Hughie

“Only watch where you’re going, Hughie”

My voice rummaged through the crowd to find him staring at the sky, like a fish bobbing for air. A part of me wanted to leave him – if he’s suddenly too old to hold my hand, then maybe he’s ready to find his own way home.

The sun was wringing me like a wet towel, and the air felt like a freshly baked loaf in my mouth. All around the path was a cruel choreography of torsos and the snapping jaws of heel on stone, and Hughie was too slow. He looked like a balloon gliding through a meat grinder, and no one was watching for him, no one cared, and maybe he needed to learn that.

Thud. Hughie’s eyes popped as he fell flat on the ground.

I ran towards him, wanting to tear at the torsos – one of you knocked him, he’s just a fucking kid! And what kind of dad lets him walk alone like that!

A man descended on him, a grimy claw clenching Hughie’s arm.

“Don’t fucking touch my son!” I exploded into the man like a firework. He felt too light for his height, as he flew and crumpled at the feet of the wall.

Hughie pushed himself up and shot me a quiet look, the same as that morning I refused to let him go to ski camp. “He was just helping me, dad”.

With surprising ease, Hughie hoisted the man up, never even noticing the stains rubbing on to his white uniform from the man’s dirty jacket.

“Thanks son” the man croaked, his eyes smiling like open cocoons as Hughie waved him goodbye.

“Sorry,” I blurted. My body felt like hot iron quenched in water, and from the steam would reveal some golem, who could only teach Hughie to contort and shrink into adulthood the way he had.

“I’ll watch where I’m going” Hughie said as he galumphed towards me.

“You’re… doing just fine, actually,” I smiled, as Hughie looked at me. When I turned to walk, I heard his footsteps bounce closer, and suddenly, the neat tuck of his little hand in mine.