Page 29 - Contrast2008
P. 29
ConnorR asmussen
Apple and
a . The brown, yellow, and red scales grated for him at the house. The thought of superi-
ority partially broke Liam's concentration, and
gatmh st eacoher th an d created a smooth rasp he was forced to turn his budding grin into a
ed e deadly poisonous snake coiled and wait-
ethe L"lam reached out his index fing'er toward ystimorous grimace.
h e snake, steady and confident. As the snake's "What arrrre you doing?" Mr. Nurrn
ead shot forward, its whole torso leaving the voice rose octaves at the end of 'doing', like
a school marrn reincarnated, Liam ould feel
gshround wiIth th e rCorce a fth e stnk. e, Ll.a, ms hand himself already judged. He knew he could
thOt do wn an de'rorward and pounded agalllst change that.
"But Mr. Nurmey, I didn't do anything. I
e glass below where the snake's head collided
oinn' the at h er si.de. The snake coiled back with- got up to go to the bathroom and was walking
past the tank when the snake lunged at me. I
co I~~ tank and Liam whispered to himself, "I noticed out of the corner of my eye and shot
d' a have caught him, definitely." Liam's smile my hand out to stop the blur moving toward
me. I'm sorry Mr. Nurmey I'll be more care-
Isappeared as he noticed Mr. Nurmey's bald ful next time." Mr. Nurrney's frown fell apart.
Liam watched his teacher process the innocent
pate swirveIm' g b ack and forth, with his good tones, wide eyes, and slightly quivering lower
lip. There was even a distinct possibility that
esar lead'mg, tracking the echo of Liam's hand
Mr. Nurmey saw what Liam had done.
thmeack1 agar.nst th e glass. Of course everyone in Like shooting fish in a barreL, thought
srn c :;ssroom was completely silent when Liam
Liam
hi ac ed his hand against the snake tank, on "Alllright, Mr. Liam, be more careful next
ofIS w1 ay to th e b athroom before the beginning
time. Bessie is a real killer. Now get along to
c ass. the bathroom before class," said Mr. Nurmey.
Whenever Mr. Nurmey spoke more than a few
tre ~r. Nurmey wended his way past the words together he always leaned, good ear for-
ti ~te wooden chairs with attached desks; his ward, towards the listener as ifhe meant to hear
any interruption as quickly as possible in order
ng ht: faded, Casual Friday blue-jeans brushed to snuff it out. Liam darted under and around
w~t mg while his black Metallica T-shirt the greasy, black Metallica portrait and or t
clIsped past th e students' heads and backs. The the door. He had evaded trouble again, and he
SPaess'r6oom was not a lecture room; it was built felt the pressure at his back of the jealous stu-
he CI cally for science, with the huge, black, dents' stares as the general pre-class conversa-
don began fresh with a new leading character.
of atth-sucki ng tabl es pIaced regularly at the back
and ~ room, desks and students in the middle,
art t e teacher at the front near the door. Liam
M anged hIlS expression as he turned to face
Mrr. Narm eys' t him frame. Liam figured that
no . arm ey never learned to cook and with
Liarsnexkynm usc Ies, no hair, and no sense of style,
ew there was no Mrs. Nurmey cooking
