New to the newsletter and missed out on Chapters 1 through 4? Never fear! Here is a rerun Of Chapter 4. You can read the first three chapters (and other newsletters) by clicking the link below

https://robrenzetti.com/newsletter-archive/

For those of you who've already read Chapter 4, I've included a new variant on Alex's illustration.

Jenny Wakeman zoomed across her hometown toward Sheldon Lee’s house but, upon hearing the town hall’s bell toll 7:45, she rerouted to Tremorton High. School was about to start, and Sheldon was punctual to an obsessive fault. She caught him just outside, and without slowing, grabbed him by both shoulders, flew him around back, and skidded to a stop in front of the groundskeeper’s shed. Jenny put her friend down and started tossing gardening tools at Sheldon, who caught a couple, fumbled a few more, and then let the rest clatter to the ground at his feet.

“Jenny, what’s going on?” asked Sheldon. “Why are you all messed up? And why the sudden interest in lawn care?”

“What’s going on is the probable death of my social life because I was ‘messed up’ by a stupid solar flare.” Jenny gathered the tools and offered them to Sheldon. “Forget the lawn. Take care of me.”

“I don’t think a rake or a trowel is going to do you much good.” He looked nervously toward the school. “Besides there’s no time.”

“Sheldon, what do you care about more? Your good pal Jenny Wakeman, or your flawless, on-time attendance record?”

Sheldon checked his watch. “Uhm. . . can I answer you from my homeroom seat in 5 minutes 42 seconds or less?”

“Answer me now by fixing me now,” pleaded Jenny as she grabbed his hand. “Otherwise I’m going to look like a fool in front of everyone.”

“Jenny, I never thought I’d say this, but stop holding my hand. Otherwise, I’m going to look like a fool rushing down the hall to make it to class on time.”

Brad Carbuckle looked like a fool as he came rushing across the school lawn with his vest unbuttoned and his shoelaces untied. “Curse you, alarm clock that only goes off if you set it!” He ran past the other two, then stopped, and sauntered back. “Hey. What’s up?”

“Time. Time is up.” Sheldon struggled futilely to escape Jenny’s iron grip. “I gotta go!”

“Brad, help me force Sheldon to fix my appearance.”

“Uh, sorry Jen, but I don’t’ think a trowel or a rake is going to do you much good.”

Sheldon exclaimed, “That’s what I said!”

Jenny let him go and sat down on the lawn mower, crushing its motor. “You’re right. I know you’re right. But what am I going do? I can’t be seen like this, or my life is ruined.”

“Well then,” Brad said. “We won’t let you be seen.”

By the time Brad, Sheldon, and Jenny entered, only a few students lingered in the school’s hallways. Not that Jenny could see them or anything else very well. She was hunkered down and sandwiched between the two boys as they shuffled slowly through the hall.

Sheldon checked his watch once more. “Again, I never thought I’d say this, but this close contact is useless. As soon as we get to class we’ll have to take our separate seats and Jenny will be exposed.”

Brad said, “Jenny’s not going to class. We’re going to drop her at the nurse’s office. As bad as she looks she can play sick all day—uh, sorry, Jen. Anyway, once everybody clears out after last period, she can sneak home and have Dr. Wakeman fix her up.”

It was one of Brad’s better plans. The only flaw was that Vice Principal Razinksi’s office door stood between them and the nurse’s station. And then that door opened, and Vice Principal Razinski’s body stood between them and the nurse’s station.

The thick lenses of Razinski’s glasses magnified the contempt in his eyes. “What do the three of you think you’re doing?”

Jenny shrunk down behind Brad’s back, as he said, “Three, Vice Principal Razinski, sir? Why it’s just Sheldon and me, hurrying off to class, anxious to start the new school year.”

“But still spouting the same sort of nonsense as last year, eh, Mr. Carbuckle? Miss XJ9’s wings are clearly visible, protruding from either side of your scrawny body.”

Jenny peeked out from behind Brad. “Good morning, Vice Principal Razinski.”

“Miss XJ9, you know there’s no flying in the halls.” 

“But I’m not flying.” Jenny raised her head a little further.

Razinski crossed his arms. “Having your wings out is a clear sign of intent.” 

“I’m sorry. I can’t put them away.” Jenny scanned the hallway. It was now empty except for the four of them. She slid out from between Brad and Sheldon and gestured to herself. “I screwed up my system this morning while saving the world.”

Razinski sneered and his voice grew louder. “Saving the world, averting disaster, rescuing humankind. Your part time job is no excuse for flouting the rules.” He regarded her critically, noting the sooty debris around her scorched feet. “Or poor hygiene.”  He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a pad of detention slips. “I hate to write you up on the first morning of the new school year, but . . .”

“No you don’t!” Jenny shouted. “You love to write me up! You’re always writing me up!”

Razinski yelled back. “That’s because you’re always doing something wrong!” Classroom doors opened up and down the hall.

“The only thing I did wrong this morning is save your ungrateful butt from getting obliterated! I should’ve just let the world and everyone in it explode!” Jenny’s voice echoed up and down the hall.

The hall that was now full of students and teachers. They could all see her messed up body and had all heard her messed up death wish for humanity.

Way to go, Jen.