The Man on The Sidewalk: chapter 1

Life was normal for Brian Otten. At least as normal as it could be for a kid like Otten. Be forced out of bed by mom, brush teeth, get food, catch the bus, meet up with friends. Today really was like any other, as he laughed about a drawing luke drew of Toad as a toad Jumping into a pile of poop. The true principle of comedy. Toad disagreed though, snatching the drawing from Brian's hands.

"my moms say you exhibit immature behavior!" Toad said flatly her giant glasses bobbing up and down with the rest of her head. Brian laughed attempting to take the picture back. Toad quickly dodged Brian's hand leading to Brian going for her glasses instead.

"Awe do your mommys tell you to be a Donald Trump?" Toad wrestled the glasses back from Brian hiding under the seats of the bus to avoid the slightly bigger bully.

"I am NOT DONALD TRUMP! Your Donald trump!" Brian leaned under the bus seats attempting to catch the smaller child. the bus driver turned to the back.

"KEEP YOUR PANTS ON BACK THERE! MOST BUS DRIVERS LEAVE BRATS LIKE YOU ALONE BUT I WON'T!" Lennard Knotchcobben screamed the children sat up instantly Lennord was a lot of things, but not a man who put up with the loligagging of the school bus. Toad stuck her tongue out at Brian now protected by the grown man's death threat.

Brian peered out of the bus unable to do much else. an older man walked across the street a grey backpack slung over his shoulder as he clutched a pair of old glasses. Two small children clutching onto his coat and an older one attempting to keep up with the group. The man tripped falling over himself dropping the old glasses. Brian laughed as he watched the pathetic sight pass him by. His friends joining into the cackling. Toad looked at them in shock.

”don’t laugh at Him!“ Toad exclaimed her wide mouth grimacing at the group. Brian rolled his eyes.

”oh grow a sense of humor!“ Toad crouched further into her seat attempting to ignore Brian. Brian glared at Toad.

”look at him he looks like he climbed out of a trash can!” he muttered in an attempt To get under Toad’s skin. Toad shoved her face in her book.

”yeah, and he keeps wobbling like a penguin!” Brian continued, Brian leaned out the window meeting eyes with the man.

”HEY PENGUIN MAN! TAKE A BATH!!!” Brian howled as the bus rush past. The cackling children around Brian joining in the chorus of laughter. The man’s eyes not leaving Brian’s for a second as a horrified look made its way to his face. Brian peered over to Toad who was laying down on the bus seat.

”Oh come on! You gotta admit it’s kinda funny.” Brian whispered. Toad Shut her book dramatically as she turned her attention to Brian her face red with anger.

”you wouldn’t be saying that if you knew what that guy’s been through.” She screeched. Lennard pulled the bus to a stop opening the doors for the kids to get off. Brian charged past shoving other kids as he made his way to class.

Brian followed the normal schedule any child goes through. He did his work, spent the recess messing with Toad, went back to class, got board, ate during the lesson while he experimented on how long it’d take Mrs Forks to acknowledge it (14 seconds). Then while being lectured he interrupted Mrs. forks 15 times, only getting sent to detention once.

the principal glared at Brian as he wiggled around in his seat.

"I am very disappointed in you Brian. I’m sure you’re mother’s disappointed too." Brian looked at the woman sadness building in his eyes. Mrs. forks nodded approvingly as she made her way back to her class. The principal leaned over her desk a less serious look on her face.

”Brian Joseph Otten, your luck I am your mother otherwise you’d be home eating goldfish crackers and watching kungfu panda 4 on your new tablet.“ Brian grunted as he curled up in his chair. His plan to skip school has once again failed. His mama rolled her eyes preparing to drag her son back to class.

“don’t throw a fit your daddy didn’t raise no quitter. Now get that ass of yours back to class.” Brian quickly jumped out of the chair hurrying back to the classroom. His mama never swore, When she did she ment business, Or she was yelling at his dad. Brian would pick on toad during lunch between bites of tacos And after a long lecture about not studying for the pop quiz from that morning Mrs forks would reluctantly give Brian an A, knowing full well he didn’t study. A couple more classes would happen then Brian would go home with his mom after everything shut down.

Brian’s dad smiled as he ate his mashed potatoes.

”How was school today son?” He said as he drank his bud light.

”It was good, I learned about earthquakes. did you know the ground can move dad?” Brian’s dad nodded excitedly. Brian’s mama looked at her son a serious look on her face.

”Brian, tell your father what you did In Mrs. forks class today.” Brian scratched his head hesitating for a moment.

”I ate food during class.”

”and?” His mama proded

”and called Mrs. forks a bad name.“

”What did you call her Brian?”

”a weenis.” Brian muttered Brian’s dad spit out his beer as he laughed. Brian’s mom glared at her husband.

”dad is there something you need to tell your child.” She hinted, Brian’s dad leaned over to him.

”Don’t let her get you down for a SECOND! Stick it to the man!”

“Richard, can I talk to you for a moment?“ Brian’s mom said, Brian, rushed upstairs aware of the yelling that was soon to follow. Brian crawled into his bed the sound of yelling echoed from Downstairs. Brian sighed as he turned on his new iPad the furry-faced panda in his straw hat smirking as he beat up bad guys. Brian felt the ground below him begin to shake, the shaking worsening as things fell off his shelves. Brian ran downstairs. What was happening? Was the world ending? We’re they dying? Where was his dad what about his?

”MAMAAAAaaaa!!!!” Brian screamed as he ran into his mother’s arms. Brian’s mom clutched her son in a big bear hug.

“Oh honey, it’s just an earthquake. It happens once every few years. it’s Okay.” Brian held his mother desperately an odd feeling came over him as he looked at the time, 12:15. Brian’s dad grabbed the clock smacking it.

“Danm things broken,” he said chucking it in the trash. Brian looked at his mom worried.

” Does that mean I have to go to bed early?” Brian’s mom chuckled forgetting the trouble Brian was in.

“of course not, it is 9:00 though, so you should be hitting the hay.” Brian kissed his mom heading off to bed. wondering about what he would do tomorrow as he drifted to sleep.

he had a dream that night, an odd dream. a tunnel appeared in his room, not a small tunnel, a long one with wide hallways the light and galaxies littering the sky like Brian had never seen before. as beautiful as it was the wide space unsettled him as he felt an unease come over his tiny body. Brian dared to look behind him, as long thin black ropes appeared around him pulling something into the tunnel.

Brian saw a man holding a camera being yanked into the tunnel grasping the ground as he desperately gasped for air. the man grabbed Brian’s foot begging for help. suddenly the man stopped breathing, letting go of Brian's foot being sucked into the tunnel. not just him though as hundreds of other people met similar fates. Brian ran from the tunnel praying not to be sucked inside. the tunnel started moving as though chasing him as the stars in the void turned red.

the tunnel whispered his name as it beckoned him inside. Brian felt as he began to lose his footing. a small hand grabbed him yanking him from his room, from the tunnel. a small girl with grey eyes staring at Brian as they fell. the girl smiled as Brian fell.

"Bye daddy, I love you!" she screamed as Brian fell closer and closer to the ground. that’s when he woke up. Brian Otten lurched out of bed feeling as though he had been flung into a wall. he stumbled from bed clutching his head as he made his way to the bathroom. he went to grab the stool he normally used to see his reflection. Much to his surprise, he could see just fine. A strange boy stared at him through the mirror. a brown-haired boy, with freckles, and brown eyes covered in wart-like bumps littering his face.

Brian had brown eyes and freckles, his hair was brown. but this wasn't him, it couldn't be, Brian was shorter, he didn't have bumps on his face. His arms weren’t so lanky neither was the rest of his body. there must be something wrong. was the mirror broken? can mirrors BE broken? Brian's thoughts were interrupted by his father calling him to get ready for school.

Brian looked at his father, he didn't look like himself, he looked like a tired mess as he tried to organize his briefcase... briefcase? his dad was a pastor, he didn't need a briefcase. Brian's dad looked at him.

"hurry up champ, the bus is gonna be here in a bit." Brian watched as his father hurried from place to place. staring confused as he slowly shook himself from his stupor.

"dad I think there’s something wrong with me, I look different," Brian said his dad bent over meeting Brian's eye level. He squinted for a moment before smiling.

"Nope, you look same as ever, same handsome stud." He said ruffling Brian's head as he handed him a bagel.

"no, I'm taller, aren’t I isn't that weird?" Brian's father put a hand over his head laughing at his newfound discovery.

"you’re right, looks like you've had a bit of a growth spirt. you really should hurry your gonna be late. you know how mom is when your late." Brian considered staying a bit longer to ask more questions but quickly ran out. his mom, he could talk to his mom surely she'd notice something was odd. Brian ran to the bus the doors opened reviling a large woman manning the wheel with an unlit cigarette in her mouth. she glared at Brian a look of disdain on her face. Brian double-checked the bus' number 517, this was his bus. Brian made his way on trying to avoid the driver’s eyes.

"Don't get any ideas, Otten... I'm watching you," she growled in a raspy voice. Brian rubbed the back of his neck hoping to ease his anxiety. A slightly chubby boy waved to Brian. Something about his face looked somewhat familiar. Brain walked to the seat sitting down.

"hey Brian, you doing okay, you've been acting weird today." the boy said, Brian eyed him up and down for some sign of familiarity.

"Luke? Luke Borgman?" Luke looked at Brian confused.

"uh...Yeah, who else would I be? Hey, you’re looking kinda pale. are you okay?" Brian breathed deeply looking around the bus, everyone was taller, stretched-out versions of themselves. not quite adults yet, not quite kids either. all of them in the same state Brian was. So why was he the only one panicking? why can't they see? this wasn't normal! Brian Turned to Luke a pain in his chest.

"Luke what's happening, why am I taller?" Luke shrugged looking closely before a look of realization came onto his face.

"oh yeah you are taller, lucky. Janni Wilsberry likes tall guys. Your still looking for a date to the hearts dance right? maybe she-" Brian shook his head grabbing Luke by the arms. normally in movies, this seemed to catch people’s attention.

"no, Luke theirs something wrong. everyone's all stretched out and weird. well, not you, you stretched sideways somehow." Luke sighed looking down at his body slightly hurt by Brian’s comment.

"stretchy? Brian maybe your sick, I'll take you to the nurse’s office when we get off." Brian groaned why wouldn't he listen, something was wrong, very wrong. Brian felt two eyes staring at him from the seat in front of them a boy with large blue eyes and a wide mouth stared at them. Brian felt an odd feeling from the boy as though he were drawn to him. Luke smiled at the boy.

"Hey Toad, wow, where’d your glasses go?"

“I got contacts yesterday, I wanted to change things up a bit.” The boy said happily. Brian looked at the boy confused.

"Toad? like Emily Grace, Toad? THAT TOAD!" the boy smacked Brian with the book he was currently holding. Luke looked at Brian awkwardly.

"Dude don't deadname him. I get your family doesn’t believe in that stuff and all but, it’s not a big deal. you don't have to be mean about it." Brian looked a luke confused. The Luke he knew never defended toad. he'd always laugh at her- him with Brian. Toad looked at brian angerly.

"yeah, my mom gave me permission to knock your teeth out if you misgender me agin, Otten!" Brian glared at Toad leaning forward in his chair.

"WHAT HAPPENED? YOU WERE A GIRL YESTERDAY!!! " Brian screamed. confused Toad looked at Brian a slight look of concern on her face.

"Brian I started my trasition when I wa- Wait, Brian, how old are you?" Toad asked his voice becoming more serious as he looked at Brian. Brian's breath quickened his face got pail as the painful feeling in his chest got bigger.

"I'm 7! I'm 7 just like you guys, don't you get it?!? this isn't right!!! You’re a BOY TOAD AND LUKE'S FAT!! AND I'M TALL!!! DOESN’T THAT SCARE YOU THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH US!!! THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME!!!" Brian screamed he felt his head getting lighter with each word as he fell from his seat the feeling of confusion around him.

He came to in a nurse's bed. Toad sitting at his side a worried look on his weirdly shaped face. He sighed in relief as Brian's eyes first opened looking around to make sure the nurse wasn't in the room.

"oh thank god, I thought you were dead." Toad whispered Brian looked around trying to make sense of his surroundings.

"what’s wrong with me? wheres, my mama? What’s wrong with me" Brian said dazed Toad put a comforting hand on Brian’s head.

"Don't think about it right now." Toad muttered Brian shook his head tears pouring from his eyes. his breathing beginning to quicken once more.

"Toad you don't get it somethings wrong with us. somethings wrong with everyone... you gotta believe me... wheres’s my mama? I want to make sure she's okay-" Toad grasped Brian's hand squeezing it as though to comfort him. an odd thing for Toad who wasn't accustomed to comforting people.

"I believe you, I'm sorry I scared you... Everything is fine, mostly fine, just focus on breathing. I'll explain it when you've calmed down a little more." Brian felt unease in Toad's voice as he spoke a slight shaking as the wide-faced boy mentally prepared himself to break some sort of awful news to Brian.

He looked into Toad’s eyes an odd sense of relief wafting over him as Brian breathed slowly allowing himself to relax. the cries of children and unrecognizable voices echoing from upstairs. not down here though. down here, he was safe.

(I hope you enjoy the first episode of The Man On The Sidewalk, if you did, please feel free to leave a tip, or like the story. It helps support me.) :)