Puppet

By Kelly Ferguson

Fifteen-year-old Jake wakes up completely trapped inside his own body, unable to move or speak. Just as panic over his sudden paralysis consumes him, his body begins to move and speak for him, out of his control.  Jake soon realizes that someone else is now in control, bending and shaping him to some unknown will.

Powerless, watching from inside his mental prison, the possibilities race through Jake's mind as his own body carries on living and speaking to his friends and family as if nothing had ever changed.  As his body begins to do progressively weirder and weirder things, Jake knows he has to fight back, if only he can figure out how.

Will someone ever notice that Jake isn't right, and help him?

More importantly, can Jake figure out how to stop whoever is doing this before he ends up hurt, or worse?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kelly Ferguson
• Release date: Oct 13, 2013
• ISBN: 9781507061961

Book preview

Chapter 1: Monday —  My last day as a normal kid.

Not already...  Jake rolled over with a groan. 

The alarm clock on the bedside table was blaring some new, annoying pop song that was so bubblegum sweet it was nauseating.  Jake reached over and slapped the off button without bothering to open his eyes, trying to shake off the creepy dream he'd been having.  He couldn't recall all of the details of it, but he seemed to remember a fuzzy shape with him in his bedroom. 

A little old to be having monster dreams, he muttered to himself. Resigned to the fact that it was indeed morning and time to get ready for school, he rubbed his eyes and dragged himself out of bed.  Outside his bedroom window, another April downpour was soaking the ground. 

Stepping around piles of discarded clothing on the floor, Jake managed to find some clothes that looked fairly unwrinkled.  They passed the sniff test.  He shrugged them on, sighed, and trudged downstairs. 

Really? The Batman hoodie again?  His sister cocked her eyebrow at him from her place at the table. No wonder you still don't have a girlfriend. 

Jake didn't answer her. He learned long ago that when Heidi started an argument, she finished it, and he just didn't have the energy for that this morning.

In contrast, Heidi wore a light pink sweater and a skirt short enough that their father would have made her change it if he hadn't already been at work.  She was a senior at Jake's school, a solid B student and on the cheerleading squad. She was used to getting what she wanted, and Jake supposed that having her uncool younger brother hanging around the school wasn't helping to end her senior year with a bang.  Still, understanding her didn't make her any more pleasant to deal with. 

Anyway, whatever, she continued. Get going or you'll make us late.  Again.

***

Bolstered by the thought that it would soon be his sixteenth birthday and the end of his sophomore year, Jake headed to his first period history class in a relatively good mood.  He barely even cared when he accidentally dropped his backpack in the hallway and sent his pencils and papers flying. 

Jake generally didn't mind school. He was an okay student, he guessed. He would have been better if he applied himself. Or at least that's what some of his teachers said, but he figured that's just the sort of thing teachers put on report cards when they have nothing actually helpful to say. 

History class held another reason for him to be happy, although he barely admitted it to himself.  She sat one desk in front of him on his right side, and she was beautiful.  Not in the way that his friends said his cheerleader sister was hot, he supposed, or in the way that girls in movies were beautiful.  It was some intangible thing that made him feel like she was smart and independent but something in him wanted to protect her anyway.  Jake especially liked her wrists.  They looked delicate and fragile, the one thing about her that betrayed any vulnerability at all. 

Laurel wore her long, black hair loose, the ends of it reaching just past her shoulders.  She took notes attentively as the class wore on, occasionally pausing to tuck a fallen strand of hair behind her ear before continuing to write.  Her chipped orange nail polish was in glaring opposition to the soft green sweater she wore, yet somehow they both complemented her piercing, intelligent blue eyes.  Or Jake thought they did, anyhow.  He was pretty sure she would be beautiful even if she showed up to school in a potato sack. 

Dream on, dude.  You're staring again.  Does she even know your name yet​?  The note flipped onto Jake's desk, breaking him out of his thoughts.  His best friend Marcus was right.  Laurel was the kind of girl that drifted along in her own world, more happy to stay in the art room and paint than sit with friends at a crowded lunch table. 

Jake felt okay about his appearance, but he was no Marcus in the looks department.  Whereas Marcus was a basketball player, athletic and good-looking by anyone's standards, Jake was the tall, lanky guy likely to trip over his own feet walking down a hallway.  He'd never even had the courage to talk to Laurel, let alone ask her out.

Probably not, he scribbled back. 

Marcus smirked and wrote something.  When he slid the note back onto Jake's desk, Jake almost groaned aloud.  She's not packing much in the bra area anyway, man.

Mr. Rosen caught Jake's eyeroll and gave him a stern look for passing notes in class.  Truthfully, Jake was grateful he didn't have to answer Marcus.  He didn't know how to explain why he liked Laurel so much, and Marcus wasn't the type of guy who would understand it anyway.  It made Jake uncomfortable to think about, so he pushed it out of his mind and tried his best to concentrate on class. 

***

Jake slipped in through the front door of his house after school, the scent of cooking meat and a mixture of spices hitting him as soon as he stepped inside.  His mind was on his latest online game character.  He'd been so caught up in it that he walked halfway home before remembering that he had never even bothered to find Heidi for a ride home. 

His mom poked her head out of the kitchen to greet him.  Dinner is in just a few minutes; your father is home from work early today.  How was your day, honey?  Finish your homework? 

Jake thought about the pages of math homework he hadn't even touched.  Yup.

She disappeared into the kitchen again, calling out, Good, then go get cleaned up.  And can you help me by setting the table please?  I'm up to my elbows in meatball sauce at the moment.  Wash your hands first!

Yeah, no problem, be right there.  Jake felt a small stab of disappointment that he wouldn't be able to log on to his game for a while, but he did want to help his mother out.  Marcus's mother frequently worked late and sometimes came home smelling like alcohol, so as mothers go, Jake figured he was pretty lucky. 

He wasted as much time washing his hands and making faces in the bathroom mirror as he felt he could reasonably get away with, and then grabbed a handful of plates and silverware and began arranging them around the small wooden dining room table. 

So how is that girl you like?  Lauren? his mom teased from the kitchen. 

Still haven't talked to her, mom.  And it's Laurel.  He blushed saying her name out loud, feeling suddenly thankful his mom couldn't see his face. 

Well what are you waiting for, a written invitation?  The worst she can say is 'no,' and that isn't the end of the world.  Maybe she likes you too and is too shy to say anything.  Jake could hear the smile in her voice. 

Again saved by an interruption, Jake was spared having to answer by the emergence of his father and sister from the living room. 

Heidi had changed into a sensible pair of pants after school, Jake noticed.  It wouldn't do for daddy's little girl to go prancing around in short skirts when she knew their father wouldn't approve. 

We smelled meatballs and decided it was time to come investigate, his father brushed his bear-like face against his mother's cheek and gave her a kiss.  And I'm glad we did, this looks delicious!

Well good, because it's ready, she announced.  And don't forget the salad!

As his father dug into the pile of meatballs on his plate and picked sparingly at the side salad, he asked, So how is everyone today?

Heidi took this opportunity to flash her sweetest smile.  Well, Daddy, I was thinking...  Can we talk about me getting a cell phone again?  Her grin never faltered, but the confidence behind her eyes dimmed the longer it took their father to answer.

Sure.  We can talk about it.  You kids can get cell phones when you get jobs and can pay for them yourselves.  Good talk?  He speared another meatball.  Heidi slumped in her chair.

How about you, Jake?

Despite his last comment, his father seemed to be in a good mood, so Jake answered honestly without thinking.  Just school really.  I hurried home because I just made a new game character that I'm really excited about getting to level ten tonight.  As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Jake regretted them. 

His father's bristly face darkened slightly.  Can't you hang out with some friends or something, like a normal kid? 

Jake answered slowly, Well, it's an online game, so I play it with friends...  He trailed off as his mother shot him a warning look and shook her head almost imperceptibly.  It was too late, though, the damage had already been done. 

Jake's father launched into his favorite parenting speech.  I just don't get it.  Back when I was your age, every boy wanted to play football.  Football players were the stars of the school!  We had all the attention, the girls...  heck, even the teachers were in our pockets.  What's wrong with you that you would rather sit at home in your room and play your silly computer games?

If he played football, he'd just get knocked down and snapped in half like a twig, his sister chimed in. 

He would not, his mother stuck up for him. Jake would be good at anything he set his mind to.  He's so tall and quick, he'd make a great athlete.  She smiled at him in support. 

Jake appreciated his mother's attempt to defend him, even if she was completely missing the point.  His father just grunted. 

They finished dinner in what his mother desperately tried to pretend was not a tense silence.  Jake helped her clean up and then disappeared upstairs to his room.  His game had sort of lost its appeal, but it was still miles better than doing homework.  Jake sat down at his computer, letting his father's comments roll off his back.  It's just a harmless hobby, Jake thought defensively before letting himself get carried away into another world. 

Chapter 2: Tuesday

The notes to the chorus of one of Jake's favorite rock and roll songs blared from his nightstand.  Much better song, Jake thought groggily, but it's still way too early to get up.  He thought this in spite of the sunlight streaming through the window making his closed eyelids appear bright orange from the inside.

He flailed an arm in an attempt to knock the dreadful clock onto the floor, hopefully breaking it and allowing him a few more precious minutes of sleep before his sister got impatient waiting for him.  Oddly, he didn't feel his arm move.  The song kept playing.

Unnnhh, he groaned mentally.  I'm still so tired, I feel like I got knocked out last night.  His bed was so warm and comfortable that he couldn't bear the thought of trying to move his arm again, let alone throwing back the covers and standing up.  However, his radio alarm was far too loud for