IWT5- The Sneeze
"Sorry I'm late, guys" said Jacob, as he walked up to his friends. It was a Friday afternoon, and it was tradition, practically a ritual, for them to hang out in front of the local gas station before deciding what they were going to do that day. There is nothing quite so American as a group of small town youths hanging out in front of a gas station on a hot summer day.
"It's about time you showed up," said Rod. "Anna's almost done with her popsicle already. Mmmm," he added, his eyes watching the novelty treat in her hand.
Her mouth had enveloped most of the orange ice, and her lips moved up and down the base of the popsicle as her tongue caressed its sides. She stopped the vigorous in and out motion to glare at Rob, her mouth making one last slurp before removing the popsicle from her mouth with a loud 'pop'. "Grow up," she said, wiping the loose juices off of her hands.
"Oh please," replied Jacob. "Like you can blame us for...for...achoo!"
"You ever wonder why we're supposed to say 'bless you' when someone sneezes?" asked Rod, turning abruptly to Anna.
"Well, I heard it was because they used to think your heart stopped momentarily, and so it's supposed to bring you back to life," Jacob said absentmindedly, wiping the snot on his jeans; rubbing it until the white mucus turned clear.
"Nah, I thought it had something to do with someone talking about you behind your back," Anna replied.
"I thought that was just a sneeze in general," said Rod, laughing. "I feel better now, though. I'd heard it had something to do with your soul being vulnerable, and so saying 'bless you' helped prevent evil spirits from inhabiting your body."
"Don't be silly. Who'd believe something like that?"
Both Rod and Anna turned to stare at their friend in shock; Anna's popsicle fell to the ground, slowly melting into a bent shape.
"What? What are you staring at? Come on guys, it's me- your friend Jaik'nob!"
"...Jaik'nob?" asked Anna, raising an eyebrow.
"Come on," he said, laughing, "who else would I be? You act as though I've been possessed by a demon from the sixth circle of hell sent on a mission to possess a mortal being and proceed to cause massive amounts of mayhem or something."
"Yeah...so, umm, I've got to go now. Bye Anna, bye Jacob," said Rod, running for his car.
"Hey! Don't leave me here!" shouted Anna, watching Rod pull out of the parking lot. He always kept his car unlocked, and he'd installed the keyless ignition himself only days before.
"Don't worry, Anna, I can drop you off wherever you need to go," said Jaik'nob, wrapping his arm around Anna's shoulder.
"No! I mean, umm, no, that's alright. I...I'll just...yeah," she said, staring at the ground.
"So...what now?"
« Go Back "It's about time you showed up," said Rod. "Anna's almost done with her popsicle already. Mmmm," he added, his eyes watching the novelty treat in her hand.
Her mouth had enveloped most of the orange ice, and her lips moved up and down the base of the popsicle as her tongue caressed its sides. She stopped the vigorous in and out motion to glare at Rob, her mouth making one last slurp before removing the popsicle from her mouth with a loud 'pop'. "Grow up," she said, wiping the loose juices off of her hands.
"Oh please," replied Jacob. "Like you can blame us for...for...achoo!"
"You ever wonder why we're supposed to say 'bless you' when someone sneezes?" asked Rod, turning abruptly to Anna.
"Well, I heard it was because they used to think your heart stopped momentarily, and so it's supposed to bring you back to life," Jacob said absentmindedly, wiping the snot on his jeans; rubbing it until the white mucus turned clear.
"Nah, I thought it had something to do with someone talking about you behind your back," Anna replied.
"I thought that was just a sneeze in general," said Rod, laughing. "I feel better now, though. I'd heard it had something to do with your soul being vulnerable, and so saying 'bless you' helped prevent evil spirits from inhabiting your body."
"Don't be silly. Who'd believe something like that?"
Both Rod and Anna turned to stare at their friend in shock; Anna's popsicle fell to the ground, slowly melting into a bent shape.
"What? What are you staring at? Come on guys, it's me- your friend Jaik'nob!"
"...Jaik'nob?" asked Anna, raising an eyebrow.
"Come on," he said, laughing, "who else would I be? You act as though I've been possessed by a demon from the sixth circle of hell sent on a mission to possess a mortal being and proceed to cause massive amounts of mayhem or something."
"Yeah...so, umm, I've got to go now. Bye Anna, bye Jacob," said Rod, running for his car.
"Hey! Don't leave me here!" shouted Anna, watching Rod pull out of the parking lot. He always kept his car unlocked, and he'd installed the keyless ignition himself only days before.
"Don't worry, Anna, I can drop you off wherever you need to go," said Jaik'nob, wrapping his arm around Anna's shoulder.
"No! I mean, umm, no, that's alright. I...I'll just...yeah," she said, staring at the ground.
"So...what now?"