Chapter Nine....

Lucy laughed as Ted came down the front steps of the school. " What a real dork," she thought." Just look at the way he dressed, so neat and tidy." Sometimes she just wanted to run over and smear some dirt on him just to see what he'd do.
" Hey Lucy ! " came a loud disturbing sound from behind her. It was the familiar sound of Spike "red toes", who got the name from mistakenly catching his feet in the escalator at the Mattsville Mall. " What an idiot he was, and who in their dumbest mind would ever stick their toes into an escalator anyways. " she told herself.
She turned and frowned and slapped him on the arm. " I told you, don't do that ! "
Spike laughed and glanced over at Ted who was now walking over the green to the bicycle rack. He stood between him and her line of sight. " All about Ted again I see.."
" Shut up, I was only thinking what a dork he was, anyways, mind your business."
They watched as Ted started towards them and he would have rode by but Spike, being the butt-hole that he was got in his way.
" Hey Ted what's up ? "
Ted looked at him and then at Lucy. He had a look that seemed to look inside you, not the way someone like Spike would look at you, but something more deep. There wasn't any emotion, just that look, it was creepy.
" I hear that you have Ms. Tackerbond for science class. " he said looking over at her.
She faked a smile, " Yes.. that's right."
" Your about to start chapter nine. " he said without emotion.
" Yes, so...?"
" Don't ! "
" What ? "
" Don't ! "
" Screw off Ted ! " she told him, pushing him slightly, " C'mon Spike, buy me some lunch."
Spike laughed as he took her by the arm and they walked away. " Later dude ! "
The next few weeks went along as usual, the leaves started to turn and the smell of snow was in the air. Someone nearby was baking a pumpkin pie who's smell filled the air. Little kids could be heard playing nearby. The doors to Mattsvile High opened and a throng of young adults poured from them like a flood on the weather channel. Spike sat on a bench nearby enjoying an apple he snapped off of old Mrs. Jenkins front yard tree. He glanced up to notice the last two persons to exit the school doors. For a moment he stopped chewing and tossed the remainder of the apple on the ground, wiping the slurp from his lip.
" No way..!" Spike told himself as he watched Ted and Lucy walk together to the bike rack, each getting onto their own bike. He ran over to them and got between them. " Lucy.... What are you doing with this sorry piece for a man ? " She looked up at him but there wasn't any emotion in her eyes. He turned to Ted and grabbed him by the shirt but he showed almost no resistance, " What did you do to Lucy man ! What did you do to her !?" After a few moments he let go and turned back to Lucy. " Lucy ? " Still no reaction other than that look.
Lucy looked up at him, " I hear you have Ms. Tackerbond this semester ? "
" Yeah, so what.." he glanced over at Ted for a moment considering a quick rabbit punch and then back at her.
" What chapter are you on ? " she asked.
" Who cares ! " he retorted. Lucy waited patiently for him to tell her. " Oh all right ! We're on chapter eight. We'll be on chapter nine next week... why ?"
" Stay home Spike. "
" What ? "
" Stay home... don't go.."
They rode off and Spike scratched his eyebrow and sighed, " Man, what a bunch of idiots, I never thought Lucy was like that. Spike left the green and went home. A few weeks later snow was hinting it's arrival with a dusting or two of early morning frost. Three bikes pulled up and they got off and locked them up. Together Lucy, Ted, and Spike walked silently into the school and the doors closed behind them. A smattering of light snow descended on the bikes outside as other high-schoolers began to funnel in, rushing the front doors. The sound of a pissed off cat in the ally nearby echoed against the row of houses across the street and then back again as the sun began is climb into the morning sky.

I love it.

Chapter Nine hangs like a mysterious force in the mind of the reader, begging for a clarification only Chapter Nine can give.

Well done.

reply to post by masqua



Thanks masqua, I've always had this talent for writing. I am currently working on a science fiction novel and should have it done soon and get that to a publishing agent. I like short stories because they can be about anything at all. I once wrote one in the 11th grade, which inspired me to be a writer after my teacher held me after class. I thought she was going to say something bad that I had written but instead she praised a short story assignment we did that I wrote called "30 Minutes". A story about the final moments of civilization after the initiation of MAD (mutual assured destruction) by the then USSR and the USA. It was both frightening, and desperate, and had all of the cliff hanging anticipation of a true thriller.

One thing every writer learns early is this, the supposed main plot is secondary to all the other stories told within it. Stephen King has this down to a science. Every yearning writer should study his writings such as " The Stand" and " Langoliers". There were actually multiple stories within each.

Another thing yearning writers should remember is "flow". The story should tell itself. Conversations in which you are merely the eavesdropper should unfold to the reader. using language familiar to the reader is also a good thing.

I am working on the (2014WC) story and will have that one up soon.