Ted Fainted

Ted Fainted

“You’re in trouble now.”

Ted froze. He knew his mother’s voice so well. Normally when she made a statement like that, he connected it to whatever it was connected to, in seconds. Usually something he didn’t do, or did, but shouldn’t have. But this time was a blank.

In the seconds before he had to turn around, he quickly went over everything he had done. First this morning, and then when he found nothing off, he went through last night. Nothing seemed off then either.

Turning now, he could see it was big by the look on her face. Little things just got comments with her normal face. As the problem got larger, her face got stiffer. Her eyes opened wider, her mouth snapped together stronger, and the whole face turned a slightly different color.

Todays were different. Her eyes were bright and opened wide, her face was the same but her cheeks were a little pinker. She wasn’t smiling, but not frowning either. It was almost as if she was holding her expressions in. Going over all the possible answers, he found the usual to be his best defense. “What?” he said, in his most innocent voice.

“We are leaving in half an hour, you haven’t even eaten breakfast yet,” she said.

His mind took another run. Going someplace? Where? He had no memory at all of any going place coming up. It was Saturday, no school, no plans at friend’s houses, nothing happening in town they’d planned to go to. Even Grammie was out, since she was in Florida with her friends till next week.

The mystery was getting intense. Suddenly Ted felt out of control. “Where are we going?” he finally asked.

“Surprise!” Mom said, blossoming in a huge smile. “We’re going to the Zoo!”

Ted fainted.