The Only Thing We Have To Fear

Emphatically Titled Part 29

Mr. Fish traipsed back to the administration building as Roman picked up a broken lacrosse stick and swung it like a bat. 

"Do we have a winner?" Pierce asked, observing.

"I think so," he answered, spinning it around his hand a few times.

One of the many skills Pierce possessed was the ability to pick locks. It wasn't for a noble reason like being able to let himself in the house when he locks himself out or getting the mail while the keys are lost, but rather, he enjoyed the thrill of being able to get in and out of anywhere using nothing but two little aul-shaped tools that fit into a tweezer case he could carry in his pocket. He picked the lock to the storage room that contained all the equipment for the gym.

Tristan held a bat over his shoulder with his batting arm and said, "Is that it? You guys aren't picking out weapons?"

Pepper just shook her head. She wanted to run, hide, do anything but fight, and the plan was to run while Roman wasn't looking.

"Nah, I'll serve as a distraction," Pierce declared.

Tristan raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going to pull the fire alarm, and I'm still armed with two jars of slime," he explained.

The boys nodded, then exchanged nods, and decided they were ready to go: now was the time to face god, death, destruction, or whatever it could possibly be called. They were armed to avenge their school, to survive, and ultimately, to win against an army of spider-people.

Roman limped down the hall into the main hallway. The other three fell in line behind him.

At the other end of the hall, the cafeteria stood with all the carnage seen today.

There, in the middle of it all, stood a monster, Mr. Fish, in his human form, holding two figures just out of sight. His stance threatened death if they made one wrong move.

Roman swallowed, letting adrenaline fill him up, and took the first step forward.