That Year

That Year: part 4

16

I sit in a chair next to Steve lying on his hospital bed. Many fellow classmates were affected by the orange vapor they inhaled. Many of them are about die; others were able to pay a premium price for Fontane’s drugs to keep them alive longer. The drugs will keep them alive, but they never will be the same people they were. Steve decided he didn’t want to rely on Fontane’s drugs to keep him alive, so Steve lies in the hospital bed on Christmas Eve prepared for death’s arrival. His family enters the hospital room. I get up from my chair to apologize to them about the situation that confronts them. “I’m so sorry,” I say standing alongside Steve’s older brother. He just stares at his younger brother not taking his eyes off of him. “You didn’t do anything, just make sure Fontane pays for what he has done,” he finally says. “He won’t get away with it. I’ll make sure of it,” I say. He smiles. “Good.”

I’m seated on my living room couch near the Christmas tree. My dog lays his head on my lap as I pet him. My sister and I wait for my parents to come in from the kitchen. I remember when Christmas used to be a magical day. As I have gotten older though the day feels like any other day, and the happiness on Christmas doesn’t come as easy as it used to. Today especially I don’t feel like celebrating, not after everything that has been happening around me. People are dying or have already died, and I made a promise to Leo that I will continue what we started, but I struggle in how to go about that promise. My parents enter the living room in their pajamas with a cup of coffee in their hand.

My mom hands me a present from under the tree. She still writes from Santa on the presents.

Later, while my mom and dad are in the kitchen I go outside to walk my dog. My dog and I walk on the sidewalk that is barely covered with snow. With light flurries getting in my eyes I take out my phone to call Kayla to wish her a happy holiday.

Back from Holiday break with the New Year upon us, I sit in my first period class to start the new semester. My teacher turns on the television for the mourning announcements.      

“Good morning fellow students, I’m Brandon and to my right the beautiful Sage. A lot happened during our holiday break. First, our very own Principal Burns was arrested for stealing cell phones and reselling them on his own personal eBay account.” “Later today our new Student Body President will hold a press conference in the auditorium,” Sage says.

The television screen goes blank and cuts to Olivia, Nick, Collin, Charlie, and Jason. The members of the team sent on the mission to kill Fontane. They are tied with hands behind back to chairs with a manila rope. “Hello students.” It’s Joey Fontane. He wears messy, uncombed brown hair with a black undershirt. He tosses a combat knife between his hands. He goes behind Olivia’s chair. “You naïve, stupid people talk about how you could bring me down. I just can’t allow this type of behavior from you.” He slides the blade of his knife lightly across Olivia face. “If this continues, more of your fellow classmates will.” He sticks the blade of the knife into Olivia’s heart. Blood pours from her mouth. “Die,” he finishes. I look around at the students in the classroom as they look at the television in fear. “Your former President is dead. My fellow students it’s your duty to make sure you’re new one doesn’t continue to wage a war against me risking your own lives in the process.” I look at the television one last time and storm out of the classroom.

“Tough viewing,” says a man clutching a hand gun in his right hand in the abandoned classroom. “Relax I’m not here to kill you,” he says placing his gun on the desk in front of him. “You know I never been to this part of the school. I guess that’s what makes it such a good spot.” “It’s where the transfers and foreign students would stay, while Joey Fontane took away their most important right, education. No one stood up to the cruelty and the wrong that was going on because we were all scared and choose to ignore what was happening. We fooled ourselves into thinking that everything was fine, because we were safe, so transfer and foreign students seeing no other path ended up in Fontane’s system, supporting the very man who put them in that desperate position,” I say. The man interrupts me, “I don’t need any convincing against Fontane the guy is evil, and will do anything for control over this school.” “Why are you here,” I ask. “You’re going to need a little protection from other students who will be after you after today’s little threat or even from Fontane and his gang themselves. Either way you’re going to need protection,” he says. “What is your name?” “How rude of me, names Colt,” he extends his hand out.