Wednesday Work in Progress

Cori stopped again at the corner two blocks before the school. She shook a cigarette out of the pack in her pocket and tried to light it with an empty Bick. No luck. She held the cigarette at arm’s length and wondered if her newfound skills included pyrokinesis. She focused her thoughts on the butt end and willed it to light. Nothing. A quick search of her bag revealed no emergency matches.

She looked back down the street. A block away a plume of smoke was circling Chuck’s head. She wouldn’t need magic or special powers to propel Chuck to her side. She raised her hand and waved him over. He covered the distance in five seconds.

“Gimme a light, moron,” she said. He obeyed, handing her his half-smoked Winston.

Rather than return the cigarette, Cori threw the butt into the snow and took a draw on hers. She blew the smoke at Chuck in lieu of thanks, turned, and stepped into the street.

She was jerked back and the cigarette flew from her hand as Chuck grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the way of a nearly silent vehicle that was rounding the corner. The driver gave a quick honk.

“You idiot!” she screamed. “Let me go.”

“Yes, m’lady,” Chuck intoned, he released her arm and tried to add a chivalrous bow to his impulsive response. He bent down to rescue the burning cigarette, but Cori was faster. Her boot snuffed and crushed it.

“Stay away from me,” she snarled. She held out her hands, palms facing him, and tried to levitate him away.

            Whatever special power she held over fat Marty wasn’t working this morning on Chuck. But he did take a couple of steps back. That was fine, Cori thought, she didn’t feel like going to school nauseated – boredom was bad enough.