Here's a story I started writing in 2005. It was supposed to be a comic originally (and I posted the outline to it a few years ago), but the comic never panned out so I started writing it as a story. Let me preface this by saying that it was originally not supposed to be a tickling story, but having a tickling fetish I couldn't help but putting some nylon tickling fan-service in each chapter. Still, there's more story than tickling in it, but I hope you'll still enjoy it.
Edit: This story has changed a bit since I originally posted it. It turned out to be a 24 chapter book! I had to go back and re-edit some things in the early chapters once I finished for final publishing. Rather than re-edit all my posts and post the rest of the chapters here, I'll just post a link to the full, most recent version of my story on my DA page: https://www.deviantart.com/mandrakemoorglade/gallery/39139732/dervland
Dervland
Chapter 1 - Old Sneakers
Angelica looked down at her old buffalo sneakers as she walked out of school. They were big, they were clunky, and they were ugly, but she loved them. They were oh so comfortable, she loved the way they slid against her nylons as she walked. They were old and getting pretty worn, but they were tough and had held up well over the years. They were her mother’s sneakers, and she had them since she was a kid. It’s amazing they lasted as long as they did. Indeed, they were probably the best made, longest lasting pair of shoes ever. Only her friend, Attis, appreciated this, having worked with his dad in a shoe repair shop. But all of her friends seemed to make fun of her for wearing such an old pair of sneakers to school every day she had Gym class. She didn’t care. They were her mom’s sneakers, and they were awesome.
She was walking with her friends Janet, Yumi and Tanya on this spring day, all of them wearing their green and white school uniforms. They attended an elite private school, one that was known for its difficult exams, and had stayed after school as usual for extra help. Their senior year was almost over, and their future was in question, but in truth they just wanted to spend as much time together as they could before the year ended. “I hate these tests, I can’t wait until next year when college life starts and we can party,” Janet said brushing her red hair aside.
“You’re lucky to be going to college next year, Janet, with your grades,” Yumi said with a hint of envy in her voice. It was pretty clear at this point that Yumi was not going to be going to college. The end of the summer was going to be heartbreaking when it was time to part ways.
Snickering could be heard from behind the four friends. Angelica looked back and sighed when she saw the four girls she liked least eavesdropping on their conversation. Ever since freshman year they had been a shadow they couldn’t shake. Often jokingly referred to as “The ‘in’ Girls” because of how their names ended, Jasmin and her lackeys Joslin, Catherin and Carolin seemed to be whispering to themselves and giggling mockingly as they eyed Janet and her friends. It was hard to make out exactly what they said but Angelica definitely heard “she’s too stupid to get into a university,” snicker from Joslin. As Carolin walked she pushed past shy and timid Kaylee, a smaller girl from their class whom they often picked on. Poor Kaylee gasped and fell out of one of her mary janes as she tripped. The bullies just laughed at her misfortune.
“They’re getting worse,” Janet whispered to Angelica.
“It’s because they won that tennis match last week,” Yumi said, shaking her head. “Now they think they run the place and can get away with bullying anyone they want.”
From behind “The ‘In’ Girls” came running Attis, eager to catch up with Angelica. Angelica’s cheeks reddened as he approached. Angelica and her friends had left school before sports practice ended so that they could avoid some of the more annoying boys flirting with them on the way home, but Attis never played sports. In fact he was quite the stereotypical nerd. He was scrawny, with a messy bowl haircut and large glasses. But he was sweet, and always helped Angelica with her homework. It was obvious to everyone that he had a crush on her.
“The ‘In’ Girls” laughed as he ran past them. Angelica could hear them whispering mocking insults at him to each other as they giggled. Fortunately, Attis didn’t seem to hear them. He always seemed oblivious to their passive aggressive bullying. Angelica wasn’t though, and she still couldn’t help but feel embarrassed as he awkwardly approached her.
“Ummmmm … hi Angelica … Thank you for studying with me today … I … uh really enjoyed it,” he said, stumbling over his words. Angelica cringed. He always seemed much more confident when it was just the two of them. But when he was around people he didn’t know so well, he was completely awkward.
“I should be thanking YOU, Attis,” Angelica said politely hoping to boost his confidence. She really did like Attis, “You know as well as I that I’m hopeless when it comes to Physics.”
Attis stared back at Angelica taken aback by the compliment. Angelica couldn’t help but find him adorable. He was like a puppy, totally in love with her. The girls giggled and Angelica grew angry as she watched Attis’s face turn red. Not only was Jasmin’s crew giggling, but even Janet and Yumi, her own friends, were laughing at Attis. “How dare they?” Angelica thought to herself, “I’ll show them!” Just as Attis was about to run away in shame, Angelica grabbed him and kissed him right on the lips in front of everyone. The onlooking girls all gasped. After pulling away, Angelica noticed that Attis looked as if he was about to faint. Then his nose started to bleed and he started to gag. It looked as if he was about to throw up. He panicked and ran off.
“Hahahahaaa, you made the dweeb sick, Angelica,” Jasmin pointed and laughed as Attis ran past leaving a trail of blood and vomit. That was all it took. The whispering, the passive aggressive snide comments were annoyances that Angelica, Janet, Yumi and Tanya begrudgingly overlooked. But they were waiting for a good reason to finally confront her and put her in her place and there it was. Angelica and her friends turned to Jasmin and her crew angrily.
Janet, the most confident of the group, was the first to speak. “You shouldn’t talk, Jasmin, you make everyone in the school sick!”
Jasmin was taken aback by the confrontation. She was clearly intimidated by Janet, who was one of the most popular girls in the school and held a pretty high status. Angelica could sense the envy just dripping from Jasmin’s gaze. The other “in” girls blacked her up though. Cathrin stared down Angelica, Joslin stared down Tanya, Carolin stared down Yumi. And Jasmin, who had just regained her courage when she saw her friends backing her up, stared down Janet. “I’ll say what I want to say, you sloth. Besides, I never made a boy vomit in the street,” she said turning to Angelica, “Seriously, I’m surprised at you, Angelica. You’re one of the better looking girls in this school, despite those ugly old sneakers you wear. Well, maybe that’s why you like him. He’s not only a dork, but he’s the son of a shoe repair man. How lame. I’d expect a freak like Tanya here to make a loser like that hurl, but not you,” she said pointing at Tanya dismissively.
Tanya lowered her head embarrassed as Yumi moved in to comfort her. She always looked like she was about to cry with her dark lipstick and heavy eye shadow, and when she wasn’t wearing her school uniform she often wore black gothic attire. She always regarded herself as an outsider, despite the fact that she was close friends with Yumi, and through her was friends with one of the most popular group of girls in the school. But that didn’t stop Jasmin and her crew from ridiculing her.
Angelica had had enough of Jasmin’s bullying, it was time to tell her off once and for all. She got right in her face. “You think you’re so much better than everyone else because your parents are rich and they spoil you and give you everything you want! Everyone knows you’re an insecure brat who’s only popular because she has her daddy’s money to throw around on her so called friends!”
Jasmin’s eyes widened in shock. It was clear that no one had ever dared speak to her like that before. Angelica regretted her words almost immediately when she saw how deeply her words cut. As cruel as Jasmin had been over the years she wondered if it was worth sinking to her level to put her in her place. Jasmin looked to her friends to defend her honor, but they seemed more surprised by Angelica’s outburst than anything. There must have been more truth to the words than she initially thought. Still, Angelica was afraid that things would quickly turn ugly. Carolin was known for beating up girls on Jasmin’s behalf.
Fortunately, Janet had her back, “Haha, good one, Angelica,” she said as she put her arm around Angelica and escorted her away. Yumi and Tanya followed, leaving “The ‘in’ Girls” behind. Angelica glanced back and saw them standing as they chatted, stealing wicked glances at Angelica every so often. “Don’t look back,” Janet said, “Let’s just get out of here and away from them.”
“You know she’s just jealous of your popularity, that’s why she’s been following you around for all these years,” Angelica said to Janet.
“I know, we used to be friends,” Janet said, “way back in elementary school. But she was always a spoiled brat even then and I stopped hanging out with her after fifth grade. She still resents me for that, and resents you guys even more for it. She sees you guys as the friends I replaced her with. It’s sad because I was probably her only real friend. I think she really does pay those girls to be her friends.”
“How depressing,” Tanya said gloomily.
“Yeah, she’s pathetic, but it gives her no right to talk to us like that. I hate the way she treats Tanya. She deserves a punch in the face!” Yumi said, clenching her fists angrily.
“Relax Yumi, you’re already in enough trouble as it is with your grades. Don’t make it worse or you won’t graduate with us,” Janet warned.
“Stop being so bossy, Janet. My problems are my own.”
“Whatever,” Janet said, rolling her eyes as the four of them walked to the crossroads. This was where they normally parted ways to go home. Janet turned to Angelica before she left.
“Listen, let me walk you home, Angelica, I don’t like the way they were looking at you.”
“I’m not afraid of them, they’re all talk,” Angelica said bravely.
“Are you stupid or something? There’s four of them and one of you! And Carolin gets into fights all the time.”
Angelica sighed, “Yumi’s right, you are bossy.”
“Alright, I know I can be a bossy bitch sometimes, but I’m genuinely worried. Just … text me when you get home so I know you’re safe.”
“Okay, okay,” Angelica said, a bit frustrated by Janet’s over protectiveness. Janet was her best friend and she loved her, but she could be smothering at times, and she was indeed bossy. But she didn’t want to waste time arguing with her.
After parting ways with her friends, Angelica looked back at Mount Tawashi. It towered behind the school. Her town was named after the old mountain, which had been worn down from millions of years of erosion, but was still impressive. And it always looked more impressive from this distance. The school was part way up the mountain, on a plateau at its base. This made walking to school an uphill climb, but the way back an easy downhill jaunt. Below her was the city of Tawashi, more of a suburban town than a city, still it had a bustling urban downtown section near the water as well as a few ugly slums. But it all looked beautiful from the mountain. The school had buses, but she and her friends always preferred to walk as they didn’t live too far and they loved the beauty of the view as well as the freedom it provided them.
Unfortunately, in order to get home she had to walk through one of the uglier sections of the city. The afternoon was getting late and the shadows were starting to get quite long. Angelica began to regret not taking Janet’s advice and wished she had walked her home. She hated this section of town. Plus she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being followed as shadows crept behind her. She quickly looked back to see if anyone was there, but all she could see were the shadows cast by the lamp posts and trash cans.
She continued walking, now at a brisker pace, her heavy sneakers clomping more loudly on the rough pavement. The sounds of footsteps behind her had become unmistakeable when she looked back again. But, again there was nothing there.
Just then, suddenly, she was grabbed from behind. She shrieked in terror but her mouth was covered as well. Jasmin and Carolin emerged from behind a nearby trash compactor as her eyes darted left and right to make out her assailants, who turned out to be Joslin and Catherin. The four of them must have been stalking her and waiting until she was alone before attacking.
“I’m going to make you regret how you embarrassed me in front of my friends, Angelcakes!” Jasmin said as she approached. A surge of adrenaline came over Angelica, she bit Joslin’s hand and kicked at Jasmin. Jasmin was not expecting this and it knocked her right out of her shoes and onto her ass. Angelica smiled when she saw Jasmin’s shocked expression as she stared at her stocking feet.
“I can see they’re still on your payroll anyway,” Angelica said mockingly, “What, do you have to give them a raise now?” But Angelica’s defiance changed to fear when Carolin grabbed her foot before she could bring it back down.
“Hold her!” Jasmin ordered angrily as she wiggled her toes in her sheer black nylons looking to see where her shoes landed. She was clearly embarrassed to have been knocked out of her dress flats in such an undignified manner.
“Gym class today? These are quite some kicks you’re wearing,” Carolin said as she held Angelica’s heavy buffalo sneaker threateningly.
“Yeah it knocked Jasmin right out of her shoes!” Catherin laughed, the other girls couldn’t help but snicker at the comment. But Jasmin fumed as she got back to her feet, brushing the dirt from her skirt and pantyhose.
“Shut up!” she shouted angrily as she approached Angelica. She grabbed her other sneaker. Angelica felt utterly helpless as she was now lifted completely off the ground with both feet stretched out in front of her by Carolin and Jasmin while Joslin and Catherin held her arms. “Only a bum like you would wear these ugly old shoes to school,” Jasmin said as she tugged threateningly on her sneaker. Angelica curled her toes defensively to try and hold onto her shoes, but knew she had no chance. Her sneakers were rather large and loose fitting and her sheer dark nylons were very slippery and smooth.
“Let’s relieve her of them,” Carolin threatened teasingly as she slid the heavy but easy to remove sneaker off her slippery nylon clad foot.
“No! Please don’t!” Angelica begged.
“You made me lose my shoes, it’s only fair that I return the favor,” Jasmin said mercilessly as Angelica’s stocking clad heel popped free of her shoe, “I probably have a run in my pantyhose thanks to you!” Angelica couldn’t help but feel tickled by the sensation of her sneaker sliding up against the soles of her feet as they slipped off. Soon her wiggling and flexing toes were exposed, panicking in the cold air under her thin nylons. Angelica felt much too ticklish and helpless as she tried to squirm free of their grip.
“Look at those ticklish looking feet,” Jasmin said as she started running her finger up and down Angelica’s freshly exposed sole. Angelica’s fearful expression suddenly changed to one of pure joy as she burst out laughing. Carolin joined in, still holding her ankle with one hand, and tickling her foot with the other. Angelica tried her best to kick and thrash and pull away, but the four girls had a strong hold on all four of her limbs and there was nothing she could do but laugh helplessly as they tickled her intensely ticklish stocking feet.
Soon Catherin and Joslin joined in the tickling and began tickling her ribs and armpits. Angelica bucked and thrashed as tears began to well up in her eyes. She couldn’t take it. She screamed with laughter. “Guys we better stop or this laughing fool’s going to get us in trouble,” Joslin said cautiously after a good ten minutes of tickling.
Jasmin sighed, “You’re right, let’s put her in the trash can over there so she doesn’t go for help.” Angelica was exhausted by the tickling and did her best to catch her breath. She would have screamed for help if she had the energy. Instead she watched helplessly as they stuffed her butt first into a trashcan.
“Where’s my other shoe?” Jasmin asked, annoyed, as she hopped around trying to clean the dirt off her stocking feet.
“Over here,” Catherin said, handing the red flat to Jasmin. Jasmin gratefully returned the shoes to her feet.
“What’ll we do with these ugly old sneakers?” Carolin asked after handing the sneakers to Jasmin.
“Let’s burn them!” Joslin said as she lit a fire in another nearby trash can.
“No! Those were my mother’s shoes!” Angelica protested. She loved those sneakers.
“Eeww, they’re that old? We’re probably doing you a favor then,” Jasmin said looking at the sneakers in disgust.
“Her tastes were as bad as yours, eh?” Carolin joked before tickling her feet a final time.
“Pleeahahaeheheaaease!” Angelica pleaded trying her best to pull herself out of the trashcan, but she was wedged in too deep and still hadn’t recovered her strength. Her cries fell on deaf ears as Jasmin cruelly dropped the sneakers into the fire.
“Noooooooo!” Angelica cried. The girls laughed as the shoes burned, but ran off when they heard a door open nearby.
“What’s going on here?” An older woman was heard saying, “Is there a fire?” Angelica had a difficult time making out the woman, but as she approached she looked strangely familiar.
“Mom?” Angelica heard herself ask. The woman was even wearing the blue buffalo sneakers her mother always wore … the ones Angelica had inherited … the ones Jasmin had destroyed … and they looked shiny and new … much newer than Angelica remembered her old ones looking. In fact, Angelica had forgotten that the sneakers even used to be that shade of blue. But as the woman got closer, she could tell it wasn’t her mother, though she looked strikingly similar to her. Was she a long lost relative? She stared at her face as if looking into a mirror and seeing herself in thirty or so years.
The woman, when she approached, wore an expression of concern. She didn’t seem to recognize Angelica. “Oh you poor thing. Who did this to you? What happened?” she asked.
“They burned … my shoes … my mother’s shoes,” Angelica said sadly. She still couldn’t take her eyes off the woman. She looked to be about fifty years old, and was very attractive for her age. She was dressed professionally in a business suit and black pantyhose. The heavy blue sneakers looked rather comical in contrast. Her features were striking because they really did look quite similar to her mother’s, though her hair and eyes were different, in fact they matched the color of Angelica’s. Still, she looked about the same age her mother would have been had she not died.
“Oh how horrible,” the woman said, helping her out. Angelica brushed the trash off of her skirt after getting back to her feet. The fire had gone out, but her shoes were burnt to a crisp. There was no wearing them now. “I’m sorry,” the woman said consolingly, “Why don’t you come inside. I’ll get you some shoes so you don’t have to walk home in just your thin stockings.”
The woman’s apartment was a meager dwelling with a kitchen and a bedroom. Angelica sat at the kitchen table trying to keep her feet warm by covering one foot with the other. Tears were still swelling in her eyes. It was hard to believe that her mothers old sneakers were gone for good. They had lasted for so long and had always been a comfort to her since her mother died. “Here, drink this,” The woman said, handing her a glass of a strange gold liquid.
“What’s this?” Angelica asked curiously as she stared at the cup, still sobbing quietly.
“It’s a special concoction. It will make you feel better. You shouldn’t cry so much, it makes you age faster.”
Angelica looked at the woman’s kind eyes and there was something inherently trustworthy about her. Maybe it was because she reminded her so much of her mother. She sniffed the liquid. It had a sweet scent, then she took a sip. It tasted wonderful, sweet yet wholesome. There was nothing else she could compare it to. It did make her feel better and she stopped crying immediately. “Wow, that was good …”
“You feel better don’t you?” The woman asked as she bent to slip her sneakers off her feet.
“I do,” Angelica nodded.
“These will do I think,” the woman said, handing her the blue sneakers she was just wearing. Upon looking at them up close, Angelica was astonished to see how closely they resembled the sneakers that had been burned. They looked much newer than her old ones, but not brand new, they definitely looked like they’d been worn for quite a while. Still, they were the exact same type of sneakers.
“I can’t believe it … Those look just like the shoes I lost …” Angelica said shocked.
“That’s a strange coincidence,” The woman smiled. Angelica studied her face convinced she knew something about them she wasn’t telling her. It seemed the woman sensed her skepticism as she went on, “I’ve had these shoes for ages. You keep them. Big sneakers don’t quite suit me anymore. They’re yours now,” she winked.
Angelica took the shoes from her and studied them, “this is too strange of a coincidence,” Angelica said, “My mother once told me that she got them from a kind stranger after some bullies tossed her shoes into a well … similar to what just happened to me. And …” Angelica trailed off looking at the woman’s pretty toes as they wiggled under her sheer nylons.
“Go on,” the woman said, smiling as she took a seat opposite Angelica, seemingly somewhat self conscious of her exposed feet.
“Well … the strange thing is … the stranger, some strange woman she never met before, just gave her the shoes right off her stocking feet … just like you did.”
“Well, that’s not too strange. There are a lot of good samaritans in this world,” the woman said.
“I guess …” Angelica said, still staring at the shoes, “Only, in my mom’s case, it happened outside, so the poor stranger probably ruined her nylons when she had to walk home.”
“Now that IS a good samaritan,” the woman laughed, “did she have far to go?”
“Well …” Angelica thought for a moment, “Now this is the part that’s really unbelievable … My Mom always said that she didn’t walk more than a few steps. She came with someone else … a man … and he opened some sort of portal or something … the two of them walked through it and they were never seen again! Of course I don’t believe that part of the story. Still, those sneakers lasted decades without falling apart, so who knows.”
“I believe her,” the woman said, “I’ve seen my share of unbelievable things in my long life, and portals opening up to strange new worlds is not as strange as you might think. Now go on, put them on.” With trepidation, Angelica slipped her feet into the sneakers. It was as if she never lost her old pair, in fact they felt even better than her old pair. “How do they fit?” the woman asked. Angelica bent to tie them … the laces were too short and didn’t reach unless she unlaced them a few holes … just like her old shoes. But Angelica didn’t bother tying them. She liked the way they felt loose.
“They’re a little loose, but then my mother’s were also loose … where’d you get them?”
“Dervland …,” the woman suddenly looked like she regretted saying that “... I mean … you know I can’t remember. Like I said, I’ve had them for ages. Maybe they were my mother’s too? Haha, Ah well, it was a long time ago and my memory’s not so good anymore,” she laughed.
“Dervland?” Angelica asked, but she had better questions in mind as she studied the woman’s face, “Who are you anyway? Do you know me? I feel like I recognize you. Did you know my mother?”
The woman smiled again, she seemed to always be smiling, “We do look alike, don’t we. Maybe we’re long lost relatives. But no, I don’t think I’ve ever met you or your mother,” she looked at her watch, “Speaking of which, you should be off home. Your mother would be worried.”
“My mother’s dead,” Angelica said without breaking eye contact. The woman looked right back at her consolingly. “Oh I’m so sorry. You poor thing, that must have been why it troubled you so much to have those sneakers burned.”
“You knew my mother was dead, didn’t you?” Angelica said still not breaking eye contact. she wasn’t buying the woman’s act anymore. She was hiding something and Angelica knew it, and now she was trying to get rid of her. “Nobody else has shoes like these … you’re not telling me something.”
The woman responded seriously, “I think you better go now,” she said, getting up to escort her out. She opened the door. “Now hurry home it will be dark soon,” she said as she ushered out the door.
“I’m 18 you know, I’m allowed to be out after dark,” Angelica said defiantly.
“Not under my roof you’re not, young lady.”
“Just because you look like my mom doesn’t mean you are my mom!”
“Well, you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here,” the woman said, pushing her out the door. Just before the door closed on her the woman said, “Be careful running in those.”
“Wait, what?” Angelica said, looking back inside. Just behind the woman, Angelica saw a portal open up inside the house. She saw a man fall through it and wince in pain as he slumped to the ground just as the door closed on Angelica’s face. “What the hell!?” Angelica exclaimed as she tried to open the door again. But it was locked, she listened at the door but heard nothing. She knocked but there was no answer, and the curtains were drawn on the windows.
“Did I really just see a portal open up?” Angelica asked herself, “And who was that guy? And what did she say about running? Nevermind. I better run home though, I don’t want to have to explain this to dad.”
Angelica looked happily at her sneakers as she slowly built up speed, “Just wait till Jasmin and her goons see me tomorrow wearing these sneakers. I can’t wait to see their faaaaaaa…” Her thoughts were interrupted by her speed suddenly increasing exponentially until she found herself racing down the road at thirty miles an hour. “Oh my god! What the hell is going on?!” She shouted as she seemed to zoom through the streets of the city in seconds.
She was going so fast she couldn’t avoid bumping into poor Kaylee, who was innocently walking down the sidewalk towards her driveway as Angelica accelerated. Poor Kaylee was once again knocked right out of her shoes. She passed Kaylee’s older brother Tod, who was, as always, working on his 1977 mustang. Angelica could see the big X on the hood that Tod spent most of his free time under. It was very rare that Angelica actually got to see his face. But today was one one of those days as he peaked out from behind the hood in amazement as she zoomed past. “What the hell was that?” Kaylee asked as she put her shoes back on.
“Whatever that was, I want its engine in my car,” Tod said, amazed.
When it became clear that she was going dangerously fast, Angelica made herself slow down. She knew she could have gone much faster if she wanted to, but any faster and her shoes would fly off her feet. “That was incredible!” She said to herself looking around the neighborhood, “Where am I anyway? Wow, I shot way past home!”
Angelica looked at her sneakers in disbelief. “These are incredible! I HAVE to tell Janet about them,” she thought to herself as she pulled out her cell phone to text her best friend. The text message read “You’ve GOT to see these new sneakers, Come meet me at the park near your house right away! Tell Yumi and Tanya too. Leave now because I can get there fast!”
“Alright Angelica,” Tanya responded, “but I don’t want to spend all night in the park. Let’s go downtown later and party.”
“Whatever, let’s just meet in the park first,” Angelica texted. She scratched at a strange itch on her lower back. “Damn, how did I get bitten back there?” She thought to herself. But she was too excited to care. She wanted to show off her new shoes, so she zipped straight to the park without even bothering to change out of her uniform.
Attis’s Journal April 7th 2005
This may be my final entry in this journal. Today I’m going to do it. There’s no turning back.
This could have been the best day of my life, but, of course, I screwed it up. Angelica needed my help studying for the Physics test, so I agreed to help her after school. If physics didn’t come so naturally to me, I probably wouldn’t have been able to help her at all … she’s just so beautiful, it was so hard to concentrate.
Anyway, like a desperate idiot, I caught up to her as she was walking home with her friends. I wanted to thank her for studying with me. I ran to her like a dolt. Everyone was laughing at me, I probably looked like such a dork. But Angelica was so sweet. She even kissed me. But I lost it. My stupid nose started bleeding and I started throwing up. I ran away in shame. Why am I cursed with these panic attacks? I guess I’m just not meant for love.
I couldn’t face Dad when I got to the shop. I just went straight to my workbench and buried myself in my work. The day was slow and there was only one shoe to repair, so I decided to continue work on my project. Dad must have known something was up though because he walked in just as I was installing the derivative crystals.
“What are you doing to those old sneakers, Attis?” he asked.
“You wouldn’t understand,” I said. The last thing I wanted to do was explain to him the workings of particle physics.
“Come on, son, you looked pretty upset when you came in, tell me what’s bugging you,” he persisted.
Strike that, even worse than explaining particle physics to my Dad would have been to tell him about my social life, so I decided to tell him, in my best lay-man’s terms, what I had been working on for the past year. “Well, you know how gas prices have been going up ridiculously and everyone’s looking for alternative sources of fuel, Dad?”
“Yeah, tell me about it. It’s costing me a fortune to get new supplies in. I don’t know how I’m going to stay in business …”
“Well,” not to be rude but he would have gone forever had I not interrupted him, “I’ve been working on an alternative energy source, one far more efficient than fossil fuel energy. Even more powerful than nuclear power. I think I’ve invented something.”
“Is that so? I always knew you were a smart kid,” He said smiling though clearly not really believing a word, “How’s it work?”
I sighed knowing this was coming, “Well, you know in Star Trek, how they powered their starships with those dilithium crystals?”
“Yeah, matter / antimatter …” my father frowned, “Don’t tell me you somehow managed to produce a matter / antimatter reaction in that little crystal?”
“Not exactly. You see I was able to work out an equation that relates quantum mechanics with relativity principles. The equation I discovered allows for a much safer alternative to a matter / antimatter reaction. You see there is a constant that can be used to calculate the derivative of …”
“Okay, okay, I get it, it’s complicated,” Dad said, still not believing a word, but clearly not wanting me to continue with my explanation. It’s a shame because if more people understood quantum mechanics they would really appreciate what an enormous breakthrough the discovery of this equation is. But it’s all for the best. The fewer people know about my experiments the better. I don’t want anyone else meddling in this project. He was about to leave before asking, “Why put them in those old sneakers?”
I couldn’t help but smile, “Oh, well, I have to test them on something.” The truth was that the sneakers reminded me of Angelica’s. Not nearly as cool as hers, but they had a certain look that reminded me of them. But I didn’t want to tell him about Angelica, he’d get all fatherly on me and try to give me the birds and bees talk. I really was not in the mood for that awkward conversation.
He shrugged, “Okay son … just … don’t blow anything up. If you’re going to test anything out, do it outside.” And with that he left me alone at last.
I checked the derivative crystals one last time before inserting them into the special housings I built into the sneakers. I sat for a moment staring at them and thought of Angelica. Such a pretty girl. She always wore those old Buffalo sneakers for as long as I knew her. They held up so well over the years too. I wonder who made them? Would I ever see her again? It was very likely this test would kill me. I wasn’t really the suicidal type. I was a man of science. But I really had nothing to live for in this world. Angelica didn’t really love me. Sure she thought I was cute. Cute like a puppy dog. She liked me as a friend, as long as I could help her with her homework. But I would never live up to her status. She was one of the popular girls, and I was one of the most awkward and wimpy nerds in the school. Everyone made fun of me. I was the lowest on the totem pole, and the events of today only reinforced that.
So I put the sneakers on and got ready to head outside to test these puppies out. If this is my last journal entry, then I guess my science experiment failed. If not, then … we’ll see …
Edit: This story has changed a bit since I originally posted it. It turned out to be a 24 chapter book! I had to go back and re-edit some things in the early chapters once I finished for final publishing. Rather than re-edit all my posts and post the rest of the chapters here, I'll just post a link to the full, most recent version of my story on my DA page: https://www.deviantart.com/mandrakemoorglade/gallery/39139732/dervland
Dervland
Chapter 1 - Old Sneakers
Angelica looked down at her old buffalo sneakers as she walked out of school. They were big, they were clunky, and they were ugly, but she loved them. They were oh so comfortable, she loved the way they slid against her nylons as she walked. They were old and getting pretty worn, but they were tough and had held up well over the years. They were her mother’s sneakers, and she had them since she was a kid. It’s amazing they lasted as long as they did. Indeed, they were probably the best made, longest lasting pair of shoes ever. Only her friend, Attis, appreciated this, having worked with his dad in a shoe repair shop. But all of her friends seemed to make fun of her for wearing such an old pair of sneakers to school every day she had Gym class. She didn’t care. They were her mom’s sneakers, and they were awesome.
She was walking with her friends Janet, Yumi and Tanya on this spring day, all of them wearing their green and white school uniforms. They attended an elite private school, one that was known for its difficult exams, and had stayed after school as usual for extra help. Their senior year was almost over, and their future was in question, but in truth they just wanted to spend as much time together as they could before the year ended. “I hate these tests, I can’t wait until next year when college life starts and we can party,” Janet said brushing her red hair aside.
“You’re lucky to be going to college next year, Janet, with your grades,” Yumi said with a hint of envy in her voice. It was pretty clear at this point that Yumi was not going to be going to college. The end of the summer was going to be heartbreaking when it was time to part ways.
Snickering could be heard from behind the four friends. Angelica looked back and sighed when she saw the four girls she liked least eavesdropping on their conversation. Ever since freshman year they had been a shadow they couldn’t shake. Often jokingly referred to as “The ‘in’ Girls” because of how their names ended, Jasmin and her lackeys Joslin, Catherin and Carolin seemed to be whispering to themselves and giggling mockingly as they eyed Janet and her friends. It was hard to make out exactly what they said but Angelica definitely heard “she’s too stupid to get into a university,” snicker from Joslin. As Carolin walked she pushed past shy and timid Kaylee, a smaller girl from their class whom they often picked on. Poor Kaylee gasped and fell out of one of her mary janes as she tripped. The bullies just laughed at her misfortune.
“They’re getting worse,” Janet whispered to Angelica.
“It’s because they won that tennis match last week,” Yumi said, shaking her head. “Now they think they run the place and can get away with bullying anyone they want.”
From behind “The ‘In’ Girls” came running Attis, eager to catch up with Angelica. Angelica’s cheeks reddened as he approached. Angelica and her friends had left school before sports practice ended so that they could avoid some of the more annoying boys flirting with them on the way home, but Attis never played sports. In fact he was quite the stereotypical nerd. He was scrawny, with a messy bowl haircut and large glasses. But he was sweet, and always helped Angelica with her homework. It was obvious to everyone that he had a crush on her.
“The ‘In’ Girls” laughed as he ran past them. Angelica could hear them whispering mocking insults at him to each other as they giggled. Fortunately, Attis didn’t seem to hear them. He always seemed oblivious to their passive aggressive bullying. Angelica wasn’t though, and she still couldn’t help but feel embarrassed as he awkwardly approached her.
“Ummmmm … hi Angelica … Thank you for studying with me today … I … uh really enjoyed it,” he said, stumbling over his words. Angelica cringed. He always seemed much more confident when it was just the two of them. But when he was around people he didn’t know so well, he was completely awkward.
“I should be thanking YOU, Attis,” Angelica said politely hoping to boost his confidence. She really did like Attis, “You know as well as I that I’m hopeless when it comes to Physics.”
Attis stared back at Angelica taken aback by the compliment. Angelica couldn’t help but find him adorable. He was like a puppy, totally in love with her. The girls giggled and Angelica grew angry as she watched Attis’s face turn red. Not only was Jasmin’s crew giggling, but even Janet and Yumi, her own friends, were laughing at Attis. “How dare they?” Angelica thought to herself, “I’ll show them!” Just as Attis was about to run away in shame, Angelica grabbed him and kissed him right on the lips in front of everyone. The onlooking girls all gasped. After pulling away, Angelica noticed that Attis looked as if he was about to faint. Then his nose started to bleed and he started to gag. It looked as if he was about to throw up. He panicked and ran off.
“Hahahahaaa, you made the dweeb sick, Angelica,” Jasmin pointed and laughed as Attis ran past leaving a trail of blood and vomit. That was all it took. The whispering, the passive aggressive snide comments were annoyances that Angelica, Janet, Yumi and Tanya begrudgingly overlooked. But they were waiting for a good reason to finally confront her and put her in her place and there it was. Angelica and her friends turned to Jasmin and her crew angrily.
Janet, the most confident of the group, was the first to speak. “You shouldn’t talk, Jasmin, you make everyone in the school sick!”
Jasmin was taken aback by the confrontation. She was clearly intimidated by Janet, who was one of the most popular girls in the school and held a pretty high status. Angelica could sense the envy just dripping from Jasmin’s gaze. The other “in” girls blacked her up though. Cathrin stared down Angelica, Joslin stared down Tanya, Carolin stared down Yumi. And Jasmin, who had just regained her courage when she saw her friends backing her up, stared down Janet. “I’ll say what I want to say, you sloth. Besides, I never made a boy vomit in the street,” she said turning to Angelica, “Seriously, I’m surprised at you, Angelica. You’re one of the better looking girls in this school, despite those ugly old sneakers you wear. Well, maybe that’s why you like him. He’s not only a dork, but he’s the son of a shoe repair man. How lame. I’d expect a freak like Tanya here to make a loser like that hurl, but not you,” she said pointing at Tanya dismissively.
Tanya lowered her head embarrassed as Yumi moved in to comfort her. She always looked like she was about to cry with her dark lipstick and heavy eye shadow, and when she wasn’t wearing her school uniform she often wore black gothic attire. She always regarded herself as an outsider, despite the fact that she was close friends with Yumi, and through her was friends with one of the most popular group of girls in the school. But that didn’t stop Jasmin and her crew from ridiculing her.
Angelica had had enough of Jasmin’s bullying, it was time to tell her off once and for all. She got right in her face. “You think you’re so much better than everyone else because your parents are rich and they spoil you and give you everything you want! Everyone knows you’re an insecure brat who’s only popular because she has her daddy’s money to throw around on her so called friends!”
Jasmin’s eyes widened in shock. It was clear that no one had ever dared speak to her like that before. Angelica regretted her words almost immediately when she saw how deeply her words cut. As cruel as Jasmin had been over the years she wondered if it was worth sinking to her level to put her in her place. Jasmin looked to her friends to defend her honor, but they seemed more surprised by Angelica’s outburst than anything. There must have been more truth to the words than she initially thought. Still, Angelica was afraid that things would quickly turn ugly. Carolin was known for beating up girls on Jasmin’s behalf.
Fortunately, Janet had her back, “Haha, good one, Angelica,” she said as she put her arm around Angelica and escorted her away. Yumi and Tanya followed, leaving “The ‘in’ Girls” behind. Angelica glanced back and saw them standing as they chatted, stealing wicked glances at Angelica every so often. “Don’t look back,” Janet said, “Let’s just get out of here and away from them.”
“You know she’s just jealous of your popularity, that’s why she’s been following you around for all these years,” Angelica said to Janet.
“I know, we used to be friends,” Janet said, “way back in elementary school. But she was always a spoiled brat even then and I stopped hanging out with her after fifth grade. She still resents me for that, and resents you guys even more for it. She sees you guys as the friends I replaced her with. It’s sad because I was probably her only real friend. I think she really does pay those girls to be her friends.”
“How depressing,” Tanya said gloomily.
“Yeah, she’s pathetic, but it gives her no right to talk to us like that. I hate the way she treats Tanya. She deserves a punch in the face!” Yumi said, clenching her fists angrily.
“Relax Yumi, you’re already in enough trouble as it is with your grades. Don’t make it worse or you won’t graduate with us,” Janet warned.
“Stop being so bossy, Janet. My problems are my own.”
“Whatever,” Janet said, rolling her eyes as the four of them walked to the crossroads. This was where they normally parted ways to go home. Janet turned to Angelica before she left.
“Listen, let me walk you home, Angelica, I don’t like the way they were looking at you.”
“I’m not afraid of them, they’re all talk,” Angelica said bravely.
“Are you stupid or something? There’s four of them and one of you! And Carolin gets into fights all the time.”
Angelica sighed, “Yumi’s right, you are bossy.”
“Alright, I know I can be a bossy bitch sometimes, but I’m genuinely worried. Just … text me when you get home so I know you’re safe.”
“Okay, okay,” Angelica said, a bit frustrated by Janet’s over protectiveness. Janet was her best friend and she loved her, but she could be smothering at times, and she was indeed bossy. But she didn’t want to waste time arguing with her.
After parting ways with her friends, Angelica looked back at Mount Tawashi. It towered behind the school. Her town was named after the old mountain, which had been worn down from millions of years of erosion, but was still impressive. And it always looked more impressive from this distance. The school was part way up the mountain, on a plateau at its base. This made walking to school an uphill climb, but the way back an easy downhill jaunt. Below her was the city of Tawashi, more of a suburban town than a city, still it had a bustling urban downtown section near the water as well as a few ugly slums. But it all looked beautiful from the mountain. The school had buses, but she and her friends always preferred to walk as they didn’t live too far and they loved the beauty of the view as well as the freedom it provided them.
Unfortunately, in order to get home she had to walk through one of the uglier sections of the city. The afternoon was getting late and the shadows were starting to get quite long. Angelica began to regret not taking Janet’s advice and wished she had walked her home. She hated this section of town. Plus she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being followed as shadows crept behind her. She quickly looked back to see if anyone was there, but all she could see were the shadows cast by the lamp posts and trash cans.
She continued walking, now at a brisker pace, her heavy sneakers clomping more loudly on the rough pavement. The sounds of footsteps behind her had become unmistakeable when she looked back again. But, again there was nothing there.
Just then, suddenly, she was grabbed from behind. She shrieked in terror but her mouth was covered as well. Jasmin and Carolin emerged from behind a nearby trash compactor as her eyes darted left and right to make out her assailants, who turned out to be Joslin and Catherin. The four of them must have been stalking her and waiting until she was alone before attacking.
“I’m going to make you regret how you embarrassed me in front of my friends, Angelcakes!” Jasmin said as she approached. A surge of adrenaline came over Angelica, she bit Joslin’s hand and kicked at Jasmin. Jasmin was not expecting this and it knocked her right out of her shoes and onto her ass. Angelica smiled when she saw Jasmin’s shocked expression as she stared at her stocking feet.
“I can see they’re still on your payroll anyway,” Angelica said mockingly, “What, do you have to give them a raise now?” But Angelica’s defiance changed to fear when Carolin grabbed her foot before she could bring it back down.
“Hold her!” Jasmin ordered angrily as she wiggled her toes in her sheer black nylons looking to see where her shoes landed. She was clearly embarrassed to have been knocked out of her dress flats in such an undignified manner.
“Gym class today? These are quite some kicks you’re wearing,” Carolin said as she held Angelica’s heavy buffalo sneaker threateningly.
“Yeah it knocked Jasmin right out of her shoes!” Catherin laughed, the other girls couldn’t help but snicker at the comment. But Jasmin fumed as she got back to her feet, brushing the dirt from her skirt and pantyhose.
“Shut up!” she shouted angrily as she approached Angelica. She grabbed her other sneaker. Angelica felt utterly helpless as she was now lifted completely off the ground with both feet stretched out in front of her by Carolin and Jasmin while Joslin and Catherin held her arms. “Only a bum like you would wear these ugly old shoes to school,” Jasmin said as she tugged threateningly on her sneaker. Angelica curled her toes defensively to try and hold onto her shoes, but knew she had no chance. Her sneakers were rather large and loose fitting and her sheer dark nylons were very slippery and smooth.
“Let’s relieve her of them,” Carolin threatened teasingly as she slid the heavy but easy to remove sneaker off her slippery nylon clad foot.
“No! Please don’t!” Angelica begged.
“You made me lose my shoes, it’s only fair that I return the favor,” Jasmin said mercilessly as Angelica’s stocking clad heel popped free of her shoe, “I probably have a run in my pantyhose thanks to you!” Angelica couldn’t help but feel tickled by the sensation of her sneaker sliding up against the soles of her feet as they slipped off. Soon her wiggling and flexing toes were exposed, panicking in the cold air under her thin nylons. Angelica felt much too ticklish and helpless as she tried to squirm free of their grip.
“Look at those ticklish looking feet,” Jasmin said as she started running her finger up and down Angelica’s freshly exposed sole. Angelica’s fearful expression suddenly changed to one of pure joy as she burst out laughing. Carolin joined in, still holding her ankle with one hand, and tickling her foot with the other. Angelica tried her best to kick and thrash and pull away, but the four girls had a strong hold on all four of her limbs and there was nothing she could do but laugh helplessly as they tickled her intensely ticklish stocking feet.
Soon Catherin and Joslin joined in the tickling and began tickling her ribs and armpits. Angelica bucked and thrashed as tears began to well up in her eyes. She couldn’t take it. She screamed with laughter. “Guys we better stop or this laughing fool’s going to get us in trouble,” Joslin said cautiously after a good ten minutes of tickling.
Jasmin sighed, “You’re right, let’s put her in the trash can over there so she doesn’t go for help.” Angelica was exhausted by the tickling and did her best to catch her breath. She would have screamed for help if she had the energy. Instead she watched helplessly as they stuffed her butt first into a trashcan.
“Where’s my other shoe?” Jasmin asked, annoyed, as she hopped around trying to clean the dirt off her stocking feet.
“Over here,” Catherin said, handing the red flat to Jasmin. Jasmin gratefully returned the shoes to her feet.
“What’ll we do with these ugly old sneakers?” Carolin asked after handing the sneakers to Jasmin.
“Let’s burn them!” Joslin said as she lit a fire in another nearby trash can.
“No! Those were my mother’s shoes!” Angelica protested. She loved those sneakers.
“Eeww, they’re that old? We’re probably doing you a favor then,” Jasmin said looking at the sneakers in disgust.
“Her tastes were as bad as yours, eh?” Carolin joked before tickling her feet a final time.
“Pleeahahaeheheaaease!” Angelica pleaded trying her best to pull herself out of the trashcan, but she was wedged in too deep and still hadn’t recovered her strength. Her cries fell on deaf ears as Jasmin cruelly dropped the sneakers into the fire.
“Noooooooo!” Angelica cried. The girls laughed as the shoes burned, but ran off when they heard a door open nearby.
“What’s going on here?” An older woman was heard saying, “Is there a fire?” Angelica had a difficult time making out the woman, but as she approached she looked strangely familiar.
“Mom?” Angelica heard herself ask. The woman was even wearing the blue buffalo sneakers her mother always wore … the ones Angelica had inherited … the ones Jasmin had destroyed … and they looked shiny and new … much newer than Angelica remembered her old ones looking. In fact, Angelica had forgotten that the sneakers even used to be that shade of blue. But as the woman got closer, she could tell it wasn’t her mother, though she looked strikingly similar to her. Was she a long lost relative? She stared at her face as if looking into a mirror and seeing herself in thirty or so years.
The woman, when she approached, wore an expression of concern. She didn’t seem to recognize Angelica. “Oh you poor thing. Who did this to you? What happened?” she asked.
“They burned … my shoes … my mother’s shoes,” Angelica said sadly. She still couldn’t take her eyes off the woman. She looked to be about fifty years old, and was very attractive for her age. She was dressed professionally in a business suit and black pantyhose. The heavy blue sneakers looked rather comical in contrast. Her features were striking because they really did look quite similar to her mother’s, though her hair and eyes were different, in fact they matched the color of Angelica’s. Still, she looked about the same age her mother would have been had she not died.
“Oh how horrible,” the woman said, helping her out. Angelica brushed the trash off of her skirt after getting back to her feet. The fire had gone out, but her shoes were burnt to a crisp. There was no wearing them now. “I’m sorry,” the woman said consolingly, “Why don’t you come inside. I’ll get you some shoes so you don’t have to walk home in just your thin stockings.”
The woman’s apartment was a meager dwelling with a kitchen and a bedroom. Angelica sat at the kitchen table trying to keep her feet warm by covering one foot with the other. Tears were still swelling in her eyes. It was hard to believe that her mothers old sneakers were gone for good. They had lasted for so long and had always been a comfort to her since her mother died. “Here, drink this,” The woman said, handing her a glass of a strange gold liquid.
“What’s this?” Angelica asked curiously as she stared at the cup, still sobbing quietly.
“It’s a special concoction. It will make you feel better. You shouldn’t cry so much, it makes you age faster.”
Angelica looked at the woman’s kind eyes and there was something inherently trustworthy about her. Maybe it was because she reminded her so much of her mother. She sniffed the liquid. It had a sweet scent, then she took a sip. It tasted wonderful, sweet yet wholesome. There was nothing else she could compare it to. It did make her feel better and she stopped crying immediately. “Wow, that was good …”
“You feel better don’t you?” The woman asked as she bent to slip her sneakers off her feet.
“I do,” Angelica nodded.
“These will do I think,” the woman said, handing her the blue sneakers she was just wearing. Upon looking at them up close, Angelica was astonished to see how closely they resembled the sneakers that had been burned. They looked much newer than her old ones, but not brand new, they definitely looked like they’d been worn for quite a while. Still, they were the exact same type of sneakers.
“I can’t believe it … Those look just like the shoes I lost …” Angelica said shocked.
“That’s a strange coincidence,” The woman smiled. Angelica studied her face convinced she knew something about them she wasn’t telling her. It seemed the woman sensed her skepticism as she went on, “I’ve had these shoes for ages. You keep them. Big sneakers don’t quite suit me anymore. They’re yours now,” she winked.
Angelica took the shoes from her and studied them, “this is too strange of a coincidence,” Angelica said, “My mother once told me that she got them from a kind stranger after some bullies tossed her shoes into a well … similar to what just happened to me. And …” Angelica trailed off looking at the woman’s pretty toes as they wiggled under her sheer nylons.
“Go on,” the woman said, smiling as she took a seat opposite Angelica, seemingly somewhat self conscious of her exposed feet.
“Well … the strange thing is … the stranger, some strange woman she never met before, just gave her the shoes right off her stocking feet … just like you did.”
“Well, that’s not too strange. There are a lot of good samaritans in this world,” the woman said.
“I guess …” Angelica said, still staring at the shoes, “Only, in my mom’s case, it happened outside, so the poor stranger probably ruined her nylons when she had to walk home.”
“Now that IS a good samaritan,” the woman laughed, “did she have far to go?”
“Well …” Angelica thought for a moment, “Now this is the part that’s really unbelievable … My Mom always said that she didn’t walk more than a few steps. She came with someone else … a man … and he opened some sort of portal or something … the two of them walked through it and they were never seen again! Of course I don’t believe that part of the story. Still, those sneakers lasted decades without falling apart, so who knows.”
“I believe her,” the woman said, “I’ve seen my share of unbelievable things in my long life, and portals opening up to strange new worlds is not as strange as you might think. Now go on, put them on.” With trepidation, Angelica slipped her feet into the sneakers. It was as if she never lost her old pair, in fact they felt even better than her old pair. “How do they fit?” the woman asked. Angelica bent to tie them … the laces were too short and didn’t reach unless she unlaced them a few holes … just like her old shoes. But Angelica didn’t bother tying them. She liked the way they felt loose.
“They’re a little loose, but then my mother’s were also loose … where’d you get them?”
“Dervland …,” the woman suddenly looked like she regretted saying that “... I mean … you know I can’t remember. Like I said, I’ve had them for ages. Maybe they were my mother’s too? Haha, Ah well, it was a long time ago and my memory’s not so good anymore,” she laughed.
“Dervland?” Angelica asked, but she had better questions in mind as she studied the woman’s face, “Who are you anyway? Do you know me? I feel like I recognize you. Did you know my mother?”
The woman smiled again, she seemed to always be smiling, “We do look alike, don’t we. Maybe we’re long lost relatives. But no, I don’t think I’ve ever met you or your mother,” she looked at her watch, “Speaking of which, you should be off home. Your mother would be worried.”
“My mother’s dead,” Angelica said without breaking eye contact. The woman looked right back at her consolingly. “Oh I’m so sorry. You poor thing, that must have been why it troubled you so much to have those sneakers burned.”
“You knew my mother was dead, didn’t you?” Angelica said still not breaking eye contact. she wasn’t buying the woman’s act anymore. She was hiding something and Angelica knew it, and now she was trying to get rid of her. “Nobody else has shoes like these … you’re not telling me something.”
The woman responded seriously, “I think you better go now,” she said, getting up to escort her out. She opened the door. “Now hurry home it will be dark soon,” she said as she ushered out the door.
“I’m 18 you know, I’m allowed to be out after dark,” Angelica said defiantly.
“Not under my roof you’re not, young lady.”
“Just because you look like my mom doesn’t mean you are my mom!”
“Well, you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here,” the woman said, pushing her out the door. Just before the door closed on her the woman said, “Be careful running in those.”
“Wait, what?” Angelica said, looking back inside. Just behind the woman, Angelica saw a portal open up inside the house. She saw a man fall through it and wince in pain as he slumped to the ground just as the door closed on Angelica’s face. “What the hell!?” Angelica exclaimed as she tried to open the door again. But it was locked, she listened at the door but heard nothing. She knocked but there was no answer, and the curtains were drawn on the windows.
“Did I really just see a portal open up?” Angelica asked herself, “And who was that guy? And what did she say about running? Nevermind. I better run home though, I don’t want to have to explain this to dad.”
Angelica looked happily at her sneakers as she slowly built up speed, “Just wait till Jasmin and her goons see me tomorrow wearing these sneakers. I can’t wait to see their faaaaaaa…” Her thoughts were interrupted by her speed suddenly increasing exponentially until she found herself racing down the road at thirty miles an hour. “Oh my god! What the hell is going on?!” She shouted as she seemed to zoom through the streets of the city in seconds.
She was going so fast she couldn’t avoid bumping into poor Kaylee, who was innocently walking down the sidewalk towards her driveway as Angelica accelerated. Poor Kaylee was once again knocked right out of her shoes. She passed Kaylee’s older brother Tod, who was, as always, working on his 1977 mustang. Angelica could see the big X on the hood that Tod spent most of his free time under. It was very rare that Angelica actually got to see his face. But today was one one of those days as he peaked out from behind the hood in amazement as she zoomed past. “What the hell was that?” Kaylee asked as she put her shoes back on.
“Whatever that was, I want its engine in my car,” Tod said, amazed.
When it became clear that she was going dangerously fast, Angelica made herself slow down. She knew she could have gone much faster if she wanted to, but any faster and her shoes would fly off her feet. “That was incredible!” She said to herself looking around the neighborhood, “Where am I anyway? Wow, I shot way past home!”
Angelica looked at her sneakers in disbelief. “These are incredible! I HAVE to tell Janet about them,” she thought to herself as she pulled out her cell phone to text her best friend. The text message read “You’ve GOT to see these new sneakers, Come meet me at the park near your house right away! Tell Yumi and Tanya too. Leave now because I can get there fast!”
“Alright Angelica,” Tanya responded, “but I don’t want to spend all night in the park. Let’s go downtown later and party.”
“Whatever, let’s just meet in the park first,” Angelica texted. She scratched at a strange itch on her lower back. “Damn, how did I get bitten back there?” She thought to herself. But she was too excited to care. She wanted to show off her new shoes, so she zipped straight to the park without even bothering to change out of her uniform.
Attis’s Journal April 7th 2005
This may be my final entry in this journal. Today I’m going to do it. There’s no turning back.
This could have been the best day of my life, but, of course, I screwed it up. Angelica needed my help studying for the Physics test, so I agreed to help her after school. If physics didn’t come so naturally to me, I probably wouldn’t have been able to help her at all … she’s just so beautiful, it was so hard to concentrate.
Anyway, like a desperate idiot, I caught up to her as she was walking home with her friends. I wanted to thank her for studying with me. I ran to her like a dolt. Everyone was laughing at me, I probably looked like such a dork. But Angelica was so sweet. She even kissed me. But I lost it. My stupid nose started bleeding and I started throwing up. I ran away in shame. Why am I cursed with these panic attacks? I guess I’m just not meant for love.
I couldn’t face Dad when I got to the shop. I just went straight to my workbench and buried myself in my work. The day was slow and there was only one shoe to repair, so I decided to continue work on my project. Dad must have known something was up though because he walked in just as I was installing the derivative crystals.
“What are you doing to those old sneakers, Attis?” he asked.
“You wouldn’t understand,” I said. The last thing I wanted to do was explain to him the workings of particle physics.
“Come on, son, you looked pretty upset when you came in, tell me what’s bugging you,” he persisted.
Strike that, even worse than explaining particle physics to my Dad would have been to tell him about my social life, so I decided to tell him, in my best lay-man’s terms, what I had been working on for the past year. “Well, you know how gas prices have been going up ridiculously and everyone’s looking for alternative sources of fuel, Dad?”
“Yeah, tell me about it. It’s costing me a fortune to get new supplies in. I don’t know how I’m going to stay in business …”
“Well,” not to be rude but he would have gone forever had I not interrupted him, “I’ve been working on an alternative energy source, one far more efficient than fossil fuel energy. Even more powerful than nuclear power. I think I’ve invented something.”
“Is that so? I always knew you were a smart kid,” He said smiling though clearly not really believing a word, “How’s it work?”
I sighed knowing this was coming, “Well, you know in Star Trek, how they powered their starships with those dilithium crystals?”
“Yeah, matter / antimatter …” my father frowned, “Don’t tell me you somehow managed to produce a matter / antimatter reaction in that little crystal?”
“Not exactly. You see I was able to work out an equation that relates quantum mechanics with relativity principles. The equation I discovered allows for a much safer alternative to a matter / antimatter reaction. You see there is a constant that can be used to calculate the derivative of …”
“Okay, okay, I get it, it’s complicated,” Dad said, still not believing a word, but clearly not wanting me to continue with my explanation. It’s a shame because if more people understood quantum mechanics they would really appreciate what an enormous breakthrough the discovery of this equation is. But it’s all for the best. The fewer people know about my experiments the better. I don’t want anyone else meddling in this project. He was about to leave before asking, “Why put them in those old sneakers?”
I couldn’t help but smile, “Oh, well, I have to test them on something.” The truth was that the sneakers reminded me of Angelica’s. Not nearly as cool as hers, but they had a certain look that reminded me of them. But I didn’t want to tell him about Angelica, he’d get all fatherly on me and try to give me the birds and bees talk. I really was not in the mood for that awkward conversation.
He shrugged, “Okay son … just … don’t blow anything up. If you’re going to test anything out, do it outside.” And with that he left me alone at last.
I checked the derivative crystals one last time before inserting them into the special housings I built into the sneakers. I sat for a moment staring at them and thought of Angelica. Such a pretty girl. She always wore those old Buffalo sneakers for as long as I knew her. They held up so well over the years too. I wonder who made them? Would I ever see her again? It was very likely this test would kill me. I wasn’t really the suicidal type. I was a man of science. But I really had nothing to live for in this world. Angelica didn’t really love me. Sure she thought I was cute. Cute like a puppy dog. She liked me as a friend, as long as I could help her with her homework. But I would never live up to her status. She was one of the popular girls, and I was one of the most awkward and wimpy nerds in the school. Everyone made fun of me. I was the lowest on the totem pole, and the events of today only reinforced that.
So I put the sneakers on and got ready to head outside to test these puppies out. If this is my last journal entry, then I guess my science experiment failed. If not, then … we’ll see …
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