Disclaimer: This story started out as a bit of an exercise -dash- joke. Within a few sentences (or paragraphs) you should be able to recognise the storyline as a ‘popular’ book/movie that has recently come to an end (well, we can only hope it has).
But the main reason for ‘re-written’ the tale is to emerge a new type of hero, that isn’t sparkly. A new type of hero that doesn’t lead a normal life, until one day they are exposed to radioactive material and can climb on walls. My goal here is to emerge not an instant out-of-the-bottle superhero, but a culture of a generation of sub-beings. As this is a blog I can only reveal some much of a story in a post, so you are going to have to come with me down the rabbit hole.
I like to think that my ‘creation’ is something that one wouldn’t expect.
Tinka hated started at a new school. Since her parents divorce when she was small she always had lived with her mother. But now that her mom had remarried, they had to relocate and she thought it would be best if Tinka lived with her father till they had settled. Tinka wished someone had asked her opinion on the matter.
The rain drizzled outside her window as she unpacked her suitcase. It always seemed wet the small town her dad lived in. He didn’t have too much to say when she arrived, but she could tell that he needed the company. Judging from the take-away containers that filled the kitchen bin, it seemed he needed a woman’s touch in the house. She heard voices coming from the drive away and looked outside the window.
Her dad was chatting to some guy who was standing there with his son. The son looked up and caught Tinka looking down on them. Her dad noticed and shouted at her to come down.
“Tinka is going to be staying with me for a bit” she heard her dad say as she walked out the front door.
“Tinka, this is my pal Norman. He stays down the road,” he said.
Tinka shook hands with the man.
“This is my son Benjamin,” Norman said, gesturing to his son.
“Hi,” he said.
Tinka answered back. The boy had dark hair, but his eyes were what intrigued Tinka. There a pale shade of blue, verging on white and they didn’t seem to miss a thing. Tinka felt his eyes piercing her. He could feel them stretching and searching her mind. Just as they felt like they were going to grab something important, some memory, from deep within her soul.
“We should be off, shouldn’t we Benjamin” said Norman, whacking Benjamin on his back. The action jerked the boy, causing the trance to break. Tinka smiled politely, but was happy for the interruption. Benjamin nodded and the two got back in their truck.
“Benjamin is a good kid,” her dad said.
“There is something strange about him,” she replied abstractly.
“I mean he seems nice enough, but those eyes,” she quickly said.
“Oh, yes, all the Harpies have them. You’ll notice in Norman they have gone darker over the years, not as intense. Right,” Tinka’s dad said, clapping his hands, “what do you say to some supper? I’ve got about 10 restaurants on speed dail.”
Tinka smiled.
She approached the school slowly. She was a bit early, but she wanted to time it right so that she would sort out her paperwork and make it to class before it had started. Hopefully the teacher won’t notice a new face and start the class as normal. She wasn’t in luck.
By the time she got her schedule and everything from reception the bell had already sounded. She took a deep breathe as she opened the door to English. The teacher, Mrs Cheyn, paused as she walked in. She gave a quick nod and tried to dash to the first available seat.
“Not so quick” said Mrs Cheyn, brushing her red hair with the back of her hand. “Who, may I ask are you?”
Tinka gave Mrs Cheyn her papers.
“Tinka,” she said, then quickly turned around and attempted a second time to make a dash for the empty chair.
“A, a, a” Mrs Cheyn tutted. She perched herself on the edge of her desk and gestured for Tinka to stand in front of the class.
“Why are you here?”
“I’ve moved in with my dad.”
“Who is your dad?”
“Jacob Stevens. He works at the mechanics in town.”
“What are your interests?”
Tinka clinched her jaw. She hated that question. Kids judge and they judge quick. One wrong interest and she would be shunned by them.
“I don’t know, I’m new to the town, so not sure what you guys have got going on here,” she looked around. Nobody seemed to be snickering, she was safe.
“Alright, you may sit down,” said Mrs Cheyn. Tinka quickly grabbed the empty chair. As she did so, she felt someone at the back watching her. She turned in her chair to look. There were a two girls chatting and a guy in the back row. She looked at the guy. He appeared to be sleeping, with his head on his arms. She couldn’t be sure, but it felt like it was him looking at her. As she watched him, his green eyes opened quickly, under his floppy dark hair and looked directly at her. She quickly turned around.
“Now, who can tell me what they were really talking about during the pig scene,” said Mrs Cheyn.
Tinka sat on the logs during break. The classes didn’t really allow much time to talk to anybody and although she felt a lot of people staring and commenting about her, no one had approached her. She wasn’t really expecting them to. It was an odd time to switch schools. Everybody already knew everyone and had formed groups. Trying to get friends was going to be difficult. But she wasn’t too worried. eventually somebody would have to come and talk to her, even if it was purely just out of curiosity.
As she opened her lunch, she noticed a blue flower was growing right by her foot. She was sure it wasn’t there when she had sat down. She looked at it. It was in full bloom, the colour was incredible vivid and provided some type of happiness in an otherwise overcast grey day. It rained lot she noticed. Most of the time it was just foggy or drizzle. In the afternoon it cleared up, but there was always moisture to the air.
She stoked the petals with her fingertips. She felt someone watching as she did so and looked up. The same strange boy was lying on his back on a low branch a few feet away. He seemed to be sleeping again. His leg hanged off the branch casually and was gently swinging, indicating that he might be awake.
She returned her attention back to her lunch.
“Hey” she heard a girl’s voice say. She looked up and saw a short girl approach her. She had long dark hair, tied up in a pony tail. She sat on one of the logs near Tinka.
“I’m Taryn, we have art together,” she said with a smile. Tinka smiled back.
“How you finding the school so far?” she asked.
“Alright,” Tinka responded.
“Yea, we are pretty average,” replied Taryn, reading between the lines. “People are friendly once they open up. But getting them to open up is a different story.”
“Hey Taryn,” another girl said, approaching. “Hey, you’re the new girl.”
“Yea, that’s me.”
“I’m Kirsty, Taryn’s best friend.”
Tinka managed to hide her rolling eyes. Girls, she thought, are so possessive sometimes.
“I have art with Tinka,” said Taryn.
“Oh. Did you take the bus to school, Tinka? I didn’t see you this morning,” said Kirsty.
“No, my dad dropped me off this morning. But I should be taking the bus home.”
“I take the bus, you can come and sit with us. The boys can be a bit harsh to newbies.”
“Thanks, might take you up on that offer,” said Tinka.
“That’s a pretty flower,” said Taryn, pointing to the blue flower by Tinka’s feet.
“Yea, I just noticed it after I sat down.”
“After you sat down? You mean it wasn’t there beforehand?” said Kirsty.
“Well, it probably was there, I just only noticed it afterwards.”
Kirsty and Taryn looked at each other. They then looked at the guy that was still lying on the low branch.
“You should stay away from him,” said Kirsty, gesturing to the boy. “Strange things happen when he’s around.”
“Strange things? Like?”
“Like noticing flower after you’ve sat down,” said Taryn.
“He seems alright. I’ve only seen him sleeping though.”
“Yea, he dozes a lot. His whole family sleeps.”
“His whole family?”
“Well, there’s five of them in the school. His brothers and sisters are about, probably lazing just like him. His name is Tommy, then there is Shane and Greg the the two girls, Jess and Diane,” said Kirsty.
“They don’t talk much,” said Taryn. “Best that way.”
The bell went and Kirsty and Taryn got up and walked towards their next class. Tinka got up, but hovered at the back looking at the tree. Tommy swung his legs over and he slowly got up. Tinka noticed that he’s arms were surprising long and they gripped the tree with ease. His green eyes shot at her under his dark hair as he jumped off the branch. He kept his gaze on her as he walked past towards class. Tinka quickly ran after Kirsty and Taryn.
As Tinka got on the bus after school, she hesitated at the front. Looking down the aisle, all she saw was a swarm of unfamiliar faces. It had been a rough day. Taryn and Kirsty waved for her to join them about two thirds to the back. She smiled and made her way over the feet, legs and back clogging the aisle. Taryn and Kirsty were sitting on the left, which were only two sitters. But the seats in front of them was clear, so Tinka sat down, placing her bag next to her to try and avoid anybody from sitting there.
A hush slowly came over the bus as Tommy got on. His tall langley body made no work of getting through the cluttered aisle. The three sitter to the right of Tinka’s seat was empty and he made his way there. He sat down and stretched out to prevent anyone from sitting next to him, but it wasn’t necessary. Nobody was planning to.
Two other boys, with the same dark hair as Tommy got on the bus with two blonde girls. Taryn leaned forward.
“That’s the rest of them. The one in front is Shane, then the guy at the back is Greg and … well I can never tell the difference between Diana and Jess.”
The four sat in seats in front of Tommy.
Soon the bus engine started and the hubble of conversation resumed. Tommy watched Tinka and after about ten minutes he slid over to the aisle side of the seats.
“You’re new,” he said in a husky tone.
“Yea,” she responded.
He nodded and then slide back towards the window. Taryn and Kirsty watched him in silence. Taryn then leaned forward to talk to Tinka.
“You into any sports or things?” she asked.
“I’m pretty good at gymnastics, but I’m not sure if I want to get involved. Thinking I’ll just take it as it comes this year,” she replied.
“Yea, we don’t really have gymnastics, do we Kirsty.”
Kirsty stopped looking at Tommy and turned around to the girls.
“Huh?” she said.
Taryn giggled.
“Kirsty has a bit of thing for Tommy,” she said.
“No I don’t,” she said. “I’m just curious, I mean, aren’t you?” she said. “They are a good looking bunch.”
Two guys behind Kirsty and Taryn started talking to them and Tinka slouched back in her chair. She was exhausted.
“Are you going to come?” asked Taryn.
“What?” said Tinka, turning around again.
Kirsty rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t know she’s new,” she said matter of fact to the others. “At the beginning of every year, guys gather at the border of the forest for a party. Kind of beginning of school party. It’s very chilled. There will be beer, of course, a couple of fires, some music. Everybody goes.”
“Oh. Um… sure, when is it?”
“On friday, at about six people started gathering.”
“Oh, yea, sounds good,” she said.
Tinka eventually started recognising some of the places they were passing and saw her bus stop.
“Yea, so I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” she said.
“Oh yea, see ya.”
As Tinka got off the bus, Tommy got off as well. The other four of Tommy;s family watched him. As he got off, he turned and shrugged at them. Nobody said anything.
Tinka shifted her backpack and made for the road towards her house. Tommy jogged up next to her and gave her half a smile.
“You going?” he asked.
“Are you?” she asked.
He smiled. “Maybe. It’s at our neck of the forest, so we sometimes make an apperance.”
“Your neck of the forest? Is there a ‘neck’ that isn’t yours?” she asked.
Tommy laughed.
“You’re new,” he said, with a smile.
“Yea, we established that on the bus,” she responded.
“Cheeky are we,” he said.
She smiled.
“So why is everyone scared of you?” she asked.
His eyebrows caved a bit.
“It’s a long story,” he said, “our family has a bit of a reputation. It happens when you have several generations in one place. Small towns tend to have a lot of history.”
“Sounds like you have a history the scary and spooky kind,” Tinka said.
Tommy laughed. “Oh yea? Do share,” he said.
“Well, there was a flower growing by foot and the girls thought you had something to do with it,” she said.
Tommy smiled. “And what makes you think I didn’t,” he said.
“Well, that’s impossible,” she replied. Tommy stopped walking. Tinka stopped as well and looked to where he was looking. In the driveway of her house was a truck.
“Oh,” she said, “probably just the Harpies. They are friends with my dad.”
“Yea,” said Tommy. “Umm, well I’ll see you around at school then and if not, then Friday.”
“Yea, see ya,” she replied.
Tommy quickly turned around and walked off. Tinka carried on walking to her house. She turned to see if she could still spot Tommy but he was gone.
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Rarely due I delve into the world of mainstream literature and if I were to tip my toe in, it would definitely not be in a book of controversy, but here I found myself with three books with the famous grey covers, complete.
