The Terrible Life
There once was a boy name Tim. Sadly, Tim had a terrible life. He was 14 years old and in his last year at Harper Lane Middle School. Unlike his peers, Timmy was ignored by all the girls because he was so nerdy and weird looking.
Poor him! It wasn't Tim's fault he had a lot of acme! It wasn't fair people made fun of him for having one of arm clearly longer than the other. And, it certainly wasn't right to tease him for his super hairy chest. He was just born this way. Like most kids his age, his body was going through changes. It seems thought these changes came faster than the others and confused him. Puberty was a strange time for everyone, but Tim most of all.
Tim did his best in school, not because his parents made him, but because he just loved learning. He wore dorky square glasses and he gelled his hair to left side every day. He probably took way too many notes in math classes. He didn't need them anyway, since he aced every test. Someone tried to cheat off him once, but, since he's an honest boy, he turned the person in immediately. Even though he was only in 8th grade, he read 1000 page history books just for fun. Tim learned a lot valuable facts, but never had time for friends.
He only had one real friend named Philip. He wasn't nearly as nerdy as he was, but he did gel his hair (to the right instead of the left). Phil mostly felt bad for him. He shared his lunch with him when the bullies stole his money. They stuck together at PE, since they both were terrible at sports.
One bully was especially mean to both of them. His name was Brian or as they knew him, "Bully Brian"... Bully Brian was very popular and had huge muscles. He worked out with high school students at least four times a week. He got a lot of attention from the girls too. It was rumored he even had sex once. No one knew for sure, he boasted as much anyway. Poor Tim didn't even know what it meant to hold a girl's hand. Were their hands warm or cold? He didn't know, but those kind of questions kept Tim up at night. Bully Brian made sure to remind him of his failures in the girl department.
All that was about to change...
The Fateful Field Trip!
One Friday, Timmy's science teacher announced to the class they were going on a field trip to the local soda plant factory, The Fizzy Fizz Plant. All of the students immediately complained,
"A boring factory! Com'on teacher! We better get free samples!"
Of course, the voices of Tim and Philip were silent. Instead, their faced gleamed with excitement! They had been studying chemistry after school together for fun. This occasion seemed a unique privilege to question the chemist on the properties of the various ingredients of soda.
After the clamor of the classroom died down some, Tim slowly raised his hand and asked in a nervous tone, "Mrs. Smith, I think it would beneficial to the class if we were made to complete an essay on our observations on the trip. I would most enjoy the opportunity to communicate to you my discoveries!"
The whole class stared him down. Philip tried his best to fake a smile with Tim, but even he was worried about more work. Mrs. Smith replied after a while, "You know Tim, I think that is an excellent idea! I say it should be at least two pages long and can be due the Monday after the trip."
When class was over, Bully Brian caught poor Tim in the hall and gave him the meanest face ever! He grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him up. Everyone stopped what they were doing at watched the action unfold!
"You think you were cool back there in class Tim! You're going to get it soon. You wouldn't be able to hide from me punk!" shouted Bully Brian.
Then he violently threw Tim down to the ground and stormed off! Tim lost his glasses in the fall and awkwardly felt around the crowd for them. Philip appeared from the mass, gave him his glasses from the floor, and helped him up. He cheered him up and gave him a big hug as the late bell rang and people scattered off to class. They both were scared out of their wits.
That Friday was the date of the Fizzy Fizz Factory trip. Early in the morning, the students filed unto the school bus. Tim and Philip sat quietly near the front. They thought they were safer with the driver and teacher close by. Bully Brian sat in the way back with two attractive girls. There was Maria and Veronica, both with gorgeous eyes and beauty wavy hair. With a blanket spread over the three, Tim could guess what they were up to no good. He was jealous, but too scared to say anything. He could not bear possibly getting two beatings!
The journey lasted about an hour. During which time, most students played games on their phones or slept. When they finally reached the Fizzy Fizz Plant, Mrs. Smith said to everyone, "Remember kids, take good notes for your essays! And let's use the buddy system. Stick with a partner the whole time. We leave here at 3 o'clock..."
As she continued listing the detailed of the tour, Bully Brian whispered in Tim's ear, "You're going to let me use your notes punk! I've better things to do things to do than learn about boring soda. If you know what I mean." He winked at Maria and Veronica. They giggled back stupidly.
The tour guide, an old timer named Rufus, first the class the various parts of the Fizzy Fizz Factory. They went to the welcome center, the different labs, then to the testing room. Then Rufus finally led the students led up to the mixer room. They stood on a metal catwalk overlooking two giant containers filled with bubbling liquid. They were about fifteen feet tall and about six feet in diameter. Students took lousy notes as Rufus explained all about how the workers mixed and cooked the secret ingredients in the containers. This peaked the interested of the Tim and Philip. They decided to ask the guide some questions before going to lunch with the class. However, Rufus didn't satisfy their curiosity to their liking.
"No, I am sorry boys. I simply cannot tell you the secret ingredients. That's classified. The fate of the world could depend on it! We wouldn't want that knowledge to fall into the wrong hands!" Rufus explained in a rather animated fashion. The boys figured he was just a crazy old man. He sure looked like one; yet, now they were even more interested in the liquid in the mixing containers. As Rufus disappeared behind some side door, the two boys sat thinking and looking deeply at the liquid containers.
Then suddenly, sneaking out of the shadows, Bully Brian appeared. When he was sure no one was around, he demanded, "Alright punk let's see those notes!"
For some reason Tim felt a rush of courage and refused to cooperate. Bully Brian was having none of it and shoved him to the metal floor. Philip tried to push him back, but he got punched in the face in return. Tim defiantly stood up again and fixed his crooked glasses. He released his anger and spit at his assailants face. In a fit of mad rage, Bully Brian shoved him a second time with all his might. Tim slipped and fell off the catwalk.
He tumbled into one of the mixing containers and immediately felt a freezing cold surge through his body. He sank deep, but the bubbles kept him towards the middle. Bully Brian was in shock at what he did and scampered off to the lunchroom. Philip, though dazed from the punch, bravely jumped down the catwalk to try to pull his friend out. For a while their legs and arms flared in the air as they tried to reaching the surface again. They emerged together alive, but Tim felt a new energy within him. He couldn't tell what exactly had changed, but he knew it was something more significant than puberty. It almost felt like he had a new sense of strength as well.
They both quickly went to the bathroom to dry off their bodies. They didn't have an extra set of clothes, but they decided they could convince everyone they just made a mess from the samples on the tour. They actually laughed at how exciting the whole thing was. They had finally stood up to their worst enemy. Not to mention, they got some of the secret ingredients on them. They couldn't wait to get home and get test the properties of the liquid with their chemistry equipment. They would surely have the greatest papers to turn in Monday to Mrs. Smith! Of course, their notes were ruined by being all wet, but that didn't matter to them now.
Then something amazing happened. As Tim touched the water from the sink it changed before his eyes into a brown fizzy substance. He tasted and couldn't believe it! It had changed, as if by magic, into Coca-Cola! He tried it again. This time he thought of A&W Root Beer and he tasted just that! Philip suggested a number of other soda brands to try. The water changed into whatever soda came to mind! Tim had discovered a new power!
But it wasn't just water! Tim found he could now turn any liquid into any soda. Philip had suggested they try the same process with urine. Philip really had to go pee, but didn't want to miss the opportunity to use the waste for science. He peed into cup they found in the trash. Then Tim thought of his favorite soda, closed his eyes and reluctantly touched... not urine, but Cherry Fanta. In celebration of the moment, the boys drink to their hearts content!
Philip suggested they could this power to their advantage. He said, "We can finally bring down the tyranny of Bully Brian for good. Moreover, I bet we could even win over the hearts of Maria and Veronica! We can give them their favorite soda with every meal forever!"
Tim replied, "Even better! We could feed the hungry with soda forever! Or we could bring peace in the Middle East by giving Mountain Dew to every terrorist! They couldn't bomb people if they are too busy enjoying a good soft drink!... Hmm, but I guess the girls are priority right now. Oh and don't go telling people I drank your piss, 'cause that's definitely not what happen!"
The boys joked some more and eventually lost track of time. It was already past 3 o'clock. When they rushed out the building they realized the whole bus was waiting for them. They hastily made their way aboard still sticky from the liquid in the container. They offered their made up story to Mrs. Smith who was too anxious to leave to really bother to question it. Everyone sat in their same seats. Bully Brian was too tired and passed out in the back with his girls around his arms.
Soda Boy is Born!
Tim and Philip spent the whole weekend experimenting with the liquid on their clothes from the containers. They did every chemical test they could think of and couldn't discover anything for sure. However, they were able to isolate a certain substance that they knew to be literally out of this world. Philip reason it probably came from Mars. They both concluded this probably meant the "Fuzzy Fuzz Factory" was really a cover for a secret government facility. Maybe old Rufus wasn't entirely crazy. Whatever the case, the boys had to keep this secret to themselves. They couldn't risk having the American government after them and Bully Brian!
Monday they turned in their essay. They were each five pages long, but carefully crafted to avoid any mention of the incident on the catwalk. Bully Brian, unfortunately, had no essay to give to the teacher. He lacked the notes and diligence to get it done. However, with some sly flirtatious remarks after class, he was able to convince the teacher to give him extra time.
Bully Brian caught Tom in the bathroom and said, "Hey little guy. Glad to see you're not dead after what happen Friday. How about you keep quiet about what happen? I'll leave you alone for a while, and I'll make sure other do."
"Hmm... How about to make up for it you let Philip and I sit with Maria and Veronica at lunch today?" proudly asked Tim.
Bully Brian was not happy with having to make concessions to the "punk". He made an angry face, muttered some curse words under his breath, and finally shouted, "Fine! Whatever!" As he stormed out of the bathroom, Tim stood there smiling happily.
At lunch hour, the boys took seat reserved for them at the popular table. Tim sat right across from Veronica and Philip sat across from Maria. Bully Brian sat at the end of the girls with some other jockeys. There wasn't much talking as the group was unsure about the intentions of the outsiders.
Finally Tim broke the awkward silence and said, "Veronica, what's your favorite soda? I bet you I could find you glass full of it in less than five minutes."
"Well... It's Vanilla Pepsi," Veronica answered.
Tim gave her a quick wink and quickly got up from the table. He got a glass from the lunch line and walked to the bathroom. He reappeared with the glass filled with the brim with bubbling Vanilla Pepsi that he delivered to Veronica.
She sipped it just to be sure and then excitedly asked, "Wow! Where did you get this? The vending machine has been broken for weeks now."
"It's a secret my dear," Tim replied with another wink, "in fact, how about everyone in the cafeteria get soda? My gift!"
Tim shouted this announcement to the whole room. Most people ignored what they thought was just the crazy nerd, but after he made a few orders people took him seriously. That day everyone got a sugar high on their favorite soda. The lunch staff weren't too pleased, but they couldn't prove where he was getting the soda from. So, they just assumed the vending machine had started working again and the crazy nerd brought a lot of money. He technically didn't break any rules even though it caused a bit of clamor in the room.
Then someone shouted, "Soda Boy! I need a refill!" And that's how the name started. From that day forward, he had finally become a hero by bringing joy to all his classmates bored with the dull healthy food served to them. Anyone having a bad day would come to him privately to hang out at PE and sneak some of that magic soda he appeared to get from nowhere. Over time, he became more and more confident with the girls, especially Veronica. Philip wasn't ignored either. They weren't afraid of Bully Brian anymore. They could manipulate him all they wanted by threatening to tell on him for what happen at The Fizzy Fizz Factory.
Eventually, Bully Brian began to fail school and needed Tim's help. He offered private tutoring lessons. They both shared their life's stories and found they had some things in common. Bully Brian acted out because his dad actually abused him at home and his mom died when he was young. He apologized for a lot the thing he did to Tim. The two became okay friends. Brian (he wasn't a bully anymore) even told volunteered to help him with Veronica. It was the least he could do.
There certainly is more to the mystery of Soda Boy and the Fizzy Fizz Factory. Will the friends find more about the alien substance found in the secret ingredient container? Will they ever they ever return to the factory to explore more? Will Tim and Veronica ever hook up? These answer and more will be revealed on the next issue of... Soda Boy!