Dearest Readers,
I have written this fic purely for my enjoyment, and hopefully yours. This is the first of many chapters to come- it basically sets the scene and helps you get to know the main original character. Yes, I said those dreaded words, original character. Its ok, you can breath, she's not a Mary-Sue. Read on and you can judge for yourself .
I got the idea for this story while with friends (whom I have loosely based some of the characters in this story on.)
As we were watching The Patriot, we were discussing how great it would be if you could be sucked into the movie somehow. And that's when my brain started ticking.
Constructive criticism is very much appreciated, but flames will generally be ignored. And not tolerated, might I add. I would really love some feedback- like it? Hate it? Love it? Loathe it? Please tell me
Disclaimer: Anything in this story that is from the movie: The Patriot: including character, setting, script are not mine. 'Nuff said.
Chapter One"Hey Andy! Mel thinks you're hot!"
" Liz!"
"So how's about it Shona, you and me at Windy Point"
"Bite me Dan,"
"Alright, who put gum on my chair?"
It was last lesson on a warm day at Sheoaks High School. Having physics as final period on a Friday afternoon was just asking for trouble. The students generally paid little or no attention as they discussed the fast approaching weekend with much enthusiasm.
The teacher had given up trying to teach the boisterous bunch of students about relative errors and had retreated to his desk with a Reader's Digest magazine and an aspirin, pretty much allowing the students to do whatever they wanted- within reason.
Caitlin Adams, for instance, was balancing dangerously on two of her four chair legs and chewing on a large wad of gum, animatedly chattering about tonight's upcoming events.
"So, we're all at my house. Be there or be square," she flipped her spiky brown hair behind her shoulder and raised an eyebrow, daring her friends to object.
"It all depends Adams," Jodie said as she absently checked her red hair for split ends. Jodie, although seemingly nonchalant, was known for her fiery temper. To match her bright red hair.
"On what?"
"On if we are ordering pizza. And if so, what kind?" Molly Richards loved her food. Her nickname in the group of friends was Ronald, named after the famous fast-food restaurant character, Ronald McDonald.
"If were ordering pizza, please order a vegetarian one," Aimee Bartlett's nickname in the group was Sausage, as she was so against eating meat. Aimee was a stubborn individualist.
Altogether, the four girls couldn't be any different. Nevertheless, they had been best friends ever since Kindergarten and were hardly ever seen apart.
"Alright, pizza it is. May I suggest tonight's movie choice?" Caitlin sat forward on her chair so that the front two legs hit the floor with a loud thump. There was a custom. If they were going to be staying over at someone's house, they had to watch at least one movie. For perving value of course. And for discussion topics as they lay awake until the early hours of the morning.
"Tonight's selection will be The Patriot," the girls groaned in unison after hearing the film title.
"Not again," Molly rolled her eyes. Caitlin's two favourite things in life were history, and Jason Isaacs. The fact that this movie incorporated these two things was an added bonus. 'Act of God', as she liked to declare.
"We've seen that a million times already. What is it with you and Jason Isaacs? Or should I say, Colonel William Tavington," Jodie had moved from examining the ends of her hair; to pushing back the cuticles on her fingernails.
"Well…he's just so… EVIL," Caitlin sighed and stared off into space, her grey eyes glazed over dreamily. She was rudely dragged back into reality as Aimee snapped her fingers in her face.
"Come back Caity. Come back to us! I, of course, have no objection to the Patriot, as I am a Heath Ledger fancier myself. But I suggest that we also acquire perhaps one other movie so that everyone is satisfied. My choice is Pirates of the Caribbean," the group murmured in agreement. Caitlin could always rely on Aimee to settle any argument.
"I guess I could handle gazing at Orlando Bloom for an hour and a half," Jodie had relented as she normally did.
"Orli is just too beautiful for me. He has such perfect lips. Wasted on a man." Molly was a little sensitive about her thinner than average mouth. Yet somehow it suited her pale complexion and dark features.
"Yes, he is quite feminine isn't he? I've always thought so myself," Aimee commented pensively. The girls nodded their heads, all except Jodie who was fiercely loyal in her love for Orlando.
"If I was a gay man, I'd like to go out with Orlando. But as it were…"
"Caitlin, we've been through this. You will never be a gay man," Aimee patted her best friend's hand sympathetically. "Maybe in the year 2012,"
The bell rang loudly, causing the students to whoop loudly with joy and make a mad dash for the classroom door. The teacher yelled frantically after them.
"Make sure you read pages 25 to 50 in your text books!" the students weren't even listening, too caught up in their own excitement.
Caitlin and her friends were pelvic thrusting out of the school chanting "I'm too sexy for my shirt," where they received many stares from the public and twice as much irked remarks from the elderly, but nothing could dampen their spirits.
Sheoaks was your typical rural town. It held a general store, which sold everything from baked beans to fishing wire. One pizza place, a bakery, butcher, church and video store. And of course, the schools. The town wasn't much but it was enough. They grew up there and most of them would end up dying there.
After much pelvic thrusting and several incidents involving garbage bins, the girls finally made it to Caitlin's house in almost one piece. Or homestead, whichever way you wanted to look at it. It was several acres, big enough to hold horses, ponies and a few cows. Plus the adopted golden alpaca Stuart that Caitlin had begged her parents to buy.
The driveway was long. The girls barely noticed its length as they were singing the theme song for Dad's Army at the top of their voices. Caitlin stopped in her tracks and one by one the voices died down.
"What's wrong Cait?" Aimee asked, concern etched on her face.
"You look like you did the time when Matt Stewart defaced the Jason Isaacs poster in your locker," Jodie commented. Caitlin merely shook her head and pointed in front of her.
Stuart the lovable alpaca was currently in the front garden. Eating her mother's prize-winning roses.
"You guys have no idea how much shit I am in right now," Caitlin panted as she ran the rest of the way towards the house.
"Deep shit?" Molly offered. Choosing chose to ignore her, Caitlin managed to grab hold of Stuart and yanked his head up.
"How did you get out?" She led him away from the partly destroyed bushes with much resistance. He was till chewing part of the plant. Jodie tapped her distressed friend on the shoulder as she stopped to inspect the damage
"Um, Cait? You might want to see this,"
"What now?" Her favourite pony Jade was happily munching on the front lawn. "Of course," Caitlin muttered, "Partners in crime,"
Jade was a grumpy strawberry roan mare. Yet strangely, she had formed an alliance with the dim-witted alpaca. This wasn't the first time they had escaped their paddock.
"Come here Bonnie. Come join Clyde," Caitlin grabbed Jade by the mane before she got some sense and darted off. Just as she was doing so, the front door opened and her mother appeared.
"Darling! You're home now. Hello girls," she added to the other three whom were standing about, trying to look casual. She spotted the felons. "What are Stu and grouchy-pants doing out? They haven't eaten anything have they?"
"Well…" guiltily, she glanced at the roses. Her mother saw them and her face grew red.
"I see. That alpaca has to go." She ran a tried hand through her sandy blond hair.
"Mum! It's Stuey! He's so young and naive. Jade's the one that led him astray!" Caitlin knew that her mother had a soft spot for Jade. Everyone who met her did, even if she occasionally bit you.
"He's destroying everything in my garden! The apple trees, the gardenias, and your father's lettuces…" the list went on. "Are you listening to me Caitlin?"
"Yes mother," struggling with both Stuart and Jade, she fixed a pleading look on her mother. "Just give him a chance, please?"
Gail Adams threw her arms up in defeat.
"Alright then. But only one more chance. That's my final word," Caitlin would of hugged her, but given her current situation, she smiled greatfully at her mother instead.
"Thanks ma. So I guess I'd better put these two back then," the girls started to slink off.
"You're not getting away that easily my girl. I'm going out tonight with your father, so you'll have to baby-sit Georgia and David," Caitlin started to protest, bit her mother held up her finger, "If you want Stuart to stay you'll be baby-sitting tonight. Understood?" she nodded sullenly as Gail pecked her on the cheek. "I'm off now dears. I'm going to see a man about a horse."
"Very funny mum,"
"No really, I'm thinking about buying this one. Chestnut bay pony, his name is Alfie. Wonderful temperament. He'll be perfect for the school," when she wasn't gardening, Gail was a riding instructor. "I've left a lasagna for the children, and there's money for pizzas next to the phone. Have fun dears, don't burn the house down!" she called as the girls walked away to return Jade and Stuart to their paddock.
"Jeez, that was one time! She always brings that up," Caitlin complained as she half walked, half dragged the two culprits. "Can someone give me a hand here?"
"Well, we did almost burn down the kitchen the last time we made waffles," Aimee said as she took Stuart from her, rubbing his nose affectionately. Caitlin picked up a riding helmet as they passed the back veranda and plonked it on her head.
"I'm gonna ride her back. You lot can fight over the trail bike amongst yourselves," she hopped onto Jade's bareback as Jodie and Molly immediately started fighting over the motorbike. Jodie won as she had a louder and bossier voice than Molly.
"Race ya," Jodie grinned as she revved the engine loudly. Caitlin couldn't resist a challenge. Especially from Jodie.
"Just don't get killed, okay?"
"Yes Sausage," Jodie put on the helmet that Molly handed her and flipped the visor down.
"On the count of three. One. Two. Three!" The words were barely out of Caitlin's mouth before Jodie took off, laughing madly as she did. "Bugger!"
Kicking Jade into a fast canter, she hurried to catch up. This wasn't hard as Jade loved to go fast, and soon they were galloping past Jodie whilst Caitlin blew a huge raspberry.
"Oh no you don't!" Jodie's muffled voice yelled from under her visor as the trail bike picked up speed. They were almost at Jade's paddock. A long fence blocked her way. The logical thing to do would be to turn left where the gate was open. But Caitlin didn't have a logical thought in her brain as she kicked Jade on and jumped the fence cleanly. Lucky Jade was an award-winning jumper.
Caitlin was off the horse and giving her an affectionate pat on the rump by the time Jodie reached the paddock.
"You cheated!" she accused as she took off the helmet.
"I didn't cheat. I merely found a shortcut,"
"That could have gotten you killed,"
"I knew Jade could make it, she's taken that fence before. Just don't let my mum know that,"
"I would have won if you hadn't cheated," Jodie sulked as she sat on the bike with one foot on the grass to steady it. Caitlin smiled at her.
"Of course you would have," They turned to the sound of approaching voices. Molly and Aimee were both trotting with Stuart and shouting at the same time, although their reactions were quite different.
"Bitchin! You totally rock dude!" that was Molly's feedback.
"I cannot believe that you would do something so stupid! Do you have a death wish? Do you even have a brain?" that was Aimee's opinion.
"Nope, hollow as a log," Caitlin tapped herself on the head to prove it. Snorting, she pointed at the expression on her best friend's face. "You better hope the wind doesn't change. Come on; let's head back. I'll even let you ride the trail bike,"
"No way, it's my turn now," Molly grabbed hold of the bike possessively. In the end, Molly got the bike while the rest of them skipped like schoolgirls all the way back. They had just reached the back porch when Caitlin's five-year-old sister Georgia burst from the screen door.
"I wanna play, I wanna play!" Caitlin covered her ears as the small blonde haired girl screeched.
"Steady Freddie. How much sugar have you had today?"
"This much!" she held her hands wide, then suddenly attached herself to Caitlin's legs like a limpet. "Can you play dress ups with me?" Caitlin forcedly prized her sister off.
"Sorry sweetie not right now. Why don't you go play with Bubble and Squeak?" referring to the pet guinea pigs. Georgia blinked before running off again making American Indian noises.
"Cute," Molly commented as they made their way into the kitchen.
"Weapon of mass destruction more like it," Caitlin went through the mail that lay on the worn, badly scratched table while Jodie took four glasses out of a cabinet. Aimee was taking a bottle of coke from the fridge.
"Bill. Bill. Catalogue. Bill. Coupon. Bill. Nothing for me," she took the drink that Jodie offered her.
"I'm starving. Anything to eat Caity?" Molly was always hungry.
"I think there's some Marshmallow Peeps in panty,"
"I said I was starving, not desperate,"
"Packet of Doritos then?" Aimee asked, swinging the pantry door lazily.
"That'll do," Molly ripped opened the packed and began chewing on cheesy corn chips hungrily. A small boy, around nine years old entered the kitchen.
"Hey there champ," Caitlin greeted her brother while ruffling his reddish-brown hair. David Adams was young male clone of Caitlin. They took after their father while Georgia favored her mother.
"Hi Davie," The other girls chorused.
"Hello," David was a shy boy and avoided the intimidating girls' eyes. "Can I watch TV Cait?" he asked timidly.
"Of course you can! Off you go! Dinner will be ready in one hour. Tell Georgie that!" she called to his retreating back. "That reminds me. We need to order the pizzas,"
After much squabbling, they finally agreed on a Vegetarian, Barbecue chicken and Cheese Lovers all with extra thick crusts. Jodie made the call while Caitlin took lasagna out of the fridge and put it in the oven.
The pizzas finally arrived an hour later. Caitlin was busily serving lasagna and salad to two very hungry and noisy children. (David had gotten over his initial shyness.) Aimee answered the door and paid the pizza boy (flirting outrageously as she did) while Jodie and Molly giggled from behind the front door. In what seemed like no time at all, the children had finished their dinner and the girls had gone through one box of pizza.
"May I be excused?" David was a wonderfully polite boy.
"You sure can. Remember, no sugar after seven-thirty and brush your teeth before you go to bed," David could be trusted to go to bed at a reasonable hour and not get into mischief. Georgia on the other hand had to be monitored at all times.
The girls then claimed the rumpus room. The room was excellent to hold sleepovers in as Caitlin's father had recently had it soundproofed. David was an aspiring drummer. Just not a very good one. And Georgia could scream as much as she liked down there. Right now the Caitlin was carrying the remaining boxes of pizzas while Molly carried the bottles of coke and cups. Jodie and Aimee were covering the floor with the many mattresses (although neither of them could resist a few gladiator type combats while they were at it.) The room was now their own, and no one would dare enter it during the length of the sleepover.
Molly made herself comfortable with the pizzas while the remaining girls squabbled over how the DVD player worked. Lets face it, females and technology do not mix. At last the DVD player burst to life admits cheers and warrior cries of joy. The girls snuggled down in their pajamas with blankets and pizza to enjoy The Patriot.
As the credits began to roll, Caitlin shushed everyone loudly.
"If anyone so much as –breaths- during Tavvy's scenes, I cannot be held responsible for my actions"
A large cushion was thoughtfully thrown in Caitlin's direction; she instinctively ducked. Aimee was doing Molly's nails- involving coral nail polish and copious amounts of stick on jewels. Caitlin was doing the twist to the opening music, conducted by Jodie on the giant mound of pillows.
Prancing over to the television screen, Caitlin licked the scripted words of 'Jason Isaacs'
"Nice Caitlin. I am now not going to forget the image of a short girl in pink singlet and tiny shorts licking a television,"
"Someday, Aimee, you'll look back on that image and think fondly of me,"
"I thought we said no talking?" Molly said thickly though a slice of cheese pizza.
"Exactly. So let us all shut up and enjoy the movie. That we have seen. For the fifty millionth time,"
"Lighten up Jodie," Caitlin tied her hair up with a fluffy blue scrunchy. "Hey get this dudes. Wouldn't it be Fab if, somehow, in some fifth element type of way, you were able to go into any movie of your choice?"
Her response was many blinks and vacant stares.
"You mean any movie? Even porno?"
"Get your mind out of the gutter Molly. Why would you want to join a porno? You're sick. I bet you sing on the toilet," Aimee finished the last nail with a flourish, and then was subsequently bashed on the side of her blonde, dreadlocked head.
"Seriously guys, I mean good quality movies. Like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings," Caitlin ticked them off on her fingers. "Even, dare I say it, The Patriot?"
Before the girls could even so much as groan their protests, the lights flickered. Not your normal type of electrical flickering, the wild and unexplained variety.
"Whoa, I do not like this," Jodie huddled further into her mound of pillows.
"Caity, what's wrong with your telly?" Aimee pointed to the television. The movie was playing just fine. Benjamin was trying out his homemade rocking chair, watched on by his youngest daughter. But the appliance was surrounded by a strange aura of grey light. Caitlin moved towards it slowly. As she did so, the light became brighter.
"Don't get too close Cait,"
"Relax Ronald, I'm trained in these sorts of situations" she raised a clenched fist and soundly whacked the top of the television. The lights stopped flickering and everything returned to normal. "See? What did I te-"
As she uttered those words the aura and flickering returned. Screaming, Caitlin turned to dash away from the TV, but was pulled back by an unseen force. Her friends watched, horrified, as Caitlin was pulled inside of the telly, as if being pulled into a black hole. The commotion stopped and everything went black.
End chapter one! Please Review.
Notes: Jade the pony is a real horse- and a real character. As is Alfie the school pony. Stuart is not a real alpaca, but is closely based on a donkey called Henry.