SCARECROW
a chapter project
by yours truly.
\ un \
Life is like a game of chess.
Every pawn is sacrificed for a reason, every few mistakes wind up getting you into trouble.
But just when you begin to understand the whole concept, it's all over.
Chess, in my opinion, is a long, boring, seemingly endless game.
I'm not one for similes, but this one made sense to me. Especially at this one particular moment.
I was at a library.
Must I repeat, library.
Roxas plus library equals a no-go.
I was stuck there for the day, for a class project. I had to do an enormously good deed and write a report on it, to be turned in by the fifteenth of September. That was only maybe two weeks away.
My partner, Kairi Fulmore, was sitting across from me, continuously writing and scratching out subjects on a piece of paper. Throughout the course of our project, we hadn't even really talked. We'd just meet at the library or Starbucks, three times a week, say our hello's, and start discussing the project. Occasionally, I'd try to drift off into conversation, but each time I would try, Kairi would glare at me.
Who knew someone could be so anti-social?
I kept on looking at the clock above us, waiting for quarter til five to come around.
They say that time flies when having fun. Does that mean it goes tortoise-speed when you're bored to death?
Kairi shot up in her seat. "Well, I should get going. Have to start dinner."
I looked up, and nodded slowly. When her back was turned, I pumped my fist in the air, and then down again in triumph. Grabbing my bag and my iPod off of the table, I walked toward the front door of the damned forsaken library.
-!-
After walking a couple blocks, I noticed that Kairi was actually in front of me. I couldn't tell beforehand, because around this time, everyone else was getting off of work and walking to their respective houses or apartments.
I managed to catch up to Kairi, eventually walking beside her. She didn't seem to notice.
I cleared my throat. "...So. Why don't you ever talk?"
"Because you're not the kind of person I normally talk to." She didn't dare look at me, only at the streetlight ahead.
I was somewhat bewildered. People like me? "Um. I don't understand."
She kept her gaze on the streetlight. As we stopped at the corner, waiting for the safety light to change, she turned her attention to me.
There was that glare again.
"Have you even noticed that I'm the only one actually doing work on this project? You just sit there, watching me do all the work, listening to your stupid 'Cardel' or whatever on your iPod, not doing a goddamned thing."
Cardel? Isn't that a type of ice cream?
"It's Cartel, and I-"
"I don't care what that stupid-ass band is called. And don't try and deny it, Montgomery. You know it's true." She gave one last squint of the eyes, and rounded toward the road that connects to our neighborhood.
The place is completely different than the city. Each house you walk by seems to become more and more of a farmhouse, placed smack-dab into the middle of a huge field where cows or horses roam freely.
Strange, huh? Its all industrial and then BAM. Hee-haw central.
Just as I was about to add to the argument, I saw something out of the corner of my eye, and stopped walking. After a couple of feet, Kairi turned around, retorting, "Not gonna fight back, Montgomery? I see how it is."
There were dozens of birds swooping down on mister Claymont's plants. It looked as if they were tearing them apart, timb by limb. Just like one of those torture movies.
Poor old guy. He had been growing those plants for his deceased wife, as a sort of memorial token.
Who'd have known that birds could be so brutal? Damn.
I walked more toward the fence, wrapping my hands around the top wiring and leaning forward. I heard Kairi give an obnoxious groan, and stomp over to the fence. She leaned forward against the fence as well. Her mouth was cracked open the slightest bit, and her eyes were wide.
"Poor guy," she whispered. "Took him a long time to grow those out."
I nodded, eventually tearing my gaze away from the field. I continued my journey home.
"So, you really do care about certain things."
It was my turn to glare at her. "I'm human, Fulmore. Don't forget it."
"Never acted like it before."
"Will you just give it up? I'm tired of your useless comments and lectures that are always seemingly trying to provoke me. I'm tired of your annoying little glare, and that icy tone you give me every time you talk to me. Yes, I am human! H-U-M-A-N. Stop acting like I'm some kind of wild animal, because I'm not." I spat.
Kairi stopped in her tracks, a hurt expression etched upon her face. She didn't glare, she just stared blankly at me. "Fine then. Do the damned project yourself." She reached into her bag, and pulled out all of the lists she had been making at our work sessions, littering them all over the sidewalk in front of me.
I stood there, wondering why I said all of that. I had barely known the girl for maybe a few days. Why throw all of her defects in her face?
"Kai-"
"Screw. You."
She continued walking toward her house, which was next door to mister Claymont's. I bent down, picking up all of the little pieces of paper, reading through the ideas that weren't scratched out, one by one.
'Help person open a shop'. scribblescribble. More scribbles. 'Disabled'. scribble. 'Nursing H-' scribblescribble.
'Scarecrow'.
It was the only part of the list that wasn't surrounded by scribbles or doodles. There was a small note below the word, which I read aloud.
"Mr. Myran. Mr. Claymont. Miss Val. Professor Darel. Daddy."
Below the names was another note.
"Birds attacking the neghborhoods crops. Major damage. Daddy might apprecia-" scribblescribblescribble.
I looked up from the paper, biting down on my lip.
This was it.
Maybe, if it wasn't too late--
I saw Kairi walking ahead, toward her driveway. I ran after her.
"Kairi, I mean it! Wait up!"
She slowed her pace, and then turned toward me, arms crossed. I slowed down, breathing heavily.
"We-- maybe-- scarecrow--"
She snatched the paper I was looking at previously, crumpling it up into a ball and throwing it into the street.
"It doesn't mean anything."
"Yes it does, Kairi. We can help them. This could actually be our good deed or whatever the hell you want to call it."
Kairi unfolded her arms, nodding a little. Her face brightened unexpectedly. It was the first time she actually grinned, let alone smiled, at me.
"Don't call it a good deed, it makes us sound like filthy hounds."
I smiled slyly, and nodded.
STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLIES.
no, i'm not dead. i've just been on an unannounced hiatus.
i have the whole plot actually worked out in my head, and i'm trying to fit as much as i can into chapters. this style is completely new to me, being the seriousness of it all. at some points, like in this chapter, you can see that i just have to poke in some humor. or else, the story would be completely boring.
the setting is pretty much based on where i used to live a few months ago, a place i used to love. good ol' shady hills florida. hee-haw.
and to answer some questions you guys are probably wanting to ask.
yes, this will most likely be a roxiri.
yes, this will be a shorter chapter fic, maybe 3-5 chapters. i know, disappointing, but i can promise that it'll be worth your time.
no, i'm not planning on just giving this one up.
♥ molly