20. Lucky Sweater

November 21, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 2 Comments

Nicki searches frantically through her dresser drawers.

Nicki looks through a dirty laundry basket

Nicki looks in the washing machine

Nicki looks in the dryer

Nicki yells, WHERE IS IT?

Nicki confront Chrissy: WHERE IS IT? I know you took it!

Chrissy: Whoa... what are you talking about?

Nicki: My lucky test-taking sweater! WHERE. IS. IT?!

Chrissy: Sorry, I really wouldn't know.

Nicki: I know you have it! You are always taking my stuff and now I'm going to FAIL! AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!

Chrissy smirks as Nicki leaves the room.

Chrissy opens her backpack. "Lucky-testing sweater... how dumb."

Chrissy looks at the vocabulary test she just aced.

Chrissy hugs the lucky sweater,

19. Ghost Bait

November 14, 2020November 7, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ Leave a comment

Charlotte prepares a favorite snack: whipped cream on saltines.

Charlotte carries the tray of crackers to the TV room

Charlotte places the tray in front of the TV

Charlotte puts a cracker on top of the VCR, where she had her last "ghost encounter"

Charlotte watches intently.

Charlotte eats her snack as she watches and waits.

Charlotte: I knw you're here. Just give me a sign.

Charlotte waits and watches.

Charlotte stares at the TV

and sees a ghostly figure out of the corner of her eye

Charlotte screams and covers her eyes

The white curtains billow

Chrissy steps out from behind the curtain and knocks off the snack.

From behind the curtain, Chrissy says "Grooooooooooosssssss...."

Charlotte peeks out from behind her hands.

The saltine crackers is a mess on the floor.

Charlotte screams and runs from the room.

18. Neither Fish Nor Fowl

November 7, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ Leave a comment

Nicki looks out the window as the girls who bullied her on Halloween pass by.

Nicki sighs.

A lizard snoozes on the welcome mat.

Nicki opens the front door and a lizard scurries away.

The family cat immediately catches the lizard

The cat, Rapunzel, offers the lizard to Nicki. Nicki smiles softly.

Nicki: You're lucky you're a cat, Rapunzel.

Nicki sheds a tear as her cat butts her forehead. "No one ever says you're a weirdo and that you'll never have any friends."

Rapunzel licks Nicki's nose.

Nicki smiles at the cat. "But that's not true, is it?"

Nicki licks the cat back.

Nicki and the cat stare at each other.

Nicki wipes her mouth. "Bleagh!"

17. Pushing Buttons

November 1, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ Leave a comment

16. Shealls

October 19, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 1 Comment

15. The Hurricane

October 10, 2020October 10, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 21 Comments

14. Blanketed

October 4, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 2 Comments

The sun rises over the house on the morning after Halloween

Nicki sits up in bed, groaning, hiding under her purple blanket.

Still hiding under the blanket, she groans as she pours a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Ashley watches with concern.

Nicki watches TV from under the blanket, still groaning.

At dinner, Nicki sits at the table with her family, still hiding under the blanket and groaning.

Dad: Take the blanket off at the table.

Nicki: NO! Not until we move back home!

Mom: This IS home now. You haven't even given it a chance!

Chrissy: Yeah, Nicki... Give the cockroaches a chance.

A cockroach peeks out from behind a portrait on the wall.

Mom: Palmetto bugs.

Dad yanks the blanket off Nicki's head.

Nicki looks miserable, her hair sticking up with static.

Dad: It'll get better, Nic. I promise.

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