Jacob and A Dream Come True
By B.R. Baugh
Copyright 2014 B.R. Baugh
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Watch it!
Chapter 2 - A Sticky Situation
Chapter 3 - Food Fight!
Chapter 4 - Get out of my Head!
About the Author
Chapter 1 - Watch It!
Jacob is 12 years old. He wears thick black glasses and has brown hair that splits down the middle and forms a bowl cut. He is very skinny and always wears a gray hoody with blue jeans. Normally, Jacob would be going to school at Grand Junction’s Central High School. But, Colorado was ground zero. The most affected people lived there. Jacob was one of them.
Jacob slammed his locker shut. The loud voices of the students around him only grew louder as he made his way to the gym. It was time for PE. It was Jacobs’s favorite time of day. Basketball was what Jacob loved to play out of all the sports. The other kids played kickball or did wall climbing. But, basketball was what kept Jacob calm. Of course, Jacob played by his self. The other kids didn’t understand him, honestly.
Jacob moved to this side of the state where most families, who were involved with the Junction Incident, moved. It was the only place in the states that had the perfect sanctuary for people like Jacob. People who developed paranormal abilities like moving objects with their mind or running super fast. But, Jacob, however, was different. His ability is not as cool as running super fast. In fact, it’s kind of boring. Jacob can alter certain things. For instance, Jacob can turn a pencil back into its original form. In other words, he can turn a pencil back into the pieces that are needed to make a pencil.
Jacob bumped into another student as he tried to dodge a pair of kids running down the hallway.
“Watch it!” said the boy.
“Sorry,” said Jacob. Jacob walked a little faster. He was scared. The boy he bumped into was none other than Ricky Henderson. He was the school bully and loved to pick on Jacob. Jacob tried to keep walking but was immediately tripped from behind. Jacob slammed hard on the floor and watched his glasses glide into the walking path of a hundred students.
“Whoops,” said Ricky, “sorry about that.”
Jacob watched as Ricky walked by him and purposely stepped on Jacob’s glasses. Jacob was normally a quiet kid. He didn’t talk much since he moved here. He didn’t like to be in the spotlight. Jacob preferred to sit in the back of class so that his teacher wouldn’t ask him any questions. He tried to eat alone in the cafeteria so he wouldn’t get caught staring at the other student’s food. Jacob also tries to avoid touching other people. But, he isn’t always so lucky.
Jacob got up off of the ground and tried looking for his glasses. Judging from the loud crunch his glasses made under Ricky’s foot, they were close by. Jacob moved slowly, brushing his hands over the hard tile floor until he found them. They were broken in two pieces. Luckily, his ability can fix certain things. He picked up his glasses and rubbed his fingers on the broken section and the glasses were back together again. He put his glasses back on and stood up.
“Are you ok?”
Jacob jumped a little. He turned to see a girl standing next to him. She had brown hair with a little braid that went over the top of it. She wore a black sweatshirt with a matching black skirt. Her black shoes had a single strap that crossed over her foot, holding them on.
“Yes. I’m fine, I think,” said Jacob.
“He sure is a jerk. You know, I can help you if you’d like. My name is Jessica. I’ve been here for three months and I know a lot about this place. I know a lot about the students here, too.”
“Umm…”
Jacob has been here for five months. Jessica doesn’t seem to know him.
“What’s your name?”
“Jacob.”
“Nice to me you Jacob. Well, how about it?”
“About what?”
“You want Ricky to stop picking on you?”
Jacob felt confused. How could a girl like Jessica help with a bully like Ricky? Ricky was a bully for a reason. He could pick up a soda machine with no sweat. He was the strongest kid in school.
Jessica stood in front of Jacob and waited for an answer.
“Well,” said Jacob, “Sure…why not.”
“Good, but, there’s one thing you have to do for me.”
“Like what?”
“You have to sit in the front of the class from now on. If you do that, then Ricky won’t bother you again. Okay?”
Jacob hated sitting in the front of the classroom. The teacher always asked the front row of the class questions about the textbook. In the front of the class, you are in the spotlight. Everyone can see you from all directions. But, being bullied by Ricky, every day, was much worse.
“Deal,” said Jacob and he held out his hand. Jessica shook his hand and walked away, back down the hallway, toward the gym. Jacob wasn’t sure if he made a good deal or not. Besides, there is no way Jessica, a girl, could stop Ricky from picking on him. In fact, Jacob had never met, or heard about, Jessica before.
Jacob slipped on his glasses and walked to the gym. The bell rang as he slipped into the closing doors of the gymnasium. Students rushed passed him to find their way to their friends.
As the door slammed shut, the gymnasium went silent. Everyone looked at Jacob. No one said a word. Jacob looked back at the door and to the wall, and then looked back at everyone staring at him. There was nothing behind him. Jacob began to blush. Were his shoes untied? Did he have a mustard stain on his shirt? Jacob searched all over himself for anything of the sort. Nothing.
Every student watched, as Jacob started to make his way toward the basketball rack. Jacob moved slowly. He wasn’t sure what was happening. He picked up a basketball and bounced it. The loud noise the ball made off of the ground echoed around the gym. Jacob walked over to a hoop and saw Ricky standing underneath it. Ricky was also staring at Jacob. But, it wasn’t the same look Ricky had when he saw Jacob. It wasn’t anger Jacob saw on Ricky’s face. Jacob saw fear.
Jacob bounced the ball again and stopped. Ricky was under the hoop and Jacob couldn’t shoot the ball without it hitting Ricky.
“Could…could you move, pl…?”
“Yes, of course, Jacob,” said Ricky before Jacob could finish his sentence.
“Thanks?”
Jacob bounced the ball a few times as he scanned the gymnasium. Everyone had his or her eyes on Jacob. He stepped up to the free throw line and bent his knees. He made a short jump and threw the ball to the hoop. Jacob smiled as the ball went directly into the net. Suddenly, the entire gymnasium erupted in applause. Jacob couldn’t move. He had no idea what was going on.
“Nice shot, Jacob,” said Jessica, “ You’re pretty good.”
Jacob spun around to see her standing there. She smiled, put her hand on his shoulder, and dragged him toward the exit door. The applause never stopped until the door shut behind Jacob and the weird girl around his arm. The loud clank of the shutting door echoed throughout the empty hallway. Their shoes clunked along the tiled floors, an awkward silence.
“Now Jacob, it’s understandable that you may be a little confused as to what happened back there, right? But, that’s what you wanted. You wanted the bullying stopped. So I did,” she said.
Jacob kept his mouth shut. What type of ability did she have? It, not only, affected Ricky but the entire
gymnasium full of students. Somehow, Jacob felt relieved. He always wanted to be the star of the game and sign everyone’s autograph. He pictured himself in the NBA and playing against his favorite players. But, he wasn’t tall enough and he wasn’t quite athletic.
Jessica tugged his arm, “Well, I’m off to biology. I’ll see you after?”
Jacob nodded and watched her leave. Before she rounded the corner she turned to look at him and gave him a wink. Jacob felt his cheeks get warm and he stood still. He had no idea what to do.