What Should Danny Do Next?

Danny grinned. He had wanted to get inside quickly, but waiting had helped someone else - and helped him make a new playmate.

Then Danny heard a bright squeak nearby.

He turned toward the swings. One swing hung empty, swaying in the breeze.

Danny hurried over. Before he could sit, another child stepped onto it.

“Oh,” Danny said.

The child began to swing. Up, down, up, down.

Danny’s smile slipped. He had made room for others, but now there was no swing for him.

He placed his hands on the cool chain of the swing beside it and took a slow breath. The playground was still busy, and his next choice was waiting.

Danny dashed toward the playground with his shoelaces whispering against the path. The gate was thick with children, voices tossed like bright flags, and the swings sang with soft squeaks. Sun warmed Danny’s face and dust tickled the toes of his shoes.

A little gap at the gate caught his eye. The play structure stood beyond, its steps shining in the light. Danny reached out, ready to slip in first, but then he saw someone beside him holding a bright red ball. The child glanced at the crowded entrance, then at the gap, then back at Danny.

“Can I get through too?” the child asked quietly.

Danny felt the tug to hurry. If he squeezed through now, he could climb the steps and find the best spot. He paused. He pictured himself last week, standing alone while others played. Danny stepped back. “You can go with me,” he said simply. “We’ll go slowly.”

The child’s face brightened. “Thanks.” Together they angled through the gap, careful not to bump anyone. Danny kept the gate open for others until the crowd thinned. The gate creaked like it was stretching and smiling.

Climbing the play structure, Danny’s palms warmed against the metal. He reached the top as another child arrived, and right away he scooted sideways. “Here you go,” he said. The child climbed up, and Danny zoomed down the twisty slide, whooping.

At the bottom, the child with the red ball waved. “You made room,” they said.

Danny felt proud. Waiting had given him a new playmate. But then he heard a bright squeak. The swings were nearby. One swing swung slowly, empty. Danny dashed across, but a child stepped onto it first and began to swing. Danny’s grin faltered. He stood with his hands on the next swing’s cold chain and slowed his breathing. He had shared already. Now, what should he do next?

Danny’s feet raced toward the playground, and his heart tapped like little drumbeats. The gate was already packed with children. Shouts, laughter and the squeak of swings made the air sing. Warm sunlight touched Danny’s cheeks. He smelled fresh grass and the sweet dust under his shoes.

At the gate, a tiny opening showed between the crowd. Danny thought of the tall play structure and the twisty slide waiting at the top. If he hurried, he might grab the best spot. His hand reached for the gate, but then he noticed a child beside him holding a bright red ball. The child’s eyes looked small and worried.

“Can I get through too?” the child asked softly.

Danny looked at the narrow space again. He could push ahead and slip through first. Or he could step back. His fingers stayed on the cold metal. He remembered the time he stood alone while everyone else played. A small, familiar tug went through him.

Danny moved back one step and smiled. “You can go with me,” he said. “We can fit if we go slowly.”

The child’s face lit up. “Thanks.” They squeezed through together. Danny held the gate wide so more children could come in without bumping or crowding. The gate gave a long, squeaky creak, like a happy sigh.

At the play structure, Danny climbed the warm metal steps. The rail felt smooth under his hands. He reached the top just as another child came behind him. Danny stepped to the side. “Your turn,” he said. The other child smiled and climbed up.

Danny slid down the twisty slide with a whoosh that made his stomach tickle. When he reached the bottom, the child with the red ball waved. “You made room,” the child said.

Danny grinned, feeling a warm glow inside. He had wanted to be first, but waiting had helped someone else, and helped him make a new friend.

A bright squeak nearby caught his ear. He turned and saw the swings. One swing hung empty, moving slowly in the breeze. Danny hurried over, heart hopeful.

Before he could sit, another child stepped onto the empty swing and began to move, up, down, up, down. Danny’s smile slipped. He had made room for others, but now there was no swing for him. He rested his hands on the cool chain of the next swing and took a slow breath. The playground hummed around him. His next choice waited, small and important.

Danny dashed toward the playground with his shoelaces whispering against the path. The gate was thick with children, voices tossed like bright flags, and the swings sang with soft squeaks. Sun warmed Danny’s face and dust tickled the toes of his shoes.

A little gap at the gate caught his eye. The play structure stood beyond, its steps shining in the light. Danny reached out, ready to slip in first, but then he saw someone beside him holding a bright red ball. The child glanced at the crowded entrance, then at the gap, then back at Danny.

“Can I get through too?” the child asked quietly.

Danny felt the tug to hurry. If he squeezed through now, he could climb the steps and find the best spot. He paused. He pictured himself last week, standing alone while others played. Danny stepped back. “You can go with me,” he said simply. “We’ll go slowly.”

The child’s face brightened. “Thanks.” Together they angled through the gap, careful not to bump anyone. Danny kept the gate open for others until the crowd thinned. The gate creaked like it was stretching and smiling.

Climbing the play structure, Danny’s palms warmed against the metal. He reached the top as another child arrived, and right away he scooted sideways. “Here you go,” he said. The child climbed up, and Danny zoomed down the twisty slide, whooping.

At the bottom, the child with the red ball waved. “You made room,” they said.

Danny felt proud. Waiting had given him a new playmate. But then he heard a bright squeak. The swings were nearby. One swing swung slowly, empty. Danny dashed across, but a child stepped onto it first and began to swing. Danny’s grin faltered. He stood with his hands on the next swing’s cold chain and slowed his breathing. He had shared already. Now, what should he do next?

End of chapter one. 5 more chapters and about 3,586 words in the full book.