Story
Here is a story I wrote recently for my advanced writing composition class. Enjoy. Oh, and by the way, since it is a work by me it is copywritten by me, and MAY NOT be used without my personal permission. Thanks!
The Trade
Another night, another thorn in my side. A ball in the yard presented me with a perfect opportunity to send it into the dark abyss. I swear, one more night of this and I’m gonna end it. How I’ve managed to stay here this long is beyond me.
Where to next? Timothy Prelic? Ugh, not the Prelic’s again. This kid is losing teeth faster than I’m losing hair. Stepping up to the house, I peered through the windows – darkness. Man, I hate this! Just like a criminal. This job sure does have its benefits though; if I ever need to get behind locked doors, I’ve got the know-how. I paused wondering how to best make my entrance. Well, I’d better get this job done. End my night early. I hope McTuggan’s is still open, I need a lifter!
I’ve seen some nicer days in my time. I took this job because I like kids, well, used to anyway. I went over to the dark side years ago after I swallowing my pride time and time again. Never have I received a thank you for my deeds. In the 20 some years I’ve been working the trade, not one iota of gratitude.
As I looked up at the house, a small blue cube set with its classic white picket fence, punctuated with a hodge-podge of flowers, I knew the dangers that lurked within. I took my trusty equipment – two paper clips and a screwdriver – out of my briefcase. You’d think the company would splurge on better tools to do this crap! People depend too much on their deadbolts. Besides, there’s no stopping me with their puny security systems. We are trained in stealth.
I entered quietly, glancing around immediately for the part that makes my job difficult. No dog! Man, I hate those mangy things. I can taste the sweet ale already. Dog-less families are my favorite because they cause the least amount of trouble. There is no barking, no toys to trip over, a clean, well-kept house. Hmmm…his room is through the living room, down the hall on the left. Locating the kid’s room just comes after a while, but in this case it’s like shooting fish in a barrel. I’m going all out. This is my last night. Yup, that’s right, my last night. I’m gonna do it.
Walking silently to the door, I made preparations for what lay ahead. I smashed the door open loudly and the kid sat up in bed like one of those rakes that gets stepped on in old cartoons. I put on my most maniacal face, grinning widely fading into an evil snarl.
“GIVE ME YOUR TEETH, YOU LITTLE HELLION!” I exploded as swirls of red smoke wisped up from the floor.
The kid never showed a sign of fear, ”Tooth Fairy!”
As the words were uttered, the swirls disappeared, and I stopped where I was. With shoulders dropped and back hunched, I felt a slump coming on. My expression melted back into my features as quickly as it appeared; my mischief turned to disappointment. “Dammit! No, you will not take this moment from me!”
“What’s wrong Ms…. Tooth Fairy?” There was a long pause as a puzzled look crossed the boy’s face. “Why do you look like that, and… and what IS that smell?”
My failure was replaced with ire. “Okay, kid, you asked for it!” Since it was my last night, I figured, what the hell, I’ll scar the little bastard for the rest of his life. I went and sat on his bed and put my arm around his shoulder, smiling smugly.
“You’re going to sit and listen to me, kid. We’re gonna clear up some things about the tooth fairy,” I told him matter-of-factly.
“First, you may notice, I’m no spring chicken. In fact the thousands of employed tooth fairies around the globe look just like me! The smell is from a man who’s worked his… butt off all day. But you won’t know what that’s like until you’re older.”
“Really, just like you?” the kid stared at me, dumb-founded.
“Look, here’s the thing kid, we don’t get any credit. People make us out to be attractive, gorgeous women, and that, we just ain’t. 89% of us are men! How would you feel if everyone perceived you as this 5’6” woman, blonde as the sun, with a curvy figure that makes men roll out their red carpet tongues. I mean look at me, 5’4”, big-boned, wearing a tutu over a suit with ‘Tooth Fairy’ for a nametag. Do I look like Brittany Murphy to you? It couldn’t be further from the truth. This God forsaken job is for the birds – no, none of God’s creatures deserve this fate. I bet your mother feeds you all of this sugar. You get a dollar for every tooth you lose, but have you ever wondered what we do with those teeth, kid?”
“Kinda. Why would anyone collect teeth nobody wanted anymore in exchange for money?” the kid’s curiosity was growing.
“We sell ‘em to the devil. He pays a handsome sum for them, claims he can trap part of your soul in them,” I told him shrugging.
A look of pure dread came over the boy. “I’m kidding Tim. We just throw ‘em away. Tim, I’ve been your tooth fairy for a long time now, and I’m calling it quits. There’s no honor left in me. No pride either. That’s why I woke you up this time, so at least someone knows why.” I whipped out a Cuban from my briefcase, cut the end and lit it
“Oh, and I almost forgot. Since you sat and listened to my whining, I have a little treat for you. I owe you something for your tooth. Here it is.” I handed the kid the cut end of my cigar and some pocket lint.
“Hey! Where’s my dollar?”
“Get it from your mom. Inflation’s a bitch.”
As if snapping out of a trance, the kid starts up, “Hey! My mom doesn’t allow smoking in here!” I laughed.
“Oooh, is she gonna sic the Boogey Man on me?“
Suddenly, I heard a commotion from the next room. Tim’s mother came bursting into the room with the look of a banshee on steroids. !@#$%, here we go.
“What is going on in here? Bob, why are you here? And I thought I told you no smoking in the house!”
“Look Mrs. Prelic, I’m out of here. This is my last stop, so just cut me some slack okay?”
As I got up to leave, an audible poof sounded from somewhere beneath the bed, as a tall individual slinked out from under it. A look of complete confusion graced his grotesque features as I burst out laughing, ”Damn Phil, you sure got good timing!”
©Dana Wegener, 2005, All rights reserved.
The Trade
Another night, another thorn in my side. A ball in the yard presented me with a perfect opportunity to send it into the dark abyss. I swear, one more night of this and I’m gonna end it. How I’ve managed to stay here this long is beyond me.
Where to next? Timothy Prelic? Ugh, not the Prelic’s again. This kid is losing teeth faster than I’m losing hair. Stepping up to the house, I peered through the windows – darkness. Man, I hate this! Just like a criminal. This job sure does have its benefits though; if I ever need to get behind locked doors, I’ve got the know-how. I paused wondering how to best make my entrance. Well, I’d better get this job done. End my night early. I hope McTuggan’s is still open, I need a lifter!
I’ve seen some nicer days in my time. I took this job because I like kids, well, used to anyway. I went over to the dark side years ago after I swallowing my pride time and time again. Never have I received a thank you for my deeds. In the 20 some years I’ve been working the trade, not one iota of gratitude.
As I looked up at the house, a small blue cube set with its classic white picket fence, punctuated with a hodge-podge of flowers, I knew the dangers that lurked within. I took my trusty equipment – two paper clips and a screwdriver – out of my briefcase. You’d think the company would splurge on better tools to do this crap! People depend too much on their deadbolts. Besides, there’s no stopping me with their puny security systems. We are trained in stealth.
I entered quietly, glancing around immediately for the part that makes my job difficult. No dog! Man, I hate those mangy things. I can taste the sweet ale already. Dog-less families are my favorite because they cause the least amount of trouble. There is no barking, no toys to trip over, a clean, well-kept house. Hmmm…his room is through the living room, down the hall on the left. Locating the kid’s room just comes after a while, but in this case it’s like shooting fish in a barrel. I’m going all out. This is my last night. Yup, that’s right, my last night. I’m gonna do it.
Walking silently to the door, I made preparations for what lay ahead. I smashed the door open loudly and the kid sat up in bed like one of those rakes that gets stepped on in old cartoons. I put on my most maniacal face, grinning widely fading into an evil snarl.
“GIVE ME YOUR TEETH, YOU LITTLE HELLION!” I exploded as swirls of red smoke wisped up from the floor.
The kid never showed a sign of fear, ”Tooth Fairy!”
As the words were uttered, the swirls disappeared, and I stopped where I was. With shoulders dropped and back hunched, I felt a slump coming on. My expression melted back into my features as quickly as it appeared; my mischief turned to disappointment. “Dammit! No, you will not take this moment from me!”
“What’s wrong Ms…. Tooth Fairy?” There was a long pause as a puzzled look crossed the boy’s face. “Why do you look like that, and… and what IS that smell?”
My failure was replaced with ire. “Okay, kid, you asked for it!” Since it was my last night, I figured, what the hell, I’ll scar the little bastard for the rest of his life. I went and sat on his bed and put my arm around his shoulder, smiling smugly.
“You’re going to sit and listen to me, kid. We’re gonna clear up some things about the tooth fairy,” I told him matter-of-factly.
“First, you may notice, I’m no spring chicken. In fact the thousands of employed tooth fairies around the globe look just like me! The smell is from a man who’s worked his… butt off all day. But you won’t know what that’s like until you’re older.”
“Really, just like you?” the kid stared at me, dumb-founded.
“Look, here’s the thing kid, we don’t get any credit. People make us out to be attractive, gorgeous women, and that, we just ain’t. 89% of us are men! How would you feel if everyone perceived you as this 5’6” woman, blonde as the sun, with a curvy figure that makes men roll out their red carpet tongues. I mean look at me, 5’4”, big-boned, wearing a tutu over a suit with ‘Tooth Fairy’ for a nametag. Do I look like Brittany Murphy to you? It couldn’t be further from the truth. This God forsaken job is for the birds – no, none of God’s creatures deserve this fate. I bet your mother feeds you all of this sugar. You get a dollar for every tooth you lose, but have you ever wondered what we do with those teeth, kid?”
“Kinda. Why would anyone collect teeth nobody wanted anymore in exchange for money?” the kid’s curiosity was growing.
“We sell ‘em to the devil. He pays a handsome sum for them, claims he can trap part of your soul in them,” I told him shrugging.
A look of pure dread came over the boy. “I’m kidding Tim. We just throw ‘em away. Tim, I’ve been your tooth fairy for a long time now, and I’m calling it quits. There’s no honor left in me. No pride either. That’s why I woke you up this time, so at least someone knows why.” I whipped out a Cuban from my briefcase, cut the end and lit it
“Oh, and I almost forgot. Since you sat and listened to my whining, I have a little treat for you. I owe you something for your tooth. Here it is.” I handed the kid the cut end of my cigar and some pocket lint.
“Hey! Where’s my dollar?”
“Get it from your mom. Inflation’s a bitch.”
As if snapping out of a trance, the kid starts up, “Hey! My mom doesn’t allow smoking in here!” I laughed.
“Oooh, is she gonna sic the Boogey Man on me?“
Suddenly, I heard a commotion from the next room. Tim’s mother came bursting into the room with the look of a banshee on steroids. !@#$%, here we go.
“What is going on in here? Bob, why are you here? And I thought I told you no smoking in the house!”
“Look Mrs. Prelic, I’m out of here. This is my last stop, so just cut me some slack okay?”
As I got up to leave, an audible poof sounded from somewhere beneath the bed, as a tall individual slinked out from under it. A look of complete confusion graced his grotesque features as I burst out laughing, ”Damn Phil, you sure got good timing!”
©Dana Wegener, 2005, All rights reserved.
posted by P-Wagz at 1:08 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home