YTZ#14:
The Fear Grips Again
My ongoing writings cited for future use as a graphic novel. Enjoy.
Start from the beginning.
What follows is a fictional account.
The Fear Grid, Part 3
“
“Whoa, psycho alert!” Grace yipped.
The memory of the bizarre scene of Bobby Finn hung heavy in the cafeteria air.
Other voices resonated the sentiment:
“What the hell was that all about?”
“Bobby Finn?”
“It’s because his mother’s like that, you know.”
Weird, Purity mused to herself. What was that about? And why did he stop and look at me?
Because he wanted to tell you something, she heard in return.
What? thought Purity. Was that me thinking? Ok, what was that?
Grace caught her arm, “You ok, Purity? Snap out of it. It was just Bobby Finn. He’s gone now.”
“Yea, uh, I know. I saw him. So weird, huh?” Purity tried to regain her composure.
“Yea, really weird. What was that he was saying? They’re coming? Who’s coming?”
“I don’t know, Grace,” Purity responded. “But to be honest I don’t like it.”
“Well you don’t have to lie about that one, it’s plain on your nose that you were freaked out. Scary shit, huh?” Grace shook her head.
“Yea, guess it was pretty freaky to see him like that. I’ll be ok,” Purity said.
“It’s ok, Pure, I’d be pretty freaked out if he had done that to me. I mean, he kind of practically did anyway, cuz I was like two feet away.”
Purity let out a mock laugh. “Haha, Gracie. That’s right, you were the victim just like me… Anyways, thanks.”
The girls paused to smile at each other, then awkwardly turned to look around the room.
“Anyways,” Purity started, “I got an idea. While you’re in such a good mood, you should use this awkward Infinity High moment to go ask out Leo.” She nodded across the cafeteria.
Grace turned beet red for a second, then said, “You know what, I am in a good mood right now. I can’t possibly look as ridiculous as Bobby Finn, even if I ask out Leo. I’m gonna do it.”
She got up to go, then stopped and turned back, “He won’t say no, will he?”
“Go, just go,” Purity urged.
Grace nodded her head confidently and marched right over to Leo, then marched right back about five seconds later.
“What happened?” Purity inquired nervously.
“He said yes,” Grace beamed.
“Yes?” Purity was puzzled. “It seemed he barely had time to say ‘Hi…’”
“Yea, it was pretty quick,” Grace chuckled.
“Well, what’d you say to him?”
“I said ‘You wanna go to the dance?’ He said ‘Ok.’”
“Too funny, Grace,” Purity giggled. “Who does that?”
“I do,” said Grace, pleased with herself. “I do. Haha.”
“Ok, well, we both got dates! That’s frickin awesome!” Purity high fived Grace and they both burst out laughing.
That’s when Principal Bartley, sometimes know as Principal Nightmare, exploded into the cafeteria. He didn’t say anything, but stopped abruptly and put his hands to his hips. His body language told the whole story as he stood there glaring down everyone in the room. He was so menacing that even the tough guys in school cowered away from him.
Then Bartley seemed to ask the lunch ladies what had happened. The principal gestured around expressively and glowered at any students who looked his way, including the girls.
“Man, what’s up his butt, anyway?” Grace asked.
“I don’t know,” Purity muttered. “Maybe he’s really sad.”
Grace looked at her friend like she’d lost her mind.
“What, I mean, you know…” Purity tried to recover.
“I didn’t know you cared how Principal Nightmare felt, is all…” Grace began.
“I don’t, I do,” Purity stammered. “Er, I really don’t… But you know me, Grace, I just want everyone to be happy.”
“Yea, but not everyone should be happy, if you ask me. Don’t you remember what he did to you. And to me?”
Purity stopped her, “Yes, I do remember. It was pretty much a nightmare.”
“Yea,” laughed Grace. “Tell me about it.”
“I won’t,” Purity ended the line of thought.
“Well, anyway, at least Nightmare is on the Bobby Finn case. I’m sure we all feel more comfortable knowing that,” Grace joked.
“Yea, well let’s get out of here anyway, Gracie. This room’s kind of feeling a little off right now,” Purity grabbed her back pack.
“I know what you mean,” Grace said, following her friend out.
The girls reconvened in the alcove just out the back of the school, down the hall from the cafeteria. They faced the playground, a sad testament to modern day high school kids. The small play set of stairs, monkey bars and slides looked fitting for middle schoolers at best. Still, Purity was always amazed to see her peers climbing and running on it. In adolescent kinds of games, anyways.
Most of the students at Infinity High would find themselves in this spot at one point or another most days, using the semi-outdoor space away from the halls inside to feel more free. Free from the teachers, free from rules, free from restrictive classrooms. It did always feel nice out there, wind in the face, the edge of the schoolyard in the distance and the roads venturing off in all directions away from Infinity. It sort of made Purity feel like maybe high school wasn’t forever, after all.
Until the moment was ruined by high school in her face again.
“What was with Bobby Finn?” heard Purity from some girl nearby.
“And what about Purity? She was, like, totally freaking out in history class this morning or something,” said another.
“Yea, maybe the two freaks should go out or something,” laughed a guy obnoxiously.
“Whatever,” muttered a girl back to him. The guy kept chuckling to himself and elbowed his friend next to him to try to get someone to join in with him. It didn’t work. The other guy just winced and rubbed his ribs.
“I know, Purity. Let’s go back inside,” Grace suggested.
The two girls turned to head back inside.
“Sometimes I just wish we could skip high school. Or at least the bad parts,” Purity pined.
“Hey Pure, if you skipped high school, you wouldn’t get to hang around me all the time,” Grace chimed.
Purity put on a wry smile, “Yea, like I said, skip the bad parts,” as the door closed behind her.
“Hey!” Grace complained, trying to catch up. “That’s not cool. What happened to besties for life?”
“Ok, Gracie, besties for high school life. Then our real lives can begin.”
“I don’t see it that way, Purity, come on. High school’s not that bad. We’re both going to a dance this weekend!”
Then the bell rang for next period, and all the kids filtered back inside the school.
“
Please comment and share.
Thanks for reading.
Blessings to you,
Matthew