FINISHED STORIES

Story 5

Summer Storm

There had never been a time like it. It had rained all summer. The roads from the far side of town were flooded. Even on the last day of school the sky was winter dark. Jack Dante dreaded the holidays. He would never have expected that within three days of leaving Felsted Green School, he would be a killer. Hunted and chased like a wounded animal in a place from which he had no escape, and that even his girlfriend wouldn’t believe him.
 It had rained since his sixteenth birthday. May 1st. His mother had said that it wouldn’t rain for long. That it had to stop sometime, but the rain kept pouring. Day and night. She said things like that as she gazed aimlessly out of the window of her kitchen across the lawn that led to the wood and the river far below.
Dark day was followed by dark day. Even when he watched 501 News the weird, hippy guy in the suit and tie told him that yet another cold front was coming in from the Atlantic. There could even be snow. It was July. Jack had taken the unusual step of speaking to Mr Oldenburg, his fat, greasy haired geography teacher. Oldenburg had told him dismissively that weather was the weather and there was nothing neither he nor Jack could do about it. He had ranted that there was no such thing as Global Warming and that history would show that it was just like the Medieval Warm Period where they grew grapes in Scotland.
‘Dante…(for everyone called him Dante – even his mother,) the Chancellor can’t tax a warm period,’ he had shouted as he threw Dante out of the door of his room.
Dante knew that Oldenburg didn’t like him. Well, not since he had set fire to his desk in year ten. It had been an experiment. Dante had got the magnifying glass to see if the sun could light the paper on top of the pile of homework. The fire chief said that it must have smouldered for at least an hour before bursting into flames and burning down half the school.
As he walked home Dante couldn’t help thinking that all was not well. The trees were in bright green leaf. It was July the 21st, 4.35pm and yet it was like a midwinter day. The sun was blocked out by thick black cloud. It thundered and rumbled. Thunder cracked from cloud to cloud. Lightning strobed a sharp blue light on the wet road. There was a bitter wind that rattled the branches of the tress like a thousand swords ready for battle. He looked up at the sky and thought that this was not going to be a good start to the six-week vacation.
Dante hated being out in the thunder. It made him shiver…not with cold, but with fear.  It always brought back the same memory. When he was five, his father had taken him on a rowing boat on Lake Windermere. It had been a clear sunny day. When they were far out away from the shore a storm had come. It had hailed so hard that his father had told Jack to hide in the bottom of the boat and had covered him with his jacket. He had peeked out from time to time as the thunder crashed and lightning cracked. His father was bleeding with the cuts from the hail. Bullets of ice fell from the sky with enough power to smash into the water like falling meteors. They hissed as they exploded around the boat. His Dad rowed for the shore as fast as he could. It was as if he knew he had to get to the side of the lake before something terrible happened. Dante could feel the boat heave and yawl as he hid from the bombardment of ice, shivering, cold and frightened.
He would never forget that day. It was the last time he ever saw his father. When the storm passed and the lightning was no more, his father was gone. The rowboat was empty and he was alone. - copyright GP Taylor 2008 not to be re produced in any format other than for write path  
GP Taylor, Author.

The next part was written by Olivia and Matthew  British Int School Jakarta

1. Once he got home his mother asked him how his day was. He hated that question because he was tired of hearing it every time he got home. Dante went up to his room and got out his homework. All ten pieces of homework had to be done by the end of the holidays. Each piece took about three hours maximum to complete. He looked out the window once more thinking about his dad. It was raining heavier than ever. He started reading a chapter in his English book. He didn’t find it fascinating but it was part of his task. After he read two lines, he shut the book because there wasn’t enough light since it was so dark and stormy outside. He went up to the attic where all the games were.
Once he got there he searched for a torch. It was nearly dinner but in order to finish his homework quickly he needed a torch. He couldn’t find the torch but that wasn’t what caught his eye. The picture he had taken when his dad was still alive had been smashed to the ground. He picked it up and touched the broken glass. He examined it and found no clue whatsoever. Dante decided to call the police. It was a bit drastic but the picture meant a lot to him since it was the last one he had of his dad.
Suddenly there was a phone call. It must have been one of his friends because when his mum picked it up, she said it was for him. Dante ran downstairs and picked up the phone. It was a man whose voice sounded familiar but he couldn’t tell who it was. “Who is this?” he asked. “You sound so familiar.”
“Dante, I have known you since you were born. Didn’t your dad tell you about me? Can I talk to him?” the mysterious person asked.
“He is not here anymore.” Dante said. “You should know he died 11 years ago.”
“What? Why didn’t anyone tell me? We were close personal friends. Listen I have something very important to tell you…” he said.
At that moment there was a power cut. The phone was mysteriously still on. Dante tried to hang up but the moment he did the phone rang again. Unbelievably, Dante saw a figure outside his glass window. He picked up the phone and didn’t say anything. The stranger said, “I am the man you can see outside your window. This is a very private message. Please meet me at the bridge tomorrow at exactly 5.00pm sharp. “He hung up but his figure was still there. There was no sign of the police that night.
Next morning Dante couldn’t remember if that phone call was real or just a dream. It was hard enough that he still had chores to do until the end of the day. Once he ate his breakfast he did his chores straight away. He managed to finish all of them except for one which was taking the trash out. He looked at his watch and it was 4.50pm. He had to rush to the bridge in order to determine the identity of the mysterious man. He slipped on his jacket and ran out. It was not as rainy as yesterday but it was still drizzling and wet.
He reached the bridge at 5.01 pm. He saw the man and was about to meet him. He turned around and said, “Dante come here.”

The next part was written by Nick,  Werneth School, Stockport.
2. I turned round, expecting the worst. He was a man in his late 40’s and he was wrapped up in a black coat and a scarf round his mouth. He chuckled as he spoke, “You remind me of your father.”
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“I am here with news, about your father. He is alive.”

The next part was written by Derek and Georgia,                                                           St Andrews School, Bangkok
3. I was shocked to find that my father was still alive but he couldn’t be, he died in a plane crash coming back from Australia when I was 5 years old. “No, your father is still alive. He was lucky to survive such a crash,” said the mystery man.
 The man started to walk closer to me and grabbed me on the arm. I was too shocked to move at all, like I was frozen right on the spot with a stranger holding onto me. I felt like running but he had a tight grip on me. A slow creaky word came out of my mouth, “who are you?” Suddenly, I threw the man’s arm off mine and started screaming and trying to get to the nearest shop.
 He ran after me shouting at me to stop and listen to him but I kept on running, running for my life.  Finally I stopped, catching my breath, but then I felt like I was being watched. I looked around no one was there then I finally realised where I was, in the middle of no where “HELP ANYBODY HELP” but it was no good no one was around, I stared to walk down the street from where I came from about an hour went by and I was by the bridge another 11 minutes till I get home.
 The next part was written by Oliver  and Phillip , Hadleigh High School
4. Looking around him, he saw nothing but tall grey brick buildings, looming over him, staring at him. He looked behind him. The stranger was nowhere to be seen! Dante was relieved, but also terrified – he was alone, in the middle of a ghost town. He turned round to face forward when he saw the man again, standing, waiting.
‘I told you to stop, Dante.” He said, staring directly at Dante.
Slowly moving back, Dante replied ‘Why don’t you just leave me be? You haven’t even told me your name yet!’
‘That doesn’t matter, what matters is that you are in danger. Your father was not killed; he wasn’t even in the plane.’
‘What! No you liar! It can’t be true!’
‘Why don’t you listen to me? Your father was kidnapped before he even got on the plane. His brother took his place on the plane, trying to jeopardise the trip to Italy, were he would meet with his other brother’
‘Now you’re confusing me.’
‘You must believe me! I’m trying to help you before they find out where you are!’

The next part was written by Eleanor and Lucy , Warblington School
5. ‘‘Who find out where I am! What!? What are you on about you old man!!’’ I shouted angrily. This man was making no sense. I looked around again; the man was mysteriously behind me.
‘‘You must believe me Dante! Why would someone lie about something as important as this!’’ He said trying to reason with me. But my dad had been dead for 11 years.
‘‘If my dad is alive then why hasn’t he tried to contact me?’’ I said, trying to make sense of it all.
‘‘He has but it failed. The person he sent was shot 5 times in his head.’’ He replied.

The next part was written by Written by Alex and Lewis, Walbottle Campus Technology College.
6. As the mist drifted over them the mysterious stranger drifted into the gloomy atmosphere and seemed to vanish. 
“Wait,” Dante shouted. “What do you mean?”
But his questions were futile, he was talking to mist.  The only person around was himself.
He ran frantically in all directions despite the fear and anxiety flowing through his bloodstream like an Olympic runner.  He kept to his instincts as he headed towards home.  Then a feeling of fear and exhaustion overcame him and he fainted.
Dante woke in his familiar bed with his mother leaning over him.  The first words that came out of his mouth were “Why did you lie to me?”
“What do you mean honey?” asked his mum.
“There was a strange man.”
“What man?”
“There was a man who said he wasn’t dead.”  I told her.
“You know your father is dead, love,” she said softly, yet I could see she was lying in her eyes as she couldn’t hold my gaze.
She told me to go back to sleep but how could I with everything I had on my mind? Eventually sleep overcame me, and as morning broke and I came to all the happenings of the day before came crashing onto me.

The next part was written by Umut and Dayna, Oasis Academy, Enfield.
7. I slowly crept downstairs, with the noise of the radio singing in the background. I went into the kitchen but all I found was the radio playing to its self. I turned around the back door was open, the gentle breeze emerged on my face but something was not right, I walked up to the door, the lock was broken and my mother was gone.
 “What’s going on?” I couldn’t help but say the thought out loud before slowly crouching down on my knees in shock, then a sudden thought came to me… the attic!
 I rushed to my room to find the torch that I had previously used. Where was it, where did I put it this time? I was distraught.  And out of nowhere, I slipped on something hard and round.  To my surprise, it was the torch. Finally I had found the torch.
I quickly sprinted to the attic. I searched for a brown cardboard box, which hopefully had my dad’s old belongings inside. I found a photo album.  I quickly scrolled through it my eyes darted back and forth to find clues that would maybe lead me to the truth. I found something. It was a photo of my dad and a friend I recognised him almost instantly. With a trembling hand, I turned the photo over. And found a smudged name and number, which was legible but not clear.
With a sense of renewed purpose I rushed downstairs to the telephone. I dialled the number then it began to ring. 
The next part was written by Anthony and Leon , Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys
8. The mysterious voice answered the phone, “Hello, who is this? “ As soon as he said it, I recognised the voice immediately, “Dad, is that you?” I said. “Who wants to know? “ his accent gave me a flashback, the cockney voice struck me like a bolt of lightning, but then he said it again “ Who wants to know!? “  I immediately answered him, “Dante, Jack Dante “. “ It doesn’t ring any bells; sorry you must have the wrong number, ok bye”. My heart sank deep into my ribcage, the rescue of my father is even further away than it was before the phone call, all of a sudden someone burst through the door, it was a manly shaped figure wearing a balaclava and full over body armour. He then shouted at me and unmasked himself and it turned out it was my father. 
He smiled freakily, opened his arms and ran towards me. As soon as he did that I realised I had my father back with me, I lost both parents, but at last one of them came back. The journey didn’t end there; the new search was for my beloved mother.

The next part was written by Gemana  PS 161 NYC
9. My dad embraced me and grasped me deeply. I felt the dampness from his tears on my face.
“Dad, what is happening? Where is Mom? I am so confused, please, please tell me everything?”
My Dad sighed, “Jack, there is a lot to explain. It is so complicated so disturbing, so strange it is hard to even believe,”
“Many years ago Jack, right after your birth, I was enrolled in an ultra secret scientific organization exploring the possibility of cloning the human species.”
Dante slowly let go of his dad’s grip and gaped in amazement at the words he was hearing. Now his mind was reeling and twisting like the dizziness one gets after spinning round and round.
His dad continued, “The man who was the genius behind the experiment, decided to use me and your mom for the cloning experiment. I don’t know how to tell you but straight out is the best way. There are 10 distinct clones of me and 5 of your mother. That is why it seems as though I have died many times and yet stand before you now!”
Jack pondered what he just heard. Although he was confused he had a question that must be answered immediately. “Are you my real father or just one of the clones?”
Tears came to Mr. Dante’s eyes as he looked deeply into Jack’s soul and heart, “No son, it is really me!” I Love you dearly and your real mom, and it is necessary for us to destroy the other clones as well as bring the mad doctor to justice. He is the only one who knows where all the others are.”
Jack and his dad walked back to the home they shared. Jack’s mind raced with all the new knowledge. It was starting to make sense. But his real mom, what he wondered happened to her?
“Your mom went off to find her clones in the United States hoping also to find the real me. She had heard that they had left England to avoid detection.” Silence followed.
“We need to find her,” Jack said.
“I agree,” dad replied “But I don’t want to be separated ever again from you. We will go together!’
He pointed to the coat rack and instructed me to get my winter coat and gloves. We soon would be boarding a plane to head to Colorado, USA, where the old plane tickets stated my Mom had gone.

The next part was written by Lillie , Evan , Jacob  and Heelorie , Robert E. Lee Jr. High, Monroe, Louisiana.  
10. As we boarded the plane we pondered the question of how many clones were left to terminate. We remembered that three father clones had already died and father had killed two others also, which left five more father clones for us to kill.
When we finally got to our seats we noticed the mystery man sitting four rows back. He was smiling ominously at us.
“Dad, who is that man?” I asked sounding worried
“I’m not sure son, he looks familiar though,” Dad replied.
“Why is this happening dad? What’s going on? I’m still confused. Why did you keep this secret from me?” All these questions poured from my mouth.
“One question at a time, Jack. This is happening because your mother and I chose to take part in a government cloning project that went horribly wrong. The scientist went mad with power; he wanted to create an army of clones to take over the world. Now, we have to get rid of the clones so he cannot use them for evil purposes and we must capture or kill the evil scientist. We tried to keep this secret from you so you wouldn’t be put in danger. But now the scientist has been stalking you and you are in grave danger.”
“Oh!” is all I could muster up for a response.
For the rest of the four hour flight, we remained quiet. Only commenting on the weather or how hungry we were. 
We landed in Colorado and began our search for the five remaining clones. It took us two hours to track the first clone through its mega chip, which is in every clone. When we found him he was walking in the park. As we approached him he glanced at us then started to run dodging the civilians that were in the crowd. We sprinted after him, chasing him wildly. People were now staring at the commotion we were causing.
“Wait,” I stopped, “Dad how are we going to kill him?”
Instantly he pulled out silver gun. “This is a special government weapon that was designed to kill clones. It automatically deactivates the chip inside of them,” replied Dad.
We ran to an empty street where Dad caught the clone. We were prepared to shoot the clone when he said, “Wait, I can give you information on all you want to know.” Dad and I glanced at each other and Dad pulled the trigger on the clone for we knew he was lying.
  “One down, four to go,” I remarked.

The next part was written by Ellie , Joseph , Harper ,
and Samantha Lexington Elementary, Monroe, Louisiana
11. On the way back to the airport Jack and his dad ran into another clone. The clone is waiting to go into a police station. Jack’s dad slips inside, before he can pull out his gun the clone calls Jack his son. Jack got confused. “Which one are you?” Jack screamed and hollered. The police came running out. “What’s going on here?” The police asked.
 The Police office is littered with papers and old wrappers and awards and plaques mounted on the walls. There were armed police officers walking and taking calls. “So son what’s going on?” He asked me. I had to think of a story fast.
 “They’re twins.” He mumbled.
 “Really…”
  “Ok.” I said, “My dad and I came to meet his brother at the airport. He couldn’t find us there so he came here. It was a misunderstanding, officer.” We left the office then. When we were out of earshot, my dad pulled out a gun. “Kill it dad.”

The next part was written by Tyciana, Donald, Tyler and Jeremy, J.S. Clark Magnet,
Monroe, Louisiana
12.  “I’m hungry.” said Jack. “Okay let’s make a stop at an old friend’s house.” said Jack confused. “That is why I’m visiting him, so I can see the Lamborghini.” “Okay, just make it quick.” said Jack.
“We are already here.” said Dad.   He already knew I was coming, so he left a Lamborghini and the keys on the porch. 
“Let’s get something to eat. I’m starving.”
 Ok, we’ll go to the next Burger King that we see.”
 “Dad, can you tell me how the Professor looks? That way I’ll be able to recognise him when I see him.”
Dad replied, “He’s short and chubby and he has enormous glasses. He is always seen with a dog.”
Welcome to Burger King, may I take your order?” replied the sales clerk. As we sat waiting for our order we saw what appeared to be a bomb.
“Oh NO dad, look it is a bomb. We have to get out of here now.” As we sped away, we saw a clone and pulled out a silver clone deactifier. The clone stands frozen and begins to shake violently. As we looked in our rear view mirror, we could see the Professor taking from where the clone once stood.

The next part was written by Gloria  and Rachel,  Y7, Harrow International School Beijing
13. Jack was stuck.  He did not know what to do; the nearest help was the old friend’s house.  He ran off, Mr Dante did not notice Jack had gone until he heard the bang of a door closing.  He turned around and noticed that Jack was gone.  Jack entered the house of his old friend with fear.  He heard a voice saying ‘Come closer boy”.  Jack recognised the voice of the stranger.  When he saw the face of the man, he had a flashback to when he was in the attic looking at the picture album.  It seemed like a man who had once visited the house for a ‘secret matter’.  He saw a dog on his lap.
Wait –Jack remembered the description of the Professor.  It was him!  The Professor outside must have been a clone.

The next part was written by Kelly and Sarah,American International School, Saigon
14.“Come closer boy” the Professor repeated.
“No! Leave me alone. I know who you are!” Dante screamed in terror.
“Yes, indeed…mwahahahaha!” the Professor burst out an evil laugh.
Dante’s heart was beating faster and faster as the Professor came closer to him. They slowly moved out into the heavily rainfall. “KABUM!” a lightning strike through the Professor face reminded Dante of Dracula coming out of the rain, ready to suck blood out of somebody. As the Professor stepped forward, Dante moved backwards and soon, he was trapped, really trapped. There was no escape; not even a tiny hole where a tiny rat can run through. It was still raining; it’s still raining as hard as ever like the sky is falling. And yet, Dante realises he’s in big trouble, so big that he could die. The Professor slowly pulls out a shimmering sharp long knife, Dante could see the reflection of himself, his own eyes, his own terror, his death. Dante is so scared, he can’t even breathe, he can’t say anything, but in his mind thousands of questions keep going around and around as if he’s going crazy.
“You know too much…” said the Professor.
“Why?” asked Dante in confusion.
“You were never allowed to know about it” said the Professor.
Dante know what the Professor meant; the clones.
“Why are you doing this? What’s your problem?” shouted Dante.
“You don’t need to know! SHUT UP!” screamed the Professor. Dante could easily see the blood rising on to the Professor face. The knife is closer and closer to Dante and within a second, Dante thought his life was over. “AHHH!” a man voice spoke up. Dante opened his eyes; his father took the stab for him.
“NOO!!!!!!!!” cried Dante!
“Pity, hah! You’re all rubbish!” mumbled the Professor.
“I will never forgive you for this! Remember your face!!!”
“What will you do...you…lil…ARG!!?”
Suddenly the Professor fell down in front of Dante’s face. His dad was still alive. The one that took the stab for him was one of the clones! Dante’s dad was still alive!
“DAD!” that’s all Dante can say; he’s soaking wet and tears of happiness and fear start dripping down his chubby cheeks. Dante is still alive.

The next part was written by Laura & Jordan Lord Lawson of Beamish Gateshead England.
15. Dante’s real dad looked at him in agony and said through a mouth of blood, (he was punched in the mouth,)
“Your mother was kidnapped. It was a clone who told you your mother was looking for her clones. He wanted you leave your home as it has a chip in it which creates the clones.
 “The chip is in a picture, of me, but there is a problem; the clones have it, and they also have your mother. The chip has the DNA of creatures in it. Not just any creatures, monsters.” His Dad said gravely,” In the time that I have been away, I have been tracking down a man called Gold Curien. The machine from which the chip comes from trapped Gold Curien, and, over the years, he has very gradually become, well, machine. He is trapped inside a wheel, a wheel that can do no less than change the fate of the world. It is called the Wheel of fate, and as soon as Curien has the data chip, he can mix the DNA of these creatures and create millions of them. Then we can pray that whatever these creatures turn out to be, are not hungry.” His Dad muttered. ”And that,” His Dad said, ”is why we must get to London where a factory lies in which Curien sleeps, and kill him.” His Dad finished.
” Oh, and by the way,” He added.” You may need this.” He dug his hand into his pocket, and tossed him a small handgun. ”I think you’ll know when to use it when the time comes. “ He pulled a radio transmitter out of his pocket.” We’re ready,” he said. Then, to Dante’s great amazement, a helicopter emerged from behind the trees. They climbed in.  “This, son, is our quick transport to London. We’ll take a squadron in to help us take on Gold Curien.” Dante nodded.
As Dante landed in London there was a grim headline covering the news papers, ‘Alice Dante has been found Dead.’ This brought a lump to Jack Dante’s throat. His mother, dead. There was another though, this was too much. It said, ‘Jack Dante Killed mother.’
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Standing at the graveside, Jack felt the earth fall silently through his fingers onto the coffin below.  His vision was blurred.  He felt his tears fall slowly down his cheek and follow the earth into his mother’s resting place.  A comforting hand reached out and gripped his shoulder.  His dad gently pulled him back.
“Let’s go son.” 
Walking back to the black hearse, Dante spotted a dark, shapeless cloud appear over the horizon.  The rain was back.  The sun disappeared and a lightning bolt pierced the sky.  The weather matched his mood: dark and gloomy.  The cloud moved faster now and covered the entire sky.  More lightning stretched across the sky.
Dante noticed a figure sitting in the hearse.  The face was hidden by a black shroud.  As he approached the car, his father’s footsteps became urgent.
“Quick Dante, get in!” 
The door opened.  Clutching the interior handle was a female hand.  The ring, which was shaped like a heart, flickered in the light of the storm.  It was his mother’s.  Confused, Dante climbed into the car.
“I’m sorry Dante.”  The woman lifted the shroud and his mother’s sorrowful eyes peered out from beneath it.  She held the gun his father had used to kill the clones.  “I’m sorry it has to be this way.  I’m sorry it has to be me.”  She aimed the gun at him.
“Mum, I don’t understand!”
“We weren’t the only ones to be cloned.  All the memories you have are false, planted into your microchip by a Professor who wanted to take over the world.  I’m sorry baby, but this is for the best.”
A blast of thunder masked the gunshot.

Miss Bassi, Woolwich Polytechnic School