The Janitor

Chapter 5

"I'm sure you've heard of the students that have gone... uh... missing." he begins as soon as we enter his office. 

He shuts the door and invites me to sit.  I plop down in a hard, uncomfortable seat.  The principal walks around his desk and also sits down, in a large, comfy chair.  I roll my eyes.  His papers were all in perfect order.  Nothing was out of place.

I stare at him across his desk.  I must be sweating.

"Um, yes, so... uh... terrible," I add, not knowing what I'm supposed to say.

"Yes, well, a lovely little birdie told me that he saw Jamie with you last night... after school..."

"Jamie?" I ask.

Suddenly the warm look across the principal's face vanishes and is replaced with an eerie, cold expression that almost seems to penetrate right through me.  His eyes are black.

"Yes, the boy was reported missing early this morning when he wasn't found in bed by his parents.  He was sighted with you, according to a student -" he pauses for a moment, probably noticing the look of anger in my face, "- who will remain anonymous, for privacy reasons, obviously," he continues, giving me a sideways glance, "Is this correct?" The principal's eyes narrow into a crevice of darkness.

"Snitch, stupid kids," I mutter angrily under my hot breath.  I felt like I was spinning.  The office was no longer a small room, but a revolving galaxy.   It was like I was headed towards a menacing black hole.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing, I was just saying that I have no idea what you are talking about.  I went straight home after work yesterday." I lie smoothly.  The words glide effortlessly off my tongue. I am an excellent liar.

"Hmm, well, that's all then.  I'm sure the student was just messing with me. You seem like a very nice man and I'm positive you'd never partake in... such an activity..." he trails off. 

I blink.  I was back in the principal's tiny office, no longer in outer space.  I breathe a sigh of relief.

"I'm so very sorry for accusing of you such a dark matter, but as you know, I must take every bit of information I come across very seriously.  Especially, when we are dealing with this frightening crisis on our hands."

"Okay, of course.  I hope Jamie is okay and everything, and that whoever is responsible is caught." I add dearly. 

"Oh I hope so," the principal replies. "It's just we haven't any leads... I just don't want anymore kids... disappearing."

"Ha, I know that won't be happening however." I think to myself.  There will be plenty more kids to come.  "Me either, sir, me either," I say out loud though.

The principal nods his head.  "Again, I am very sorry for the accusation. Whoever is responsible for this is a very cruel, demented person who seems to be very good at their job," he cringes and then adds, "But don't you worry, we will catch them."

I smile on the inside at his unaware compliment to the real me.  I almost want to say thank you, but I stop myself, knowing better than to make a stupid slip up like that.

"I don't know why a kid would come to me with such information regarding you as a suspect..."  the principal continues.

I clench my teeth.  He doesn't know anything of what I'm capable of.  But I guess that's a good thing.  I sigh.

"I will be talking to them, since this is no thing to be making funny business with, just so you know." he explains apologetically.

"No worries, I take no offense," I say, closer to the truth than I had meant. 

The principal gives me a funny look, but maybe I just imagined it.

"I must be leaving then. I've got plenty of things to be... you know... cleaning." I say finally, wanting to get the heck out that small principal's office. 

I look at the principal one last time.  A smile has returned to his face.  His eyes a bright blue.  My heart stops. 

Bright blue.

The image flashes through my mind, the moment before I swung my ax. The innocent look in the boy's face. "Who's laughing now?"  I quickly shake my head.  No.  No remorse.  The memory fades and so does my pity.

"Oh yes, I'm very sorry for wasting your time, sir." the principal says, breaking me from my thoughts.

...

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