The Rubberband Man and Other Stories FREE previews included

By J. David Clarke

In "Green" a young girl forms a bond with the great old tree in her yard. In "Onion Street", lovers find their relationship tested in a little Texas Cafe. In "Quantum Theory and Tube Socks", a down and out television producer goes on a metaphysical voyage of iffy science, bad television, and salvation of self. In "The Rubberband Man", the tenuous nature of power is explored when a new student is called before the court of the reigning school bully. These tales and others from the mind of J.David Clarke play out unusual scenes from the strange corners of imagination.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. David Clarke
• Release date: Jan 25, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301122806

J. David Clarke

J. David Clarke is a native Texan who was published in the literary journal of Tarrant County Junior College before moving on to become a Fine Arts graduate of Southwest Texas State University. He is an author, occasional blogger, and lover of all things nerd: comics, science fiction, fantasy, roleplaying, and gaming.He has written four books: one collection of short stories called "The Rubberband Man and Other Stories", the first two volumes of a science fiction series called "313" (Volume 1 is titled "Missing Time" and Volume 2, "Time Spent") and a Young Adult fantasy adventure called "The Wizard in My Window". He is currently working on "313" Volume 3, "Time Lost", and an epic fantasy series called "Keeper of Days", Volume 1 "The Book of Day and Night", as well as various short stories to be collected soon.He lives in Texas with a virtual army of cats.

Book preview

THE RUBBERBAND MAN

AND OTHER STORIES

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 by J. David Clarke

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

ALSO BY J. DAVID CLARKE

Missing Time (313 Volume 1 of 3)

Time Spent (313 Volume 2 of 3)

Time Lost (313 Volume 3 of 3, coming soon)

The Wizard in My Window (coming soon)

Keeper of Days I: The Book of Day and Night (coming soon)

Find me on the web:

www.facebook.com/clarketacular

www.amazon.com/author/clarketacular

CONTENTS

The Rubberband Man

Victim

Green

Why Do Cats Have Tails?

Onion Street

Flag Burning

A Sliding Time

Rudy With One Hand

Visitation Rites

Quantum Theory and Tube Socks

Free Preview: MISSING TIME

Free Preview: KEEPER OF DAYS

The Rubberband Man

Kevin didn't see them until he had walked halfway across the courtyard, and by then it was too late. They were upon him. Now they surrounded him, silent and accusing, and Kevin felt trouble stir in the air, trouble he had not felt since three junior high schools back. He did not like the feeling. The tallest of the six kids, a long string bean of a kid with a knot in his neck that made it look like a section of bamboo, stepped forward. He had apparently been appointed spokesman of their little group.

You Kevin?

Yeah.

Another of the kids, almost as tall as Bamboo but with a muscular look to him that was beyond his comrade, spoke up: You smart, Kevin?

Kevin thought about this. In the ten junior highs he had attended over the last two years, he had learned at least one thing: smart was bad.

I dunno. What do you mean?

There was some laughter at this. Kevin smiled a blank smile, though he was more pleased than he would admit to them. Bamboo reasserted his leadership.

Somebody wants to talk to you.

Somebody?

Yeah.

Who's that?

Nobody. Just come with us, and you'll be okay.

Kevin risked just a bit. What happens if I don't?

Are you kidding?

No.

We beat the shit out of you.

Which was, of course, what he had expected, but it was best to let the opposition think they were surprising you every step of the way. If you looked like you knew what was going on, you became less of a nuisance and more of a threat.

Okay, I'm following, Kevin said.

As one the circle of boys turned and moved to the double doors that led back into the building, pushing Kevin along as if he were the hub of their group wheel. Bamboo remained in front with Muscles and the other four at equal distances from each other and Kevin. One of the boys, who wore a sweater and brown corduroy pants even though the day was probably the hottest of the school year, kept staring at Kevin as they walked. His right eye fluttered and twitched softly. He kept on staring even at the expense of his own footing, clumsily stepping on the feet of the boy in front of him, and he caused the circle to fray from the thing of perfection it had been in the courtyard.

Passing the double doors, the boys entered the lobby just in front of the school cafeteria. Not wanting to pause anywhere near that place, their feet plowed forward in confusion, and what had been a circle became a knot of bodies as they pushed through the second pair of double doors that led to the outside. Not just a courtyard this time, though, with safe school halls and authority figures within shouting distance, but the outside world, with kids lunching on the grass, sidewalk, and steps, and rent-a-cops whose rent wasn't high enough to warrant actual attention. And somewhere out here was a boy who wanted to speak to Kevin. Bamboo had said so, and he had said it as if it were true. No lie to lure the new kid out and trash him this time, just threats and bullying.

As they rounded the south corner of the building, Twitch Eye stumbled into the red brick wall. The knot of boys ground to a halt, and a horseshoe of kids turned on its missing link.

Hey! said Bamboo.

Sorry, Tommy. I wasn't lookin' at where I was going.

Tommy, the Bamboo Kid, just glared at the misfit Twitch Eye and shook his head. Loser, he said flatly, and turned back. The circle reestablished, they moved on. From then on, Twitch Eye risked only secret glances in Kevin's direction.

Now Kevin could see their destination: the trash dumpster behind the school. It concealed a fairly large area in the corner of the building, which housed fights every so often, but mostly it served as the throne room for the reigning king of Bannerman Junior High. Kevin tensed. He had not met Raymond Burke in the two weeks he had been at Bannerman, but he had heard of him, of course. Raymond was not the most popular kid in school, but he did have the most influence. Students went on the defensive when his name came up, and a suggestion that Raymond was displeased with a student was a guarantee that that student would be sick for days. In short, Raymond had pull at Bannerman Junior High.

As they reached the dumpster, Kevin got his first glimpse of Raymond Burke. He was a pretty short kid, all in all, under five foot two. He had short black hair and eyes that never seemed to move. They were dead still, as if he had the world in his sights and would never let it escape. He wore blue shorts and a white t-shirt, with a beer slogan on the front. How he got away with this (alcohol advertisements were anathema to everything high school teachers stood for), no one knew.

Raymond ran a thin hand through his hair, and the circle parted before him to allow him access to Kevin. The six boys huddled by the dumpster. Twitch Eye's gaze was now hooded, his head lowered.

You Kevin?

The question seemed a bit silly, so Kevin didn't answer.

You know who I am? Raymond asked.

Yeah.

Good. I want to talk to you.

So talk, Kevin said, thinking of a word his father had taught him: pretentious. It seemed to fit Raymond.

Yeah. Well, you're new here. And I wanted you to know who was big around here.

Who?

Twitch Eye's twittering stare flicked back up from the ground and rested on Kevin again. All the boys had jumped at that question. A dumbfounded silence