#storytime with marty mcfly

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mcfly july 2024 || 🌲🌲 || day 4 Backyard Cookout

Doc hunched over the plate of burgers and chicken kebobs to protect them from the downpour as he ushered Clara inside. The thunder nearly made her drop the potato salad and angel food cake. 

When they’d got it all inside, and Doc finally shut the door, the wind took the gingham tablecloth off the picnic table and threw it into the neighbor’s pine tree.

Rainwater dripped from the ends of Clara’s curls onto the hot dog buns.

“Where are the boys?”

Doc smelled fire. He sighed.

“In the den.”

In front of the fireplace. With Marty.

“Tell us a story!”

[uwudonoodle]

Storytime: My grandpa was like a legit cowboy. He owned a dairy farm way out in the country, was a boy scout master for most of his life, and loved to go camping and ride horses. Pretty much the only thing he'd watch was old westerns, especially John Wayne movies.

One time when he was visiting us, I was watching Back to the Future 3. He happened to wander past the TV just after Marty got to 1885. He usually never watched TV with me, but he sat down and watched the rest of the movie. He was laughing at all the right parts, and was sitting on the edge of his seat during the train chase... I'm sure he was confused near the end when Marty got back to 1985, but I guess he just decided to ignore that part.

For a week straight, he bragged to anyone who would listen that his teenaged granddaughter showed him the best western he'd seen in years. It had everything - a shootout, a train chase, and the bad guy even wore a black hat! (He laughed so hard when Buford got covered in manure.) The people would turn to me and ask what movie it was, and looked so confused when I said Back to the Future.

Don't let anyone tell you Back to the Future 3 isn't a western. My grandpa will come back from the dead to fight you.

[seawitch62]

A nice leisurely day interrupted by Mannequins.

Guest appearance by the 9th Doctor.

Sci fi horror

Word count 1339

              Autons.

🚹Autons are the living plastic foot-soldiers of a formless entity known as the Nestene Consciousness. Its affinity for and ability to animate plastics has led it to Earth many times, and into conflict with the Doctor.🚺

What an amazing day! Vernon is always a great conversationalist; his extensive knowledge and opinion on many topics keeps the dialogue flowing.  From Sci-fi to  current events he seems to always be aware of, and have an opinion. His driving skills are excellent, no gripping the door handle in anticipation of a crash. Just like a banana smoothie, smooth! Polite and cordial to everyone his calming tone when he ordered lunch at the drive thru at In and Out set the mood for our drive, and what a drive. The landscape spectacular!  The trees showing the first transformation of autumn, the leaves gently falling, and swishing across the county road. Birds singing their melodies of woe before they begin their navigational journey south. Squirrels busily collect and store food for their winter pantry. 

☀️

The sun's warmth helps keep the chill that is induced by the cool October wind, a plaid green blanket cushions, nibbling on a selection of fruit and vegetables.

Vernon quietly though with his own  brand of articulation reads 'The War of the Worlds' by H G Wells.

🌍The Coming of the Martians

Chapter One

The Eve of the War

But who shall dwell in these worlds if they be inhabited?…

Are we or they Lords of the World?…

And how are all things made for man?—

Kepler (quoted in The Anatomy of Melancholy)🌍

I always love it when he reads to me, I find it soothing and in a way romantic. Staring at the orange,  red, yellow and brown leaves rustling with the slight breeze their song adds to the ambience as Vernon reads. 

🌍No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water.🌍

Lost in Vernon's narration, time passes quickly the cool afternoon air begins to seep through the armor of clothing, "we should head out" Vernon injects.  Sadly agreeing, storytime is over, packing up our belongings.

The warmth of the vehicle is welcoming, the drive is a mix of chatter and silence both lost in our thoughts. "We need gas" he says as he eyes the dashboard, "we'll check out the next exit". Nodding in affirmation, a few miles pass before 'Polymerisation next exit' "What a weird name" 

"Sure is, but we need gas"

▶️

The town of Polymerisation, one word best describes, quaint! Shops and cafes line the main street, a feeling of stepping back in time, or that time stopped. Even at the gas station an attendant filled the tank, checked the oil and washed the windscreen, "Back to the future" laughingly Vernon asks "where is Marty McFly?" Vernon suggests we try the Cafe Metis, "homemade pie" he adds with an infectious grin 

🥧

Cafe Metis, warm and welcoming the waitress cheerfully greets. The coffee freshly brewed and the pie, scrumptious!  The decor is different to say the least, Mannequins line the walls dressed in costumes or outfits that bespoke of times past. A real time machine. Vernon was of course fascinated with the bygone fashion. "Creepy" musing aloud, Vernon  laughs "they are just Mannequins". 

"Still creepy though ".

Thanking the waitress and leaving a generous tip,  exiting the Cafe, "let's take a stroll and check things out" Vernon proposes. The stillness of the air and quiet is the opposite of the city, in fact in a way it's eerily disturbing but curiosity overrides any feelings of disquiet. 

Mannequins, they seem to be in every shop, even on the streets! Outfitted in clothing from years past to present. Noticeably absent are vehicles humming to and fro and people! The street is absent of activity. "We haven't seen a soul since the Cafe!" 

Vernon who had seemed preoccupied previously "I know!"

Grabbing my hand "time to leave" he states in a no nonsense tone. "Let's get back to the car!". The vehicle in the distance illuminated by street lights seems like a sudden oasis in the desert.  With a hurried pace the car seems to be an unreachable target.

Vernon's grip  is ironclad "come on!" He urges. 

Fingers dig into my shoulder, as Vernon just about drags me behind with his swift steps. The fingers dig deeper, "Vernon!" The yelping tone garners his attention turning he stops dead in his tracks "duck" he hollers. Instinctually realizing something is horribly wrong I  duck.

Vernon throws a punch which narrowly misses me, turning to see the source of the incredulous look that now is painted on Vernon's face, a mannequin! Its head toppled and rolling down the street. Stunned beyond movement fear attacks, my legs feel like they are  sinking into quicksand, the loss of mobility, panic surges, alarm bells ring loudly within my head, yet I can not move, I'm frozen. 

"Come on!" Vernon bellows, seizing my hand and running towards the vehicle.

🚘

"Fuck they have the car surrounded! What the fuck is going on?" hysterically I ask. "This way" now running in the opposite direction for what was a few moments ago an oasis is now dangerous territory.

"I need to catch my breath"

"We need weapons" Vernon states as he scopes the area looking for anything that could be a makeshift weapon. Rummaging through the plastic bins, he finds a bicycle chain and sauce pan. The triumphant smile is replaced quickly when the bins begin to shake and rattle. "What the?" He utters as the bin tries to grab his hand. Bashing the bin with the sauce pan Vernon narrowly escapes. "Run!" 

🔷️

A swarm of Mannequins block the path, saucepan in hand, I look at Vernon holding the bike chain "ready?" He asks. With that command we go in guns blazing the saucepan and bike chain our only defense. The mannequin which looked like it stepped out of a department store in the 1920's seems particularly resilient, banging and bashing the plastic abomination, finally the limbs fall. Vernon wrapped the bike chain around the head of a mannequin which appeared in clothes from the 1970's, squeezing the chain the mannequin head popped like a balloon.

"Run!" Vernon demands.

☎️

Out of nowhere a man appears, decidedly calm considering the circumstances. "Run!" 

"What the hell is going on?" Vernon asks the stranger.

"They're made of plastic. Living plastic creatures. They're being controlled by a relay device on the roof. Which would be a great big problem if I didnt have this bomb!"

"A bomb!?!" Yelling in unison.

The stranger smiles "Fantastic! We are all caught up, hate to be rude but I am in the middle of saving the world" then he disappears.

🔥

"We gotta go! Now!" Vernon says. From a rooftop a voice demands "run for your life!".

No incentive needed

 run run run!

The earth shakes and trembles, boom! Knocked to the ground by the forcible impact, kissing the concrete sidewalk, dazed a trickle of blood slides down my cheek "are you okay?" Vernon asks urgently, "yes, you?".

"I will live".

Looking around the once animated Mannequins now lay where they once stood,"let's get out of here" says Vernon.

🔥

Approaching the car the stranger appears out of nowhere, "Fantastic! I'm the Doctor by the way!"

He offers like that is all that is needed. Confused Vernon hesitantly introduces us both.

"Thank you for saving our asses"

The stranger who called himself The Doctor grins, "well I must be off" and with that he once more disappears.

"Get in the car now,!" Vernon demands "we are leaving the bat shit crazy town now!".

[ctxrover]

Okay. Storytime!

In school, there was a science teacher. He was a very crazy guy, but very passionate about science. He accidentally set fire to his lab once - or at least once that I witnessed. He had a weird insistence on calling mobile phones “cell phones” or “cellular phones”. He was a very animated guy, hands waving all over the place - I think it was to keep kids’ attention as he taught, but I dunno, he could’ve just been like that. And he had shocking white hair, even though he wasn’t really that old to begin with. I think he was about 40 when he started teaching me, but he looked way way older. You know how kids nickname their teachers? Well, his was Doc Brown. Not because he looked like him, no, no; he was too short and fat for that. But because, intentionally or unintentionally, he acted like him.

I was 14, just off a terrible bust up with one of my friends. Former friends. Very public, everyone saw it - lots of pushing, shoving, name calling and fighting. It was vaccination day and we all had to have our MMR boosters and a tetanus shot. Anyway, for… reasons, I went last. And it cut a lot into my physics lesson. I stayed behind to eat my crisps for break time and I got talking to my teacher. That pretty much turned into regular visits. Those regular visits turned into him asking me to stay lunchtimes for science club. Even the days there was no science club, I’d go down to his lab and we’d share lunch together. Come spring, I got attacked by one of my bullies. He heard about it and went looking for me - even though it wasn’t my physics lesson (I believe I had Welsh then?). Anyway, he found me in the nurse’s office. He ran off to the headmistress and her to not only listen to my bullying complaint, but to take it seriously. Come summer, we were trading items out of each others’ packed lunches.

And I’ll never forget the piercing look of disappointment I got off him when I forgot my calculator to the physics mock. I’ve only ever seen that look twice since. That look where someone believed in you, wholeheartedly, with all their heart and soul, but you do something that shatters all that and they force you to look right into their soul so you can look at that shattered hope and faith in you.

I carried on being friends with this teacher when I got to Sixth Form, helping him run the science club and everything. He was the one positive male influence in my life because my grandfathers both died long before I was born, I have nothing to do with my father’s family, and lord knows my father is a spineless coward who lets people walk all over him. It caused - and still causes - a lot of tension between him and my mother.

So when I finally saw Back to the Future , I didn’t question it. It just made sense that Marty resented his father for being cowardly. Just as it made sense that Lorraine seemed to resent having married him. And it also made sense that Marty would befriend the local weirdo scientist. And Marty’s dream of being a rock star? Yeah, that’s what I wanted too - only I play bass. So the film made sense to me. Because in a way, that was my life. 17, dreams of being a rock star, deeply unhappy family life because their father’s an extreme doormat, and friends with a mad scientist. Yeah. You and me both, Marty McFly.

It’s now ten years later and if you’re wondering what happened to my science teacher, he won the lottery and retired. It’s such a cliche ending that it doesn’t sound real, I know that. But he really did win the lottery. And retired. And if you think that’s mad, well, my Geography teacher won Who Wants to Be A Millionaire and retired. And my maths teacher also won the lottery and retired - then saved someone from committing suicide.

Y’know, I’m thinking maybe I should’ve gone into teaching and taught at my old school - is it too late?

People criticising Back To The Future because it doesn't make sense Marty's only friend is an ancient crazy inventor, like you're telling me in high school you wouldn't have jumped at the chance to befriend the mad scientist? Sounds like the dream highschool experience to me

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mcfly july 2024 || 🌲 || day 31 Pepsi Free (Free Day!)

After dinner, the boys continued to bicker their way into the living room about whether Marty was D. B. Cooper or not and, after Jules’s latest attack, if Marty would again take up the mantle with his feels so hurt.

“What if I’m D. B. Cooper?” Jules asked.

“Can’t be. I am,” said Marty.

“Prove it.”

“You prove it.”

“You can’t prove a negative!”

Doc smirked.

“They’re building a fort now. Don’t worry, they aren’t too near the fire.”

Clara smiled. She laid the dishes in the sink. 

“Just tell them not to use the good tablecloths and our bedclothes.”

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mcfly july 2024 || 🌲🌲 || day 31 Pepsi Free (Free Day!)

“You’re not D. B. Cooper!”

Marty put his fork down. He held Jules’s stink eye as he chewed his porkchop. He glanced around the dinner table; Doc and Clara hid their grins behind paper towels and Pepsi. 

“Jules, this aggression, this –” Marty released a dejected sigh. “When you invalidate who I am like this, it’s really hurtful.”

Jules stared at him.

“And you know what? I don’t have to prove it to you anymore,” Marty said. “I know my truth.”

“Well done, Jules,” Verne snipped. “You’ve offended him.”

“What?”

“Now he’ll never be D. B. Cooper again!” “He never was!”

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mcfly july 2023 || day 31 Pepsi Free (Free Day!)

xxxi.

“I never imagined I’d get to sit in front of my own fireplace again,” Clara quipped as she took up her armchair and book. 

Doc peered through the curtains to the backyard. Marty and Verne were hard at work preparing a proper storytelling campfire before sundown while Jules enlisted Einstein to pitch the tent.

“You’d think they’d had enough of stories ‘round the fire after all I’ve told them,” Doc said. He thought the Nintendo would have more mileage on it by now.

“And when Marty runs out of stories, they’ll make him start over. Just like they did you.”

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doctober 2023 || day 9 Zipline

ix.

“I still can’t picture Dad knowing what a zipline is,” Verne said, “let alone using one to save the universe.”

In the hall, Doc laughed. He poked his head into the living room.

“Save the universe?”

Marty shrugged. Had he missed the lightning strike, “It would have happened eventually.”

“I’m not so sure,” Jules said, thumbing the seam of the pillow in his lap. “The space-time continuum seems far more stable than we give it credit for.”

Marty spun from putting another log on the fire and pointed at Jules.

“That attitude is exactly how you blow up the universe.”

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mcfly july 2021 || day 31 Pepsi Free (Free Day!)

xxxi.

“D.B. Cooper was six feet tall,” Jules said.

Marty threw his paper plate into the fire and shrugged. “People under duress are terrible at judging anything, let alone height. I probably did look six feet tall to them.”

“You’re not D.B. Cooper.”

“Yeah,” Verne said, lying on his sleeping bag. “Even I’m not buying this one.”

“Do you even know how to use a parachute?”

“Do you?”

“Why would I need to know how to use a parachute?” Jules asked. “I’m six.”

Marty tsked. “I jumped out of my first plane when I was five –"

“You’re not D.B. Cooper!”

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mcfly july 2023 || day 8 Driver's License

viii.

“You already told us this one.”

Marty’s brow furrowed.

“I did?”

Verne nodded. “Last summer.”

“Father told you to walk Einstein,” Jules recounted, “and when you passed your test, you walked him by holding the leash out the driver’s side window of an automobile.”

“Tell us something exciting!” Verne whined.

Marty pensively sipped his cocoa, consulting the fire for inspiration. He snapped his fingers.

“Mm! What about the time the Templars threw me into the Oak Island ‘Money Pit’ for dropping the Holy Grail overboard while we were at sea?”

Doc’s head whipped in from the kitchen.

“You did what?”

The story "Marty already told them" was a drabble I actually wrote last McFly July about Marty getting his license!

And "Storytime with Marty McFly" has become a staple in my BttF drabble collections (Marty telling Jules and Verne fireside stories at the Brown's farmhouse), so here are the previous entries: 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5

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for the fanfic ask - 🌙, 🌝 and 🍰!

I’m a terrible person for not answering this sooner! I’m so sorry!!

🌙 What time of day do you prefer to write? Why?

I prefer to start first thing when n the morning, but that’s usually when I get a lot of my chores/ errands done. I find myself writing consistently in late afternoon/ evening (though I still prefer writing as early in the day as possible; my motivation wanes through the afternoon).

🌞Who is one character you haven’t yet written for that you would like to?

This was the one I was trying to mull over before I answered this ask and then got sidetracked! I’m not sure! I’ve written all of the main characters in BttF, so I guess I would start exploring more tertiary/ background characters. I liked giving Stubble more a voice to even out Buford in Part 3 of my Time Circuits Series, and in an alternate timeline of my own fic where Emma gets kidnapped by Tannen for an extensive period of time after the murder of her father, his gang would play a much more central role. I also have only just grazed Jules and Verne, but I adore writing them, especially in the “Storytime with Marty McFly” snippets I do where Marty is telling them about his adventures at the fireside. Giving them their own adventure might be fun!

🍰 Name one of you favorite comfort fics!

A Visit with an Old Friend by thepreciousthing has been one that’s stuck with me since I first read it on FFN way back when. It’s sad but heartwarming and just hits the spot. A wonderful culmination of a friendship, too! And a hug!

Despite the Distance by @knickynoo also hits the spot with my love of alternate timelines and sheer wholesomeness. And, of course, angst, because it’s good for you!

Thanks for the ask, @daryfromthefuture ! Sorry again I was late to reply! You got me with that second question!

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Doctober 2022 - #2 - Friendship

ii.

"This isn't going to be like last time, is it?"

Marty scoffed as Jules and Verne piled into the nest of throw pillows tossed before the living room fireplace.

"What do you mean, 'like last time'?"

"You almost fell into the fire."

"Twice," Verne said.

Marty shook the new fireplace screen. Jules remained unimpressed.

"You'll find a way."

Marty narrowed his eyes.

"Do you know what today is?" Doc interjected, sitting on the hearth opposite Marty to neutralize their back-and-forth. "It's October 2nd – the day Marty and I met."

Jules eyed Marty.

"Does he get shot in this one, too?"

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Doctober 2022 - #19 - Trip to the Past

“This isn’t going to be another one of those Princess Bride stories, is it?” Verne asked Marty, laying back into Einstein.

“At least The Princess Bride had sword fighting,” Jules said.

“It didn’t have time travel,” Marty said. “And who said the Prince of the Hill and his Royal Alchemist didn’t sword fight, hm?”

“You don’t know how to sword fight.”

“I know how to skateboard.”

“Princes skateboard?”

“How are those related?” Jules asked.

“Self-defense.”

“In the Middle Ages?”

“Suspension of belief, kid,” Marty said. “I’ve never heard you question Ghostbusters like this.”

“It’s not set in the Middle Ages!”

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McFly July 2022 - #21 - Settle This Like Men

xxi.

“‘You thought wrong, dude.’

“And BANG!”

The boys jumped. Marty threw his hand over his heart and stumbled back.

“I was hit. I —“

“Why do people keep shooting at you in these stories?” Jules asked.

Marty shrugged. “Because they’re bad guys.”

“Have you considered that you provoke rage?”

Verne sighed.

“Have you considered that you provoke rage? Let him finish!”

“They shot other people before me, so no,” Marty said. “I’m rarely the inciting incident.”

Jules raised an eyebrow. “Rarely?”

“Jules—“

“No, no,” Jules tutted at his brother, narrowing his eyes on Marty. “I want to hear this.”