Initiation Chapter Eleven (Fall, 2000) (8.5k words, ~40 min read) Boomerang Arcade used to be a family-owned burger building called Belgian Grill House, constructed in 1911 by Gredd and Harriette Crutche (pronounced ‘croosh’) before burgers were a big deal. Brick and mortar held it up back when Winton was young and video games didn’t exist …
The Observatory Chapter Nine (Summer, 2000) (7k words, 30-40min read) Mariah Smith was coasting down a small, grassy hill behind someone’s house toward Beck’s Creek. On her left she spotted blackberries growing out in the wild like God intended. Her internal compass was telling her to head this way. And she planned to find it …
The Flood Chapter Eight (Summer, 2000) (5.5k words, 15-25 min read) ‘Pretty’ Beau Lewis, the Leader of the Astronomy Club, woke up at seven forty-five in the morning to eat breakfast and biked to Bushkill Avenue. He had a clubhouse to finish. Myles Willis, the Sage of the Astronomy Club, dreamed before he woke up …
The Tradition Chapter Seven (Summer, 2000) (7.5k words, 30-40min read) Summer: defined partly by the weather, but mostly by the school calendar. Winton Middleschool had a half-day for the last day of school and even that seemed like too much. Why have any day at all? Nobody was learning anything! The Astronomy Club’s favorite class …