Reed's Big Tricky (2)

"Daddy always locks the door... Daddy keeps Reed safe, Daddy always locks the door... Daddy keeps Reed safe" he muttered to himself, repeating it as if it was a mantra.

His voice was barely a whisper, but it echoed in the quiet room, the only other sound being the soft, rhythmic clattering of his truck's wheels as he pushed it back and forth.

He got up slowly, leaving his truck behind, and padded over to the door on bare feet, the floor cool beneath him. The handle turned easily under his small hand, and the door swung open with a soft, drawn-out creak.

Reed peered out into the hallway, a mix of curiosity and unease tugging at his thoughts. "Little Reed's not safe," he whispered again, almost like he was convincing himself. "Daddy always locks the door."

But the allure of the unknown was too strong. With a hesitant glance back at his toy, he stepped out into the hallway, the door creaking shut behind him.

The faint echo of his footsteps filled the corridor as he descended the stairs, each step a soft thump on the wooden steps.

As Reed pushed open the building's front door, the outside world seemed to open up in front of him, vast and unfamiliar.

The warm breeze ruffled his hair, and he squinted up at the bright, glaring sun. It was so different from the cozy, familiar confines of his apartment. Everything was so big, so loud.

He took a tentative step onto the sidewalk, his eyes wide as he took in the world around him. Cars whizzed by with a loud whoosh, and he could hear the distant chatter of people and the hum of the city.

The sounds were overwhelming, but also fascinating.

He wandered down the street, his sneakers making soft, scuffing noises on the pavement, while his eyes darted around, absorbing every detail.

He turned a corner, and that's when he saw it—a shiny, black car, sleek and polished, just like his toy truck back home. Reed's breath caught in his throat as he stared at it… not scared by it rather, mesmerized.

Without a second thought, he stepped off the curb and onto the road, his small feet moving toward the car with a sense of purpose. "Daddy… Little Reed's car, Daddy, Little Reed's car."

Inside the car, the driver's eyes widened in shock as he saw the tiny figure step onto the road. His foot slammed down on the brake, and the car screeched to a halt, the tires squealing loudly.

The sound pierced through the air like a sharp whistle, echoing off the surrounding buildings.

In the backseat, Mr. King, who had been lounging with his head back, felt his body lurch forward violently. The abrupt stop jerked him from his relaxed state, and he sat up with a start, his head whipping forward.

The calm, meditative sound of Buddhist chants playing softly through the car's speakers was abruptly cut off, replaced by the jarring silence that followed the screech of the brakes.

"What in the hell—?" Mr. King's voice was low, simmering with irritation. He glared at the driver, his eyes narrowed into slits. "What are you doing, stopping like that?"

The driver, his hands still gripping the steering wheel tightly, stammered, "Sir, there's a child... a child just walked in front of the car."

Mr. King's face darkened, his annoyance deepening. "A child?" He hissed, his voice dripping with disdain. "So what? Knock him off the road, then. We don't have time for this nonsense."

His words were cold, sharp, cutting through the tense silence inside the car.

The driver's heart pounded in his chest, and he hesitated, his gaze flicking nervously to the small boy standing in front of the car.

Knock him off the road?! Why? To get the master home! Not like the master's doing any reason at home other than being alone!

He couldn't do it—couldn't just run the kid down. Instead, he pressed the horn twice, the loud "pee-pee" sound shattering the uneasy silence.

But Reed didn't flinch.

He stood there, blinking up at the towering car, his small frame dwarfed by its size.

The honk didn't register as a threat to him, just another sound in this new, strange world he was exploring. His eyes were fixed on the car, his mind spinning with curiosity.

He stepped closer, his little hand reaching out to touch the massive tire in front of him. The rubber was cool under his fingers, and he pressed his palm against it, fascinated by how it felt.

To Reed, the car wasn't a danger—it was something new, something to be understood, something to compare to the toy truck he played with at home.

"Reed's Big trucky! Daddy.. come see, Reed's big trucky."

Inside the car, Mr. King watched the boy's actions with barely concealed contempt. The child's innocence, his curiosity—it all seemed so trivial, so insignificant and useless!

The music had stopped playing, leaving an uncomfortable silence that only added to his irritation. He clicked his tongue, impatience gnawing at him.

Good thing he couldn't see that child's face, it would have irritated him the more, tsk!

"Get out and move him," Mr. King snapped at the driver. "We don't have all day."

The driver swallowed hard, his throat dry, and unbuckled his seatbelt with shaky hands. He stepped out of the car, the door closing behind him with a soft thud, and walked over to where Reed was standing, still mesmerized by the car's tire.

"Hey, kid," the driver said gently, trying to keep his voice calm. "It's not safe here. You need to move off the road."

Reed looked up at the man, his eyes wide and questioning.

"Ahh?" The driver gasped, shocked when he saw Reed's face. "you.." he quickly swallowed his stupid assumptions when he remembered the demon king still in the car who hated delay.

He carefully took Reed's hand, guiding him away from the car and back onto the sidewalk. Reed followed, his gaze still locked on the car, twisting his head back, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

As the driver helped Reed onto the sidewalk, Mr. King remained inside the car, drumming his fingers on the armrest in irritation, eyes shut tightly now.

The Buddhist chants resumed in the background, but the peaceful atmosphere was long gone, replaced by a simmering frustration. "Tch! Who let its puppy out of its leach and milky cage!"

Author: Did you just call August's son a puppy dog?!! "..."

Once Reed was safely on the sidewalk, the driver hurried back to the car, his hands still trembling slightly. He couldn't tell what his eyes just saw today, never!

He closed the door behind him, exhaling shakily as he settled back into his seat. "It's done, sir," he muttered.

Mr. King didn't bother to respond.

He simply closed his eyes again, letting the music wash over him, though it did little to ease his annoyance.

The car slowly began to move forward, pulling away from the curb. Reed stood on the sidewalk, watching as the car disappeared down the street.