| Fantasy Science Fiction posted January 18, 2016 | Chapters: |
3 4 -5- 6... 
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A date is set for the assembly
A chapter in the book The Daredevil Girls From Bunker Hil
October 31st
by davisr (Rhonda)
| Background Nancy Jordan has been asked to tell her stories to students at an assembly. A date has been chosen for the event. |
"I hoped you would say that," Mrs. Pierson said, letting out a huge breath.
"When do I start?"
"Well, the way I figure it, and keeping in mind scheduling conflicts and sporting events," Mrs. Pierson's voice trailed off as she consulted schedules, memos and emails.
Nancy's thoughts and eyes wandered around the room, landing finally on the painting of a little boy who was seated at an old-fashioned desk. He had a smudged face and tattered clothes that hung loosely on a slight frame. On his desk was an antiquated slate with two words written on it in chalk. He looked up thoughtfully at the blackboard in the front of the room. A smile played about his youthful lips. There was a question on the board saying, "If you could be anything in the world, what would you be?" The two words in chalk on his slate said simply, "A teacher".
"Sorry I'm taking so long," Mrs. Pierson said, startling Nancy out of her reverie. "I've got a lot to rearrange."
"That's okay. There are still about fifteen minutes until the bell rings."
"Yes, good, you're right. I'll be right back with you, dear."
With a sigh, Nancy continued to peruse the room. Next she found a smaller picture on the wall in a far back corner. This was a photograph of a young slender girl, about seventeen. She had long straight black hair, and sad brown eyes. Pale skin stood out in stark contrast to her darker features. Slight of frame, she looked frail and sickly. The gentle sloping of the eyebrows looked familiar, almost as the girl was a shadow of Mrs. Pierson.
"Who is the girl?" Nancy asked, pointing to the picture on the wall.
"That was me a long time ago," Mrs. Pierson answered, still scrolling through emails and not bothering to look up.
"No, way!" Nancy exclaimed in spite of herself.
"I was a bit skinnier then," Mrs. Pierson said with the hint of a smile, "and it was a terribly long time ago, but it was me, indeed."
"But you looked so serious, so fragile. I would say you have changed a lot since then," Miss Jordan observed, "and in more than your weight."
"More grown than changed, my dear. I didn't have much to make me happy until I met a group of friends that changed my life forever. Sort of like you and the Daredevil Girls, only not so famous."
"Well, that's good. Friends are important."
"Yes," she said, swiveling around with amazing dexterity. "Okay, I have a date for you; Friday, October 31st from 1:00 to 3:30. I know two and a half hours is an awfully long time to tell a story, but I wanted to give an opportunity for questions. Also, the press will be there, and they will want interviews and pictures."
"The press?"
"Don't worry; it's just a local newspaper. They will be thrilled to get such a story, and isn't Halloween just a fitting occasion for your debut?"
"Wonderful."
Nancy's heart sank to her fancy shoes as she thought of the week ahead. It was already Thursday, the 23rd. That gave her only a week and a day to get ready. No pressure!
"Don't worry," the principal reassured her. "Just do what you do best. Tell stories."
"Stories," Nancy said softly, "are much easier when they are used to illustrate a new science topic. The real ones are quite different, especially when you thought they were safely buried in your past."
"Such things seldom stay buried, my dear," Mrs. Pierson said, "and tales have a way of resurfacing when you least expect them."
"When do I start?"
"Well, the way I figure it, and keeping in mind scheduling conflicts and sporting events," Mrs. Pierson's voice trailed off as she consulted schedules, memos and emails.
Nancy's thoughts and eyes wandered around the room, landing finally on the painting of a little boy who was seated at an old-fashioned desk. He had a smudged face and tattered clothes that hung loosely on a slight frame. On his desk was an antiquated slate with two words written on it in chalk. He looked up thoughtfully at the blackboard in the front of the room. A smile played about his youthful lips. There was a question on the board saying, "If you could be anything in the world, what would you be?" The two words in chalk on his slate said simply, "A teacher".
"Sorry I'm taking so long," Mrs. Pierson said, startling Nancy out of her reverie. "I've got a lot to rearrange."
"That's okay. There are still about fifteen minutes until the bell rings."
"Yes, good, you're right. I'll be right back with you, dear."
With a sigh, Nancy continued to peruse the room. Next she found a smaller picture on the wall in a far back corner. This was a photograph of a young slender girl, about seventeen. She had long straight black hair, and sad brown eyes. Pale skin stood out in stark contrast to her darker features. Slight of frame, she looked frail and sickly. The gentle sloping of the eyebrows looked familiar, almost as the girl was a shadow of Mrs. Pierson.
"Who is the girl?" Nancy asked, pointing to the picture on the wall.
"That was me a long time ago," Mrs. Pierson answered, still scrolling through emails and not bothering to look up.
"No, way!" Nancy exclaimed in spite of herself.
"I was a bit skinnier then," Mrs. Pierson said with the hint of a smile, "and it was a terribly long time ago, but it was me, indeed."
"But you looked so serious, so fragile. I would say you have changed a lot since then," Miss Jordan observed, "and in more than your weight."
"More grown than changed, my dear. I didn't have much to make me happy until I met a group of friends that changed my life forever. Sort of like you and the Daredevil Girls, only not so famous."
"Well, that's good. Friends are important."
"Yes," she said, swiveling around with amazing dexterity. "Okay, I have a date for you; Friday, October 31st from 1:00 to 3:30. I know two and a half hours is an awfully long time to tell a story, but I wanted to give an opportunity for questions. Also, the press will be there, and they will want interviews and pictures."
"The press?"
"Don't worry; it's just a local newspaper. They will be thrilled to get such a story, and isn't Halloween just a fitting occasion for your debut?"
"Wonderful."
Nancy's heart sank to her fancy shoes as she thought of the week ahead. It was already Thursday, the 23rd. That gave her only a week and a day to get ready. No pressure!
"Don't worry," the principal reassured her. "Just do what you do best. Tell stories."
"Stories," Nancy said softly, "are much easier when they are used to illustrate a new science topic. The real ones are quite different, especially when you thought they were safely buried in your past."
"Such things seldom stay buried, my dear," Mrs. Pierson said, "and tales have a way of resurfacing when you least expect them."
 Recognized |
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Thank you so much, Angelheart, for the amazing artwork, "The Faerie Woods".
Dedicated to my father, Paul Shannon, and my sister, Paula Thompson. She and I were the world's original Daredevil Girls.
Nancy Jordan is a teacher in an ordinary small town middle school. She is living a safe, uncomplicated life when suddenly her past comes back to haunt her--literally. Her students have somehow found out that she was once a member of the world famous, Daredevil Girls from Bunker Hill, a group of young people who fought evil supernatural beings in the early 1980's.
She is asked by her principal to share stories from her youth once a month in an assembly. Reluctantly she agrees. In the first assembly, set auspiciously on Halloween, she is joined by the former members of the Daredevil Girls, who are now grown and have lives of their own. With their help, she retells two of their adventures. After the last story is told, Nancy finds that her past has become a part of her present---will she be forced to fight again?
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Dedicated to my father, Paul Shannon, and my sister, Paula Thompson. She and I were the world's original Daredevil Girls.
Nancy Jordan is a teacher in an ordinary small town middle school. She is living a safe, uncomplicated life when suddenly her past comes back to haunt her--literally. Her students have somehow found out that she was once a member of the world famous, Daredevil Girls from Bunker Hill, a group of young people who fought evil supernatural beings in the early 1980's.
She is asked by her principal to share stories from her youth once a month in an assembly. Reluctantly she agrees. In the first assembly, set auspiciously on Halloween, she is joined by the former members of the Daredevil Girls, who are now grown and have lives of their own. With their help, she retells two of their adventures. After the last story is told, Nancy finds that her past has become a part of her present---will she be forced to fight again?
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