Try To Change Me

Chapter 7

Mr Irving frowned. Behind him, with wide eyes that kept glancing at her watch, Salena let out a sob.

Pressing his lips together, Mr Irving said, "That is what I call a mess."

The back-up generator was cold, a hunk of metal sitting to the side. The power box, usually a chaotic mess of wires, was covered in white foam, with cut wires sticking through like daisies.

With a sharp glare at the discarded fire extinguisher, Salena sighed, "Sir, a pig would think this is a mess."

Mr Irving cast her a glance, "Not enjoying this, are you Salena?"

In response, the teen sighed.

"Ok then," Mr Irving closed the lid gently, "Well, I don't know about you, but..."

He paused, squinting over Salena's shoulder. They'd found the generator in a cupboard just off of the main corridor and from where he stood, Mr Irving could just make out the front door; at least, he could see it clearly enough to catch a flicker of black as it flashed passed the window. He blinked quickly. Hesitantly, Salena glanced over her shoulder.

"Did you just have a..."Salena frowned, taking a step back, "mental breakdown of some sort?"

Mr Irving shook himself, "No, no, I just thought I saw something." He sent the power box a considerate look, "who do you think did that?"

Shaking her head, Salena adjusted her bag, "I have no idea. Can we possibly go, sir? I have to be home by 4."

Mr Irving glanced at his watch, "It's 4 o'clock already, Salena."

The girl paled and Mr Irving's gaze narrowed, "Are you ok?"

"Fine. Please can we go?"

Mr Irving, with one last glare at the power-box, nodded, "I don't see what good we can do here."

He gestured down the corridor and followed Salena as she strode off. Another flash of black fared in Mr Irving's peripheral vision and her turned, marching toward the door. Cupping his hands around his eyes and leaning against the glass panels in the door, Mr Irving squinted into the afternoon. A man was standing perhaps a metre away, one hand at his ear and the other hanging by his waist. Mr Irving poised his hand to knock, but paused as the man brought his hand to his waist, flicking his coat and resting his fist on his hip. The man turned, scowling a he saw Mr Irving standing there.

Mr Irving shouted, turning and running down the hall. Startled, Salena turned, "What happened, sir?"

"Run!" He grabbed her shoulder as he ran past. Reluctantly he ran along with him, her bag bouncing against her thigh with every step.

"Sir, what's the matter?" Salena glanced over her shoulder, still scrambling along after her teacher. A man in a suit was standing on the other side of the door, his jacket flapping open. Salena gasped as Mr Irving guided turned down a corner.

"Was that what I think it was?"

Mr Irving glanced back around the corner, "If you thought it was a gun, then yeah."

Salena whimpered, "Damn."

"I just don't get it!" Austin scowled at Ebony.

"Austin," she cried, "would you drop it already!"

"It just doesn't make sense! How can you not like soccer!"

Ebony appealed to Phitz, "How can you stand this guy?"

The three of them were walking down a hallway, Phitz in front, followed by Ebony with Austin trailing behind. The walls had posters tacked to them, some advertising the upcoming dance.

"I don't know," Phitz shrugged, "he's not normally such a prick."

"I don't believe you."

Austin's scowl deepened, "I am here. You know that, right?"

Ebony smiled sweetly, "oh, I know it."

Phitz stopped suddenly, his head cocked to the side, "Can you hear that?"

"I hear your friend breathing like a steam train. If that's not qhat you're talking about then you're going to have to be more specific."

Austin cast Ebony a concerned glare, one eyebrow raised, but she was studiously ignoring him.

"I don't know," Phitz started walking again, his brow furrowed, "Must have imagined it. This is what i get for being at school still."

Austin overtook Ebony, edging around her warily, to sling his arm around his friend's shoulders, "We're nearly there, Phitz, then we can get out of this hell-hole."

At that moment, there came a thump behind them. Austin and Phitz swung quickly, locking eyes with an equally stunned Salena. Her glasses were askew, wisps of her hair billowing about her. A groan came from the floor, and Ebony rolled away from Mr Irving. Their teacher sat up groggily, his eyes swimming in his head. He noticed Ebony and  scrambled to her feet, helping her up.

Austin folded his arms across his chest, "You do end up on the floor a lot, Ebbie."

Ebony gestured to Phitz, "would you mind?"

The flat of Phitz's hand slapped across the back of Austin's hand before he could comment and he yelped.

"whose side are you on, man?"