Stay out of the basement (2)

Stay out of the basement (2)

She tossed the red Frisbee back.
A bad toss.

Casey chased after it, but it sailed away from him.

Margaret looked up to the golden hills beyond their backyard.
California, she thought.

It's so weird out here.
Here it is, the middle of winter, and there isn't a cloud in the sky, and Casey  and I are out in jeans and T-shirts as if it were the middle of summer.

She made a diving catch for a wild toss, rolling over on the manicured lawn and raising the Frisbee above her head triumphantly.

" Show off, " Casey muttered, unimpressed.

" You're the hot dog in the family, " Margaret called.
※
hot dog
1:someone who performs dangerous stunts to attract attention to himself
2:スキー,サーファンなどで曲技を得意げにやってみせる人

" Well, you're a dork. "

" Hey, Caseyーyou want me to play with you or not ? "

He shrugged.

Everyone was so edgy these days, Margaret realized.
It was easy to figure out why.

She made a hiss toss.
The frisbee siled over Casey's head.

" You chase it ! " he cried angrily, putting his hands on his hips.

" No, you ! " she cried.

" You ! "

" Caseyーyou're eleven years old. Don't act like a two-year-old, " she snapped.

" Well, you act like a one-year-old, " was his reply as he grudgingly went after the Frisbee.

It was all Dad's fault, Margaret realized.
Things had been so tense ever since he started working at home.
Down in the basement with his plants and weird machines.

He hardly ever came up for air.
And when he did, he wouldn't even catch a Frisbee.
Or spent two minutes with either of them.

(つづく　2/5)

註：あす９日の分なのですが、ソネットがこわれないうちに、８日にお届けします。