Ch 30. High School Ritual: Epilogue (SepSceneWriMo)

~ Hetty Eliot

Four high school students encounter an evil spirit. Thoroughly cliched and hopelessly derivative.

Once we got home, Natalie told me everything I missed. The rest of it I pieced together myself. Sadly, I couldn’t tell her about my own adventures, because I don’t have the ability to do so in this dimension.

I must say, Natalie stopped talking about Chad (he resumed calling himself “Chad” once again) the way she used to. Thank goodness. He failed his first test and his football scholarship was reinstated, ensuring he would graduate and not have to go to night school.

From Natalie’s stories, I can’t tell how much Vanessa learned, although I will say that I don’t believe Vanessa quite understood what she was getting herself into. All of this misery simply because she was scorned. When she kidnapped me, she did a lot of murmuring and muttering to herself about Chad. Perhaps she felt a bit used. I don’t know. I don’t think they’re seeing each other anymore.

I am glad—very glad—that I did not spend much time with Chad. In my interdimensional travels—which is how I escaped from Vanessa—I was able to spy on him. Thankfully he couldn’t see me or he may have carried out his threat to put me in a laboratory.

Mikhail and his family moved shortly after these events when the army transferred his father to another state. I don’t wish to divulge any “moment” they might have had, out of respect to Natalie as her confidant. I wish I was able to tell Natalie how he felt about her. But I can only just sit and listen, and perhaps try and gesture a bit, but I don’t know if she understands me. She just looks at me with those tearful eyes. I think she is growing out the odd-colored hair, although I’m colorblind, so I am not certain.

What exactly was in that inner sanctum? I think it’s for the better we never found out. All I know is that whatever “it” was, it wanted them to destroy each other. And whatever Mikhail did broke the spell. There have been no more evil occurrences. Everything is quiet at the school, aside from the usual teenage nonsense.

Faithfully yours,

Mr. Squeaks

Thank you to everyone who stuck with me this month and for your daily encouragement. Thank you Anonymole for the time you kindly spent with editing suggestions.

52 thoughts on “Ch 30. High School Ritual: Epilogue (SepSceneWriMo)”

  1. Weel done Hetty and thanks for taking us on this interdimensional journey and I reckon you learnt something through this. You learnt humans are suckers for animals in distress. Rock on Mr Squeaks

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        1. Thanks. I don’t really have the energy for it, truthfully. November in retail is one of the two months from hell and it’s usually all I can do not to suffer total mental collapse. But I intend to keep up my habits. Do you do it?

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  3. OK. You sewed it up, denouement’d the thing. But, I paid my ten bucks and I think I only got $9 worth of story there at the end.

    However, that’s a shit ton of fiction words put to disc and I for one congratulate you. I’d say we bear witness to your imagination, which is working quite well. Meaning that the future is a fantastic phantasm of possibilities, now.

    You realize you channeled Douglas Adams there, right? The mice who rule the Universe… Just don’t bring back the Vorgons. Or, if you do, be kind, each one, at one time or another, cherished their mother’s love.

    Carry on, Mac Duff.

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    1. Well well well. And here I was nice enough to mention you by name. Sheesh. I had an anxiety attack and could go no further. That’s why I posted 4pm EST and not 8 or 9. I had nothing left to give. Luckily I have a complete document which I’d like to work on 😉

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    2. As an editor you need to spot this sort of thing “Meaning that the future is a fantastic phantasm of possibilities, now.” Because sometimes bad is awful. I’d bag on the run-on, but I am the poster boy for fused independent clauses. (Catch that? Grammar humor!)

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        1. Damn. Like creative under pressure is a bad thing and the opportunities to learn something about ourselves and craft are a PITA… I don’t get it. But then I did it for 45 years. I’m a space case wanderer and ain’t shit but a runny watercolor without a deadline.

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          1. I’d write every night if I could. The fact that my wife despises my hobby, and resents the time I spend on it and has never, and refuses to ever, read anything I have ever written or will ever write kinda puts a damper on the topic. Not the supportive type it seems. But, that’s OK. It’s one of the reasons I fall asleep wishing for the End of The World.

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            1. Wtf Mole that’s legit devastating if you’re telling the truth. Why would she despise your writing hobby? It’s like… all you’re doing is sitting. I never read anything objectionable.

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                1. My daughter was the class of 2000. She read, turned me on to that crazy Scotsman and some other stuff. Much earlier we both got sick of Potter at the same time. Book 2. I know she read because I paid for law school. She passed the first time. I think she still reads. She read all that dragon tattoo stuff, there’s books scattered in among all the kids and dog junk. Who knows…

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            2. The fact that my wife despises my hobby, and resents the time I spend on it and has never, and refuses to ever, read anything I have ever written or will ever write … I know her. I think there’s pool of hem out there. Even in the music days, when I made stupid good money having fun what I did was irrelevant, as long as everyone’s tuitions were paid and the lights were on.

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  4. Out of time is an asskicker. In the case of your “editor”, physician heal thyself. After about day three it kicked in, which means rust is only skin deep. Once upon a time you learned and unlike many you see a habit and shake it off like a nun in the desert. I was going to stay shut for September, but now I see expanding the “learning experience” is like painting a Teflon a pan in many cases. If you get it, you get it. If 30 days later looks like yesterday… nice work. Screw the story, I mean getting there. Finishing better than you started is winning.

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      1. You wrote your way out of being stiff into knocking it down daily. I call that success. You just need something to do, goals to hit that keep you out of the mental swill not doing something productive with your brain will drop you into.

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  5. Well done Hetty you did it.

    You have ambitions, we all do. We might just keep them quiet So you keep quietly working towards them.

    Because I didn’t read all 30 days, it becomes hard to comment. But it is kinda cool that it’s Mr squeaks recollection or diary note that we end on.

    So you gonna flesh this out for nanowrimo? And prepoctober?

    Be proud 31 days of writing, blogging .

    Keep it going.

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  7. They say that it takes 30 days to build a habit. Have you found this to be the case? I’m so stoked to see this burst of energy. How inspiring and I hope some of it rubs off on me! Next project starting soon? 😛

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    1. Thank you for reminding me. I usually handwrite or type every day but I made the goal of typing at minimum three hundred words a day whether or not I write in a notebook as well. It’s still October 5th here so I just made it

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  10. Congratulations for taking on this project and seeing it through, Hetty! Moving forward consistently is something I have a very, very hard time with, and I think what you pulled off here was really cool. I love the wrap up from Mr. Squeaks haha. I want Natalie and Mikhail to have a reunion in a sequel. I think Mr. Squeaks should acquire a longer lifespan as well, due to his traveling in the alternate dimensions.

    Your Sinister Voice presence / demon thing was really cool. I like how matter-of-fact it was about what it wanted. I also really liked your descriptions of the dreamlands as well, and the weird halls and rooms. I got a Stranger Things / Twin Peaks vibe the whole time, but there was another realm you were describing (with the stars moving and winking out) that was really, I don’t know, I liked how you described these alternate realities.

    I hope you continue with the drafting and practice. I look at other people doing this and get inspired. Thank you for this story!

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    1. and sorry it took me months to get around to reading it. I took a hard break from WordPress altogether and I’m still really screen-fatigued lately.

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    2. I really and truly appreciate your kind feedback. For some reason I get really embarrassed about the whole matter but when someone gets the point of what I’m doing, it really buoys me up. It felt good to see a project through for once.

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  11. Hi Hetty! I sorta binge read this first edition for background and enjoy how you leveled up during the effort. I notice you suffer the same malady most creative geniuses suffer from, being one’s harshest critic. That is painful to endure and often can end a brilliant sojourn thru life, but it can also be the fuel to rise to mastery. In my humble Mikhail sense of self importance, I realize my enjoyment and support of your clearly evident skill is like drinking a teaspoon of coffee for you. I do see a lot more skill and capability than you like to show or claim. That is also a clear sign of human decency. I would say you could take writing to whatever level you choose and as always, choose your level of comfort. This is your gig and your dream. Enjoy it and if you can’t, there are other habits one can form preferably within budget. I truly enjoyed this and now to jump forward into the current scene only this time, I won’t fail to keep my ears open for Mr. Squeaks. That mouse is an Oracle from the stars.

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    1. Thank you very kindly. I sometimes do need a little shot in the arm or as you put it, a teaspoon of coffee. It’s your basic low-self esteem thing. I certainly suffer from being my own worst critic. Someone once said to me that I’m so quick to put myself down before anyone else can. Putting stuff out there has toughened me up a wee bit. You realize you have no control over what people think or interpret. I’m grateful for the good advice I’ve received over the past couple years I’ve been on WordPress. I have gotten a little crabby from time to time (like in this comment section which I am NOT rereading) but when I hide my burning face under my pillow and try to think about what’s been said, I usually find it helpful. I have saved my favorite comments for low moments which are thankfully much fewer and farther between nowadays. I try to be similarly encouraging to other people. And that damn mouse 🤣.

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      1. I go through my own version of writers regret. I’ve never been good at bringing in or holding onto readers. I often publish something and then agonize over how I fucked it all up. I delete my blog every two years to ensure the shame won’t follow me. But, I keep trying and ultimately it ends up being that thing that keeps my brain from shutting down leaving my head elves completely unsupervised. It’s actually good brain exercise for me as long as I can stay one step ahead of the writer’s regret.

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        1. I feel too committed to my prior embarrassments to give up. I have thought of deleting my most cringe-worthy stuff but I figure it’s too late now. Anything you put on the Internet is eternal anyway. Most importantly, I wouldn’t want to delete this and lose track of so many people.

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          1. You have a healthy balance of forging ahead and my wandering around in your collection shows me a wealth of great material. I don’t think I’ve ever read anyone that is so good and chronicling the adventures of workday life. And I am totally captivated by your paranormal adventures staring the Oracle of Light, Mr. Squeaks. If I were an Oracle of Light, I would say keep doing what you are doing, it’s wonderful stuff. (At your level of comfort, of course)

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              1. Stupid and frustrating is what resonates with other people that deal with the same. It’s like finding that common bond of boss trauma or coworker annoying habits we all hate and suffer with as best we can. When you add a bit of humor to it, it helps us all laugh a little. It’s impossible to get ptsd from trauma if you laugh at it. It might not be funny, but laugh anyway.

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