This three-part short story introduces you to my friends and co-authors Dee Lynk and Rita Reali, both of whom I’ve gotten to know through Crossville’s writers’ group, Write Away.
We decided to collaborate to tell you a story that’s hidden amid the latest news feeds. Dee opens the story, I add to it, and Rita “brings it home.”
Enjoy our story and meet the writers.
Gray’s Anatomy
Part One by Dee Lynk
As a publications editor and graphic artist, award-winning author Dee Lynk has written copy and designed a wide range of projects from book covers to signboards. Along the way, she’s moved from illustrating and cartooning smaller projects to partnering with author Rita Reali to illustrate Rita’s two children’s picture books, The Purringest Kitty Finds His Home and The Purringest Kitty Misplaces His Purr. Recently retired, Dee and her husband Scott, reside in Crossville, Tennessee, where she’s working on her first adult novel as she continues to write and illustrate “all the good stuff.”
Part One
“You goin’ to the library, again?”
“Yep.”
“It’s Friday night, Josh. You’ve been there every night for the last two weeks. Don’t you need a break? A little time to unwind with your friends?”
“Can’t. I’ve got a huge research paper due this Monday. It’s worth 50% of my grade. I need to ace this if I’m gonna get into medical school.”
“Alright.” Boone shrugged. “But, I ain’t never seen you so worked up over a term paper. You sure there ain’t nothin’ else goin’ on?”
Uh oh. Boone was getting suspicious. I couldn’t blame him. I never ducked out on Friday night with the boys, let alone skipped back-to-back Fridays. And now, he was speaking hillbilly English, which meant he was upset and not thinking about his diction. He’d been working on his oration skills since freshman year, when his advisor told him, “If you’re going to be a successful trial attorney, you need to speak like one; so, lose the hillbilly.”
We’ve been roommates since day one and now, four years later, we’re best friends. As different as night and day, we’re Hillbilly meets Ivy league. He’s short and stocky and I’m lanky. Yet, for some reason, we click. Boone knows me better than anyone else, and if anyone can tell when I’m hiding something, it’s him.
“What else, Boone? I don’t have time for anything else. I don’t even have time to party with my friends.” I looked him in the eye, hoping to appear sincere. “Look man, I gotta bail.”
I didn’t give him time to respond. If I had to answer any more questions, he’d know for sure something was up. “You know how badly I want to get into medical school. This paper is huge and I need it to be perfect. I’m really sorry, Boone. Tell the guys I’ll be there next week. I promise.”
I flew out of the room before he could respond.
