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.
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 school uniforms. They 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 heart breaking 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. She had hoped that by staying after school she would avoid walking home with them, but it seemed they were now following them on this new routine as well. Ever since freshmen year they had been a shadow they couldn’t shake. Often jokingly referred to as “The ‘in’ Girls” because of how their names ended, Jasmine and her lackeys Joslin, Catherine and Carolyn 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 Jasmine. As Carolyn walked she pushed passed 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.
But 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 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 passed 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 Jasmine’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,” Jasmine pointed and laughed as Attis ran passed 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 had no choice but to overlook. They were just waiting for a good reason to finally confront her and put her in her place. And now, she finally crossed the line. Angelica and her friends turned to Jasmine and her crew angrily.
Janet, the most confident of the group, was the first to speak, “You shouldn’t talk, Jasmine, you make everyone in the school sick!”
Jasmine 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 Jasmine’s gaze. Still, she seemed to summon up some courage when backed up by her crew and fired back. “I never made a boy vomit in the street. 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 bowed her head hurtfully 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. That didn’t stop Jasmine and her crew from ridiculing her.
Angelica had had enough of Jasmine’s bullying, it was time to tell her off once and for all. She got right in her face and said “You think you’re so much better than everyone else because your parents are rich and they spoil you with your slut rags! 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!”
Jasmine’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 Jasmine had been over the years she wondered if it was worth sinking to her level to put her in her place. Jasmine 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. Carolyn was known to be quite a tough fighter.
Fortunately, Janet had her back, “Haha, good one, Angelica,” she said as she put her arm around Angelica and escorted her out of harms way. 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 since she sees you guys as the ones 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.”
“Hahahahaaa,” Yumi laughed, “how pathetic.”
“How depressing,” Tanya said gloomily.
“listen, let me walk you home, Angelica, I don’t like the way they were looking at you,” Janet said when it came time for the four of them to part ways.
“I’m not afraid of them, they’re all talk,” Angelica said bravely.
After parting ways with her friends, Angelica made her way back alone through one of lesser known backstreets of Tawashi. The afternoon was getting late and the shadows were starting to get quite long. Angelica wished she had taken Janet up on her offer to walk her home. She hated this section of the city when darkness started to creep in. 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 was 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. Jasmine and Carolyn emerge 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 Catherine. 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!” Jasmine said as she approached. A surge of adrenaline came over Angelica, she bit Joslin’s hand and kicked at Jasmine. Jasmine was not expecting this and it knocked her right out of her shoes and onto her ass. Angelica smiled when she saw Jasmine’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 Carolyn grabbed her foot before she could bring it back down.
“Hold her!” Jasmine 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 flats in such an undignified manner.
“Gym class today? These are quite some kicks you’re wearing,” Carolyn said as she held Angelica’s heavy buffalo sneaker threateningly.
“Yeah it knocked Jasmine right out of her shoes!” Catherine laughed, the other girls couldn’t help but snicker at the comment. But Jasmine 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 Carolyn and Jasmine while Joslin and Catherine held her arms. “Only a bum like you would wear these ugly old shoes to school,” Jasmine said as she tugged threateningly on her sneaker. Angelica curled her toes defensively try to hold onto to 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,” Carolyn 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,” Jasmine 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 to 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,” Jasmine 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. Carolyn 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 Catherine 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 she’s going to get us in trouble,” Joslin said cautiously after a good ten minutes of tickling.
Jasmine 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?” Jasmine said annoyed, as she hopped around trying to clean the dirt off her stocking feet.
“Over here,” Catherine said handing the red flat to Jasmine. Jasmine gratefully returned the shoes to her feet.
“What’ll we do with these ugly old sneakers?” Carolyn asked after handing the sneakers to Jasmine.
“Let’s burn them!” Joslin said as she lit a fire in another nearby trashcan.
“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,” Jasmine said looking at the sneakers in disgust.
“Her tastes were as bad as yours, eh?” Carolyn 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 Jasmine 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 say. The woman was even wearing the blue buffalo sneakers her mother always wore … the ones Angelica had inherited … the ones Jasmine 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, but 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 welling in 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 I brewed up. 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 said 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 few years at least. 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 kindly 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 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 never believed 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 adjust the laces … they didn’t reach to tie them on, just like her old pair.
“They’re a little loose, but then my mother’s were also loose … where’d you get them?”
“Like I said, I’ve had them for ages. I think I got them in Dervland … No, I definitely had them before that, well they weren’t quite the same shoes before I went to Dervland … where did I get them anyway? Maybe they were my mother’s too? Haha, Ah I don’t remember 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,” she looked at her watch, “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 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, “Click your heels together before you run.”
“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 mean by click my heels together? What is she, the Good Witch of the South? This is stupid … Ah what the hell, I’ll give it a try … 1 … 2 … 3 …” she said as she clicked the heels of sneakers together three times to see if anything would happen. “Nothing … what was I expecting anyway. It’s probably some old timer expression. 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 Jasmine and her goons see me tomorrow wearing these sneakers. I can’t wait to see the look on 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 the opposite direction down the sidewalk as Angelica accelerated. Poor Kaylee was once again knocked right out of her shoes.
When it became clear that she was going dangerously fast, Angelica made herself slow down, though 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 passed home!”
Angelica looked at her sneakers in disbelief. “These are no joke, 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, I’m coming over right now!”
She spent the rest of the afternoon with Janet playing with her new sneakers. In a nearby field, they spent the whole evening swapping shoes so they could see who could run the fastest. They even tried doing it each with one sneaker and tried racing each other, but found it just didn’t work as well. Angelica proved to be the fastest, both in a single shoe race, and in a timed race in which they took turns each wearing the sneakers. In any case Janet wanted a pair of those sneakers.
“Do you think I can visit that crazy witch’s house and get a pair for myself?” Janet asked.
“Who knows! I tried knocking on the door after she kicked me out but she didn’t answer. She reminded me of my mom though. Still, in hindsight drinking that potion was probably a bad idea,” Angelica said, “Who knows what stuff will turn me into!”
Both girls laughed.
On her way back home, she adjusted her skirt, there was a small bump just below the small of her back, though she paid little heed to it…
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 an idiot, I ran to her as they were walking home to thank her for studying with me. 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 buffalo 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 explain particle physics to my Dad would have been to explain what happened on the way back from school, 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. 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 space ships 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. In String Theory 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 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. Proof of “The Theory of Everything” is nothing to sneeze at. But it’s all for the best. The fewer people know about my experiments the better. I don’t want anyone else meddling in my experiments. He was about to leave before asking, “Why put them in those old buffalo sneakers?”
I couldn’t help but smile, “Oh, well, I have to test them on something.”
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. They did remind me of Angelica. My 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 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 …
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 school uniforms. They 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 heart breaking 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. She had hoped that by staying after school she would avoid walking home with them, but it seemed they were now following them on this new routine as well. Ever since freshmen year they had been a shadow they couldn’t shake. Often jokingly referred to as “The ‘in’ Girls” because of how their names ended, Jasmine and her lackeys Joslin, Catherine and Carolyn 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 Jasmine. As Carolyn walked she pushed passed 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.
But 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 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 passed 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 Jasmine’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,” Jasmine pointed and laughed as Attis ran passed 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 had no choice but to overlook. They were just waiting for a good reason to finally confront her and put her in her place. And now, she finally crossed the line. Angelica and her friends turned to Jasmine and her crew angrily.
Janet, the most confident of the group, was the first to speak, “You shouldn’t talk, Jasmine, you make everyone in the school sick!”
Jasmine 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 Jasmine’s gaze. Still, she seemed to summon up some courage when backed up by her crew and fired back. “I never made a boy vomit in the street. 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 bowed her head hurtfully 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. That didn’t stop Jasmine and her crew from ridiculing her.
Angelica had had enough of Jasmine’s bullying, it was time to tell her off once and for all. She got right in her face and said “You think you’re so much better than everyone else because your parents are rich and they spoil you with your slut rags! 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!”
Jasmine’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 Jasmine had been over the years she wondered if it was worth sinking to her level to put her in her place. Jasmine 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. Carolyn was known to be quite a tough fighter.
Fortunately, Janet had her back, “Haha, good one, Angelica,” she said as she put her arm around Angelica and escorted her out of harms way. 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 since she sees you guys as the ones 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.”
“Hahahahaaa,” Yumi laughed, “how pathetic.”
“How depressing,” Tanya said gloomily.
“listen, let me walk you home, Angelica, I don’t like the way they were looking at you,” Janet said when it came time for the four of them to part ways.
“I’m not afraid of them, they’re all talk,” Angelica said bravely.
After parting ways with her friends, Angelica made her way back alone through one of lesser known backstreets of Tawashi. The afternoon was getting late and the shadows were starting to get quite long. Angelica wished she had taken Janet up on her offer to walk her home. She hated this section of the city when darkness started to creep in. 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 was 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. Jasmine and Carolyn emerge 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 Catherine. 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!” Jasmine said as she approached. A surge of adrenaline came over Angelica, she bit Joslin’s hand and kicked at Jasmine. Jasmine was not expecting this and it knocked her right out of her shoes and onto her ass. Angelica smiled when she saw Jasmine’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 Carolyn grabbed her foot before she could bring it back down.
“Hold her!” Jasmine 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 flats in such an undignified manner.
“Gym class today? These are quite some kicks you’re wearing,” Carolyn said as she held Angelica’s heavy buffalo sneaker threateningly.
“Yeah it knocked Jasmine right out of her shoes!” Catherine laughed, the other girls couldn’t help but snicker at the comment. But Jasmine 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 Carolyn and Jasmine while Joslin and Catherine held her arms. “Only a bum like you would wear these ugly old shoes to school,” Jasmine said as she tugged threateningly on her sneaker. Angelica curled her toes defensively try to hold onto to 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,” Carolyn 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,” Jasmine 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 to 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,” Jasmine 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. Carolyn 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 Catherine 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 she’s going to get us in trouble,” Joslin said cautiously after a good ten minutes of tickling.
Jasmine 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?” Jasmine said annoyed, as she hopped around trying to clean the dirt off her stocking feet.
“Over here,” Catherine said handing the red flat to Jasmine. Jasmine gratefully returned the shoes to her feet.
“What’ll we do with these ugly old sneakers?” Carolyn asked after handing the sneakers to Jasmine.
“Let’s burn them!” Joslin said as she lit a fire in another nearby trashcan.
“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,” Jasmine said looking at the sneakers in disgust.
“Her tastes were as bad as yours, eh?” Carolyn 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 Jasmine 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 say. The woman was even wearing the blue buffalo sneakers her mother always wore … the ones Angelica had inherited … the ones Jasmine 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, but 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 welling in 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 I brewed up. 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 said 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 few years at least. 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 kindly 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 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 never believed 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 adjust the laces … they didn’t reach to tie them on, just like her old pair.
“They’re a little loose, but then my mother’s were also loose … where’d you get them?”
“Like I said, I’ve had them for ages. I think I got them in Dervland … No, I definitely had them before that, well they weren’t quite the same shoes before I went to Dervland … where did I get them anyway? Maybe they were my mother’s too? Haha, Ah I don’t remember 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,” she looked at her watch, “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 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, “Click your heels together before you run.”
“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 mean by click my heels together? What is she, the Good Witch of the South? This is stupid … Ah what the hell, I’ll give it a try … 1 … 2 … 3 …” she said as she clicked the heels of sneakers together three times to see if anything would happen. “Nothing … what was I expecting anyway. It’s probably some old timer expression. 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 Jasmine and her goons see me tomorrow wearing these sneakers. I can’t wait to see the look on 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 the opposite direction down the sidewalk as Angelica accelerated. Poor Kaylee was once again knocked right out of her shoes.
When it became clear that she was going dangerously fast, Angelica made herself slow down, though 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 passed home!”
Angelica looked at her sneakers in disbelief. “These are no joke, 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, I’m coming over right now!”
She spent the rest of the afternoon with Janet playing with her new sneakers. In a nearby field, they spent the whole evening swapping shoes so they could see who could run the fastest. They even tried doing it each with one sneaker and tried racing each other, but found it just didn’t work as well. Angelica proved to be the fastest, both in a single shoe race, and in a timed race in which they took turns each wearing the sneakers. In any case Janet wanted a pair of those sneakers.
“Do you think I can visit that crazy witch’s house and get a pair for myself?” Janet asked.
“Who knows! I tried knocking on the door after she kicked me out but she didn’t answer. She reminded me of my mom though. Still, in hindsight drinking that potion was probably a bad idea,” Angelica said, “Who knows what stuff will turn me into!”
Both girls laughed.
On her way back home, she adjusted her skirt, there was a small bump just below the small of her back, though she paid little heed to it…
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 an idiot, I ran to her as they were walking home to thank her for studying with me. 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 buffalo 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 explain particle physics to my Dad would have been to explain what happened on the way back from school, 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. 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 space ships 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. In String Theory 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 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. Proof of “The Theory of Everything” is nothing to sneeze at. But it’s all for the best. The fewer people know about my experiments the better. I don’t want anyone else meddling in my experiments. He was about to leave before asking, “Why put them in those old buffalo sneakers?”
I couldn’t help but smile, “Oh, well, I have to test them on something.”
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. They did remind me of Angelica. My 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 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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