Off the Beaten Path

Off the Beaten Path. Back in 2003 my mother won a Harry Potter trip to England and Scotland to tour the sets and locations where the movie about the boy who lived, was shot. Me and my kids, my sister and her daughter were the lucky recipients of the trip. Along with my mom of course. After touring London, Castles and the studio for several days, we finally ended our trip in Edinburgh Scotland, One walk up the Royal Mile and I was hooked. I wanted to stay forever. This sadly was not to be and we were evicted from the hotel and were forced to return home. I decided that I needed to get that feel, the look and some of the sights we'd seen recorded somewhere for my future self's memories. Problem was I wasn't one to write a travel journal, So I set out to write a story that would weave the feel of Edinburgh through out its pages. The following is that story. 

Along the way I got a bit full of myself and thought this might be a manuscript that a literary agent would fall in love with and champion to a publisher. From there it would grace the shelves of libraries and book stores the world over, ultimately becoming a major motion picture staring Ashley Tisdale and Austin Butler. This, astonishingly, didn't happen.

My first foray into the writing world. I sent it out to 100 agents and 100 agents rejected it. Needless to say it's not to be in print anytime soon.

 

Did they do me a favor? 

 

A disservice? 

Who knows. 

After some thought I figured it wouldn't hurt anymore to put it out here where you all could read and judge for yourself. 

I have not quit writing and looking back at this attempt I realize how far I've come and how far I have yet to go. I promised myself that someday I will have a book sitting on the shelf at the library and Barnes and Nobel. When that happens I will sneak into the story/library and sign some of the copies that sit on the shelf. Hopefully I will not be escorted from the premises.  

Enough of the intro

Chapter One

Kate stood on her pedals and let the wind blow through her hair, enjoying the warm sun on her face, she pumped the pedals, excited to get home. She couldn't wait to talk to her dad about her day. She leaned into the corner and turned the bike onto her street, abruptly plopped down on her seat and put on the brakes.

Crap, what's she doing here? she thought.

Parked in the drive, was her mother’s car. Kate, dragging her feet, slowly coasted down the street, walked her bike in the garage and entered the house. Her dog, Chili, greeted her at the door and she crouched on the bottom stair, petting him. The house felt different when her mom was in it. Like it was trying its hardest to feel unwelcoming, or maybe it was her that didn't want her mom there. She jumped as a plate crashed onto the kitchen floor.

Silence.

Then a woman’s' voice, her mom, apologizing. Her mother never apologized.

Kate finished Chili's hello scratch and headed up the stairs. Both of her parents were in the kitchen. Her dad, as usual, at the bar cutting up vegetables and her mom carefully setting the table. She caught her dad's eye and mouthed,

“What's going on?”

 Her dad shrugged his shoulders in reply, as her mom turned towards her.

“Kate! Hey! Home so early?” she checked her watch. “Welcome home. Why don't you go get your homework done and wash up, dinner will be in an hour and twenty.” She turned and busily continued setting the table. Kate caught her dad's eye again. He shook his head, a flat smile on his face.

Kate left the room perplexed and took the stairs two at a time to her room. She tossed her backpack on the bed, flopped down next to it and stared out the window.

The trees had just begun to fill their branches with leaves and the squirrels had a mean game of tag going from one tree to the next. She watched for several moments as they dove from branch to branch, dodging birds, each other and death. She loved this view out into the immense woods of a nature preserve. From her room, she had observed a deer eat all her dad's tomato plants and last year, a week before Thanksgiving, a whole flock of wild turkeys strutted through their backyard, their shrill calls echoing off the house before disappearing into the woods, never to be seen again.

Her Spacebook page gave a low whistle telling her one of her friends had logged in. She dragged herself off the bed to the desk chair, turned on the screen and typed, “Weirdness at the Thorn house. Mom's home early.”  Immediately, she had three responses.

Josh: “Need me to come over and protect you?”

Kemmy: “Gads, woman. Make sure you get your homework done or who knows what will happen.”

Jennie: “It was nice knowing ya.”

Kate leaned back in her chair and ran her hands through her hair. She reached over her shoulder and grabbed her backpack. Kemmy was right, she should get her homework done or there would be hell to pay.

                                                           

Kate sat at the table while her mom and dad filled their plates. Her mom was in good spirits, asking her dad how his day had been. Kate closed her eyes and rummaged through her memories searching for the last time she had heard her ask him that. She shook her head, as she came up empty.

“Kate?”  Kate opened her eyes. Her mom was handing her a bowl of potatoes. She took it and began to spoon out a couple of the little red tubers onto her plate. “And how was your day?”  Her mom inquired.

Kate was stunned. Not only was Mom home for dinner, but she was initiating conversation with the family. Uber weird.

Her mother Meg, a beautiful, lean woman with cream colored skin, dark eyes and auburn hair that, oddly, reminded Kate of Styrofoam. Not in a bad way, but in that always perfect-way, the perfect bun, the perfect pony tail, the perfect up-do. Not the typical mom, she was an insanely driven scientist at a research facility by the Plaza in Kansas City. If ever asked her how her day had gone, her standard reply was, “It's classified.”

“It was good. Got a decent grade on my Spanish test.”

“Wonderful,” her mother smiled at her.

Warning bells sounded in Kate's head. Normally her mom would have fired back with "What exactly is a 'decent' grade?'”  Followed shortly with “A 'B' means there is room for improvement, next time you should study more and hang out with your friends a little less, then maybe you can attain a 'decent' grade."

Yep there was definitely something up.

“I have some news,” her mother announced.

And here it comes, Kate thought.

“Dr. Fellers died last night.”

Not exactly the 'something' she was expecting, but she was sure her mom wasn't finished.

“He was eighty-seven. Can you imagine, eighty-seven and still working in my field? The changes he must have experienced in his lifetime.”

“Dr. Fellers; wasn't he a big shot director or something? Head of design or research something or other?” he asked.

Kate enjoyed her dad’s attempt to dig out some bit of information from his wife.

Good luck dad, it never worked for me but who knows it may for you.

“Yes he was a 'big shot' as you say.”  She mimed air quotes for “Big Shot.”

Ah, the dodge. Kate smiled inwardly.

“It is really sad for his family.” She took a breath and continued, “But the company prepared for this eventuality and have already named a successor.”  She waited a bit and then gushed, “It's me!”  She actually sang the last bit, "Meeeeee."

Kate wasn't sure what she was supposed to feel, sad for Dr. Fellers' family or happy for her mom?  She was appalled at her mom's reaction; glossing over the passing of what had been a pretty amazing man, extraordinary at whatever it was they did; completely minimizing the fact that her good fortune was directly related to this man's death. She looked at the pride in her dad's eyes and the happiness in her mom's and landed on, “Uh, congratulations?” Her mom actually reached out and grabbed her hand.

“And that's not the best part.”
Oh, what could be better than an amazing man's death? Kate thought.

“I'm now in charge of his lab, which is getting a much needed update, but that's not even the biggest news.”

Wait for it...

“The new lab is in Edinburgh, Scotland. Pack your bags, 'cause we are leaving in six weeks!”

And there it was.

“What?  Moving? Wait! Scotland?” Kate couldn't force herself to land on one issue. She heard her dad voice the same issues.

“Meg!  Are you kidding?  Scotland?” Their bewilderment caught Meg by surprise. She looked between her daughter and husband.

“What is this? I bring home some really incredible news and I get this? I have been working my whole life for something like this. I was offered the head of R&D, which is relocating to Edinburgh, which happens to be the hotbed of science for the last, oh I don't know, 400 years, and you people have the nerve to question me?” She stood up from the table. “My job makes all of this,” she waved her hand around the room, fingers splayed wildly apart, “possible. Your car, this house, your new state of the art stove and refrigerator.”  She spun to Kate. “Your karate classes, computers and all the money you want for new clothes.”

Kate wondered when the last time her mom had looked at her wardrobe. New was at least eight months ago. She altered her expression and looked back to her mom. The set of her jaw and the flare of her nostrils told her the dye had been cast. They were moving and nothing could be done to stop it. She flicked her eyes to her dad and read the resignation on his face and opted for mature.

“I have always wanted to go to the UK.” Both her parents smiled at her, but inside she was dying.

Kate and Andrew walked through the streets of Edinburgh and soon found themselves on the steps of the Tron Kirk. There were only a few people out and about at this early hour and Kate watched as a news reporter hefted a camera and motioned toward Andrew.

“How about a picture?”

“Sure,” Andrew said.

“Why don’t you move over here in front of the doors? That’s it, now hold still.”  There was a bright flash and a loud pop.

“That is going to be real nice. What’s your name son?”

“Andrew.”

“Andrew, are you here with your parents?”

“No sir. I came with my Da,” he looked around at the gathering crowd. “I am to meet him at eight o’clock.”

 “It's almost eight now,” the reporter said looking at his watch and shaking his head. “My, my where did the time go?” The reporter turned and walked off, writing something on a little pad of paper.

Andrew looked to Kate. “It's almost eight.”

Kate ran, and dodged around people in the crowd, barely able to keep up with the boy, Andrew, in front of her. Kate could see the man Andrew ran towards, talking with a small group of men by the entrance doors. One man pointed and Andrew’s father nodded, turned and walked away from them. He disappeared into a mist, simply faded away. She ducked through a group of people, fearful of losing sight of him. They ran faster, they pushed and shoved their way through an ever thickening crowd. Kate felt panic rise up inside of her. Her legs became lead and it was harder and harder to pick them up. Andrew pulled away from her, desperate to keep an eye on his Dad, oblivious to where he was stepping. A large pack appeared in his path, caught his foot and she watched, helplessly, as he stumbled and flew through the air. Then with a quick stop and a sickening thud, he landed against the corner of a building. Blood seeped out of his nose and a large gash on his face. His legs folded up behind him in an unnatural position. She could see a bone sticking out of his left sleeve. The crowd gathered around him. He didn't move. Kate shoved and pushed her way through the crowd trying to get near him. She twisted and flailed as someone pushed her and she fell to the ground.