A Poem By Walt Whitman

𝐶𝒉𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝘟𝘐𝘟: 𝛰 𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛! 𝛭𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛!

Meeks was walking with Nolan to his office, while the snow was still falling. Taylor watched them from her completely empty room. Taylor sighed as she looked at the empty space on Nicole's bed. The best memories of her were with her. There, Nicole told him for the first time that she was going to act. There, they wrote a fake letter to her father. There, they ran after Cameron with his chemistry book, enjoying his life.

When Taylor saw that Nicole's happiness was no more, she burst into tears, and she wished everything was the same as before.

Meeks was heading to his room, tears in his eyes, while Nolan called the next one, Kim Overstreet. She left her room, while she sighed, trying to hold back her tears. Taylor was leaning out the door, so no one would see her, but Kim saw her and smiled at her, giving her thumb to indicate that everything was fine. As Nolan left, Taylor leaned out and knocked on Meeks's door.

-Meeks. -She called.

-Go away. I have to study. -Meek's voice was much more hurt, higher. Meeks was crying, silent. Taylor licked her bottom lip and asked.

-What happened to Nuwanda?

-Expelled. -Taylor swallowed quickly.

-What'd you tell them?

-Nothing they didn't already know. -

Hager's voice was now calling out to the students, and Taylor's skin chilled when she heard Hager calling out to her. Taylor turned and led Hager upstairs to Nolan's office. Taylor was surprised when she saw her parents, waiting for her. In fact, they didn't seem concerned.

-Mom. -Taylor mouthed. Her skin chilled again as Nolan looked directly into her eyes.

-Have a seat, Mrs. Anderson. -Taylor complied and sat down next to her parents, waiting for Nolan to speak. -Mrs. Anderson, I think we've pretty well put together what's happened here. You do admit to being a part of this Dead Poets Society?

The girl swallowed, not knowing what to answer.

-Answer her, Taylor. -Her dad complained.

-Yes, sir. -Taylor's deep eyes glazed over. -

-I have here a detailed description of what occurred at your meetings. It describes how your teacher, Mrs. Keating encouraged you girls to organize this club and to use it as a source of inspiration for reckless and self-indulgent behavior. It describes how Mrs. Keating, both in and out of the classroom, encouraged Nicole Perry to follow her obsession with acting when she knew all along it was against the explicit orders of Nicole's parents. It was Mrs. Keating's blatant abuse of her position as teacher that led directly to Nicole Perry's death. -

Taylor was on the verge of crying, her parents were looking at her with inexpressible faces and she wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. Her blue eyes filled with sorrow and pain. Taylor's father handed him a piece of paper.

-Read that document carefully, Taylor. -Nolan added. -Very carefully.

Taylor looked at all the signatures that her companions had also been forced to put up. The signatures, all different, only led to one thing: a lie.

-If you've nothing to add or amend, sign it. -Nolan added again. He handed her a pen, while Taylor's face turned red with anger and grief.

-What's gonna happen to Mrs. Keating? -She asked, nearly without a voice.

-I've had enough. -Mrs. Anderson spoke. -Sign the paper, Taylor.

The little girls were reading their Latin book, with Mrs. McAllister behind, in the snow, wearing scarves. McAllister noticed a look on her neck and when she turned, she saw Keating, from her room, looking at her. They both said goodbye for the last time. Keating looked at all the boxes filled with his clothes, books, and memorabilia.