Flash Fiction- Back Then

Back Then

People always say that it was such a simpler time before. But as I lay here like I always do, alone, I wonder what that means again. When was before? In the seven days God made the Earth, made man then made woman; was it simpler? I think back to the time I asked Mom that question. “If it was so easy back then, then how come Eve ate that apple? Why didn’t she just listen to God?” Mom fixed my church tie around my neck, letting it coil like a serpent, and answered without a beat, “That’s because everybody’s a sinner.” I wanted to ask why we still had go to church then but we were already walking out the front door. I think back to the summer after that when the girls didn’t want to hold our hands and when we didn’t want them to either. We only wanted to play with sticks and ride our bikes through town. A few summers after that, Benny had his first kiss. All the other boys patted him on the back and wanted to hear stories of his conquest. Me? I stuck to my sticks. When my friends met up with the Riley sisters from a couple streets over, I rode my bike through town alone that day. I think back to spring when I was 15, when we got our first new kid. He was the mechanics bastard son from Georgia, a 16 year old high school dropout, but he knew a lot about cars. Tom fixed my dad’s Buick that spring break. And when we shook hands to say hello when I came to pick it up, he said my hands were too soft for a working man’s hands. That following summer I didn’t play with sticks. I spent more time at the autoshop, picking up a few things about cars. My dad was happy to hear about me learning how to change tires, that I knew how to do tuneups and check the oil. It meant he didn’t have to pay for those things anymore. But when those times came I brought Tom over anyways.

Instead of bike rides, I took to walking. And the days that Tom was free, I brought him along too. He didn’t like walking through town though so we stuck to the woods on the westside where the houses were more spread out. I think back to the day along the stream where I proudly brought up the calluses on my hands. I showed Tom how I had a working man’s hands now. I think back to when he grabbed a hold of one to see and how he didn’t let it go even when we started along the stream again. That summer at the fair, Suzanne confessed that she loved me. I think back to the time that I broke her heart under the ferris wheel. How I didn’t feel all that bad because later that night Tom and I were going to meet at the stream again. His dad didn’t let him go to the fair this time because Mr Samuel’s Mustang was acting up again and he needed it by the next morning. I think back to how long I waited by the water and when I went to the auto shop the next day Tom had a busted lip and black eye. I think back to how he looked at me once, told me I should leave, then his dad came and chased me out. Tom wouldn’t see me for a week. Or the week after that, or after that. I think about the rumors of the mechanic’s son being a queer. About how I found out Tom got shipped back to his mom’s a couple days after I last saw him. I think about how my parents never brought Tom up again but when I got a package from him a few months later, mom ripped up the letter and threw it out. Dad told me I can’t talk to that boy anymore and we went to church the next morning. I came back home early on Sunday with excuses that I wasn’t feeling good. They didn’t know that Tom had sent me a cassette tape with his note and when I got home, I took it out from under my mattress. It was my first time listening to the song but I sat in the living room with it turned up quietly, just enough for me to listen. I still hear the song from my father’s speaker. “Looks like nothing’s gonna change. Everything still remains the same. I can’t do what ten people tell me to do. So I guess I’ll remain the same.”  As I lay here, alone, I think about how times really were simpler back then.

Bulbs

Bulbs


I sit in the driver’s seat. The other spots are empty but the car’s full of silence. I start it up and pretend I know how to fix my mirrors like a pro. In the end, I move them back to their original spots. The car is shifted into reverse and I take down the driveway. I think I’m going slow enough but the front bumper still scrapes the asphalt. The right turn signal hasn’t gone out yet and I’m hoping I can remember to knock on wood so I don’t jinx it. Bulbs cost about 8 dollars. I’ve spent 24 already in 4 weeks. It’s cheaper than a mechanic.

Ten Minute Play Rough Draft

NO TITLE- ROUGH DRAFT

Characters:

Ben: 14-17

Wendy: 14-17

Other characters:

Mr. Fowler

Chase

Aaron

James

Setting: School Hallway.

Lights slowly fade in and show a school hallway. There are lockers lined up on the left and a classroom door on the right. Wendy is standing at her locker that’s at the farthest on the right and on top. She’s fixing her locker with wire shelves and other little things to keep organized.

Ben walks in, focused on his schedule with his locker number on it. Wendy turns to see who it is.

WENDY: Benji!

Wendy skips over to him, excited to see him in the hallway so early in the morning.

BEN: Wendy? (looks to the lockers) You’re over here too?

WENDY: Isn’t it great? I got a top locker too. I guess it’s a start of a great year!

She wiggles her eyebrows playfully.

Ben ignores her antics and locates his locker. It’s on other side of the lockers, farthest to the left at the bottom. He scowls while Wendy laughs.

BEN: Shut up!

He checks his schedule to make sure he’s got the right one and sighs heavily when he confirms it. Then stuffs the paper in his pocket.

BEN (CONT’D): If yours means a great year than what does mine mean? A teacher from hell? No friends?

WENDY: (teasingly) Aww Benji, you’ve always got me.

BEN: Stop calling me that. (grumbles) It wasn’t even cute in the first grade.

Ben takes off his backpack and sets it out behind him while he works on getting his locker open.

WENDY: Y’know, this is great. Our lockers are next to each other, I’ve got a top locker-

BEN: Yeah, yeah.

Ben half listens to the rest, still trying to work on the combination.

WENDY (CONT”D): AND… We get to graduate together! I don’t know what I would’ve done if my mom didn’t switch me out from Whitewater. I mean, really. We live on the border. You’d think they’d let us choose where I want to go. (rolls her eyes) Well, whatever. Doesn’t matter anymore now that I’m here.

BEN: Aha! (swings the locker door open) Magic.

WENDY: (scoffs) Yeah, only took you like, 10 times.

From the right walks out three guys- Chase, Aaron and James. They are goofing around while Ben and Wendy argue. Chase sees Ben and walks over with his henchmen.

Aaron snatches Ben’s backpack that was left on the floor and Wendy yells at him, trying to get it back. Ben stands up afterwards to face them, knowing Wendy’s fighting a lost cause.

WENDY: (frustratedly) Give it back, Aaron!

JAMES: Now you have your girlfriend protecting you, Benji?

Aaron laughs and tosses the bag over to Chase.

BEN: She’s not my girlfriend! And I thought you guys were going to Whitewater.

Ben glares at the guys and tries in vain to snatch back his bag. Chase holds it up above his head to mock Ben’s height.

CHASE: Moved in the Summer. Didn’t know you’d miss me so much!

The guys laugh and Chase opens up the bag and pulls out Ben’s pencil pouch before tossing the bag to the lockers.

AARON: So, Benji, still playing with sticks?

Ben glares at him before biting back a response.

BEN: Shut up Aaron, you’re just a follower. And stop calling me Benji!

WENDY: C’mon Chase, give Ben his pencil case back. It’s the first day of school.

CHASE: I’m just playing around, Wendy. Besides, Ben here is letting me borrow it.

Ben snaps and lunges at Chase to grab back his stuff. As they are pushing and pulling, Mr Fowler walks out of the classroom door.

MR FOWLER: Hey… Hey! What’s going on here?

Chase tugs on the pencil case, making Ben let go.

CHASE: I was just lending Ben here a pencil since he forgot to bring one today.

Ben glares and moves to protest, ready to grab at his belonging.

MR FOWLER: It wouldn’t do you any good to cause a fight, Ben. You can take the pencil or leave him alone.

Chase hides a smile and holds out a single pencil. Ben stares dumbfoundedly but takes the pencil, not wanting to get into trouble. Wendy is about to protest before Ben elbows her in the arm. She scowls and rubs at where he elbowed her but stays quiet nonetheless.

CHASE: And don’t worry Ben, you can keep it. (shakes the pencil case) I’ve got plenty. See you at practice, Coach Fowler!

Mr Fowler waves him off.

MR FOWLER: It’d be best to stay out of trouble, Ben. Don’t try to pick at Chase. If we’re lucky he’ll take us out of our losing streak with Whitewater. (turns back to his classroom and starts talking to himself) That kid sure has an arm..

The door closes and Wendy is too in shock to say anything. Ben looks over to her and gives her an uneasy, uneven smile.

BEN: Start of a great year, huh.

Ben bends down to shut his locker and grabs his bag from the ground. He slings it over his shoulder and takes his schedule out. He walks off and while he’s off stage, Wendy flinches at his absence and calls off to him.

WENDY: (yells) It’s okay, I’ll get you another pencil case! Besides, we still get to graduate together!

The lights fade out then come back on. This time, there are kids standing by the classroom door and a guy at one of the lockers. Ben and Wendy are front of stage to the right. Wendy has an arm of books while Ben has his lunch in his hand.

BEN: Where’re you going? Don’t you have lunch now?

WENDY: (stunned) what’d you mean? Don’t you have D lunch?

BEN: (sighs and shakes his head) Nooo.. I told you I have B lunch, B.

WENDY: Well, I have class right now.

The bell rings and Wendy swears under her breath. She fixes up her books messily while the people in the background walk off stage.

WENDY (CONT’D): You’ll be fine without me, right? I’ve gotta get to Bio!

Wendy scurries off and turns around, walking backwards before she gets off stage.

WENDY (CONT’D): It’ll all be worth it Senior year, Benji!

Wendy exits and Ben is left by himself. He sluggishly walks to the back of the stage, sitting down in the hallway in between the lockers and the classroom door, his legs outstretched. Ben slowly unpacks his lunch.

BEN: (bitterly) I guess it’s not gonna be like Freshmen year, this year.

A couple of guys walk by and one of them kicks Ben’s foot when they pass. They start to laugh. Ben pulls his legs in and sits with them crossed. His jaw clenches and he huffs heavily. Ben takes out his ipod and puts in his headphones. Seals and Croft’s Summer Breeze fades in.

Ben closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. His eyes open again and he sets his ipod down next to him. The music continues to play. Ben picks up his sandwich and as he’s about to take a bite, the lights fade out along with the music.

The lights fade back in with two chairs outside the classroom door. Mr Fowler is sitting in one of them while looking over content in a manila folder. Ben walks out from the classroom door with his backpack hanging from one shoulder.

MR FOWLER: (motions to the chair in front of him, bored) Take a seat, Ben.

Ben complies and slumps back in the chair. His bag being disposed of by the legs of his chair. He fidgets with his hands while there is silence between them.

BEN: (fidgety) Why are we getting called out here?

MR FOWLER: Well, if you didn’t skip my class so much, you’d know this is a mid year performance review. And boy am I impressed.

This peaks Ben’s interest and he perks up a bit. Mr Fowler sets the folder on his lap and gives Ben his attention.

MR FOWLER (CONT’D): I’ve never had a student spit on my course like you, Benji.

Ben deflates.

MR FOWLER (CONT’D): Skipping class is one thing. I mean, I could tell the moment I saw you that you were flighty. It’s always the small ones. (looks over Ben and shakes his head in distaste) But on top of that, you barely do any of the coursework. Then the work that you do turn in isn’t even mediocre. It’s not even bad! It’s… (sighs) Anyways-

BEN (interrupts): That’s not fair! I told you in the beginning of the year- no, the end of Sophomore year, that I wanted to switch classes. YOU denied me.

MR FOWLER: (glares) Are you blaming ME for your academic failures? History isn’t hard, Ben. If you paid even half as much attention to making it to class as you do to your ipod-

BEN (interrupts): I CAN’T! Chase keeps-

Mr Fowler holds up a hand in a stop motion. Ben stops and crosses his arms.

MR FOWLER: I’m not here to hear you complain about Chase. To me, Chase is showing up to class everyday. You’re not. Chase is handing in his work. You’re not. Chase is our star quarterback. What are you working towards, Ben? He needs to keep up his grades to stay on the team. As far as I’m aware, you don’t even care about graduating.

Ben grumbles. His teeth are clenched and his whole body is ridged. Mr Fowler sighs and clears his throat.

MR FOWLER (CONT’D): Look Ben. I’m trying to give you one last chance. ONE last chance. Turn in all of your missing work and work on the final essay for this semester. Next semester, turn in your work and at least show up for the tests and I won’t make you come to summer school.

BEN: Are you the summer school teacher?

Mr Fowler stands up, heading back to the classroom.

MR FOWLER: Make sure I don’t see you in summer school, Benji.

Mr Fowler closes the door and leaves Ben out in the hallway. Ben slumps back in his chair and huffs.

Ben takes out his Ipod and angrily untangles his headphones, the sound of Radiohead’s Creep slowly fading in. He puts in his headphones as the singing starts. He’s frustrated and angry, messing up his hair.

Ben stands up and grabs his backpack, swinging it onto one shoulder. He looks back at the classroom door then walks off stage to the left, past the lockers. The music is still playing in the background.

Wendy walks on stage at the other end. She’s wearing a cheerleader’s uniform. There is no voice but you see her mouthing out “Benji!” And waving her arms around to try and get his attention.

Wendy stops after a few times when she notices that he can’t hear her and he’s too far gone. She frowns but it disappears when she looks behind her as if someone was calling her name.

Wendy smiles, big and bright. She waves off the people calling for her. They are the other girls from the cheer team, they aren’t on stage and you can’t hear their voices. She’s mouthing something like, “alright alright. I’m coming!”

Wendy exits stage from the side she came from. Running off happy and carefree. She already forgot about Ben.

The music fades but this time the lights dim, almost off. Wendy walks to her locker and starts going through her things. She’s still dressed in her cheer uniform. This signifies that it’s not another school year but a new day. The lights brighten up again. Ben walks on stage from the right as a few girls also dressed in the cheer uniform enter from the left.

Ben opens his mouth to call out to Wendy but the cheer girls beat him to it. He stops walking.

GIRLS: (excitedly yelling) Weeeendy!

Wendy turns to look at them, smiling and greeting them back. They start enthusiastically talking about the game tonight.

Ben continues on his way and passes by the girls. A couple of them look at him in disgust. Wendy finally notices them but doesn’t pick up on their glares.

WENDY: (happily) Oh, Ben! I didn’t see you.

The girls make gagging faces with their fingers pointing to their open mouths. Wendy doesn’t notice, Ben does.

BEN: Oh, yeah. I didn’t see you either.

GIRL 1: (scoffs mockingly) As if. Wendy-

She mocks Ben and wheezes out Wendy’s name, not even finishing to say it while reaching out a hand. She exaggerates Ben’s entrance to the stage. The other girls laugh.

WENDY: (giggling) shut up, guys. (turns back to Ben) Are you coming to the game this time?

Ben gives an uneasy smile.

BEN: Nah, I’ve got some stuff for History to work on. Last semester was a drag so, I need to make sure I keep up and stuff. You know. For graduation.

WENDY: Oh, yeah. You mind if I copy it tomorrow morning? I can’t work on it tonight since the game..

GIRL 2: It’s fine, Wendy! You can copy it from me. I’m getting the answers from Joey after school.

WENDY: Really? Well then, do you want to come Ben? I can let you copy off mine! We’re all meeting up after to grab a bite to eat.

Ben opens his mouth to protest but the girls beat him to it. They start hounding Wendy and while she’s distracted, Ben walks off. The lights fade.

The lights turn back on fully symbolizing the next year and Chase, Aaron, James and other football players walk on stage. They are wearing their letterman jackets. Ben is walking from center stage with his headphones in. He tries to walk to his lockers but the football players are in his way.

CHASE: (mockingly) Well, look it here. Little Benji-

BEN (interrupts): Move.

The guys start hitting each other in the arm. They are getting a kick out of the scene.

CHASE: (stunned) What’d you say to me?

BEN: You’re standing in front of my locker. MOVE.

Chase scoffs and makes a move to grab onto Ben’s shirt but stops. His mouth twists in frustration. Ben smiles wickedly and starts throwing insults at Chase and his team. It getting more heated and colorful as he keeps going.

Chase becomes red in the face with anger and yells out.

CHASE: (heatedly) You’re just mad that I got to Wendy before you did!

Wendy walks on stage from the right.

Ben socks Chase in the jaw. Chase stumbles back before he lunges at Ben with his other guys. They start beating him and Ben punches and kicks where he can. Wendy yells at them.

WENDY: (screaming) STOP! STOP!!

Wendy runs up to the crowd and starts hitting people’s backs. The commotion makes them stop fighting. Ben is running on adrenaline and gets in one last punch to Chase’s face- making his nose bleed.

Wendy goes over to Chase to help him with his nose. Ben stands there stunned, watching his best friend help the guy who tormented him all throughout middle and high school.

WENDY: How could you start fighting, Ben!? How could you hit-

BEN (interrupts): Who? You’re boyfriend?

Wendy freezes but she doesn’t deny Ben’s question. Ben looks at the floor and picks up his broken and busted ipod. Radiohead’s Creep fades in once again.

Ben looks heartbroken and looks at Wendy one last time. He walks off stage slow and determined. Wendy calls out to him but there is not sound. Each time she is looking more desperate while the lights around her fade. A single spotlight illuminates her. She isn’t in the hallway anymore. She is just alone. The music cuts off abruptly to the sound of screeching tires and a crash.

Wendy freezes. She is horrified.

The lights fade out. A single light is all you can see. It passes from the right side of the stage, to the left very slowly.

It is extinguished and the lights fade back in. A girl is fixing her locker- one that is at the farthest right corner on the top.

A boy enters in from the left, it’s not Ben. The girl turns to see who it is. This girl is not Wendy.

GIRL: Johnny!

The girl skips over to him, excited to see him in the hallway so early in the morning.

JOHN: Lucy? (looks to the lockers) You’re over here?

LUCY: Isn’t it great? I even got a top locker. I guess it’s a start of a great year!

She wiggles her eyebrows playfully.

John ignores her antics and locates his locker. It’s on other side of the lockers, farthest to the left at the bottom. He scowls while Lucy laughs.

JOHN: Shut up! (tries to hide a smile)

He checks his schedule to make sure he’s got the right one and sighs heavily when he confirms it. Then stuffs the paper in his pocket.

JOHN (CONT’D): If yours means a great year than what does mine mean? A teacher from hell? No friends?

LUCY: (teasingly) Aww Johnny, you’ve always got me.

JOHN: Stop calling me that. (grumbles) I told you it’s John, now.

John takes off his backpack and sets it out behind him while he works on getting his locker open.

LUCY: Y’know, this is great. Our lockers are next to each other, I’ve got a top locker-

JOHN: ‘course you do.

John half listens to the rest, still trying to work on the combination.

LUCY (CONT”D): AND… We get to graduate together! I’m glad I convinced my parents to transfer me over here instead of Whitewater.

JOHN: Aha! (swings the locker door open) Magic.

LUCY (scoffs) Yeah, only took you like, 10 tries.

From the right walks out three guys- Chase, Aaron and James. They are goofing around while Ben and Wendy argue. Chase sees Ben and walks over with his henchmen.

From the right walks out three guys. They are goofing around while John and Lucy play argue. They walk over to John.

A teacher walks out from the classroom that’s on the right of the lockers. She witnesses one guy grabs at John’s backpack.

TEACHER: Hey! What’s going on here.

The boys make a move to talk but she holds up a hand in a stop motion.

TEACHER: Give it back, and run along. If I catch you harassing anyone again, I’ll have the three of you transferred to Whitewater. Understood?

They throw the bag down and run off stage. John and Lucy look at each other stunned. The teacher watches them for a moment. A far off look in her eyes. She goes back into the classroom.

JOHN: What teacher is that?

LUCY: I dunno.. I think I have her for English.

Lucy pulls out her schedule and takes a moment.

LUCY: (slowly) Uh.. Ms-

The warning bell rings and interrupts her. Seals and Croft’s Summer Breeze fades back in while Lucy and John scurry to get their stuff. They are laughing and happy, carefree. The lights fade as they link arms and cross the stage together. The lights and music fade out before they actually leave the stage.