by LC Cooper
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Eugene was grateful that the shopping trip was uneventful. He wondered what the folks at the school newspaper would conjure up since he didn't give them any fodder for the upcoming issue. They tried, as always, to trip him up or trick him into doing something sensational, but they left the pharmacy sad and empty-handed. Eugene wasn't stupid, and he wasn't lulled into a false sense of security. On the contrary, his senses were more alert than ever. He suspected that, during his trek home, the discouraged reporter and photographer who continually ambush him outside the pharmacy, were sure to do something during Eugene's walk home.
Deep in thought, Eugene wasn't staring at the ground ahead of him, like he usually did. He kept spinning his head back and forth, searching for potential places where Billy McGuire, Reggie Duggins (the reporter), or Harry Fostwick (the photographer), might be hiding. Brilliant sunlight poked out from behind a rooftop, momentarily blinding Eugene. Instinctively, he drew the shopping bags into his chest and wrapped his spindly arms around them in anticipation of the inevitable faux pas. Sure enough, while stepping his right foot forward, the toe of his boot caught the edge of a crack in the sidewalk. "Here we go," Eugene muttered as his body lurched and stumbled.
"Here we go!" echoed Reggie Duggins as Harry Fostwick snapped a quick series of photos. They had been hiding behind a street-side dumpster, the perfect place to capture Eugene's desperate attempts to recover his dignity.
Just like the previous month's photos and article of Eugene flailing around in the pharmacy's parking lot, the school newspaper would showcase the series of Harry's photos and Reggie's over-exuberant and flowery descriptions of Eugene's failings. But what they didn't capture on film was what happened next.
A severe breeze snatched Reggie's notepad, causing him to chase after the fluttering projectile. Harry's camera ran out of batteries the moment after he snapped a photo of Eugene crashing into a tall man. When Harry developed the photograph later that afternoon, the image clearly showed Eugene's frantic explosion of arms and shopping-bag contents, but the image of the man was missing.
"How's that possible, Harry?" Reggie asked as they both examined the photo. "See, here? The Laundromat was clearly visible. It should have been blocked by the man."
"I don't get it, Reggie." He and Harry looked nervously at each other then at the photo. After a moment of silence, Harry said, "I'm not submitting this photo to the paper. I want the heat on Eugene's antics, not on our inability to explain a photo."
"I agree," mumbled Reggie. "Say, what happened to Eugene after he smashed into the guy? I missed it, having to chase after my notepad."
"Honestly, I don't know," whispered Harry. "The wind whipped the plastic lid off the dumpster and whacked me on the head," he said while showing Reggie the lump on the top of his head. "I honestly don't know."
Eugene knew what happened, and had the sores on his neck to prove it.
Thank you for reading this exerpt from my novel, Diary of a Reluctant Vampire. Please visit your favorite retailer to purchase Diary of a Reluctant Vampire in its entirety.
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About the Author, LC Cooper
Please visit my author page to learn more about me.
To contact me, please send an email to: [email protected]
Where to find LC Cooper online
Webpage: https://lccooperauthor.weebly.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lccooperauthor
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Twitter: LC_Cooper
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/lc-cooper/24/7b1/8a5
Wattpad: LC_Cooper
Blog: https://www.lccooper.blogspot.com
Here is the list of my titles, published at many fine retailers:
Novels:
Christmess
Diary of a Reluctant Vampire
Fortune Island – a Collin Roggero Adventure
Legacy – a Collin Roggero Adventure
Man Cave
My Slice of Heaven
Royal Venom – a Collin Roggero Adventure
Simmering Consequences
The Voices of Cellar's Bridge
Short Stories:
"Barefoot Homecoming"
"Dragon's Den"
"Dan's Accidental Convertible"
"Halloween's Perfect Storm"
"Heart's Lust"
"Of Yellow Snow and Christmas Balls"
"One Lousy Wish"
"There Was a Knock at the Door"
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