Free Period CHAPTER ONE AS THE BELL RANG, I GRABBED MY STUFF AND WENT TO MY LOCKER. TODAY HAD BEEN A GOOD DAY SO FAR AND I HAD FREE NEXT. I MET UP WITH TWO OF MY FRIENDS, SAMANTHA WALSH AND ALEXANDRA DAVIDSON, AND WE WALKED TO THE CAFE. AS WE GOT IN SOMEBODY BELLOWED " ALEX, YOU'RE DEAD!!". THAT WAS MATT HART. HE AND ALEX WERE ALWAYS FIGHTING ABOUT SOME CRAZY THING. SHE YELLED BACK "NO I'M NOT. YOU DON'T HAVE THE GUTS TO DO ANYTHING!!!" SAM AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER, ROLLED OUR EYES AND WALKED OVER TO OUR TABLE. WE SAID HI TO EVERYONE IN OUR 'GROUP'. THE GROUP CONSISTS OF SIX PEOPLE. ALL OF US ARE FRESHMEN. THERE ARE SAM ALEX, MATT, ME, EUGENE CARMICHAEL, AND WILLIAM PHILBEN. WE'RE NOT THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE FREE BUT EVERYONE ELSE IS OLDER OR WEIRD. (NOT THAT WE'RE REALLY NORMAL) WE ALL SAT DOWN AND WILLIAM ASKED, "WHAT DID I MISS IN ENGLISH? I WAS LATE." "UM... WE STARTED READING 'A LAND REMEMBERED'. WE'VE GOTTA READ THE FIRST FOUR CHAPTERS FOR MONDAY." "AW MAN! THERE GOES MY WEEKEND!" "QUIT WHINING WILL! IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD." EUGENE SAID. WE ALL GIGGLED AND THEN STARTED TO DO SOME WORK. A FEW MINUTES PASSED AND MATT STARTED ACTING LIKE A GOOF.(ACTING????) WE JUST LAUGHED AND ALEX SAID "YOU'RE DRUNK!" MATT COUNTERED "AND YOU'RE A DITZ BUT TOMORROW I'LL BE SOBER" (THEY ACTUALLY ARE GOOD FRIENDS BUT THEY'RE WEIRD LIKE THAT.) '' I THINK YOU BOTH ARE GAY AND TOMORROW YOU'LL STILL BE GAY!� SAM SAID " HEY EUGENE! I'LL PAY YOU FIVE DOLLARS TO DO MY Home Work." ''UMM... NOOOOOOOOO!" SAID EUGENE. "BUT I'LL HELP YOU WITH IT FOR FREE." "OK, I GUESS." SO HE HELPED HER WITH IT AND THEY WERE DONE IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. WE KEPT FOOLING AROUND AND THEN STARTED PLAYING 'WHAT-IF'. A COUPLE WERE 'WHAT IF WE WERE THE ONLY SURVIVORS OF A DISASTER?' AND 'WHAT IF WE WERE TRANSPORTED BACK IN TIME?'. WE PLAYED THIS A LOT. AS WE WERE PLAYING, WILLIAM SUGGESTED " 'WHAT IF WE WERE TAKEN HOSTAGE?' " WE ALL LAUGHED AND GAVE SILLY ANSWERS LIKE: MATT SAID,� I'D TRY TO RESIST THEM AND FIGHT FOR MY FREEDOM." ALEX LAUGHED AND EXCLAIMED " YEAH RIGHT! YOU WOULD WHIMPER LIKE A KICKED PUPPY AND BEG FOR MERCY." I SAID " WE DON'T KNOW HOW ANY OF US WOULD ACT. NONE OF US HAVE BEEN IN THAT SITUATION BEFORE." "YEAH." " SHE'S RIGHT.", SAID EUGENE AND SAM. WE ALL LAUGHED AND PLAYED A COUPLE MORE TIMES. SOON WE NOTICED THAT MANY PEOPLE WERE PASSING THROUGH THE CAFE. WE WONDERED WHAT WAS GOING ON SO WE ASKED AND WERE TOLD "ASSEMBLY. GO TO THE AUDITORIUM." WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND SAID "SCREW THIS. LET'S JUST HIDE BACKSTAGE." WE DID AND WATCHED TO SEE WHAT IT WAS ABOUT. THE PRINCIPAL, MR. MC INERNY, CAME UP ON STAGE, PULLED OUT A WHISTLE AND BLEW ON IT INSTANTLY, THERE WERE ARMED "SOLDIERS" AT THE DOORS AND EACH CORNER. WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND KNEW WE WERE THE SCHOOL'S ONLY HOPE. CHAPTER TWO WE SAT THERE LOOKING AT EACH OTHER AND THEN REALIZED WHERE WE WERE STANDING. I SAID, " LET'S GO INTO THE DRESSING ROOM. THEY'RE STILL OPEN FROM DRAMA LAST NIGHT." SAM SAID "ALRIGHT. C'MON." WHEN WE GOT IN THERE ALEX SAID � OH MY GOD! TONIGHT�S THE LOCK-IN. NO PARENTS ARE GOING TO BE COMING.� MATT SAID, " WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?" "WE'RE DOOMED!" SAID EUGENE WILLIAM WHISPERED" SHUT UP WILL YOU! WE CAN'T GET CAUGHT." WE SAT IN SILENCE FOR A WHILE AND THEN SAM SAID, " I NEED A SMOKE! I'M GOING OUTSIDE." I SAID " WAIT. WE BETTER GO IN PAIRS. MATT GO WITH HER. EUGENE AND ALEX BE PARTNERS AND WILLIAM & I WILL BE PARTNERS." ALEX SAID, " GO BUT BE QUICK ABOUT IT." SO SAM AND MATT WENT OUT AS STEALTHILY AS POSSIBLE AND THE REST OF US STARTED FORMULATING A PLAN TO SAVE THE SCHOOL. SUDDENLY EUGENE STARTED COUGHING LOUDLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY. ALEX WHISPERED " EUGENE, QUIET DOWN! THEY'RE GOING TO HEAR US!" SURE ENOUGH, WE SOON HEARD VOICES OUTSIDE, AND THE DOOR WAS BURST OPEN. SOME OF THE GUARDS FROM THE AUDITORIUM CAME IN AND GRABBED US. I ASKED � WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?� THE GUARD HOLDING ME CLAPPED HIS HAND OVER MY MOUTH AND SAID, " LET'S GO! THE BOSS IS WAITING." THEY DRAGGED US OUT OF THE ROOM AND INTO THE AUDITORIUM. THEY SHOVED US INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE STAGE IN FRONT OF EVERYONE. PRINCIPAL MC INERNY ASKED, " WHO ARE YOU?" ALEX AND WILLIAM WERE ASKING, "SHOULD WE TELL HIM?" I ANSWERED "YEAH WE CAN TELL HIM NAME, GRADE, AND ID NUMBER." THEN TO THE PRINCIPAL I SAID "MARIA SUAREZ, GRADE 9, ID# 130615." ALEX FOLLOWED SUIT" ALEXANDRA DAVIDSON, GRADE 9, ID# 132068" THEN EUGENE � EUGENE CARMICHAEL, GRADE 9, ID# 135403 WILLIAM WENT LAST" WILLIAM PHILBEN, GRADE 9, ID# 136581" "AH, SO A FEW FRESHMEN ARE THE LITTLE INSURGENTS. ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? HE ASKED "DON'T TELL HIM" I WHISPERED �WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE CODE. STAND ANY TORTURE YOU CAN AND DON�T GIVE ANY IMPORTANT INFORMATION IF POSSIBLE. OUR LIVES MIGHT DEPEND UPON IT.� WE GLARED AT HIM IN STONY SILENCE AND DIDN�T SAY A THING. THE PRINCIPAL�S FACE CONTORTED IN ANGER AND HE REACHED HIS HAND OUT AND SLAPPED ALEX. WE GLOWERED AT HIM BUT WERE STILL SILENT. I LOOKED AT ALEX AND A HANDPRINT HAD BEEN LEFT ON HER FACE, A LIVID RED MARK. PRINCIPAL MC INERNY HISSED � ONE LAST CHANCE! ARE THERE OTHERS, WHO ARE THEY, AND WHERE ARE THEY?� INSIDE ME WAS BATTLE BETWEEN RAGE AND APPREHENSION. THE RAGE HAD ME THINKING, �HOW DARE HE! PRINCIPAL MC INERNY HAS NO RIGHT TO DO THIS TO US!� BUT THE FEAR WAS EVOKING THOUGHTS LIKE �THIS IS HOPELESS. HE IS PROBABLY GOING TO KILL US.� IT DIDN�T TAKE LONG FOR THE ANGER TO WIN THAT FIGHT. I FLIPPED HIM OFF. PRINCIPAL MC INERNY PRACTICALLY SCREAMED � THRASH THESE INSOLENT, WILLFUL BRATS! MAYBE THEN THEY WILL BE READY TO TALK. THE GUARDS TOOK US BACKSTAGE AND BEAT US UP PRETTY BAD. AND AFTER TYING US UP, THEY LEFT US BACK THERE WITH A FEW GUARDS. ONE LOOKED AT US AND SAID � THEY�RE SO YOUNG. IT�S SAD.� ANOTHER SAID, �WE SHOULD HELP THEM.� �YEAH� THE LAST ONE AGREED �THE BOSS IS A TYRANNICAL JERK ANYWAY.� THESE GUARDS WERE YOUNGER THAN THE OTHERS, PROBABLY BARELY OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. THEY INTRODUCED THEMSELVES AS JUSTIN, ERIC, AND BLAKE. THEY WERE ALL 18 AND BEFORE TODAY THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE IN SOME LIBERATION CORP. THEY UNTIED US AND HELPED US SNEAK OUT OF THE BUILDING. WE REUNITED WITH MATT AND SAM WHO HAD BEEN SCARED OUT OF THEIR WITS WHEN THEY HAD COME BACK AND FOUND THE ROOM EMPTY. THEY HAD COME BACK OUTSIDE AND HAD BEEN HIDING IN THE WOODS EVER SINCE. WE INTRODUCED JUSTIN, ERIC, AND BLAKE AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO US. AFTER WE WERE DONE, SAM AND MATT WERE SHOCKED TO SAY THE LEAST. SAM SAID, � THAT�S AWFUL! I CAN�T BELIEVE THAT PRINCIPAL MC INERNEY IS SO EVIL!� �WE�VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING, ANYTHING! MAYBE CALL THE COPS OR SOMETHING.� I SAID �NO! HE�LL START KILLING PEOPLE IF HE HEARS SIRENS!� JUSTIN EXCLAIMED AFTER THAT REMARK THERE WAS SILENCE. WE REALIZED WE WERE ON OUR OWN FOR THIS. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, WILLIAM BROKE THE SILENCE. HE SAID, �WE NEED TO FORMULATE A PLAN. NOW.� SO WE MADE A PLAN IT TOOK US FOUR HOURS BUT THEN IT WAS DONE. WE WENT OUR SEPARATE WAYS TO OBTAIN THE SUPPLIES THAT WE�D NEED AND AGREED TO MEET BACK THERE IN TWO HOURS. PROJECT SCHOOL�S OUT WAS IN OPERATION. CHAPTER THREE "OK. WE NEED ROPE OR SOME TYPE OF LINE THAT CAN HOLD AT LEAST 200 LBS." JUSTIN SAID. WE WERE AT THE MALL GETTING THE SUPPLIES WE'D NEED FOR THIS. ALEX, EUGENE, AND BLAKE WERE GETTING CLOTHES AND SAM, WILLIAM, AND ERIC WERE ON MUNITIONS DETAIL. I WAS STUCK WITH JUSTIN AND MATT. THEY WERE EXACTLY ALIKE EXCEPT FOR THE AGE DIFFERENCE (STEREOTYPICAL BLOND BUT WELL-MEANING) MATT SAID, " LET'S GO TO HOME DEPOT. THEY'VE GOT ROPE THERE AND PULLEYS." "OR WE CAN JUST GO TO THE SPORTS STORE OVER THERE. IT'S GOT CLIMBING EQUIPMENT." I SAID WE WENT INTO THE SPORTS STORE AND BOUGHT RAPPELLING STUFF ALONG WITH ARCHERY EQUIPMENT (JUST INCASE). WE ALSO BOUGHT KNIVES, FACE FILTERS, AND OTHER STUFF LIKE THAT. THEN WE GOT SOMETHING TO EAT. JUSTIN LOOKED AT HIS WATCH AND SAID " SHIT! WE'VE GOTTA GET GOING OR WE'LL BE LATE FOR THE RENDEVOUZE." WE HURRIED OUT AND DROVE TO THE WOODS BY THE SCHOOL. WE RAN TO THE MEETING SPOT AND I SAID, "SORRY WE'RE L---" NOBODY ELSE WAS THERE YET. WE WAITED 15 MINS. AND SAM'S GROUP SHOWED UP. 10 MINS. LATER AND ALEX'S GROUP SHOWED UP. "CLOTHES ARE HARD TO SHOP FOR WITH THESE TWO!" ALEX QUIPPED. "OK, WELL LET'S SEE WHAT YOU GOT." ERIC SAID THEY PULLED OUT THE CLOTHES. FOR THE GIRLS THEY GOT BLACK FLARES AND TEES WITH BLACK SNEAKERS. FOR THE GUYS THEY GOT THE SAME EXCEPT FOR THE JEANS WERE BOOTCUT NOT FLARED. WE SEPARATED AND GOT CHANGED. AFTERWARDS THE EQUIPMENT WAS SPLIT UP AS WAS NECESSARY. THEN BLAKE SAID " WE SHOULD REVIEW THE PLAN JUST IN CASE." EUGENE AGREED "YEAH. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY." SO WE REVIEWED THE PLAN AND THEN WENT TO THE BACK OF THE BUILDING AND GOT BACK IN. AFTER WE GOT IN, WE GOT INTO START POSITIONS. ALEX, EUGENE, AND BLAKE (GROUP 3) WERE GOING TO GO IN THROUGH THE DOORS WHILE SAM, WILLIAM, AND ERIC (GROUP 6) WERE CLIMBING THROUGH THE VENTS TO THE PROP ATTIC. JUSTIN, MATT AND I (GROUP 9) WERE PULLING A MISSION IMPOSSIBLE/ TERMINATOR II 3-D (THAT'S AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ORLANDO) STUNT. WE WOULD CRAWL TO THE VENT OPENINGS AND COME DOWN FROM THE CEILING. WE TURNED ON OUR RADIOS AND THE FIRST THREE GOING THROUGH THE VENTS BOOSTED UP INTO THEM. ONCE THEY GOT INTO POSITION, WE CRAWLED THROUGH AND SET UP OUR EQUIPMENT. WE WERE READY SO GROUP THREE "CALLED THE FUZZ" AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. BLAKE LIED AND SAID" WE ARE PROFESSIONALS. SEND ASSISTANCE TO INCARCERATE THE CRIMINALS." WE COUNTED TO THREE AND THEN BURST INTO THE AUDITORIUM. WE CAUGHT THEM OFF GUARD, DISARMED, AND RESTRAINED EIGHT OF THE TEN GUARDS. THE OTHER TWO RUSHED ONSTAGE TO PROTECT PRINCIPAL MC INERNY. I WALKED UP ONSTAGE AND FACED HIM. " WHAT? HOW? " PRINCIPAL MCINERNY SPUTTERED FURIOUSLY" HOW'D YOU GET IN? YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE PASSWORD!" I REPLIED" _THIS_ IS MY PASSWORD- 'THE LIGHT IS DAWNING THE LIE IS BROKEN'" QUOTING FROM THE LAST BATTLE "NOW GUARD THEE MISCREANT, FOR I AM SERIOUSLY PISSED OFF!" I WALKED TOWARDS HIM BUT DIDN'T NOTICE ONE OF THE GUARDS RAISING A GUN AND POINTING IT AT ME. I HEARD SOMEONE (I THINK IT WAS EITHER SAM OR ALEX) SHOUT" MARIA! WATCH OUT!" I TURNED AROUND AND SOMETHING (I LATER FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS JUSTIN) SLAMMED INTO ME AS I HEARD A GUNSHOT RING OUT. I FELT A SHARP PAIN IN MY ARM AND I CRIED OUT. PEOPLE RUSHED UP ON STAGE AND GRABBED PRINCIPAL MC INERNY AND HIS TWO REMAINING GUARDS. I LOOKED AT MY ARM AND SAW THAT IT WAS TORN AND BLEEDING. I GUESS THAT WAS WHAT THE BULLET HAD HIT. A SECOND LATER, HANDS WERE GENTLY CLEANING AND BINDING THE WOUND. I LOOKED UP AND THERE WAS JUSTIN. I ASKED, " WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" JUSTIN SMILED AND SAID" YOU WERE SHOT SWEETHEART. NOW CALM DOWN SO YOU DON'T BLEED TO DEATH." SOON THE COPS SHOWED UP WITH AN AMBULANCE. THEY ARRESTED THE PRINCIPAL AND THE GUARDS AND TOOK STATEMENTS FROM MANY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. THEN THE PARAMEDICS CAME OVER TO US WITH A STRETCHER AND PUT ME ON IT. "CAN SOMEONE RIDE IN THE AMBULANCE WITH HER?" SAM ASKED. THE PARAMEDIC, JIM, SAID" YEAH. ONE PERSON." "MARIA, WHO DO YOU WANT TO GO WITH YOU IN THE AMBULANCE?" ALEX ASKED ME. I WAS LIGHT-HEADED AT THIS POINT SO I ASKED FOR THE ONLY PERSON I COULD REMEMBER AT THIS POINT " ANNIE, GET ANNIE!" ANNIE SCHNEIDER WAS MY BEST FRIEND. ONLY PROBLEM WAS THAT SHE LIVED IN SOUTH CAROLINA. " I'LL GO WITH HER" JUSTIN OFFERED SAM SAID" OK AND THE REST OF US WILL FOLLOW IN THE VAN." THEY PUT ME IN THE AMBULANCE AND DROVE ME TO THE HOSPITAL. ONCE THERE, THEY GOT THE BULLET OUT AND STOPPED THE BLEEDING. THE DOCTOR FIGURED THAT I'D LOST ABOUT TWO PINTS OF BLOOD, SO THEY GAVE ME A TRANSFUSION AND TOLD ME I HAD TO STAY IN THE HOSPITAL FOR A COUPLE DAYS FOR OBSERVATION. THEY CALLED MY PARENTS WHO WERE WORRIED SICK. I WAS PUT IN A ROOM AND MY FRIENDS WERE ALLOWED TO COME IN. A NEWS CREW ALSO WANTED TO COME IN BUT I SAID " NO! I DON'T WANT PUBLICITY. " THEY CAME IN ANYWAY. MY FRIENDS SURROUNDED ME. THE NEWS CREW ASKED US QUESTIONS LIKE WERE YOU SCARED WHEN YOU EXECUTED YOUR PLAN? AND HOW DID YOU ESCAPE THE AUDITORIUM?. THEY FINALLY LEFT AFTER AN HOUR. I SIGHED WITH RELIEF AND SAID" A COUPLE QUESTIONS? THAT TOOK FOREVER!" WE LAUGHED AND TALKED TILL VISITING HOURS WERE ALMOST OVER. EVERYONE SAID GOODBYE AND LEFT EXCEPT FOR JUSTIN. I SAID" I DIDN'T THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME YET. WELL, THANKS. IF YOU HADN'T, I'D BE DEAD RIGHT NOW." "WELL... I COULDN'T LET YOU DIE. YOU'RE TOO IMPORTANT TO ME NOW" HE RUSHED ON IN THIS VEIN AND THEN FINALLY CONCLUDED" I GUESS YOU CAN SAY I FELL FOR YOU. HARD." ALL I COULD SAY WAS " WOW. WELL I LIKE YOU A LOT BUT I�M NOT ABLE TO DATE YET. ESPECIALLY NOT SOMEONE WHO'S 18." JUSTIN SAID" WELL, THEN WE'LL MEET IN SECRET." I AGREED TO THAT. A COUPLE MINUTES LATER, A NURSE CAME IN AND SAID" VISITING HOURS ARE OVER. YOU NEED TO LEAVE." JUSTIN ROLLED HIS EYES AND SAID" ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT! I'M GOING. JUST GIVE ME A SECOND." HE KISSED ME AND WALKED OUT. I SIGHED AND FELL ASLEEP. THE DAY WAS FINALLY OVER. EPILOGUE TEN YEARS LATER JUSTIN AND I ARE STILL TOGETHER. WE ELOPED AFTER MY 18th BIRTHDAY. WE BOTH NOW WORK AS LAWYERS IN TAMPA ALEX AND BLAKE HAVE BEEN DATING ON AND OFF FOR A FEW YEARS. THEY LIVE IN BALTIMORE. SAM MARRIED HER LONGTIME BOYFRIEND JOSH LAST YEAR. HE IS ANOTHER OF THE HOSTAGE SITUATION PEOPLE. SHE WORKS ON BROADWAY. MATT MOVED TO CALIFORNIA AFTER JUNIOR YEAR. HE BECAME A WRITER AND WORKS ON SCREENPLAYS. EUGENE BECAME A BUSINESS TYCOON AND EVENTUALLY BOUGHT AOL. HE LIVES IN BOSTON. WILLIAM BECAME A CHESS MASTER AND WON THE WORLD TOURNAMENT. HE SETTLED IN VIRGINIA AND TEACHES AT A HIGH SCHOOL. ERIC JOINED THE FBI. HE LIVES IN WASHINGTON, D.C. PRINCIPAL MC INERNY WAS CONVICTED OF A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CRIMES. HE�S IN JAIL FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS. I DON�T KNOW WHAT PRISON HE�S AT. WE ALL HAVE REMAINED FRIENDS DESPITE THE YEARS AND THE MILES. THE END
Copyright © 2000 Kathleen Quigley |