Entitlement
B. Haq
Maddox made his way toward the front of the line, huffing and puffing from climbing up the stairs. He was hauling the biggest box in his hands from the annual school book fair.
“I’ve got to be in the front,” he asserted, stepping up to Colton, who was about to set his books on the checkout table. “You see, I have more books than you,” Maddox spoke with an air of arrogance and seemed content to have made his case. He even cracked a half-smile before it was brutally wafted away by the stern voice.
“Hey, dude! What do you think you are doing?” Colton scowled down hard at Maddox. He was no one to be messed with. “Go back. The line starts there.” Colton howled, motioned toward the back, and started his checkout.
Maddox looked frazzled and infuriated but couldn’t do much because Colton was a big and burly sophomore, almost twice the size of Maddox. Maddox was not used to being rebuffed or given the cold shoulder. At home, he always had his way with his parents, and his younger siblings dutifully appeased him. Even at school, he sometimes intimidated classmates into obeying him and other times manipulated them to comply with his demands.
With the big box weighing heavily in his hands, he cut in the line behind Colton. Julian quietly took a step back to make room for Maddox. A few whimpered protests arose from the long winding line but died without ever reaching the ears of Mrs. Stockard, who was now busy scanning away Maddox’s books.
While this was going on at the front of the big hall, a commotion brewed at the far end, near the stairs. A girl had slipped by the stairs and banged her head badly on the railing. She was bleeding from the cut on her right temple. Mr. Jones ran to help her and comforted her as she cried.
Maddox was now done with the checkout and proudly carried his big box to exit the hall. A small crowd had gathered around Mr. Jones and the injured girl. It took Maddox a moment to fathom what had happened, and he instantly appeared irritated. He could not get out as the paramedics treated the girl.
“I am going to be late for the practice,” he hollered at the paramedics. “Could you move her out of the way?” Then, to everyone’s disbelief, he rolled his eyes and sprang over the girl and the two paramedics, and grumbling under his breath, he exited.
How does the setting from the checkout to the stairs advance the plot?
Responses
A Maddox is very upset after finishing the checkout.Maddox is very upset after finishing the checkout.
B Maddox carries the heavy box down the stairs.Maddox carries the heavy box down the stairs.
C Mr. Jones and Mrs. Stockard rush to help the girl. Mr. Jones and Mrs. Stockard rush to help the girl.
D Maddox is in a rush to exit the hall after the checkout.