Scott - School Days

-2-

"Come on, Scott. I really need your help this morning," Miss Margaret said.

She walked with purpose to the curtains covering the window and forcefully pulled them open.

"Rise and shine, hero," she said.

His eyes opened slowly and he did his best to shield them from the morning sun which was now overtaking the darkness he treasured so dearly when he slept. Even the slightest hint of light while he was asleep was enough to wreck the day before it even began.

"I'm up, Miss Margaret, I'm up," he replied.

"Oh, no you don't. Not today, young man. I've heard those words more times than you can fathom and today is not the day for hollow words like those. You have to wake up and help me get the other children moving."

Scott sighed a deep sigh, loud enough to warrant a glare from Miss Margaret that forced him out of bed and out to the hallway.

"Attention other children of this lovely establishment we call home!" he shouted. "It is now past the time in which you should have woken up, gotten dressed, and eaten breakfast...so, get your asses moving!"

"Young man!" Miss Margaret called out.

"Sorry, ma'am. Please get your asses moving," he said defiantly.

With little hesitation, a shoe was launched from his bedroom and smacked him the back of the head.

"Boy..." she growled.

Scott moved from door to door and dragged the others out of their rooms down to the dining room where Miss Margaret had lovingly arranged a table full of warm breakfast staples. A bountiful banquet of eggs, sausage, bacon, fruit, and hotcakes were spread out across the massive table.

Scott and the others hurried to get a prime seat, loaded their plates, and devoured the food before them in a superhuman feat fueled by teenaged hunger.

Once they finished their breakfast, each boy gathered their plates, silverware, and glasses and rinsed them off before putting them into the dishwasher. Miss Margaret ran a pretty tight ship... once everyone was awake, that is.

After they cleaned up, the kids lined up and walked to the hooks just before the front door to collect their backpacks. One by one, they exited the house and began their three-block walk to school. Everyone with the exception of Scott. He hadn't hung his backpack on the hook like he had done every day before this. He remembered he left it in his room because he was doing some late-night research.

In fear of falling too far behind, Scott pushed the front door closed, spun around, and ran up the stairs two at a time. He quickly reached the top of the staircase and was shocked to see Miss Margaret standing still at the end of the hallway.

"Ok..." he whispered.

He entered his room and approached his desk and just as he bent down to pick up his backpack from beneath the desk, his door slammed shut.

"Miss Margaret?"

Fear rushed over him as he left the backpack on the floor and ran toward the door. He tugged on the doorknob with as much strength as he could summon, but it wouldn't budge. He was unsure of what steps to take next, but he knew that staying in his room was not an option. He rushed to the desk again and this time, successfully picked up his backpack, slinging it over his shoulder and just as he did, the lights went out.

"Again?" Scott said aloud.

A strange sensation overtook him as he couldn't help but to notice that the darkness of the group home extended outside of the house. From where he stood, he could see there were no street lights on, there was no evidence of moonlight, no houses on the block had lights. There was nothing outside of his window. His eyes darted down to the floor where he saw the broken glass. The same broken glass that was in his dream. The same dream with the monster and Wingard.

He crept toward the window and felt someone behind him. Scott turned around and was witnessed a person lowering themselves from the ceiling. This person exhibited such immense control as their feet touched down and stood directly in front of Scott.

"BOO!" he shouted, holding a flashlight directly beneath his chin.

"Bro, you should have seen your face!" yelled the young man standing above him.

"Scott? Snap out of it, bro. Dude, it's your turn. Do you hear me, Scott? Yo, snap out of it!"