bit of a story I started writing...what do ya think?

Floyd’s Big Adventure
T.A.Marty


The Spider Twins

"Henry Bugsworth Longfellow couldn't have written a better poem than mine," complained Floyd. He couldn’t figure out why his poem, "Bugs need Loving too" wasn't accepted into the school newspaper. He even knew it by heart.
" 'B' is for beautiful
'U' is for ultra-violet distinguishing gentle waves of ...
'G'rrrrrravy boat needs.
'Swinging in a necessary cellular memory
All it means is
Bugs need loving too."

His friend, Joany tried not to laugh to hard at what she bet was the five hundredth time he had tried writing a poem. She was really nice and very supportive of his adventures in writing. She always went to the poetry readings he went to, and she always asked questions she figured were important. Things like, "What did you mean when you said 'ultra-violet'?" But there was no getting around the fact that Floyd just couldn't write.
Joany and Floyd met when he was on a street corner reciting his poetry. What made her interested in him was that she thought he was just being funny. That he was making up dumb stuff and it was just a big gag. Eventually though she just thought he was sweet. He was determined there wasn’t anything that would stop him. He was out to write the best poem in the world; Floyd wanted to find the one that would make people dance, shout, declare peace, and maybe even cry.

Nera the crow was the oldest living thing around, next to the trees. She is so old that no one remembers when she was born. She has just always been around and everyone knows that she’s magical, because how else would she have stayed alive since forever. Even people who don’t beleave in such things beleave in her. It was Nera that put an end to that silly war between the Moles and the Beavers, and it was her again who helped little Shawn Taylor, the farmers boy, find his way back home when he got lost in Dandelion woods. Nera has always been the one to announce the coming of spring, and the arrival of Autumn. She is the bravest, and the strongest of all the critters. If she does ever die the whole world around Dorian creek will miss her. So everyone knows about her, but not everyone knows that she is terribly absent minded, and always looses her keys. As a matter of fact she even grants people wishes who help to find her keys. This is what Floyd had found in the library at his school.
It was a warm spring day and the two of them were studying for there last big test of the school year when Floyd came across the story about Nera. The stories all told about how absent minded she was and how she granted wishes to the people who find her key.
"Joany, check this out! There’s this story on that old crow named Nera. It says that she will give you whatever you wish for as long as you can find her key. This is just what I've been looking for! It says she lives somewhere across the river. Lets go down there and look after school huh?" Floyd pleaded and begged. “Today is the last day of school, summer vacation starts today after the last bell. Please....” He even promised to change his smelly socks if she'd go but to know avail.
Joany wanted nothing to do with that side of town. Ever since, that big man creature squashed her second cousin through marriage on her mother’s side, she was never the same. His name was Frederick Dragonfly and he had the biggest wings of any bug she knew. When the sun hit them right she could see rainbows shining through. He used to drive a bottle cap taxicab with his big wings. You’d sit inside the cap and he would pick you up from behind and away you'd go, and since he was so big if it rained you would be protected by his body. He brought Joany to see her grandmother’s new place on Christmas one year. Little Joany hadn’t realized that dragonflies could fly so fast considering her little Japanese Beetle wings were only good enough to float on a breeze. While Floyd was simply out of luck because Caterpillars can’t fly at all. She remembered like it was yesterday. It was so cold that she had to wear leggings.

“Hey Floyd I have a Christmas present for you.” She handed him a very squishy present wrapped in last Sunday’s comics.
“Joany! I thought that we weren’t going to give each other presents this year. We were going to try and be humble and not get anything. We were going to give things to the Toys for Tot’s organization.” Floyd didn’t know what to do because this meant that he was in the dog house, because he hadn’t got her anything.
“I know but I just couldn’t pass these up. I hope you’re not upset, because it’s really little. When I saw them I totally needed to get them for you they have your name written all over them.” She loved to build the anticipation. He couldn’t take it any longer, and tore the paper away in great rips and what lay beneath... Socks with pens and paper printed all over the outside.
“Hey these are so cool that I’m putting them on now!” He sat right down in the snow took his old ones off and put the new ones on.
“Well I have to go to my grandma’s house now so Merry Christmas.” She gave him a quick hug and then took off at a run for her mothers house letting him out of the trouble he was sure he was in. He walked home smiling in his new socks. When she got there Fredrick Dragonfly was already waiting for her. She was very excited because it was going to be her first time getting a ride in his taxi cab all by herself.
“You’re late little girl,” she really didn’t need her mother to tell her what she already knew.
“ Yes I had to give Floyd his present; I got him socks. I’m so excited Fredrick, and I am totally ready.”
“All right I have big comforter for you to cuddle up in while I’m flying.” He was so big that he had to duck low so that he wouldn’t hit his head on the ceiling and his wings were pulled in very tight to his body. Fredrick had huge gentle black eyes, and he always wore a smile on his face. He had wings that were almost see through except in the sun when they would cast rainbows across the streets that he was flying through. Now he was tucking her into the great big green comforter and getting ready to fly.
“Hold on tight Joany, here we go.” Up and up into the sky they flew, higher than Joany had ever been before. The blanket was warm and Joany was glowing from the inside out. She had never been to frightened of anything and now they were going so fast that the lights became little streamers. They looked like lines of white in a field of darkening night. They were going west to the other side of town and she could just make out the last of the sunset in the distance with its purple turning slowly to black, and the first of the stars showing behind her. She couldn’t imagine herself being any happier then she was right now. Perhaps she is glowing like the other stars in the same sky. The cool wind was blowing turning her cheeks nice and rosy just like Santa Clause. This is what freedom felt like to her. She didn’t have any school work to do, she was on her way to her grandma’s for Christmas, and she was flying. Not just flying but going faster and higher then she had ever gone before. Joany was so happy.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I am not now nor will I ever be going to that side of town again. You know what happened to my poor cousin Frederick. Because of what that big man creature did he will never see his baby dragonflies graduate college or see his grand babies." Joany was being as firm as she could without hurting his feelings. She didn’t want to go over the river to that side of town. She didn’t feel strong enough, but the truth of the matter was that her Grandma lived over there, not to mention Frederick’s widow and children.
"Look," he pleaded, "I know what happened to him was terrible but you can't stay on this side forever, especially when all your relatives live over there. Why don't we have a nice slow walk over the bridge and go to your Grandma’s? It will be nice to see the river where we where born. We can skip rocks, go swimming, and even have a camp out. It'll be fun! We will get the whole gang to come!"

"Yes,” said Joany pondering, “That would be fun. Sedrick and Tony, the Irish Potato bug brothers will come, and Spaz the Lightening Bug loves to be out at night playing games.” Joany was starting to change her mind. Maybe things would be okay after all they had studied hard the last few weeks and having a little camp out would be wonderful. Floyd loved to see her exited about something. She would get a twinkle in her eyes and then away she'd go with the idea.

“There’s the bell. I have class, but I'll tell the Potato clan if you tell the Lightening family. We'll meet by the clock tower after school, and all walk together." He got up and was off to class as fast as he could go.

"So where are the brothers?" Joany asked? She was frustrated because she didn't think she did very well on one of her tests. Now that summer vacation was here she wouldn't be able to and find out anytime soon.
The clock tower had always been the place were everyone would meet. It had as many memories as blades of grass blowing around. Picnics and school dances were held their. Every year a midsummer dance was held at that very spot. It was the best part of summer vacation. Parents and teachers would come with the smaller kids in tow. It was a time for everyone to connect and just have fun, with no expectations. It had been going on for so many years that nobody could count that high. Many of the folks with children now had met their first sweetheart there. It looked like a small version of ‘Big Ben’ yet it still stood way above there heads. It was standing watchful on a concrete slab in the center of a three foot circle. When you came up from the bridge you saw it standing; telling time for everyone. And was the perfect place to skateboard, or start an adventure.
"They had to ask their Mom,” Floyd replied, “ but Sedrick says he'll probably have to meet us at his house because he has some chores to do first. And Tony's grounded on account of getting an 'F' in math." Floyd explained as he came up next to her.

"Spaz said she'd meet up with us at the bridge, so we should get going." Joany said. Spaz the Lightening bug was just as her name promised she would be. She had ADHD, and even though she was on medicine to slow her down she was still the class clown. She was always jumping around in her seat and lighting her tail for all the kids to see, and laugh. She's from a split family, and she didn't get to see her Dad much, so it was just her and her Mom. Her Mom worked a lot but was really nice and everyone loved her. Spaz had nice foldable wings and cute brown hair, which always bounced around in a ponytail on top of her head.
"Cool, I'm glad that Spaz can go, she makes everything so fun. Oh do you the time when she was in the school play, and her tail wouldn't stop blinking on and off?! Ha ha ha!"
"Floyd, don't you dare bring that up to her, she was so embarrassed! She was just learning how to use it. If you say anything about that to her I won’t ever speak to you again," Joany was almost yelling at him she was so serious.
"Okay, Okay I won't say anything. I wasn't going to anyway. Geez!” He wasn't laughing anymore, just looking down at all eight of his feet. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
"Sorry, but I get kind of protective of her. Hey, there she is. Spaz! Over here!"

Spaz was looking down from the middle of the bridge and throwing rocks into the water. She was the same size as the others and was wearing glasses.
"I didn't know you wore glasses Spaz," said Floyd.
"Yes, I just got them yesterday. I was just about to throw them in the river when you saw me. Do you want to throw rocks at them instead?" She was excited and bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"No way! Don't do that. I did that to mine when I first got them and man, did I get in trouble. I was grounded for like a month," he said. They walked over the bridge and continued down the bike path on the other side. It was a beautiful summer afternoon, and the river was just meandering lazily along while they walked along in silence lost in their own little after-school world. The leaves swam through sunlight as it fell like water from the sky. They stopped at each of their homes to grab camping gear and food. All of their parents thought it was a great idea, and this was probably because it would leave them time to themselves. When they finally got to Sedrick’s house, they could see little kids everywhere. Nobody knew which ones were his sisters and brothers. His mother ran a daycare, so there were always little kids around.
"Ma!” Hollered one little girl as she ran up to them. She had the brightest red hair and biggest freckles all over a dirty face. "Sedrick’s friends are here!" She continued to run toward them jumping up and down asking, "Can I come too? Can I come too? Please!" The little group of friends didn't know what to say. Then Spaz the spontaneous Lightening Bug scooped her in her arms and flew around the top of the house a couple of times. The little girl giggled and giggled, and when Spaz finally put her down she just begged to do it all over again.
"I see you've made a friend ,”said Sedrick as he hurried out of the house drying his hands. "I was just finishing up the dishes. Let me get my camping gear.”
"Please Sed, let me come along? Please? I won’t be a bother.” She was holding his hand and tugging on his pants.
"No you can't come along. This is big kid stuff. Ma! Tell her she can't come." His mother came over to him, grabbed the little girl in her big arms and held her tight even though she was squirming.
"No, you can't go with them. I have some important stuff for you to do here. I'm making a cake and I need a taster. Do you think you could help me with that?" His mother always knew the right thing to say to distract someone’s attention.
"I'll bring you back a magic rock," Sedrick promised and then he ran inside to get his stuff.
"What’s your name?" asked Spaz as she walked with the pretty red-haired girl.
"I'm Elizabeth. Will you make sure my brother brings me back a rock? Make it a really cool one with stripes and stuff."
"Sure, I'll whip the tar out of him if he doesn't," Spaz laughed.
"Sed, do you have enough food to last you till tomorrow afternoon?" his mother asked affectionately.
"Yeah, but we’ll be gone until supper tomorrow. I hope that's OK,” he knew he was pushing his luck but everything turned out OK and she let him stay until then.
"Okay but if you miss supper, you will be joining your brother in his grounding."
Soon Sedrick and the whole gang were on their way again, and everyone was eating homemade bread and jelly sandwiches his mother had made for them. The day began to unwind, as they stepped off the bike bath onto a well-worn footpath. It ran alongside the river and had for so many years that thousands of little feet had worn a groove into the earth. From their parents to their grandparents had wandered alongside this river. Trees grew thick here they were giants that felt like old friends shading them from the sun. These same giants had been protecting the footpaths passengers for hundreds of years.
***The sun was turning day to dusk and everyone began thinking about building a campfire, and setting up for the night. They had walked quite a few miles when they came upon a nice clearing in the woods. It was just fifty yards from the bank of the river and it was just big enough to set up tents and build a campfire. Everyone had been in the 'Bug Scouts' and knew fire safety and containment. In fact, they had just received their ‘Camping Badge'. As everyone set up their tents the birds n the trees sang them a lullaby. By the time they finished, the sun had set and they had build a nice fire. Spaz had gone to visit some cousins she hardly ever saw who lived nearby. The others were just relaxing and the fire was blazing.
"So how do you think you did on the herbology test, Sed?" Floyd asked from across the fire. All he could see of Sed was the yellow glow of firelight. The waves of heat barely reached Floyd, but everything around Sedrick was a blur.
"Pretty good, I didn't have a lot of time to study because my sister was being a brat, but overall I think I did Okay."
Joany chimed in now, "I think I did terrible, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I just know I could've done so much better, if I had only studied more." She always said those kinds of things even though she was getting the best marks in the class.
"Yeah, right. You’re doing better than everyone else, and tutor half the class, you could possibly have done that bad. You’re such a silly bug." Floyd teased her as he tickled her ribs. They eventually became quiet, and started to drift in and out of sleep. Then suddenly they became keenly aware of everything around them. There was painful silence in the woods- and even the cricket’s stopped singing. The three of them stood up and to look around.
“SNAP!”, a stick broke. Somebody was watching them.
"Spaz is that you?" Joany asked in a cracking voice. No one answered, the quiet increased in volume and in intensity. The only thing sound they could hear besides their heartbeats was the crackling of the fire. Sedrick reached down and grabbed the biggest log he could hold. Floyd did the same. They took different positions at the fire’s edge, and looked into the night; somebody was coming.
Suddenly there was a light in the distance and the sound of wrestling and yelling. It was Spaz blinking her butt on and off and shouting. Sedrick ran into the woods toward the sounds of the struggle.
Suddenly, Floyd heard something rush through the woods. It was getting closer, and roaring like a human. Floyd was so scared he closed his eyes. He started to swing his club preparing himself for anything that would come. In an instant there was a tremendous sound and a struggle. The club was wrenched from his grasp and he found himself wrapped in something sticky and hanging from a tree. There was only laughter below him, but from where he was hanging he could see where Sedrick had gone to help Spaz. And from what he could see they where wrestling with...
"Fernando Spider!!! What were you thinking?" Floyd yelled out from his sticky height. Just as he yelled, Sed and Spaz got the better of their eight-legged friend and tackled him. It was at that moment Floyd saw another spider dangling in front of him laughing her fool head off.
"Rosa Spider! You let him down right now," Joany commanded. She could sound very parental when she wanted to.
"Okay, if you insist." She cut the tie that was holding him and down he fell with a clump! Into the thick soft grass.
When everyone came back to regroup, the spider twins were still giggling.
"We just wanted to come along, but since you didn't invite us we had hurt feelings, so we decided to play a joke on you," Rosa said. The two of them were still smiling, and giggling.
"We’re sorry we didn't invite you. We should have asked," Spaz and Sedrick said together.
"I thought about it, but figured you had stuff to do," said Joany.
"Well now that you're here, lets have some 'S'mores," said Floyd. They all talked into the night and fell asleep one by one next to the campfire in their sleeping bags.