[ WP ] Your 11 year old nephew just ate 2 of your LSD gummy bears 45 minutes ago and you have to make sure he makes it through sane

`` Johnathan'' 
 
 `` Yeah?'' 
 
 `` Do you wan na go for a walk?'' 
 
 `` But it's so cold.'' 
 
 `` I know, but Howie probably has to pee. He has n't been outside since your parents left this morning. C'mon, it'll be fun.'' 
 
 The boy looked down at Howie, the family's five year old Welsh Corgi. He reached out his small hand, slowing rotating his slightly clenched fingers as if petting the dog, seemingly unaware that Howie was 10 feet away across the room. The boy returned his attention to his Uncle Martin, who now noticed a slight glaze over his nephew's eyes. 
 
 `` He's really sad'' 
 
 `` Howie?'' 
 
 `` Yeah. He's breathing funny. It's so... I... It's so funny.'' 
 
 The boy's uncle had to face the reality that this was happening. His brother's little boy had eaten his acid gummies – gummies he had planned for tomorrow after the boy went to his friend's house for the night. How someone was supposed to comfort an 11-year old on LSD was obviously a complete mystery, and all the uncle could do was fall back on his own experiences. 
 
 `` C'mon, J. Let's take Howie for a nice run. It'll make him happy, I promise'' 
 
 `` It'll make him happy?'' 
 
 `` Yes'' 
 
 `` Really?'' 
 
 `` For sure'' 
 
 `` Okay. I just want him to be happy.'' 
 
 The boy leapt up as if electrocuted from the couch and began towards the front door. The uncle winced as his nephew struggled to put one foot in front of the other. 
 
 `` Here, grab my hand, bud. You're alright'' 
 
 `` I can feel the floor on the bottom of my feet! Through my socks... Like I'm barefoot `` 
 
 `` Johny Tarzan!'' 
 
 `` Yeah, like Tarzan.'' Looking at his feet, the boy began to laugh. `` Like Tarzan!'' 
 
 `` Arm's up, Tarzan.'' 
 
 The boy slowly raised his arms and giggled as his uncle pulled a thick blue woollen sweater over his head. The lack of depth perception observed earlier continued as the uncle watched the boy reach for his shoes five feet away. 
 
 After tying the boy's beaten down shoes, their colours faded and heels bashed down, the uncle stepped back and looked at his nephew. He certainly understood that any normal human should feel a punishing sense of regret for doing as he had done– leaving incredibly powerful drugs out in the open around an 11-year old. But looking down at the jovial youth in front of him, at that moment, he felt no such thing. The boy stood motionless, examining his front door's elaborate red and blue stained glass mosaic, an explosion of excitement and confusion erupting across his face. Although the uncle knew the incredible sense of euphoria his nephew was currently exhibiting was a large part of the LSD experience, he also knew the crippling darkness that could just as easily take over. This is what scared him, and the way he saw it, it was his job to make sure the little boy in front of him experienced as little of the latter as possible. 
 
 `` Ready, big guy?'' 
 
 `` But what about Howie?'' 
 
 `` He's right beside you, J. Your holding his leash in your right hand'' 
 
 The boy looked down at the red nylon leash tightly clenched in his small fist and immediately looked back up at his uncle, his eyes wide and his mouth gaping. 
 
 `` Woh! I am... When did I do that?'' 
 
 His uncle gently smiled and narrowed his eyes. `` Right after I put your sweater on. Remember?'' 
 
 `` No'' 
 
 `` Well that's when you grabbed it, bud. Ready to go?'' 
 
 `` Go where?'' 
 
 `` On the walk. To walk Howie.'' 
 
 The boy furrowed his brow, a permanent half-smile pasted above his chin. `` We just did that.'' 
 
 `` We have n't left yet, J.'' 
 
 `` He pooed four times!'' 
 
 `` Well I would hope not... We have n't left the house yet.'' 
 
 `` Yeah, once right below you, once near the maple tree on front lawn, another one... I think... I ca n't remember, but yeah–he pooed nine times'' 
 
 `` Nine?'' 
 
 `` Yup!'' 
 
 `` You said four last time.'' 
 
 `` When?'' 
 
 At this the uncle erupted with laughter. `` Like 30 seconds ago!'' 
 
 The boy and his uncle stood in the front of lobby of the house howling with laughter, pangs of `` ha'' s and `` ho'' s bouncing around the mustard walls. After what seemed like five minutes of uncontrollable gaiety, surely seeming even longer to the boy, the laughter came to a natural conclusion. 
 
 `` Where are my parents?'' 
 
 `` They went away for the weekend,'member? To your cottage up by–'' 
 
 `` But my dad's already on vacation.'' 
 
 `` Why do you say that?'' 
 
 `` He's never home. Mum says the reason he's never home is because he's on vacation. Did she join him?'' 
 
 The uncle's fizzling laughter came to an abrupt stop. He did n't know what to say. His brother had said nothing to him. Not wanting to tamper with the boy's already fragile state, he went along with it. 
 
 `` She did! Your dad was just warming up the place... Made it nice and cozy for when your mum arrived.'' 
 
 The uncle watched intently as every microfibre on the boy's face came to life. 
 
 `` That's so nice!'' 
 
 `` It is, is n't it?'' 
 
 An uncomfortable silence enveloped the room. The uncle now decided it was really time to go. 
 
 `` Alright, let's get goin', bud.'' 
 
 The boy exhaled heavily, turning around to face the door. ``'Where are we going?'' 
 
 [ End of Part 1 ]
