Post by River on Aug 2, 2011 9:03:52 GMT -6
Here's story I started. Still need to write two more character's parts, so that's why it's titled part one. Please read, and let me know what you think.
Chapter One-The Winning
Jacob
Venice, Italy- "Jacob!"His mom's drifted up the stairs. Jacob Loure, who was sprawled out on his bed with a book, reluctantly sat up. "Coming!"He sighed, throwing the book down on the bed, and leaving his room. He pounded down the stairs, and skidded into the kitchen where his mom was waiting. "Yeah?"She didn't reply, her normal response when he used English. Sighing again, he repeated it in Italian. She turned to face him.
"Answer this Jacob. When will you get it through your head that you are not to use English is the household?"
"There's nothing wrong with English Mom."He replied, his voice heavy with annoyance.
"It's American."She said shortly.
"So? Look at what they have, robots, hoverboards, the fastest internet imaginable. They have everything. And they've brought that stuff here."
"We don't need their fancy toys. And you speak as though they are better than us."
"Mom, their ways are just different."
"You are so ignorant Jacob. All you see is the good."
"And that's a bad thing?"He raised his eyebrow.
"They are corrupt."
Jacob gave it up, knowing he'd never win. They'd had this conversation a dozen times, and he still gotten nowhere.
"Did you want something?"He finally asked.
"Yes, take the money on the table and get me some of that good french bread from the store."
"Mom, they haven't had that for weeks."
"I see I should have asked Marcus. He wouldn't have questioned me."
A deep rage rose within him. She was always comparing him to his older brother. Jacob was always in his shadow, always being outdone, always second best. And he was sick of it. His anger finally exploded onto the surface. "I'm not Marcus! Stop comparing me to him! I'm not going to be exactly like him, because I'm not him! I'm Jacob! But that's not good enough for you is it? I've always been a failure in your eyes, haven't I? He's the perfect son, the one who does everything right. You've always liked him better. You never even wanted me."He yelled at her. Grabbing the money, he stormed out the door. Instead of staying to talk it over with his mom, and hopefully bringing peace between them, like the gentle rains after a violent storm, he left. Doing so, he let the storm between them fester,(look it up if you don't know what it means, I'm good at language arts, okay?)which would cause problems later on.
He jumped on his hoverboard, and took off, leaning forward to go faster. For as long as he could remember Marcus had outdone him in nearly everything they did. Except for hoverboarding. Jacob could have done it in his sleep, whereas Marcus was always falling off. Several years ago, the idea of hoverboarding had caught on in almost every country as they saw the US doing it. Italy had installed a metal grid all around the country so is was possible to do it almost anywhere, and he was constantly having races with his friends which he usually won.
But of course his mom thought it was a waste of time. She saw no point in having fun on the board, and said it was intended for getting around, not having races. And as usual, Marcus agreed with her. Most likely because he was terrible at it.
Jacob sighed. Why couldn't he have a normal family like some people? He got along with his brother okay, but it was always a battle with his mom. America wasn't the issue they disagreed on. She saw technology as ways of doing things more efficently, not for having fun. So she saw buying things like computers, hoverboards, and pings, which were basically phones, a waste of money.
In the distance, Jacob spotted Marcus walking alongside the river. Jacob's anger grew, and as he neared his brother, he slowed the hoverboard to a stop. "Hey bro, what's up?"Marcus asked, then noticed Jacob's expression. "Jay, what's wrong?"Concern filled his eyes. "Oh, the usual, Mom viewing you as her perfect son, and seeing me as nothing but a bother."He sneered. "Here, why don't you get the bread. After all, you're the perfect son."He shoved the money into Marcus' hands, and zoomed off, leaving a very surprised Marcus staring after him.
Jacob pushed the board to top speed, heading for the track where he and his friends usually had races. As he raced along, he didn't notice the number of people on the streets decreasing, nor the quiet that had seemed to take over the city.
- - - - - -
Lily
Canada-The wind whistled past Lily as she sped down the ski slope. She risked a quick glance at her best friend Ginger, several feet behind before facing forward again. “Beat you to the bottom!” She yelled above the wind. “Oh no you won’t!” Ginger yelled back, putting on a burst of speed. Lily eyed her, and then pushed off the ground with her ski poles, getting a few feet ahead.
Down they went, each passing each other, before the other one caught up. Finally, the bottom of the hill came into sight, and crouching down low, Lily sped past Ginger, accidently sending a spray of snow in her face. Lily got to the bottom first, but Ginger struggled to see, and stumbled downwards, before winding up in a heap at the bottom. Lily’s eyes filled with worry, and she rushed to her friend. “Ginger! I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” She quickly asked bending down. Ginger didn’t answer, and Lily’s breath caught. She reached out, but quickly as a flash, Ginger grabbed Lily’s skis, pulling her down. Lily stared around her, surprised to find herself on the ground, while Ginger cracked up. “I’ll get you for that!” Lily said, pretending to glare, but her eyes danced merrily. Ginger just laughed more, and threw a snowball at her. Shaking her head, Lily stood up. “I’ll get my revenge later.” She promised, giving Ginger a hand. “We’ll see about that.”
They headed for the ski lift, and were about to get on, but Ginger stopped. Lily turned around to look at her. “Don’t you want do another hill?”
Ginger shook her head. “Not really. Lily, something doesn’t feel right.”
Lily looked around, and realized Ginger had a point. They were still lots of people around, all laughing and talking, but there was something amiss. “You’re right. Why don’t we get some hot cocoa?” Ginger quickly agreed, and the two girls headed for the main building.
Slipping off their skis, Lily and Ginger went inside, and headed for the lockers. Stowing their gear away, they changed into yoga pants, and sweatshirts. Grabbing steaming cups of hot cocoa they went to sit by the windows. “Nice to sit down.” Lily commented, and Ginger merely nodded, lost in thought. “Thinking of your dad?” Ginger turned to look at her friend and gave a small nod. “I miss him Lily.”
“I know.” Lily gave Ginger’s hand a comforting squeeze.
“It hasn’t been the same since he went off to fight in the war, and then was declared MIA. Mom hardly speaks anymore. Sometimes she just wanders around, with this lost look on her face. What if….what if he never comes back Lily?”
“He will Ginger. He promised, remember?”
“Some things are beyond his control Lily.”
“Ginger, if you think like that, what point is there to hope? I know that’s all we have right now, but without it, we have nothing.”
“I know you’re right Lily, but it doesn’t help the pain. Why did we have to have a third World War anyway? All it causes is death, hatred and violence.”
“It’s hardly a World War anymore. Not since those strange people showed up.”
“Where’d they come from anyway? One minute they’re not here, and the next they’re showing up in swarms of millions and millions.”
“Nothing has made sense for ages. I gave up trying to figure it out ages ago.”
“Yeah, what has this world come to?”
“Who knows, but it’s getting kinda late Ginger.”
“Oh, do we have to go? My house is so dark and gloomy nowadays.”
Lily smiled, and stood up. “Why not have dinner at my place? Your mom could come.”
Ginger hopped up, and they began walking towards the lockers.“Oh, you know she’d never accept. She never goes out of the house.”[/b]“She won’t mind you going then?”
Lily pulled her backpack out of her locker, and Ginger did the same.
“Oh, you know her. She doesn’t care where I am.”
“Let’s go then.”
They began to pull on their coats and boots, unaware of the tension growing around them, and military trucks pulling into the parking lot.
Chapter One-The Winning
Jacob
Venice, Italy- "Jacob!"His mom's drifted up the stairs. Jacob Loure, who was sprawled out on his bed with a book, reluctantly sat up. "Coming!"He sighed, throwing the book down on the bed, and leaving his room. He pounded down the stairs, and skidded into the kitchen where his mom was waiting. "Yeah?"She didn't reply, her normal response when he used English. Sighing again, he repeated it in Italian. She turned to face him.
"Answer this Jacob. When will you get it through your head that you are not to use English is the household?"
"There's nothing wrong with English Mom."He replied, his voice heavy with annoyance.
"It's American."She said shortly.
"So? Look at what they have, robots, hoverboards, the fastest internet imaginable. They have everything. And they've brought that stuff here."
"We don't need their fancy toys. And you speak as though they are better than us."
"Mom, their ways are just different."
"You are so ignorant Jacob. All you see is the good."
"And that's a bad thing?"He raised his eyebrow.
"They are corrupt."
Jacob gave it up, knowing he'd never win. They'd had this conversation a dozen times, and he still gotten nowhere.
"Did you want something?"He finally asked.
"Yes, take the money on the table and get me some of that good french bread from the store."
"Mom, they haven't had that for weeks."
"I see I should have asked Marcus. He wouldn't have questioned me."
A deep rage rose within him. She was always comparing him to his older brother. Jacob was always in his shadow, always being outdone, always second best. And he was sick of it. His anger finally exploded onto the surface. "I'm not Marcus! Stop comparing me to him! I'm not going to be exactly like him, because I'm not him! I'm Jacob! But that's not good enough for you is it? I've always been a failure in your eyes, haven't I? He's the perfect son, the one who does everything right. You've always liked him better. You never even wanted me."He yelled at her. Grabbing the money, he stormed out the door. Instead of staying to talk it over with his mom, and hopefully bringing peace between them, like the gentle rains after a violent storm, he left. Doing so, he let the storm between them fester,(look it up if you don't know what it means, I'm good at language arts, okay?)which would cause problems later on.
He jumped on his hoverboard, and took off, leaning forward to go faster. For as long as he could remember Marcus had outdone him in nearly everything they did. Except for hoverboarding. Jacob could have done it in his sleep, whereas Marcus was always falling off. Several years ago, the idea of hoverboarding had caught on in almost every country as they saw the US doing it. Italy had installed a metal grid all around the country so is was possible to do it almost anywhere, and he was constantly having races with his friends which he usually won.
But of course his mom thought it was a waste of time. She saw no point in having fun on the board, and said it was intended for getting around, not having races. And as usual, Marcus agreed with her. Most likely because he was terrible at it.
Jacob sighed. Why couldn't he have a normal family like some people? He got along with his brother okay, but it was always a battle with his mom. America wasn't the issue they disagreed on. She saw technology as ways of doing things more efficently, not for having fun. So she saw buying things like computers, hoverboards, and pings, which were basically phones, a waste of money.
In the distance, Jacob spotted Marcus walking alongside the river. Jacob's anger grew, and as he neared his brother, he slowed the hoverboard to a stop. "Hey bro, what's up?"Marcus asked, then noticed Jacob's expression. "Jay, what's wrong?"Concern filled his eyes. "Oh, the usual, Mom viewing you as her perfect son, and seeing me as nothing but a bother."He sneered. "Here, why don't you get the bread. After all, you're the perfect son."He shoved the money into Marcus' hands, and zoomed off, leaving a very surprised Marcus staring after him.
Jacob pushed the board to top speed, heading for the track where he and his friends usually had races. As he raced along, he didn't notice the number of people on the streets decreasing, nor the quiet that had seemed to take over the city.
- - - - - -
Lily
Canada-The wind whistled past Lily as she sped down the ski slope. She risked a quick glance at her best friend Ginger, several feet behind before facing forward again. “Beat you to the bottom!” She yelled above the wind. “Oh no you won’t!” Ginger yelled back, putting on a burst of speed. Lily eyed her, and then pushed off the ground with her ski poles, getting a few feet ahead.
Down they went, each passing each other, before the other one caught up. Finally, the bottom of the hill came into sight, and crouching down low, Lily sped past Ginger, accidently sending a spray of snow in her face. Lily got to the bottom first, but Ginger struggled to see, and stumbled downwards, before winding up in a heap at the bottom. Lily’s eyes filled with worry, and she rushed to her friend. “Ginger! I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” She quickly asked bending down. Ginger didn’t answer, and Lily’s breath caught. She reached out, but quickly as a flash, Ginger grabbed Lily’s skis, pulling her down. Lily stared around her, surprised to find herself on the ground, while Ginger cracked up. “I’ll get you for that!” Lily said, pretending to glare, but her eyes danced merrily. Ginger just laughed more, and threw a snowball at her. Shaking her head, Lily stood up. “I’ll get my revenge later.” She promised, giving Ginger a hand. “We’ll see about that.”
They headed for the ski lift, and were about to get on, but Ginger stopped. Lily turned around to look at her. “Don’t you want do another hill?”
Ginger shook her head. “Not really. Lily, something doesn’t feel right.”
Lily looked around, and realized Ginger had a point. They were still lots of people around, all laughing and talking, but there was something amiss. “You’re right. Why don’t we get some hot cocoa?” Ginger quickly agreed, and the two girls headed for the main building.
Slipping off their skis, Lily and Ginger went inside, and headed for the lockers. Stowing their gear away, they changed into yoga pants, and sweatshirts. Grabbing steaming cups of hot cocoa they went to sit by the windows. “Nice to sit down.” Lily commented, and Ginger merely nodded, lost in thought. “Thinking of your dad?” Ginger turned to look at her friend and gave a small nod. “I miss him Lily.”
“I know.” Lily gave Ginger’s hand a comforting squeeze.
“It hasn’t been the same since he went off to fight in the war, and then was declared MIA. Mom hardly speaks anymore. Sometimes she just wanders around, with this lost look on her face. What if….what if he never comes back Lily?”
“He will Ginger. He promised, remember?”
“Some things are beyond his control Lily.”
“Ginger, if you think like that, what point is there to hope? I know that’s all we have right now, but without it, we have nothing.”
“I know you’re right Lily, but it doesn’t help the pain. Why did we have to have a third World War anyway? All it causes is death, hatred and violence.”
“It’s hardly a World War anymore. Not since those strange people showed up.”
“Where’d they come from anyway? One minute they’re not here, and the next they’re showing up in swarms of millions and millions.”
“Nothing has made sense for ages. I gave up trying to figure it out ages ago.”
“Yeah, what has this world come to?”
“Who knows, but it’s getting kinda late Ginger.”
“Oh, do we have to go? My house is so dark and gloomy nowadays.”
Lily smiled, and stood up. “Why not have dinner at my place? Your mom could come.”
Ginger hopped up, and they began walking towards the lockers.“Oh, you know she’d never accept. She never goes out of the house.”[/b]“She won’t mind you going then?”
Lily pulled her backpack out of her locker, and Ginger did the same.
“Oh, you know her. She doesn’t care where I am.”
“Let’s go then.”
They began to pull on their coats and boots, unaware of the tension growing around them, and military trucks pulling into the parking lot.
