Acoustic Fishes

By Michael Vu

After a young Noah Spence survives a tragic car accident, he is left with a condition: he can never fall asleep. Set in Illinois, beautiful Elizabeth and Noah go through the hardships of junior high school: unpopularity and bullying. They meet as adults in New York City madly in love. But can the two lovers break their silence and confess their love for each other?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Vu
• Release date: Aug 5, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476223605

Michael Vu

Born and raised in Illinois, Michael has lived in Las Vegas, New York City, Raleigh, and Washington D.C. After finishing his education at St. John's University, he is now doing Macintosh I.T. work. He enjoys reading Maugham, Hemingway, and other classic novels. Michael is also very interested in film.

Book preview

Acoustic Fishes

By Michael Vu

Cover Art By Joseph Hudak

Copyright 2012 Michael Vu

Smashwords Edition

CHAPTER ONE

Noah Spence was a boy who could never sleep.

The lights turned on. The lights turned off. A few moments passed. The bedroom was dark. The insects outside were talking loudly. The lights turned back on.

The young boy has school tomorrow. He looked out his window to see if anyone else in the neighborhood was still awake. The houses outside were in a deep sleep. Noah turned to look at the clock. Only a few more hours until the sun would come and shine. That would wake up other people; time for work, time for school, time to play. And he would not be alone.

Noah rushed to his closet. He threw over a clean t-shirt. He is forced, with much effort, to pull the fabric down over his large tummy. He pulled out a clean pair of khakis. He stood before the mirror hanging on the back of the bedroom door. He brushed his dirty blonde hair to the side. The thick glasses in front of his eyes were crooked. He straightened it. He looked deep into his blue eyes. He pinched his left chubby cheek, and then he pinched his right chubby cheek.

Ready for school he is. Only, school didn’t start for another few hours. A car outside started its engine. The neighbor’s dog Alice, barked.

Noah had an idea.

He tiptoed out his bedroom. He closed his bedroom door very gently. He walked past his parent’s bedroom. As he headed for the stairs, he turned back to have a listen. There was not a sound in the house. Noah could only hear the sound of his breathing.

He was free to go. He started to walk down the stairs towards the front door when his left foot cramped. Noah tumbled and rolled down the stairs. He landed on his belly.

Stealth mode, Noah whispered. He listened for any movements. There was not a sound. He picked himself up and brushed his t-shirt. He readjusted his glasses, which were even more crooked from the fall. He tapped his left wrist as if he just touched a button and said, Stealth mode off.

Outside, Alice barked as Noah approached. As Noah walked closer to Alice, she stopped barking. Alice licked his face. Noah pulled out a plastic bag from his pants and feed Alice Goldfish Crackers. He sat next to her.

Alice, do you want to hear a story?

Alice stretched herself on the grass. She was tied to a pole near her doghouse in the back yard. She listened to Noah’s voice. Noah stayed with her until the light came. He watched the sun rise.

At school he smelled like dog urine. Again.

Elizabeth Little cannot concentrate on her studies. Ms. Appleton talked and talked about history. But all Elizabeth could think about was where the water from the sink came from. And what about the water in the toilet? What about the water from the showerhead? She remembered her teacher saying that earth was mostly water. She felt relieved.

But what would happen if people used up all the water? Elizabeth grew anxious. Surely there wasn’t enough water to last forever. Right? She fidgeted in her desk and shifts her weight. Her friends thought she had to pee again. But she really didn’t have to pee.

That night, in the bathroom, she refused to shower. She looked down the toilet bowl. She closed the lid gently as if a monster sat inside asleep, and was not to be bothered. She decided not to brush her teeth before going to bed as she usually does. Elizabeth’s mother, who was washing the dishes in the kitchen, yelled at her, and threatened that her teeth would all fall out! Elizabeth jerked in terror. In that moment she knew not what to do. But then, Elizabeth had an idea.

Elizabeth walked gingerly to the refrigerator so her mother could not hear her. Elizabeth opened the refrigerator door and felt a quick cold breeze. She reached for a can of soda.

Back in the bathroom, she slowly added toothpaste to her pink toothbrush. She opened up the can of soda and poured it over her toothbrush. When she was done brushing, she rinsed her mouth with soda.

Elizabeth! What are you doing my baby girl? cried her mother who was watching from the bathroom door.

Don’t worry mommy. I didn’t drink any of it. I promise. Elizabeth opened her small mouth and showed all of her teeth. No pop. See?

My baby girl, why are you using soda pop to brush your teeth?

Because you said there’s too much of that junk on this Earth, mommy. Did you not say that, mommy?

Elizabeth’s mother laughed a bit. She stared at her daughter in admiration. She said:

Elizabeth, just use water from now on. Okay, baby girl?

Elizabeth pondered, with seriousness, what her mother had just asked of her. She did not want to disobey her mother, but at the same time, she did not want to deprive the Earth of its water. Her face grew stiff with horror.

Elizabeth’s mother hugged Elizabeth and kissed her round, rosy cheeks.

Off to bed, my angel. I love your long blonde hair. We need to trim it this week. You’re going to be such a pretty baby girl when you grow up.

Elizabeth ran to her room. Elizabeth’s mother wanted to use the toilet. She opened the lid, and then suddenly, jumped in the air.

Oh, dear. Elizabeth! Flush!

Elizabeth listened as her mother flushed the toilet. She yelled:

Oh, no!

Across the street, and only a mile away from Elizabeth’s house, stood Noah in his bedroom still awake. He was twelve years, two months, and two days old. He thought about his school lunch. How awesome were the fries? They were so thick and salty. Noah rubbed his lips together as if a small grain of salt was still on them. He could taste the ketchup on his lips.

Noah had an idea.

He left his bedroom and slipped down the stairs. He made sure this time no cramp would occur in his left foot. He used his butt instead of his feet to get down the stairs. Noah found his bike sitting inside the shed in the backyard. Alice barked. Noah walked his all-chrome BMX bicycle to Alice. He placed his bike down and hopped the fence.

I’ll be away just for a bit, girl. You be quiet now. Don’t tell anyone where I am going. Okay? Noah slipped goldfish into her mouth.

The evening was beautiful, with clear skies and bright stars that seemed to line up in the sky for miles. The streets were quiet. The suburban houses, enveloped by tall trees, sat next to each other like deserted cardboard boxes.

The wind rushed through Noah’s blonde hair. The twelve-year-old steered to the middle of the street, all the while keeping a keen eye for traffic. He caught a glimpse of a cop car and jumped into a bush in stealth mode. The cop car was not able to find him. Noah thought the driver in the cop car was a sucker.

Noah arrived at his destination. He loved Checker’s fries. He had always thought the fries had an extra crunch to them. The oil tasted nice too. But the flavor of those fries, combined with ketchup and mayonnaise, was so tasty, so irresistible.

Noah rode his bike along the drive-up area and knocked on the window. A fat blonde woman came to the window. She opened the glass doors.

Hi, Noah. Sweetheart, it’s two in the morning. Don’t you have school early tomorrow?

Hi, Mrs. Casper. You’re getting fatter each night I see you.

Yeah. Child is coming soon. I can’t wait. He keeps kicking me. Say sweetheart, does your mother know you are here?

No, Mrs. Casper.

Mrs. Casper paused for a bit. She scratched her thick eyebrows. Noah had always liked Mrs. Casper’s thick eyebrows. He overheard a conversation last Christmas between two skinny women saying that one of their boyfriends had thick eyebrows and that it made him look super smart. Noah liked super smart girls. He wanted to marry a smart girl. So right then and there, when he heard that thing about thick eyebrows, he decided he should only find girls with thick eyebrows.

Mrs. Casper said:

Noah, I don’t feel right about you riding your bicycle around this late at night. Nobody knows you are out?

Well, said Noah, pondering her question. His eyes darted around the area. He looked out towards the street, which was usually extremely busy with cars during the day, but was now subdued.

"Well, yes, you know I am out," Noah giggled. As he chuckled, the fat on his face vibrated.

Oh, dear. And what about your school work, Noah?

All A’s and B’s. But more A’s, Mrs. Casper! Yes! Ha. Can I have my fries now?

Mrs. Casper sighed. She walked away. Moments later, she came back with a white bag. Oil stains blotched areas of the bag. She slipped the bag to Noah through the drive-up window. He reached in the bag and took one fry out to eat.

Hot. Ouch. Thanks, Mrs. Casper. I hope the baby stops kicking you and swims out sooner over later. I’ll see you later.

Be safe, Noah Spence.

Noah started to ride away, with one hand holding his bag of fries and the other steering his bike. He turned back to Mrs. Casper, still watching him.

I really like your eyebrows, Mrs. Casper!

When Noah turned his head again to face forward, he saw a small rock in front of him. He tried to avoid it,