The Adventures of Jeff and Slugster

The Adventures of Jeff and Slugster

By Wesley Sczupak

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To Burgess Elementary School in Sturbridge, MA. Despite all the “unique” aspects of this place, without this school, these characters would have never came into existence.

All characters mentioned in this publication are entirely fictional and are in no way based off of or related to real people.

Maple Leaf Writing Project.

Brattleboro, VT

©️ Copyright 2019

“Joey!! Time for dinner!” Joey’s mom yelled from down the stairs.

“Coming!” Joey yelled back. Joey finished super glueing Jeff’s left arm into the little socket he dug into Jeff’s side with his pocket knife. “All done.” he muttered. He moved his gaze to his slug-shaped piece of tinfoil, Slugster. Then, Joey quickly bounded down the stairs to dinner. Suddenly, a blinding light not unlike a giant white lazerbeam came down from the sky and struck Jeff and Slugster. Jeff then began to twitch, and then, he of slowly twisted his head over to Slugster.

“Is he gone?” he asked.

“Mmm hmmm,” Slugster replied.

“Good.” And with that, Jeff swung his little orange eraser body over the side of Joey’s desk, and gracefully dropped to the ground (finally able to move due to the attachment of his left arm). Slugster, however, was not as graceful and belly-flopped on top of Jeff. Very annoyed, Jeff flung Slugster off of him.

“Now, onto the exploration!” Jeff beamed, as if he was on a stage. He began to waltz over to the bed and exclaimed, “ We will start our search for the beam of light that hit us here.”

“ Mmmmm.” Slugster mumbled.

“ Yes. our search.” Jeff glared at Slugster. Jeff ran under the bed and yelled “Meh! All there is here is an outlet!”

Slugster squiggled over and went behind the bookshelf.

“heeeeyf!”

“What? You found something?!”

Jeff sprinted across the room and over to slugster, “Whoa… What is that? That is so- ”

“THOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!”, yelled an unfamiliar voice. Jeff and Slugster ran (and squelched) over to the mysterious voice, to find a small dinosaur with a megaphone, and a swirling blue and green portal.

“Thanks for the notification, but we don’t care.” Jeff told the dino. Jeff and slugster went over to the portal, and jumped in.

It was a sickening experience for the two of them, spinning around for what seemed like ages. Jeff was very susceptible to rotating motion, so he went round and round until he eventually threw up. Slugster was deeply affected, and felt like he was going to shrivel up and die like his friend Wormsy, when she got stuck on the hot, dry New York sidewalk. Then, it all came to a close…

* * * * *

Jeff and Slugster awoke in a strange place. However, it was also the most amazing thing that the pair had ever seen. There were flying lollipops and floating cats with lazer eyes, and a river which was made of what Jeff thought was mercury. Better not go in that… he thought to himself. He then continued to gaze off at the beautiful, rolling green hills, speckled with long-necked yellow llamas, grazing on what looked like milkweed. The sun was high in the sky, a stark contrast to the night sky he had witnessed just moments before. He and Slugster enjoyed seeing this wonderful land, so they decided among themselves that they should continue to explore. Just as slugster began to squelch off, a strange, gruff voice from behind them.

“Hello, my friends,”

“AAAAAAHHHH-please-don’t-hurt-me-I’ll-give-you-whatever-you-want-just-leave-me-alone!!!!” Jeff screamed.

“Maaam mlee scoff, Jeeef.” Slugster said as he rolled his eyes.

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“OKAY… don’t scream…please.” The person said, slowly. Then, Jeff saw that the man was an eraser like him! Except, he was red and was floating and had long wire coat hanger arms. He smiled at Jeff, and Jeff ( Not knowing what to do), smiled back.

“I’m Cole,” the red eraser said, “And I am the current guardian of this land. This duty was given to me by the people of this place. Based off of my hunting prowess, they decided that I could take on the evil that may lurk in the shadows of Hootopy,”

“ Why the heck would this place need a guardian. It’s beeeuuuutiful!”

“Phil,”

“Who-o’s Phil? ” Jeff asked.

“Phil is the reason you’re here...sorry”

“What for?” Suddenly, Cole took out a red stick that had SEAL on it, and SLAMMED it with the force of a rhino charging into Jeff’s back, knocking him out

* * * * *

When Jeff awoke, he was being dragged down the cliff, by none other than Cole.

“Let go of me!!!” he yelled, ripping out of Cole’s grip. He hopped to his feet and then questioned Cole, “What was that thing you put on me?!”

“It is a SEAL that seals you inside this world. It only works on you, because you are the eraser in The Prophecy,”

“UUUUUUUUUHHHHHH…” Jeff said slowly as he itched his back, “The Prophecy?”

“Yes. The Prophecy of Orenji. It says...” Cole said as he took out a small, blue-binded book that seemed to have maybe 10 pages, and opened to the first page, “That one day, a great evil will arise, and henceforth a noble warrior of valor and virtue shall bring forth the flame that shall extinguish the blanket of evil that will befall the…”

Jeff didn’t mean to be disrespectful, but he sorta spaced out halfway through, looking to the colorful, vibrant mountains

“Did ya’ get all that?”

Jeff snapped back to attention. “Yeah… Totally.” He said slowly.

“You know, Jeff, you have a strange attitude.” Cole told him, hovering away, continuing down the steep, fluorescent mountain trail.

“Phew!” Jeff exclaimed, “I almost got hit by a curveball. Good thing he didn’t ask me about what it said!” Jeff beamed down at Slugster.

Slugster rolled his eyes.

* * * * *

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.

Slugster made this way to the edge with Jeff. They peeked tentatively over the edge. To their surprise, there was a large camouflaged balloon was at the bottom of the ravine. They probably were too flustered and scared for their friend’s life that they failed to notice it. Jeff’s anxiety about making the leap was eased, but he still had to coax SLugster into the idea.

“C’mon Slugster, it’s fine, see? There’s a big balloon at the bottom. It will cushion your fall!”

With that, Slugster summoned all of the bravery in his little slug body, and slid off the edge. Jeff watched him go down, and leaped out into the gorge himself. He screamed with delight as he fell. This was the most fun he’d had in all of his hour and a half life! Slugster hit the balloon, and sprang up, just to meet Jeff in the air, and fly back down again.

After the 10 second bounce-fest was over, a hatch closed over them. This was probably why Jeff and Slugster didn’t see him. He was covered up! And then, a loud Click! whrrrrrr… sent them shooting up into the air. The top opened back up as they neared the top, and the sun shined on them as the continued to rise into the sky. They continued to rise to the top of the machine’s capacity, and then when it hit the peak of its hight, a wall opened to their right, and grew another large balloon not unlike the one they were laying on. Then, with a sudden jerk, the capsule they were in jerked to the side. It picked up speed, and a harsh wind

overcame Jeff and Slugster. However, in an instant, it was all gone. They found themselves sitting under Cole.

“How was the ride?” he asked.

“It was okay, a little bumpy, but otherwise okay,” Jeff said.

Slugster disagreed.

They made their way into the door that Cole was standing next to, and Cole opened it for them. They made their way into a room, which was filled with, surprisingly (for a secret hideout) normal items. these were things like a bed, a cabinet with plates, an oven, stove, microwave. pots and pans, and everything you can find in a regular home.

“Why do you need all that just to get into your house?” Jeff asked.

“This is why,” Cole replied. He walked over to his closet (?) and opened the door. Inside there was another door. It was metal, sure, but it was looked just like a normal door.

Wow. Jeff thought. This dude is officially crazy. Loco. Batty. NUTS!

Little did Jeff know, but this was no ordinary door. Cole walking up to it and put his hand on the nob. A computer popped out, and it scanned his features, and let him in. It opened to a cool laboratory.

“This is where I keep all of my ways and plans on how to defeat Phil. I’ve gathered intel, and I’ve tried to figure out what Phil will try to do,” he said. “I am now thinking that he will travel just west of this hideout, so basically opposite from where you guys came. I think he is going to try and acquire a large energy source that I’ve been picking up of my radar.”

So how to you plan on stopping him? jeff asked.

Well, that's why I called you. the Prophecy of Orenji told me that you, the orange eraser, would stop him. So, I am kinda relying on you.

Jeff got suddenly overwhelmed. He didn’t know how to stop this guy. He just wanted to know how he came alive! None of these things really mattered to him. suddenly, the world rumbles.

“What is that?! screamed Jeff.

“I don’t know!” yelled Cole.

they ran out of the hideout and climbed a stone ramp that led to the top of the mountain Cole’s hideout was carved into. They gazed in the direction that the noise was coming from.

Ooooh noooo…” Cole muttered

It was Phil and his army

“What are we gonna do?!” Yelled Jeff over the drumming of thousands of footsteps.

“We have to face them,” Cole muttered in a flat, monotone voice. “It is our duty.”

Jeff didn’t know what he was going to do. This was an army they were trying to face, but they had no army of their own! Jeff knew that even though he had Cole and Slugster, they had no advantages! He started to freak out. He didn’t want to have to do any of this. HE just wanted to know were that beam came from. The only reason that he came with Cole is that he felt deep down like he would have been a good person to hang out with, not some crazy resistance/guardian leader!

“Do we have an army or some sort of giant robot mech or some sort of alien that can overtake our minds and bodies and make us super-powerful?”

“No,”

“...”

They stood in silence for a moment, both Jeff and Slugster staring at Cole. Then, fury overtook Jeff

“You don’t have a PLAN?! How do you expect us to take these erasers in a fight without a PLAN?! Your sending us on a suicide mission! If you can’t come up with anything I’m out! And OUR duty?! More like YOUR duty!” Jeff screamed at the top of his lungs.

“We have to face them.”

Jeff closed his eyes. “I am not going to him”

“Okay” Cole said.

“Really?” Jeff asked, opening his eyes. However, what he saw was not the cliff, but the army was standing right infront of him. They were marching towards him, with their swords drawn. They were about a football field away, and closing fast.

“What happened?!” Jeff asked, rapidly blinking his eyes as to try to realize that it wasn’t real. He was dumbfounded when he found it was real, Cole was gone, and they had somehow come here in an instant without knowing.

“COLE!!!” Jeff screamed. There was no reply. Jeff began to worry. What if they had taken Cole away from them! And if so, how would he send them back. Jeff was still sealed to this place.

After a moment, Jeff could see Cole. But, a needle of shock pricked inside of Jeff. The enemy HAD taken Cole, but in a different way. He was marching with them. We was in line with the front row of soldiers. Cole noticed him staring, and smirked at Jeff.

Jeff realized that Cole must have been with them all along. He was deceiving him and Slugster the whole time. The army was about 20 yards away, but suddenly stopped. Cole hovered in front, breaking the perfect line of soldiers.

“Jeff, Slugster, This is what all of your journey has led up to. I am, in fact, Phil’s Commanding Officer. I have brought you all this way to give you a choice. Now, you are still the Chosen one. But, you do not have to fight us. You can join us, and bask in glory at the top of the new hootopy throne, along with Phil, You can peacefully go home, or, You can die a brutal death by Phil’s blade. What is your choice?” The words cut fear into the hearts of Jeff and Slugster. What would they do? they have to fight, but they would definitely lose. Jeff scanned the army, seeing any possible escape route. Then, he remembered, he had the seal on him. He couldn’t leave even if he wanted to!

“One sec!” called out Jeff. He turned to Slugster. “What should we do?”

“mlee soff ract” Slugster replied

“You might be able to, but I have this stupid seal on me!” Jeff said.

“tun ew fit” Slugster announced, a new sense of determination in his voice.

“FIGHT?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!”

“Hey!” Cole yelled. “Are you done? We’re all ready.” Jeff gulped. Cole receded back into the army.

Then, the eraser shrouded in mystery walked forward.

.

..

All of the goodness of Hootopy is saved, and the army bows down to Jeff as their new

leader. Jeff and Slugster wish to be sent back, so Cole takes off the seal and sends them back through the portal. They were never made inanimate again, but they faked it every time Joey came around.

* * * * *

“Joey!”

“Yeah, mom?”

“Why are there tons of little swords all over my bed?”

THE END