Hello, my name is Mortimer Worth. I was commissioned by Professor Derring, whom you will meet shortly, to research and retell the story of Max from the beginning. This is in conjunction with his Miracle Hypothesis and is necessary in order to fully appreciate the strange events that have taken place in Stilwater Tennessee as of late. I have had access to the Journal that Max has kept since he was seven and have spent a great deal of time speaking with persons concerned. Professor Derring has granted me liberty to touch the story with a little spark here and there as it must necessarily keep the true identities of certain persons secret. I will let Max do most of the talking in this series, but will sometimes interject my narrative where appropriate. Please enjoy the unfolding of Max's story, and understand that it may take a while to tell. Max's life appears to be catalytic, and I will have you join him at a near catastrophic moment in time...

Have you ever tried to type with a broken arm? I must admit it is difficult. It is only now, after a few weeks, that I can move my fingers around enough to pull this off. My cast more or less allows it, but I probably won't be able to write much, just yet. My wrist is already complaining.

I set this page up so that I could get everything off my chest and maybe clear my head after everything that's happened. I don't quite know where to begin. Everything in my whole life seems tied together somehow. I guess I'll post this magazine article my dad found (he's a librarian) in the box below. It was published the day I was born. It seems to be connected with my life somehow. Or, at least, that's what people say.

Can't type much more today. I will explain more tomorrow, maybe.

I have a small list of stories that seem to put that article into perspective. I have been in the newspaper a few times myself. I just seem have a knack for being there when something happens. Everyone has always given me a hard time for causing strange things to happen. I don't know. It certainly seems like I've had a lot of luck. But not all luck is good. I am not ready to talk about the last few weeks of my life yet, but I will post another link to show you what I mean. In any case, I thought it was wierd that M.A. Derring talked about earthquakes. There was a small earthquake on the day I was born in Stilwater, Tennessee. My mom told me that my bassinet was rolled around because the nurse forgot to lock the wheels, but then, one of those long hospital light bulbs jared out of its socket in the cieling and crashed to the ground where my bassisnet had been....But like I said, not all luck is good. I read some of a book that Derring wrote and he said he believed in things that were equal but opposite of miracles. I guess like if something impossible happens that helps someone, then something just as impossible happens somewhere else that can hurt someone...I know I've seen both. At least my wrist is able to type more, soon I will be able to explain more about my family.

Unfortunately, not everyone likes the fact that I've had a little attention for things like the fish tale, or the Civil War money. Actually, it seems to be just one kid in particular who has a problem. His name is Arnold Yates and as it would happen his father is the Mayor of our little Tennessee town. I bring this up because he and his family, more than anyone, are responsible for what is happening to us right now. When we were in first grade my teacher posted that Fish article on the board and he immediately started in with smart little comments about how the fish came to me because I smelled like home. Whatever. Before too long though we were in a full up fist fight at recess. Both of us were in the principles office waiting for our parents. Him with the bloody nose, and me with patch of hair missing. It hurt like crazy but I could at least pull a comb over. His nose, not so much. Plus, everyone in first grade knows that only girls fight by pulling out hair. All in all it worked out pretty good for me with my classmates, but he and his parents had other ways of getting even.

Arnold has always tried to set me up for trouble by trying to frame me for his little pranks around school and making fun of my dad for being a librarian and how that's a job for big mama's boys. His parents have apparently been taking every opportunity to let everyone know what a worthless bully my parents are raising and how low-class they are for being a couple of hippies (stemming mostly from the fact that my mom is an artist). Sure, it sounds like typical small town gossip, but you might find it hard to believe how out of control things can get. In fact, I'm really holding back right now. I want to explain this whole mess the best I can and just upchucking a bunch of emotion won't help anyone understand any better.

Okay, my mom is callin' me to clean up my room right now. Apparently we are getting another one of those grrreat visits from the social worker. At least this one is expected so maybe my mom won't spend half the night crying in her bedroom...Like I said, it's hard to believe just how out of control things can get.

Well, so much for the whole planned visit going well. The social worker didn't have to say anything really. Just sort of a judgemental look with a note about how we were almost out of milk and bread. Of course, that didn't result in my parents blaming each other and themselves for the rest of the night. Back and forth wanting to know how they could forget such a thing or why each couldn't have stopped on the way home to pick it up from work, and on and on. I don't blame them for fighting. I want to scream, myself. We all know that the next step is them losing custody of me. Where the heck am I supposed to live if I don't live with my mom and dad. My only real close Uncle is in Germany. My grandparents are either dead or disabled and...okay, let me chill here a second. Oh, yes, by the way, I do realize that it is now December and this is called my "November Journal," but it would seem that my life will now forever be linked to the first week of November. What is happening now is a consequence of that one day and I do not know when it will end...You see, I hurt myself at school. In fact, my arm may never be the same. I don't think about it much because I am more concerned about my family. But after years of a little war between me and Arnold, it would appear he is capable of anything. He thought he'd be the little prankster and get me busted for having brandy (yes, alcohol) at school. He slipped it in my thermos when he went out on hall pass and then waited for me to react when we brought our bags in for snack. Trouble was, I had a sinus infection and my mom packed hot soup. I couldn't taste it mixed with the broth and I thought that the hot sensation on my tongue was from the soup. Arnold just kept waiting to see what would happen, and he got his money's worth. While we were going upstairs, (and I was going up there to call my mom from the office so she could take me home early because I was sick...too bad I never made it) I became faint and fell back down a half flight of stairs. That wasn't enough, though. My arm got caught in between two banister poles on the way down and stuck while the rest of me kept tumbling. I pretty much passed out. From what I hear, a couple of girls threw up. I guess the whole school kinda shut down and the cops where talking to the teacher and principle. They said I had alcohol on my breath and all the heat is pointing at my parents. Of course, no one want to believe it was Arnold. HE would never do such a thing. But you should have seen the look in his eyes as I fell. I know.

Max will continue in an additional hub page. Please bear with him. It is certain that things may get worse before they get better. But as M.A. Derring said, "Perhaps THIS universe just happens to be the miraculous one"

*******Max's next hub is available at the link below. And don't forget to visit the comment section beneath Amazon.