Yes please, I'd like to be tagged as well, that would help a lot! I'm greatly hyped for this story
By the way, I just remembered that I … moreintended to submit an older character to balance the age out a bit after I originally submitted a young character. Apologies, I totally forgot to submit him. Do you still have use for him? If yes, then I'd try my best to submit him until Friday.
Hello followers! Today I'm announcing that the first episode in Season 1, entitled "The Ring: Part 1" will be airing this coming Friday at 6… more:00 p.m. PST. Be there or be square. Due to the close-knit nature of the parts in this series, it might be difficult to read each part on time, so I'm offering a "subscription" which basically means I tag your name in each part as a reminder. Let me know if you would like me to do so.
Death was a fickle line that people drew between what's here and what ain't never coming back. There ain't nothin' on the other side-of that much Jonah was damn certain. He'd been there once before. It was cold, dirty... He heard the voices but there wasn't no light at the end of the dark tunnel. There was only him, the length of thread that kept him tethered to the other side of that line, and the doctors that pulled him back over with it. Jonah wasn't afraid of death; he'd just witnessed enough of it to know better.
The coffee tasted like hell, but he couldn't resist bringing it back up to his lips. He grimaced as he swirled the flavor around inside his mouth. Possibly the worst mug he'd ever paid for. It wasn't the first time he'd been here, and it for sure wasn't gonna be the last. This small town was a pit stop on the road to Arizona, and even though he never lived here, he knew the map like the back of his hand.
"Perry's Diner and Bar," it called itself. One of the more generic names for a restaurant he'd ever heard, but the place wasn't the worst on the eyes. It had a certain vibe about it, like he had just stepped back into the fifties. It ain't anythin' new, but he'd have been lying if he said it weren't a warm place to spend the morning. He had been to dozens of joints exactly like this one, yet it could never get too stale. It's just a good thing the pancakes were better than the coffee.
"Mornin' sir, can I get anything for you today?" The waitress behind the counter smiled at him. She weren't here the last time he took his place at that stool.
"The coffee is shit." Jonah fired it off at her. His father often told him, if you ain't got something polite to say, just make sure it's honest.
She shrugged and leaned into onto the countertop. "You don't know the half of it." She whispered. "Everyone knows it tastes like piss, but the manager keeps tryin' to sell it based off the whole 'family recipe' gimmick. Don't work. If you want the real stuff, I'd recommend Wates' down the street."
Jonah peered down into the bubbling black liquid again. Its aroma far outweighed its flavor. "Hell, doesn't matter whatever shield of a gimmick you sell it behind, it's coffee. People are too addicted to find it anywhere else."
"I suppose that's more of the truth than Jimmy will ever figure out..." She chuckled, leaning back against the wooden drawers. The woman was older than him by a sizable margin, yet she didn't look half bad. Her blonde waves hanging by her neck had just enough color left for Jonah to wonder whether or not she used dye. Her eyes were a softer tone of green just like his, and just like his they were very revealing of her mind. She was just... happy. It was genuinely nice to see someone like that around for a change. Maybe she could find something left to work toward in the world. He couldn't see it no more. "My name's Wendy."
"Wendy? Like in Peter Pan?" He cocked his eyebrow.
"Eh..." She chuckled harmlessly. "People confuse me more often with the restaurant. Guess there's something about the name that gives the imagery of a young girl..."
"Jonah." He replied, taking another sip of the coffee. He took it faster this time, so he couldn't feel it on his tongue.
"Jonah? Like with the whale?" She said. "Haven't seen you around town before. I guess that's nothin' new though. This is a pit stop, after all. You passing through?"
"Yup." Jonah didn't like small talk, and it felt like this one had overstayed its welcome.
"Where you heading?" Wendy grabbed a wet rag from behind the bar and started to scrub the counter with it, picking up the ring his mug had left on the wood. "Business or pleasure?"
"Business." He sighed. "I got a shipment heading for Phoenix."
"Ah. A truck drivin' man, huh?"
"Uh huh." He carried on. "I've shipped everything you could possibly name."
She smiled, and peered out the window, as if she was searching for something. Jonah followed her gaze, yet couldn't find much extraordinary in the parking lot. They simply sat in the northeast section of the intersection. There weren't much to see. "We don't get a lot of trucks here. Folks like you tend to stop at the more isolated stops out on the interstate. Why'd you pick our town?"
"Maybe I just wanted to visit Perry's one more time." Jonah responded jokingly. "Maybe this place is a landmark from my youth."
"Why?" She giggled. "You just said it yourself. The coffee is shit."
"Maybe I knew someone here once." He told her. "...and maybe this place reminds me of her."
"Hm..." She replied. "Did this girl have a name? Or is she just a made-up excuse to come get our shit coffee again?"
"Yeah. One or the other."
"Well, it's a good thing we're speakin' in hypotheticals." She placed her hands and her cloth down on the counter. "So, Jonah the Truck Driver, I already know of your hatred for our hot beverages. May I interest you in somethin' else?"
"What else you got?"
"I got pancakes... Waffles... Eggs. Whatever you want, honey." She smiled and picked up her pad of paper and pen, ready to take his order.
"You got that old Blueberry Scone thing... The one with the homemade syrup?" He asked, hoping the answer was yes. It was the dish that was served all those years ago... The first time he'd ever been to this place.
"No..." She placed her pen at her lip, giving the impression of thought. "I don't recall ever havin' that one. Sorry."
"I think I'll go hungry then..." He told her. "Got my coffee anyway..."
She put the pen and paper back down on the counter and picked up the wet rag. "What a shame..." She a proclaimed, wiping up a circle of condensation from the place where his mug had been. "We got some damn good waffles."
She turned back toward the door to the kitchen and pushed her way through them. Jonah could hear the woman shouting to a worker in the back about getting of his phone. It made him chuckle. He remembered the days back when he worried about getting caught not working. He didn't have a phone to distract him then... All there was was the window... The hills rolling by... He used to think the future would hold more for him... Maybe a wife... a couple kids... A career worth getting out of bed for. He wanted to be an astronaut. Ain't no hope of that no more.
For a brief moment he remembered Wendy's mention of the whale. He never went to church as a child, but he knew the story. A man set on his path by the hand of fate... Maybe he was always meant to be a truck driver... Tryin' to change that's only gonna make things worse. Jonah thought about this as he took another sip of his terrible coffee and wondered whether he still had enough time left to change. Did he still have a chance to be something greater?
No. If the world hadn't given him a chance in his up to forty years on it, it wasn't gonna start now.
Eddie
Edmund Sullivan had watched the encounter between the man in the leather jacket and the waitress at the counter. In a way, it was nostalgic. It reminded him of what it had been like to be young. He remembered a time of being able to walk without feeling as if his bones would crack on the way. He wasn't that old, but as his children, Grant and CJ, would frequently remind him, he was not young either.
There were, of course, perks to being elderly. Everyone always seemed to trust what he said, and ask for his advice. Being a former judge in the Capitol City of Austin, most times that trust was warranted. He always did love seeing the love in the eyes of his wife's children when they would come to visit her. They loved him and hearing his stories, and most days, that was all he needed to keep going.
"I tell you, Syrena. This place isn't as bad as you keep telling me it is." Eddie muttered to his wife, as she frustratedly glared down into her menu.
"Pancakes... Waffles... Eggs..." She cried. "Ugh... I woke up this morning expecting an orange crepe. These dishes don't even have descriptions. How the hell am I supposed to know how this pancake tastes if I can't even read about it?"
Eddie peered down at his own menu and found the pancakes. They were labeled with a price under a small photograph of the dish. While she was correct in the fact that they had no description, Eddie didn't find any sense in her demeaning of them. "I guess you'll just have to order it."
"Ordering blindly is a feat for the poor." She propped herself elegantly onto her seat. "I want to know what I'm ordering."
"Honey, you know very well that I tried to get a reservation at Chez Dupont down the street. You were there when they told us they were booked. Look, I know you're disappointed, but let's give this place a chance. We eat five-star all the time. This is a chance to experience more of the common culture."
"A chance to vomit is what it is..." She uttered under her breath.
Syrena had only just hit thirty years old when Eddie married her and she was thirty-four now. She was beautiful... and she still was. Her golden brown hair glistened in the morning sunlight. Her skin was as lovely as a goddess. She lived in England with her family until she turned eighteen, and traces of her accent still shined into conversation with her. She may be a handful at times, but no one could say that he didn't love her with all his heart. Both of them had been in marriages before. Eddie's previous one ended with a nasty divorce that separated his children from him permanently. Syrena had been in three, yet none had stood the test of time. Since Eddie was just over sixty years old, people often thought harshly of their relationship, but it was not a loveless one. Syrena was worth it...
Eddie peered back over at the gentleman at the counter across the diner, sipping slowly his mug of coffee. He wondered what kind of experiences he'd had in his life. Maybe he'd been married before. Though, judging from his long, unkempt beard, he could deduce that the man may not have one anymore. He found the interaction with the blonde-haired waitress was rather sweet. He wished Syrena would sometimes find courtesy such as that in the morning.
The diner was a small one, but it was large enough to easily fit forty to fifty people. The seats were all red leather, and Syrena had a fit when they arrived here fifteen minutes ago. "That's abuse to those poor bovine!" She said. She stayed at home most days to clean their mansion and was not employed, so she had taken up political activism. She'd grown popular in the animal rights movement in the past year. Last week, she was even mentioned on national television on a news station they watched every night. He hoped she could see his pride for her...
They sat waiting for a few more minutes, and each one Syrena grew more impatient. But eventually a young girl with striking blonde hair and a wide grin made her way to their table, pad of paper in hand. "Good morning!" She told them cheerfully. "Welcome to Perry's. My name is Emilia. How can I help you?"
Eddie looked down at his menu, deciding what he desired from it. The eggs looked nice. "Yes. I'll take the-"
"Girl, do you have any respect for yourself?" Syrena chimed, looking up and down the woman's body. "Your skirt is so short, I can see practically everything from the waist down. And pull up your shirt. You are young and pretty. For God's sake, cover yourself before any of the men in this room take advantage."
Emilia looked rather embarrassed and held her pen and paper close to her as she pulled her shirt a bit higher on herself. Her cheeks were noticably flushing. "Do you want anything to eat, ma'am?" She asked, backing away shyly.
"Excuse me!" A man on the other side of the room stood from his seat. There was saliva dripping from his mouth and he was squinting his eyes together. His wife pulled on his arm to sit back down beside their three kids, but he just pulled back away. The man was obviously drunk. "Are ya callin' me a fucking rapist, woman?!" He screamed.
"Nick." His wife snarled at him in a way that qualified as a whisper and a shout simultaneously. "Sit down."
"I did no such thing." Syrena cocked her head back toward her menu in a proper way. "You will address me by something other than the word 'woman' next time if you fancy your dignity."
"No!" Nick shouted, followed by a loud burp. "What the hell are you insinuating?!"
Syrena didn't respond. Instead, another waitress with darker skin and a mean look on her face walked out towards the scene. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to sit back down and refrain from vile language or you will be asked to leave." She told the man, grabbing him by the arm.
He shook himself free and pointed at Eddie's wife. Just watching someone yell like this at her filled him with anger. Eddie wished he was still young enough to get up and fight back, but there was no way it could work in his favor. "Let go of me!" Nick cried. "I want to hear an apology! Right now!"
Eddie clutched his leg until his knuckles went white, but his joints began to crack when he got there. "Don't talk to my wife that way!" He yelled.
"Stay out of this, you old fuck." He yelled back.
Eddie cowered back into his seat. This was too much. He could feel his heartbeat rising with occasion, and tried to calm himself down. Emilia had backed into a corner out of fear, and everyone else in the room was simply staring at the two of them. Nick was too drunk to notice and Syrena didn't care...
"SIR!" The meaner-looking waitress yelled back to him. "Sir, I am going to call to call the police."
"Why would you call the... the police?!" He spouted in anger. "I didn't do nothin' wrong. Just apologize." Syrena didn't answer. She didn't even glance in his direction.
"Honey, you're not helping..."
"Help? You think I want help?" She scoffed. "I don't need any help."
"APOLOGIZE, WOMAN!"
Syrena shot her head back around and screamed at him. "What did I tell you about that word?!"
Nick began to run towards Syrena in his rage, and everyone's hearts skipped a beat. Eddie had his cellphone in his hand, just waiting to ring to the police. This man was clearly dangerous. He put his hands on Syrena's shoulder and pulled her out of the booth and onto the ground. "Help!" She cried. "This man is attacking me!"
The next part should arrive at some point tomorrow. It may take me a while to actually find a schedule I can stick to, but I'll be trying to keep it relatively frequent.
This was truly an amazing start! I'm already intrigued by the story, great job Your writing style is wonderful and I can't wait for the next part. Though I haven't yet found the time to finish my second character, but I make good progress and have high hopes that I'll manage it until the next part is out.
As for this choice, I chose to intervene. This bastard is clearly dangerous and someone should intervene. Maybe Jonah can help, get in everyone's good graces here. Aside from Nick of course, but Nick does not matter.
@TheLier @Clem_In_The_Pines @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789
EPISODE 1:
THE RING: PART 1
Jonah
Death was a fickle line that pe… moreople drew between what's here and what ain't never coming back. There ain't nothin' on the other side-of that much Jonah was damn certain. He'd been there once before. It was cold, dirty... He heard the voices but there wasn't no light at the end of the dark tunnel. There was only him, the length of thread that kept him tethered to the other side of that line, and the doctors that pulled him back over with it. Jonah wasn't afraid of death; he'd just witnessed enough of it to know better.
The coffee tasted like hell, but he couldn't resist bringing it back up to his lips. He grimaced as he swirled the flavor around inside his mouth. Possibly the worst mug he'd ever paid for. It wasn't the first time he'd been here, and it for sure wasn't gonna be the last. This small town was a pit stop on the road to A… [view original content]
@TheLier @Clem_In_The_Pines @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789
EPISODE 1:
THE RING: PART 1
Jonah
Death was a fickle line that pe… moreople drew between what's here and what ain't never coming back. There ain't nothin' on the other side-of that much Jonah was damn certain. He'd been there once before. It was cold, dirty... He heard the voices but there wasn't no light at the end of the dark tunnel. There was only him, the length of thread that kept him tethered to the other side of that line, and the doctors that pulled him back over with it. Jonah wasn't afraid of death; he'd just witnessed enough of it to know better.
The coffee tasted like hell, but he couldn't resist bringing it back up to his lips. He grimaced as he swirled the flavor around inside his mouth. Possibly the worst mug he'd ever paid for. It wasn't the first time he'd been here, and it for sure wasn't gonna be the last. This small town was a pit stop on the road to A… [view original content]
@TheLier @Clem_In_The_Pines @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789
EPISODE 1:
THE RING: PART 1
Jonah
Death was a fickle line that pe… moreople drew between what's here and what ain't never coming back. There ain't nothin' on the other side-of that much Jonah was damn certain. He'd been there once before. It was cold, dirty... He heard the voices but there wasn't no light at the end of the dark tunnel. There was only him, the length of thread that kept him tethered to the other side of that line, and the doctors that pulled him back over with it. Jonah wasn't afraid of death; he'd just witnessed enough of it to know better.
The coffee tasted like hell, but he couldn't resist bringing it back up to his lips. He grimaced as he swirled the flavor around inside his mouth. Possibly the worst mug he'd ever paid for. It wasn't the first time he'd been here, and it for sure wasn't gonna be the last. This small town was a pit stop on the road to A… [view original content]
Fantasic introduction! Liking the characters so far, it's a little early to tell what all of them are going to be like yet ^-^ Can't wait for the next part!
@TheLier @Clem_In_The_Pines @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789
EPISODE 1:
THE RING: PART 1
Jonah
Death was a fickle line that pe… moreople drew between what's here and what ain't never coming back. There ain't nothin' on the other side-of that much Jonah was damn certain. He'd been there once before. It was cold, dirty... He heard the voices but there wasn't no light at the end of the dark tunnel. There was only him, the length of thread that kept him tethered to the other side of that line, and the doctors that pulled him back over with it. Jonah wasn't afraid of death; he'd just witnessed enough of it to know better.
The coffee tasted like hell, but he couldn't resist bringing it back up to his lips. He grimaced as he swirled the flavor around inside his mouth. Possibly the worst mug he'd ever paid for. It wasn't the first time he'd been here, and it for sure wasn't gonna be the last. This small town was a pit stop on the road to A… [view original content]
@TheLier @Clem_In_The_Pines @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789
EPISODE 1:
THE RING: PART 1
Jonah
Death was a fickle line that pe… moreople drew between what's here and what ain't never coming back. There ain't nothin' on the other side-of that much Jonah was damn certain. He'd been there once before. It was cold, dirty... He heard the voices but there wasn't no light at the end of the dark tunnel. There was only him, the length of thread that kept him tethered to the other side of that line, and the doctors that pulled him back over with it. Jonah wasn't afraid of death; he'd just witnessed enough of it to know better.
The coffee tasted like hell, but he couldn't resist bringing it back up to his lips. He grimaced as he swirled the flavor around inside his mouth. Possibly the worst mug he'd ever paid for. It wasn't the first time he'd been here, and it for sure wasn't gonna be the last. This small town was a pit stop on the road to A… [view original content]
Just read the first part and I am impressed by your writing, especially the first couple of paragraphs in Jonah's part. I like how descriptive you are in terms of setting the mood & atmosphere.
@TheLier @Clem_In_The_Pines @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789
EPISODE 1:
THE RING: PART 1
Jonah
Death was a fickle line that pe… moreople drew between what's here and what ain't never coming back. There ain't nothin' on the other side-of that much Jonah was damn certain. He'd been there once before. It was cold, dirty... He heard the voices but there wasn't no light at the end of the dark tunnel. There was only him, the length of thread that kept him tethered to the other side of that line, and the doctors that pulled him back over with it. Jonah wasn't afraid of death; he'd just witnessed enough of it to know better.
The coffee tasted like hell, but he couldn't resist bringing it back up to his lips. He grimaced as he swirled the flavor around inside his mouth. Possibly the worst mug he'd ever paid for. It wasn't the first time he'd been here, and it for sure wasn't gonna be the last. This small town was a pit stop on the road to A… [view original content]
Just read the first part and I am impressed by your writing, especially the first couple of paragraphs in Jonah's part. I like how descriptive you are in terms of setting the mood & atmosphere.
With a swift motion, Jonah took his mug of coffee and slammed it on the ground, shattering it into a hundred coffee-stained pieces. Everyone's attention was directed to him as soon as he stood up and threw his hands on Nick's throat and shoulder, pinning to the ground. He leaned up into his face until he could smell the odor of alcohol on his breath. "Do we have a problem here?" Jonah spat.
"Nick!" Shouted the man's wife, along with loud cries of "Daddy!" from the youngest of their children.
"Get the fuck off me!" Nick shouted through his own saliva. "This ain't right!"
The black waitress who had confronted him earlier pulled out her cellphone from her back pocket and began pressing numbers on it. "Damnit, I'm calling the police on your asses." She barked. "Ain't the place for this!"
"Do we have a problem here?" Jonah whispered to him again, his mouth close to Nick's ear. "Or do I have to get less polite?"
"Yes, we have a fucking problem!" Nick shouted in retaliation. "You're a goddamned psycho! Get the hell offa me!"
"You coulda been civil, man." Jonah told him. "Woman makes a snarky remark to you, you don't throw her on the ground. You wouldn't do that to yer wife over there. Ain't gonna do that no more, right?"
"She insulted me to my face!"
"She insulted you to your back, and I don't know if you noticed, but she insulted all the men in the diner." Jonah lifted a hand free to gesture to the room around him, putting his other arm harder on the man's shoulder. "You weren't gonna see any of us throw our weight around."
"Excuse me." The woman who was thrown spoke to the crowd in the restaurant. Jonah and everyone else's attention went to her as she reapplied a bit of makeup to her cheeks. "My remark was not unfounded. The way I see it, there are only three men in this room, and the only one with a lick of decency is my husband."
"Syrena, come now..." The old man across from her started.
"No, hold on just a minute." She silenced him. "I have done not a thing to hurt this man, and he acts as though I have committed murder. Any the way he acted in response to my statement-the way he is acting at this very moment- only proves what I had been saying. For the love of God, pick yourselves off the floor and calm down. We are here to have breakfast, not to start civil war."
"You heard the woman." Jonah whispered to the man underneath his grip. He got up from the ground, dusted off his jeans for a moment, and proceeded to take Nick by the back of his collar and carry him to the front of the store.
"Motherfucker..." Nick muttered, and spat on the floor at Jonah's feet.
Everyone around them watched idly as the scene took place. The old man and his wife seemed above the whole ordeal and appeared to be trying to readjust to the friendly climate that existed five minutes ago. Wendy stood in the corner of the room, quietly consoling the younger waitress with the accent as she wept tears of stress. Nick's family was only in shock at what he had done. The younger two kids were more shaken up than the oldest daughter and her mother though. They had most likely seen this reaction before.
"Alright, they're on their way." Called the waitress on the phone with the police, placing her fingers over the audio receptors.
"I'll sue!" Nick screamed. "I'll fuckin' sue!" He jumped and kicked, but Jonah had enough experience with strong grip to keep him under control.
"Yeah, I bet you would!" Syrena scoffed intellectually as she placed her menu down on the table.
Jonah pushed open the front door and stepped outside into the blistering Texas heat. Beside his cargo rig was the intersection between 112th and Pollock... They were miles out of the main city, and he was sure it would take a while for the officials to arrive.
"I'll fuckin' sue..." Nick repeated, staring into the ground.
Jonah sat him down on a green oak bench outside the diner, and took a spot beside him. "Yeah, yeah... Tough shit."
Jonah had been drunk before. He wasn't sure how much the man drank, but it was definitely more than a few beers. He didn't hold it against him personally. Though Nick was acting like a 7-year-old, Jonah was sure once he sobered up, he'll apologize right quick. That was if he remembered what had even happened. Yes, Jonah had been drunk, but he knew it was still important to control yourself, even when so. Hell, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a bit intoxicated at that very moment. Jonah wasn't sure whether or not the waitress had reported himself along with Nick, but if she had, he'd go quietly. Ain't like he didn't tackle a man to the floor in broad daylight.
What a day this had been... He woke up this morning ready to drive halfway across the country. Not even 11 a.m. and he already might be arrested. He laughed and remembered what his friend Hugh told him the last time he saw him. "A day where you ain't almost die is a day lost..." It was his motto. Some days, Jonah could say he felt the same way. Then he remembered where his shipment was headed. Today was not one of those days.
What a fucking day... What else was there for fate to burden him with?
Alyssa
The words tore through Alyssa like a bullet. She couldn't help but shoot back. "What do you fucking mean by that, you asshole?!" She screamed at the man in the jumpsuit before her. "Do I look like a bloody little girl to you? Do you think I don't know what kind of scam you're pulling here?"
"All I'm sayin' is you got a bit of an ass on ya, girly." The man named Lenny chuckled as he put his oil-soaked rag on the hood of her van, and stole away his eye contact. If he couldn't even handle her piercing green stare, she wondered why the hell he thought he could handle her. Alyssa had a fire in her, of that much anyone could tell. Some people just choose to get burned.
"Don't you avoid the damn question, you bastard..." She pointed her finger at him. "You think because I'm a woman I don't know that the axel isn't busted. You're just gonna sit there picking your nose and twiddle your thumbs at me and charge me extra because you think I don't know shit?"
"I wouldn't go pointin' around in this garage, missy. You might-" He started toward her, wrench in hand. His longer gray hair swung back around his shoulder and Aly could see the tobacco in his mustache.
Aly lifted up her foot and stepped down hard on his toe. His yelps of pain brought grotesque pleasure to her. "And then you have the nerve to fucking catcall me?! You give me the real price right now!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" A voice from behind the two of them shouted. She turned around, watching her auburn hair fall in front of her eyes. It was her partner, Robin, the groceries he had just bought laid sprawled out on the ground as he rushed to the scene. He took her by the shoulders, calming her down and easing her away from Lenny. "I'm sorry, sir. She can get a little... overzealous at times."
"You think?" He grunted, massaging his foot.
"He was-" Alyssa started, but Robin quickly interrupted her.
"Oh I'm sure whatever he was doing, it was very wrong." He had that stupid look on his face that he did every time he tried to keep the peace. Aly hated him for it, but she knew he was right. That stupid, dumb, loveable face. He continued. "Can we all just calm down here? I have perishables on the ground over there."
"Rob, come on." She told him angrily. "The guy's a dumbass."
"Apologies, sir, for our rude behavior. Our people will cover the damages." He apologized to Lenny, who gave him a respectful nod, shot an angry look at Aly and stormed away. Rob turned back to his partner and shook his head in disappointment. "Aly, why do you always do this? Every time we get to a new place, you have to go and start a ruckus."
"He was a sexist." Aly claimed in her defense. "That guy got a fraction of what he deserves."
"You can't always go drawing attention to yourself though." He set his arm on the hood of their news van. It just had a tire that needed to be replaced... Not a fucking axel. "You're already on probation. If you keep acting like this, you're going to lose your job."
"Then let me lose my job!" She threw her arms in the air and sat down on the ground beside the van, leaning against it. "You always come in and save the day for me with your goddamn silver tongue. You ever think that maybe I don't always need saving?"
Robin took a seat down by his colleague, opening a can of pepsi off the ground. He lifted it to his lips and spoke. "In my whole career, I've had four other partners, but none of them were as good as you are. I'm not the only one who wants to see you stay on the air, Aly. The people want it too."
"Yeah, clearly Lenny does."
"Fuck Lenny." He said. "No one cares about Lenny."
She smiled on the side of her face that was concealed to him. If she let him know she made her laugh she'd never hear the end of it.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry..." said the deep husky voice of a bald African-American man, wearing the same blue jumpsuit, as he walked out into the garage. His nametag called him Jared. "I do apologize. Lenny is not the friendliest of men."
As he started to pick up their groceries, a young boy with slightly lighter skin and a giant head of hair came out from behind him. "We're gonna whoop his ass." The boy smiled.
"Andre, will you quit?" Jared spoke back to him. His smile instantly turned into a frown and he went back to squat next to the wall. Jared sighed, handing them the bag of groceries. "We'll have that wheel fixed for you two in no time. If you'll come with me, we can work out the payment."
Rob stood up and extended down his hand to lift Aly up off the ground too. Before they followed the man to the checkout counter, Jared tossed the keys to his left. There was another man with a light stubble on his chin wearing a green cargo jacket over his jumpsuit in the direction. Aly would have been lying to say he wasn't attractive, but he was too young for her. Besides, she wasn't looking for anyone right now... Or ever. She hadn't even realized the man was over there. He hadn't said anything. "Tye, fix the wheel." He nodded after he caught the keys in the hand that wasn't carrying a wrench.
Alyssa sneered as she was led inside to the counter. She hated the feeling of being taken advantage of. She hated the fact that it came from that redneck hick in the garage. She hated Robin for sticking up for her. She hated... Just... She hated...
She took a long sigh, letting the hate roll away. As Robin paid the bill from the station's card, she leaned back. When she thought about it, she didn't hate Rob. He was doing what he thought was right and kind. She hated him for his righteousness...
Eddie
The pancakes were delicious. They reminded him of the smell that he'd had in his childhood home in Virginia. Every bite reminded him that life was still worth living. He just wished his wife saw it the same way. "Why don't you eat something, honey?" He asked her, feeling hurt as she pushed her menu towards the middle of the table. "The food here is delicious."
"I'm not hungry." She said, blinking her young eyelashes at him.
"But you are!" He protested. "You said so this morning. You were so excited for me to take you to breakfast."
"At the French gourmet restaurant, yes." Syrena pursed her lips. "I've come to expect a bit better, you know, Ed. My tastes have grown more attuned."
"You grew up rich, and you're rich now." He sighed. "I grew up poor, and I know what both 'cuisines' taste like. You're missing out on a huge part of culture, honey."
"Why would you want to go back?" She asked him genuinely. "You put through your time at law school. You slaved away as 'The Right and Honorable Edmund C. Sullivan' for decades. You left with pride. You earned our riches; every cent of them. You earned the right to deny the poorer services in life."
"Well, hon, you're missing out on a very quality breakfast." Eddie said as he took another bite of the pancakes, filling his mouth with the splendor again.
"Yes. I am." Syrena looked out the window in a melacholy way. "Happy anniversary, Ed..."
Eddie felt the words as though they were a punch in the gut. He reached to his left and looked at the bundle of flowers he'd brought in and hidden under the table for his wife. He sighed as he pushed them away with his foot. Happy anniversary...
Alyssa
"I love the way you cut your hair." Aly smiled to the waitress. Her blonde bangs were cut in a very cute way. She remembered when she was her age.
"Thank you, miss." She replied in a strange accent, courtseying in front of her. Aly wondered where she was from. "Would you and your husband like anything to eat this morning?"
"Oh no, he's not my husband. He's my cameraman." Aly was quick to respond, and Robin shot her a quick glance before returning to the waitress. She noticed the streaks of mascara under her eyes. Had she been crying?
"Yes, I'll take the chocolate waffles." Rob told the young girl. "Can you hold the whipped cream? Doesn't sit well with my stomach."
"Of course I can." She replied, turning to Aly. "And for you?"
"I'll just have a cup of coffee." She said, wiping a streak of reddish hair from her face. "Three creams and no sugars."
"Okay, I'll have that right out as soon as it's ready." The girl said, writing it down on her clipboard.
After the waitress left, Robin and Aly sat in silence for a moment. She looked out the booth window at the garage across the street. The polite man was scolding Lenny against the wall while Tye fixed their van and Andre sat watching. "You know, I find it funny how you still seem to think it's so important to tell everyone we're not together." Robin laughed. "It's like it would be frowned upon if we were."
"Of course it would be." Aly replied sarcastically. "You're a fucking loser. I'm the Head Bitch."
They exchanged a chuckle over their laminated menus. "Well, I just think it's kind of amusing. People haven't done that since high school."
"Maybe I never left..."
"Huh..." He said, looking out the window with her. "I know things have been tough for you since Daniel, but-"
"Don't mention his name." Aly spoke, directing his attention. She didn't even want to spend any time thinking about it. The day had gone so pleasantly thus far... "
"Alyssa, he's gone. He's been gone for a couple years now. You don't have to be so shaken up about it any more. I want to help you, but I can't do that unless you let me."
"You can't help me." Alyssa felt distant. "No one-"
Then, before she could finish her thought, a loud sound issued from outside the diner. It was like nothing she'd ever heard before. It was deafening, yet very subtle at the same time. Aly peeked her head above the glass in the direction the sound came from, and found a crashed blue pickup truck in the center of the intersection, folded into itself and driven into the concrete. There were no other cars around... Only the one that had seemingly collided with nothing.
And that was not the sound of a car crash... She knew first hand.
Wow, that was really cool episode, especially the end! What the hell had happened there? Car "crashed" into something invisible? I want to know... when the next ep will air? Whole part was interesting, especially introducing more characters - this makes the town more alive in my eyes while reading.
@TheLier @Clem_In_The_Pines @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789
71% of readers chose to [A. Intervene.]
With a swift motion, Jonah took h… moreis mug of coffee and slammed it on the ground, shattering it into a hundred coffee-stained pieces. Everyone's attention was directed to him as soon as he stood up and threw his hands on Nick's throat and shoulder, pinning to the ground. He leaned up into his face until he could smell the odor of alcohol on his breath. "Do we have a problem here?" Jonah spat.
"Nick!" Shouted the man's wife, along with loud cries of "Daddy!" from the youngest of their children.
"Get the fuck off me!" Nick shouted through his own saliva. "This ain't right!"
The black waitress who had confronted him earlier pulled out her cellphone from her back pocket and began pressing numbers on it. "Damnit, I'm calling the police on your asses." She barked. "Ain't the place for this!"
"Do we have a problem here?" Jonah whisper… [view original content]
Wow, that was really cool episode, especially the end! What the hell had happened there? Car "crashed" into something invisible? I want to k… morenow... when the next ep will air? Whole part was interesting, especially introducing more characters - this makes the town more alive in my eyes while reading.
PS please add me to the list of readers.
That was another really awesome part. I'm very happy that Aly is already in the story, it seems to me you captured her perfectly It was highly enjoyable to me how she dealt with that Lenny guy. I also liked Jonah in this part and how he handled that asshole Nick. Speaking about, that guy really has some issues. It's not only that he drank and basically attacked a woman, but also the fact that it is not only 11 AM. Really, who is pissed drunken at 11 AM? He seriously has some problems and it's good Jonah dealt with him in this part. I guess there will be problems coming out of this later on, especially if Jonah and Nick meet up again over the course of the story, which I am pretty sure they will. I gotta say though, Syrena is certainly not my favourite character in the story so far, she seems extremely arrogant. Meanwhile, Eddie sounds alright in contrast, an interesting guy. I look forward to read more about all of them in future parts.
As for Alyssa's choice, I decided to investigate. Staying inside might be the safer choice, but well, it is the beginning of the story, so I'm willing to take a bit of a risk here. I also think she is the kind of person to investigate in such a case. Finally, I am very curious about this personally and want to know what exactly happened there.
@TheLier @Clem_In_The_Pines @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789
71% of readers chose to [A. Intervene.]
With a swift motion, Jonah took h… moreis mug of coffee and slammed it on the ground, shattering it into a hundred coffee-stained pieces. Everyone's attention was directed to him as soon as he stood up and threw his hands on Nick's throat and shoulder, pinning to the ground. He leaned up into his face until he could smell the odor of alcohol on his breath. "Do we have a problem here?" Jonah spat.
"Nick!" Shouted the man's wife, along with loud cries of "Daddy!" from the youngest of their children.
"Get the fuck off me!" Nick shouted through his own saliva. "This ain't right!"
The black waitress who had confronted him earlier pulled out her cellphone from her back pocket and began pressing numbers on it. "Damnit, I'm calling the police on your asses." She barked. "Ain't the place for this!"
"Do we have a problem here?" Jonah whisper… [view original content]
That was another really awesome part. I'm very happy that Aly is already in the story, it seems to me you captured her perfectly It was hig… morehly enjoyable to me how she dealt with that Lenny guy. I also liked Jonah in this part and how he handled that asshole Nick. Speaking about, that guy really has some issues. It's not only that he drank and basically attacked a woman, but also the fact that it is not only 11 AM. Really, who is pissed drunken at 11 AM? He seriously has some problems and it's good Jonah dealt with him in this part. I guess there will be problems coming out of this later on, especially if Jonah and Nick meet up again over the course of the story, which I am pretty sure they will. I gotta say though, Syrena is certainly not my favourite character in the story so far, she seems extremely arrogant. Meanwhile, Eddie sounds alright in contrast, an interesting guy. I look forward to read more about all of them in future parts.
A… [view original content]
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a bit intoxicated at that moment
Jonah is defiantly my favourite character so far
Great part The ending's really intriguing! I have a feeling something interesting is going to happen in the next part. Also can you tag me instead of Clem_In_The_Pines (long story, this is my new account I think)
@TheLier @Clem_In_The_Pines @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789
71% of readers chose to [A. Intervene.]
With a swift motion, Jonah took h… moreis mug of coffee and slammed it on the ground, shattering it into a hundred coffee-stained pieces. Everyone's attention was directed to him as soon as he stood up and threw his hands on Nick's throat and shoulder, pinning to the ground. He leaned up into his face until he could smell the odor of alcohol on his breath. "Do we have a problem here?" Jonah spat.
"Nick!" Shouted the man's wife, along with loud cries of "Daddy!" from the youngest of their children.
"Get the fuck off me!" Nick shouted through his own saliva. "This ain't right!"
The black waitress who had confronted him earlier pulled out her cellphone from her back pocket and began pressing numbers on it. "Damnit, I'm calling the police on your asses." She barked. "Ain't the place for this!"
"Do we have a problem here?" Jonah whisper… [view original content]
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a bit intoxicated at that moment
Jonah is defiantly my favourite character so far
Great part … more The ending's really intriguing! I have a feeling something interesting is going to happen in the next part. Also can you tag me instead of Clem_In_The_Pines (long story, this is my new account I think)
@TheLier @Clem_In_The_Pines @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789
71% of readers chose to [A. Intervene.]
With a swift motion, Jonah took h… moreis mug of coffee and slammed it on the ground, shattering it into a hundred coffee-stained pieces. Everyone's attention was directed to him as soon as he stood up and threw his hands on Nick's throat and shoulder, pinning to the ground. He leaned up into his face until he could smell the odor of alcohol on his breath. "Do we have a problem here?" Jonah spat.
"Nick!" Shouted the man's wife, along with loud cries of "Daddy!" from the youngest of their children.
"Get the fuck off me!" Nick shouted through his own saliva. "This ain't right!"
The black waitress who had confronted him earlier pulled out her cellphone from her back pocket and began pressing numbers on it. "Damnit, I'm calling the police on your asses." She barked. "Ain't the place for this!"
"Do we have a problem here?" Jonah whisper… [view original content]
Aly had made a career out of reporting the news. If there was one thing her three years in the field had taught her, it was not to miss an opportunity to get something on tape. Sure, the high definition equipment was back in the van and her hair wasn't done the way she'd have liked it, but news was still news.
"Come on!" She said. She stood up from the leather of the booth and motioned to Rob. The rest of the people in the diner simply gawked through the window at the crushed truck in the center of the intersection. The people outside seemed interested enough to exit their vehicles. Why were the people in here so stationary? Surely accidents don't happen in this town very often...
"We just ordered food..." Robin complained. "The guys outside were enough witness the police need."
"Food can wait!" She cried. "Whoever was driving that truck might be hurt."
Rob reluctantly agreed and stood up beside her, brushing off the plaid flannel he loved to wear. He followed as she eagerly exited the diner through its double doors, yet almost as soon as she reached the scene, she wanted to stay back...
The intersection had collapsed into a shallow crater, and various cars had fallen into the hole it had created. Pipes that had been buried were now visible and were pouring their contents into the hole with the totaled car. She hated to say it, but the front seat had been completely crushed into nothing. There was no way the driver survived... But that wasn't what she spending her thoughts on right now. The truck hadn't collided with the air...
Jonah
The stone was pulsing violet rays of light from its sides. It was the size of a man's head and resembled a kind of egg, but certainly not of any animal he recognized. Jonah was sitting outside when the rock had fallen from the sky. He was there when the cloud of yellow dust had filled the air around the site and he was there when it cleared. He was just as confused with its presence as any other there.
"The hell is that?" Nick pointed loosely in the direction of the rock in the center of the crater. Even though he was drunk, Jonah was sure the man didn't expect an answer. He wasn't going to receive one. "Purple..." He muttered.
Jonah squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look at the object and he saw everyone else inching closer to do the same. To his right, the sirens of the police trucks shut off. They had arrived to arrest Nick, yet sure that was at the back of their minds.
The light that radiated from the stone wasn't like any light he'd seen before. As soon as it flowed from its source, it fell towards the ground and gathered in a pool to mix with the water and other fluids there. It was as if this light had a gravity to it... Jonah looked away. He had no clue where to start to describe this object, but one thought would not leave his mind... The stone was evil...
The shock was beginning to wear off from the crowd and a woman to Jonah's left let out a shrill, piercing scream. The arm of the driver fell into the pool, detached completely from its owner. Some of the lightweights in the crowd turned away from the scene or covered their eyes. Jonah had seen worse...
One of the two officers outside the crater blew his whistle and quieted them all down. "Alright, everyone! Back away from the scene!" He shouted, raising his hands in the air. It only made the screamers scream louder... The shock turned into panic, and the panic turned into fear. Not for the first time in his life, Jonah felt alone. He didn't know what to do or what to say... The situation was alien to him...
"No, Blake!" Shouted a young man with darker skin and a flowing cloth jacket. He ran out to grab the arm of another man with a strange haircut. "What are you doing?!"
"I gotta see what it is..." Blake replied, straightening his glasses on the bridge of his nose. He stepped onto the slant of the crater and started to inch closer to the stone in the pool.
"You fucking idiot!" Nick shouted, breaking free of Jonah's grasp and ran to where the commotion was.
Jonah sprinted to catch back up to him and grabbed him by the shoulder, squeezing hard enough to slow him down. "You're not touchin' no one else today." He growled at Nick.
The man Blake had been talking to held his hands in front of his mouth and was hopping up and down in anxiety and nervousness as his friend climbed farther down into hole. "I don't... Oh my god, I don't know!" He called out.
Amidst the commotion around the crater, time almost slowed down in Jonah's eyes. He wiped a strand of graying black hair from his eye and looked around at all of he people around reacting in different ways. The policemen were trying to keep as much peace as they could, but Jonah could tell they were just as scared and confused as everyone else. The ladies who were screaming were now crying in a circle trying to control each other. A couple of kids were running around the scene as fast as they could, trying to conceal their tears. Jonah could barely keep track of what was going on...
There was one thing he was close enough to focus on. Blake stepped slowly from each rock to each piece of shredded concrete... Jonah peered down the hole to the purple stone at its core and bit his lip. He hated how much he didn't understand. The world had made so much sense... Where had the stone come from? What was it made of? Goddamnit, why was this hunk of rock such a mystery?
@TheLier @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789 @mellofox28 @Mathea
83% of readers chose to [A. Investigate.]
Aly had made a career out of r… moreeporting the news. If there was one thing her three years in the field had taught her, it was not to miss an opportunity to get something on tape. Sure, the high definition equipment was back in the van and her hair wasn't done the way she'd have liked it, but news was still news.
"Come on!" She said. She stood up from the leather of the booth and motioned to Rob. The rest of the people in the diner simply gawked through the window at the crushed truck in the center of the intersection. The people outside seemed interested enough to exit their vehicles. Why were the people in here so stationary? Surely accidents don't happen in this town very often...
"We just ordered food..." Robin complained. "The guys outside were enough witness the police need."
"Food can wait!" She cried. "Whoever was drivin… [view original content]
As always, an incredible part! I am curious what this stone is about. Since it fell from the sky, could it be something with aliens? Regardless, if I understood correctly, it was the thing responsible for crashing the truck, which makes me believe it might not be a good idea to get close to it. There is this strange thought Jonah had, about the stone being evil and that triggered my usual paranoia. Stones can't be evil and the thought itself is a bit absurd on its own, which makes me believe there is something seriously wrong with this particular stone. Blake should get the hell away from there, though I doubt he will listen to the waring. Meanwhile, helping him could get Jonah into danger as well. They should both stay away from that stone.
@TheLier @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789 @mellofox28 @Mathea
83% of readers chose to [A. Investigate.]
Aly had made a career out of r… moreeporting the news. If there was one thing her three years in the field had taught her, it was not to miss an opportunity to get something on tape. Sure, the high definition equipment was back in the van and her hair wasn't done the way she'd have liked it, but news was still news.
"Come on!" She said. She stood up from the leather of the booth and motioned to Rob. The rest of the people in the diner simply gawked through the window at the crushed truck in the center of the intersection. The people outside seemed interested enough to exit their vehicles. Why were the people in here so stationary? Surely accidents don't happen in this town very often...
"We just ordered food..." Robin complained. "The guys outside were enough witness the police need."
"Food can wait!" She cried. "Whoever was drivin… [view original content]
As always, an incredible part! I am curious what this stone is about. Since it fell from the sky, could it be something with aliens? Regardl… moreess, if I understood correctly, it was the thing responsible for crashing the truck, which makes me believe it might not be a good idea to get close to it. There is this strange thought Jonah had, about the stone being evil and that triggered my usual paranoia. Stones can't be evil and the thought itself is a bit absurd on its own, which makes me believe there is something seriously wrong with this particular stone. Blake should get the hell away from there, though I doubt he will listen to the waring. Meanwhile, helping him could get Jonah into danger as well. They should both stay away from that stone.
Comments
Yeah that would be fine. I'll work him in.
I'll be reading it Friday and I'm looking forward to the premiere! Add me.
Hey guys I may be a little late tonight with this one, but I'll try my hardest to release it before the end of the night.
@TheLier @Clem_In_The_Pines @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789
EPISODE 1:
THE RING: PART 1
Jonah
Death was a fickle line that people drew between what's here and what ain't never coming back. There ain't nothin' on the other side-of that much Jonah was damn certain. He'd been there once before. It was cold, dirty... He heard the voices but there wasn't no light at the end of the dark tunnel. There was only him, the length of thread that kept him tethered to the other side of that line, and the doctors that pulled him back over with it. Jonah wasn't afraid of death; he'd just witnessed enough of it to know better.
The coffee tasted like hell, but he couldn't resist bringing it back up to his lips. He grimaced as he swirled the flavor around inside his mouth. Possibly the worst mug he'd ever paid for. It wasn't the first time he'd been here, and it for sure wasn't gonna be the last. This small town was a pit stop on the road to Arizona, and even though he never lived here, he knew the map like the back of his hand.
"Perry's Diner and Bar," it called itself. One of the more generic names for a restaurant he'd ever heard, but the place wasn't the worst on the eyes. It had a certain vibe about it, like he had just stepped back into the fifties. It ain't anythin' new, but he'd have been lying if he said it weren't a warm place to spend the morning. He had been to dozens of joints exactly like this one, yet it could never get too stale. It's just a good thing the pancakes were better than the coffee.
"Mornin' sir, can I get anything for you today?" The waitress behind the counter smiled at him. She weren't here the last time he took his place at that stool.
"The coffee is shit." Jonah fired it off at her. His father often told him, if you ain't got something polite to say, just make sure it's honest.
She shrugged and leaned into onto the countertop. "You don't know the half of it." She whispered. "Everyone knows it tastes like piss, but the manager keeps tryin' to sell it based off the whole 'family recipe' gimmick. Don't work. If you want the real stuff, I'd recommend Wates' down the street."
Jonah peered down into the bubbling black liquid again. Its aroma far outweighed its flavor. "Hell, doesn't matter whatever shield of a gimmick you sell it behind, it's coffee. People are too addicted to find it anywhere else."
"I suppose that's more of the truth than Jimmy will ever figure out..." She chuckled, leaning back against the wooden drawers. The woman was older than him by a sizable margin, yet she didn't look half bad. Her blonde waves hanging by her neck had just enough color left for Jonah to wonder whether or not she used dye. Her eyes were a softer tone of green just like his, and just like his they were very revealing of her mind. She was just... happy. It was genuinely nice to see someone like that around for a change. Maybe she could find something left to work toward in the world. He couldn't see it no more. "My name's Wendy."
"Wendy? Like in Peter Pan?" He cocked his eyebrow.
"Eh..." She chuckled harmlessly. "People confuse me more often with the restaurant. Guess there's something about the name that gives the imagery of a young girl..."
"Jonah." He replied, taking another sip of the coffee. He took it faster this time, so he couldn't feel it on his tongue.
"Jonah? Like with the whale?" She said. "Haven't seen you around town before. I guess that's nothin' new though. This is a pit stop, after all. You passing through?"
"Yup." Jonah didn't like small talk, and it felt like this one had overstayed its welcome.
"Where you heading?" Wendy grabbed a wet rag from behind the bar and started to scrub the counter with it, picking up the ring his mug had left on the wood. "Business or pleasure?"
"Business." He sighed. "I got a shipment heading for Phoenix."
"Ah. A truck drivin' man, huh?"
"Uh huh." He carried on. "I've shipped everything you could possibly name."
She smiled, and peered out the window, as if she was searching for something. Jonah followed her gaze, yet couldn't find much extraordinary in the parking lot. They simply sat in the northeast section of the intersection. There weren't much to see. "We don't get a lot of trucks here. Folks like you tend to stop at the more isolated stops out on the interstate. Why'd you pick our town?"
"Maybe I just wanted to visit Perry's one more time." Jonah responded jokingly. "Maybe this place is a landmark from my youth."
"Why?" She giggled. "You just said it yourself. The coffee is shit."
"Maybe I knew someone here once." He told her. "...and maybe this place reminds me of her."
"Hm..." She replied. "Did this girl have a name? Or is she just a made-up excuse to come get our shit coffee again?"
"Yeah. One or the other."
"Well, it's a good thing we're speakin' in hypotheticals." She placed her hands and her cloth down on the counter. "So, Jonah the Truck Driver, I already know of your hatred for our hot beverages. May I interest you in somethin' else?"
"What else you got?"
"I got pancakes... Waffles... Eggs. Whatever you want, honey." She smiled and picked up her pad of paper and pen, ready to take his order.
"You got that old Blueberry Scone thing... The one with the homemade syrup?" He asked, hoping the answer was yes. It was the dish that was served all those years ago... The first time he'd ever been to this place.
"No..." She placed her pen at her lip, giving the impression of thought. "I don't recall ever havin' that one. Sorry."
"I think I'll go hungry then..." He told her. "Got my coffee anyway..."
She put the pen and paper back down on the counter and picked up the wet rag. "What a shame..." She a proclaimed, wiping up a circle of condensation from the place where his mug had been. "We got some damn good waffles."
She turned back toward the door to the kitchen and pushed her way through them. Jonah could hear the woman shouting to a worker in the back about getting of his phone. It made him chuckle. He remembered the days back when he worried about getting caught not working. He didn't have a phone to distract him then... All there was was the window... The hills rolling by... He used to think the future would hold more for him... Maybe a wife... a couple kids... A career worth getting out of bed for. He wanted to be an astronaut. Ain't no hope of that no more.
For a brief moment he remembered Wendy's mention of the whale. He never went to church as a child, but he knew the story. A man set on his path by the hand of fate... Maybe he was always meant to be a truck driver... Tryin' to change that's only gonna make things worse. Jonah thought about this as he took another sip of his terrible coffee and wondered whether he still had enough time left to change. Did he still have a chance to be something greater?
No. If the world hadn't given him a chance in his up to forty years on it, it wasn't gonna start now.
Eddie
Edmund Sullivan had watched the encounter between the man in the leather jacket and the waitress at the counter. In a way, it was nostalgic. It reminded him of what it had been like to be young. He remembered a time of being able to walk without feeling as if his bones would crack on the way. He wasn't that old, but as his children, Grant and CJ, would frequently remind him, he was not young either.
There were, of course, perks to being elderly. Everyone always seemed to trust what he said, and ask for his advice. Being a former judge in the Capitol City of Austin, most times that trust was warranted. He always did love seeing the love in the eyes of his wife's children when they would come to visit her. They loved him and hearing his stories, and most days, that was all he needed to keep going.
"I tell you, Syrena. This place isn't as bad as you keep telling me it is." Eddie muttered to his wife, as she frustratedly glared down into her menu.
"Pancakes... Waffles... Eggs..." She cried. "Ugh... I woke up this morning expecting an orange crepe. These dishes don't even have descriptions. How the hell am I supposed to know how this pancake tastes if I can't even read about it?"
Eddie peered down at his own menu and found the pancakes. They were labeled with a price under a small photograph of the dish. While she was correct in the fact that they had no description, Eddie didn't find any sense in her demeaning of them. "I guess you'll just have to order it."
"Ordering blindly is a feat for the poor." She propped herself elegantly onto her seat. "I want to know what I'm ordering."
"Honey, you know very well that I tried to get a reservation at Chez Dupont down the street. You were there when they told us they were booked. Look, I know you're disappointed, but let's give this place a chance. We eat five-star all the time. This is a chance to experience more of the common culture."
"A chance to vomit is what it is..." She uttered under her breath.
Syrena had only just hit thirty years old when Eddie married her and she was thirty-four now. She was beautiful... and she still was. Her golden brown hair glistened in the morning sunlight. Her skin was as lovely as a goddess. She lived in England with her family until she turned eighteen, and traces of her accent still shined into conversation with her. She may be a handful at times, but no one could say that he didn't love her with all his heart. Both of them had been in marriages before. Eddie's previous one ended with a nasty divorce that separated his children from him permanently. Syrena had been in three, yet none had stood the test of time. Since Eddie was just over sixty years old, people often thought harshly of their relationship, but it was not a loveless one. Syrena was worth it...
Eddie peered back over at the gentleman at the counter across the diner, sipping slowly his mug of coffee. He wondered what kind of experiences he'd had in his life. Maybe he'd been married before. Though, judging from his long, unkempt beard, he could deduce that the man may not have one anymore. He found the interaction with the blonde-haired waitress was rather sweet. He wished Syrena would sometimes find courtesy such as that in the morning.
The diner was a small one, but it was large enough to easily fit forty to fifty people. The seats were all red leather, and Syrena had a fit when they arrived here fifteen minutes ago. "That's abuse to those poor bovine!" She said. She stayed at home most days to clean their mansion and was not employed, so she had taken up political activism. She'd grown popular in the animal rights movement in the past year. Last week, she was even mentioned on national television on a news station they watched every night. He hoped she could see his pride for her...
They sat waiting for a few more minutes, and each one Syrena grew more impatient. But eventually a young girl with striking blonde hair and a wide grin made her way to their table, pad of paper in hand. "Good morning!" She told them cheerfully. "Welcome to Perry's. My name is Emilia. How can I help you?"
Eddie looked down at his menu, deciding what he desired from it. The eggs looked nice. "Yes. I'll take the-"
"Girl, do you have any respect for yourself?" Syrena chimed, looking up and down the woman's body. "Your skirt is so short, I can see practically everything from the waist down. And pull up your shirt. You are young and pretty. For God's sake, cover yourself before any of the men in this room take advantage."
Emilia looked rather embarrassed and held her pen and paper close to her as she pulled her shirt a bit higher on herself. Her cheeks were noticably flushing. "Do you want anything to eat, ma'am?" She asked, backing away shyly.
"Excuse me!" A man on the other side of the room stood from his seat. There was saliva dripping from his mouth and he was squinting his eyes together. His wife pulled on his arm to sit back down beside their three kids, but he just pulled back away. The man was obviously drunk. "Are ya callin' me a fucking rapist, woman?!" He screamed.
"Nick." His wife snarled at him in a way that qualified as a whisper and a shout simultaneously. "Sit down."
"I did no such thing." Syrena cocked her head back toward her menu in a proper way. "You will address me by something other than the word 'woman' next time if you fancy your dignity."
"No!" Nick shouted, followed by a loud burp. "What the hell are you insinuating?!"
Syrena didn't respond. Instead, another waitress with darker skin and a mean look on her face walked out towards the scene. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to sit back down and refrain from vile language or you will be asked to leave." She told the man, grabbing him by the arm.
He shook himself free and pointed at Eddie's wife. Just watching someone yell like this at her filled him with anger. Eddie wished he was still young enough to get up and fight back, but there was no way it could work in his favor. "Let go of me!" Nick cried. "I want to hear an apology! Right now!"
Eddie clutched his leg until his knuckles went white, but his joints began to crack when he got there. "Don't talk to my wife that way!" He yelled.
"Stay out of this, you old fuck." He yelled back.
Eddie cowered back into his seat. This was too much. He could feel his heartbeat rising with occasion, and tried to calm himself down. Emilia had backed into a corner out of fear, and everyone else in the room was simply staring at the two of them. Nick was too drunk to notice and Syrena didn't care...
"SIR!" The meaner-looking waitress yelled back to him. "Sir, I am going to call to call the police."
"Why would you call the... the police?!" He spouted in anger. "I didn't do nothin' wrong. Just apologize." Syrena didn't answer. She didn't even glance in his direction.
"Honey, you're not helping..."
"Help? You think I want help?" She scoffed. "I don't need any help."
"APOLOGIZE, WOMAN!"
Syrena shot her head back around and screamed at him. "What did I tell you about that word?!"
Nick began to run towards Syrena in his rage, and everyone's hearts skipped a beat. Eddie had his cellphone in his hand, just waiting to ring to the police. This man was clearly dangerous. He put his hands on Syrena's shoulder and pulled her out of the booth and onto the ground. "Help!" She cried. "This man is attacking me!"
Jonah
http://www.strawpoll.me/10392186
The next part should arrive at some point tomorrow. It may take me a while to actually find a schedule I can stick to, but I'll be trying to keep it relatively frequent.
This was truly an amazing start! I'm already intrigued by the story, great job
Your writing style is wonderful and I can't wait for the next part. Though I haven't yet found the time to finish my second character, but I make good progress and have high hopes that I'll manage it until the next part is out.
As for this choice, I chose to intervene. This bastard is clearly dangerous and someone should intervene. Maybe Jonah can help, get in everyone's good graces here. Aside from Nick of course, but Nick does not matter.
Great start! This is up and running and is already pretty good, if I do say. Can't wait for more of this!
Really nice introduction to the story! Can't wait what will happen further. I really love the atmosphere so far, even if it's hostile at the moment.
Fantasic introduction! Liking the characters so far, it's a little early to tell what all of them are going to be like yet ^-^ Can't wait for the next part!
It is like always.
Freakin good.
Just read the first part and I am impressed by your writing, especially the first couple of paragraphs in Jonah's part. I like how descriptive you are in terms of setting the mood & atmosphere.
Thanks for the kind words!
Thanks
@TheLier @Clem_In_The_Pines @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789
71% of readers chose to [A. Intervene.]
With a swift motion, Jonah took his mug of coffee and slammed it on the ground, shattering it into a hundred coffee-stained pieces. Everyone's attention was directed to him as soon as he stood up and threw his hands on Nick's throat and shoulder, pinning to the ground. He leaned up into his face until he could smell the odor of alcohol on his breath. "Do we have a problem here?" Jonah spat.
"Nick!" Shouted the man's wife, along with loud cries of "Daddy!" from the youngest of their children.
"Get the fuck off me!" Nick shouted through his own saliva. "This ain't right!"
The black waitress who had confronted him earlier pulled out her cellphone from her back pocket and began pressing numbers on it. "Damnit, I'm calling the police on your asses." She barked. "Ain't the place for this!"
"Do we have a problem here?" Jonah whispered to him again, his mouth close to Nick's ear. "Or do I have to get less polite?"
"Yes, we have a fucking problem!" Nick shouted in retaliation. "You're a goddamned psycho! Get the hell offa me!"
"You coulda been civil, man." Jonah told him. "Woman makes a snarky remark to you, you don't throw her on the ground. You wouldn't do that to yer wife over there. Ain't gonna do that no more, right?"
"She insulted me to my face!"
"She insulted you to your back, and I don't know if you noticed, but she insulted all the men in the diner." Jonah lifted a hand free to gesture to the room around him, putting his other arm harder on the man's shoulder. "You weren't gonna see any of us throw our weight around."
"Excuse me." The woman who was thrown spoke to the crowd in the restaurant. Jonah and everyone else's attention went to her as she reapplied a bit of makeup to her cheeks. "My remark was not unfounded. The way I see it, there are only three men in this room, and the only one with a lick of decency is my husband."
"Syrena, come now..." The old man across from her started.
"No, hold on just a minute." She silenced him. "I have done not a thing to hurt this man, and he acts as though I have committed murder. Any the way he acted in response to my statement-the way he is acting at this very moment- only proves what I had been saying. For the love of God, pick yourselves off the floor and calm down. We are here to have breakfast, not to start civil war."
"You heard the woman." Jonah whispered to the man underneath his grip. He got up from the ground, dusted off his jeans for a moment, and proceeded to take Nick by the back of his collar and carry him to the front of the store.
"Motherfucker..." Nick muttered, and spat on the floor at Jonah's feet.
Everyone around them watched idly as the scene took place. The old man and his wife seemed above the whole ordeal and appeared to be trying to readjust to the friendly climate that existed five minutes ago. Wendy stood in the corner of the room, quietly consoling the younger waitress with the accent as she wept tears of stress. Nick's family was only in shock at what he had done. The younger two kids were more shaken up than the oldest daughter and her mother though. They had most likely seen this reaction before.
"Alright, they're on their way." Called the waitress on the phone with the police, placing her fingers over the audio receptors.
"I'll sue!" Nick screamed. "I'll fuckin' sue!" He jumped and kicked, but Jonah had enough experience with strong grip to keep him under control.
"Yeah, I bet you would!" Syrena scoffed intellectually as she placed her menu down on the table.
Jonah pushed open the front door and stepped outside into the blistering Texas heat. Beside his cargo rig was the intersection between 112th and Pollock... They were miles out of the main city, and he was sure it would take a while for the officials to arrive.
"I'll fuckin' sue..." Nick repeated, staring into the ground.
Jonah sat him down on a green oak bench outside the diner, and took a spot beside him. "Yeah, yeah... Tough shit."
Jonah had been drunk before. He wasn't sure how much the man drank, but it was definitely more than a few beers. He didn't hold it against him personally. Though Nick was acting like a 7-year-old, Jonah was sure once he sobered up, he'll apologize right quick. That was if he remembered what had even happened. Yes, Jonah had been drunk, but he knew it was still important to control yourself, even when so. Hell, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a bit intoxicated at that very moment. Jonah wasn't sure whether or not the waitress had reported himself along with Nick, but if she had, he'd go quietly. Ain't like he didn't tackle a man to the floor in broad daylight.
What a day this had been... He woke up this morning ready to drive halfway across the country. Not even 11 a.m. and he already might be arrested. He laughed and remembered what his friend Hugh told him the last time he saw him. "A day where you ain't almost die is a day lost..." It was his motto. Some days, Jonah could say he felt the same way. Then he remembered where his shipment was headed. Today was not one of those days.
What a fucking day... What else was there for fate to burden him with?
Alyssa
The words tore through Alyssa like a bullet. She couldn't help but shoot back. "What do you fucking mean by that, you asshole?!" She screamed at the man in the jumpsuit before her. "Do I look like a bloody little girl to you? Do you think I don't know what kind of scam you're pulling here?"
"All I'm sayin' is you got a bit of an ass on ya, girly." The man named Lenny chuckled as he put his oil-soaked rag on the hood of her van, and stole away his eye contact. If he couldn't even handle her piercing green stare, she wondered why the hell he thought he could handle her. Alyssa had a fire in her, of that much anyone could tell. Some people just choose to get burned.
"Don't you avoid the damn question, you bastard..." She pointed her finger at him. "You think because I'm a woman I don't know that the axel isn't busted. You're just gonna sit there picking your nose and twiddle your thumbs at me and charge me extra because you think I don't know shit?"
"I wouldn't go pointin' around in this garage, missy. You might-" He started toward her, wrench in hand. His longer gray hair swung back around his shoulder and Aly could see the tobacco in his mustache.
Aly lifted up her foot and stepped down hard on his toe. His yelps of pain brought grotesque pleasure to her. "And then you have the nerve to fucking catcall me?! You give me the real price right now!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" A voice from behind the two of them shouted. She turned around, watching her auburn hair fall in front of her eyes. It was her partner, Robin, the groceries he had just bought laid sprawled out on the ground as he rushed to the scene. He took her by the shoulders, calming her down and easing her away from Lenny. "I'm sorry, sir. She can get a little... overzealous at times."
"You think?" He grunted, massaging his foot.
"He was-" Alyssa started, but Robin quickly interrupted her.
"Oh I'm sure whatever he was doing, it was very wrong." He had that stupid look on his face that he did every time he tried to keep the peace. Aly hated him for it, but she knew he was right. That stupid, dumb, loveable face. He continued. "Can we all just calm down here? I have perishables on the ground over there."
"Rob, come on." She told him angrily. "The guy's a dumbass."
"Apologies, sir, for our rude behavior. Our people will cover the damages." He apologized to Lenny, who gave him a respectful nod, shot an angry look at Aly and stormed away. Rob turned back to his partner and shook his head in disappointment. "Aly, why do you always do this? Every time we get to a new place, you have to go and start a ruckus."
"He was a sexist." Aly claimed in her defense. "That guy got a fraction of what he deserves."
"You can't always go drawing attention to yourself though." He set his arm on the hood of their news van. It just had a tire that needed to be replaced... Not a fucking axel. "You're already on probation. If you keep acting like this, you're going to lose your job."
"Then let me lose my job!" She threw her arms in the air and sat down on the ground beside the van, leaning against it. "You always come in and save the day for me with your goddamn silver tongue. You ever think that maybe I don't always need saving?"
Robin took a seat down by his colleague, opening a can of pepsi off the ground. He lifted it to his lips and spoke. "In my whole career, I've had four other partners, but none of them were as good as you are. I'm not the only one who wants to see you stay on the air, Aly. The people want it too."
"Yeah, clearly Lenny does."
"Fuck Lenny." He said. "No one cares about Lenny."
She smiled on the side of her face that was concealed to him. If she let him know she made her laugh she'd never hear the end of it.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry..." said the deep husky voice of a bald African-American man, wearing the same blue jumpsuit, as he walked out into the garage. His nametag called him Jared. "I do apologize. Lenny is not the friendliest of men."
As he started to pick up their groceries, a young boy with slightly lighter skin and a giant head of hair came out from behind him. "We're gonna whoop his ass." The boy smiled.
"Andre, will you quit?" Jared spoke back to him. His smile instantly turned into a frown and he went back to squat next to the wall. Jared sighed, handing them the bag of groceries. "We'll have that wheel fixed for you two in no time. If you'll come with me, we can work out the payment."
Rob stood up and extended down his hand to lift Aly up off the ground too. Before they followed the man to the checkout counter, Jared tossed the keys to his left. There was another man with a light stubble on his chin wearing a green cargo jacket over his jumpsuit in the direction. Aly would have been lying to say he wasn't attractive, but he was too young for her. Besides, she wasn't looking for anyone right now... Or ever. She hadn't even realized the man was over there. He hadn't said anything. "Tye, fix the wheel." He nodded after he caught the keys in the hand that wasn't carrying a wrench.
Alyssa sneered as she was led inside to the counter. She hated the feeling of being taken advantage of. She hated the fact that it came from that redneck hick in the garage. She hated Robin for sticking up for her. She hated... Just... She hated...
She took a long sigh, letting the hate roll away. As Robin paid the bill from the station's card, she leaned back. When she thought about it, she didn't hate Rob. He was doing what he thought was right and kind. She hated him for his righteousness...
Eddie
The pancakes were delicious. They reminded him of the smell that he'd had in his childhood home in Virginia. Every bite reminded him that life was still worth living. He just wished his wife saw it the same way. "Why don't you eat something, honey?" He asked her, feeling hurt as she pushed her menu towards the middle of the table. "The food here is delicious."
"I'm not hungry." She said, blinking her young eyelashes at him.
"But you are!" He protested. "You said so this morning. You were so excited for me to take you to breakfast."
"At the French gourmet restaurant, yes." Syrena pursed her lips. "I've come to expect a bit better, you know, Ed. My tastes have grown more attuned."
"You grew up rich, and you're rich now." He sighed. "I grew up poor, and I know what both 'cuisines' taste like. You're missing out on a huge part of culture, honey."
"Why would you want to go back?" She asked him genuinely. "You put through your time at law school. You slaved away as 'The Right and Honorable Edmund C. Sullivan' for decades. You left with pride. You earned our riches; every cent of them. You earned the right to deny the poorer services in life."
"Well, hon, you're missing out on a very quality breakfast." Eddie said as he took another bite of the pancakes, filling his mouth with the splendor again.
"Yes. I am." Syrena looked out the window in a melacholy way. "Happy anniversary, Ed..."
Eddie felt the words as though they were a punch in the gut. He reached to his left and looked at the bundle of flowers he'd brought in and hidden under the table for his wife. He sighed as he pushed them away with his foot. Happy anniversary...
Alyssa
"I love the way you cut your hair." Aly smiled to the waitress. Her blonde bangs were cut in a very cute way. She remembered when she was her age.
"Thank you, miss." She replied in a strange accent, courtseying in front of her. Aly wondered where she was from. "Would you and your husband like anything to eat this morning?"
"Oh no, he's not my husband. He's my cameraman." Aly was quick to respond, and Robin shot her a quick glance before returning to the waitress. She noticed the streaks of mascara under her eyes. Had she been crying?
"Yes, I'll take the chocolate waffles." Rob told the young girl. "Can you hold the whipped cream? Doesn't sit well with my stomach."
"Of course I can." She replied, turning to Aly. "And for you?"
"I'll just have a cup of coffee." She said, wiping a streak of reddish hair from her face. "Three creams and no sugars."
"Okay, I'll have that right out as soon as it's ready." The girl said, writing it down on her clipboard.
After the waitress left, Robin and Aly sat in silence for a moment. She looked out the booth window at the garage across the street. The polite man was scolding Lenny against the wall while Tye fixed their van and Andre sat watching. "You know, I find it funny how you still seem to think it's so important to tell everyone we're not together." Robin laughed. "It's like it would be frowned upon if we were."
"Of course it would be." Aly replied sarcastically. "You're a fucking loser. I'm the Head Bitch."
They exchanged a chuckle over their laminated menus. "Well, I just think it's kind of amusing. People haven't done that since high school."
"Maybe I never left..."
"Huh..." He said, looking out the window with her. "I know things have been tough for you since Daniel, but-"
"Don't mention his name." Aly spoke, directing his attention. She didn't even want to spend any time thinking about it. The day had gone so pleasantly thus far... "
"Alyssa, he's gone. He's been gone for a couple years now. You don't have to be so shaken up about it any more. I want to help you, but I can't do that unless you let me."
"You can't help me." Alyssa felt distant. "No one-"
Then, before she could finish her thought, a loud sound issued from outside the diner. It was like nothing she'd ever heard before. It was deafening, yet very subtle at the same time. Aly peeked her head above the glass in the direction the sound came from, and found a crashed blue pickup truck in the center of the intersection, folded into itself and driven into the concrete. There were no other cars around... Only the one that had seemingly collided with nothing.
And that was not the sound of a car crash... She knew first hand.
http://www.strawpoll.me/10551694
Wow, that was really cool episode, especially the end! What the hell had happened there? Car "crashed" into something invisible? I want to know... when the next ep will air? Whole part was interesting, especially introducing more characters - this makes the town more alive in my eyes while reading.
PS please add me to the list of readers.
You are added! And the car didn't so much as crash into something as something crashed into it.
That was another really awesome part. I'm very happy that Aly is already in the story, it seems to me you captured her perfectly
It was highly enjoyable to me how she dealt with that Lenny guy. I also liked Jonah in this part and how he handled that asshole Nick. Speaking about, that guy really has some issues. It's not only that he drank and basically attacked a woman, but also the fact that it is not only 11 AM. Really, who is pissed drunken at 11 AM? He seriously has some problems and it's good Jonah dealt with him in this part. I guess there will be problems coming out of this later on, especially if Jonah and Nick meet up again over the course of the story, which I am pretty sure they will. I gotta say though, Syrena is certainly not my favourite character in the story so far, she seems extremely arrogant. Meanwhile, Eddie sounds alright in contrast, an interesting guy. I look forward to read more about all of them in future parts.
As for Alyssa's choice, I decided to investigate. Staying inside might be the safer choice, but well, it is the beginning of the story, so I'm willing to take a bit of a risk here. I also think she is the kind of person to investigate in such a case. Finally, I am very curious about this personally and want to know what exactly happened there.
Thanks for the kind words. And yes, Jonah and Nick will definitely be meeting up more later.
Jonah is defiantly my favourite character so far
Great part
The ending's really intriguing! I have a feeling something interesting is going to happen in the next part. Also can you tag me instead of Clem_In_The_Pines (long story, this is my new account I think)
I can do that. Glad to hear you're enjoying it!
Why didn't I spot this for four days? GRR
Anyways, good part!
@TheLier @LiquidChicagoTed @StarKing789 @mellofox28 @Mathea
83% of readers chose to [A. Investigate.]
Aly had made a career out of reporting the news. If there was one thing her three years in the field had taught her, it was not to miss an opportunity to get something on tape. Sure, the high definition equipment was back in the van and her hair wasn't done the way she'd have liked it, but news was still news.
"Come on!" She said. She stood up from the leather of the booth and motioned to Rob. The rest of the people in the diner simply gawked through the window at the crushed truck in the center of the intersection. The people outside seemed interested enough to exit their vehicles. Why were the people in here so stationary? Surely accidents don't happen in this town very often...
"We just ordered food..." Robin complained. "The guys outside were enough witness the police need."
"Food can wait!" She cried. "Whoever was driving that truck might be hurt."
Rob reluctantly agreed and stood up beside her, brushing off the plaid flannel he loved to wear. He followed as she eagerly exited the diner through its double doors, yet almost as soon as she reached the scene, she wanted to stay back...
The intersection had collapsed into a shallow crater, and various cars had fallen into the hole it had created. Pipes that had been buried were now visible and were pouring their contents into the hole with the totaled car. She hated to say it, but the front seat had been completely crushed into nothing. There was no way the driver survived... But that wasn't what she spending her thoughts on right now. The truck hadn't collided with the air...
Jonah
The stone was pulsing violet rays of light from its sides. It was the size of a man's head and resembled a kind of egg, but certainly not of any animal he recognized. Jonah was sitting outside when the rock had fallen from the sky. He was there when the cloud of yellow dust had filled the air around the site and he was there when it cleared. He was just as confused with its presence as any other there.
"The hell is that?" Nick pointed loosely in the direction of the rock in the center of the crater. Even though he was drunk, Jonah was sure the man didn't expect an answer. He wasn't going to receive one. "Purple..." He muttered.
Jonah squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look at the object and he saw everyone else inching closer to do the same. To his right, the sirens of the police trucks shut off. They had arrived to arrest Nick, yet sure that was at the back of their minds.
The light that radiated from the stone wasn't like any light he'd seen before. As soon as it flowed from its source, it fell towards the ground and gathered in a pool to mix with the water and other fluids there. It was as if this light had a gravity to it... Jonah looked away. He had no clue where to start to describe this object, but one thought would not leave his mind... The stone was evil...
The shock was beginning to wear off from the crowd and a woman to Jonah's left let out a shrill, piercing scream. The arm of the driver fell into the pool, detached completely from its owner. Some of the lightweights in the crowd turned away from the scene or covered their eyes. Jonah had seen worse...
One of the two officers outside the crater blew his whistle and quieted them all down. "Alright, everyone! Back away from the scene!" He shouted, raising his hands in the air. It only made the screamers scream louder... The shock turned into panic, and the panic turned into fear. Not for the first time in his life, Jonah felt alone. He didn't know what to do or what to say... The situation was alien to him...
"No, Blake!" Shouted a young man with darker skin and a flowing cloth jacket. He ran out to grab the arm of another man with a strange haircut. "What are you doing?!"
"I gotta see what it is..." Blake replied, straightening his glasses on the bridge of his nose. He stepped onto the slant of the crater and started to inch closer to the stone in the pool.
"You fucking idiot!" Nick shouted, breaking free of Jonah's grasp and ran to where the commotion was.
Jonah sprinted to catch back up to him and grabbed him by the shoulder, squeezing hard enough to slow him down. "You're not touchin' no one else today." He growled at Nick.
The man Blake had been talking to held his hands in front of his mouth and was hopping up and down in anxiety and nervousness as his friend climbed farther down into hole. "I don't... Oh my god, I don't know!" He called out.
Amidst the commotion around the crater, time almost slowed down in Jonah's eyes. He wiped a strand of graying black hair from his eye and looked around at all of he people around reacting in different ways. The policemen were trying to keep as much peace as they could, but Jonah could tell they were just as scared and confused as everyone else. The ladies who were screaming were now crying in a circle trying to control each other. A couple of kids were running around the scene as fast as they could, trying to conceal their tears. Jonah could barely keep track of what was going on...
There was one thing he was close enough to focus on. Blake stepped slowly from each rock to each piece of shredded concrete... Jonah peered down the hole to the purple stone at its core and bit his lip. He hated how much he didn't understand. The world had made so much sense... Where had the stone come from? What was it made of? Goddamnit, why was this hunk of rock such a mystery?
http://www.strawpoll.me/10604320
Mystery intensifies
As always, an incredible part! I am curious what this stone is about. Since it fell from the sky, could it be something with aliens? Regardless, if I understood correctly, it was the thing responsible for crashing the truck, which makes me believe it might not be a good idea to get close to it. There is this strange thought Jonah had, about the stone being evil and that triggered my usual paranoia. Stones can't be evil and the thought itself is a bit absurd on its own, which makes me believe there is something seriously wrong with this particular stone. Blake should get the hell away from there, though I doubt he will listen to the waring. Meanwhile, helping him could get Jonah into danger as well. They should both stay away from that stone.
Haha a fair analysis. Yes the stone fell from the sky, landing on top of the truck and crushing it into the crater.