Note: (16 July 2024) Here's chapter 3. It was supposed to be longer, but I decided that getting the prepared part online was more important than waiting the extra days for the rest of it to be done. This is the first new content I've written for this stalled story since going to see Inside Out 2 a few weeks ago. Thanks for your time, patience, and reviews!
Three:
Like any middle school student, Riley had days when the end of it couldn't arrive quickly enough; days when it was all just too much. Today was one of those. She just wanted to go home, practice stick handling, find something to watch on streaming, and take a long nap. There were seven subjects still to sit through: Social Studies, Life Science, Music, Pre Algebra, Spanish, Computer Fundamentals, and Home Room. They would all give her more homework except for Music.
It was a Music day. Music alternated with PE.
Two unfinished homework assignments from the weekend still demanded her attention.
A memory from the hockey rink two weeks ago replayed itself in her head. It weighed on her shoulders like the burden of responsibility that it was.
It was the third period in a game where both teams were more or less evenly matched. The 2-2 score told the story. Riley's left wing attacker, Alexis, had the puck. The right winger of the gray and orange opposing team, the Thunderclouds, skated behind Alexis in furious pursuit. An opposing defender soon boxed in Alexis from the front as Riley's team, the turquoise colored Fog Horns, pressed into the offensive zone.
The goal was so close. So was the end of the period.
00:14… 00:13…
Riley couldn't help the glance she just stole at the game clock. In the act, she broke a personal rule of so many athletes, including herself. Don't even think of the clock. Especially not this close to the end of the game.
In her moment of self doubt, the black puck came flying in her direction, passed by Alexis, and she frantically extended her stick to receive it.
She almost got it.
Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger gazed long and hard at the dreaded fragment of history. Fear paused it. Then he rewound and replayed it, and replayed it again, but in slow motion. He couldn't look away.
The puck bounced off the tip of the blade of Riley's stick. It was one of those Memories that changed color midway through. It wasn't a mix of Emotions (like many other recent ones) so much as it was a transition. In a flash, Joy's influence was replaced with Fear's.
The image paused. On the screen, a puck sliding out of control, away from Riley's reach. In a panic, she extended, flailed more like, but lost her footing. Riley's momentum launched her forward. A jarring impact with cold hard ice rose up at her. The game raged on.
"Fear," Disgust groaned. "That's enough."
"Sorry," Fear withdrew his hands, staring blankly ahead in embarrassment.
Joy returned the Memory to Long Term.
"So what then? Are you beating us up over something that happened on the rink two weeks ago?" asked Disgust. "Not like you, Joy."
"There's more," Joy answered. "Like I said, I'll explain later."
"Mysterious, much?" Disgust took a deep breath. "Okay, so what now, then?"
"For now?" Joy faced the world through Riley's eyes. Her team beside her. "Make a clean getaway."