I’ve stumbled but I’ve made significant progress on Sunnyville #15. Anyway, here’s how our story begins.
SUNNYVILLE STORIES
EPISODE #15 – “MAY BE A PRICE TO PAY”
By Max West
Copyright 2015 Different Mousetrap Press LLC
All Rights Reserved
Rusty Duncan sat with Jason Macgregor in the living room of the Macgregor household. Samantha Macgregor, Jason’s older sister, was checking through the closet.
Nearby, the older sister of both Jason and Sam, Margaret, sat around reading a teen magazine. Margaret looked up from her magazine to listen in on the conversation.
“Try again, Rusty,” asked Jason, “Read my mind.”
“Read your mind?” repeated Margaret.
“Yes,” Rusty said, “When I was sick last week, it gave me the side effect of gaining psychic power.”
“Right,” Sam replied sarcastically, “Just like how you met Cerebus the Aardvark and Little Nemo too?”
“Anyway,” Rusty continued, “I will read your thoughts, Jason.”
The two concentrated. Sam and Margaret watched them.
“You’re thinking of the Imperial German Army of World War I,” Rusty guessed.
“No, I was thinking of an elephant,” Jason answered.
“But didn’t some of the soldiers carry elephant guns? Trust me on this, Jason.”
Sam and Margaret were giggling in amusement.
Believe me, I had fun writing that above scene.
Rusty then noticed the clock.
“Oh, it’s time,” he said.
“He never misses that game show,” Sam commented as Rusty turned on the television set.
“Riddles of the Sphinx,” Rusty said as the show started, “I love this show.”
As Rusty, Sam, Jason and Margaret watched the show, their moms were in another part of the house. Nancy was pulling a load of dry wash from Crystal’s dryer.
“Thanks, Crystal, for letting me use your washer and dryer,” Nancy said.
“No need to thank me, Nancy,” Crystal replied.
“I feel guilty,” Nancy continued as she started to fold up her laundry, “We can’t afford new ones. Al and I spent so much money fixing up our house.”
Eagle-eyed readers may recall what Nancy said is true. Rusty’s house was run down when they first arrived in Sunnyville.
“Yes, it was in such bad condition,” Crystal said as she looked on her basement shelves, “Nobody had lived there for five years. Rusty kept saying it looked like the Addams Family lived in your house.”
Nancy grimaced.
“It’ll be at least four months before we put away enough for a new washer & dryer set,” Nancy continued, “Plus as much as I like Sophia, we can’t keep paying for the laundry services she charges.”
The two of them started back upstairs with Nancy carrying a basket of folded laundry in her clawed hands.
“Mom! Mom!” Rusty called out, rushing to his mother with exuberance.
“What is it, Rusty?”
“My favorite game show, Riddles of the Sphinx,” he started,
“They’re looking for contestants! They’re having tryouts both today and tomorrow at Channel 77 over in Solton! And I’m going!”
Nancy looked skeptical.
“Well, okay,” she answered, “You can go, Rusty. Sam, Margaret, go with Rusty to keep an eye on him.”
“Come on!” Rusty waved to Sam and her sister, “The next train to Solton leaves in 32 minutes!”
“Rusty, don’t get your hopes up,” Nancy told her son, “You probably won’t be a contestant on the show.”
Stay tuned, friends. Much more is in store for Rusty and friends!
