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lilfluffThis a Flashfic based on a prompt from ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ravenswept's 30 Days of Flash Fiction Meme
My 30 Days of Flashfic Index Page
Day 22 - Prompt: Write a scene with children
Setting: The colony I really ought to get around to naming, post Day 1's Hello, before Day 10's Music Therapy.
Called to School
Alicia found herself wanting to sigh and took a deep calming breath instead. Across the room to Melissa and Richard were engaged in a very animated discussion with another couple from the fostering program. Seated by them was a boy holding a cold back to what she could tell even from across the room would be an impressive black eye.
"S-sorry Miss Kosti."
She looked back at Thomas and gave up, sighing as she watched him scuff at the tile under his chair with the toes of his shoes. A cold pack held to a bruised cheek of his own.
"Thomas, I would like you to tell me in your own words what happened."
"Well, Jenni, um Miss Maklin but she said to call her Jenni. Miss Jenni said I shouldn't have to carry Mister Harris's lunch and I should say so to him."
"Why," Alicia asked, "would you have to carry his lunch? Mmm, maybe you'd better start at the beginning?"
Thomas nodded, biting at his lip as he thought for a moment. "Guess maybe it started on Monday, when we told what classes we'd go to. They sent me to the Flower Room, it's got a picture by the door of a big yellow flower, and they said we should say hello to whoever was in the desks next to us."
Alicia nodded for him to continue, not recalling anything about a fight in their notes from Monday.
"Said hello to Mister Harris but he didn't say anything. Just looked at me an then said hello Mister Edmond instead. So I said hello to Jenni. She said I looked kinda big for the room, but not like she was teasing. I said I didn't think I did good on the tests they gave us and she said she didn't like big tests."
Alicia nodded again, "I see. Well, most people don't like big tests."
Thomas smiled, "Yeah. Everyone moaned we got a quiz today. But lunch is nice, we get to have it outside. When we were going out the first time Mister Harris said to carry his lunch for him. Yesterday Jenni asked why I was carrying Mister Harris's lunch when he wasn't nice and Mister Harris said it was 'cause doing stuff like that was all slave like me is good for at school. So she said he was mean and I shouldn't talk to him or carry his stuff anymore."
Alicia glanced over where the girl she guessed was Jenni stood, talking to one of the teachers and her caretakers from the program. "Is see."
"So today when I picked up Mister Harris's lunch bag Jenni said I should put it down and say I wouldn't carry it. He said to carry it or else but Jenni said to say no again so I said no."
Alicia hmmed, "And that was when the fight started?"
Thomas nodded again. "Mister Harris hit me and said to pick it up or he'd do it again, so Jenni said--"
"That he was a poopy faced bully and I punched him in the nose!"
Alicia blinked, not having noticed the girl come over. Seeing her up close Alicia decided she couldn't be a day over eight. "I see."
"Now Jen," One of Jenni's foster carers said, "that wasn't what you were coming over to say, right?"
"Oh! Right." Jenni gave Thomas a quick hug before looking back to Alicia. "I'm supposed to say I'm sorry for getting Tommy in trouble. Even if Mikey is a meanie and I'm only sorry I didn't remember to kick him between the legs."
* * *
On one hand it feels like it ought to go at least a little more. On the other hand everything I've tried continuing with feels like it's stretching it too far.
ravenswept's 30 Days of Flash Fiction MemeMy 30 Days of Flashfic Index Page
Day 22 - Prompt: Write a scene with children
Setting: The colony I really ought to get around to naming, post Day 1's Hello, before Day 10's Music Therapy.
Called to School
Alicia found herself wanting to sigh and took a deep calming breath instead. Across the room to Melissa and Richard were engaged in a very animated discussion with another couple from the fostering program. Seated by them was a boy holding a cold back to what she could tell even from across the room would be an impressive black eye.
"S-sorry Miss Kosti."
She looked back at Thomas and gave up, sighing as she watched him scuff at the tile under his chair with the toes of his shoes. A cold pack held to a bruised cheek of his own.
"Thomas, I would like you to tell me in your own words what happened."
"Well, Jenni, um Miss Maklin but she said to call her Jenni. Miss Jenni said I shouldn't have to carry Mister Harris's lunch and I should say so to him."
"Why," Alicia asked, "would you have to carry his lunch? Mmm, maybe you'd better start at the beginning?"
Thomas nodded, biting at his lip as he thought for a moment. "Guess maybe it started on Monday, when we told what classes we'd go to. They sent me to the Flower Room, it's got a picture by the door of a big yellow flower, and they said we should say hello to whoever was in the desks next to us."
Alicia nodded for him to continue, not recalling anything about a fight in their notes from Monday.
"Said hello to Mister Harris but he didn't say anything. Just looked at me an then said hello Mister Edmond instead. So I said hello to Jenni. She said I looked kinda big for the room, but not like she was teasing. I said I didn't think I did good on the tests they gave us and she said she didn't like big tests."
Alicia nodded again, "I see. Well, most people don't like big tests."
Thomas smiled, "Yeah. Everyone moaned we got a quiz today. But lunch is nice, we get to have it outside. When we were going out the first time Mister Harris said to carry his lunch for him. Yesterday Jenni asked why I was carrying Mister Harris's lunch when he wasn't nice and Mister Harris said it was 'cause doing stuff like that was all slave like me is good for at school. So she said he was mean and I shouldn't talk to him or carry his stuff anymore."
Alicia glanced over where the girl she guessed was Jenni stood, talking to one of the teachers and her caretakers from the program. "Is see."
"So today when I picked up Mister Harris's lunch bag Jenni said I should put it down and say I wouldn't carry it. He said to carry it or else but Jenni said to say no again so I said no."
Alicia hmmed, "And that was when the fight started?"
Thomas nodded again. "Mister Harris hit me and said to pick it up or he'd do it again, so Jenni said--"
"That he was a poopy faced bully and I punched him in the nose!"
Alicia blinked, not having noticed the girl come over. Seeing her up close Alicia decided she couldn't be a day over eight. "I see."
"Now Jen," One of Jenni's foster carers said, "that wasn't what you were coming over to say, right?"
"Oh! Right." Jenni gave Thomas a quick hug before looking back to Alicia. "I'm supposed to say I'm sorry for getting Tommy in trouble. Even if Mikey is a meanie and I'm only sorry I didn't remember to kick him between the legs."
* * *
On one hand it feels like it ought to go at least a little more. On the other hand everything I've tried continuing with feels like it's stretching it too far.
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no subject
Date: 2011-07-12 07:28 am (UTC)poor Thomas...
...I really like Alicia :)
...and I hope that Mikey will get his punishment...
mjkj
no subject
Date: 2011-07-12 03:50 pm (UTC)If you have seen/read Zero no Tsukaima (The Familiar of Zero) my initial description for myself of Alicia was, 'a somewhat more outgoing version of Tabitha' (who TV Tropes files under the Badass Bookwork category, no link for your chronological safety :)). She skips the tragic backstory so she also manages to avoid the emotional repression.