Episode Five, I'm Still Waiting (On the world to change)

Here’s how my list of things to get to in the near future was looking at the time.

1) Set the specters free from our high school.
2) Hang out with friends.
3) Eat a balanced breakfast.

It’s relatively short compared to the list of things I needed to do or else die (figuratively, of course.) My life had gotten extremely busy in the past few weeks. It was as if all of my teachers had plotted my downfall and planned for their projects to be due on the same day. Do they want me to fail? Is it their goal to make me explode? Because I can say truthfully, my fuse was incredibly short, and any tiny spark may have had a disastrous effect.

So there I was, waiting for the plan to be set in motion. I was sitting in the top section of the cafeteria, contemplating ways to begin my essay that was due in a few days, as I did whenever I had time to let my mind wander. I was watching the entrance for Kitty. She should be making her appearance soon and once she did I would know she had been successful.

A few moments later she walked through the doorway and I smiled at her. She returned the gesture then continued by. She walked by Addy, who was seated in the second row, and Lucas, who was in the third. She found a seat at a table away from all of us. We had decided that if any one of us was caught, it would be better if we took the blame solely, so the others could continue what had been started.

I turned away from the door, and waited for the bell to ring. The loud ding resounded throughout the halls and lunch was over. Now it was only a matter of time until everyone realized what had been done.

I got up and slid discreetly into the crowd that was filing out of the cafeteria. In seconds, the entire crowd stopped I bumped into the person in front of me. I wasn’t expecting that…

Either way, it seemed as if everything was going according to plan. I could hear the gawking and gasping that was coming from the front of the throng of students. I couldn’t see what had caused this reaction, but I didn’t need to see it to know what it was. Kitty had taped large posters to all of the walls of the “cool” students caught in embarrassing situations. From the simple nose picking, to the more serious caught cheating with your friend’s girlfriend, we had made sure to cover all our bases. It had taken weeks of hard work and careful investigation, but we had caught all of them at least once.

It was surprisingly refreshing to realize that these people had their flaws just like everyone else. Forever they had exploited our weaknesses just as we were now, so I felt no guilt. Okay, so I have to admit I felt a diminutive amount of guilt, but nothing that would keep me from completing our task.

I pushed through to the edge of the hallway and let a mass of odorous freshman squeeze by. You could always count on the freshman for a delightful mouth vomit. Gross, yes, but why sugar coat reality?

I saw Addy approaching and as she caught up I fell in step beside her. “Where are they?” I asked quietly, always worried someone would find out.

“Coming,” Addy answered assuringly.

We pushed through the dense crowd that was gathering in front of the wall of infamy, as I so cleverly thought up in that second, and continued around the corner at the end of the hall. No one else was following; they were all too transfixed by the truth.

I leaned up against the wall and Addy did the same next to me. “A job well done,” I said through a smile.

Kitty rounded the corner and replied, “I wouldn’t celebrate just yet.”

Lucas followed and we all poked our heads around the corner just as a loud screech echoed throughout the hall. Kayla had spotted the picture of her boyfriend kissing her best friend, and now had a look on her face even a full grown grizzly bear would be afraid of. Her shrill voice then resonated throughout the halls. “I will find whoever did this and when I do, your life will end!”

I gulped and began walking quickly in the opposite direction; the sound of paper being ripped from the wall could be heard behind us. “That was great!” Kitty cheered.

“Are you serious?” I asked skeptically.

Lucas knodded in agreement and added, “What if she finds out it was us?”

“She’s not going to find out,” Kitty said, a little too sure of herself.

“But what if?” Lucas said slowly.

“What’s the worse she could do?” Addy asked, obviously on the same side as Kitty.

I couldn’t help but feel nervous. Then another thought occurred to me. “What about the specters? Do you think they’re gone?”

“Only one way to find out,” Kitty suggested.

“We are NOT coming anywhere near this school after dark,” Lucas half shouted.

“I agree,” I said. “Too risky.”

“Then what do you suggest we do?” Kitty questioned.

“The pirate queen will know what to do,” I pointed out. “She always does.”