Bittersweet Candy Bowl

18. Farewell, Middle School, original chapter posted 8/9/06

Page 6 of 6

Transcript

[Caption: And so, summer vacation passed by as quickly as the school year..]
*Pages for June and July fly off a metaphorical calendar.*

*Mike leans against a tree, reading 1984 by George Orwell.*

*He begins to fall asleep.*

Lucy: Hello?
*Mike jerks awake at the sound of Lucy’s voice.*
Mike: S-s..

*He blushes as a glaring Lucy sits down beside him.*
Mike: …

*Lucy looks away from Mike.*
Lucy: Nope. She’s back in her palace having her butler read the books to her.
*Mike sits up and scowls.*
Mike: HEY!!

Lucy: Geez, Mike, it’s a joke..
*Lucy starts to get up, looking annoyed.*
Lucy: When they took off the cast, did they remove your brain too?

*Daisy barges in and starts angrily flailing her arm at Lucy.*
Daisy: No way! Mikie is WAY smart!!
*Lucy flinches.*
Lucy: .. Did you FOLLOW me?!

*Paulo and David pop up behind Lucy with big smiles.*
Paulo: WE sure did!
*Lucy glares back at them.*
Lucy: What?!
*David waves at Lucy.*
David: ’Sup.

Lucy: Do you guys stalk us ALL THE TIME OR SOMETHING?!
*Paulo smirks.*
Paulo: Yes.

*Lucy tilts her head, giving David an irritated look.*
Lucy: And can you please stop staring at me like that?
*David smiles, his head swiveling downward.*
David: But this is my default face!

*Mike, still leaning against the tree, sighs.*
Mike: Never thought I’d be so happy to have these guys around.
*Daisy leans in from the side.*

*Daisy moves closer to Mike, reaching out to his book. Mike sweats, noticing her.*
Mike: Guh!
Daisy: Didya finish your readings yet, Mikie? Didya?

*Daisy smiles at Mike.*
Daisy: Well.. I read the book twice. Want to hear what I chose for the topic of my practice essay?
*Mike stares back.*
Mike: No thanks.
Daisy: Well, I can give you the abstract!
Mike: Okay.

*Daisy points one of her index fingers up as she launches into a lecture.*
[Daisy’s dialogue fades into the background, written in small type and covered up by the characters in the foreground.]
Daisy: I think the paradox at the heart of the novel is about true independence, don’t you think? In a society where there’s no way to even express yourself without adopting the language of the state, what becomes a person’s true intention? So even though a lot of people would say that Big Brother is a tool of repression, in some sense there is no popular intention to--
*Mike scoffs in response.*
Mike: Yeah
*Suddenly, a loud THUD sounds from offscreen.*

*Paulo lays on the ground, bruised and beaten, with a lovestruck look on his face.*
Paulo: ♥ She’s so cute.. ♥
*David reaches down to pick up his tooth.*
David: Oh, there you are!

*Lucy raises her arms up in the air, frothing with anger.*
Lucy: I THOUGHT THE POINT OF SUMMER VACATION WAS TO GET A BREAK FROM THESE IDIOTS
END

Author commentary

Veronica: You know those times when you draw an expression and you feel you were DEAD-ON? Yeah, that’s the final panel for me.

At least Mike’s leg is healed! And speaking of chapters ending, this chapter has ended as well!

Oliver: Time skip! Look at that healed leg.

Reader comments

Comment ID #12738

HE’S READING 1984???!!!???!!! THAT’S FRESHMAN LEVEL???!!!???!!!

Sigma May 2, 2010, 1:04 AM EDT.

Comment ID #124591

daisy is so desperate for mike’s attention lol

Echo November 13, 2010, 12:16 AM EST.

Comment ID #179129

Mike’s independent reading book for Honors English is the exact same as my independent reading book for Honors English

coincidental to the max!

(george orwell rules)

foxtrot August 27, 2011, 8:33 PM EDT.