Population Miniscule

By Ava Fails

Kendon and Catherine. They are a match made in heaven, and that’s where the cliche ends. Their dysfunction is average, uneventful even. It’s not obvious right away that two worlds have collided...in more ways than one. Catherine is your average high school English teacher, and Kendon just your basic Historian. They live together, but have separate lives. It was over before it began. 

A simple tale of racial and spatial challenges married with the wonder of childhood fantasy. This story with an uncommon twist will keep you reading. A simple tale appropriate for preteens and up of any background. 

Population Miniscule is a story that doesn’t end. It continues on through the imagination. It lives in the whispers of an empty house, feeling eyes when there are none, seeing glimpses to turn and find nothing. That is where the Miniscule live. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ava Fails
• Release date: Dec 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9781519993823

Ava Fails

Ava Fails is an aspiring writer with more than a decade of experience writing non-fiction. Her work is fueled by her wide array of interests from art to all things do-it-yourself and bacon. A sheltered Southern daughter with an intense desire to share stories with others, Ava both delights and provokes. She hones her pen in Winston-Salem, NC, the Camel City. If she could inspire you with only one word, it would be LOVE.

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Population Miniscule

Watch for more at Ava Fails’s site.

POPULATION

MINISCULE

A Tiny People Tale

Ava Fails

Disclaimer

This book is being released initially as a self-published electronic book that will also be distributed in print format. All of the words in this book are my own. Ideas, names, and places have been adapted from childhood loves, my imagination, and life experience. Any coincidence between this work and any other work is completel accidental.

This work is intended for sale as I, the author, see fit. It may be distributed through a number of platforms and digital avenues. This work is NOT intended for resale by parties other than specified and endorsed by the author and CreateSpace. Resale of this work without express permission in writing from the author is prohibited. ALL rights are reserved.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my Mom, Dad, Brother, and Sister-In-Law who I have always been able to count among my biggest fans.

To God for His many blessings and for granting me talents to share.

To Tina for supporting me in this endeavor.

To Lisa for her input. She spent countless hours proofreading and inspired the ending of this work.

To my friends and extended family that have ever lent an encouraging word when it came to my writing. Words chose me. I simply give them form and send them on their way.

Thanks also to the many geniuses who make this communication possible through computer codes and programs. This would be impossible without you. You give breath to my speech.

––––––––

©2014 Ava Catherine Marcella Fails

Self-published via Accendolux Media in

cooperation with ProWebWriter.com

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Kendon......................................................................................................................7

Chapter 2: Catherine.................................................................................................................9

Chapter 3: Two Down; Home Free......................................................................................11

Chapter 4: When Cat's Away, The Mice Will Play..........................................................14

Chapter 5: Sightings................................................................................................................17

Chapter 6: Population Miniscule..........................................................................................23

Chapter 7: It's All Over Now.................................................................................................30

Chapter 8: Rebellion................................................................................................................34

Chapter 9: Communication....................................................................................................37

Chapter 10: Outrage................................................................................................................42

Chapter 11: Exodus..................................................................................................................48

Chapter 12: Kendon's Ladies................................................................................................53

Chapter 13: Excommunication.............................................................................................57

Chapter 14: Talking 'Bout A Revolution............................................................................61

Chapter 15: Remains...............................................................................................................63

Chapter 16: Mothers...............................................................................................................69

Chapter 17: Finality.................................................................................................................74

Chapter 18: New Beginnings................................................................................................80

Chapter 19: The Din of Dinner.............................................................................................85

Chapter 20: Shopping Spree.................................................................................................93

Chapter 21: Ouch Strother................................................................................................97

Chapter 22: Restoration.......................................................................................................100

Chapter 23: In The Interim.................................................................................................102

Chapter 24: Blue....................................................................................................................104

Chapter 25: Deeper...............................................................................................................106

Chapter 26: Christmas..........................................................................................................109

Chapter 27: A Short Engagement.....................................................................................118

Chapter 28: Reality Check...................................................................................................123

Chapter 29: Nuptials.............................................................................................................126

Chapter 30: The Council of the Twelve...........................................................................128

Chapter 31: Newlyweds.......................................................................................................130

Chapter 32: The Man-Cave.................................................................................................133

Chapter 33: Come See Me, Love Catherine...................................................................135

Chapter 34: Young Love.......................................................................................................139

Chapter 35: Romeo and Juliet Twisted............................................................................142

Chapter 36: Lost and Found...............................................................................................146

Chapter 37: Diaspora............................................................................................................152

Epilogue....................................................................................................................................154

Chapter 1: Kendon

Kendon leaned with his shoulder against the wall watching Catherine. His left arm crossed his torso and the fingers of his right hand curled around the handle of his coffee mug holding the warm liquid inches from his lips. Catherine was entering her last week before Summer break with a bunch of rowdy ninth graders. Then she would be heading out for a week-long writing conference as she had done every year since she graduated from college.

Kendon doubted she would even say goodbye. She had been so busy and quiet lately. Oh well, at least he would have the house to himself with the exception of her lazy tomcat. He did what he could to avoid Turk. The tabby always vied for her time with his cheery meow as he maneuvered himself around her legs. Kendon resented the beast which Catherine had adopted without his consent about six months prior.

Catherine flicked off the coffee maker and left the kitchen. It was a good thing Kendon had his own stash and maker in his office. Her lunch was bagged neatly by the back door and he knew it would be last thing she would grab on her way out to work. Kendon turned and walked down the corridor with a sigh. A day at his desk would relieve the odd tension he felt about Catherine leaving next week.

It was going to take Kendon all day to clean off his desk if he wanted to get any work done. It was awash with papers and fat file folders. This was his work. He was a historian; a profession that had belonged to his family for years. He specialized in archiving documents from all over the world. A branch of his work also included researching the best ways to back up the documents for posterity. It was boring at times, but fulfilling and necessary. All in all, he enjoyed it.

At least he had something to pass along to his children. He hoped at least one of them would be interested in the job as his father and many grandfathers before had also hoped. Kendon had two teenage sons and a nine year old daughter. His sons already helped him sometimes in the afternoons after school to avoid chores assigned to them by their mother. Kendon knew chores were important, but so was the family business. It caused spats at times, but nothing too serious. 

Chapter 2: Catherine

Catherine felt rushed. Mondays were always a game of catch up that she didn't feel like playing. She almost always felt rested, but could think of a million things she would rather be doing than darkening the door of Davis High School. One more week...and then she'd be off to Mexico for a week of writing and relaxation. She ran her fingers through her curly auburn hair as she flashed a last glance in the mirror. She flipped off the light switch and headed to the kitchen with one free hand ready to grab her lunch.

Catherine's small car purred to life and the local morning radio show blared through the speakers. She nearly spilled her coffee clamoring to turn down the volume. She'd been shopping on Saturday and had forgotten to turn the volume down on the radio before shutting off the car. That's when she realized she had left her music player on the charger. She pushed in the CD that was protruding from the slot. She would have to kick it old school today. She smiled to herself and thought, There's nothin' to it, but to do it.

The school was fifteen minutes away and she pulled in the parking lot while taking the last sip from her travel mug. Life had hit that mundane rut for Catherine about three months ago, and she was eager to take her yearly retreat. She was looking forward to it more than ever this year as she had never been to Cancun before. She hoped the surroundings wouldn't be too distracting to get a head start on the writing projects she wanted to accomplish over the Summer.

Since before she graduated in 2008 with a Master's Degree in English, she had written articles for magazines and anthologies to help pay back her student loans. She kept up the habit over the years to supplement her income during the Summers. Even though she had a little money held back from each check throughout the school year so she would draw a salary all year, freelance writing gave her a little extra cushion. She was able to pay off her bills and participate in one writers' conference each year. It was a luxury that allowed her to recharge following the long school year.

This was her fifth year teaching Freshmen English at Davis. She enjoyed the challenge of keeping a bunch of teenagers from failing out of high school before they even started. She was at a point where five years of experience had begun to work for her. Every year was easier, but no less tiring. Her personal life had suffered the last few months and she pushed the heavy door of the school open with a sigh. Catherine tried to forget the odd tension that she felt about pretty much everything.

Chapter 3: Two Down; Home Free

Catherine inhaled a deep breath as she unlocked the door to her house. She plopped her briefcase on the couch and decided to change. She donned a loose pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt and crumbled to a lump in her favorite chair. The stress dissipated from her body for she had survived the last two days of the school year. Now she only had to tie up a few loose ends and clear out her classroom for the Summer. She didn't expect that to take all three days left in the week and she might eke out an extra day to prepare for her trip.

Catherine turned on the TV and listened to the evening news with her eyes closed. Kendon heard her enter the house and decided to take a break from the population documentation he was working on. His hand was cramped from the endless writing and drawing up of tables. He hoped he could switch the business over to computers soon. After all, it was 2014. It was high time he looked into doing things more efficiently.

Kendon saw Catherine reclining in her enormous chair. He listened intently to the news from the next room. He didn't want to startle her from her relaxed state. That confounded cat was perched at her right arm anyway and was just trouble waiting to happen. More than anything, Kendon wished they could talk. He took his time returning to his desk while keeping an eye on Turk. The tabby didn't move.

Catherine had brought Turk home from the animal shelter three months into the school year because of the mice. She had seen some evidence here and there where they had gotten into various food stuffs. She was determined to take care of the situation before it became a real problem. She had wanted a cat ever since the one she had growing up had passed during her Freshmen year of college. She felt guilty for years over leaving him at home with her parents, but she had lived in the dorm for the duration of her college career to save money.

The cat was long overdue, and Catherine enjoyed his company more than she had imagined. It never mattered what kind of mood she was in, Turk always met her with an optimistic meow and a gentle headbutt to one of her legs. He had gotten healthy and fat in her care, but she had seen no evidence that he had killed even one mouse. She couldn't bring herself to be too heartbroken about it. Cleaning out the litter box was quite enough. She didn't really want to have to dispose of corpses as well, especially partially dismembered ones.

Kendon ran his hands through his dark hair and stretched against the back of his desk chair. He loved working away the quiet evenings and wished that he had known what he had been missing all those years he worked nights. He could hear Catherine preparing a meal down in the kitchen and it smelled wonderful. He had eaten earlier and would be calling it a night soon. Perhaps he would catch a TV show or two with her before bed. It depended on if she watched anything or not. He figured she would since she didn't have to prepare for lessons the next day.

Kendon organized his desk into a few sloppy stacks so he could find his place in the morning. He turned off the light and made his way down the hall. Catherine sat enveloped in her chair with a large platter. It looked like she was having fish and fresh veggies tonight. She always kept a large variety of food in the house, and Kendon was thankful for that. He sat back and eyed the episode of Jeopardy on the TV. This was by far one of his favorite shows and he did well when he played along. He was thankful that Catherine's television interests so often paralleled his own.

She didn't acknowledge his presence. He wished she would say something. She hadn't received or made any phone calls for a few days and Kendon had no idea what was really going on with her. She didn't even glance in his general direction, but Turk had zeroed in on him. Another episode of Jeopardy ruined by that shedding beast. Kendon retreated for an early night. His mind was too busy to really watch TV anyway...or sleep for that matter.

What is it, boy?

Catherine hoisted herself up to peer around the arm of her chair. Turk had jumped to the floor and scurried off after some imaginary whim. Those darn mice again?

Catherine settled back in her chair. She really didn't care because she was home free. She was facing down a leisurely end to her week and a weekend of preparation for her trip. She felt tired and energized all at once. The excitement of the trip fluttered through her mind and she missed nearly the entire episode of Jeopardy. She caught Final Jeopardy before she decided to unwind with a lovely monotone show on the History Channel. She woke half way through the night, switched off the TV and moved to the bed. Turk had retreated to the plush comforter long ago. Kendon tossed and turned the entire night.

Chapter 4: When Cat's Away, The Mice Will Play

Kendon was hesitant to leave the house; afraid that he might miss something with Catherine. He was waiting for a tidbit of information about her plans for the week. She usually had her mom come by and check on the cat at least once when she was away for a whole week at a time. Kendon hated when her mom came to visit. He was planning to have the run of the house and not have to clean his tracks as meticulously as normal. Monday morning,