Young Writers Society

This is for my AP Literature class, which is why there is a copious amount of large vocabulary words in the first half. Sorry about that. Bear with me :D

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is Jane. See Jane run. Wow! Jane can run so fast. Jane runs out of a house, down a path, into the woods. Objects fly by Jane’s head; let’s count them! A bat, a hat, a can, a pan ,a kitchen knife. That’s five objects! See Jane dodge. Dodge, Jane, Dodge! Jane runs past a small frog. The frog looks at her and says, “You wouldn’t be in this interminable situation if you had venerated your betters, if you hadn’t been so cumbersome, if you-” SPLAT! Jane steps on the frog as she passes. Jane, that wasn’t very nice. Jane wades through a river and gets her nice new dress all wet. The little fishes whisper to her as they pass. “Churlish, strident girl. No wonder your parents are cynical. You’re such a poignant little weasel, the way you slink around the house.” Jane’s tears mix with the water in the river. Silly Jane, that’s not good for the environment. Jane stops in the middle of a clearing and drops to her knees. Oh no! That pretty dress that your mother gave you is getting all dirty, Jane. The noises of all the forest animals fill the air. What animals can you hear, Jane? “Jane, you exasperate me with your endless demands! Emulate your mother and learn to hold your tongue.” That sounds like a robin. And what’s that? “I brought you into this world. You should be genuflecting before me.” A little bunny! How sweet. So many different creatures are out and about today!

“Prostrate yourself!”

“Even looking at you puts an acerbic taste in my mouth!”

“I knew you’d turn out vulgar, you disgusting-”

“STOP!” Oh no! It looks like Jane has fallen asleep. Maybe we should let her rest for a little

while.

. . .

This is Dick. See Dick climb. Dick goes up and up and up. Up in a tree, so high! Puppies jump around under the tree. Look, Dick, they want to play with you! Dick’s friends want to play too. They run up to the tree and smile so nicely at Dick. Which friends are these, Dick? There’s Tommy, Timmy, Bobby, Bill! Tommy tries to travel to the top of the tree. Timmy throws twigs for Dick to catch. Bobby bellows blasphemies as the puppies bark. Bill blows his blunt boldly, basking in the light of the beautiful blue sky. Dick’s friends sure know how to have fun. But it looks like they are bored now. Dick’s friends take their puppies and go home. Oh look, Dick! A pretty sparrow! “Sentimentality only leads to pain. Just remain aloof and it won’t hurt when they denounce you.” That’s a beautiful song, Mr. Sparrow. Dick climbs down the tree and walks towards the forest. Uh oh, Dick. It’s getting dark. Maybe you should go home. Scary things come out at night.

Dick doesn’t listen to the intelligent voice in his head. Silly, Dick. You’re going to regret that soon. Dick goes deeper and deeper into the forest, deeper and deeper towards his doom. Oh wow! Look, Dick. There’s a deer over there. If you stay very still, you might be able to hear what it’s saying. “Just capitulate to your fate. Nobody wants to hear your anecdotes, nobody cares about your opinions, no matter how terse you make them. People are too capricious to-” GOD DAMMIT, DICK! You were too loud. Watch how fast the deer can run away. Such a beautiful animal. It’s alright. There are other animals for you to see, Dick. “You’re not ornate. You’re just another unorthodox loser,” says the snake, slithering across the ground. “Repudiate the idea that anyone cares about you.” A tiny mouse! How cute.

“STOP!” Wait, Dick. That’s not an animal. Don’t follow that sound, it could be something dangerous. You really need to get home, Dick. Your parents will be worried. Dick, stop. Go home, Dick! GO HOME NOW OR-

. . .

This is Dick and Jane. See them lollygagging in an empty forest like the eccentric little brats they are, while all the good little girls and boys are eating dinner. Think of all the people who love you, Dick and Jane. They would be so worried if something happened to you. Let’s count the people who love you, shall we?

Hmm . . .

How strange. I can’t seem to think of any.

“Hello?” She won’t wake up, Dick. I am bemused by your behavior. You say you want to be happy, and yet you continue to defy me. “Hey, wake up.” What are you thinking, Dick. Do you think she’ll be your friend? Your fate inexorable. You will always be alone. “Please wake up. . .” Poor, slipshod little Dick. You really should just give up now. You’re being very disconcerting. And you wouldn’t like me when I’m upset, Dick.

Oh look! Jane has started to wake up. How fucking wonderful. Are you happy now, Dick? You found another person to reject you, whether through circumlocution, or just by telling you how worthless you are.

“Who are you?” Dick stares at Jane blankly. I wonder what kind of ambivalence he’s feeling. It’s no wonder nobody else can understand you if you can’t even understand yourself, Dick. “I’m Dick,” Dick says. Good job, Dick. You were pedantic enough to learn your own name. Your mother must be so proud. “Are you going to hurt me?” This is Jane. Jane asks an excellent question. A better question though would be ‘Why wouldn’t you hurt me?’. You make it so easy, Jane. You’re weak. Are you really pretentious enough to think he would care about you? You know how that ends. When has anyone ever given a shit about you? Even your parents knew you were a failure the minute you were born. “No. I wouldn’t do that.” You’ve heard that before, Jane. This whole situation, you know this. They lie, you trust, you get hurt. “Well . . . Will you be my friend then?” HAHAHAHA! Oh, Jane. You really might be the most pathetic person alive. Your parents really haven’t taught you anything have they? Nobody. Loves. You. Nobody cares. Nobody wants to be your frie-

“Ok.”

. . .

Dick held out his hand and helped Jane to her feet. “I’m Jane,” Jane said quietly, not meeting his eyes. “Hi, Jane.” Dick smiled slightly. This was the longest conversation he’d had for a long time without being laughed at or punched. “What’re you doing here?”

“I- My parents don’t like me hanging around the house. I don’t really like being at my house either though . . . So it’s ok.”

“What happened to your face?” Dick reached out to touch a bleeding cut on Jane’s forehead, but she pulled back, flinching.

“I was stupid. I knocked over Dad’s beer this morning. It went everywhere . . .”

Dick frowned. “So? It happens.”

Jane looked up in surprise. “But . . . I made a mess. I get punished when I make a mess.”

“Well now, THAT’S stupid. My parents don’t care when I make a mess.” Dick paused. “I mean, they don’t care when I do much of anything anyway. But I get away with a lot.”

“I wish my parents were like that,” Jane said quietly.

Dick shrugged uncomfortably. “Yeah sometimes it’s nice. It sucks when I get hurt though. Or when the kids at school chase me home.”

“Oh . . .”

The two stood in silence for a few moments. “It’s dark already. My parents are gonna be really mad,” Jane finally said.

“You wanna stay at my house? I’ve never had a friend over before.” Dick had never had a friend to have over before either, but he decided not to mention that.

“Will your parents mind?”

“Dad normally doesn’t come home on Friday nights and Mom’s busy with her show and whiskey. She calls it ‘Adult Juice’. I don’t really know why. It says whiskey on the bottle.”

Jane giggled. “You’re funny.”

“I am?” Dick was taken aback.

“Yeah.”

“Well thanks. Come on. Let’s get out of here. I have bandaids at my house for your head.”

. . .

“Watch out. There’s a nail sticking up here.” Dick climbed through the window to his room then turned to help Jane through. “I’ll go get some bandaids. You can hang out in here. I don’t really have much to do. My parents haven’t bought me anything to play with in a while. Sorry.”

“That’s fine. Neither have mine. I’m good at entertaining myself.” Dick smiled and left the room.

. . .

This is Jane. Jane sits on a bed that isn’t hers, in a house she doesn’t belong in, waiting for a boy who doesn’t give a shit about her like a cow that wandered into a slaughterhouse and is too stupid to find its way out. Poor, poor Jane. Don’t you see what’s happening to you? This boy doesn’t want to be your friend. There’s only one reason he’s being so nice to you. Nobody cares about your well being, your personality. He’s just interested in you physically. You’ve heard about this type of thing. Well now it’s happening to you and you’re playing right into his hands. He’s going to take advantage of you and you’re letting him. Idiotic girl. You’re old enough to know better. Run now. You can still keep your purity. Jump out the window and go home to your parents. Take your punishment and then it’ll be over and you’ll be safe. That’s where you belong. You’ll never-

. . .

“Here.” Dick tossed a metal case of band aids to Jane, who caught it. “What grade are you in? I feel like I would have seen you at school.”

“Fifth. I don’t go to school though.”

“Why not?”

“Parents.”

“Oh . . .” There was a pause. “School’s not all that great. All the other kids are mean.” Jane didn’t respond. Dick glanced at her. She was staring at the wall. “Well, it’s late. I’m gonna set up my bed.”

“What?” Jane looked up at him nervously.

“On the floor. You can have this one.”

“Oh . . . Ok. Thanks.” Dick grabbed some pillows and a blanket from around the room, arranging them into a messy pile on the floor. He switched the light off and lay down on his makeshift bed.

“Dick?”

“Yeah?”

“Why’re you being nice to me?” Jane’s voice trembled slightly.

“I- I’m not sure. I guess ‘cause . . .” Dick thought for a moment. “Because I want to. It makes me happy.”

“Being nice to me makes you happy?”

“Yeah.” Jane couldn’t see it, but Dick was smiling. “People should be nice to each other. It feels good.”

There was a long silence. Dick had almost fallen asleep when he heard Jane’s small voice again.

“Hey, Dick?”

“What?”

“Thank you.”

. . .

This is Dick. Dick is asleep. Dick is sleeping peacefully because he thinks he’s found a friend. Dick is wrong. I see now that you’re not going to listen to me, Dick. That’s alright. I’m not upset. It’s your own life that you’re ending. I tried. I guess I’ll move on to more intelligent and receptive children now. Enjoy your death, Dick.

This is Dick and Jane. They are doomed.

. . .

“Jane! Jane, wake up!” Jane woke up sharply as Dick shook her shoulder. “Jane, your parents are here. They’re looking for you.” Jane bolted upright. Voices could be heard from elsewhere in the house. “You have to go!”

“I can’t go home now!” Jane was on the verge of tears.

“Make something up, say you got lost.”

“But-”

“Richard?” The door creaked open and Dick’s mother put her head inside the room. An empty beer bottle was held limply in her hand. “Some people here askin’ about a girl named-” She broke off when she saw the two children staring at her. After a pause, she started again in a confused voice. “Are you Jane?”

“Jane?!” Just then, Jane’s father shoved into the room. His eyes widened at the sight of his daughter. “What the FUCK are you doing here?! Who’s this kid??”

“My son, Richard.” Dick’s mother stammered weakly. “He’s- He’s a good boy.”

“Get your ass over here, NOW.”

Jane started to move forward, trembling, but Dick grabbed her arm. He shook his head.

WHAM! In two long steps, Jane’s father crossed the room and knocked Dick to the ground with a strong and practiced backhand. Dick’s mother dropped the bottle she had been holding and ran out of the room. Moments later, she could be heard on the phone. “Police?? There’s a madman in my house. Send somebody please, he’s hurting my boy!”

Dick got to his feet only to be shoved against the wall again. “You stay the fuck away from my daughter, you hear me?”

Suddenly, there was a loud crack and the man’s grip on Dick’s collar was released. Jane stood behind him, holding the now broken beer bottle in her small hands. Not waiting for her father to recover, Dick grabbed Jane by the arm and ran for the window. He pushed it open and jumped out. Jane followed with a gasp. They ran across the lawn as Jane’s father’s angry yells followed and gradually became fainter. They didn’t stop running after they’d reached the forest’s edge. Soon they had reached the place where they first met and finally began to slow. Dick glanced at Jane and saw her arm was bleeding. “What-”

“I think it was the nail. On your window.” Blood slowly dripped onto the dirt. A lot of blood.

“That looks bad . . .” Dick walked closer to her and examined it. The cut ran across most of her forearm.

“M-My Mom said you could get ‘tennis’ from nails,” Jane said in a scared voice.

“Tetanus. And only rusty ones. I’ve heard that too.”

“Was that nail rusty?” Dick didn’t respond. “Dick, what’re we gonna do? I don’t want to die.”

“You’re not gonna die.”

“I can’t go home. I can’t stay out here or I’ll die of tetanus.”

“I don’t think tetanus works like that.”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t . . .” Dick mumbled. Jane started crying. “Hey. We could go to the police.”

“They’d put us in awful homes with awful people. I’ve seen movies about it. They’d take us away from our parents.”

“Hey, as long as they let us stay together it’d be ok. You’re the first friend I’ve ever had. I don’t want to be alone again.”

“Me neither.”

“Let’s just stay out here. We can eat berries and things. It’ll be fun!” Dick tried to give Jane a comforting smile.

“What about the tetanus?”

“Hey, I’ll take care of you. We can make bandages and herb salve and stuff. I’ve read about it.”

Jane looked up at him, starting to feel a little hopeful. “We can take care of each other.” She took Dick’s hand and kissed him on the cheek.

. . .

“11 year old Richard Johnson and 10 year old Jane Smith were found dead in the middle of Riverside State Forest this morning by authorities. A search had been in progress since their disappearance was reported two weeks ago. It is assumed that they starved to death after getting lost together. The loving parents of these poor children, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and Smith, are of course devastated but wish to thank everybody for their sympathies. An interview with the Sheriff coming up next.”

. . .

This is John.