My Friends

"The last row." We turned down the very last row of Lake Side View Trailer Park. "Keep going."

"This one?"

"The next one." The snow was starting to stick to the ground now. "This one, and my dad's is that one." Tyler pointed to the tailor in front of his. The eight year old boy with the burn mark on his chest where his cousin had stabbed him with a lit cigarette, hoped out of the car. I handed him his coat that he hadn't bothered to put on, and his backpack. The tiny front yard beside the trailer was littered with bikes and old toys, with the occasional car seat. Where the ground wasn't covered in gravel, foot tall grass grew. Out of nowhere Tyler's brother, Dylan and Austin appeared followed by a scruffy looking puppy. The little dog was had long black fur and couldn't have been more than 8 weeks old.

"Do you want to hold her?" asked Austin.

"Sure." I replied timidly. The little dog was shivering. The snowflakes were tangled in her mess of hair. I held her close until she stopped shivering. With a smile I handed the puppy back to Austin.

"Do you have all your stuff?" asked my mom.

"Yeah." replied Tyler. He hoisted his backpack on to his shoulder and headed for the door. I walked up the creaky steps to the porch, hoping I wasn't going to fall through. The porch was almost as messy as the yard. A big wheel and a doll house sat in the corner, while general odds and ends lay scattered on the splintering floor. My mom knocked on the door.

"Well, hi Miss Michele! Come on in." Dotty, Tyler's grandma answered the door with a cheerful smile. Dotty looked like she was in her mid 60s, her teeth were yellowed and her face was sunken in. But, she was only in her late forties. "Bring that dog inside, she'll freeze!" she shouted to Austin and Dylan had stayed behind.

We stepped inside, the trailer reeked of smoke. It was all I could to keep from gagging. A massive TV sat on one side of the trailer and a puke green love seat sat in front of it. Brandon, Dotty's youngest son laid  slumped over on the couch watching some show. On the other side of the trailer was the "kitchen". A refrigerator that looked like it walked of of the seventies was surrounded by equally outdated counter tops. A microwave was pushed up against the wall, and a sad excuse for a stove sat next to it. To the right of the kitchen was a tiny hallway that I assumed led to the one and only bedroom.

Tyler threw his things on the floor and ran to get a snack. "Did you finish your homework?" asked Dotty.I took a step forward. The ground was soft

Tyler nodded his head yes as he tried to open a bag of potato chips. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow Tyler." said my mom. She seemed as ready to get out of their as I was. "See ya!" I shouted as I turned to go. I never thought I would be happier to be outside in the cool, clean air.