Each Tuesday, rather than a POSSIBLY
IRRITATING ESSAY, I'd like to both challenge you and lend a helping hand. I generate
more speculative and teen story ideas than I can ever use. My family rolls its
collective eyes when I say, "Hang on a second! I just have to write down this
idea..." Here, I'll include the initial inspiration (quote, website, podcast,
etc.) and then a thought or two that came to mind. These will simply be seeds
-- plant, nurture, fertilize, chemically treat, irradiate, test or stress them
as you see fit. I only ask if you let me know if anything comes of them.
H Trope:
personally experiencing the death of a _____________
Current Event: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/popular-culture-meets-psychology/201209/near-death-experience
“How do you know
how other people experience death?” asked Mr. Folgers, the senior psych
teacher.
Carl Haven leaned
over to his best friend, Clarke Halverson and whispered, “How do you know when
a teacher has gone over the edge?”
“Mr. Haven? The
Other Mr. Haven? If you have something to share, let the whole class experience
your wisdom.” Mr. Folgers snarled, then spun away from the class back to his
Powerpoint presentation.
Clarke glared at the
teacher’s back then turned his glare on Carl. A moment later he curled over his
notebook and started writing furiously.
Carl looked over
his best friend at Se’Anna King whose seat was in the next row. Her eyes
widened. He lifted an eyebrow and shrugged.
When the bell
rang, Clarke was out of his seat like a shot and out of the room. Carl said to
Se’Anna, “What’s wrong with...”
Mr. Folgers walked
up to him and handed him a yellow slip of paper. Carl exclaimed, “What am I
getting a detention for?”
“I believe we have
some catching up to do, Mr. Haven Your current grade in the class stands at an
NC.”
“What? How can
that be? I had a C+ last week!”
“That was before
the test you and the Other Mr. Haven cheated on together. You both failed. That
and your clone’s repeated missing of due dates and generally sour behavior have
placed his otherwise untarnished Grade Point Average in jeopardy.”
Carl snatched the
detention slip and muttered darkly under his breath as Mr. Folgers said, “I’ll
see you later this week, Mr. Haven. Oh, and send your recalcitrant friend my
way as well. I have a slip for him. Right after I call his parents tonight.”
Carl froze, his
anger draining away and turned around. “Don’t call his dad, Mr. Folgers!
Please? It’ll just make matters worse!”
The psych teacher
sniffed, “A phone call in the past has brought amazing results, Mr. Haven. Now
hurry to lunch or you won’t be able to have your daily infusion of Mountain Dew
to maintain your sunny disposition.”
Carl glared at the
teacher’s back then stomped out of the room. The door had a spring-loaded
closer, so it was impossible to slam. He stopped in the lav on his way to the
foyer where he’d meet his girlfriend Nyota and her passel of gfs and they’d
head out to lunch together. He was washing his hands when it felt like someone
kicked him in the chest.
He staggered
backwards, gasping, stumbled and fell to the floor between the pair of urinals
he’d just turned from. From the open lav door, he heard a scream. Then a
horrible burning lanced up his leg from his foot to his thigh. He couldn’t help
but scream. It felt like someone had blown his leg off!
He looked down
expecting to see blood, but there was nothing. Only dirty lavatory floor. An
instant later, a younger kid – probably a freshman – ran into the lav, yanking
the door closed behind him. Not looking at Carl on the floor, he staggered past
and went to the handicapped stall and slammed the door.
On the floor was a
red footprint. Carl was staring at it when another wave of searing pain shot up
his arm from his hand…
Names: ♂ Sweden, England; ♂
Ireland, Scandinavia
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