Fire and Ice

Chapter 25: The Leader of Training More Like The Leader of Hell

The class fell into a deep silence as we watch the substitute teacher that the school brought in pace back and forth with his arms tucked behind his back. He's an old man probably in his mid-sixties with a constant scowl settled on his round and pale face. His hard, grey eyes rake across the classroom like a predator trying to find its prey.

I lean my head to the side resting my cheek in my cold palm, my elbow digging into the hardwood of the desk. It's painful, but I don't care. My eyes feel heavy and my body is exhausted. I want to sleep but I need to concentrate. My fingers tap against my closed copy of Romeo and Juliet as I wait for this old man to say something... to say anything actually.

He stops pacing. "Can anyone tell me one of the main themes in Shakespeare's iconic play Romeo and Juliet?" he asks with a dreary voice that drags almost every word.

The class remains silent and for quite some time nobody raises their hand to answer the question. I know it's not because nobody knows the answer, after all, the theme for this play is incredibly obvious. The main reason nobody is even going to attempt to answer the question is because of how boring this teacher is making this lesson. From the second he walked into the class, everyone fell silent and looked like a bunch of zombies were plucked off the street and forced to sit in a classroom.

He sighs and shakes his head. "I'll ask again since it seems that nobody heard me the first time," he walks closer and closer until he's standing right up against Seth's desk in the front row, "What is one of the main themes of Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet?"

His eyes scan over every student's face until he eventually looks at me. The sheer intensity of his gaze causes me to let out a loud gulp and goosebumps start to form on my exposed arms. With his gaze now hyper-focused on me he moves away from Seth's desk and keeps walking until he is standing right in front of me. He leans down so that his face is scaringly close to mine, his hot breath flowing over my face.

"What is your name?" he asks.

"Vega Kate," I respond in a hushed tone.

He smirks. "Well then, Miss. Kate, what is the answer that I'm looking for?"

"Well... um..." My voice trails off while my brain goes through one of its blanks.

"I'm waiting," he snaps and starts to dramatically tap his foot against the floor.

Just as I'm about to try and speak again I see from the corner of my eye a hand go up and hear a collective gasp come from the rest of the students. I glance over at Seth next to me and my jaw drops open when I see that it is his hand that is raised. Ever since he was put in this class he has never tried to participate in any way, shape or form.

The teacher turns his glare away from me and shifts all his focus onto Seth who is staring him down with a hard glare of his own.

"Yes, you," the teacher says pointing his long and bony finger at Seth.

Seth shifts in his seat all while never breaking his staring contest with the teacher. "Love. The main theme of Romeo and Juliet is love."

For the first first since he got here, the teacher smiles exposing his fake teeth which make a clicking sound as he moves his mouth in a certain way. He moves away from my desk allowing me to breathe once again.

"That is correct. But you forgot one thing Mr..."

"King, sir. Seth King. And I'm curious to think what it is that I'm missing in my answer. This play is all about love is it not?"

The whole class turns to look at the teacher and anxiously waits for his response.

"Mr. King, while you are correct in saying that love is a theme of this play you could have gone further and said that there is a possibility that forbidden love is the actual theme."