The Dodo Decision

Dear Readers,

It seems like forever since I picked up a pen (no, I can't stand pencils--guess I'm too impatient to sharpen, haha) and sent my letter to Storyteller for her to post on this blog for all of your interested personages.

So, where should I start? How about right before we left Dayton? Sounds good. ;)

So we packed our bags, got plane tickets, and set off on our journey for the Forbidden Land.... aka Alaska.

OK, pause it.

So I know what you guys are wanting.

How on earth did I break to to Noah?

DID I even break it to Noah?

Yes, I did.

So, *sigh*, I guess I'll tell you before I tell you the best part.

It was going to be my last day at Dayton before we shipped off to Alaska to go check it out BEFORE we moved. (hopefully we won't EVER move. Keep praying, guys.) I'd ignored the newspaper all day (most of all Michael Hall, but he wouldn't talk to me, anyway, especially after the warehouse incident), shuffled my feet through classes, and ran through hallways escaping Noah.

So, I saw what you'd said to do, Madeline. So I'd decided that maybe I wasn't going to talk to him at all. Believe me, THAT's weird for me. So, really, I was taking your advice. Truly.

But, unfortunately, as I was about to yet again escape successfully (heehee, evil chuckle, evil chuckle), Noah grabbed my arm and whirled me around, frowning and putting his hands on his hips (really. It was hysterical. He looked like a mom).

"What on earth are you doing?" he demanded. "You've been ignoring me all day. Me. Your best friend. The guy you shared your cookies with until fourth grade." His blue eyes bored into my very being. "What on earth is going on?"

"Nothing," I shrugged, shuffling my feet.

He snorted. "I know there's something."

"Look, you wouldn't want to know," I said.

"Try me," he answered.

I looked away. Madeline, your thought came to mind. Act crazy? Be normal? Act crazy? Be normal? So what my crazy would've been would've been to go and giggle and screech and then race off the hall and right before I turned the corner stick my head around it and say in an eerie voice, "Strange magic goes on in these walls", and then take off running for the doorway....!!!!!!! OK, so I wasn't going to do that. Sorry, Madeline.

"I'm moving," I blurted. "Well, I might be moving."

Noah's eyes bulged in horror. "WHERE?!"

"Alaska," I said.

"Alaska?!" he cried.

"Alaska," I agreed.

"But...but that's like in another WORLD!!" he yelled.

"Oh, really?" I snorted. "I didn't notice. Thanks, bud, for your very intelligent observation!" I was so frustrated and anger and confused and scared that I actually snapped at him.

"You can't go!" declared Noah. "I won't let you."

I snorted. "Forget it. I'm leaving tomorrow."

And then the weirdest happened. He hugged me. OK, "squished me" would be a better way to describe it.

"Umm, Noah?" I managed to gasp out. "You're killing me!"

He finally let go. "I don't believe it, Jessie."

I sighed. "Me, either."

"I could kidnap you," Noah suggested. "You could hide in our old clubhouse, and we wouldn't tell your parents. Promise."

I gave him a look. "Thanks, Noah, but I don't think that's very realistic."

And then I said goodbye and walked off.

Sometimes I feel so stupid.

What on earth are you supposed to say to your friend the last time you see them?

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So then we took off for Alaska. The town that Dad was thinking of taking us to was called Dodo, Alaska. No joke. Dodo. As like in the bird. Wow, what a stupid name.

So we arrived at the airport. We grabbed our luggage, rented a four-wheel drive, and took off along the roads towards Dodo. If it lived up to its name, I was going to take Noah's suggestion and run off all the way back to Dayton.

We finally got into the town.

"Here's the hotel," said Dad.

The Bedbug's Den. Lovely, Dad.

We checked in. Before I went to sleep, I made sure to check for bedbugs. There weren't any, though the place was dinky enough to have had them.

The next day we went and toured the town. First of all, the place was horrible. It was junky, stinky, and couldn't have even been called "quaint". The school looked so much like a dump that before we even went in to see if they could even think of registering me Mom said, "Honey, we're not sending Jessie to this school. And I'm not living here!!"

Go, Mom!!

So, we went back to the hotel. The next day we went off to the airport, bought new tickets, and guess what now? I'm writing this letter from my desk back in good ol' Dayton, Ohio!!!

THANK GOODNESS!!!!

So, you see, I can still say that I'm crazy, dramatic Jessie.

Instead of actually-crazy, demented Jessie from Alaska.

Bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =D

Love,

Jessie