Summer Break

The fear comes without warning. It jostles Henry’s stomach and scratches unpleasant warmth up the back of his neck. He cranes his head to peer out the dirty bus window. His Dad is still there — a speck in the distance, waving frantically. His eyes fill with tears, but he pretends not to notice. He’s waited for this day for so long. He can’t wait to make new friends and play on the water. But his longing to become a normal kid again is betrayed by a sudden urge to…