The US table still existed with an impressive number. The Goths and other fringe groups had also grown considerably, including 20 to 25 people cluster around combined tables. The middle class also retained their average behavior, although some groups joined together to create larger organizations.
One group, however, was new to me. A table in the farthest corner of the room was surrounded by about twenty boys and girls. I would have waved them off as another middle-class posse, but they sat in Goth territory. They didn’t appear to be Goths. They appeared normal.
What caught my attention was their behavior. They seemed engaged in active discussion whereas other tables seemed content with mindless conversation. My current table, for instance, was often focused on slinging jokes at each other, but those kids seemed to have an ongoing dialogue. They looked less brain-dead. I didn’t really know how else to explain it.
“Hey,” I exclaimed to my table as I faced them. “Do any of you know those people over there?” I pointed over at the assembly in the corner of the cafeteria. Their heads followed and gazed at it with mild interest. I was met with a unanimous “no.” All returned to their idiotic conversations.
Ignorance would not bog my curiosity, so I muttered my farewells and left the table. Curiosity killed the cat and almost killed me, yet an urge compelled me towards the table in the corner of the cafeteria. I neither knew what to say when I approached them nor what my purpose was, but the little voice in the back of my skull told me to follow my gut instincts.
One boy noticed me as I neared the table. He shushed the rest of the people at the table and glared at the ones who still dared to speak. When I reached the group, unwelcoming faces met me with silence. I didn’t bother to exchange any type of greeting, so the silence and glaring continued.
“What the hell do you want?” asked a kid finally. His friends all turned toward him in anger.
“I just wanted to see what you guys were talking about,” I replied genially. “You all seemed to be having fun.”
“It’s easy to do when you actually have brains,” the kid snorted Again, the table showered him with more hateful gestures, but he didn’t seem to notice.
I hesitated, wondering if I had just ended up at the nerd table. “What do you mean by that?”
“You wouldn’t understand if I tried to explain it. It would sound crazy and stupid to an ignorant person.” The whole table groaned as he uttered the words, and one teenager finally had the guts to punch the kid in the arm.
“Dude, just leave our table alone,” another boy intervened. Now this guy looked like he had better social skills. “With all due respect, our business is our business and not yours.”
My suspicions seemed more believable by the second. They knew something that I “wouldn’t believe.” Maybe they didn’t know everything I had seen, but maybe they recognized that something was wrong with the student disappearances.
“May I ask you one question?” I inquired innocently as I looked at their food platters. Not a single one was empty.
“I rather you didn’t, but if it gets you out of our hair, go ahead.” The one boy glared at the others, seemingly to tell them to shut up.
“Are you worried about the student disappearances or the food?”
The boy looked at me, baffled. He then chuckled and shook his head. “Who referred you?” he questioned with a lighter tone.
“No one did. I just took a wild guess.”
“Then you guessed correctly. We are worried about what you mentioned, and we intend to figure out what’s going on.”
My spirits rose. I found the group I needed. I didn’t know what they knew, but they knew something at least.
“So, what is your name?” the boy asked.
“Warren.” I grabbed a seat from another table and sat across from the guy. The other begrudgingly made room
“Ah,” he murmured quietly. “Sorry, I’ve never heard of you, but no matter. I go by the name, ‘Mind.’” He peered into my eyes and grinned.
He seemed to carry himself like an adult, but the pimples and peach fuzz betrayed him. A few students around him watched him with adoring eyes as if he was some star. With an alias like “Mind,” he seemed like he would bring some theatrics to my current tragedy. I began questioning my decision again.
“I’m guessing you guys know about all the weird things happening around the school?” I inquired softly.
“Correct. We know about the tainted food, and we understand there is something more to the disappearances of the school’s students, although we don’t know what. We also realize all the teachers, staff, and some of the students wear sapphire necklaces. Most importantly, we all know we must not stay in this school much longer.”
My spirits fell again when I heard they didn’t know the exact form of the teachers, but they knew something, at least. “So what exactly are you guys? Are you some sort of investigation group or something?”
Mind glared at me as if he had been insulted. As I registered the glares of the others around me, I noticed I was spot-on with one of my previous assumptions. The whole table consisted mostly of individuals who seemed intellectual but social-awkward. I realized I had stumbled upon a group of sad-sack geeks.
“I don’t appreciate you making fun of this after I’ve let you join our conversation,” Mind scolded. “What I said may sound ridiculous, but you of all people—if I’m judging you correctly—should understand the importance of what we’re doing. We do not consider ourselves to be any type of secret organization. All we want is to survive this nightmare and make it out soon and safely.”
“Do you have a name?’” I asked sarcastically. These were not my people, and I was now questioning whether they would help.
Mind’s mood lightened. “We are ‘The Brain School Survivors’,” he announced happily. The rest of the troop nodded their heads in sync as if approving the label.
“The Brain School?” I inquired, nostalgia hitting me.
“It’s our nickname for the school,” explained Mind needlessly. “It sounds better than the School of Brains. Since our members are the only ones actually trying to get out of this Brain School, we’ll most likely be the only survivors. Combine all those key words and you get out name, ‘the Brain School Survivors’.” The Brain School Survivors exchanged arrogant smirks all around.
“Now to business, Warren.” Mind leaned his elbows onto the table and pushed his face nearer to me. “Our group decided that if anyone should perceive this school’s monstrosities, we’d let them join our group. Obviously, you’ve shown that you know something about the school and hold some brains unlike most kids. So, would you like to strengthen our search for answers, Warren? There is no initiation event or trial. If you choose to join, you’re automatically in. All we ask is your dedication to our causes. What do you say to that?”
“Err…I’ll think about it,” I muttered.
“Think about it?” Mind seemed annoyed, but he controlled himself as he continued, “Well, that’s good; think about it so you can fully determine if you’re ready for this. Our group will have a full-scale meeting tomorrow in the library at 6:00 pm. You can tell us your decision then. Until then, don’t tell anyone about our group no matter how close they are to you, and avoid talking to any teachers whatsoever. Something might slip if you’re not careful. I’d also get rid of any friends who wear sapphire necklaces. We believe these students are obviously in league with the teachers. Got all that?”
I nodded. “Splendid!” cried Mind. He stuck a hand in front of him, and I shook it by reflex. “It has been nice talking to you, Warren. I hope we can expect you on our team in the future. As for the rest of you, the meeting is adjourned. Have a good day and see you tomorrow. Remember, keep those grades down!”
I trudged away from the “Brain School table” somewhat dazed. The only hope the students of this school had was a band of geeks who thought too highly of themselves. If any of them ever faced one of the teachers in real form, they wouldn’t last a second without becoming another Sands twin, yet they were the school’s only hope. God help us.
* * * * * *
Gym and math were hell. Because both Mann and Deon were directly related to last night’s incidents, the memories came back full throttle. My mind may have been playing tricks on me, but both were acting strangely too. It seemed Mann was watching me throughout gym, and Deon was unnaturally happy. These facts only caused me to squirm more whenever each neared me. At several points in their classes, I yelled at myself to man up, but I could only hold my courage for a few minutes before either Mann or Deon shattered it again. I was left only to pray that time would go faster.
When time finally did pass, I fled to my dorm and collapsed on my bed. The effects of trauma had eroded my energy over the day, and my hungry stomach didn’t exactly help me regain my lost verve. With an exhausted mind, I could only generate pessimistic. My view of the present and future looked bleak. I didn’t even know what I wanted to do with the coming weeks. Keeping mediocre grades was the only action that stayed implanted in my mind.
The door to my dorm opened and shut. Footsteps softly clomped over to the bed across my own. The body fell upon the bed springs. I didn’t bother lifting the clenched fists that lay on my closed eyes. I knew it was only Tommy. My mood didn’t feel the need to get up and greet him.
“What is troubling you, Warren?” Tommy asked solemnly.
“I told you,” I answered ruefully, still not granting him the luxury of my gaze. “You’re too hotheaded to believe what I say. Why should I repeat myself?”
“I don’t want to fight anymore, Warren, I just want to help you.” The bedsprings groaned as Tommy shifted his weight.
“How can you do that?” I asked contemptuously.
“I don’t know,” muttered Tommy. “I know for sure I can’t believe in the teachers being monsters. Perhaps, you can tell me something more credible so I can work with something. Can you do that?”
I finally moved my hands off my eyes and turned to face Tommy. “Would it be easier to believe if I said the teachers were corrupted businesspeople using the smartest kids in the school to create nuclear missiles in a base far away from this school?”
“Sadly, I still would say you’re crazy.”
“Would you believe me if I said the teachers were part of a terrorist organization using us to find tips on how to bomb America?”
Tommy shook his head and laughed. “Why can’t you just admit the teachers are expelling kids for no apparent reason? It’s not that hard to say.”
I furrowed my brows into a glower. “Fine, Tommy, we’ll have it your way,” I sneered. “What the hell would you do to stop this notorious bunch of teachers who are expelling kids for fun?”
“Well, first I would want to see a firsthand account of someone being expelled,” Tommy explained seriously.
“Okay then, next time Ms. Risped calls someone to her office, why don’t you follow that person and watch what happens. Just watch how terrifying it is when they get out the expulsion forms and start signing them. They’ll give you nightmares for months; that’s how scary they are!”
“Shut it, Warren, and let me talk,” Tommy said calmly. “I understand whatever you witnessed scared you, but there are no such things as monsters. Cliché or not, I can’t help but believe what I say. The teachers may be holding something more secret than the expulsion of certain students, but your guesses are too stupid to be true. Just give up the monster thing, Warren. We can figure out what traumatized you so badly so you don’t have to go around telling lies.”
“Just stay out of this,” I snapped. “If you won’t believe me, that’s just fine. You can find out the truth yourself or become it; just leave me alone.”
“Can I at least ask one more question?”
“What is it?” I rolled over and planted my face into my pillow. “It’s not like I can stop you anyway.”
“What was that group you were talking to during lunch?”
I tossed over to face Tommy again. His eyes gleamed with suspicion. He wasn’t trying to help me; he was gathering information for himself. Why would he want information though? Why was he asking for details? How could he even remember what happened yesterday? Wait a second.
“When did you stop eating your meals?” I yelled as I jumped out of my bed.
“What? What does this have to do with my question?” Tommy stated defensively.
“It may not have anything to do with your question, but it has everything to do with everything else!” I bellowed him. “Answer my question!”
“I haven’t stopped eating my meals, Warren,” Tommy muttered.
“Bullshit! You’re thinking better than you were a week ago. Now answer me, when did you stop eating your meals?”
“Okay, fine, you’re right!” Tommy roared back at me. “I stopped eating most of my meal, so what? What’s the significance?”
“It proves you have believed me all this time!” I shouted. “You believed that the food was poisoned so you went off of the stuff. Nothing can erase that evidence! I bet you believe the experience I had last night, but you’re just too scared to admit it! Is that it?”
I received a hard punch to the gut. The force of the blow knocked me off my feet and sent me backwards. I fell to the floor, my back hitting against the bed frame. Pain radiated up my spine. Through bleary eyes, I looked up at Tommy.
“You know what, Warren?” he barked. “I do believe in your idiotic story a little bit, but if what you say is true, you are nowhere near suited for saving the school. You’ve looked skittish all day, and with your behavior, I bet the teachers are already on to you. If I were you, I’d shut up and stay away from the group you met today. Forget about the arguments we’ve had and act as if nothing happened. Leave this business to me. If I’m right, you exaggerated your story and the teachers will just be corrupt. I understand you’re trying to be helpful, but you’re not helping. Stay out of this.”
Tommy walked to the dorm’s exit. “I’m off to dinner, and let’s leave this all here. We’re just two normal students. Don’t bring anyone else into this.” He paused and let out a small chuckle. “I’m not evil or on the teacher’s side, Warren; remember that also. I’m just the only one who can think clearly in this school.”
He slammed the dorm behind him. I lay where he had left me, thinking about what he had said. How could he react to the situation so differently? Where did this arrogant side come from? Have the teachers caught on that I saw something?
I cursed as I slowly pulled myself up. The hunger pangs in my stomach had combined with the pain in my back, and I felt a headache coming on. I was done for the day.
I crashed onto my bed and stared at the bottom of the top bunk. My roommate didn’t believe me but did, kind of. I met a group that knew about something but had no idea what they were getting into. Then there was me, probably no better than any of them.
My head started to ache more. As I drifted off to sleep, I wished the brainwashing agents were a little stronger that night.
Chapter 6 – End