Checking In

Checking In



Nick and Bo walked under the early-spring sun while the birds' joyful song floated through the air.

“I’ll be up soon, I have to check in and change,” Nick said.

Bo nodded and continued up the street to his house. Nick climbed his stairs and walked through his front door where he greeted his mom and ascended up the stairs to his room. He bounced on the bed and looked at the clock.

“Three o’clock on a Friday. No more school for two days.”

He smiled and sifted through his closet. Finding a change of clothes, he ran back downstairs and told his mom he was heading up Bo’s. She nodded in agreement and reminded him keep her informed. He sprang outside and jogged up the street to Bo’s house. There the boys had their way with a fresh pizza and four liters of Mountain Dew. After chugging a liter of the soda in a race to the finish the boys’ hearts were jumping. To burn their excitement they popped in the best first-person-shooter game around and played for hours. Time passed and Nick flinched when he noticed what time it was. 2:00 A.M. He was super late. He hoped his parents would assume he was sleeping over but the memory of the previous times he had made that assumption burned in his mind. His mom would stay up all night worrying, and if by chance she did get sleep, it’d be uneasy. Not wanting his mom to go through that, he headed down to his house. Hopefully she didn’t miss out on sleep. Bo and Nick walked down their street. Three houses up from his house a car came speeding over the ridge of their street. Seeing Bo and Nick, the driver slammed on his brakes.
Nick hurried inside while Bo waited for him. There on the couch was his mom, fast asleep. As he walked towards his mom he rubbed his dog’s soft fur. Sleeping next to his mom was his little brother. Nick rubbed his little brother’s forehead. The touch woke him up.
“Hey bud, go back to sleep.” Nick said with a smile.

His brother nodded and replied. “I love ya.” Nick chuckled. “I love you too.” Nick moved towards his mom.
“Mom.” He whispered. “Mooooom…” Her eyes slid open. “I’m just checking in.” He said.

She looked at him and yawned.

“What time is it?” She asked.

Nick looked at the clock.

“It’s 2:30. I’m going with Bo, but I’ll see you later ok?”

She looked on the wall as the lights of sirens spun past.

“What happened?” She asked.

Nick informed her some idiot was in a car accident.

“Ok, goodnight.” As Nick stepped through the door he told his mom he loved her. “I love you too Nick.”

Ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. Nick’s mom opened the door to see a police officer standing there. “Ma’am…I don’t know how to say this…a car came flying down the street and hit your son and another boy.” His mother gasped. “B…but that’s impossible.” She stuttered. “My son was just here ten minutes ago, he’s sleeping over his friend’s house.” The officer shook his head. “Ma’am the time of death was 2:20 A.M.”