The Days After

Something's Up

Lucas was deep into a daydream when the bell rang. He only wondered about Grace's office visit for a minute or two, before his train of thought drifted into his favorite bowl of cereal, which was the first thing he planned to eat when he got home. He couldn't wait.

When the dismissal bell rang, his teacher watched him almost float the classroom door.

"Mr. Gordon" she said.
"That's me!" said Lucas turning around.
She winked. "Keep that attitude with you. It's going to serve you well"
"This is who I am, so there's no way I'll leave me behind"
"Right you are, Mr. Gordon"

Lucas smiled and waved and disappeared into the chaos of the hallway and the teacher shook her head and pinched her forehead.

"He doesn't even have a clue."

That was only partially true because not only did Lucas not have a clue, he wouldn't take the time to care. He believed in moment to moment living, and he didn't ever spend time on what if scenarios. He just wasn't wired that way.

In the hallway, Lucas ducked, dodged, and shimmied through the on-coming traffic of countless middle-school bodies. He found a thrill in this, like a game where if he touched another body, you lose points. In his head sometimes, he was like a star pilot, navigating through an asteroid field. In his mind he was Luke Skywalker piloting Red Five. He was also pretty sure that's where his name came from because his dad was a huge Star Wars fan. Lucas always liked Han Solo's name better though.

"Lucas!"

Lucas jumped out of his daydream and snapped back to reality. For a moment he forgot where he was, and looked around to make sure.

"Yep, still at High Sierra" he thought.

"Lucas!"
Lucas turned towards the voice. "Yo, Robin what's up? Daryl?"

Daryl threw up a very leisurely peace sign, but Robin had a strange look on her face.

"Did you hear them call Grace down to the office?" asked Robin.
Lucas shook his head yes. "Yea, I did, probably to give her another reward"
"On the first day?"
"What's wrong with that? Could be for something she did last year." he shrugged.
"Come on Lucas! Something has been weird all day"
"Daryl, what do you think?" asked Lucas.

Daryl furrowed his brow and put his free hand on his chin. He spent a moment staring off into the distance, and then returned his gaze back to Robin and Lucas.

"Very...odd"

Robin turned he head back towards Lucas. "See!"
"Hmm, well Daryl does have a nose for this kinda stuff"
"So what do you think it is Lucas?"
"Well i'm certain it wasn't some sinister thing. We're in a middle school in the middle of a small town, where nothing ever happens. Grace is fine. I bet she'll be smiling in the bus lot."
"Yea, maybe you're right, but the teachers were being strange too."

Lucas remembered the last thing his teacher said

  "Keep that attitude with you. It's going to serve you well"

Then he thought that could have meant anything, and decided not to mention it. There was no need to fuel Robin's fire.

...

Danielle rolled her eyes when the bell rang.

"Finally!"she said under her breath.

The teacher glared at her and she walked briskly to the classroom door. Danielle was almost out the door when she heard her name being called.

"Ms. Lara, Come here  please."

Danielle stopped, took a deep sigh, and turned toward her teacher with a forced smile. She walked back towards the teacher's desk without a word.

"Is this going to continue all year?"
"God I hope not, one problem should be finished in no time"

The teacher's face went flat. She was not amused by Danielle's sarcasm.

The teacher sighed. "Well, I hope not either, for the limited time we have together"
"Limited time? We have the whole school year."
"Yes, but that time cold end before we know it, Ms. Lara"
Danielle frowned. "I mean, I know everyone dies, but I'm 11"
"You absolutely are... Now don't miss your bus on the first day"

Daniell did a sarcastic curtsy, using her left hand to slightly her tan uniform skirt. Then she whirled around and quickened her pace toward the classroom door. Danielle was down the hall in front of her locker before the door closed.

The teacher watched the door slowly shut out all the commotion and chaos thundering into her class from the hallway. Her eyes were beginning to glaze over as if she were in some kind of transe, but the loud thud of door closing refocused her gaze. She looked at the clutter that had accumulated on her desk, and instantly decided she'd handle it before she left for the day. She leaned back into her chair and kicked her legs out, crossing them at the ankles. She scanned her classroom looking at all the empty desks with a strange mixture of contentment and distress on her face.

She breathed in and out deeply. "I wonder how it'll be before it starts. I don't want to be here much longer"

She sank deeper in her chair and stared out the window over her right shoulder.

"How long..."