Happy Birthday?

"Where are we going, Dad?" Shark was sitting in the passenger seat, watching as the town of Twinbrook zoomed by outside. He was eager to hear what his father was planning for him.

"It's a surprise, son," Dennis stated as he kept his eye on the road. He could barely conceal the wicked grin he was hiding from his now legal child.

"Really?" Shark's eyes started to sparkle. If his father was managing to keep quiet about it, it had to be good. "Can you at least give me a hint? Please?"

"A hint, you say?" Dennis looked off to the side, as if he were entertaining a different thought entirely. "Very well. Let's just say you'll be getting to see where I work today."

His son's eyes lit up even more. "You're serious? Oh, thanks, Dad! This is awesome! This is gonna be the best birthday ever!" Shark had always had an interest in his father's job. Normally, Dennis was too busy to spend time with his children, but today was an exception.

It wasn't long before the car drove into the parking lot of what appeared to be a run-down building. Understandably, Shark was confused.

"Uhhh...Dad? What's this place?" Oddly, Dennis gave no answer. Instead, the older man opted to get out of the car, and open up the trunk. Shark watched as his father rummaged around what was presumably a mess, and quietly got out himself.

He'd seen this place once or twice, but never up close. Shark was not entirely sure what business Dennis had here. It looked abandoned, and desolate.

The boy stood there, inspecting the building, when he felt a hand gingerly touch his shoulder.

"Shark, I'm sorry as hell to do this," Dennis said with a slightly remorseful tone in his voice, "But this way your gift stays secret until it's ready."

Before the birthday boy could turn around and answer, he felt a blunt object strike him hard in the back of the head. It wasn't long before he blacked out.

Gently, Shark lifted a hand to his head, where Dennis had smacked him. It still hurt a little. He could feel a bump forming. It was a miracle he hadn't received any brain damage. Then again, maybe Lolly was telling the truth about him being a blockhead.

As he was checking his bump, Shark heard a loud rapping on the bathroom door. It didn't sound like something a set of knuckles would make. Rather, it sounded like a walking cane.

"You been in there for hours, boy! Other people need to use the bathroom too, you know!" Shark's grandmother shouted with clearly no concept of an inside voice. "You thinking I ain't gonna know what you're doin' to yourself in there? You're worse than Bill, I swear!"

Her words were like nails on a chalkboard. Shark refused to answer her. In time, she left, shouting about flying squirrels working for the government or some kind of nonsensical bullshit like that.