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| #Post#: 16302-------------------------------------------------- | |
| It Happened One Christmas Chapter Nine | |
| By: Jack Date: December 8, 2019, 4:59 pm | |
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| My face was suddenly hot and my jaw was clenched. It wasn�t | |
| until my hand started to hurt, and I realized how tight I was | |
| squeezing the hand warmer that I realized I was really mad. | |
| Why was I mad? | |
| It wasn�t until I asked the question that I realized I was upset | |
| with Charlie for asking a question that I didn�t know how to | |
| answer. | |
| I looked away from him and made myself take some deep breaths | |
| until I started to relax. | |
| I didn�t realize it right then, but it was surprising how quiet | |
| Charlie was while I thought about it. | |
| I finally sighed. �I don�t know.� | |
| I was still looking out over the water as the snow fell thicker. | |
| I felt, more than saw, him move up beside me and lean on the | |
| parapet again, his elbow not quite touching mine. | |
| �I guess that�s reasonable,� he said after a while. | |
| �It�s not like I want to run away,� I responded. �It�s just� | |
| It�s just so unfair.� | |
| �Yeah, it sucks to be blamed for something you didn�t do.� | |
| �No, it�s not� Well, yeah - that, But I mean� Have you ever got | |
| paddled?� | |
| �At school, yeah, but not like what you got, I don�t think.� | |
| �That hurt so bad, and it was so embarrassing, and then they | |
| made me skip the party and everything, and I couldn�t even talk | |
| to my friends, and I don�t know what they think, and then my dad | |
| was so mad at me, and�� | |
| My voice c racked - nearly a sob. I stopped and took a deep | |
| breath, but before I could clear my throat, Charlie spoke up.� | |
| �And then he promised you �the worst whuppin� you ever got�?� | |
| I nodded. | |
| �And you�re scared?� | |
| I paused, then nodded again. | |
| �Yeah, yeah I am. It�s not just unfair, it�s rotten. I dunno | |
| why people gotta whip kids.� | |
| Charlie was quiet for a long time. | |
| �Maybe they don�t �gotta�,� he finally replied, but I could tell | |
| he wasn�t finished. | |
| �You know what I think?� | |
| I looked at him. | |
| �I think there�s some kids never need a whupping. Not that they | |
| never make mistakes, but if someone just explained to them what | |
| they did and why they shouldn�t do it, they�d learn. They want | |
| to do the right thing.� | |
| I nodded. That was kind of exactly what I was thinking. | |
| �I also think there are guys you could whup �em all the time, | |
| and it wouldn�t make a difference. They�re gonna do what they | |
| wanna do, and they don�t care if it�s right or wrong. The only | |
| difference it might make is making them more careful not to get | |
| caught.� | |
| I nodded again, but not quite as enthusiastic this time. I | |
| guess making someone at least be more careful about doing | |
| something wrong might be a reason to still whup �em. | |
| �But it�s not fair,� I protested. | |
| �No, not always, but adults are like kids - they�re not perfect | |
| and sometimes they make mistakes. It�s not fair, but it is | |
| life.� | |
| I didn�t want to think about that, so I changed the subject. | |
| �So you think there are two types of people?� | |
| �No. Well, not that way. �Cause those are extremes. There | |
| are also kids who�d like to do wrong, but if they think they�re | |
| gonna get a whuppin� if they do it, then maybe they won�t do it. | |
| And there are people who want to do right, but they need | |
| something to help them stop and think about what is right before | |
| they do something wrong.� | |
| I thought uncomfortably about what Dad had said after I�d been | |
| caught shoplifting, and didn�t know what to say about that. | |
| �I still don�t think there�s a good reason to whup a kid,� I | |
| insisted instead. | |
| �I�ll bet you do,� Charlie said. | |
| I looked at him. | |
| �I�ll bet I don�t.� | |
| He looked back at me and smiled. | |
| �You can�t think of anything?� | |
| I shook my head. | |
| �You see that?� he asked, pointing over the river. | |
| I turned to look, but all I could see was some snow swirling in | |
| the faint shadows that fell that far. | |
| �See what?� | |
| �Right there,� he said, pointing. | |
| I looked closer and saw a light begin to grow. | |
| �Right there in the past.� | |
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| #Post#: 16305-------------------------------------------------- | |
| Re: It Happened One Christmas Chapter Nine | |
| By: afinch Date: December 8, 2019, 6:04 pm | |
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| I'm still feeling really bad for Bailey, but I'm loving the | |
| direction this is heading. Anxiously awaiting the next chapter. | |
| #Post#: 16310-------------------------------------------------- | |
| Re: It Happened One Christmas Chapter Nine | |
| By: No Way Out Date: December 9, 2019, 7:38 am | |
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| I'm very keen on reading the next parts, too, especially after | |
| this little teaser at the end of the chapter. | |
| Also, the story inspired me to start writing another Christmad | |
| story. I'm not sure, if it's a good idea, or if I'll even manage | |
| to finish it, but if I do, it's Jack's fault! :P | |
| #Post#: 16314-------------------------------------------------- | |
| Re: It Happened One Christmas Chapter Nine | |
| By: David M. Katz Date: December 9, 2019, 10:39 am | |
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| Yeah, I am still pissed at how Bailey's situation is being | |
| handled by dad/school BUT I do see some possible hope. I am | |
| interested to find out what Charlie has to show. | |
| Anyway, I trust Jack and he did warn us that the series started | |
| off dark. | |
| [emoji319] | |
| #Post#: 16319-------------------------------------------------- | |
| Re: It Happened One Christmas Chapter Nine | |
| By: db105 Date: December 9, 2019, 3:09 pm | |
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| Charlie is a little Christmas angel and also a little CP | |
| theorist! ;) | |
| I wonder what he is going to show Bailey. | |
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