Written October 2013
Best Friend:
With a pouty face she turns to me and holds out her unopened screw-off water bottle. I let out a laugh seeing her face and in one easy movement I take the bottle and open it for her, “Thanks,” she mutters quickly glancing around for that one guy who can’t pick on her enough for her not being able to open the plastic thing.
“Can’t you open it on your own yet?” I tease as I turn to open my band locker.
“It’s harder than it looks!” she lets out defensively.
“Uh huh.” I raised my eye-brow at her, knowing she hated it when I did that.
“Oh, come on! We gotta go.” She snapped before snatching the flute from her own locker and heading for the door.
I chuckled as I grabbed my flute out of my locker and hurried after her.
*****
First Rival:
The battle was intense, fiery, and flooding. I had just lost my great avian to his overpowered fire blast, my bubble jet and seed dinosaur were down and out, but they had taken down two of his monsters as well. I was down to my final two. Throwing out my powerful shellfish I was able to knock out his flying flame, but his next monster took out my precious shellfish. I was down to my last one. My fists were clenched in anger; I hated to lose, especially to him. When I looked up at him I could see the victorious smirk spread across his face, this had to be our thousandth battle, but this would be the first time I would win. Looking back down at my gaming device I threw out my last monster; it was a genetic monster that was given to me by our oldest brother. He knew how much I lost so he lent me his most powerful monster in order to take victory for myself.
“Where did you get that?!” he exclaimed seeing my secret weapon.
My turn to smirk, “From a friend.” An ally more like it.
His face turned to a hard frown, “That’s cheating.”
“No it’s not!” I snapped, “He’s just like all the rest!”
“He’s a legendary; you’re supposed to be using your own!”
“Maybe he is my own!” Yeah that was a lie, I had to give this one back after the battle.
His brow furrowed further, “Yeah right.”
“Can we just finish this?!”
This was it, my final, borrowed monster against his remaining monsters, only victory was on the line.
*****
Four-legged Friend:
My hands gripped the cross made out of twigs and grass tightly as they laid her in the ground. I remember when we got her, how adorable she as a tiny puppy in that pound. Tears raced my cheeks as my brother stood look out for those trucks who’d shoo us away. We came to this old dirt road before with a ball; let her off the leash and throw it as far as we could, she’d race back with bright eyes and tail wagging. My mom started saying a few words. I couldn’t believe she wasn’t crying. Back home I remember playing hide and seek with her. I’d throw the ball, then hide, and make her find me. If she didn’t I’d steal the ball she dropped and throw it again. I gasped for air for my weeping lungs silently as I watched them push the dirt atop her; she was wrapped in the blanket my mom loved to give her comfort in death. I thought I cried enough so far that day, in the car as my mother and my brother went in with her to put her down. How I wept and sobbed and here I stand fighting the tears in front of my family as she’s covered in dirt. When it’s done they step back and I step forward with the cross, placing it at the head of the grave.
“Farewell Mysty.” I cried as the cross was sunk into the ground, “I know He’ll keep his promise to take care of you, I’ll see you again soon.”
nikki diekemper 