Chapter 1
It was a beautiful day in the suburb of pleasant pond. The suns was shining, the birds were singing, and the neighborhood boys were doing small chores to make a few extra bucks. Some were cleaning out garages, others were mowing lawns, and still others were washing their father’s cars.
This may have been fair and good for some of the residents of this quiet community, but not for Marvin Brown. Marvin was always thinking big. This was typical of many fifteen year-olds, but Marvin’s dreams were years ahead and miles above those of his friends. Marvin was thinking not of being a fighter pilot or a soccer player or even a rock guitarist, Marvin Brown wanted to be governor of California. even though he didn’t live there, He thought it would be the perfect place to start his bid for the presidency. This would be a interesting story to historians years from now, but unfortunately we are not going to hear his tale. As a matter of fact this is the story of his next door neighbor, Jack Patrick.
Jack was the type of guy who didn’t do much. It wasn’t because he was clumsy or unable to, it was mainly because he was lazy. When the neighborhood Kids were playing ball, Jack would be sleeping on the sofa. When the local entrepreneurs were building lemonade stands or walking dogs, he was watching cartoons. His parents did not like their son's lack of activities and often made him run errands in an attempt to build Jack’s work ethic.
It was on this picturesque day that Henry Patrick, Jack’s dad, walked into the living room and found his son snoring in the recliner. “Jack, get up and go to the corner store for a gallon of milk. You drank the last carton this morning. And I might add, you put the empty back in the fridge, as usual.”
“But Dad, I just got here. The afternoon movie is about to start!” Jack protested.
“That is not a good excuse, son. Get up, put your shoes on and go to the store, Now!”
Jack got up angrily and took the money his father had in his hand. He grabbed his jacket and stormed out the door. “ I don’t get why everyone wants me to do something important. I am fine just the way I am. There's no need to be big and important. I Like being “little Jack”.
As Jack rounded the block, a government plane was flying overhead. If you had asked the government, they would have denied it’s existence, but it was there all the same. The purpose of aircraft was to test a a new weapon. This weapon was supposed to turn large armies into small ones in a split-second. Today was it’s first test. The Device, Known as the Decimator, was aimed at a grove of trees very near Jack Patrick. Jack, always cutting corners, was heading through the trees to save time. This was a bad choice.
Like a sudden lightening bolt the Decimator blasted into the wooded lot. Jack felt himself falling for what seemed like an eternity. When he hit the ground things went dark. Little did he know he had a very big problem.
Copyrighted Tgicountryboy, 2002