Max BrunnerMiddle Grade FantasyEMBER-REVISION 3
The Spit Wad
A ball of wet paper slapped the side of John’s
face. He caught himself before falling out of his chair but was powerless to
stop the hot blood that flooded his cheeks. Dice and his friends exploded with
laughter. Cold saliva ran down his cheek and John swallowed hard to keep his
lunch inside his stomach. The spit wad had caused him enough embarrassment for
one day. He took a deep breath and remembered they wouldn’t be laughing much
longer.
face. He caught himself before falling out of his chair but was powerless to
stop the hot blood that flooded his cheeks. Dice and his friends exploded with
laughter. Cold saliva ran down his cheek and John swallowed hard to keep his
lunch inside his stomach. The spit wad had caused him enough embarrassment for
one day. He took a deep breath and remembered they wouldn’t be laughing much
longer.
“I can’t wait to see your face w-w-when-“ John
paused. He was stuttering again. His cheeks burned even hotter.
paused. He was stuttering again. His cheeks burned even hotter.
Dice lowered his straw, “Can’t wait to what? You
got something to say to me, f-f-f-freak?”
got something to say to me, f-f-f-freak?”
John clenched his fists but said nothing.
“Just what is so funny Mr. Menning?” asked their
wrinkled teacher.
wrinkled teacher.
“Nothing, Ms. Jessup,” Dice replied as he fumbled
to hide the straw shooter.
to hide the straw shooter.
The woman marched toward him. “What is that you’re
hiding over there? Craig, I want you to empty your pockets, right now.”
hiding over there? Craig, I want you to empty your pockets, right now.”
The bullies panicked and John couldn’t help but
smile. Having Craig empty his pockets was a stroke of genius.
smile. Having Craig empty his pockets was a stroke of genius.
John leaned back, folded his arms, and made sure
Dice could see him grinning. “Y-You’re not getting away with it this t-t-time,”
he teased. Even stammering twice in one sentence couldn’t ruin this moment.
Dice could see him grinning. “Y-You’re not getting away with it this t-t-time,”
he teased. Even stammering twice in one sentence couldn’t ruin this moment.
Then it happened. Again.
One of Dice’s friends jumped into Ms. Jessup’s
path, babbling on about nothing, shifting his body to keep her from looking
over his shoulder at Dice.
path, babbling on about nothing, shifting his body to keep her from looking
over his shoulder at Dice.
“I’ll take it.” It was Rebecca, the girl that sat
in front of Dice. “Quick,” she whispered, “she won’t search me. Give me the
straw.”
in front of Dice. “Quick,” she whispered, “she won’t search me. Give me the
straw.”
John’s smile disappeared, “Not you too, Becca. I
thought w-we were f-f-friends.”
thought w-we were f-f-friends.”
Dice smirked and slipped her the straw shooter into
her hand.
her hand.
“You think h-he’s your friend now?” John said.
“He’s not. He’s just using you, like he uses everybody else.”
“He’s not. He’s just using you, like he uses everybody else.”
The evidence disappeared just before their teacher
pushed past her jabbering obstacle. She scanned the innocent items the bullies
had taken out of their pockets. “Is this it?” She sighed, “I have three more
slides to go over and fifteen minutes to do it in, boys. We don’t have time for
any more distractions, understand?”
pushed past her jabbering obstacle. She scanned the innocent items the bullies
had taken out of their pockets. “Is this it?” She sighed, “I have three more
slides to go over and fifteen minutes to do it in, boys. We don’t have time for
any more distractions, understand?”
John wiped the remaining the saliva from his face.
“H-H-He shot a spit wad at me.”
“H-H-He shot a spit wad at me.”
She spun on her heels and locked John in her
sights. “Now how would you know who shot that at you, Mr. Davy?” She asked,
glaring at him through a pair of glasses that would be too small if her eyes
weren’t so beady. “You haven’t done anything but keep your nose in that book
since you came through that door. Just because you are my brightest student
does not excuse you from participating in this classroom.”
sights. “Now how would you know who shot that at you, Mr. Davy?” She asked,
glaring at him through a pair of glasses that would be too small if her eyes
weren’t so beady. “You haven’t done anything but keep your nose in that book
since you came through that door. Just because you are my brightest student
does not excuse you from participating in this classroom.”
She spun again, this time to Rebecca, “And don’t
think you’ve pulled a fast one on me, my dear. You’ll be joining Craig in
detention this afternoon.”
think you’ve pulled a fast one on me, my dear. You’ll be joining Craig in
detention this afternoon.”
The students groaned and John was about to rejoice
when Ms. Jessup snatched the paperback out of his hands. “Just what is so
captivating that you cannot seem to pay attention to my presentations?”
when Ms. Jessup snatched the paperback out of his hands. “Just what is so
captivating that you cannot seem to pay attention to my presentations?”
Ms. Jessup held the book away from her face so her
old eyes could read the title but before she could get the letters focused Dice
chimed in. “Another crazy book about UFOs or something,” he said, inciting a
giggle from his classmates.
old eyes could read the title but before she could get the letters focused Dice
chimed in. “Another crazy book about UFOs or something,” he said, inciting a
giggle from his classmates.
“T-The Hutchison Effect,” John said.
“The Hutchison Effect? I’ve never even heard of it.”
John shifted in his seat before lifting his deep
brown eyes. “It-it’s about the Hutchison Effect and the Bermuda Triangle and
how—”
brown eyes. “It-it’s about the Hutchison Effect and the Bermuda Triangle and
how—”
“The Bermuda Triangle?” Ms. Jessup snickered.
“Preposterous. I’ve lived on this island in ‘the Triangle’ for more than 35
years. I’ve seen more storms here than you’ve had birthdays and I have never
seen anything out of the ordinary. Your time in class is far too precious to be
wasted on something like this.”
“Preposterous. I’ve lived on this island in ‘the Triangle’ for more than 35
years. I’ve seen more storms here than you’ve had birthdays and I have never
seen anything out of the ordinary. Your time in class is far too precious to be
wasted on something like this.”
“My dad told me hundreds of ships and planes have
disappeared in the Triangle and even Christopher Columbus saw strange lights
when he sailed through here. My dad saw—“
disappeared in the Triangle and even Christopher Columbus saw strange lights
when he sailed through here. My dad saw—“
“Mr. Davy,” She interrupted, “We do not have time
for this nonsense. The Bermuda Triangle is no different from anywhere else in
the world and anyone who says otherwise should have his or her head examined.
The laws of science are the same here as they are everywhere else.” She held
John’s book in the air and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “I have
studied science my entire life and I can tell you these kinds of books do not
contain fact. They do not teach; they entertain. This book is full of idiotic
theories by people with too much time on their hands too lazy to get real jobs.
Reading things like this is a waste of your time and a waste of good paper.
John, you are too bright to believe in this hocus pocus.”
for this nonsense. The Bermuda Triangle is no different from anywhere else in
the world and anyone who says otherwise should have his or her head examined.
The laws of science are the same here as they are everywhere else.” She held
John’s book in the air and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “I have
studied science my entire life and I can tell you these kinds of books do not
contain fact. They do not teach; they entertain. This book is full of idiotic
theories by people with too much time on their hands too lazy to get real jobs.
Reading things like this is a waste of your time and a waste of good paper.
John, you are too bright to believe in this hocus pocus.”
“It’s not hocus pocus. You’ll see,” John said under
his breath.
his breath.
“What was that?” Ms. Jessup replied.
“N-N-Nothing.” John said.
“Good. Now,” she said, “put that thing away and
let’s get back to these slides and see if we can teach you some real science. I
don’t know why on earth a bright boy like you would waste his time on such a
ridiculous book.”
let’s get back to these slides and see if we can teach you some real science. I
don’t know why on earth a bright boy like you would waste his time on such a
ridiculous book.”
“Because he’s just as nu-nu-nu-nuts as his old
man,” Dice chuckled and it seemed to John the whole class laughed with him.
man,” Dice chuckled and it seemed to John the whole class laughed with him.
Sefi wasn’t laughing, however. “Knock it off,
Dice,” she said slamming her fist into her brother’s arm.
Dice,” she said slamming her fist into her brother’s arm.
She brushed her dark, pink-streaked hair away from
her eyes to steal a glance at John. He caught her eyes for an instant but
immediately turned away.
her eyes to steal a glance at John. He caught her eyes for an instant but
immediately turned away.
Ms. Jessup carried on with the rest of her slides
and as his tormentors began again, John let out a quiet sigh. He was totally
alone. It was like he had a disease and everyone was afraid if they came too
close he would infect them. No one seemed to understand him. What made John
feel even worse was that no one even tried anymore.
and as his tormentors began again, John let out a quiet sigh. He was totally
alone. It was like he had a disease and everyone was afraid if they came too
close he would infect them. No one seemed to understand him. What made John
feel even worse was that no one even tried anymore.
When the program ended for the day the children
quickly crowded the exit, eager to leave the school behind them.
quickly crowded the exit, eager to leave the school behind them.
John stayed in his seat. If he left now Dice and
his goons would be there to meet him, more eager than ever to lay their hands
on him.
his goons would be there to meet him, more eager than ever to lay their hands
on him.
The room was nearly empty when Sefi walked over to
his desk. “Sorry about the spit wad. Dice can be a real jerk sometimes.”
his desk. “Sorry about the spit wad. Dice can be a real jerk sometimes.”
John didn’t respond. He frowned at the cover of his
textbook, waiting for her to leave. All he wanted was to be left alone. He
didn’t want to talk to anyone, especially Dice’s sister.
textbook, waiting for her to leave. All he wanted was to be left alone. He
didn’t want to talk to anyone, especially Dice’s sister.
The boy winced as she slammed her palm onto his
desk, her skull-covered bracelets rattling menacingly.
desk, her skull-covered bracelets rattling menacingly.
“You know why he pushes you around?” she huffed.
“Because he knows you won’t push back.”
“Because he knows you won’t push back.”
Sefi stood in silence waiting for the boy to reply.
When no answer came, she pushed his book to the floor and stormed out of the
room.
When no answer came, she pushed his book to the floor and stormed out of the
room.
