||Hello Neighbour: A Better Timeline||

||Chapter 82: Thoughts Creep In||

Mr Murtaugh sat up in bed, soon he'd be released.
. . .
"So, if I may pry."
Camila closed her book,"Wilson mentioned you were talking in your sleep, in the ambulance ride; How you wouldn't fail again, may I ask?", the hospital room was silent for a moment.
. . .
Mr Murtaugh sighed,"As you know, I've been teaching for years at the school. . . And I've seen a lot. . . You see Camila, years ago I had a wonderful bright student, who was about to graduate and, one day. . . Around Halloween, I overheard a group of kids talking about a 'prank', I let go in one ear and out the other, that student and his brother. . . We're found beaten to near death, and he. . . Passed away, his brother lived but I, could never forgive myself for it. . . If only I had listened, maybe I could have stepped in and stopped it. . . And as years went on, kids going missing. . . I failed as a teacher, those Cultists. . . I swore to do everything I could to protect the kids. . .", Camila nods, now she understood why Mr Murtaugh always eardrops, why he stalks around classrooms and why he was looking through children's bags, there was a time kids would carry dangerous things and he's probably seen a handful of it.
"Mr Murtaugh; It's not your fault. . . And you're doing what you can to protect those kids, makes sense now your hate for Valeria."
Mr Murtaugh chuckled,"If only you knew. . .", Camila held up her hand,"We'll stop those Cultists.", Mr Murtaugh smiled, shaking his hand,"We will.", they were a team.

"Oh and the kids wanted you to have these."
They were hand-made cards, from Ivan and Nicky.
Mr Murtaugh smiled, it meant so much for him and this all reminded him why he was a teacher.

=

Mr Murtaugh took a deep breath.
"You don't want to get new glasses, you can't see anything in one eye?"
Mr Murtaugh nods,"Yeah, but I like my glasses and it may be more trouble get another prescription.", so Camila and Mr Murtaugh entered the school,"Back on the job.", "Mhm.", it was good to be back.

~

Mr Murtaugh entered The Inventor Club, peaking in to see the children drawing up new ideas.
Mr Murtaugh stepped in, smiling.
"What a nice invention."
The kids all spun around, shock, happy and relief.
Mr Murtaugh stood before them, he smiled and had some new scars.
"You kids never fail to impress me."
"MR MURTAUGH!!!"
Ivan ran to him, hugging him and Mr Murtaugh hugged back,"It's wonderful that you're okay Ivan, I'm sorry I scared you and put you through a very scary situation.", Ivan looked up, tears in his eyes and was smiling,"I'm just glad you're okay! You saved me!", Mr Murtaugh nods, looking at the others,"And the rest of you; All good.", Delory shrugged,"Fell down a waterfall with mom after being chased by a cultist. . . Mom's not too happy with dad, so I'm avoiding the house.", Maritza shrugged,"Me and Enzo got chased through a construction site by a Cultist, though a bunch of stuff fell on them. . . So they may be laying somewhere in pain.", Mr Murtaugh nods, approving,"Not like they didn't deserve it.", Mr Murtaugh turned to the kids,"And I'll be taking it easy, but I'll be sure to continue teaching and protecting you kids.", the kids were so happy he was okay.
"Where's Trinity?"
"Grounded. . . But also at a session today."
"Ah."

"Nicky and Ivan?"
They paused, Mr Murtaugh knelt down and patted them on the shoulder,"I loved the cards.", they smiled, hugging their science teacher.

=

Molly stopped by Otto's place, making sure he was okay.
"Yeah, Cultist overpowered me to get the gun out of my hand, I told your son to run but didn't expect all that to happen ma'am, sorry miss about that."
Molly shook her head,"Not at all, thank you for protecting my son from the cultist and I wanted to stop by and thank you, I have some food here and money as a thank you gift; There's nothing more important than my child.", Otto, usually not one for money, accepted the gift with no compliment as it would be rude not too and he was just glad the kid was okay.

=

Nicky stood at the bus stop, had a pretty good day with Mr Murtaugh back in school.
"Child! One in the goggles and blue shirt!"
Nicky jumped, an elderly man was holding his book?
"It fell out of your bag."
"Oh, uh thank you."
Nicky took it back, putting it back in his bag.
"No worries Child, I'll be Oh. . . Before I leave."
The man crouched down, Nicky a little uncomfortable but found himself unable to move.
. . .
"The birds. . . Wish To give you a message."
Nicky frowned.
"The crows or. . . Ravens?"
He nods,"They say. . .", he looked around, worried someone would hear him.
"Do Not Go To The Weather Station."
Nicky frowned,"Do you know such a thing?", Nicky frowned still,"You. . . You're talking about building with the gaint eyeball? But. . . Aaron's said it's all, locked up.", the man shrugged, stood up and walked away with a limp.
"So sorry, the birds. . . They tend to mix things up."
. . .
Nicky turned around, he could see the building from the bus stop and it was creepy, and had this odd. . . Aura around it.
Nicky shook his head, no it was just someone trying to scare him.
Right. . . Some people do that, like she- No, he's moved on.
But. . . Hm.

=

"I managed to put it back, Norman doesn't need to know but; I'm glad Trinity is safe."
Jay noticed Nicky walking up to him, looking sad,"Nicky? Why are you looking down, isn't Mr Murtaugh back?", Nicky nods,"He is. . . It's just, after school something happened. . . I was at the bus stop, an elderly man found a book I dropped, he gave it back but told the 'birds have a message', told me not to go to The Weather Station.", Mr Peterson went from confusion to concern really quickly.
"The Weather Station? That's the building with the eyeball?"
"Yeah. . . I don't know about the eyeball, it was my parents work place and I inherited it and the land, though don't know what I'll do with it. . . But that place is dangerous; It's falling apart, not to mention dangerous old equipment.", Mr Peterson knelt down to Nicky's level, taking his shoulders,"Thanks for telling me, you did the right thing; Just to remind you, it's a dangerous old building and it's locked up for a reason. And I'll check it to make sure it's secure.", Jay nods,"And if you see this man again, either ignore him or run and tell someone, even of it was just to scare a child; It wasn't nice.", Nicky nods, his mood brightening up a little.
"Thanks."
"Now you go play with Mya and Aaron."

=

Trinity watched from the window, closing her curtains as she's been stuck with her own thoughts.
How could those Cultists have known?
A scary thought hit her.
No. . . Could someone have told them. . . But, who would- No, no one would do that. . .
. . .
But now her mind was between that and The Weather Station.