Joe Lamb, whats much to say about him? Good kid, good grades, more than just great friends. Then his life began to crumble to pieces after he lost his mother in an accident at the steel mill. Joe sits outside on the swings, surrounded by the pale white snow. He lightly rocked himself back and forth while looking down at the necklace his father, Jack Lamb, gave to her when Joe was born. She meant the world to Joe, always caring, always loving, always there for him when he needed her most. All of those things, gone, lost crushed. Some of Joe's friends were sitting at the table nearest to the window looking out at him, as he sits outside in the freezing weather.
"I'm so worried for him." Fluttershy whimpered.
"Joe is gonna be okay." Rainbow replied.
"She was everything to him." Fluttershy's face became somber and Rainbow hugged her.
"Don't worry Fluttershy, Jack's gonna step up, he's a good man." She reassured her.
"But he's never had to be a father before." Applejack chimed. "I don't think he understands Joe."
The rest of Joe's friends stood at the other table eating food while talking about the accident.
"What do you think was in the coffin?" Cary asked.
"Jesus, shut up." Martin snapped.
"I'm just saying 'cause of how she died." Cary retorted. "You guys weren't wondering that?" He asked.
"No, I'm eating macaroni salad." Preston replied.
"I was thinking about that too." Charles said. "I heard it crushed her completely."
"Steel beams? Those things weigh a ton, literally." Preston stated.
"I don't know how you guys can eat." Martin said.
"Try a turkey roll, you'll discover how." Charles barked.
"Lucy get down! Get down." Joe's father, Jack, pulled the dog off the counter and pushed her away. "Joe? Has anyone seen Joe?" He asked from the far side of the kitchen.
"I bet Joe's not gonna want to my movie anymore." Charles sighed.
"Why?" Cary asked.
"Why do you think why? It's about the living dead." Charles replied.
"His mother's not a zombie." Preston snorted.
"But she's dead, shithead." Charles snapped.
"Those turkey rolls are pretty good." Cary said taking another bite.
"Told you." Charles replied.
Joe still sat there, looking at the necklace when he heard a car coming. He looked up to see a yellow car pull up to the front of the house. The engine rattled after it came to a screeching halt. A man got out and approached the front door, he seemed to be preparing to do something. He glance back at Joe who just sat there looking at him. The man walked through the door and Joe heard him and his father grunting.
"Wait! Jack, just let me-"
"GET OUT!" Jack shouted pushing him out of the door.
He escorted him down to the police car and shoved him in the back seat. Jack looked up at Joe who was giving him a worried look.
"Joseph, I'll be home soon." He said quickly while getting in the car.
He pulled out and drove off, leaving Joe sitting there. Joe looked back at the necklace and clicked it shut...
Four Months Later
Students flooded from the school, screaming out loud joyously. It was the last day of school, and kids were grabbing their bikes and rushing to their buses. Joe and Charles walked out of the front doors talking about the film.
"Oh my God, that was the longest day ever!" Charles shouted. "Here, read this." He said handing Joe the lines to the movie.
"Whats this?" He asked.
"New scene. Check it out." Charles replied.
Joe skimmed through the lines and raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Detective Hathaway has a wife now?" He asked.
Charles sighed. "I don't know. I think it would make a better movie. I need a better storyline and production value." He replied.
"Hey, guys, Martin barfed all over his locker today,it was the grossest one yet!" Cary shouted.
"Oh, my God! Shut up!" Charles shouted back.
"So who's gonna play the wife, Jen?" Joe asked.
"Hell no, I told you what she did with my top hat." Charles answered.
"What wife?" Cary asked.
"Fluttershy." Charles replied.
Joe stopped dead in his tracks and looked at Charles. Joe has had a crush on Fluttershy ever since he met her. She was basically like his mother. Kind, caring, and absolutely gorgeous. But of course... Joe never had the guts, or chance to tell her that... He quickly rushed back to Charles' side.
"She was in the silent reading section and I asked her if she'd play as Hathaway's wife." Charles explained.
"Wait, you talked to Fluttershy, really?" Joe asked.
"You're not supposed to talk at all in the silent reading section, it's for silent reading." Cary mocked.
"Shut up." Charles snapped. "She said yes, and were filming tonight, and she's driving." Charles said.
Joe's face became puzzled. "Driving?" He muttered to himself. "Driving where?!" He asked.
Joe sat in Charles' room at his house watching one of the scenes from the movie. Martin was slammed against the wall by Cary (who was zombified) and Martin struggled to hold him back. He tried to pull his gun but Cary smacked it away. Martin twirled around, and slammed Cary into the wall, he saw a board with a few planks sticking out and he slammed his head besides it (trying not to kill Cary). The tape ended and Joe smiled then turned around.
"That was a really good zombie murder." He complimented.
"Yeah but it's not a story yet." Charles replied. "Older kids are entering this film festival, fifteen and sixteen year olds who have better stories... and cars... and production value. I've got nothing." He explained.
"Charles, dinner!" His mother called from downstairs.
"I'm coming!" Charles called back. He crawled onto his bed and searched around through comics and articles. "There's this article I want you to read about, it explains everything about stories." He said while moving under his bed.
"I just don't know how the wife makes it a better story." Joe replied.
"Jesus, that's what I've been explaining! That scene we're filming tonight, where the wife is telling the detective the she's scared for him, that she loves him?" He asked.
"I can't believe you talked to Fluttershy." Joe sighed.
"Charles come on, move it!" His father called from down stairs.
"I'm coming!" Charles called back with a bit of attitude added to his voice. He grabbed the article and came out from under the bed. "So when he investigates the zombie stuff, you feel something. You don't want em' to die because they love each other so much. That make sense?" He asked.
"Fluttershy, wow." Joe replied staring off into space.
"You're impossible." Charles groaned handing him the article.
"Charles, now!" His mother called.
"GOD MOM! I'M COMING!!!" He yelled. "Midnight, okay? Don't forget." He said.
"I won't." Joe replied following Charles downstairs.
Joe walked downstairs to see Charles' sister arguing with his mother. His mother noticed noticed Joe and smiled, completely ignoring that Charles' sister was talking to her.
"Hey Joe." She greeted him.
"Goodnight, Mrs. Kaznyk." He replied.
"Take a seat we have lots of food." His mother insisted.
"Oh no really, I'm okay, thank you though." Joe replied. "I'll see you tomorrow Charles."
"Later days." Charles replied with a plate in one hand, a cup of soda in the other and a piece of bread.
Joe chuckled and Charles' father walked in front of him. "There's always a place for you here Joe, you know that." He said.
"Yes sir." Joe replied walking out the front door.
On his way home, Joe thought a lot about what Charles' father told him. "There's always a place for you here Joe, you know that." His voice echoed through his head. Is there really? He thought.
