I remember very distinctly my terror when my teacher, Mrs. Hanson, told me I had to read my story out loud. To the whole class. My school was very small, so there were only about seven people in the class plus Mrs. Hanson, and I was friends with all of them. But still, I was terrified. To this day I get nervous reading my writing to other people or seeing them reading it.
But the reaction I got to this story was one of the most encouraging things for me as a young writer - they loved it. It even made Mrs. Hanson cry, which I was apologetic but also somewhat pleased about, because I thought it meant the story was good. I hope she was crying because of the ending, and not because it was just THAT bad. I like to think my writing has improved between eighth grade and now, but I'm still proud of this story, and seeing as this year is Tuck Everlasting's 40th publishing anniversary (or book birthday, as I believe it's called now), I decided to share it with you. Enjoy!
“Are we almost there?”
Jesse Tuck laughed. “Almost, Charlie,” he said, ruffling his son’s hair.
“Jesse, don’t do that! He’ll have his hair a mess again soon enough,
without your help!” Winnie laughed, pulling her son toward her and smoothing
his hair down again. Charlie Tuck had thick, curly brown hair like his father’s,
and it stood up every which way.
“Mom, I look fine!” Charlie complained, trying to squirm away from his
mother.
“Hold still, little Toad,” Winnie said patiently.
Her husband smiled. He still didn’t understand why Winnie called their
son Toad. They had been married for 25 years, but she had never told him about
the toad.
They stopped outside the Tuck’s old cottage. Charlie was off like a
shot, running toward the house. Jesse’s brother, Miles, stepped out of the
house. Charlie practically knocked him off his feet, hugging him happily.
“Uncle Miles!” He exclaimed, laughing.
Miles stumbled backwards a few steps, then bent down and picked his
nephew up. “You’re growing up,” he commented, smiling slightly.
“I’m eleven, Uncle Miles! I’m not supposed to be a little kid anymore!”
“I suppose not,” Miles said. “Well, at least you’re growing.” He
wondered what it would be like when his little nephew was his age, if he ever
got that old. He supposed Jesse and Winnie would give their son an opportunity
to drink the water, but as much as he loved Charlie, he secretly hoped the boy
would decline and live a mortal life, the way life was meant to be.
“Where are Grandma and Grandpa?” Charlie asked.
“They’re right inside, getting supper ready,” Miles replied. “I’ll take
you to see them.” He carried Charlie inside.
“Don’t bother talking to your brother or anything!” Jesse yelled
jokingly after Miles. “Just ignore me, no big deal at all!”
Winnie laughed and kissed her husband’s cheek. “Let’s go in,” she said.
They walked into the cottage hand-in-hand, smiling.
“There you are!” Mae Tuck ran up to them and hugged them tightly.
“Hey, Mom,” Jesse said, kissing his mother.
“I can’t believe it’s been ten years already,” Mae said. “Charlie’s
grown so much. He was just a tiny little thing last time I saw him.”
“I can’t believe it either,” Winnie said. “He’s becoming more and more
like his father every day.”
“You must have your hands awfully full, then,” Mae laughed.
Winnie smiled. She saw Tuck approaching behind Mae and waved to him. He
reached out and hugged her silently. “Hi,” she said to him.
“It’s good to see you,” Tuck replied softly. He loved Winnie, and he was
happy for Jesse and her, but he had always wished that she hadn’t drunk the
water. But she had, and there was nothing he could do now.
Jesse came over with Miles and Charlie. “Isn’t this great?” He asked.
“The whole family, together again!”
“I wish it could be like this forever,” Charlie said happily, hugging
Mae.
80 years later
The Tuck family stood near the grave. Winnie was crying into Jesse’s
shoulder. Tuck knelt down by the gravestone. He had been both waiting for and
dreading this day.
In Loving Memory of
1913-2004
