When The Dead Arise

Chapter 48

"Five minute water break!" The band dirrector hollered. You took that as your cue to finally stop filling cups with water.

"Finally!" Teresa gasped as she jogged to you from the saxophone section. Aaron was close behind her, his hood up in the 95° weather.

"How can you stand being in that hoodie?" You asked Aaron as the three of you walked you where you had put your water. Ever since you had become friends you had been working on sounding more carefree and casual. Normal. You would think back to your time on the streets, or your time in Japan. Both seemed far away now.

"Its cooler in here than out there." he responded, holding his sax with one hand.

"Hurry up and get in the shade before you all melt!" Lucy called to you all from her position under the giant step ladder used by the drum majors. She had taped thick paper to the edge to make it shadier.

"We won't melt!" Teresa exclaimed.

Lucy rolled her eyes and handed Aaron his water bottle, "Its just an expression." She tossed you your bottle. Even if you weren't marching, simply being outside can be tiring. You caught it with ease and  unscrewed the cap to drink some much needed water.

"How is the show going?" Lucy asked. You gasped once you finished drinking. You knew that this was not as hard as training with Snake, but it drained so much energy out of you.

"Pretty bad." Teresa responded. Aaron nodded in agreement.

Lucy shrugged, "At least you're doing something with your lives."

Teresa and Aaron broke into laughter, Teresa being the louder one. You smiled with them.
Lucy made a confused face, "What?"

You continued smiling.

"I'm serious!"

"A weird teacher?" Teresa thought over that

"Weird in what way?" Aaron questioned.

"Weird as in secretive?" You tried. How do you subtly ask your friends if any of their teachers are plotting with a deadly man to pollute the entire Earth's water supply? Without letting them know that that's what you were looking for?

Lucy thought for a moment, "I guess you could say the biology teachers."

"Which ones?" You pressed on.

"All," she answered, "Ever since the first day this school year they've all been different."

"Now that you mention it," Teresa spoke up, "Levi did mention that all the biology teachers have been being more secretive and quiet. And can't maintain eye contact."

Aaron was silent for a moment, "My biology teacher has not shown up to class for the last week." You thought over this. You had a lead ,even if it was a small one.

"How come?" Lucy asked you.

You shook your head, "Just wondering." you mumbled.

"Anyway," Teresa placed down her spoon, "if you really want to know just talk to Levi."

"Who's that?" You sipped on your carton of juice.

"Her boyfriend," Lucy responded as she blew eraser shavings off of her paper.

"You have a boyfriend?"

Teresa gave you a hurt look, "Wow," she flicked her pink pig tails, "That's just rude."