On The Way to Dawn

Between his mother and father, TV wondered who would have gave him the most bear hugs. If his mother was still alive, would his father even be this loving? From what the teen noticed during his people watching expeditions at the local park, fathers usually weren’t that involved with their children's lives. At least, for his generation it seemed to be that way. But his was so different. His was so attached that he currently hugged our protagonist for dear life.

“Look, pop,” TV began to say as he felt his back about to snap. He managed to free an arm from his father’s grasp and shove his father’s sniveling Radio Head face back. The old man still kept his clutch over his son. “I know you’re going to miss me but I can barely breath with you strangling me from the waist side. Put me down or you’re going to miss me even more when I’m dead!”

“Sorry, son,” the man said, dropping his teen, leaving him to land on his rump on their hard wooden floor before their front door. “I’m just so proud of you wanting to be a hero like your dear old man.” He hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“You know, if you don’t make it, into Dawn that is, that it’s alright.”

TV knew exactly why his father said that. Dawn University was the most prestigious hero academy in the world. Very few managed pass the entrance exams. Among those many that failed was his father back in his heyday.

“I kind of don’t expect to succeed,” TV admitted as he rose from the ground patting off the dust that may have been on his rump. “But it’s worth a shot.”

TV had lied to his father, only partially though. He didn’t actually want to be a hero, he was leaving to give his father a break. No longer did he have to struggle to make ends meat for two mouths, but just one now that TV will be gone. He was going to try to enroll into Dawn University, and if he failed, it was alright because he had his own methods of making money whether in a hero course or not.

“Alright, pop, I’m on my way,” TV said with a wave goodbye before his father swiftly caught him off guard and pressed the power button behind his screen. “GAHH!” Roared TV with a mixture of shock, fluster, and laughter. Static from his screen buzzed. The teen swiped his arm forward to the dial on his father’s face that would have blasted the radio, the old man easily side stepped him but only to trip and fall backwards onto his rump.

They both looked at one another and laughed.

“Too slow my boy!” The man taunted, waving his index finger while shaking his head in playful disappointment.

“Oh please! Let’s talk about sloppiness!” TV barked back, light hardheartedly addressing his father’s fall.

They laughed once more before TV made his way out the door. He was going to miss his old man. But all of this was essentially for him, and he was well worth it.


Soaking in his environments for the last time, TV took his time strolling to the airport with his one little rolling suitcase that he dragged along. Walking down the street he saw the park, he loved to find a bench in and sit for hours just watching others. It was fun just being alone with his thoughts, dissecting the behavior of those he caught within his sights. Taking a deep breath, TV pushed himself to move forward no matter how badly he wanted to take a seat and waste the day away there.

“Huh,” uttered TV as he physically felt something hold him back. Turning around, he saw a little girl tugging on the back of his shirt. She was on the verge of tears.

What the hell did this little brat want?

“It’s okay, let it all out,” TV comforted as he knelt down and scooped her up in his arms. He allowed her to cry into his shoulder while petting her head. This was something a mother would have done right? He seen it many times before in person, then even more when re watching his television screen. Though annoying, he figured this was the least he could do for the girl. But since he was hours too early to even be waiting for his flight at the airport, he decided to help the girl. But not without a price. “What’s wrong, hon?”

“I-I-I’m lost… I snuck out to that park then forgot home.” She answered, lifting her head up to reveal her tears and snot mixing together over her weary contorted face.

TV almost dropped her and walked off as if nothing ever happened. The little girl was gross, but she couldn’t help it. He could even feel her snotty tears ooze through his shirt and irritate his skin.
Disgusting.

“I’m so, so, sorry to hear that,” he lied. “I’ll help you if you help me.”

“Really!?” Blurted the girl in glee, unintentionally she spat on TV’s screen. This time instead of just dropping her, he was going to throw her, preferably in front of a car, but he didn’t.

“Really!” He confirmed, midst keeping his malevolent compulsions under wraps. He was dangerously close to strangely her, his hand was already right there.

“What do I do!” She asked.

“Give me all your money!” TV answered without any remorse.

“Okay!” She naively agreed.

“... ... ...uhh, 84 cents?” TV said, looking the girl up and down skeptically as she was now on the ground. “That’s it?”
 She had better not been holding back.

Embarrassed with her head tilted slightly to the side, the girl held her hands behind her back and twisted her leg in discomfort. “Well I had more, but I brought a soda...” As she spoke she was too ashamed to make eye contact with the teen, but finally did when she finished speaking. She then cracked a smile before running up to him to hold his hand.

“Where are we going?” She asked.

“To the fire station down the block. They’ll help you find your home easy peas-y.”

“YAAAY!”


“Good job, kid,” commended a firefighter.

“Yeah, yeah! He was so nice and awesome, I was so scared but he helped me!”
Confessed the girl, now bubbly as ever.

“Haha,” laughed TV, scratching the back of his television head. “It was no problem.”

They now in the fire station. The girl was safely accompanied by the fire fighters and TV was receiving more praise than he probably should have deserved. Which, he didn’t mind of course.

“All it cost was 84 cents too!” Mentioned the girl. Damn this girl, TV thought.

There was an awkward silence as the atmosphere turn from in TV’s favor to against him. The firefighters all stared at him, judging him.

“Did you seriously charge this little girl?” questioned a firefighter. TV froze up.

“It’s only 84 cents, my dude.” Said another firefighter.

I know, right? TV immediately agreed internally, completely missing the point at first. She's totally holding back.

“Come on, give it back to her.” Insisted another firefighter.

“Uhhh,” TV sounded as he hesitated before quickly grabbing his suitcase and hauling ass out of the firestation.

The firefighters stood there dumbfounded. In front of them the little girl waved goodbye. She probably would never forget this or TV.
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