You are My Doom

Chapter 10: Eden

Chapter 10: Eden

I greet everyone in the office, same as I usually do on Fridays; with a box of donuts and smile. I'm still a little upset over yesterday's fiasco with Ryan Matthews, but I know there is really nothing else I can do. I filed a complaint with the school and explained the situation to Mr. Matthews.

After giving away all of my donuts, I toss the box in the large trash in the reception area and walk into my office. When I sit down at my desk, I notice a white business card propped in the middle of my keyboard. When I examine the card, there is only a simple sentence on it. In all too familiar calligraphy reads, "Your wish is my command. -TDH"

I call down to the security office and ask them to check who was the last person in my office was. Not surprisingly, the man calls me back in a few minutes and tells me no one has entered my office since I left last night.

I put the note in my purse with all of the others, and continue on with my day. When 4 pm rolls around, I know Ryan will be home. Trying not to over think my reasoning, I call up the Matthews' house phone.

"Hello?" I hear Sarah's shy voice crackle through the line.

"Hey honey, it's Mrs. Eden. Can I talk to Ryan?"

A few seconds later, Ryan's voice comes through. "Mrs. Eden?"

"Yeah, hi Ryan. I just wanted to check in and see how today went with Mr. Winters."

"Funny you should ask. He wasn't there today. We had a sub and all she said was he was out sick." Ryan sounds both confused and relieved by the turn of events.

"Sick? He seemed fine yesterday. Maybe he came down with a guilty conscious." I can hear the snark in my own voice.

"Yeah, Maybe." Ryan's laughing tone sets me at ease again.

"Well, I'll check in again on Monday, if that's alright with you." I know that he might not want a CPS worker calling him every day, but I genuinely want to make sure he is okay.

"No, I wouldn't mind at all. Thank you, Mrs. Eden. I'll talk to you then."

We say our goodbyes and hang up.

...

When Monday rolls around I am anxiously waiting for the clock to strike four. I don't know why, but I feel like something is wrong. My phone call with Ryan on Friday left me unnerved. Mr. Winters didn't seem ill at all. He, also, seemed to egger to ruin Ryan's life to miss the opportunity to make him miserable on Friday. It didn't sit right with me that he would let the situation cool down over a three-day weekend.

I was just about to leave for lunch, but my hunger evaporates in a second when I see Jackson Middle School light up my home screen. Fearing the worst, I slide my finger across my phone and press it to my ear.

"Hello?" I croak out

"Mrs. Eden? It's Ryan."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong with me, and that's the thing. It's Mr. Winters. He's well, he's not acting right."

"Ryan, you're confusing me. What's happening?"

"Well, do you remember me saying Mr. Winters was out sick on Friday? Turns out, he was in the hospital. He got jumped Thursday night."

"Oh my god. That's terrible. How bad was he hurt?"

"He has a few broken ribs and his face is pretty banged up. He also has a shiner to end all shiners, but that's not the weird part... He's being nice to me. He even apologized to me. I know I should just be thankful and move on, but I just don't understand his sudden change of heart."