Chapter 1

Here is the first chapter of the book I'm writing. Please tell me your honest opinion on comments. Thanx. Hope you like it! Oh, and sorry it's so squished togther, and you can't really tell where the paragraphs are. I tried fixing it twice, but blogger isn't liking me right now, so it won't let me :(

So sorry!!!

Chapter 1

"Ahh!" with all my might I screamed, but it was of no use: barely a whisper came out. I was falling, and falling, and falling. I couldn't see anything, and I didn't know where I was or what was happening. The only thing I did know was that I was falling. Declining. Descending. Plummeting to earth or wherever this endlessblackness led to.

It seemed as though I had been falling for an eternity, when unexpectedly, I saw a tiny gray dot below me. The gray dot quickly grew bigger as I continued to fall. Faster than a speeding bullet, quicker than superman himself, what used to be a tiny gray dot, now covered most of the darkness. That's when I realized I was about to 'splat!' become part of a concrete something.

As unreasonable as it is, I screamed, but once again it came out in only a whisper. I tightly closed my eyes and put my hands over my head to 'protect' myself, although I knew it was of no use. Everything turned to slow motion as I inched closer to my doom. "Simon…" I looked up into the darkness. I could have sworn (to be honest, I did swear) I heard someone far-off whispering my name. "Simon…" There it was again! I was, save a couple of feet from my fate, when my name was heard a third time - but louder, clearer, and a bit sharper. The gray concrete faded away, everything returned to darkness, and I stopped falling. "Simon Burgess, wake up this instant!" My eyes snapped open, and I jumped up so quickly; both me, and my desk toppled over; along with my books, pencils, and paper.

Immediately, everyone in my English class burst out laughing at the sight I made. With much haste, I tried to get up, only to trip over my own shoe and fall down again. The room of 10th graders laughed so hard, I thought the saying, and 'I died laughing' would come true. That's when I noticed the quiet new girl - Alexis, I think - wasn't laughing. Alexis rose from her desk behind mine, and came to where I was lying. "Need help getting up?" She quietly asked me, while holding out a friendly hand.

"No thanks," I replied glumly. "I'm better off down here." Alexis didn't budge. Nor did she blink. A determined expression was nailed to her attractive face, as she continuously held out her hand. I sighed heavily; and as the laughing died down, I ruefully grasped the girl's hand. I silently picked up my desk and books - with Alexis' help - ignoring the snickers from my classmates.

I slouched back in my desk, and pretended to be studying my pencil that needed severe medical attention. Alexis stood next to my desk - her head tilted to one side; observing me closely. Slowly, I turned my head to look at her, giving her a questioning glance. Alexis briefly smiled, and then returned to her desk. I lifted my shoulders in a slight shrug and continued studying my cracked and dented pencil. My English teacher - Mrs. Woodberry - continued blabbing on and on about some famous author that I'd never heard of. I think his name was Mark Train, or something like that… But I wasn't listening. In fact, I was so caught up in not listening to her teaching; I almost missed the loud, continuous bell, announcing that school was over. As quick as I could, I gathered my books, and rushed out the classroom before Mrs.Woodberry could give out any homework assignments for the weekend.

I was half way out the door, when I heard Mrs. Woodberry call me back into the classroom. Everyone but me, stampeded out of the room, impatient to get home to start their exciting weekend of camping, hiking, or biking; and for the lazy couch potatoes; catching up on sleep, watching TV, and playing computer and video games. I was planning on spending my weekend camping with my friends Matt and Ethan, but knowing Mrs. Woodberry, I had a feeling my plans were about to be crushed by a worthless homework assignment.

Looking down at the floor, I dragged my feet on the way back to Mrs. Woodberry's desk. I sighed heavily as I thought of all the fun Matt and Ethan were going to have without me. "Simon," Mrs. Woodberry brought me back to reality. "That's the third time this semester you've fallen asleep in my class." The middle-aged woman paused as if waiting for a reply. When none came, she continued, "Have you been getting enough sleep?"

Looking the English teacher in the eye, I searched for a hint of concern. Finding none, I replied, "I, uh… I stayed up late last night finishing that book report that was due two weeks ago." Mrs. Woodberry raised an eyebrow - not believing me. I simply smiled at her.

"Oh really?" She crossed her arms as I nodded. "Well Simon, did you happen to bring this book report?" My smile faded away.

"Um… actually, I'm… uh… going to… get the author of the book to sign my report! So… I can't hand it in yet." I smiled as innocently as I could, but I could tell it didn't work.

"The author's signature?" Mrs. Woodberry gave a little laugh." Is that the best you can do? Do you even know the authors name?"

"Mark Train, right?"

"Twain! Mark TWAIN! Ugh! Simon, I don't teach you English for nothing. You're supposed to learn!" I took my left hand out of my jacket pocket and started chewing one of my fingernails. Mrs. Woodberry sighed, and more calmly said, "Simon, look at me." I stopped chewing my fingernail, and looked at my teacher - my head tilted to one side. "I'm going to give you a new writing assignment, Simon. Forget about the book report." I raised a questioning eyebrow. Mrs. Woodberry continued, "You seem like the adventurous type. I want you to write a three or more page paper about some adventure that you've gone on. It can be real, or fiction."

"What?" I asked with a little laugh. "Why?"

"It seems like the only kind of writing assignment you'd actually turn in. Now I thi-" Mrs. Woodberry was interrupted when my iphone made a buzzing sound. I reached into my pants pocket, and read the text message from my older brother Nick:

Im in the skool 'lot. Wats takin u so long?

I quickly text him back that my teacher was talking to me. Mrs. Woodberry cleared her throat, "If you are finished," I looked up from my phone - I had already forgotten that she had been talking to me. I slipped my phone into my jacket pocket, and looked at Mrs. Woodberry, waiting for her to continue. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again and sighed. Then she spoke, "You may go now, Simon." I smiled, and quickly jumped out of my chair - tripping over the chairs leg.

"Thanks Mrs. Woodberry!" I said as I hastily got up from the floor, and ran out of the classroom.

"Your writing assignment is due Monday morning!" Mrs. Woodberry yelled after me. "He didn't hear me…" She sighed, shaking her head.

I almost ran over the janitor, as I galloped down the school hallway, texting Nick on my phone. Trying to miss the janitor, I sidestepped, right into a bucket of dirty mop water! And, for the third time that day, I tripped. The next thing I knew, I was sprawled across the floor - drenched in dirty mop water. "Dang it!" I shouted in frustration. "Why does everything bad happen to me!?" The stunned, wide-eyed, janitor watched me - mouth open - as I grabbed my wet, ruined iphone from the wet floor; and attempted to stand up. I guess I got up too quickly, for I slipped on the slick, wet floor; and fell back down. Irritated, I cursed and slowly stood up again. I growled in frustration, when I realized my iphone was ruined. The janitor muttered something angrily, and started to re-mop the floor. The whole way down the hallway, out the door, and to my brothers truck; I mumbled to myself about all the bad things that had happened to me that day.

"Well it took you long enou-" Nick paused in mid-sentence, dropping his ipod, he stared at me. Then he started laughing! How could he be laughing when I've had such a horrible day!? I stood there in disbelief, holding the truck door open; covered from head to toe in dirty water. Still laughing, Nick asked, "What happened to you?"

"I don't want to talk about it." I started to get in the truck passenger seat.

"Oh no. You're all wet! Get in the back." Nick pointed his thumb to the bed of the truck.

"What!?" Nick, it's January, I'm wet, and its forty-three degrees outside! I am not going to ride in the bed of your truck!"

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As soon as Nick had parked his truck in our driveway, I jumped out from the bed of the truck. Shivering, I opened the front door, and went into the house. "Is that you, Simon?" My mom called from the laundry room.

"Uh, yeah mom!" I took off my wet shoes and set them on the rug by the door. Mom came out from the laundry room, folding a t-shirt.

"Oh good, could you help me with-" Mom stopped folding the t-shirt, and looked me over. "What… happened Simon? Why are you all wet?"

"Long story, and I don't feel like telling it right now," I started for the stairs. "I've had a bad day, and I just want to get in some dry clothes and go camping with Matt and Ethan."

"Um… OK. Oh, wait. Ethan called, he wanted to talk to you about camping."

"Let me guess: he wants to finish off my bad day with canceling the camping trip?"

"Actually… no. He said that his uncle let him borrow his tent for six, so you boys will have twice the room."

"Are you serious?" I asked with a big grin. I didn't wait for an answer. Instead, I shouted, "Yes!" and ran up the rest of the stairs and into my room - dripping water the whole way.