From fox464@rocketmail.com Sat Jan 25 19:25:25 1997 Hi. This is the first fanfic I've posted here, so all comments (good, bad, extremely ugly) are welcome. Send to fox464@rocketmail.com, and include either Quick Brown Fox or Anita in the subject header. Thanks. :) Disclaimer: All Hail Chris Carter! God of all Creativity, and "Mother" of the X-Files and all related characters. Only two non-Carter character's appear here: Coach, and the girl from three seats up. Please, all-knowing, all-seeing, very wise executives at FOX, don't sue my young, poor a**. I've got no cash as it is, and no-one is paying to read this (at least, they're not paying me...) Summary: Short from Mulder's childhood. QUICK BROWN FOX c.1997 Anita M. Fougere When we were learning cursive in grade school, they taught us to write "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" over and over. I am now that quick brown fox. I will jump over these lazy dogs. Coach caught me repeating that earlier. I tried to explain it to him, but he shook his head. "Kid, if it makes you run faster, shout it at the top of your lungs." I run. I run faster, faster, faster, and as I feel the light ribbon break over my chest, I am the quick brown Fox. No one can catch me. My school cheers for me, throws banners, flags, and hats as they swarm around me on the track. I feel them slapping my back, hugging me, and the girl who sits three seats up from me in Spanish class kisses me, pushing into my gasping mouth with her tongue. I am the Fox. I hear her voice join the others, screaming my name. "Fox! Fox! Fox!" My head hurts. The crowd is stealing my breath. My knees shake as they chant. "Fox! Fox! Fox!" The earth spins, like it did the night Todd and I drank that six-pack out on the cliffs. I hold on to those near me as her voice grows louder: "Fox! Fox! Fox!" until Samantha is drowning them out, filling my head with her cry. My legs, so strong seconds ago, collapse beneath me, unable to hold my slender form. I fall, but cannot feel the grass. There is carpet under my hands, carpet under my knees as I stare at the light-filled doorway. I am paralyzed. I hear my name. "Fox! Fox! Fox!" I am in my body again. "Get back! Give the kid some room!" Coach commands them. He helps me stand, and supports me as I stumble to the bench. I hear my father's unforgiving voice behind me. "I hope you're proud of yourself, boy. Can't even stand up on your own." He turns away. "I'll be in the car." I hang my head. My body trembles. "You okay, son?" Coach asks as he slips his arm around my shoulders. I nod as I blink back the tears. "Gotta go," I mumble as I carefully walk away. "Mulder!" he calls. "Ain't you stayin' for the award ceremony?" I shake my head, and mumble, "Gotta go. Dad's in the car." And no matter how quick I am, I can't outrun him. END