Malenkowicz

It was a sunny, warm day. Perfect for birthday celebrations, and little Johny felt good already right after waking up.

It was late, he slept for quite some time and yet mother didn’t wake him up for breakfast?  It was their tradition that she always woke him up with big pile of pancakes. Today it was… Quiet. He stretched, put his slippers on and went downstairs to see his mother.

There was no commotion at home, silence was broken only by the white noise coming from the TV in the living room.

Mommy? Where are you? He was calling but no-response. Maybe she went shopping? He thought and then he saw her standing at attention in the kitchen, ultra-big smile on her face but empty with no emotion.

-Hi Johny! She almost screamed, still with the scary, empty smile.

-They say that if you love someone you should set it free, let it live. So today at your 10th birthday. I’m letting you go on adventure.

-What adventure, mom? He asked terrified. Mom wasn’t normal and it was very unsettling for him. She crouched, grabbed him by one arm and said

-Its time for you, Johny, to be a Pokemon Trainer!

-Poke-what?

-Pokemon Trainer! It was always your dream, remember? All boys leave home someday!

-Mum, but I’m 10y.o and Pokemon are just a Nintendo game…

-Great! Such a big boy! You gonna travel the continent…

-Continent?!

-…See various pokemon and catch them all!

-You mean animals?

-Here, this will be your first Pokemon!

-Mum, it’s a rat!

-Rattata! Great starter!

-Auch it bit me!

-Such a big boy! Here is a map for you and a phone. Call me back sometime!

-Mum!

But she didn’t listen. She just threw him out in his pyjamas, baseball hat and a little backpack with empty washing machine balls.

He didn’t know what to do. He started to cry but no one heard him.

Finally, after a while a police patrol was passing by. He stopped them to tell them what happen but they didn’t believe him. You have good imagination, kiddo! said one of them and they drove away.

Johny was hungry and didn’t know what to do. If only he had some breakfast…

He decided to go to his best friend Brock. For sure his mother would feed him. Maybe this whole situation was part of a strange birthday celebration?

But when he arrived by Brock’s house he was sitting alone on a porch, crying.

-What happened?

-Mum threw me out, she is crazy! She said that I need to go to be pokemon trainer or something… Isn’t this your stupid game? I knew that these games are bad!

-Relax, we need to find help.

-Any ideas?

-Community centre! Adults like to spend time there and they have snacks!

So, they went to the local community centre. Buzzling place of various activities! Not this time though. Just as they stepped in everything looked… Strange… Ms. Joy was in Nurse clothes by reception. And she was like super old! Smiling so unnatural like his mother. Same bangs as always, this time just pink but it was ok. She liked to change colour from time to time.

-Hello!

-Good Morning and welcome to the Pokemon Center! Would you like me to heal your Pokemon?

-We don’t have any.

-That’s too bad. Please come back when your balls are full. Bye bye!

And she just stopped responding…

At the sides of the reception some guys were selling strange stuff… Bottles that looked like cleaning aid, various powders and washing machine balls in many colours and sizes.

-Come here little trainers! We have something for you!

With little to no trust Brock and Johny approached them. The Merchant gave them a little treat. Here you go! Just don’t take it whole at once! He smiled and said If you get any money during your adventure, come to see me! I have much more stuff that you may find useful. And like Ms. Joy he just stopped responding.

They looked at what they got and It was something like orangeade powder. Well… They were hungry and it was “sugar” so they just dove into the sachets with powder

And oh boy what an adventure was awaiting them! Suddenly they saw strange monsters everywhere and backpacks were full of pokeballs!

They smiled and went for adventure of a lifetime!