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Dont Ever Change
Don’t Ever Change is a stand alone short story.
High school was a time of fond memories for Lori. Twenty three years later, she’s back in town for her mother’s funeral. Not wanting to deal with family right away after a long drive, she roams around town, only to find herself in front of her old school.
On a whim, she decides to sneak through a hole in the fence and take a look around. The last thing she expected was to find a classmate from long ago. Even more shocking was the fact that he hadn’t changed even a little bit; right down to the OP shirt and parachute pants.
When Adam explains that he’s been going to school every year for the last twenty three years, it shocks Lori. He shows her the yearbook where she wrote “Don’t Ever Change”. Then he explains how it’s her fault that he’s still exactly the same as when they went to school together, right down to the acne and braces.
How would you feel about never being allowed to change? Perhaps you’ll think a little bit harder the next time someone asks you to sign their yearbook.
High school was a time of fond memories for Lori. Twenty three years later, she’s back in town for her mother’s funeral. Not wanting to deal with family right away after a long drive, she roams around town, only to find herself in front of her old school.
On a whim, she decides to sneak through a hole in the fence and take a look around. The last thing she expected was to find a classmate from long ago. Even more shocking was the fact that he hadn’t changed even a little bit; right down to the OP shirt and parachute pants.
When Adam explains that he’s been going to school every year for the last twenty three years, it shocks Lori. He shows her the yearbook where she wrote “Don’t Ever Change”. Then he explains how it’s her fault that he’s still exactly the same as when they went to school together, right down to the acne and braces.
How would you feel about never being allowed to change? Perhaps you’ll think a little bit harder the next time someone asks you to sign their yearbook.
Nook
First published February 24, 2011
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101 people want to read
About the author
John H. Carroll
41 books76 followersJohn H. Carroll was the youngest of seven children and was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1970 where he was kept in a dresser drawer with the clean socks. Luckily, he wasn’t kept with the dirty socks or else he might have grown up to become slightly warped.
As a child, John spent most of his time wandering through the Mojave Desert in an attempt to avoid people. He would stare at the sky, imagining what it would be like to explore different worlds. One of his favorite memories is watching his dad build the fuselage of Evel Kneivel’s skycycle in their garage. One of his least favorite moments was watching that skycycle fall into the Snake River. (Not his dad’s fault and he has documentation to prove it, so nyah)
As a teenager, John spent most of his time driving wherever he could in an attempt to avoid people. He would stare at the road, imagining what it would be like to explore different worlds. He was the captain of the chess team, lettered in golf and band while in high school, and wasn’t beaten up anywhere near as much as one might imagine.
As an adult, John spends most of his time gazing at a computer screen in an attempt to avoid people. He stares at the monitor for hours, imagining what it would be like to explore different worlds. Occasionally, he looks around to see what’s happening on planet Earth.
Quite frankly, it frightens him. He’s just going to do his best to write as many books as he can before aliens disintegrate humanity for being so irritating.
Emo bunny minions surround John at most times. He is their imaginary friend and they look to him for guidance. At one point, they took over the world. No one noticed because they left everything exactly as it was. They gave the world back after a week because it was depressing.
The Ryallon Series is his most popular endeavor into the field of writing. His Stories for Demented Children have lightened the hearts of many strange children and adults. He writes in the evenings and weekends whenever possible.
As a child, John spent most of his time wandering through the Mojave Desert in an attempt to avoid people. He would stare at the sky, imagining what it would be like to explore different worlds. One of his favorite memories is watching his dad build the fuselage of Evel Kneivel’s skycycle in their garage. One of his least favorite moments was watching that skycycle fall into the Snake River. (Not his dad’s fault and he has documentation to prove it, so nyah)
As a teenager, John spent most of his time driving wherever he could in an attempt to avoid people. He would stare at the road, imagining what it would be like to explore different worlds. He was the captain of the chess team, lettered in golf and band while in high school, and wasn’t beaten up anywhere near as much as one might imagine.
As an adult, John spends most of his time gazing at a computer screen in an attempt to avoid people. He stares at the monitor for hours, imagining what it would be like to explore different worlds. Occasionally, he looks around to see what’s happening on planet Earth.
Quite frankly, it frightens him. He’s just going to do his best to write as many books as he can before aliens disintegrate humanity for being so irritating.
Emo bunny minions surround John at most times. He is their imaginary friend and they look to him for guidance. At one point, they took over the world. No one noticed because they left everything exactly as it was. They gave the world back after a week because it was depressing.
The Ryallon Series is his most popular endeavor into the field of writing. His Stories for Demented Children have lightened the hearts of many strange children and adults. He writes in the evenings and weekends whenever possible.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 30, 2011
I loved the premise of this short story -- a woman returns to her high school 23 years after she graduates to find Adam, a fellow classmate. Only Adam hasn't changed. At all. He's still18 with acne, the same parachute pants and letterman jacket. Everyone wrote in his yearbook, "Don't ever change." And he didn't.
Somewhere around page five the enticing premise became horror. Literal horror with excessive violence and horror that a story with so much promise turned bad so quickly. Not impressed.
Somewhere around page five the enticing premise became horror. Literal horror with excessive violence and horror that a story with so much promise turned bad so quickly. Not impressed.
July 31, 2011
This was a blissfully short story. I liked the premise of someone being stuck in high school, but the writing was high school level, and the ending was very weak. There was some gratuitous violence and obvious exposition, and the initial potential the story had was ruined after the protagonist leaves the school.
Luckily, the Kindle version was free on Amazon, and it didn't take me long to read.
Luckily, the Kindle version was free on Amazon, and it didn't take me long to read.
May 4, 2019
Very short story. Too short for me to really be invested in either main character. It was okay.
June 22, 2020
I thought it was funny!
June 15, 2011
Synopsis:
High school was a time of fond memories for Lori. Twenty three years later, she's back in town for her mother's funeral. Not wanting to deal with family right away after a long drive, she roams around town, only to find herself in front of her old school.
On a whim, she decides to sneak through a hole in the fence and take a look around. The last thing she expected was to find a classmate from long ago. Even more shocking was the fact that he hadn't changed even a little bit; right down to the OP shirt and parachute pants.
When Adam explains that he's been going to school every year for the last twenty three years, it shocks Lori. He shows her the yearbook where she wrote "Don't Ever Change". Then he explains how it's her fault that he's still exactly the same as when they went to school together, right down to the acne and braces.
How would you feel about never being allowed to change? Perhaps you'll think a little bit harder the next time someone asks you to sign their yearbook.
High school was a time of fond memories for Lori. Twenty three years later, she's back in town for her mother's funeral. Not wanting to deal with family right away after a long drive, she roams around town, only to find herself in front of her old school.
On a whim, she decides to sneak through a hole in the fence and take a look around. The last thing she expected was to find a classmate from long ago. Even more shocking was the fact that he hadn't changed even a little bit; right down to the OP shirt and parachute pants.
When Adam explains that he's been going to school every year for the last twenty three years, it shocks Lori. He shows her the yearbook where she wrote "Don't Ever Change". Then he explains how it's her fault that he's still exactly the same as when they went to school together, right down to the acne and braces.
How would you feel about never being allowed to change? Perhaps you'll think a little bit harder the next time someone asks you to sign their yearbook.
January 5, 2012
This was an interesting premise. In the description it talks about how terrifying it would be if we never changed. If one person was stuck in the same moment forever it could be absolutely frustrating and possibly terrifying. In this short story Adam has not changed one day since he was a senior in high school. HE is forced to live the same year over and over never being able to leave town, or even change his clothes.
This short is not written as part of the stories for demented children series so it didn’t feel childish. It was a well written short story with a good plot that even though there were times it was predictable it still held my attention raptly. I enjoyed this and would list it as one of my favorite short stories.
This short is not written as part of the stories for demented children series so it didn’t feel childish. It was a well written short story with a good plot that even though there were times it was predictable it still held my attention raptly. I enjoyed this and would list it as one of my favorite short stories.
June 29, 2012
Shudderingly Creepy.
It takes real talent to use a common setting that every one of us is at least vaguely familiar with and turn it into a chilling story that will grab your brain periodically and worry "did I possibly do that to anyone?"
Lori was a popular girl in high school, mostly because she was nice to everyone. Back in town 23 years later for her mother's funeral, she will learn first hand how innocent-seeming actions from the high-school years can have devastating consequences.
Don't read this late at night, or you'll be digging out old mementos long into the night to see if the same thing was done to you!
It takes real talent to use a common setting that every one of us is at least vaguely familiar with and turn it into a chilling story that will grab your brain periodically and worry "did I possibly do that to anyone?"
Lori was a popular girl in high school, mostly because she was nice to everyone. Back in town 23 years later for her mother's funeral, she will learn first hand how innocent-seeming actions from the high-school years can have devastating consequences.
Don't read this late at night, or you'll be digging out old mementos long into the night to see if the same thing was done to you!
June 23, 2011
This is like an episode in the Twilight Zone - a short story about a high school nerd who never moved on, literally. I like the way the story was structured; it was straightforward enough to still keep the reader guessing of what would happen in the end.
The author has a lot of short stories to his credit, but the theme is mostly for young readers. They're free so sucker me would still get and read them :-)
The author has a lot of short stories to his credit, but the theme is mostly for young readers. They're free so sucker me would still get and read them :-)
February 21, 2013
This one actually managed to creep me out. I have some good memories of high school, but I would not want to be stuck as a high school student forever and my father possibly having become a zombie due to some curse.
I also never use "don't ever change" any more due to reading this story. Well done.
I also never use "don't ever change" any more due to reading this story. Well done.
June 19, 2011
This story was creepy and odd, with a very weak ending. I don't know what I can really say about it without giving anything away. If you can get it free or borrow it from someone it might be worth the read, but I wouldn't pay for it.
December 10, 2011
Ummmmm... it was a little disturbing..... I didn't expect that ending.... I was like WTF?!
But otherwise, intresting concept, unexpected endings, and murder... Just what I love in a story...
It was dramatic too. Like General Hostpital type of drama...
But otherwise, intresting concept, unexpected endings, and murder... Just what I love in a story...
It was dramatic too. Like General Hostpital type of drama...
June 16, 2012
The story itself was written very well. The downfall was that the summary of the story was pretty much the entire story. The ending left something to be desired, it just simply ended with no real conclusion. Another 5 pages or so and this story could really have been something.
June 5, 2011
I started reading this book and had forgotten that it was a thriller. It was still a good story...good premise, etc.
I'm not usually a horror/thriller reader, but I liked this story.
I'm not usually a horror/thriller reader, but I liked this story.
June 22, 2011
Free Kindle download. Short story. Be careful what you write in someone's yearbook. It may come back to bite you.
July 7, 2011
I LOVED this!
September 25, 2011
Disturbing that people think this way...
January 17, 2012
Much better job from this prolific ebook author. The storyline reminds me of the Fear Street books I used to read as a teen.
May 2, 2012
L'histoire est interessante et bien écrite mais le final m'a laissé un peu dubitative.
June 14, 2012
Different, good story but the ending was too neat for me. I'm twisted LOL
November 12, 2012
Very good premise, but the end was fairly abrupt. I think this story could have been developed into a much longer work.
March 15, 2013
"Don't ever change".... I wonder how many times I wrote that in a year book. This short story was very Alfred Hitchcockish (if I can make up a word...) I very much enjoyed it.
December 1, 2013
this is a short story written with a nice premise which could have been developed more. it would have been better to leave the story at a cliffhanger but the story ended happily.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews