Nikashel

 The Master Nerd sat ramrod straight as a small group of citizen nerds approached his swivel chair. He did not react out of civility toward his kind, but he couldn't help but notice the grossly divergent features of one nerd's appearance: clip-on tie askew, shirt untucked, polyester pants wrinkled beyond the nature of the wrinkle-resistant fabric. Why, this man presented himself as the antithesis of all orderly nerds. The Master Nerd inhaled sharply, nose whistling. “Master, this man,” said a befreckled nerd, wriggling his hands in great anxiety. “This man has made disparaging remarks about Star Wars. We cannot abide by this

Late Spring, on the last day of class Neville sighed contentedly. There was nothing like quiet of the greenhouses in the spring. Nobody was there to mock or snicker. None of the professors were there to drag him aside and ask if there was anything they could do to help him outside of class…Cripes, if he heard that one more time, he would scream; well, quietly scream, perhaps. At least Prof. Sprout could see that Neville Longbottom wasn't all that useless. Plants were the one thing that didn't fall apart in his hands. He could ruin countless potions, charms, and spells, but he hadn't met a plant that has withered under his care. He had be

Dan held an application for a library card. It was completed in Dan's tidy handwriting. He used black ink, despite the fact that only golf pencils were available at the application counter. He stood in a long line, smoothing down his tidy white polo shirt, tuning out the little girl behind him who insisted that if she did not get to the potty right now, she would pee her pants most explosively, and wouldn't mommy please take her to the potty, she has to go now, go now, really, really bad. And then Dan was next. Her nametag said Helen. She stood behind her computer monitor with humorless eyes that seemed to speak. They said, "Make it quick."

The old man was bubble plodding all the way down 41, nearly tearing up on a metal-edged sign projector. He popped out at the grocery dispenser, banging away at the liquid platinum screen, demanding softer foods, natural oats and the like. All he received were 3 green apples and a thick tube of squash paste with protein. He snatched his share, grinding into one of the apples right away; his denture implants burned, but by the Glass Stacks, he'd have a full stomach. His meds count was almost a dozen, and he could taste the bitter chemicals mixed in with the sweet juice of the apple. A vivacious Mexican girl stood by his bubble, licking furio