World of Echos Read Online Free PDF Page B

Something had happened
at recess that had made a bunch of her young men fight each other. They hadn't
quite gotten to the bottom of it when she had had to come down to the principle's office after she finally got out of class.
                Two
of the young men she liked very much, they were both eighth graders from
troubled homes. They were both intelligent young men that just needed to learn
how to control themselves and their emotions a little better. They had both
been in trouble recently, and in large amounts and great severity. Now it was
time they got suspended or expelled. The principle wasn't the kind of guy that
liked to expel students, though. He thought that was a failure on behalf of the
school system and himself, and Lucille had to agree. She always thought it was
their fault whenever a student fell short, or dropped out, or got expelled. So
the principle had decided that he'd leave it up to Lucille if the boys would
get suspended or not.
                Lucille
had said “No.” without hesitating, then fled to her car to get home as quickly
as possible. She'd gotten home and gotten the dog from her friend and cleaned a
little more and now here she was, and here Brent was.
                “It's
so good to see you!” Lucille said.
                “It's
good to be here!” Brent said.
                She
grabbed some snacks and they both settled onto the couch to watch the old,
grainy VHS tapes. A voice over started telling them things they already knew
about the little village from their past. But what Lucille was really paying
attention to was the way Brent smelled, and how he felt as she snuggled into
him and felt his warmth and his muscle respond to her. He shifted slightly and
put his arm around her. Then, without warning, he looked down when Lucille was
looking up and kissed her on the lips. They held the kiss for a good five count
before they both broke with a smack .
                “Oh
my goodness!” Lucille said.
                She
had loved it so much she knew she'd always think about his lips for the rest of
her life. He was such a handsome guy, and such a great kisser. Her face was
read though because at the same time this was her lifelong friend looking at
her, not just some person that she had the hots for.
Well, she was looking at what would have been her lifelong friend if that life
hadn't been ended by an outbreak of a disease that no longer troubled modern
civilization.
                “Goodness
indeed!” he said.
                They
kept canoodling throughout the rest of the film, even the parts that were meant
to be sad and heart wrenching. They just didn't care. They'd both lived it and
now wanted to live past it. As Lucille's tongue explored Brent's mouth and
wrestled with his tongue she thought about how they had missed out on years and
years of this because of bad luck, or the fates not looking favorable on them,
or God being an asshole—she wasn't sure which one, or what combination of them,
she thought most accurate.
                When
it was time for Brent to go they stood a long time at her door just holding
each other. Neither wanted the night to end; neither wanted the moment to slip
away. It wasn't like they weren't going to see each other again though, they
insured each other. They told each other they would for certain spend much time
together in the future. Then they kissed again, Brent pulling Lucille close to
him and holding her tight, then they said goodbye.
     
     
     
                Lucille,
                I
have terrible news. My mother is sick. The doctors say that she doesn't have
long to live now and I must go and be with her until she passes. She doesn't
live in Iowa, but instead lives in rural Missouri. I know that's not far, but I
beg of you not to come down and look for me if you don't hear from me after she
passes. I'll come back and look for you when