the tissue
up to my nose.
“You want to bleed more?” she tests.
I look her in the eye. I'm not much of a fighter, especially
now that I am sickened, but I would love to take my anger out on someone like
her, and she's my size anyway without looking physically fit. I can take
her. She and I stare each other down like a pair of angry dogs for a full ten
seconds before Lindsay pulls on her arm. The girl gives me one more size-up
before turning and following Lindsay from the restroom. As I wash my hands and
try futilely to stem the blood flow, I hear a message over the intercom.
“Attention, at the end of this period, we need all students
to be present in the auditorium. This is mandatory. Thank you,” says Dad's
voice. They’re calling for a mandatory school assembly?The only time
that happens is during graduation ceremonies, talent shows, plays, and things
like that. This must have something to do with the missing students, or him ?
No, even if the apparition is common news by now there would
be no way it's discussed in public. Even people who have it would call the
speaker crazy. I look at the clock on my phone. This period ends in three
minutes. I decide I'll go ahead and walk to the auditorium since my class will
already be heading there by the time I get back. When I get there I'm surprised
that the place is already half filled. Some of the classes have already taken
their seats and I even notice a couple pairs of parents. Maybe Dad spent the
day summoning parents for this meeting. I see Ms. Alder has already started
seating her students so I find myself a chair with the rest of my class. The
seats are all blue folding chairs that aren't very comfortable, but I think
they're in use for their mobility, because the auditorium is the room used for
dances and parties. It's not long after I'm seated that the auditorium is full
of students and staff. We end up waiting a few minutes before the guest
speakers take their posts on stage. The speakers- are the police.
Several policemen including Deputy Yew and of course Sheriff
Fraser take their places on stage. Deputy Yew stands uniformly with the other
police, while the sheriff takes the stand.
“In all my time as sheriff this county has never seen much
crime,” he begins.
“The worst we've seen are a few cases of theft, and once,
and only once, a murder that was promptly solved. So it fills me with deep
regret to see that when tragedy strikes this county our police force seems to
have no leads,” he continues. He pauses before a brief moment, as if to collect
his thoughts on how he's going to continue.
“Recently we lost more than ten of our dear children in a
very tragic accident, and since then more of our children have disappeared,” he
says. There are no gasps of surprise from the audience. “We've been working on
finding the missing children with no luck. Seven children have been reported
missing since the accident. All of these children are affiliated with this
school. I'm going to go over the list and if you've seen any of these children
recently, please notify the police.”
He begins to recite his list of students. He starts with
Jason Larch and then moves onto the other students I haven't met.
“Shana Hawthorn...,” he says, forcing me to wince. “...and
most recently, Leanne Sourwood,” he finishes. My eyes widen. Leanne is the
other person I didn't see in class today. She must have gone missing over the
weekend like Shana did. That means three of the missing children I know
personally.
“Like I said we've narrowed the search down, and it seems
they are all students in this school district. So we-”
“Have you found any suspects?” asks a voice. Sheriff Fraser
looks around the audience to locate the voice, but I already know who it is
before she stands up, Rita Larch. “Who are your suspects?” she repeats loudly.
I use my hand- that's already working on stopping my nosebleed, to cover my
face as I look down.
“Here she
up to my nose.
“You want to bleed more?” she tests.
I look her in the eye. I'm not much of a fighter, especially
now that I am sickened, but I would love to take my anger out on someone like
her, and she's my size anyway without looking physically fit. I can take
her. She and I stare each other down like a pair of angry dogs for a full ten
seconds before Lindsay pulls on her arm. The girl gives me one more size-up
before turning and following Lindsay from the restroom. As I wash my hands and
try futilely to stem the blood flow, I hear a message over the intercom.
“Attention, at the end of this period, we need all students
to be present in the auditorium. This is mandatory. Thank you,” says Dad's
voice. They’re calling for a mandatory school assembly?The only time
that happens is during graduation ceremonies, talent shows, plays, and things
like that. This must have something to do with the missing students, or him ?
No, even if the apparition is common news by now there would
be no way it's discussed in public. Even people who have it would call the
speaker crazy. I look at the clock on my phone. This period ends in three
minutes. I decide I'll go ahead and walk to the auditorium since my class will
already be heading there by the time I get back. When I get there I'm surprised
that the place is already half filled. Some of the classes have already taken
their seats and I even notice a couple pairs of parents. Maybe Dad spent the
day summoning parents for this meeting. I see Ms. Alder has already started
seating her students so I find myself a chair with the rest of my class. The
seats are all blue folding chairs that aren't very comfortable, but I think
they're in use for their mobility, because the auditorium is the room used for
dances and parties. It's not long after I'm seated that the auditorium is full
of students and staff. We end up waiting a few minutes before the guest
speakers take their posts on stage. The speakers- are the police.
Several policemen including Deputy Yew and of course Sheriff
Fraser take their places on stage. Deputy Yew stands uniformly with the other
police, while the sheriff takes the stand.
“In all my time as sheriff this county has never seen much
crime,” he begins.
“The worst we've seen are a few cases of theft, and once,
and only once, a murder that was promptly solved. So it fills me with deep
regret to see that when tragedy strikes this county our police force seems to
have no leads,” he continues. He pauses before a brief moment, as if to collect
his thoughts on how he's going to continue.
“Recently we lost more than ten of our dear children in a
very tragic accident, and since then more of our children have disappeared,” he
says. There are no gasps of surprise from the audience. “We've been working on
finding the missing children with no luck. Seven children have been reported
missing since the accident. All of these children are affiliated with this
school. I'm going to go over the list and if you've seen any of these children
recently, please notify the police.”
He begins to recite his list of students. He starts with
Jason Larch and then moves onto the other students I haven't met.
“Shana Hawthorn...,” he says, forcing me to wince. “...and
most recently, Leanne Sourwood,” he finishes. My eyes widen. Leanne is the
other person I didn't see in class today. She must have gone missing over the
weekend like Shana did. That means three of the missing children I know
personally.
“Like I said we've narrowed the search down, and it seems
they are all students in this school district. So we-”
“Have you found any suspects?” asks a voice. Sheriff Fraser
looks around the audience to locate the voice, but I already know who it is
before she stands up, Rita Larch. “Who are your suspects?” she repeats loudly.
I use my hand- that's already working on stopping my nosebleed, to cover my
face as I look down.
“Here she
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