Checkerboard

    "Happy Birthday!"

    Raymond opened his eyes and saw family members standing all around him, holding out presents, presents all for him. A smile slowly spread across his face as he snatched a box with a green bow and turquoise wrapping paper. His friend, Matias, gave a warm smile as he took it. He carefully unwrapped it as the inside bloomed in front of him, flashing colors of yellow and blue as it smiled at him too. Inside was a box of rare action figures. He looked up at Matias and grinned. “Thanks! I’ve… I’ve been wanting these for so long…”

    “I’ve… I’ve been wanting these,” mocked Matias. Laughing heartily. “Just take ‘em. And yes, they cost fifty bucks. I want my money back at this point. The wrapping paper cost a lot too… HEY!”

    Wilbur the gray terrier happened to be passing by, and he spotted the green paper. Finding it very nice, he took it in his jaws and chewed happily on it, ripping it in the process. “Wilbur!” Courtney ran over to her little dog and scooped him up in her arms, cradling him like an infant. “I told you not to-oh, it’s too late.” She grimaced and set him down. He growled in annoyance and trotted away. Raymond took Courtney’s present next. It was a tiny box, and it had been wrapped extremely neatly. You could barely see the folds and cracks. Raymond pulled off the ribbon and undid the strings as the paper fell off and floated to the ground calmly. The present had been an alarm clock with an illuminati background. Raymond looked at the time. 9:26 pm, October 31st. Raymond had always gotten extra candy on Halloween because his friends always told the people giving out candy that it was his birthday. He always gave most of his candy away though, donating it to hospitals and trading with his friends for the candy they didn’t want. Before going to sleep, he would watch TV and eat milk duds.

    Nobody liked milk duds.