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[Best Delinquent Character:]

Best Delinquent Character:  Henrietta, Family Planning, Mandle - she's such a tough nut.

Best Insubordination:  Autumn, Sinitrena - I felt so bad for Autumn, after Mrs Miller accused her of all that stuff. 

Best Writing Style:  Autumn, Sinitrena - loved how it showed Mrs Miller's point of view, and how she felt patronised, then it switched to Autmn, trying to defend herself.

Best Overall:  Autumn, Sinitrina - very touching story

That was quick 
Well done Amayirot, you got it right on the first guess.  Your turn now. 

Spoiler

Do you think poor Curtis is having a bad day? 

[close]

Feeling peckish? 

[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/q8rnyHW.png[/imgzoom]

Dan Dare?

Anna & The King?

That first picture looked like some kind of underwater Atlantean world with mutant fish-people. 
Now, I have no idea. 

[DOUBLE TROUBLE]

DOUBLE TROUBLE


The front door slams.

A voice calls out. 


VOICE:  MUUUMMMMMM, I'M HOOOOMMMMMEEEEE.


A middle-aged woman appears in the hall. 


WOMAN:  Nikki, dear.  Did you enjoy your first day at your new school? 

NIKKI:   *shrugs*   It was okay, I suppose. 


Nikki throws her schoolbag down on the floor.  Her mother, Katie Chandler, frowns. 


MRS CHANDLER:  Nikki, pick up your schoolbag! 

NIKKI:  Why?  *rolls her eyes*   

MRS CHANDLER:  Because I told you to, that's why. 


Reluctantly, Nikki picks up her bag, and takes it up to her room, then comes back down the stairs. 


MRS CHANDLER:  So?  How was your first day?  I want to hear ALL about it!   *smiles at her daughter* 

NIKKI:   *shrugs again*   It's just school, mum.  Much the same as any other school. 

MRS CHANDLER:  You didn't… get into any trouble, did you? 

NIKKI:   *frustrated sigh*   No mum! 


The Chandler family, including 15-year old Nikki, have recently moved to this small town of Meadowdew, after some 'trouble' in their old town.  They've come to Meadowdew hoping to make a fresh start. 

Nikki walks past her mother, and goes through to the living room.  She flops down on the settee, picks up the TV remote, and starts flicking through the channels.  Her mum sits down next to her, still wanting to hear all about her daughter's first day at her new school. 


MRS CHANDLER:  Did you make any new friends. 

NIKKI:  Not really.  When's tea? 

MRS CHANDLER:  Not till your dad gets home.  He was lucky to get that Manager's job.   *pauses*   So what are your teachers like? 

NIKKI:  Strict!   *changes the subject*   Oh, did you see THAT?   *points to the TV*   He fell on his arse.  What in idiot!  Hahahaha!


Mrs Chandler takes the remote from Nikki, and turns the TV off. 


MRS CHANDLER:  Nikki, sweetheart, this is important.  You said you were really going to try at this school. 

NIKKI:  Tssk, I'll be good mum, I promise.  No more fighting, or any of that stuff.   


Mrs Chandler smiles.  She's been worried about her daughter, ever since that ‘incident' at her old school. 

The front door opens again.  Nikki jumps up, and runs through to the hall. 


NIKKI:  DAAAADDDDDD!   *hugs her dad* 

MR CHANDLER:  Hello Princess.  Still in one piece, then?   *grins* 

NIKKI:  Yep. 


Nikki and her dad, David Chandler, walk back through to the living room. 


MR CHANDLER:  So did you make any friends at your new school? 

NIKKI:  Sort of.  There's this one girl, Jennifer, she's kinda nice. 

MR CHANDLER:  Good!  I knew you would soon make friends, Princess. 


Mrs Chandler watches them, shaking her head.  Nikki has always been such a Daddy's Girl. 


Later that evening, Mr & Mrs Chandler are talking together in the kitchen. 


MRS CHANDLER:  So how was her first day at her school?  She wouldn't tell me much. 

MR CHANDLER:  She did well.   *smiles*   I knew she would settle down, if she just got away from all that trouble.  Those so called ‘friends' she used to hang around with were a bad influence on her. 

MRS CHANDER:  Ack, you're too soft with her, Dave. 


Mr Chandler embraces his wife, and kisses her softly. 


MR CHANDLER:  This move is a new start for ALL of us!  And I'm damned well going to give it my best shot.  Our little girl hasn't had an easy time, these last few months. 

MRS CHANDLER:  She's not so little anymore.   *laughs*   But I hope you're right, I hope she settles down now.  And who knows… maybe this ‘Jennifer' will be a positive influence on her. 


Outside the kitchen door… a 15-year-old teenager is eavesdropping.  Clearly not happy with her parents.  She scowls, then slinks up to her bedroom. 




The next day, at school, Nikki walks through the endless corridors.  She's still trying to learn the layout of the school, but right now, she's hopelessly lost.  Luckily, Jennifer walks past. 


JENNIFER:  Hey Nikki.  What subjects have you got next?

NIKKI:  Double History.  But I have NO idea where the History room is. 

JENNIFER:  Double History?   *squeals excitedly*   So have I!  We can go together!   

NIKKI:  Oh, great! 


Jennifer links her arm through Nikki's arm, and leads her to the History room. 


Before you know it, the first school week has passed, and it seems like Nikki and Jennifer have become firm friends.  Dave and Katie are discussing their daughter. 


MRS CHANDLER:  Her first week has ended, Dave.  A whole week, and not one sign of trouble.  Not one phone call from the Head Master.   *smiles brightly*   

MR CHANDLER:   *embraces his wife*   Didn't I tell you?   *smiles*   All she needed was some distance from all that trouble. 

MRS CHANDLER:  And a friend who would be a positive influence on her. 

MR CHANDLER:   *nods*   Yes, and a friend that would be a positive influence on her.  That ‘incident' in our old town really took it's toll on her.  But that's not going to happen here. 

MRS CHANDLER:  I hope you're right.  She DOES seem happier now. 

MR CHANDLER:  Of course I'm right.  Don't be so hard on her.   *kisses his wife*   


But once again, their daughter is eavesdropping. 


NIKKI:   *whispers to herself*   Pffft!  Shows how much YOU know! 


Nikki creeps up to her room, and quietly closes her door.  She flops down on the bed, with her arms outstretched. 


NIKKI:  God, I'm so BORED!!!  This town is BORING!  The people in it are BORING!  My parents are BORING!  School is BORING!  Jennifer is BORING!   *sits up*   Where's the excitement?  Where's the action?   *pauses*   I promised mum I'd be good.  Three strikes, and all that crap.  And who wants to end up in a bloody stupid Youth Prison?  But GOD I AM BORED!!!  I miss my old town.  I miss my old friends.  Can't STAND this dump! 




Monday morning rolls around again all too soon.  Another week at school begins.  Dave & Katie's daughter leaves early, and they are pleased she's actually taking an interest in school. 


In the school grounds, before lessons, Jennifer runs up behind Nikki, and greets her. 


JENNIFER:  NIKKI!  Back for another week of torture then?  What were you up to at the weekend?   *grins* 


‘Nikki' spins round, and glares at Jennifer. 


‘NIKKI':  What the hell do YOU want? 


Jennifer looks at her, completely gob smacked.  What's got into her friend? 


JENNIFER:  Um, are you okay? 

‘NIKKI':  None of your business.  Now PUSH OFF. 


‘Nikki' roughly pushes Jennifer out the way, and marches off.  Jennifer, feeling hurt, quietly makes her way to her lessons. 

At lunchtime, Jennifer sees Nikki again.  She approaches with caution. 


JENNIFER:  Nikki… um, about this morning…

‘NIKKI':  Yeah?  What of it? 


‘Nikki' reaches into her pocket, and pulls out a packet of cigarettes.  She pulls one out, lights in, and inhales it deeply.


‘NIKKI':   Ahhhhhh, that's better! 

JENNIFER:   *gasps*   Nikki, what are you DOING?  Cigarettes aren't allowed in school! 

‘NIKKI':    *taunts Jennifer*   What you gonna do about it?  You gonna squeal on me?  Like a little snitch? 

JENNIFER:  … No. 

‘NIKKI':  Good.  Then BUGGER OFF! 


‘Nikki' takes a long draw from the cigarette, then blows it out into Jennifer's face, making her cough and choke.  Jennifer doesn't understand - why is her new friend acting this way?  She decides to avoid Nikki from now on. 


Tuesday arrives, and Jennifer is still hurt over Nikki's actions yesterday.  She heads straight for her first lesson, rather than wait outside for Nikki, as the had done last week.  But as she pauses to take a drink from the school water fountain, Nikki bounds up to her. 


NIKKI:  Hi Jennifer.   *smiles*   I couldn't find you outside.  I was gonna wait longer, but I don't want to be late for my lessons.  I'm still a newbie, after all - don‘t wanna get in trouble with the teachers.  Hehehe. 


Jennifer just looks at Nikki, but doesn't say anything.  The smile fades from Nikki's lips. 


NIKKI:  What's wrong? 

JENNIFER:  You KNOW what's wrong!   *turns away* 

NIKKI:   *walks round to stand in front of her again*   I DON'T know what's wrong.  Are you okay? 

JENNIFER:  Yesterday! 

NIKKI:  Yeah, I'm sorry about yesterday.  Was off sick.  Had the flu all weekend, I'm only just starting to feel better. 

JENNIFER:  Don't play games with me, Nikki.  I SAW you yesterday.  You were really nasty!  Pushing me like that, and the way you spoke to me, and smoking, and blowing the smoke in my face! 

NIKKI:  But… I was off sick yesterday.   

JENNIFER:  Yeah, right!  So I suppose I just imagined you yesterday, then?  You were like a completely different person. 

NIKKI:  Jennifer, I… wait, did you say I was smoking? 

JENNIFER:   *nods* 

NIKKI:  But I CAN'T smoke, Jennifer.  I have asthma.   *thinks*   Oh no… OH NO!  It can't be!   *turns pale* 

JENNIFER:  What? 


Just then, the school bell rings, telling everyone to get to class. 


NIKKI:   *quickly*   Okay, I know you think I was weird and horrible yesterday, but PLEASE meet me at Break.  I'll explain everything. 


The morning drags on.  Finally, the bell for Break rings.  Against her better judgement, Jennifer goes to meet Nikki. 


NIKKI:  Thanks for meeting me. 

JENNIFER:  … You going to push me around again, like yesterday?

NIKKI:  No.  I really was off sick yesterday.  But I think… I think you must have seen my sister. 

JENNIFER:  Your sister?  Is that the best explanation you can come up with?  I'm not an idiot, Nikki!   

NIKKI:  We're twins.  She looks exactly like me.  Not many people can tell the difference.   *pauses*   It sounds so cliché to say ‘One good twin, one bad twin'.  But… it's true.  All the trouble she gets into… people assume it's me, and blame me for it. 

JENNIFER:  You have an evil twin sister?  Oh, COME ON!  You really expect me to believe that? 

NIKKI:  … I guess not.  I can't prove it.  But whatever she did to you yesterday… I'm sorry. 


A tear trickles down Nikki's cheek.  All of a sudden, Jennifer feels sorry for her. 


JENNIFER:  What's her name? 

NIKKI:  Her name is Sarah.  And I hate her.  She's ruining my life… AGAIN! 

JENNIFER:  What do you mean? 

NIKKI:  We had to leave our old school.  And I had to leave all my friends behind, when we moved here.  She got into a LOT of trouble - bullying, fighting, stealing, breaking & entering, robbery, trespassing, vandalism, joyriding, you name it.  When she was caught with a deadly weapon, the police said, that was it.  If she got into ANY more trouble, no matter what it was, she would end up in a youth prison.  Then all the gossip started.  And the name-calling.  Then the threatening notes.  That's when my parents decided to move here. 


Nikki seems so sincere as she tells Jennifer about why they left their old town. 


NIKKI:  … And so THAT'S why we're here, mid-term, instead of start of the term. 

JENNIFER:  You poor thing!  That must have been horrible for you.  Your sister sounds like a nasty piece of work. 

NIKKI:   *nods*   I've lost a lot of friends over the years, because of my sister. 

JENNIFER:  Well, you've got me now.  And I'm not going to blame you for the things Sarah does.   *hugs Nikki* 


Nikki hugs her back.  And unseen by Jennifer, a smile creeps across Nikki's face.  This plan of hers is PERFECT!  She's fooled Jennifer into thinking she's nicey-nicey, trying to live her own life despite her ‘evil twin' - what a stupid, gullible fool Jennifer is!  She stays in her parents good-books.  But as ‘Sarah', she can still do whatever she wants. 



Next day at school, ‘Nikki' is sitting on the wall surrounding the school.  Jennifer sees her, and runs up to her. 


JENNIFER:  Nikki, I…


It's only now, that Jennifer sees the cigarette in Nikki's hand.  She knows Nikki can't smoke because of her asthma, so this must be…


JENNIFER:  Sarah? 


Nikki turns her head to look at Jennifer. 


‘NIKKI':   *roughly*   What? 

JENNIFER:  Um, nothing. 


Jennifer turns to walk away.  But ‘Nikki' jumps off the wall and grabs Jennifer.  She pushes Jennifer roughly into the wall, and holds her there. 


‘NIKKI':  Give me your lunch money! 

JENNIFER:  I don't have any.

‘NIKKI':  Somehow, I don't believe you.   *slaps Jennifer's forehead*    Now GIVE ME YOUR LUNCH MONEY… NOW! 


Jennifer is afraid.  She has no choice but to give Sarah her lunch money. 


This continues for a few weeks - Nikki and Jennifer remaining friends, while ‘Sarah' bullies Jennifer and a few other people at the school.  Nikki always feels so bad, when Jennifer tells her what Sarah did to her this time.  But gradually, Jennifer becomes to wonder about something: 


JENNIFER:  How come I never see you and Sarah together? 

NIKKI:  How d'ya mean? 

JENNIFER:  Well, you're sisters.  You go to the same school.  You live in the same house.  But I never see you in the same room together.  Even at your house, I never see her. 

NIKKI:  Pfft.  I spend as little time with my sister as possible.  Partly cos I just don't want to be associated with her - and I don't keep track of her comings and goings, by the way.  But also, I don't want her to come between US.  You're my friend, Jennifer, and I don't want her to ruin that. 


It's a plausible explanation.  After all, why WOULD Nikki want to hang around Sarah when she's being so nasty.  But still… Jennifer can't help getting a strange feeling about the whole thing… as though something isn't quite right. 



A few days later, Nikki doesn't show up for school.  Jennifer assumes she must be home sick.  So after school, she knocks on the Chandler family's front door.  No reply, so Jennifer knocks again.  Eventually, a teary-eyed Mrs Chandler comes to the door. 


JENNIFER:  Hi there Mrs Chandler.  Nikki wasn't at school today, so I said I would drop of her homework.   *holds up some school jotters*    Is… everything okay? 


Mrs Chandler lets out a loud sob, before indicating Jennifer to follow her inside. 

Inside the house, Mrs Chandler sits down on the settee.  She looks up at Jennifer. 


MRS CHANDLER:  Nikki… My Nikki… is in the hospital. 

JENNIFER:   *gasps*   WHAT?  What happened?   *sits down next to Mrs Chandler*


MRS CHANDLER:  Her father is still with her at the hospital - I only popped home to collect some of her things, then I'm going back to the hospital.  Jennifer dear, you've been a good friend to Nikki - you‘ve been a good influence on her, and helped her to settle down.   *long pause*   Last night… Nikki stole a car.  And she… she lost control of it.   *another sob escapes her lips*   They found the car crashed into a tree, with Nikki unconscious inside.  She's in a bad way, at the hospital.  They say there was also a lot of empty alcohol bottles and cigarettes in the car, with her. 

JENNIFER:   Cigarettes?  Then it can't have been Nikki.  She can't smoke, cos of her asthma.  It must have been Sarah who stole the car. 

MRS CHANDLER:  Sarah?  Who's Sarah? 


Jennifer looks at Mrs Chandler.  How can she not know Sarah? 


JENNIFER:  Sarah!  Your other daughter.  Nikki's twin.   

MRS CHANDLER:  But… Nikki doesn't have a twin.  She's an only child.  And she certainly doesn't have asthma. 


Jennifer looks at Mrs Chandler.  Suddenly, everything falls into place.  Why she's never seen Nikki and Sarah together at school.  Why she's never seen Sarah here at the house.  Why Sarah targets her at school.  Sarah doesn't exits - it was all a ploy by Nikki.  NIKKI WAS THE DELIQUANT ALL ALONG! 

Ack, I've been sick the last few days and not able to work on my story. 
Can I have some more time?  Please? 

Sinitrena, I LOVE your story!  I feel so bad for Autumn - Mrs Miller made assumptions against her that were completely wrong. 

*pokes Quintaros* 

*pokes Kumpel* 

Pretty Baby?

I meant Alice Sweet Alice?

Yep, it's sweet little Alice 
Scared the bejesus out of me when I was younger. 
Trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH2yDVns2HY

Prince Of Atlantis?

Nope.

How about this film? 

[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/GXBwKVf.png[/imgzoom]

Please come back for Round 2 of Kickstarter? 

I have an idea for this one.  I'm in. 

Really want this game to get made! 

That was quick. 

Yep, it's Sleepy Hollow.  I thought I picked a tricky screenshot. 

Your turn. 

Bumpy 

[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/rO6w2jr.png[/imgzoom]

And back to full screen...

[imgzoom]https://i.imgur.com/ZO8H4B9.png[/imgzoom]