| General Fiction posted January 19, 2017 | Chapters: |
2 3 -4- 5... 
|
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A description of a character before the disaster.
A chapter in the book The True Test
Katie, Math teacher and mom.
by jusylee72
| Background The True Test- Teachers are asked to stay late for mandatory Standardized Testing in the auditorium. At the end of the training, something causes a massive explosion. How will they survive? |
Katie sat against the instrument lockers in the band hall. How did all of this happen? She looked at her arms and legs, small scratches, no real injuries. I guess I'm lucky to be here. Her mind shielded her from reality. She had been sitting two seats away from George Matthews.
George practically lived at Taft. He helped open the school back in 1985. HIs wife wanted him to retire last year, but George refused.
"I'm not ready to sit at home watching TV. I still like the kids. I still love teaching. Just give me one more year and then we will travel." George taught AP Calculus. Katie taught freshmen. He talked to Katie earlier that day. "I'm surprising Helen tonight. I bought us a seven-day cruise to Alaska. We will leave the day after graduation. I'm telling her as soon as I get home from this stupid meeting." He glowed when he talked about his wife. then he stated what many of us were thinking." If I hear one more time about how I can lose my teaching certificate over a stupid test, I think I'll explode."
Katie's mind went back to the auditorium. As soon as the floor started shaking, George stood up. He told her to run. She stood and moved as fast as she could. When she looked back George wasn't behind her. He must have fallen. The crowd was pushing her forward. He wasn't in the band hall. She desperately wanted to see his face.
Katie's thoughts changed to her own family. Was it really just this morning when she took the kids to school?
She relived the morning. Why hadn't she listened to her fears?
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Come on little ones, we have to get going."
"He always takes too long." Big sister Trudy loved her baby brother Jeffy, but sometimes her patience would run out. "I've been trying to get this shirt on him for ten minutes. I don't want to be late to school again Mommy. My teacher hates tardy turtles."
Trudy's elementary was only three blocks from the house. 1st grade was a big deal and 6-year-old Trudy took it seriously. She did her homework every night without complaint. As much as she loved the little two years old he did interfere with her perfectionist attitude.
Katie heard her husband's voice in her head. "You know she gets it from you Miss Perfection. She also got your good looks." Even after 8 years of marriage, Gerald was still wonderful at making her feel loved. Just last night he was teasing her about her thirtieth birthday on Friday. Today was Thursday. "I have a special surprise for you. No guessing but I know you will like it."
They met in college. He was a struggling artist who was studying architecture. It was a practical way to eventually earn money while creating beautiful structures. They were in a history class together. History was not Katie's favorite subject. Gerald would draw pictures as the professor droned on about ancient Rome or whatever part of the world they were studying that week. His pictures made the words come alive and somehow helped them both learn enough to pass the tests. It took him three weeks before he was brave enough to ask her out.
"Let's go get coffee and study for tomorrow's test." Coffee turned into dinner and drinks. Even though they ended up staying out too late, they both passed the exam the next day.
Katie's childhood had been anything but perfect. Her Dad died of liver cancer when she was 10. Her Mom's depression took over their lives. Sometimes she was able to provide for Katie and her brothers. Other times the three were pawned off to friends and relatives. It was a teacher who helped Katie find where she belonged. Mrs. Whitney, her freshman math teacher was a firm but kind woman. "You're really good with numbers. They come easily to you. I'm recommending you to AP Algebra." Now 15 years later she was a math teacher.
Katie's thoughts turned back to her children.
"I've got this, Trudy. Grab you lunch box from the kitchen and make sure your homework is in your backpack. Look here little Jeffy, time to get going."
Jeffy put up a small fight up but nothing she couldn't handle. He was so full of vim and vigor as her grandma used to say. He loved hugs and kisses and laughed easily. His little smile could brighten up any gloomy day.
Katie put Jeffy in his car seat with a few minutes to spare.
"Are you buckled in Trudy? You will be on time today. No tardy turtle Trudy today." Trudy laughed at her mom's silly use of alliteration. Together they started singing it to a catchy little made up tune. "No tardy turtle Trudy, No tardy turtle Trudy, Not today."
Jeffy even tried to sing along. "TA tur, ta tur." They giggled all the way to school.
"Love you, Mom," Trudy jumped out of the car with a huge smile. "It's Daddy's day to pick me up."
She went skipping off to school. "It's just you and me now, buddy." Trudy looked so independent running into the school. "Wave bye-bye to Trudy."
It was only 15 minutes before she drove up to Jeffy's daycare. Katie was lucky to have found a good facility so close to her school. Jeffy started crying when she left him with Miss Suzy. She knew he would stop as soon as she got out the door. She still hated hearing him cry. Being a working mother was always a trade off but most couples truly need the two incomes. Besides, she loved her job. Most math teachers hated teaching freshmen algebra. She found it to be challenging and fun. Yes, those freshmen were squirrelly creatures but she connected with them.
As she approached the school a strange feeling came over her. Katie noticed the birds. They were somehow different today. They were flying low to the ground. Birds fly low when a storm is approaching. There had been nothing in the forecast for rain today. There were only a few clouds in the sky. A loud thud frightened her. She slammed on her brakes. A bird had flown directly into her windshield. He fell to the ground stunned. She froze for a few seconds. The car in back of her began honking urging her to move. The sound forced her to turn into the parking lot. Her heart was racing. What could have caused that? Birds don't just attack cars. She sat in her car for several minutes before convincing herself it was just an accident. For a short moment, she thought about calling in and going home. She was saving her sick leave for when the kids got sick which was quite often when you have daycare babies. She also wanted to take a day off for their anniversary weekend. Maybe the bird was sick and that caused it to be erratic. She convinced herself to go inside.
She calmed down when she saw three of her math junkies outside her door. They were last year's freshmen.
"Miss Thompson, I know you're not my teacher this year but could you help me study for my test today. I've got old man Phillips this year and he just doesn't explain things the way you do. There is something I don't understand."
A smile replaced her anxiety. "Come on in. Let's see what we can do.'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, she was in the Band Hall, trying to understand what had happened, sitting in the dark with the others, wanting only to be home.
George practically lived at Taft. He helped open the school back in 1985. HIs wife wanted him to retire last year, but George refused.
"I'm not ready to sit at home watching TV. I still like the kids. I still love teaching. Just give me one more year and then we will travel." George taught AP Calculus. Katie taught freshmen. He talked to Katie earlier that day. "I'm surprising Helen tonight. I bought us a seven-day cruise to Alaska. We will leave the day after graduation. I'm telling her as soon as I get home from this stupid meeting." He glowed when he talked about his wife. then he stated what many of us were thinking." If I hear one more time about how I can lose my teaching certificate over a stupid test, I think I'll explode."
Katie's mind went back to the auditorium. As soon as the floor started shaking, George stood up. He told her to run. She stood and moved as fast as she could. When she looked back George wasn't behind her. He must have fallen. The crowd was pushing her forward. He wasn't in the band hall. She desperately wanted to see his face.
Katie's thoughts changed to her own family. Was it really just this morning when she took the kids to school?
She relived the morning. Why hadn't she listened to her fears?
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Come on little ones, we have to get going."
"He always takes too long." Big sister Trudy loved her baby brother Jeffy, but sometimes her patience would run out. "I've been trying to get this shirt on him for ten minutes. I don't want to be late to school again Mommy. My teacher hates tardy turtles."
Trudy's elementary was only three blocks from the house. 1st grade was a big deal and 6-year-old Trudy took it seriously. She did her homework every night without complaint. As much as she loved the little two years old he did interfere with her perfectionist attitude.
Katie heard her husband's voice in her head. "You know she gets it from you Miss Perfection. She also got your good looks." Even after 8 years of marriage, Gerald was still wonderful at making her feel loved. Just last night he was teasing her about her thirtieth birthday on Friday. Today was Thursday. "I have a special surprise for you. No guessing but I know you will like it."
They met in college. He was a struggling artist who was studying architecture. It was a practical way to eventually earn money while creating beautiful structures. They were in a history class together. History was not Katie's favorite subject. Gerald would draw pictures as the professor droned on about ancient Rome or whatever part of the world they were studying that week. His pictures made the words come alive and somehow helped them both learn enough to pass the tests. It took him three weeks before he was brave enough to ask her out.
"Let's go get coffee and study for tomorrow's test." Coffee turned into dinner and drinks. Even though they ended up staying out too late, they both passed the exam the next day.
Katie's childhood had been anything but perfect. Her Dad died of liver cancer when she was 10. Her Mom's depression took over their lives. Sometimes she was able to provide for Katie and her brothers. Other times the three were pawned off to friends and relatives. It was a teacher who helped Katie find where she belonged. Mrs. Whitney, her freshman math teacher was a firm but kind woman. "You're really good with numbers. They come easily to you. I'm recommending you to AP Algebra." Now 15 years later she was a math teacher.
Katie's thoughts turned back to her children.
"I've got this, Trudy. Grab you lunch box from the kitchen and make sure your homework is in your backpack. Look here little Jeffy, time to get going."
Jeffy put up a small fight up but nothing she couldn't handle. He was so full of vim and vigor as her grandma used to say. He loved hugs and kisses and laughed easily. His little smile could brighten up any gloomy day.
Katie put Jeffy in his car seat with a few minutes to spare.
"Are you buckled in Trudy? You will be on time today. No tardy turtle Trudy today." Trudy laughed at her mom's silly use of alliteration. Together they started singing it to a catchy little made up tune. "No tardy turtle Trudy, No tardy turtle Trudy, Not today."
Jeffy even tried to sing along. "TA tur, ta tur." They giggled all the way to school.
"Love you, Mom," Trudy jumped out of the car with a huge smile. "It's Daddy's day to pick me up."
She went skipping off to school. "It's just you and me now, buddy." Trudy looked so independent running into the school. "Wave bye-bye to Trudy."
It was only 15 minutes before she drove up to Jeffy's daycare. Katie was lucky to have found a good facility so close to her school. Jeffy started crying when she left him with Miss Suzy. She knew he would stop as soon as she got out the door. She still hated hearing him cry. Being a working mother was always a trade off but most couples truly need the two incomes. Besides, she loved her job. Most math teachers hated teaching freshmen algebra. She found it to be challenging and fun. Yes, those freshmen were squirrelly creatures but she connected with them.
As she approached the school a strange feeling came over her. Katie noticed the birds. They were somehow different today. They were flying low to the ground. Birds fly low when a storm is approaching. There had been nothing in the forecast for rain today. There were only a few clouds in the sky. A loud thud frightened her. She slammed on her brakes. A bird had flown directly into her windshield. He fell to the ground stunned. She froze for a few seconds. The car in back of her began honking urging her to move. The sound forced her to turn into the parking lot. Her heart was racing. What could have caused that? Birds don't just attack cars. She sat in her car for several minutes before convincing herself it was just an accident. For a short moment, she thought about calling in and going home. She was saving her sick leave for when the kids got sick which was quite often when you have daycare babies. She also wanted to take a day off for their anniversary weekend. Maybe the bird was sick and that caused it to be erratic. She convinced herself to go inside.
She calmed down when she saw three of her math junkies outside her door. They were last year's freshmen.
"Miss Thompson, I know you're not my teacher this year but could you help me study for my test today. I've got old man Phillips this year and he just doesn't explain things the way you do. There is something I don't understand."
A smile replaced her anxiety. "Come on in. Let's see what we can do.'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, she was in the Band Hall, trying to understand what had happened, sitting in the dark with the others, wanting only to be home.
More and more I am realizing that the characters in this book need more defining. So even though this is the tenth chapter of the rough draft I thought I would go back to the beginning. I still want to open the book with the disaster but then I want to do an "Earlier Chapters next, That way I can introduce the characters and it will help me also understand them. I started with Katie, the Math Teacher desperate to find her children.
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