Jackson Jekyll's Between Classes diary

Cover
Yes, I do mind if you read my journal.

On September 9 ...
So it turns out I'm a monster. Well part-time monster actually, which leaves me pretty much full-time confused. It's not like I didn't know that mom and dad were both monsters. The first time I saw mom's Hyde side come out was when I was 5 and we were visiting my dad's side of the family. Some of the little neighborhood monsters decided that they were going to play "kick the can" only they were going to use me as the can. Every time I tried to run home they blocked my way and pushed me down. I started crying and then they really started making fun of me. Then all of a sudden I heard this roar and there was my mom. Even though it didn't look like her I knew it was and honestly all I could think was, "Why mother, what big muscles you have." Needless to say I never had any problem with the local monsters again. Dad's a fire elemental of course and I grew up playing with Heath so I was never afraid of monsters. I just didn't think any monster heritage had passed on to me. When I asked mom and dad if they knew me and Holt were the same person they said, "Of course we knew you and Holt were the same person--we're your parents; now finish your breakfast or you'll be late for school." Well thanks for clearing that up for me mom and dad. Cause you know it's not like having that little bit of information would have been helpful at all. Good thing I'm past those awkward teenage years where news like this could really have a negative impact on my psyche.

(Ooh--sarcasm. I like it.) HH

On September 12 ...
I had to go to the mad scientist, I mean pediatrician, today. Mom says that until I'm an adult I need to continue seeing him because he has the most experience dealing with growing monsters. I feel fine but mom and dad are worried because what triggers my transformation to Holt has changed. It used to happen when the sun went down but now it seems to be loud music, I think. The waiting room was almost empty except for a mother werewolf and two young cubs. While mom filled out paperwork I sat down and tried to find something to read that wasn't chewed, gooed or covered in monster germs. Then I heard one of the werewolf cubs say, "Mommy! Is that a normie?" "Yes honey, don't stare." "Is he going to eat us?" I could tell that she was embarrassed so I said, "No way--I'm totally allergic to werewolf, it makes me sneeze--ACHOO!" The cub's eyes got really wide and then she started laughing, "Aw, that's not true." Then she held up her foot and said, "I can tie my shoe!" I said, "That's amazing, can you show me how?" The werewolf mom relaxed too and it turns out that she's related to Clawd's family. Pretty soon a lab assistant appeared, "Jackson Jekyll?" She led us back to a room and said, "The doctor will be with you shortly." Then, "The wait." Which means sitting on the crinkly paper covered exam table forever and wondering what would happen if I started playing with the instruments in the exam room and the doctor walked in. Anyway just about the time I work up enough boredom and courage to start picking up some of the cooler looking instruments laying on the counter I hear the mad pediatrician pulling my chart and the door opens. He's wearing a lab coat with purple vampire ducks and his stethoscope cover is a fuzzy yellow dragon head. I'm sure it calms the younger monsters but it scares the normie out of me. He gets right down to business though and tells me that the volatile nature of my elemental side + my Hyde heritage + being a teenager = constant change. He said that the trigger would probably change again before I reach adulthood. Then he gave me a lollipop, scheduled me for another test and said he wanted to see me again in three months. Now I'm worried about what the trigger is going to change to next. What if it's showers? Would it be worth giving them up for the rest of high school just so I can have my own life?

(Not unless you want your new nickname to be "Stinky") HH

On September 23 ...
So I had my appointment with Mr. D'eath today and it started out about as terrible as I thought it was going to be. Turns out he'd never counseled a "normie" and it seemed like he didn't know exactly what to say. In fact, he mostly just spent a lot of time squeezing one of those stress balls made to look like a cartoon character with eyes that bugged out when you squeezed it. It was pretty distracting especially when I realized it was a cartoon "normie." The squeezing wasn't nearly as distracting as his "throat clering" which kind of sounded like a handful of marbles being run through a garbage disposal. I kept trying to figure out how he made that noise because he doesn't even really have a throat since as far as I can tell he's pure skeleton. He must have flipped through my permanent record ten times before he finally said: So you see Hackson, I mean Jackson, the career opportunities for normies in the monster world are somewhat er... um... (sound of marbles being run through the disposal again) limited. There's Monster Hunter, Monster Hunter's Assistant, Mad Scientist, ooh hunchback! You don't happen to have a hump do you? No? Bad luck there then. Ah hah! How about Monster/Normie Relations Expert? (Figured it'd be something where the wardrobe is even less cool than what you wear now) HH Well, that was something I certainly knew a little something about. I had an old coach back in the normie world that used to always say, "Play to your strengths Jackson, play to your strengths." So Mr. D'eath loaded me down with college brochures and rushed me out of his office. I think both of us were glad it was over.

On October 8 ...
Finally took that test my mad pediatrician set up for me. It turned out to be a test to determine the type and volume of music that brings out Holt. So I sat in a soundproof booth wearing headphones while a technician played music at different volumes and with different time signatures. I made it through waltzes, marches, polka and chamber music but I don't remember what he played next. (That's when he started playing the good stuff) HH Anyway the results of the test isolated the trigger; music with a 4/4 time signature played in excess of 90 decibels. You know what's good about this? Me neither.

On November 2 ...
It seems now that every monster knows Holt and me are the "same" person/monster I don't get hassled as much for being a "normie." Not that it makes any difference to Manny Taur since he pretty much wants to bully down on any creature who's smaller than he is. When he first started picking on me I stood up to him cause once a bully knows he can push you around he'll never stop, but Deuce finally took me aside and said, "Listen bro--you've won a lot of respect standing up to Manny and don't take this the wrong way but..." Apparently Manny was waiting for the right time to mash me like a slow matador. I kept waiting for it to happen but it never did. In fact it seemed like Manny was purposely avoiding me for some reason. It was almost like some monster had said something to him. (Yeah--wonder who that could have been?) HH

On November 15 ...
Headless Headmistress Bloodgood asked for "volunteers" to help with the middle school carnival fundraiser so Deuce and I volunteered for set up and take down duty. It was cool and we didn't have to dress up like clowns or sit in the dunk tank. We set up tents, carried boxes then ung out and waited for everything to be over. We checked out some of the other booths too cause we had plenty of time to kill. Venus and Draculaura were doing face painting; Rochelle was teaching monsters how to build sand castles, some of which would have looked pretty good if they hadn't been built next to Rochelle's sand cathedral with working bell tower and miniature gargoyles. The best though was the stunt Robecca performed. She flew over the carnival a couple of times to get every monster's attention then flew straight up until it sounded like her rocket boots stalled and she came streaking back toward the ground like a falling star. A huge gasp went up from the crowd as it looked like she was going to crash then she fied her rockets back up and totally buzzed the crowd less than 20 feet off the ground! It was so awesome I actually gave Holt a chance to see her second performance. (Thanks dude--it was totally rockin' and I would have been bummed if I didn't get to see it) HH When the carnival was over we helped take everything down and all the volunteers went to hang out at the Coffin Bean. It was dark by then and I would have missed out on that part of the fun if things were the same as they used to be. Still hoping I won't have to give up showers someday though. (That makes both of us "Stinky") HH