Silence.
The sullenness of the classroom is almost overbearing. Malcolm sits at the back of the classroom, beside the large window overlooking the football field. The empty football field.
The class is dismissed, but there is no bell ringing, or teacher letting them go. Everyone walks in silence, only the sound of footsteps is heard, and the occasional murmur of confusion and shock as they make their way to the gym. Every classroom they walk by, students are walking out, many looking down, most scanning the crowd for answers. Malcolm does not want an answer, he wants to leave more than anything else.
All the teachers' faces express solemnness – maybe even regret.
Teenagers enter the gymnasium and scurry to find their friends to sit next to. Malcolm does not care.
All the grief in the world could haunt him and still he would not care.
Malcolm sits in silence, his features expressionless, his heart a void.
The principal enter the gym slowly, his head down and hands in his pockets. He stands in front of the whole student body, in the middle of the spacious hall.
Click. The sound of a remote, turning on a projector behind the principal.
A photo. A woman. Smiling.
Malcolm recognizes her – her coal eyes, her round nose, her plump lips, her black hair.
"Yesterday the world lost yet another angel," he starts, his voice a little shaky.
Malcolm notices.
"Today we mourn the death of our beloved teacher,"
There are whispers in the crowd.
"colleague,"
Now the teachers sitting at the front row, emptiness in their eyes.
"friend,"
Some teachers stay silent in their seats.
"wife,"
A tall white man sitting next to a small girl looks down.
"and mother."
The girl looks up to the man.
"Today we mourn the death of Mrs Nam,"
Shaky, Malcolm thinks.
"and to share our condolences to those close to her."
His voice, his hand, in a fist.
"May she rest in peace."
Mrs Nam – age twenty-five, married with one child, English teacher at Sunset Valley High. Also, dead.
Malcolm almost laughs at the word: dead. It is everywhere on the news and internet: English Teacher Raped and Tortured to Death. Malcolm laughs this time. If anyone is witnessing his reaction they would think he is insane.
But no matter how much he tries to push it aside, he knows deep down inside he is not sane.
He is anything but.
***
Author's Note:
This chapter may be a little weird hihiihih. I think I finally know where I want the story to go but I'm not sure. I hope y'all still reading hehe
See you next chapter!
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Deconstruction of Privilege
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