy felt. Basically: Reeeally cold!
What do you think?
This story is an entry to Dreemport's Word-of-the-Week challenge. (Check the announcement here.) Themes used: Sanctuary (The Home.) Time (The Clock.) Illusion (The Burglar.) I hope they were enough to qualify this entry, but now after finishing it, I'm happy either way.
Salam (Peace)
- The image of this post is drawn by me. I tried to capture a child-like style in it, tell me if I got it right.
- This story is currently exclusive to Hive Network.
 | "Home Alone and A Burglar Won't Come!" by  is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 |
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