Kennedy Youth and the Boy Made From Fire

Friends

                The higher ups jumping fetish was getting a little old. I sat miserably through the lecture which was just an alligator eating a screaming human.

The shrimp asked to be friends again.

"Friends?! With a shrimp?! Me?! You are deranged."

Didn't he know about our families history? The shrimp started crying so I felt bad.

"I-I know my dad accidentally had explosive diarrhea on your dog, b-but maybe we can put our differences aside, truce?"

"We both know that was no accident. Not only do you try to play innocent, but you don't own up to your mistakes. But since I feel bad you, I'll give you a chance."

The shrimp wimpered a thank you and I returned to listening to the lecture. I didn't lIke shrimp, but this one seemed okay. He was the only good person in a world where everyone had fallen victim to the scam of jumping time. I supposed he would make a good companion.

The alligator finished eating and began a lecture on phenomenal works of architecture. It was boring and I did not like architecture. The rest of class seemed a blur. All I remember was my professor's last words.

"Remember class, jumping time is next week, don't miss it!" One week. That's all I had. Until the world resets and I'm back with Joseph, facing the infinite torture of jumping. Could I end the loop? Could I finally be the brave one?

I'd need some help. Maybe I should tell shrimp... No. I can't trust him yet. I need to get to know him better before I put the weight of the universe on his frail shoulders. I nibble my turkey and mayonnaise sandwich with great and furious gusto as the shrimp looks at me with fear. The professor begins vomiting profusely and I cringe.

"CLASS DiSSMISSED" He declared. The shrimp did a ballerina jump and smacked his head hard. "Uh Prof?" I ask my professor. "Oh yes, you. What do you request from me?" "Uh what do you know about jumping time?" He make a sour face and continues slurping is breakfast off the floor.

"PROF!" I yell.

"You must be one of the aware ones." He said with a judgemental tone. "Well there is nothing to know. In one week the world will reset and Shaggy will accidentally create the universe again."

I looked at him like he had just grown antlers and was beating a baby cow to death. "I HATE THAT." I shouted at the top of my lungs, which caused a nearby lemonade pitcher to shatter out of existence. "Shut up." Prof said sourly.

"I'm not gonna shut up." I said, and smacked the nearest bookshelf.

"THATS MY BOOKSHELF." The professor said. He threw fist at the air and punch into his desk and howled like a hound dog.

"I know you know something about the shaggy loop." I said bitterly, a confidence farting out of me. "I KNOW YOU KNOW SOMETHING! YOU KNOW HOW TO STOP IT! YOU WILL HELP ME!"

I could fell my girlboss arousing inside of me, but I didn't care. I need answers. When I was about to Harvest a knuckle sandwich 🥪 to give to prof, he spoke up.

"THE TOMATOS," he said. I stopped. "It's the tomatoes."
"Huh?" I asked, lowering my fist.

"That's all I can say. You must hurry. If they know I puked words carelessly they'll put my little chicken head on a pointy stick in the desert." He stepped back, accidentally tripping on seaweed.

"Listen to the tomatoes when the time is right." He then disappeared into the spoopy shadows, leaving me to ponder my existence.
The school bell started spitting bars and I got out of my seat to go to lunch. Shrimp awaited me at a seat in the grime-covered table tops and appeared to be eating a fish taco.
""H-hey," he said. I plopped down onto the bench and began to stuff my face with coconut oil. "Y-you seem stressed. Wh-what's bothering you?" He asked.

So I explained everything. Starting with Joseph and the jumping time and ending with what Prof just told me.
"Do you know anything about 'tomatoes'" I asked.

The shrimp looked at me like I just counted to one hundred. "We're not allowed to talk about it." He said with shame. "But I will show you. C-come with me!"