Chapter 1

The Crossroads

As Arnold got up after class he shook the spit balls out of his hair, Gerald said "man I don't know how you put up with it".

Arnold replied "I'm used to it by now. Nothing will ever stop Helga from being a bully".

As they left the school Gerald said "it would be great if we could stop Helga from becoming a bully".

Arnold said "but she's been that way since forever".

Lila interjected "I couldn't help hearing your conversation and I disagree. Helga acts tough but I think that's just to hide her own insecurities. No one can be born a bully but if you believe she is then something happened to make her like that. At some point in her life little Helga Pataki had to make a choice and that choice created the girl we know today".

At Gerald's Field they talked to Harold, Sid and Stinky about it. "Insecurities, Helga" said Sid. They all burst out laughing.

Stinky said "Helga's been mean ever since we knew her, on that first day of Pre-school".

Sid asked "Hey Harold weren't you the first kid Helga picked on"?

Harold answered "yeah, and all I did was eat crackers".

Arnold said "if memory serves Harold, you ate her crackers in front of her and then laughed in her face".

Gerald said to Arnold "I thought she was going to cry until you gave her your crackers. I think when she accepted them I saw a hint of a smile. I'm not sure what happened next but suddenly everyone was laughing at her".

Sid said "that would be because of the goo-goo eyes Helga made at Arnold and then Harold mimicked her".

Stinky added "and Helga looked over at Arnold, and then the crackers and a scowl appeared on her face. She pushed Harold over, jumped on his stomach and then walked away saying she was the boss".

Arnold remembered the first day of pre-school before snack time. He

met Helga outside and she was covered in mud. After she'd gotten cleaned up she sat next to Arnold and coloured a picture while Arnold made a picture out of macaroni. Arnold said "you know I have a strange recollection of Helga being nice before snack time".

Gerald said "so I guess in a way we can blame Harold for Helga being a bully".

Harold said "hey she hits me with her lunch everyday and I don't do anything to her".

Sid said "Harold, you make fun of her".

Harold said "no I don't".

Sid replied "yes you do, just today you called her a big hairy warthog with barf for a face".

Gerald said "but then there's the question, why does Helga pick on Arnold the most, he never does anything to her"?

On his way home Arnold asked Gerald "do you think Helga would have turned out differently if Harold hadn't picked on her that day".

Gerald said "maybe, but what else could have happened? Of course Harold would take her crackers because that's who he is, and of course you'd offer Helga yours because that's who you are. That day Helga decided who she was, she had choices but decided on becoming a bully".

Arnold stopped outside his door and commented "still I wish there was a way to stop Helga making the choice she did. You know a third option between becoming a bully or a laughing stock".

Gerald said "too bad time travel is beyond anyone's capabilities".

The next day Arnold volunteered to help set up the 6th graders graduation ceremony. He was helping paint a banner with Rhonda and Eugene. Suddenly Eugene slipped and spilt all the paint, Rhonda said "I think there was some more paint in the basement".

Arnold offered "I'll go get it".

The basement was creepy, dark, and filled with cobwebs. He saw a shelf with paint on them so went to get some, when he did the shelf shook and some things leaning against it collapsed. When Arnold picked himself out of the rumble that fell on him he saw all that stuff have been covering a door. He probably should have left it alone but his curiosity got the better of him. When he opened the door all he saw was a blank void. Unsure if the door just had a black wall behind it Arnold placed his hand in. He'd expected to feel a hard brick wall instead it was like pulp. If he shouldn't have left it alone before he should now.

He went in and in a flash of light Arnold found himself as little boy again in pre-school. The first thing he saw was little four year old Gerald, he asked "are you okay man"?

Arnold replied "I'm fine".

Then they heard Harold laughing as he ate Helga's crackers in front of her. This was the time Arnold had wanted to go back to, the crossroads where Helga became a bully. If he was going to stop her from crying and at the same time keep her from becoming a bully he had to do something know. Suddenly he found the third option and Helga didn't have to do a thing, he did. He went over to Helga and asked "would you like to come and sit with me and Gerald"?

He held his hand out to Helga and Helga took it and a smile appeared on her face as he took her to his table. As he sat back down he decided it was safe to do what he did the first time round. He pushed his plate of crackers to her and said "you can have mine if you like".

Helga smile grew as she took one. Before anything else could happen Arnold was pulled out of the door by an unknown force. All he could do was think was would Helga be any nicer now by changing her road for her?

What do you think, should I continue with this story?