Pokemon Frenzy: The Journey

Introduction

12-year-old Jared Coleman was addicted to Pokémon.  His first video game was a Pokémon game and has collected Pokemon memorabilia and games since they first came out.  But when the latest Pokémon Go virtual game comes out, Jared downloads the app without hesitation.  And he has one journey after another.  What will Jared encounter on his Pokémon journey?

Chapter 1

“Hey, Jared, you got the new Pokémon app yet?” his best friend, Xavier Richmond asks.

“Not yet.” Jared says sadly.  “But I will.”

“Dude, you have to do it now.”

“But we’re in school?” Jared reminds his friend.

“So!  Who cares?” Xavier says, tempting Jared.  “Mrs. Springer’s literature class is boring.  She’ll never notice.”

“I’ll do it after class.” Jared promises.

“C’mon!  It’s the latest craze!”

“Okay.” Jared says giving in as he pulls out his Apple iPhone 6s and pulls up Google Play to download the Pokemon Go! App.

A few minutes later, Jared’s iPhone lets him know the app is successfully downloaded.

“Success!” Jared whispers in Xavier’s direction with a thumb up, who smiles back.

“We’ll play on our way home from school.” Xavier tells Jared.

Just then, Mrs. Springer notices Jared and Xavier talking to them and calls on them.

“Jared, who is the narrator of the “Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart?’” Mrs. Springer asks as the class is in discussion.

“Ah. . . . .” Jared stammers.

“It figures.  You two boys weren’t paying attention to the discussion.”Mrs.  Springer scolds.  “You and Xavier are to report to detention after school.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Xavier and Jared says simultaneously as they nod in agreement.

The bell rings signaling the end of the school day.

“Xavier.  Jared.  I mean what I say.  Report to detention immediately.” Mrs. Springer says to the two boys.

“Yes, Mrs. Springer.” Jared tells her as he and Xavier pick up their books and head to their lockers to get their backpacks and head to detention.

“I can’t believe we got detention for not paying attention in class.” Xavier says.

“Hey, be thankful she didn’t take our phones away for playing with them in class.” Jared reminded his friend.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Xavier said, nodding in agreement.

Jared and Xavier enter Room 130 where detention was being held.  The two boys groaned when they saw it was heading the detention for the day:  Old Croaker as students referred to him, Mr. Coughlin was his real name and students didn’t care for his teaching methods. 

“Boys, you’re late.” Mr. Coughlin stated when Jared and Xavier arrived.

“Sorry, Old Cro---“Xavier started to say but bit his tongue.  “Er, Mr. Coughlin.”

“Take a seat, boys.” Mr. Coughlin demanded.  “For being tardy, you two are to do an essay on the topic of our science lesson, Mendelssohn’s genetic theory, which will be due tomorrow in science class.

“Yes, Mr. Coughlin.” Jared said as Xavier nodded in agreement.

As the boys studied for the hour in detention, the bell finally rang as Jared and Xavier began to get up, but before they could get out, Mr. Coughlin reminded them both of their assignment for being tardy.

Walking home after detention, Jared pulled out his iPhone and opened up the app to Pokémon Go! As Xavier did the same.  Immediately, Jared got a Bulbasaur. 

“Wow!  Xavier, I got Bulbasaur!” Jared exclaimed.

“You lucky dude!” Xavier said with jealousy.  It took Xavier an hour to get his first Pokémon.

The boys played the game while walking home and were 2 hours late when they arrived at Jared’s house.  Jared’s mother was a more than a little mad when Jared walked in the door.

Chapter 2

“Playing that game again?!” Jared’s mother said a little irritated.

“Sorry mom!” was all Jared could find to say.

“Don’t sorry me!” Jared’s mother yelled.  “Get up to your room now!”

“Yes, mom.” Jared said as he climbed the stairs to his room.

“And after I decide to call you down, we’ll discuss your behavior!” Jared’s mother called up after him.

Jared opened the door to his room to find it a mess.  Was this the reason why his mother was so mad at him? Jared wondered.  Jared sat down on his messy bed and picked up his iPhone to play Pokémon Go!

“Oh no you don’t!” Jared’s mother said, as she opened Jared’s bedroom door and grabbed his iPhone.  “I knew you would start playing that silly game!”

Jared reached for his laptop, but his mother took that with her too.

“No technology for you!” Jared’s mother spat out.  “Pick up this room instead!”

As Jared looked at the mess in his room, he sighed as he would have a technology-free night.  What was he going to do?  He couldn’t live without his iPhone.  His very world depended on it.  Gaming was his life!  He knew no other way to live! 

So he pushed everything off his bed onto the floor and went to sleep until his mother called him out of his room.  He’d be damned if he was going to pick up his room. 

Chapter 3

“Mom, I need my iPhone!” Jared yelled from his room where he was supposed to pick up his room, but he didn’t want to.  He wanted his iPhone back. 

“Pick up your room and you can have it back!” Jared’s mother yelled back at him.

Begrudgingly, Jared began picking up his room.  Yes, he gave in.  It’s was the only way he could get his iPhone back.  And he needed to meet the gang at the park so they could play Pokemon Go.

After a miserable 15 minutes, Jared finally had his room picked up and as promised, and against her wishes, Jared’s mother gave back Jared his phone.

“Thank you mom.” Jared hugged his mother as he grabbed the phone from his mother’s hand and ran out the front door to meet his friends at the park.

20 minutes later, Jared found his friends waiting for him at their “bench” in the park.

“Hey man.  What took you so long?” Chase asked him.

“Would you believe my mother made me clean my room first?!” he told him irritated.

“Oh, man, the horror!” Chase said.  “That’s rough.”

Jared turned on his phone and pulled up the Pokemon Go app and they were on the lookout for Pokemon.  Their first discovery led them just 20 yards away where they encountered Bulbasur. 

Chapter 4

It took a few minutes, but Jared finally had Bulbasur captured.  His friends were not so lucky.  While looking at his phone playing the game, Xavier ran into the street when the game directed him to go and didn’t see the oncoming car and was hit.

Jared dropped his iPhone on the ground and ran to see if Xavier was okay.  Running over to where he dropped his iPhone, and luckily, it was okay, called 9-1-1 to have EMTs dispatched to the park.

Jared waited near Xavier until paramedics arrived to tend to the boy’s injuries while Jared watched.

Conscious and awake, it seemed Xavier only sustained a few broken ribs and a broken leg and arm.  Paramedics put Xavier on a gurney and loaded him into the ambulance where he was taken to the hospital. 

Jared called Xavier’s mother so she could meet him at the hospital.

Jared and his mother, who Jared called to meet him at the hospital, were at the hospital when Mrs. Springer arrived at the hospital in a frantic state.

“How is my son?” Mrs. Springer asked a nurse at the nurses station.

“Name?”

“Joanne Springer.  My son, Xavier Springer was brought in.”

“Yes, he’s in cubicle 3.” The nurse told Mrs. Springer abruptly as she rushed off to another patient.

Mrs. Springer went into see her son, who was in fine spirits despite Mrs. Springer’s mood.

“Mrs. Coleman, I’d like a word with you?!” Mrs. Springer said bitterly to Jared’s mother.

“Is Xavier alright?”

“Yes!  No thanks to that stupid game!”

“You’re blaming that Pokemon game on Xavier’s accident?”

“No!  I’m blaming your son!”

“What has Jared got to do with Xavier’s accident?”

“He got him hooked on that stupid game, Pokemon Go!” Mrs. Springer yelled at Jared and his mother.  “He was looking at his iPhone playing that game when he was struck by a car!”

“Mrs. Springer, I see where you are coming from.” Mrs. Coleman said sympathetically, as she glared at Jared.  “Jared, give me your iPhone.”

“But mom!” Jared whined.

“A whole week without his iPhone!  What was he going to do now?!” Jared fumed.