.../
Collingwood could feel his Native Cherokee blood boil as the distance between him and his source of hate began to close.
“It sounds like you’re saying that because he’s native he’s prone to rage.”
Collingwood’s blood, which was incidentally of a noble heritage of Cherokees, began to boil as the distance between him and his source of hate began to close.
“You use the word ‘of’ a lot.”
Collingwood’s incidentally, non-stereotypically, Cherokee blood began to boil as the distance between him and his hated enemy began to close.
“You used ‘began’ twice in the same sentence.”
Collingwood was getting closer.
As the menacing, horrific weapon of the robotic humanoid materialized, controlled by Doctor Marigold’s panel, Collingwood reached back and drew his ultimate weapon. The bazooka. In a flurry of smoke, sound and fire, the conflict had ended. Marigold’s machine of destruction had fallen, the doctor himself bloodied and unconscious in the cockpit. Good had triumphed over evil.
“So what do you think, Kimmy?”
“It’s pretty good. The ending was a bit obvious, though.”
“What do you expect? It’s about defeating an adversary and we were given a one- to two-page limit.”
“Can I see the assignment form?”
“Sure. It’s right there beside my gym shoes.”
“Which one is it?”
“The one printed on orange paper.”
THE END
By Geoffrey Norton
“Uh...Geoff?”
“What?”
“Did you actually look at the assignment?”
“No. Why?”
“‘Writing Assignment: Due Monday March 5th: Write about the story of a person overcoming adversity.’ Not an ‘adversary’.”
“What? Well, I mean...”
“‘You may choose from any of the following historical figures: Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Joan of Arc...’”
“What? You mean I was supposed to actually do research? I thought this was a creative writing assignment.”
“Do you have Mr. Campbell for English or History?”
“...History.”
“How could you have made that mistake?”
“Give me a break, man. Shut up!”
“You confused ‘adversity’ for ‘adversary’.”
“Oh, Jesus! I’m calling in sick.”
“Mom will kill you.”
“I know.”
“Better get started then.”
“It’s 11:30 as it is...”
“Are you going to try?”
“You see me backspacing, don’t you?”
“Just checking.”
Nelson Mandela raced up the jagged highway...