Deadly Class: Rats

Chapter Six

I sit on top of the highest wall in the graveyard, the place I usually stay in the morning before class starts. Billy likes to call it my 'perch' which I guess isn't incarnate. The other rats linger around, Petra and Billy are sitting on the graves, talking about music, and Lex is pissing on one of the tombs. I'm tempted to comment something stupid when Michel Hutchins is brought up by Petra, but before I get the chance, Marcus comes speeding into the area.

"Hey, uh, whatcha smoking?" He asks, cutting off their conversation. Petra rolls her eyes, holding up the cigarette between her fingers.
"Right, uh... Got any weed?" He asks.
"We all enjoy a bit of weed in the morning," Lex says, finally coming up to us.
"Marcus just likes drugs, Lex." Says Billy, zero emotion in his tone. "I like them too. Drugs are, very cool. No one ever tells you that." He adds as an afterthought.

"Well, what about the Hessians?" Marcus asks, fiddling with his backpack strap.
"Schools dry Desperate Dan," Petra says.
"And you looked like a boiled asshole," Billy says, commenting on Marcus's tired appearance.
"Yeah, I didn't sleep very well." He says in response. More like staying up thinking about your first kill. I think to myself as the bell rings. The first kill is always the hardest, I know that from experience.

"Oh, well you'll have to face the day dry, son," Lex says as we all get up and move. "Easy does it, let go and let God in one day at a time." He kisses Marcus on the lips before slapping him and turning to walk in my direction. He does the same thing to me but pats my head instead of slapping me. The three leave, and I start to before I realize Marcus is staring at something. Something I can't see.

"Marcus?" I say, but he doesn't answer me. I step closer to him, gently shaking his shoulder. "Marcus," I repeat a little louder. The boy turns to look at me, his face white as a ghost. "Come on, we're gonna be late," I say. Marcus nods, taking one last look at the spot he was staring at before following me out the door.

Poison Lab and Study hall go by fast. The best part is when Billy drew dicks all over a book and gave it to the librarian, claiming he "couldn't read the chapter". And as AP Black Arts approaches, I start panicking. I didn't do Lin's assignment. After everything that happened with Willie, Marcus, and the homeless guy, the assassination was the last thing on my mind.

Willie gets up in front of the class and tells some bullshit story about how he found the homeless guy. He sticks to the main stuff, obviously cutting me and Marcus out of the picture. From anybody else's perspective, the tale might sound believable, but I know Master Lin will see the same flaws I heard. One, how would Willie find the pipe as he was being threatened with a screwdriver? And two, how did he lift a grown man's dead body into a dumpster by himself?

I shake my head, fighting the urge to sigh. Then I catch a glimpse of Marcus. He's looking at the corner of the room, the same look on his face that was there this morning. However, he returns to normal as Willie walks past him, a pleased smirk on his lips.
"Cleo." Master Lin says, getting my attention. I gulp as I stand. I'm not one to not accomplish an assignment, the thought of failing heightens my nerves. And now as I stand in the front of the class, I'm fighting the urge to run.

I look at Master Lin before I start, I guess I'm going to improv this whole speech.
"You said to kill a worthy target." I begin. "Someone who deserves to die." Lin nods. "Well, I didn't find one. I didn't find a target that truly deserved to die, so why not spare a more innocent life?" I say, looking from my peers to Lin. "Soon, I'll find someone who truly deserves to die. Or not, considering I already killed the man who ruined my life." I smile, quickly returning to my seat.

As I sit, I can feel a few pairs of eyes on me, but the sensation stops as Master Lin starts speaking. He yells at us for being weak, because none of us did the assignment properly, well except Willie who essentially cheated. After He's done, he sends us on our way. As I leave, I hear Lin call out to Willie, asking him to stay. Just like I thought, Master Lin could see right through his lie.