Author's Note: Hello all! This is my first chapter to my intense story, so please keep checkin' in and don't forget to R&R! I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks!
Fairytale Dreamer
Some of the most remarkable things in life are never recorded. To those who experience them, they end up as only a memory. This happened to seven boys in New England in 1959 at a boys' prep. school. Because of their teacher John Keating, they began they're very own literature group, or The Dead Poet's Society as few knew it for. But as soon as it began, it quickly ended. Everyone there knew what happened to John Keating and how he was fired. But what they didn't know was that the very book he bestowed to a young boy named Neil was taken back the very day that the English teacher left. And it went with him when he finally retired in…
Beaufort, South Carolina, one of the most beautiful places to visit in the summer time. And this wonderful season is just around the corner. It is a lovely day in May, 2005. Beaufort County is where are first scene takes place, in Beaufort County High School to be exact.
Tapping her desk, Jamie, on the last day of her junior year, was impatiently waiting in her sixth period class for the bell to sound so summer would begin. Hopefully, she could see either Dane or Ben that night, whichever was at the Beaufort County Summer Kick-Off party.
A few seats in front of her, Kirsten sat quietly writing in her prayer journal. She sighed as she thought about her older brother; she didn't know what to do.
Just in front of Kirsten was Tacey, making sure she had her notes memorized for her saxophone solo that night at the party. She had never stood up in front of a crowd before. All of a sudden, Tacey felt as though she would puke.
Not even noticing this, Lydia sat smiling sweetly across the room at her 9-month long boyfriend Joshua, who was smiling back at her. Even though Lydia had only moved to the small town the summer before, she already felt as though everything was perfect.
In the classroom next to these four girls was the chemistry lab. Adrienne, a junior along with all the others, was reading The Notebook. She wiped a tear from her eye as she finished the last page, loving every word of it.
Not so quietly behind her was Kylar, listening to AFI with her ipod while she scribbled songs about depression and death in her music diary. She crazily mouthed the words to the song which she knew by heart.
On the other side of the room, Sally laughed to herself at Kylar's entertaining display. Then, she turned back to her planner which her parents had given to her a month before. At the top of the page it read: Things to do this summer. However, there was nothing else on the paper. Sally had no clue what she was going to do that summer. It was amazing to her that there was a party for the whole town that night because nothing exciting ever happened there.
But while she puzzled, Sally, along with everyone else, heard the bell sound and kids jumped from their seats and ran out of the building. Teenagers tarred through the halls screaming and hollering, throwing out graded sheets, notes, and anything having to do with school.
Coming out from the school came Jamie and Kirsten, laughing and cheering together as they ran to Kirsten's car. They always went everywhere together.
Then, Kylar came down the steps playing an air-guitar as she walked to the bus with her punked out friends, even though they didn't know the slightest thing about her in reality. Then, Adrienne walked out comforting Tacey, who was gripping her saxophone tightly, still worried about that night.
After them, a crowd of people swarmed out with Lydia and Joshua in the middle, the entire time Joshua was talking about his plans for the party that night. Lydia smiled and walked along with him silently. Just as the crowd moved on, Sally came out from the school, watching them as they went. She wanted so desperately to say something, but no words came to her mouth.
As everyone found their rides home, Sally slowly took her bike off of the rack. However, she was surprised from behind by Adrienne and Tacey.
"Oh hey you two, what are you guys doing?" She asked them pleasantly.
"I'm going over to Tacey's house to help her practice her sax. She's really nervous about the solo." Adrienne told Sally confidently.
Quietly, Tacey spoke out, "I know I'm gonna slip up tonight, I just know it!"
However, Sally didn't look at her seriously, but she only smiled and hugged her saying, "You'll do great; just don't think negative thoughts about yourself. I've heard you play that sax; you're gonna blow this town's imagination away!"
Slightly comforted, Tacey grinned, "Thanks Sal. Hey, do you want to come over too? We can get ready for the big party tonight. I can help you pick out a dress!"
"Oh! And I can curl your always stick-straight hair!" Adrienne added, touching Sally's brunette hair lightly.
But she declined their offer gratefully, "I wish I could, but I won't have time. I have to be at old man K's in ten minutes; I'll meet you guys at the party tonight. Gotta pedal!" Sally added as she jumped on her bike and went off down the street.
Adrienne and Tacey walked towards the parking lot, and Adrienne said, "You know, she's really lucky to have old man K as a neighbor. And hey, she gets paid for helping clean around his house every week!"
Tacey agreed, "Yeah; I only met him once at that Shakespeare festival last year, but even then I could tell that Keating was a great man, and at one time a great teacher!"
Then, the two girls got into Tacey's car and went off to her house, hopefully making the solo a beautiful masterpiece.
"Come on! Please work!" Sally said to herself as she banged her portable radio she had in the basket between her bike handles on the way to K's.
Finally, after the static stopped, Sally could hear her favorite radio station clearly, the oldies station. The Beach Boys were on with, 'Surfin' USA' and Sally sang along as she biked though the warm streets of Beaufort County.
Just a few minutes later, she reached the front lawn of K's and parked her bike, turned off her radio, and headed inside eagerly with her planner in hand.
"Hello?" Sally spoke out somewhat softly, "Are you still alive Mr. Keating?"
She passed through the kitchen and went into the den, where she found old John Keating, sleeping in his easy chair with The Odyssey in his lap. Sally smiled and put her planner down, then quietly snuck up to him, hoping to surprise him.
But, as soon as she got close enough, John woke up and screamed in her face. Sally yelped and fell to the ground from the surprise. When she looked up at the old man, he was laughing triumphantly at her.
"Never in your entire life have you been able to sneak up on me Sally Perkins!" He smiled at her as she rose vengefully from the ground.
But Sally didn't care, "I will though Mr. Keating, I promise you that!" Then, she began tidying up his den, going about her usual chores.
"How was school today?" John asked as he did every time she came.
"It was okay," She admitted, "It was pretty dull since every minute dragged on forever!"
"Oh, I know that feeling! When I was a student, I couldn't wait for summer; as soon as I got home I started immediately on my summer reading!"
But Sally only smiled, "You did not! I know you love literature and everything to do with it, but you weren't always that into school! Mrs. Keating even told me you dreaded high school!"
However, it was too late for Sally to realize she had said the wrong thing. Quickly, she tried to retract it, "I'm sorry Mr. Keating, I didn't mean to-"
"It's alright Sally! There's no harm done! I'm not one of those bitter old men you read about in school, I'm happy with my life, even though she moved on."
"I know Mr. K, but I'm still sorry about it. I'm sorry about the heart attack too."
There was a long silence between the two of them. Sally continued to clean around, completely blank about things to say. She hated when she would slip up and say something about John's late wife.
As Sally came close to finishing the kitchen, John came in and sat down at the table and asked her, "What do you plan on doing this summer Sally?"
Taken off guard, Sally mumbled, "I-I don't really know Mr. Keating. I tried using that planner my parents gave me, but nothing comes to mind. I don't have enough money to go somewhere, and besides tonight, there's nothing going on in this small little town as far as I know!"
"Ah," was all John said. Sally continued to clean, and she couldn't turn around and look at him, still embarrassed. What she didn't know was that John was holding something as he sat at the table, something very important.
Finally, he asked, "Do you have any friends who are as interested in literature, poetry, and plays of the world?"
Having finished cleaning, Sally set down the sponge and faced John finally. He had a very serious look on his face, so she spoke honestly, "I have quite a few Mr. Keating. Why do you ask me that?"
"Because Ms. Perkins," he said moving a dark thick book towards the seat before her, "I know this would occupy your summer, as well as your young friends."
Stunned, Sally sat down in front of the book quietly. She touched the front cover, then looked up at John, "Is this…?"
John nodded seriously. It was the very book that the boys at Welton Academy had used back in 1959. In Beaufort County however, no one knew the story of this book, and of Welton. This was for everyone except John Keating and Sally Perkins. Sally had always looked up to Keating as a grandfather; her real grandfather had died before she was born. They were very close, and in this case, they had a trust between them. Sally knew all about The Dead Poet's Society, and what ultimately happened to it. And now, she was turning to the first page, finding out that it was all true.
After only reading the first line, she shut the book quickly and told John honestly, "I don't know if I can take this Mr. K; I know that there's no such thing in curses or bad luck but, I just don't know if I could…"
But she didn't finish. Curiously, John asked her, "Could what? Could persuade your friends to join; convince them to keep this as a sacred bond between each of you? Or, are you afraid of something else? Is it that you don't want to open up to them; let them hear what you've been writing down for almost a year now?"
Frustrated, Sally stood up, "You know I can't share that with them! I'm surprised I could share it with you!"
"But you did Sally, because you trust me! Trust them too; I won't be around forever, I'm surprised I've lived this long!"
Carefully, old man K stood up and picked up the book, handing it to her, "I give you this book to keep forever; use it as a tool to conquer the world. Then, when you're old and dying, pass it on to your kids. You know if you do this great things will happen! So use this!"
Sally took the book finally, considering what Mr. Keating had said. Once she accepted it, she asked him, "Do you think they'd do it Mr. K?"
He smiled and patted her on the back replying, "It's not what I think; it's what you do."
Sally grinned and kissed him on the cheek as she left with the book, forgetting her planner in Keating's den.
But right before she ran out the door, old man K hollered, "Sally! Do something for me; carpe diem!"
"Thank you Mr. K!" Sally waved as she left his front porch. She ran down the steps and put the book in her basket next to her radio. She pedaled off of his lawn and headed down the block towards her house. She checked her watch and saw that it was 5:30; so she still had some time to get ready for the summer kick-off party just an hour away.