Another snippet of my novel

I once saw a man die. He looked shocked to see me. His eyes wide open and teary. But it was too late. The trigger was pulled. Life is just a series of random events that we walk into. Unwelcome guests.

His name was Mr White. He had two daughters; Janet and Kim, and a wife; Karien. He was quiet and distant.His classes were boring and stale. I never had the pleasure of being taught by Mr White, but Janine had. She was the reason I was there.

I had art with the youngest daughter, Janet. She was much like her father; quiet and distant, but her paintings were vivid, loud and full of colour.

One day Karel took their daughters and left Mr White. They flew to the United States to be with her much younger boyfriend. That same day Mr White took the .38 from his safe and put in his bag. He decided to come to class early. He stuck the gun into his mouth just as I opened the door to his classroom. I don't know if he would have really pulled the trigger or if it was me scaring him that made him pull the trigger. He looked straight at me for a split second and then in a spray of red mist he was gone.

Janine had claimed to have been off sick, but really she was just miserable with school and how fake it was. She had just read 'A Catcher in the Rye' and had begun thinking a lot of things were 'phony'. I knew if she didn't finish her year end assignment for Mr White's class she would fail the year. I couldn't take the risk of losing her. I went with the plan of convincing Mr White that Janine had swine flu and I would collect her homework for her. I should learn to knock before entering a room.

The whole class was let off of having to complete the task.

Another part of my book. its coming along slowly

Hey, So not much feedback, but I only have a couple of followers so no wonder. Here's another couple paragraphs... enjoy.

I'd known Janine since I was 10 years old. My father had gotten a job in Cape Town so we all packed our stuff and drove from Krugersdorp.When I first attended Van Der Meyes Girls Primary School I was scared to death. I had heard about the cruelty of girls. It wasn’t their blows that hurt. I could handle physical pain. It was their words that I feared the most. Their words were like scalpels that cut into all your flaws. But Janine sensed my fear and she took me under her wing. I was always the smallest and weakest of the lot; the runt of the litter and I suspect it gave her a feeling of power to protect me from harshness of pre-teen girls. I spent my childhood sheltered from bullying and the general selfish acts girls enforce on others to make up for their own insecurities. Even now I am. People were intimidated by Janine. She had a confidence about her that made no one want to mess with her and by default me. The way she walked as if she was dancing; her hips moved side to side. She talked like she didn’t care and said what was on her mind. I fell in love with her.

Now I had to fight my own demons. It hurt every day that she never came into first period class. She always came late. She would have a quick come-back to the teacher’s “Thank you for joining us, Ms Van Wyk.”like "You're welcome". Everyone would laugh and all would be forgotten, but she never came. I watch the door waiting for her and everyday i didn't see her my heart sank. It was breaking.


“Jessica!” I could hear my mother’s foot steps coming up the stairs. Somehow I had managed to lose 2 hours. It was nearing 7am.
“Jessica, How are you feeling?” She didn’t even knock anymore. My mother was dressed in a black skirt and white blouse that showed a little too much. She sat on my bed and placed her hand on my head. She smelt like lavender.
“I’m fine.” I answered. I wasn’t. Anxiety had enveloped me. I felt like there was a rock sitting on my chest, squeezing the air out my lungs.
“Good. Go shower and get dressed.” She left my room leaving only a warm spot that smelt like lavender.