1001+Flat+Tales

Erica Calvi

1. Running. Down the sidewalk, around the corner, up the stairs, and then safety. Well I guess not for long, once Joe gets home it’s back to hiding again. Joe is my good for nothing father, who goes to work, comes home drunk at various times during day and night and beats up on me and mom for fun. Mom’s lucky though, working nights as a nurse at an elderly home, often keeps her away from the danger. Joe is not the only bully around here, there’s the Calculator. Yeah, I know lame right? But wow, does that guy know how to chuck calculators like his survival depended on it. And when you get hit, you are down on the floor crying for your mommy. Trust me, I know. I’ve been hit twice already, or so I’ve been told. I can’t remember it happening, just the big bump on my head afterwards. It’s now 3:30 and Joe will be home soon. I quickly go to the television, that on good days can offer me a way into a happier life of a loving family and free of fears, but I stop. Even though I could escape, it’s fear that keeps me from it. If Joe walks in while I’m any where near his precious plasma flat screen T. V., it’s a whack in the head that can keep you unconscious for hours. When I wake up, I’m usually in a small corner of my creaky room, with a large lump on my head. I wonder sometimes why he ever became that way, and why my mother would ever marry a creep like him. I also wonder if he’d spent his money more wisely, instead of blowing it on a huge T.V. and alcohol, that we’d all be happy and propped up in a nicer neighborhood and a cleaner, newer apartment. But just as quick as I dream up those hopes, they get swept away with the knowing of never getting anywhere, unless I do something about it. What I wish to become is a big shot lawyer, just like my older brother, Pete. But unlike Pete, I’m going to use my power and money to get Mom into a better environment, and finally get Ol’ Joe into the slammer once and for all. Suddenly, I hear footstep coming up the set of stairs. Thump, thump, thump… Getting louder and louder each step. I quickly grab my backpack and scurry to my room. Being seen by Joe when he gets home is definitely not safe. Next, there is rattling of the key being put in the door and being shaken to fit. But unfortunately, he is too drunk to concentrate on getting the key in the lock. I can hear Joe getting angry. He grumbles, “Fricking key, fricking door, fricking apartment.” By now, Joe is getting furious; he starts kicking the door with pure rage. With no progress of getting inside, he stomps off down the hall cursing all of nature. I sit in the small corner of my room, now able to take a deep breath. It was a close call. I guess sometimes Joe getting drunk keeps me safe, but other times, it just makes everything ten times worse.

2. “Hey Travis, over here!” yells Kyle, from the front of the school building. I quickly run over to him, happy to see my only best friend. “Hey Kyle” I say. “Yo, what’s crackin’?” he asks. “ Nothing much, just the usual” I reply. Kyle chuckles, “Yeah me too, just staying alive. Hey, did you ever decide whether you’re going to join the debate club yet? It might help you be a lawyer or whatever. “ “I was thinking about that, I’m not sure yet. I don’t know if I’d be able to make it home before Joe.” “Oh, right. Ahhh! Abusive monster dad on the loose! Run away, run away!” “ Ha ha, very funny. He doesn’t even deserve to be called my dad.” The bell rings and slowly everyone begins to saunter off to class, empty from lack of sleep. “ Well talk to you later, if I’m lucky” I say, trying to get to class. “Righty-oh, daddy-o. See ya.” Kyle jokes. I walk into the room that says English 9 on the door. The new teacher, Mr. Nate, greets me, who happened to be the debate club teacher too. “ Hello student .Who do I get the pleasure of teaching this fine day?” I answer, “Um…I’m Travis Marks.” He gives me a satisfied smile and points to my assigned seat. Mr. Nate gives a welcome and introduction speech, and plunges right in to this week’s vocabulary words. Even though I barley know Mr. Nate and he actually assigns work, he seems like a pretty cool teacher. I have a feeling that this class will come in handy. The bell rings signaling the end of English class. I walk down the hallway and around the corner to Math. Honestly, I think math can be interesting when you’re learning things that you will need in the future. But when you learn useless things like parabolas and radicals, you can’t blame me for wandering off a bit. Plus I get a little nervous every time we need to use calculators.

3. As usual school passes by slowly, but rapidly takes away the day and sunlight. The final bell rings and I’m free, but I don’t leave the school yet. I stand by my locker and think: Should I go to the intro meeting for the debate club? Is it worth the worrying of getting home before Joe? Will this help me for the future? I decide: Yes, Yes and Yes! I walk back to room stating English 9. Inside there were only three other students. There was the school nerd, Carl, who was pretty short for his age, had round black-rimmed glasses, and short brown hair greased to the side. There was one girl named Leslie, who happened to be the lesbian of the school, so she was pretty much just left a lone. She had blondish hair and was medium height. She was actually kind of cute, but guys just aren’t her type. The last kid sitting in the corner was Rake. He was known as the emo. He had dark curly hair that hung down in his face, with pale blue eyes piercing through. He had this look on his face that looked like he had some sort of story to tell, like something was bothering him. It was obvious. He was mysterious. No body knows him and no body seems to want to. All in all, we were misfits, bound together by the infamous club of debate. There was something about the atmosphere that made it as though everything was going to be all right, but perhaps not. We still didn’t know anything about each other and if it was up to any of us, we’d just like to be alone. Mr. Nate goes over the rules of the club and what is necessary to thrive as a debater. Our first issue to debate was whether or not abortion should become illegal. I though it was a pretty good idea. It has been a pretty heated topic for a while. Mr. Nate told us that we needed to pick a side to defend and that we need proof of our belief. I go home praying that Joe is already there and even worse, conscience. I fast walk through the murky side of town, amazed by how dark and cloudy the sky is getting. It scares me a bit hoping it’s not a sign of despair. When I’m a block away from my house, I hear a tough voice growl my name, but I have no time to waste, so I speed up and sprint to the door of the apartment. I get inside, give a quick wave to the doorman, and jog up the stairs urgently. Out of breath, I quickly fumble the key, but when it clicks unlocked, I carefully tiptoe inside. I hear a loud snorting from the bedroom. Joe must be sleeping, I slip into by bedroom and start thinking about my debate issue. I must form an opinion on the subject and stick to it, I need to be strong for the future.

4. Twenty years later….,

“ And that my son is when I first deciding I’m going to be the successful lawyer I am today.”, I concluded. Anthony was ready for a bed but still was no t satisfied, and asked me a couple more questions. “Daddy, what happened to all the other kids in the club?” “Well, as you know, we were an awkward group of kids, so we didn’t really click at first. But as the year went on, we all became great friends, well until Carl when to a different high school for a better education. And Rake wasn’t the best kid and ended up getting sent to military school. Leslie stuck around for a while, but eventually moved. But believe me they still kept in touch and were the best friends ever. And of course you know Kyle, he was my best friends of all, he’s the one who convinced me to join the club to begin with. “So when I graduated high school, I miraculously I got accepted Harvard Law School. And now I’m a lawyer still perusing my dream to make it big. And-“ Before I could even continue, Anthony was fast asleep, softly snoring. I kiss him good night and whisper softly “And that was the story of Travis Marks.”