A Life On The Edge

Childish

“I was talking to Mr. Clark that’s why I’m,”

“I know,” Mr. Harte said and opened the door wider for me. “Take a seat you haven’t missed anything.” I nodded and made my way to my comfy seat in the back of the room. My makeshift home. “Did everyone read chapters 2-3 of Another Day in Hell?” a majority of the class nodded. “Tell me what you guys picked up on. Someone give me a summary of what this book is about and don’t give me a bullshit answer. I want someone intelligent to tell me what the hell is going on in this book.” The blonde girl in the middle rose her hand. “If I hear you say the word like even once Jessica I’m bumping you down a letter grade.” She removed her hand and shook her head. “Anyone else?” he looked around the room. “Emma.” I could hear her squeak. “You tell me what this book is about.”

“Freya is a 17 year old girl left behind in Armageddon after the rapture.” I watched as Emma did that weird thing with her fingers again. “There are demons and angles roaming…wondering the earth at war with each other. They consume humans so every day is a fight…battle for survival. She has no family or friends and she meets a man named Daniel. She asks for his help to get to a…relatively safe place to live out the rest of Armageddon peace…in peace. But they have to…to get there a…safety.” I heard a few people in class snicker as she tumbled over her words and she tapped her fingers on the desk. I stared at her in pity, she had to know they were laughing at her.

“Fucking freak.” The blonde girl who raised her hand the first time mutter a little too loud.

“Back off,” Ryder said through his teeth as he glared at her. She rolled her eyes and smirked at him, I wanted to rip her extensions off. 

“Emma,” Mr. Harte’s voice tore through the room. “That was perfect, Jessica get out.” She looked up at him in shock.

“What? I didn’t do anything.”

“I’m not going to repeat myself Jessica.” He held her gaze. “I know you heard me.” She grumbled as she grabbed her bag and stomped off out of the room. Once the door was closed he turned to the board and continued his lesson. I could see Emma visibly relax as some of the pressure from the room was relieved from her shoulders.  

Poor girl

“Freya in this book is extremely different from the Freya we got to know in the final decision. Someone give me an example, just shout them out.”

“She’s fearless!”

“No family!”

“She’s gritty.”

“Gritty!” Mr. Harte smiled and pointed at the boy who said it. “That’s the word I was looking for. This Freya is raw! She’s is at her most desperate point, she’s just trying to survive. The Freya we got to know was nothing like that. She was a sweet light-hearted happy go lucky kid just trying to find her place in the world and answer a question. But they have one thing in common. Can anyone tell me what that is?”

“They’re the same person.” I mutter under my breath.

“Right.” I jumped surprised he heard me. “They’re the same person put in different situations. Different circumstance but the same principles, the same bases of Freya’s personality still apply. You will see that more and more as we read through these books this year. But there is one situation I want you to focus on for this assignment. When Freya is put in a life or death situation, a situation when you feel the rawest of your emotions, she is willing to do anything to save the ones she loves and survive. In the Final Decision, in chapter 30 Freya was locked in that basement and the only thing standing in her was of escape was the Cannibal, does anyone remember what she did.”