Foell family. - Calamities and miracles: family feared lost

CALAMITY

By J.T. Warren

Published by J.T. Warren

http://www.authorjtwarren.blogspot.com

Copyright 2011 J.T. Warren

Cover Design by Karla Herrera

This book is for people who always see the dark side and like the view.

Special thanks as always to my first readers and editors: LeeAnn Doherty, Scott Nicholson, Karla Herrera, and, of course, my lovely wife. Thanks is also due to Karla for her excellent cover design.

PROLOGUE

Five minutes of passing time between classes wasnt much but sometimes it felt like a lifetime. Tyler Williams was exchanging books at his locker and grabbing the bag lunch Dad had made for him when Paul flopped his back against the lockers next to him. When were you going to tell me?

Tell you what? Tyler asked.

Paul laughed in the mocking way that said he knew Tyler was being a dick. Didnt even tell your best friend. He shook his head. I mean, I should have known first. Im just so proud of you. Paul pretended to wipe away tears.

Its no big deal, Tyler said. Its just a date.

Its the day you finally grew some balls. Congrats, man. I knew it would happen. He slapped Tyler on the back. Next thing you know youll be updating your status to in a relationship.

Its just a date.

Its proof youre not a homo.

Real funny.

You mean, you are a homo? Before Tyler could stop him, Paul was shouting in singsong fashion at the passing kids, Tylers a homo! Tylers a homo!

Someone yelled, Right on, faggot! and someone else said, Youre the fag, you retard.

Most of the kids crammed into the hallway of Stone Creek High School offered a brief, contemptuous glance and continued on their way.

Where you taking her?

Movie and dinner.

Then what?

Then what, what?

You just going to ask if shell wrap that snaggletooth around your cock or you gotusttaki something more creative planned?

Ill be fine.

Yeah. You wouldnt even have the date if not for me.

Two days ago, Paul had told him that Rebecca had said that Sasha thought he was kind of cute and that she would answer a call from him if he happened to find her number, which Rebecca passed to Paul in a note folded fifteen times, like some secret message from an underground cult. Paul ragged him for three hours until he said that if Tyler didnt man up for once in his life, he was bound to be a homosexual, if, that was, he wasnt one already. If Tyler didnt make the call, Paul said hed spread the word that Tylers mother had found gay porn on his laptop.

That was all the motivation he needed. His fears of rejection, which kept him pacing frantically back and forth in his bedroom and which spurred him into a vicious tirade of self-critique, proved a waste of time. Sasha giggled and said yes. Now, he was mere hours from the date and unable to think of anything else. Mr. Gerard had called on him twice in math and both times Tyler had been thinking about how he was going to make that first move on Sasha. He had even started a list in the margin of his notebook of possible tactics. Bluntly asking if shed suck his dick was not one of the possibilities.

I owe you everything, Tyler said in grand, kowtowing style. Happy? He slammed his locker shut and started toward the cafeteria. Paul, who didnt have lunch until the following period, followed right along.

What you owe me, Paul said, is a date with Delaney.

Im about to eat. You want me to vomit?

Your sister is hot. You have to admit it.

I cant even respond to that.

Yeah, because you know Im right.

Up ahead, kids were shouting or grunting back and forth to each other like gorillas in the mountains. A group of girls in short skirts and high heels gossiped rapidly back and forth. Passing them, Tyler caught the words, such a bitch and whore better back off. The sounds of talking and yelling echoed everywhere. To the left, a little freshman was on his knees in front of his locker trying to get the combination right for the hundredth time. Any moment now, the tears would start. Tyler thought of his little brother Brendan and felt sorry for this kid but it wasnt his job to help him. Thats why there were teachers, although he didnt see any in the halls.

Besides, Paul said. I think she likes me.

Dont you have history class?

Mr. B. doesnt care if Im late.

Two football players, dressed in their home jerseys even though the season had ended months ago, were play fighting up ahead outside a computer lab. The flowing traffic gave them a wide birth, which slowed Tylers steps to a crawl.

This place is fucked, Tyler said.

Just like youre going to be tonight, right? Paul asked.

Right.

Cmon, man. She said yes. Shes a little weird or whatever, but she said yes. Paul leaned close. A girl like that is aching for it. Im surprised one of the jocks hasnt hit it yet. Shes ready to fall off the vine. You only have to reach for it.

Tyler had been with girls before but never advanced past the boundary of the jeans. He didnt want to seem likyle to seee some desperate pervert but Paul was right: Sasha was exactly the type of girl who went around secretly hoping some guy would just whip it out for her.

Before the date, Tyler would be back on the Internet surfing for dating tips. Just undoing her bra strap posed its own challenge. Hed spent enough time staring at her breasts in English that they were burned into his brain. He often thought about going up to her in class and ripping open her shirt and launching his mouth at those breasts.

A hot rush flushed through him.

You just have to man up, Paul said. Then you can stick it in her.

Real classy.

Then put in the good word for me with Delaney so I can stick-

Jesus, enough.

Paul paused. All you have to do is lay the foundation for me.

No.

Paul adopted one of his over-the-top, dramatic personas. I see how it is. I see how you do me. Fine. Whatever. But I hope Sasha pulls some weirdo shit on you and you wake up with your cock in a jar.

Thats great. See ya.

Whateva, nigga. Peace. He made some kind of gang gesture over his head, something he probably saw in a movie, and headed back the way they had walked.

Paul was always good for a laugh but Tyler was too busy waging an internal battle between anxiety and lust to care what he wanted. Tyler had a genuine chance to get some serious action tonight so long as he didnt turn into a cowardly douche.

In the cafeteria, Tyler sat with this kid Aaron Vandershant who was sometimes funny and often a dick. If he knew about Tylers date with Sasha, Aaron would unload a barrage of vile-soaked insults at Tylers choice of girl. Aaron had never been seen even talking to a girl one-on-one, so Tyler didnt much care what Aaron said. Besides, the kid could be quite amusing.

Im in Mrs. Pulks class, Aaron says before Tyler even opens his brown bag. Shes doing her usual lecture shit and the class is real quiet. Bunch of zombies in there, man, I tell you. Anyway, shes talking about some constellation or some shit and then she stops, like freezes, bends over like shes about to fall and grabs the desk in front of her--Kyle Prescott is sitting there like somebody strung or out or something--and she unloads this ass cheek-shaking fart that sounds like a damn grenade going off. I was so stunned I couldnt say anything. And then you know what she does? Mrs. Pulk straightens up, looks at us, and says, Bet you cant beat that. I fucking lost it, man. Almost fell out of my seat.

She didnt say that.

Fuck yeah, she did. That bitch is crazy.

That is crazy. Tyler actually thought it was kind of great that a teacher, especially an old one like Mrs. Pulk, could be so cool about farting.