Soap Pt.7
From: Marcos1
Date: Sat, 16 Oct 1999 09:44:17

Collinsport Middle School

~~~

Miranda was shy. Feelings of fear and panic, swept all over her. It was like a wave, starting with a small feeling of unease, but quickly growing into something so big, that it threaten to knock her down. So she had to hide. But having no place, she crawled deeply into herself. Feeling safe, only when she was alone.

"Miranda is the soap girl," William Dowton called out. He was the class bully, nicknamed Butch. He had bothered Miranda since Kindergarden. One day, she had peed her pants, leaving a puddle under the lunchroom table. She had hoped that no one would notice, but Butch had pointed it out and the whole class laughed at her. In the years that followed, he had called her skinny, fat, ugly and stupid. He tripped her on the playground, pulled down her pants, and took endless delight in her
misery. Now, with her terrible shyness, he was having such fun.

"Mr.Dowton," Miss Pugh said, "there will be no talking in class."

"Sorry, Miss Pugh," Butch said, shifting in his seat, toying with his pencil.

Loretta Pugh was the most hated teacher at Middle School. She was a woman in her sixties, never married, and very strict with her classes. Everyone hated her, except Miranda. Miranda could see the glimmer. Miss Pugh really loved her students. There was a twinkle in her eyes.

Later that day on the playground, Miranda sat on a bench talking to her two bars of soap. Butch approached her with a group of kids. "Soap girl...soap girl," he said, laughing. He grabbed the two soap bars. "Soap girl lost her soap...so sad."

"Give them back," Miranda pleaded. She walked towards Butch. He threw the bars of soap onto the roof of the school.

"Go get them, stupid," Butch said. The other children started to laugh.

Miranda felt her head spinning. She felt completely lost, the sound of their laughter surrounded her. Terrible feelings came. She was drowning in fear and anger. Then suddenly things changed. The whole scene seemed to be happening to someone else and Miranda was just watching it, high in the air above. "Je ne sais quoi," the young girl said, loudly.

The children on the playground all started to watch, as Butch began to glow with a red light. His body changing into a small creature, misshapen and old. He wore a red pointed hat and a green cape, with brown pointy shoes. He was a gnome.

Mayor Blair watched from his office window, which was next door to the school. "Oh, shit...." he groaned. "And now it begins."

To be continued-