Chapter 3 for Project G.O.D. These chapters are getting put up right from the press, as soon as I finish one I basically throw it up here. Constructive Criticism is greatly wanted and appreciated, but I do apologize if there are grammatical mistakes or just some sloppy wording in general. After a couple more chapters I'll do some hard edits and repost. Thanks :)
As always, social media: @TheToneStallone. Happy reading! A week had gone by and Caden had become so out of sorts that he barely had the sense to fall asleep. His once clean shaven face had been replaced by a chestnut brown stubble that matched his hair and was quickly approaching a beard. His green eyes developed heavy bags underneath them and the comforting neatness of his general appearance was starting to be replaced with a sense of paranoia. He had missed his haircut appointment that was always perfectly planned every three weeks on the dot and because of this the squared symmetricity of his face had disappeared. The cool, calm, and collected that was Caden Frost had now become careless and negligent. “Honey, do you think you could run to the grocery and grab some things I need for dinner tonight?” “I don’t know Mom, I’m kind of busy right now.” That was a lie. It seemed like Caden had started doing more of that lately, but he had no desire to go to the grocery store, or anywhere a fern could be sold for that matter. This plant had been haunting him. He thought that the one on the deck had been Cassie’s doing but that next morning it was gone. Until it wasn’t. Later that same day, as he was mowing Aunt Ellie’s lawn it reappeared. The same fern, with the same yellow and blue specks, only this time it was planted in her garden, inbetween her thorn bush and tulip patch. “Are you sure? I have to pick up Cass from soccer soon and you know how your father is if dinner isn’t set up as soon as he gets home from work.” “I can pick Cass up if you want to run to the grocery. You’d have an easier time finding whatever you need anyways Mom.” As he locked his gaze on the fern this time, it moved in a peculiar way that he hadn’t yet seen from a plant before. The fern started to lean as if it was pointing in the direction of the tulips which was odd since the wind was blowing the exact opposite way. Caden rushed through the rest of the yardwork, ignoring the grass lines he worked so diligently to create and went home before Ellie could pay him for the job. “That’s fine, Cade, just remember that practice is over at five sharp. Dinner is at six.” Caden ran through the front door, nearly forgetting to open it, paced up the stairs and quickly jumped into a cold shower. He needed to sober himself from seeing this fern again and try to cold shock himself back into reality. As he wrapped the towel around his waist and walked back to his room he finally felt a little relief. Maybe it was an odd coincidence. The fern was a home and garden trend for the summer that apparently his entire family had caught on to except for him. The specks of color that did not show up in any of his fern species searches were probably an issue with his eyes, a cataract perhaps. He’d schedule an eye exam and be back on track in no time. What he saw as he entered his room was no mistake though. “Okay Mom. What’re you making?” “Oh your favorite Sweet Tart, meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans.” “Mmm yum. I can’t wait!” As he stepped into his room, his eyes were instantly focused on the objects at the corner of his desk, a yellow pen, a blue pen and a lined notepad. The same ones that he had thrown away a day earlier. He knew that they were gone because he had cleared the trash out of his room the previous morning and made sure that they were included but here they were piercing his soul like they had a consciousness of their own. Caden swept the objects back into the same trash bin as before, got dressed and made sure he physically saw them go into the trash bin next to his garage so that there could be no question of their whereabouts. Although he had not seen the fern since then, the pens and notepad kept reappearing in that same corner of his desk. Not technically an inconvenience by definition, this unexplained anomaly was more than enough to throw a creature of habit off the rhythm he’d spent years establishing and perfecting. Caden decided he was going to leave early to pick Cass up from soccer practice, maybe getting a chance to watch his baby sister would relieve him of the stress of the unknown. As he got into the car, he wondered if she were playing any part in all of this. The sky was beautiful on this particular day. The sun was a welcome sight from the rain that had been plaguing the summer like an infection brought to drop all of Southern Washington’s vitamin D levels. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and Caden thought he may be able to see some of the stars and constellations if he replaced the battery in his telescope before dusk. Before his car was even parked he could tell which of the little athletes was his sister because it seemed all of the mud leftover from the previous day’s rain was now caked on her entire body from head to toe. It was a wonder she was even able to see at this point and he knew a good portion of tomorrow’s day off was going to be spent cleaning and vacuuming out the car from the remnants of the swamp thing that was going to inhabit his vehicle shortly. As he approached the field full of screaming children chasing after the soccer ball like it were the only responsibility in the world, there was a peculiar sight just past the benches but before the forest. It was the fern again. He didn’t have to approach it to know it. Again, the fern was pointing in a direction that was not with the flow of the wind or the weather but wherever it chose and today it bent towards his sister, who now was playing goalie at the south end of the field. Steadfast in its desire to unwaver, Caden felt like this fern was trying to send a message but was unable to decipher the language it spoke. He did his best to focus on the practice and watch his sister perform but the fern had his undivided attention, and both of them knew it. “Cade are ya gonna start the car or are we spendin the night here?” He hadn’t even realized Cassie was in the car or that practice was over. His gaze had been squarely fixed on the fern and that did not change as he put the key into the ignition and started the engine. “Cass, do you know anything about that plant over there, on the other end of the field in the middle?” “I know it’s a plant.” “Okay but like, do you know how it got there or what it is? That wasn’t there last week when I picked you up from practice.” “It wasn’t? Hmm. Odd.” As he backed the car out of the parking lot he still stayed deliberately locked onto the fern. He wanted to see what would happen as he got away from it. “What about the one that was on our deck? Do you know anything about that one?” “I remember you mentioning one that was on our deck. Never saw it.” As he pulled away from the field he turned his head once to straighten out on the road, turned back and it was gone. “You played no part in giving these plants those homes Cass?” “I have no idea what you’re talking about bother…I mean brother.” “Okay then what about the pad and pens that keep showing up on my desk. That has to be you, I know you’re messing with me.” He felt confident in that accusation. Something from this past week had to make some kind of common sense to him. “Cade you’re not making much sense to me with all of this stuff you’ve been saying lately. Are you feeling alright?” He looked her dead in her hazel eyes. “Please tell me it was you.” “Cade, stop! The light is red!” He unknowingly blew past the red light but a watchful officer knowingly turned his siren on, a polite way of asking poor Caden Frost to pull over. He sunk into his seat and let the officer go through all of the customaries of a traffic stop. First he showed his proof of license, then insurance. After a minute or so the officer came back, affirming Caden that he was who he said he was. The man seemed younger in age. He had a haircut that was tight on the sides but almost messy on top, like he put time into the actual experience of getting a haircut but decided not to keep up with it once he left the barbershop, like when a child gets their first pet but doesn’t quite understand the responsibility that comes with it. “Do you know what you did, son?” The officer called him son, but he was barely old enough to be a brother to Caden. Although he asked him a question Caden remained silent, partially out of fear and partially out of guilt. “You ran a red light. That’s a big no no.” He sank into his seat a little more even though there was no more conceivable room to sink. If he went any further down, the officer may get suspicious. Nonetheless, this was Cade’s first time talking to an officer in this regard. He had never been pulled over or even come close to breaking any kind of law, even jaywalking. He was hoping that the officer’s lax appearance in hairstyle meant he had a lax approach to law enforcement. “Normally, with this being your first offense of any kind I would let you off with a warning,” he said grabbing a citation sheet and pen from his hip. “But in this instance you put yourself, your passenger, as well as any other potential driver in a lot of danger, so I can’t let this one slide, pal,” as he wrote the citation. “Your court date is listed at the bottom if you wish to challenge. If not, you can log online or call in to pay your fine. You have a good day boy.” The whole interaction would have offended Caden if he had the sense to understand what was going on but in the heat of the moment with the anxiety of this first time running through his mind he could not piece together the moment that just happened. He defeatingly drove the the car the last two blocks home in silence and as he pulled into his driveway at 7:00pm he wondered what the meatloaf would taste like tonight.
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Currently working on chapter 3 and outlining a plan for the rest of the story. Constructive criticisms/Feedback is appreciated, thank you :)
If it weren’t summer vacation Caden wouldn’t have went to school the next morning. He wasn’t sure what happened the night before. It all felt so real, but there was no way it was anything but a dream. Even if it was a dream, why did it happen? He’d never really dreamed before and now he was scouring the universe in them. What did this mean? He needed answers but had no idea how to begin to approach looking for them so he carried on with his routine. He’d slept in an extra hour this day, which normally would have thrown off the entire equilibrium but for some reason it felt warranted today. He cracked two eggs into the pan and hit the button for the toaster while he planned the rest of the day in his head down to the minute. It was a little past ten currently, by the time he ate breakfast and got ready for the gym it would be eleven. If he made it to the gym by eleven-thirty he would have enough time to get a good workout and run in, which was desperately needed to clear his head, before work at three. If the Pizza Parlor was slow tonight he could get off deliveries by nine and be showered and ready for bed by ten, with an hour to mess around on video games until he fell asleep by eleven which would help get him back on track for tomorrow since he got off to a late start today. He took a bite of the plain wheat toast and felt confident in his plan for the day. Now if he could only resist the temptation of sneaking a slice or two at work his diet would be on track to have a little cheat meal by the weekend when he and his girlfriend of two years Ruby celebrate their anniversary. “A plan in place brings a smile to my face,” he chuckled as he finished off the toast and washed it down with a glass of almond milk. As he wiped the faux milk mustache away his phone began to buzz. “Hey mom, what’s up?” “Hey buddy. I heard you get in late last night and that’s not like you I just wanted to make sure everything is alright.” “Oh, uh, well, yeah. I’m sorry. Todd wanted to show me this documentary on…blue whales and we kind of just got sidetracked. He really wants to save the environment and I think we can organize something to…uh…help raise awareness about the environment and our carbon footprint on the whales.” “You kids just have such innocent imaginations. I’m glad though that you’re putting your brain power towards good habits and not something like underage drinking or illegal drugs.” “Oh Mom, I wouldn’t know a drug if it hit me in the face.” “Okay honey. I need to get back to work. I love you.” “I love you too Mom. Also, what’s for dinner?” “I’m going to fry some of those chicken breasts and make some brussel sprouts for the side. Is that alright?” “Do you mind baking me one or two of the pieces of chicken? Thanks, love you!” Caden paced the kitchen and broke into a slight sweat. He had no idea what she had meant. How was he gone last night? He didn’t leave. The keys to his car were where he left them when he got home from work the night before by the windowsill and as he started his car unfortunately it had the same amount of gas since he came home with the tank on E. Quickly though he pulled the key out of the ignition because he had forgotten his headphones in his room. As he brisked his way through the den though something caught his eye. Through the sliding door on the deck was a fern. He hadn’t remembered his parents buying one for the house for the summer but maybe they had. It had a peculiar glow to it that he couldn’t quite understand. As he got closer, he noticed flecks of blue and flecks of yellow on it. Caden wasn’t an avid gardener but he had never seen a fern with a natural blue color to it and thought that was odd. Maybe his mom had bought it for his little sister Cassie to decorate and paint on. She was always trying to get Cassie to expose her creative side in unusual ways like that although didn’t understand why she needed any of that. Caden grabbed the headphones off the bed and made his way to the gym, now fifteen minutes behind schedule. Later that night Caden collapsed onto his bed, exhausted from work. He had stayed late to fill an unusual amount of deliveries and his internal clock was all out of whack. He reached for the remote to his television as he decided to forgo a desperately needed shower in place of video games but couldn’t seem to find the controller to his console. “Cassie have you been in my room again?” he shouted down the hall to his sister. “No, why would I want to go in there? It’s so plain and boring. The only thing that could make your room more generic is a framed picture with an inspirational quote about trying your hardest or never giving up,” she said as he stormed into her room. “Then where’s the controller for my GameStation? It’s not where I left it and I don’t misplace things.” “I don’t know, I haven’t been home all day. I went to the park with mom and bird watched the whole afternoon. We got home right before you did.” “Hmm. Weird. Also, what’s up with that fern outside. What’re you doing to that poor plant?” “What fern?” she asked inquisitively as her freckled face perked up. “The one on the deck with all the spots on it. Don’t mess with me, I know you did that.” “No idea what you’re talking about but it sounds fun. I’ll have to check it out in the morning.” Caden went back to his room and started looking everywhere for the controller. He turned over drawers and looked in every corner of his closet but couldn’t find the damn thing. The controller had disappeared in plain sight and there was no explanation for its whereabouts. With his head down he sulked to his desk and sat at the chair, spinning around in it because that’s what his life had felt like in the last twenty-four hours. His room was a mess, he smelled like pizza dough and grease and the only thing he wanted to do to relieve some stress was missing. As he became disoriented from the spinning he noticed something in the corner of his desk that had not been there when he sat down. There were two pens and a large yellow-lined notepad. One pen was yellow, the other blue. He began to think back to his dream last night and the pens that he had been given but there was no way he had gotten these from that dream. Cassie had to have been in his room earlier in the day and was just playing a prank on him. He grabbed the pens and paper and tossed them into the trash bin next to his desk as he collapsed once again onto his bed, this time for the rest of the night. Do you feel safe? I know you’re not safe
But the memories you gave are ten miles away And I know you cant stay so don’t try to play That bus isn’t safe and I know you’re not going home. Dearly beloved are you trapped in a closet In an airtight compartment with no key to unlock it Is your house always haunted? Do you hate it or love it? Is home just an idea that you really cant stomach? Are your favorite others stuck down by the water? With a sunset that’s longer on a beach that is hotter. Do they laugh and play frisbee while you’re stuck, do you miss me? Did you think you would kiss me and say goodbye oh so simply? You can play but youre not free, snowed in with your misery Does it feel numb inside you or would you rather get high too? Does it feel like a cold flu that is turning your soul blue? Do you numb your whole body with drinks and desires To match your own conscious that is eagerly tired? You destroy like a fire, the friends that you hired I hope one day you’re happy with your dog and your family Without all the distractions to keep you from… Here are some random snippets from a project I started back over the winter and hopefully will start editing and adding to soon called "Four Walls but No Door." Also may post the second chapter to Project G.O.D. a little later or tomorrow as that's currently my focus. Enjoy!
Paint me in the corner of a dark room Waiting for the light to be through the walls Like a lotto ticket it is hard to fight When the combos more than master Work to fund my way through casper But I’m not a friendly ghost These walls close in and I am cold. .... I cleaned my room today Made sure clothes were folded the right way Picked up spare comics off the ground Caught superman flying at the speed of sound Found old love notes in my dresser Ripped them apart and scattered the ashes (I’m sorry Suzie…Stacy?) Found a missing shirt from the University of Akron Played an old mixtape, I’m sorry Ms. Jackson Made sure everything was put away Took a small step to being okay. .... I am the moon Whole but not always You are the sea Up and down with tide I am the grass that grows Waiting for the time to mow You are the tree Full of roots that cant be seen |