by Bryan Cohen
Ted pointed at Jason's chest. He thought of the sixth grade fight and the years of insults, as he lifted Jason into the air with ease.
The Torello twin squealed with glee. "I'm flying, everybody! I'm flying."
That's when Ted started to spin him. Jason started spinning faster and faster, and the squeals turned into pleas for help.
"Hey! Hey! Stop! I've had enough!"
Ted hadn't. He wanted to see how fast the twin could spin as the crowd egged him on.
"I know it was a good phone, Torello." Ted clenched his jaw. "Wanna make sure you get your money’s worth."
Jason’s face reddened. "Help! Phil!"
Phil Torello approached Ted. He had always been the grungier of the two – the one who was more willing to do the dirty work.
"Enough, Finley."
Ted smirked. "You want your turn, too?"
With nothing but a thought, he lifted Phil up into the air as well and started spinning him as the same speed as his brother.
Jason began to cry. "Stop! I'm sorry! I'm going to puke!"
Ted hadn’t had control for most of his life, especially when it came to bullies. He couldn’t control the spread of viral videos with his powers or the fight with Natalie. But with his former tormenters spinning in mid-air, he had control. He kind of liked it.
Behind him, Ted noticed the crowd parting. It was Principal Stoll. He gave Ted a death stare. "Put them down, Mr. Finley."
Ted stretched his fingers and the spinning stopped. He considered dropping the twins 10 feet to the ground, instead he lightly lowering them to their feet.
The Torellos tried to find their balance. They bumped into each other and tumbled to the ground. The crowd laughed.
"Mr. Finley, in my office. The rest of you, I believe I heard the homeroom bell ring."
They dispersed without another word. Ted followed the principal down the hall to the office in silence. As he passed through the doorway, his rule-breaking buzz turned into fear. Principal Stoll motioned for Ted to sit down before shutting the door.
"When I dealt with the paintball shenanigans earlier this month, it was the most challenging thing I'd ever handled as an educator. But it doesn't compare to this."
Ted had been in study hall when a dozen kids began opening fire on each other with paintball guns in the main lobby by the auditorium. He heard it was quite the show.
Ted kept his eyes low. "Yes, sir."
"I didn't know who you were before all this superhero nonsense happened. I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. I assumed you'd keep your head down like you always had. Do you know why I kept the media out from day one, Ted?"
Ted raised an eyebrow. "To protect the students?"
"Close. To protect you, Ted. I want to protect you from this circus. But if you aren't interested in doing me the same courtesy, I could take down the security guard and the gate in a hurry."
The remorse came in a wave as he bit his bottom lip. "No, it really is better this way. I’m sorry."
Stoll cleared his throat. "I don’t know what it’s like to be hounded for an autograph, Finley. But you don’t have to answer all their questions or entertain them at the expense of others. Heroes have more important considerations." He looked Ted straight in the eye. "Do you understand?"
Ted tried to let his anxiety relax. "I do."
"No powers. No circus. Got it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Now get to class."
Ted had only missed a minute or two of math when he sat down at his desk. Word of his visit to the principal must have spread, because the massive flow of attention slowed to a trickle the rest of the day. He was surprised that neither Erica nor Natalie were among the many students who crossed his path that morning. He brought up the point to Dhiraj during fourth period.
"Unlike you, they're laying low. Do you know there's already a story out online about your human juggling act? One news network spent an hour debating whether or not you should go to rehab."
Ted shook his head. "I guess I should’ve picked a livelier news week to get superpowers."
He looked to Dhiraj and his nerves kicked right back up. His friend wore the exact same outfit he had in Ted’s dream.
"What is it? You look like you’ve seen a ridiculously wealthy ghost."
Ted shook it off. "It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it."
He tried to breathe it out.
When it opens, everything will be lost.
Ted’s pulse raced.
"It doesn’t look like nothing." Dhiraj examined him. "Do you need a cucumber water or something?"
He shook his head. "Really, it’s nothing. Just a coincide-"
The lights went out in an instant. It was silent for a moment. The students in the class looked at each other and then at the teacher before the emergency breakers kicked in.
The teacher spoke up. "It's OK, class, probably just a power glitch. Let's give it a second for it to work itself out."
As the emergency lights shut off, several students whimpered. The majority turned to Ted as the buzz of the loudspeaker hummed throughout the room.
"Everybody please stay where you are." The voice’s British accent was unmistakable. "Your designated murderer will be around shortly to attend to you."
Ted stood up, his chair screeching behind him. "Everybody get out of the school. Get as far away from here as possible."
The other students didn't have to hear it twice. Most of them didn’t even gather their things. It was less than a minute before everybody was gone except for Ted and Dhiraj.
"Is that your British friend?"
"It is."
Dhiraj looked more panicked than Ted expected. "What are we going to do?"
Ted thought of the nightmare with the torch, the sword, and the screams of his closest friends. "We’re going to stop this on our turf." He looked at Dhiraj. "We’re going to win."
25
Sandra stood on stage in the auditorium when the lights went out. She’d asked her old drama teacher Mr. Faraday if she could guest teach that day, and he’d jumped at the opportunity. He hadn’t realized that one of his best former students no longer existed. As Faraday stood and directed the students to evacuate, one of her "special helpers" prepared to lock them all inside.
The previous night, Nigel had presented her with a list of names. She recognized several of them as patrons or younger siblings of former classmates.
"What do you need me to do?"
Nigel smiled. "Pick two. Prep them. Bring them over to our side."
Her finger went down the list. She stopped at Jennifer Norris. "The sheriff’s daughter. Wouldn’t that be rich?" As she continued looking, she saw none other than her two least favorite customers. "When? Right now?"
"Yes, we'll need them for tomorrow."
She looked back down at her finger, which had settled on the twins: Jason and Phil Torello. Like everyone else, she got the two of them confused, so it was impossible to know which one of them grabbed her behind at Page's last year or which one left her board game money as a tip a few months ago. Either way, she knew this one would be enjoyable.
It wasn't hard to find the Torello residence, and it was even easier to figure out the room that Jason and Phil shared. From the lawn, she could see their faces illuminated with the multi-colored hues of their Xbox. Sandra had changed from her normal bedtime attire to something a bit more alluring. If one of them had wanted a piece of her in her waitress outfit, imagine what he would think of her with actual skin showing. Sandra took a pebble from the Torello's backyard path and nailed the center of the twins' window with ease. Both Jason and Phil poked their heads outside.
"Who are you?"
Sandra tried out her best girly laugh. "Just someone looking for a good time."
She watched the two of them confer. When they both smiled at the same time, Sandra knew she had them.
"We'll be right down."
Before long, Sandra had driven the two of them to West Park.
There was only one other car in the parking lot, but it appeared to be abandoned. When she stopped the car and turned off the lights, she looked over at her prey. Despite the late hour, the Torellos were as bright and awake as could be.
The grungier one leaned in. "So, since I'm in front, do I get to go first?"
"Before we start," she said, removing the incantation from her pocket, "I need to say a few words."
Sandra began to chant, placing her arm on one twin’s shoulder. It didn't take long for her to finish, placing the symbol of the dark souls on his upper arm.
The win gawked at his new tattoo. "How'd you do that? What... what is it?"
"Ancient virility symbol." She touched his chest. "It allows for increased pleasure."
The other twin presented his arm right away. "You're gonna let us both get it, right?"
Within two minutes, the twins were both prepped and in the back seat.
"Are you ready?"
Both of the twins nodded hungrily. They reminded her of poor, defenseless puppies. Sandra flipped the headlight switch on and off.
She leaned toward them. "I'm sorry."
Two car doors opened before Yarrick and Carter threw the twins to the ground. Sandra stared straight ahead as she heard her human compatriots sap the life from the Torello twins. The two of them uttered similar high-pitch squeals before their first lives ended.
In the moment before the newly-upgraded Jason Torello locked the door, he let Yarrick inside.
Mr. Faraday called out to them in the dim work lights that remained on. "Jason. Please unlock those doors and go back to your seat. And sir, you aren't authorized to be here."
"I'm here to see show." Yarrick sat in the back and put his feet up on the row in front of him. "I'm sure it's no Chekhov, but it will do."
The Torellos stood like statues in the middle of the aisle, as if they were guarding the doors.
"Fine." Mr. Faraday humphed. "I'll unlock the doors myself."
Sandra watched as Mr. Faraday left his front row vantage point and walked toward the back of the auditorium. When he reached the Torellos, Jason grabbed Faraday by the shirt.
"Just what do you think you're doing, Mr. Torello?"
"In this scene, I'm gonna be a superhero."
Jason lifted Faraday high above his head, making it look easy. Faraday shrieked. The entire class stood up to get a better view.
Jennifer Norris stepped in front of her classmates. "Hey! Put him down."
Jason chuckled. "Sure thing."
With a grunt, the bully tossed the drama teacher high into the air. The instructor landed with a satisfying crunch and a whimper. The students’ eyes grew wide as Sandra took center stage.
"Looks like we’re going to need some subs, kids." Her eyebrows danced. "We’re in charge now."
Any residual sleepiness Jennifer felt from her early morning had just been thoroughly extinguished. She watched as Mr. Faraday writhed in agony on the ground. Jennifer’s pulse raced as she locked eyes with the guest instructor.
"Sandra, they just assaulted Mr. Faraday. We need to call the office!"
When Jennifer attempted to walk to the intercom button, Sandra took an incredible running leap and landed ahead of her.
"I'm afraid there's no chance any of you are getting out of here. In fact–"
Sandra grabbed Jennifer by the hair. It was too swift for Jennifer to avoid and any effort to pull away resulted in sharp pain on her scalp.
"Let go of me!"
"I will, if Mr. Faraday comes up here and lets me do a little bit of artwork."
"Hold on a minute, Sandra." Faraday struggled as he got up off the ground. "Don't do anything rash."
Faraday tried his best to calm the students, who were now all sitting in their original seats, minus the Torellos, who were blocking the aisles like bouncers. When Faraday reached the stage, Sandra tossed Jennifer to the side with ease. Jennifer’s ankle throbbed in response.
"What's gotten into you, Sandra?" Faraday’s eyes pleaded with his former student. "Is this about the diner?"
Sandra laughed.
"Mr. Faraday, you always were kind of slow. Sandra's dead. Long live Sandra."
"Sandra, this isn't funny."
"Oh, Mr. Faraday, comedy always suited you better than drama, so let's play a little game. You roll up your sleeve and let me paint a little picture, or me and my friends here will kill one of your students for each minute you resist me."
Jennifer looked her teacher in the eyes. Faraday didn't hesitate. He revealed his upper arm and walked over to his former student.
"You're insane."
Sandra cackled. "I'd say it was my public high school education that made me that way. But no, that just made me unemployable."
She took Faraday's arm and said an incantation in a language Jennifer didn't recognize. An image appeared where there was none before. The Russian man from the back started walking to the stage.
Jennifer felt the panic sinking in. "Mr. Faraday, I don't think this is a good idea."
"It's going to be fine, Jennifer. We'll let Sandra have her fun for now, and we'll all get out of here safe and sound."
Sandra laughed. "Just keep telling yourself that." She finished up the chant over Faraday's arm. It glowed with a blue light.
He shook his head. "Are we done?"
"He's all yours." Sandra gestured to the Russian.
He pulled himself up onto the stage. Jennifer could barely believe her eyes as he grabbed the drama teacher by the head.
"Wait!" Faraday struggled in the Russian’s grasp. "What are you- "
Yarrick twisted Faraday's head before he could finish his thought. Faraday dropped to the ground motionless. The students screamed and scattered while Jennifer dove to the ground beside her instructor.
"Why?! Why would you do this- "
A blast of blue light struck Faraday’s body, causing Jennifer to yelp and fall to her back. As she got up onto all fours, she saw her dead teacher’s eyes open.
Confusion reigned supreme in Jennifer’s mind. "Mr. Faraday?"
Sandra offered her former teacher a hand, which he took. As he stood up, she put her arm around him.
"Welcome home."
Jason Torello coughed. "Who's next?"
That's when Jennifer felt herself attempt to run. One of the backstage doors had a glass window on the top. She knew that if she could break it and open the backdoor through the window, there might be enough time to get out and warn somebody. Anybody. She was a few feet away when Faraday leapt and landed between her and the door.
"Way too slow. And you call yourself a student athlete."
Faraday grabbed Jennifer in a headlock. His arm was so tight around her neck, she thought it might burst from the pressure.
"Stop!" Jennifer’s head pounded. Please!"
He didn't listen, dragging her back to the front of the stage.
"Mr. Faraday, you don't have to do this. Whatever they did to you, it's not you."
"You're right." His eyes were no longer his own. "I can do whatever I want."
Faraday released the headlock and proceeded to rip Jennifer's shoulder out of its socket. She screamed as the sharp sensation took over. Everything was pain. Faraday let her go, and she crumpled to the ground.
"Why?" Her agony was immense. "Why'd you–"
"Don’t worry, honey." Sandra’s voice was laced with poison. "The pain will all be over when you cross over like me."
Jennifer could feel herself starting to tear up. She knew she was about to die and there was nothing she could do about it.
26
Winny had been blabbering to Erica about some online video when the power went out. Unlike the rest of her class, Erica didn't move when Nigel came on the loudspeaker. She was actually pretty prepared for it.
"What are you doing?" Winny’s mouth moved to the side, as if she expected a brilliant, subversive scheme.
Erica returned a similar look. "I like his voice. I want to see what happens."
If she were telling the truth, Erica would have said she was figuring out which was the closest weapon she'd stored. She'd gotten to school a few minutes early to leave herself a few treats if anything interesting occurred during class. She would’ve rather carried a crossbow all day long, but she figured it would probably raise more than a few suspicions.
"Want me to be your wing-woman? His voice is pretty cute."
The previous Erica knew how easy it was to convince Winny and Beth to do whatever she said. She'd gotten both of them to break into their parents' liquor cabinets on multiple occasions. It was a power she’d abused on multiple occasions. The new Erica wasn't quite used to her own pull.
She rolled her eyes. "You are so gullible, Win. Get the hell outta here. I'll meet you by your car."
"Duh, I knew you were joking." Winny tossed her hair. "Don’t get killed or anything."
The scantily clad Winny joined the others scurrying into the hallway.
Erica waited until the class was empty before tossing her backpack to the side. She headed straight for the nearest janitor’s closet. Her footsteps were the only sound in the eerily empty hallway. When she opened the closet, she found her large metal plumber's wrench still in its resting place. She tucked it into her waistband and took a detached broom handle as well.
"Merry Christmas to me."
Erica heard another pair of footsteps and ducked inside. Her heart picked up the pace as she searched her senses for the presence of a dark soul. From the corner of her eye, she spied one of the henchmen: a human.
Erica smiled. "Christmas comes twice this year."
The dark souls had to keep humans around for their ritual, but Erica knew it was a bad idea to send one her way. She tiptoed behind the man she recognized as Carter, the thug Ted had floated into the path of Page’s ceiling fan. He walked into Erica's classroom, and she followed close behind.
"Oh little lady, come out, come out wherever you are." Carter licked his lips. "I always liked cheerleaders in high school."
The thug pointed a gun in each corner of the room before moving onto the next one. He dropped the gun to his side and turned around. Before he could react, Erica kicked his right wrist, causing a yelp of pain and sending the gun sliding under the radiator.