The Call [Creek]

Chapter One - Overture

As the moon dipped below the horizon and its reign of the Earth's sky came to an amicable closure, the sun peeked surreptitiously from below the frozen Colorado terrain. Its soft orange rays began to extend over the steadily waking world and the stars began to dim in the gradient dawn sky.

In actuality, it probably was not as grand and imperial as that. To any other kid, it was 06:00 AM on a Monday and signalled nothing other than for one to prepare for another day of fiercely dreaded school.
It was to Craig Tucker that something as wonted as the sunrise could seem so prodigious.

Craig Tucker was a thin, ebony-haired, seventeen-year-old boy. Some people conspired that the Tucker boy was adopted, considering his family's light hair compared to his own stygian hair. Such rumours were, indeed, false. He hoped so, at least. Only genetics can save Craig Tucker now.

Craig supposed that he didn't look too bad; he had olive skin and deep blue eyes that he liked to think reflected the night sky that he was all so intrigued by. He had long, lanky limbs and preferred to sport a blue chullo hat and jacket, followed by dark pants and trainers that were stained with Colorado mud and dirt.

Currently, the young man wore nothing more than a white tee and boxers. He rested his chin gently on his arm, observing the rest of the drowsy world around him.

Earlier, Craig had been compelled to study the ceiling of his dark bedroom, vainly yearning for the serene escape of sleep. With a final sigh of defeat, he recanted his efforts.
After the boy had rolled over on his alternative side and slipped out of bed, he gingerly made his way to the windowsill.

Now, Craig was beginning to feel the weight of his eyelids as he grew weary and gradually dozed off.

A ringing sounded from his phone and his body resiled as he instinctively shot up. His sudden action caused the chair he was seated in to lead back, precipitating him to fall with it.

The teen fell to the ground with a petulant grunt. As he rose back to his feet, a raucous knock came from his door.
'Craig! This is the third time I've told; get your ass up! You are late!' The voice was mature and feminine, belonging none other than to his mother.
Craig let his head lean back and groaned as he picked up his mobile phone. He squinted his eyes to read the notifications.

1 missed call from Clyde Donovan.

1 unread message from Clyde Donovan.

Craig raised a brow and unlocked his phone to view the message.

From: Clyde Donovan
To: Craig Tucker
Dude where r u?? 1st period started abt 10 mins ago

The young raven-haired boy let out a heavy sigh and donned his blue jacket and chullo. He slipped his cellular device into his pocket and pulled on a pair of pants and shoes, eventually making his way to the door.

As Craig traipsed his way downstairs, his mother glared at him. Laura Tucker was a tall woman with bright, golden locks and her emerald eyes matched her floral dress. Any other time, you might have thought them to be rather lovely looking, but now they were glazed over in fury.

The blonde woman tapped her foot impatiently. 'I won't have you forget that I'm still the one who drives your ass to school before I have to go to work since you don't have a car. I do this out of the kindness of my heart so that you don't have to walk in the cold! If you think you're allowed to make me late to work over this, then you've got another thing coming, mister!' she scolded.
Against any common sense that he may or may not possess, Craig threw up his hand with the middle finger displayed predominantly.
'Craigory J. Tucker!' [1] his mother spat venomously. Craig froze in place as his gaze slowly met his mother's.
'Get in the car.' she sibilated through gritted teeth.

Normally, Craig's mother was not as irascible as she was on this particular morning. Flipping someone off in the Tucker household was about as quotidian as saying hello in other families.
However, Laura Tucker's normal insouciant attitude ended where her work was involved. Craig's mother worked at the local bank and took her job particularly seriously. Truthfully, she would probably even be considered a workaholic.

Craig, having must of dug up an ounce or two of sense, nodded wordlessly and slung his school bag across his shoulder. He followed behind his mother out the door and craned his head down to look at his phone.

Craig opened the Messages app and selected Clyde Donovan's contact.

From: Craig Tucker
To: Clyde Donovan
K

With that, he powered off his phone and slipped it back into his pocket.

Footnotes:
[1] A South Park Discord server I'm in came together and decided on James as a middle name for Craig. Obviously, this isn't canon, but that is what the J stands for. I also don't know if any part of the fandom dubbed him something different but our boy in this story is Craigory James Tucker. Deal with it B/