Middle School Horrors

A Rule-Breaking Rumor

"Hey guys!" Michael Jones called out, upon sighting his friends in the hallway. Marcus Freebody, Frederick Brown and Simon Smith seemed to be locked in conversation, and his sudden interruption made Simon yelp.

Mike furrowed his eyebrows, puzzled while Freddy burst into a fit of laughter.

"Jeez, Salmon! That's Mac 'n Cheese! Not a phantom! Chillax!"

Simon blushed, muttering an awkward apology to his friend. Mark tutted.

"All this 'ghost' talk has made you jumpy... yet you call me silly when I tell you not to watch horror movies..."

"Ghost talk? What ghost talk?" Mike asked, eyes darting between his three friends. Freddy sighed, smoothing back his light-brown hair.

"When will you ever catch up with the gossip, man?" he asked, tired disappointment hanging in his voice.

"Don't blame him. He's wise enough to stay away from stupid stuff like this," Mark said.

"What stupid stuff? I live for stupid stuff! Tell me!" Mike begged.

Simon's face darkened. Well, whatever little of his face you could see under his messy blonde hair.

"Are you really willing to tread into this realm of the unknown? From which you may never return?" he said, his usually cheery voice now deep and cold, bringing a mystifying atmosphere which nagged further at Mike's curiosity. Freddy and Mark both rolled their eyes, knowing how dramatic Simon liked to make things. He was the true definition of a "dedicated theater kid".

"Yeah yeah, whatever, just tell me!" Mike said, impatiently.

"Now listen closely, ignorant one... several years ago--"

"By that he means when our parents were kids," Freddy interrupted.

"Several years ago", Simon continued, ignoring Freddy. "A blissful girl named Shannon roamed the earth, happily and carefreely, unaware of the evils that lurked among the souls of humanity. She attended this very school-- Kingford's School for the Young and Talented-- and one day, she  stayed back after hours---"

"We don't know that," Mark butted in.

"She stayed back after hours," Simon stressed, glaring at Mark. He did not appreciate his story being interrupted. Michael tapped his foot impatiently.

"Because she needed to use the bathroom. Back then, the old school building-- you know, the abandoned one behind the one we're in now-- was still active, and that's where she was. The next day, her friends arrived at the building, and were surprised to see that Shannon was absent that day. Then, one of them went to the bathroom and... guess what she found?" Simon paused.

"Shannon was dead?" Mike said, in underwhelmed nonchalance.

"Ripped. To. Pieces." Simon finished.

"Okay, cool. So someone died. What next? Her unrested soul now haunts the building?"

"Um... yeah, pretty much. Though I think I could've explained it better, if you didn't interrupt me." Simon said, disappointedly, flicking his hair out of his gray eyes.

"It's okay Si. We all know you're an amazing story-teller. But, we just don't have enough time," Mark said, patting him on the back. Simon pursed his lips. "Besides, I don't think we wanna have nightmares tonight. Your details tend to get pretty graphic."

It was true. The last time Simon told the three of them a horror story, Freddy, who was usually the bravest of the group, was gripping Mike's arm for comfort, while Mike shuddered at every dramatic pause. Mark? Well, he'd stuffed his fingers into his ears, and was humming the "Elmo's World" theme song the entire time in an attempt to block out Simon's R-rated descriptions.