Galatica
First chapter kinda of a story I was toying with. I wanted to make it like harry potter sort of but with a sci fi twist. At the creek they would stumble on a broken down UFO and accidentally set it to the return destination while a young alien girl who was unconscious wakes up during the trip back. They end up saving the alien homeword of course.
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Chapter 1-School Yard
“Hey give it back,” shouted Gaby Miller as three bullies tossed her backpack around as if it were a ball. At first she had run around in circles but quickly tired of their shenanigans and now stood before the leader of the troublemakers Tom. “I’m going to tell Ms. Griffin on you and you’ll get detention for sure!”
“Hey look guys, seems like Gaby is a tattle-tail.” The ruffian’s friends found this amusing and began to sneer, “Gaby is a tattle-tail, Gaby is a tattle-tail” repeatedly. To make matters worse a crowd began to gather on Middleton’s playground adding to Gaby’s embarrassment at not being able to handle the situation. It was still only halfway through recess and knowing the small gang they would not relent until absolutely necessary- even if it meant being late to class.
“Oh that’s really funny picking on a girl like that, but I guess you really just want a pink backpack like hers,” a voice called from the crowds. Turning the laughter at the bullies. Gaby recognized the voice as her brother’s goofy friend David. “Maybe you’d like a pretty hairclip in your hair too.”
“Shut your mouth Davie or we’ll shut if for you!” Tom yelled. One of the bullies temporarily distracted, dropped the backpack. Gaby quickly snatched it up, but worried about David stayed around.
“You and what army? Why should I have to worry about a bunch of thugs who pick on girls?” Coming from a boy the same age of the bullies, this might have impressed more on them than it did. Unfortunately David always had more mouth than muscle. Infuriated the bullies rushed at David.
“We only thought she was more of a challenge,” Tom claimed while pushing David back so hard he fell onto the ground. Tom’s friends laughed at this while David struggled to regain his feet and his dignity. “Don’t want to stay down, maybe I’ll have to push you a bit harder this time.” The bully was about to carry through with his threat when a hand grabbed the bully’s shoulder and turned him around. It was Gaby’s brother Chris.
“Come on Tom, haven’t you been in enough trouble this year. Lay off David and go back to stepping on ants or something.” Though not much bigger than David, Chris was generally well liked by most people and knew how to keep his head. Too bad Tom wasn’t one to take good advice very well.
“Well if it isn’t the teachers pet Chris,” Tom remarked so all could hear. Tom had wanted to take Chris down a peg or two for years now. They used to be close friends, but since elementary school something had happened. It was whispered that Tom was jealous of Chris, only whispered because Tom was quick to anger and didn’t care about getting in trouble.
“Okay, you got your joke in. See even I think it’s funny. Ha-ha. Now will you kindly let us walk away so we don’t all get in trouble”, Chris was reasonable and expected other people to be the same.
Tom made as if to punch Chris, but when Chris didn’t even flinch this made Tom even angrier than before. “I’m going to make you sorry for getting in my way!” Tom yelled losing control of himself. The bully took all his energy into a wildly swung punch that Chris easily sidestepped. The playground kids found this funny and laughed out loud. There was little doubt that Tom’s efforts in this matter were going to increase ten-fold when Ms. Griffon drawn by the commotion intervened.
“And what is going on here young men?” asked the veteran teacher as she pulled up between the two of them. Turning around hastily she told the other kids that there was nothing to see here and that they better find something else to look at or she’d find something for them to do. The kids had heard and experienced this threat before, which usually amounted to extra reading for homework. It didn’t take them long to leave the area.
“Thomas stole my backpack Ms. Griffon and when David tried to do something about it the bully pushed him down.” Gaby reported honestly.
“That’s a lie, I didn’t push anyone.”
“And what was your involvement in this Chris?” Ms. Griffon’s boney purple spectacles slid down her long nose, as she looked his way.
“Just trying to speak some sense into Tom Ms. Griffon. Didn’t mean any harm by it.” Chris paused knowing that most likely they’d all be punished if one of them were. Schools were funny that way. The victim is viewed as almost as much of a problem as the victimizer. Didn’t they realize running to get a teacher wasn’t always an option? Chris spoke up hoping to interrupt any thought the teacher had of punishing the whole lot of them. “It really wasn’t anything, harmless even. We were just playing around weren’t we Tom?”
Ms. Griffon shaking her head turned to face the bully. “Is what Chris said true?”
Tom was surely biting his tongue and his face was red as an apple but he managed to mutter, “aye” in accent.
“Good then. I don’t want to hear any more on this matter or detentions all around.”
“Yes Ms. Griffon”, they all spoke as one.
Tom stumbled off to find his cronies while Ms. Griffon remained to talk with the young children.
“You all should know better than to hang around that boy,” Ms. Griffon sternly spoke. “It’s not just that he’s a trouble maker, it’s that he needs someone to make trouble with. See that you avoid being that person in the future.”
“But he started it!” Gaby asserted feeling betrayed that they were the ones being lectured.
Taking on a softer note the teacher bent over to speak with Gaby. “Between us, I’m sure he did. And he surely does deserve punishment. But if I did that I’d have to punish your brother too. Your brother doesn’t need a lesson and Thomas wouldn’t learn from it.”
Ms. Griffon rises up and speaking louder she said, “and that’s all I want to hear about it. Recess is almost over and I suggest you children get to class.” Without waiting for a response the teacher walks towards the building. Taking a moment to tell some other kid not to litter.
When the teacher was gone Gaby muttered, “I really hate that boy.”
David nodded his agreement but Chris just stood there with a troubled look on his face. “Sis, I understand you’re angry-heck I’m angry too, but hating him won’t solve anything.”
“But he threw a punch at you, he could have broken your nose or worse.”
“I have to agree with your sister on that one, you should have shown him a thing or two,” said David.
“And he would have come back later to show me a thing or two more. I might know how to fight, but that doesn’t mean I’m always going to or that I want to. Tom has problems in his life. Hopefully one day he’ll grow out of them. I just don’t want the two of you hating someone for something they cannot help.” Chris turned to his little sister and gave her a quick hug. “You’re my sister and I want to protect you. Not just from creeps like Tom but also from yourself. Hating your enemy will get you nowhere, understanding him will.” Turning towards David, Chris adds. “And you’re my best friend. Let’s just think about what we’re going to do after school today.”
“How about the old creek? We haven’t been there in a long time, sure video games are fun and all but I’d like to climb some trees,” said David.
“Sounds great. We can stop by my house and grab some snacks on the way. Sound good to you sis?” Chris asked.
“I’ll fix us some sandwiches, sure it’ll be fun.” Gaby replied getting into the idea.
The warning bell trumpeted across the playground, saying in fewer words that class was about to begin again.
“We’ll I’ll see you all after school. I can’t be late to art again.” Chris called back to them already jogging to his class.
David and Gaby walked more sedately towards the school not saying much at all. Before going inside Gaby turned to David and said, “I really appreciate you trying to help me back there.”
David looked away from Gaby and quietly said it was nothing. Gaby knew that it was her brother who really got her and David out of the jam-but also knew it took courage for David to stick up to the bullies.
“Well see you after school then David! Thanks again.” Gaby went to her class leaving David shaking his head. ‘Did I really stand up for her?’ he asked himself. ‘Nah, just wanted to make fun of that jerk.’ David decided not wanting to see himself as some type of hero.
