What Are The Odds?

Just A Simple Volunteering

When I ask someone something, it's rare that they'd refuse because I never ask unless I'm unsure they'd fully accept the terms and conditions. Do you know why? It's due to the fact that;

I am an ambitious man. Though I'm not raised to be like this, I, myself, still am confused about where these ambitions come from. To be honest, in my early youth, though I'm still on the youth spectrum, I never wanted to be the top-ranked nor do I want to win that gold medal, I have a different method to measure my success and how it affects my seemingly-impossible decisions. 

I measure my success depending on how much I change the lives of other people using sheer will and confidence alone. Back when I was in the fifth grade, I used to escape from my school building during lunch to go to the following building, the special education institution to lead a strike with visually-impaired children of my age. You see, that specific school had a messy way of handling their funds which deprived my blind friends of proper facilities, so I helped them organize a revolutionary impact. They formed a human barrier in front of the principal's office, not letting the principal get out, and the more the principal resists the students, going out, the barrier would only get tighter as they hold their elbows harder. The catch was to answer their requests for financial transparency which later on, the admins found out that there really were misused funds that should really be going to the institution. The teachers didn't really stop the strike, they kind of supported it by just letting the students do it. Soon, that specific principal was dismissed from his position due to underlying corruption issues and the special education institution now enjoys properly-spent funds. I take pride in what I did as I just watched the situation unfold from my building window during math class.

After recalling that story in my mind, I looked back at the students sitting in front of me at the long table. I sighed and untightened myself by unbuttoning one button of my uniform. "Leave me with them, miss vice president.", said I, the SCA president as I took an a4 bond paper from our office's cabinet and a pen from my own loose polo pocket.

"Yes, upperclassman Zed." replied the vice president as they dismissed themselves from the room. 

The time was reaching seven, everyone was in their home clothes, meanwhile, I was still in my uniform. I decided to just do overtime as I excused the students from their dormitories for a couple of minutes. Besides, I'm an extern- which means I'll go back home somewhere out-of-campus which is just a minute's walk. Recollecting the odd cases, I waited for them to settle in their positions in the SCA seats. 

It was a long table enough for all the SCA board and representatives, yet the only personas sitting on every chair are the students who has witnessed the sudden appearance of the red door and their friend's disappearance. The energy was tense around them. Ezekiel, Viktoria, and Davila sat with haze around their minds. In fact, they couldn't comprehend why they suddenly got called after only telling their trusted friends about what happened.

After I asked them honestly about the entire situation, Ezekiel broke the silence and shared the whole story starting when they started speed-climbing the stairs to reach the utility room. It was quite an odd tale to be shared. I would only believe these kinds of things happen if it was just some Dungeons and Dragons plot. 

Personally, I really hadn't experienced any supernatural events in this school. Probably because I was too busy organizing an "Academic Break Movement" on Twitter, which also made the school announce a system-wide week off for all the students. Speaking of that event, I was kind of barraged with a strange mirage Twitter account that spoke in cryptics when they retweeted my advocacies. I never really thought of that as something supernatural- thought it was just another weird student from another campus.

"President, do you have any idea about what happened?" Ezekiel, the one who broke the heavy silence, asked with pure tension in his stance.

I sighed and played with my pen on the table. "Honestly speaking, I do not." Really, I do not have any clue aside from the folders on the parcel, and nothing there is even much clear.

"We swear!" added Davila. "We weren't hallucinating."

"And I didn't assume you all were." I crossed my hands. "Based on your records, you all are remarkable students: high grades, participative, and all. You even get to sign up for a... how'd you call this- Supernatural Club?" I cleared my throat.  

The three looked at each other. "Yeah, about that..." Viktoria scratched the back of her head. "We actually hadn't passed the forms to integrate that yet, and today was actually the deadline."

While writing the minutes of our interaction, I wrote a side note depicting the willingness of helping them establish their club. "I'll help you with the formalities of your student club."

"Really?" the three of them moved to the edges of their seats, dripping in giddiness and anticipation, but the sudden crack in their voice depicts the downcast emotion in their hearts remembering their lost friend. 

"Though there's a catch." I leaned forward my body, seeing them all in their eyes. "Help me in this case." I chuckled, "After all, your club nevertheless tackles the supernatural, doesn't this incident count as one."

Davila and Viktoria looked at Ezekiel with confused eyes, they both wanted the decision to be left off by Ezekiel's mouth. "You're the soon-to-be club president, you should decide for us..." said Davila to which Viktoria responded with a gentle nod.

Ezekiel's and my eyes focused on each other. I was waiting for his reply regarding this matter. "Of course, every single case you shall handle would circulate around confidentiality and secrecy. If you can do that, you will be given access to all supernatural happenings in this school."

The tension rose like oil in water. They were all dripping in sweat. A single answer could define the future of their club.

"We agree to your proposal.", Ezekiel replied with resolve in his eyes. 

I know he would agree. Why wouldn't he? You see, Ezekiel, in his records, was a son of a Balyan- or a Subanen high priest, their community was displaced due to the previous governor's projects. Instead of living near the rivers, the dam the governor built needed their relocation, thus, their tribe moved into the city in poverty. Though... the dam was never finished as another governor was elected in the succeeding election, and just completely halted the project, but the relocation already happened.

Relying on their spiritual traditions, Ezekiel could only live on their culture through ancient supernatural means, thus, this club's integration means much to him. 

In fact, the other members also had heavy backgrounds that wanted them to push this club so badly. Viktoria's terminal illness, which could not be treated by science, was treated by a witch doctor. Though, she still wants to pursue medicine, incorporating science into supernatural and alternative methods of healing. Davila, on the other hand, is a weak child. She's allergic to chicken, dairy, chocolates, and even onions. That also made her vulnerable to possessions back in her early youth. Believe it or not, she was already possessed thrice by the moment she reached high school. Uh- It's still odd how there's not one time she was possessed in her 5-year stay in this school. This situation really calls on everything odd, huh?

"Well then!" I smiled. "That's settled!"

Should I really let them in this conspiracy? To answer me, yes.

These three are one of the highest in their batch, and they're all supernaturally inclined. And we all know, the supernatural is quite proportional to being odd. To be honest, I'm in desperate need of manpower right now because one, I really have no idea what the hell is happening, and two, I want to solve this case. We can't have all of them just being cases right?

"What should we do now?", Ezekiel asked me while they were all nervous.

"You all just need to do some simple volunteering" I stood up and walked behind me, looking for the safe I placed the folder-filled parcel in. 

"What kind?" added Viktoria.

I looked back at them and smiled, "Just a simple volunteering."