Apex Magazine Issue 63 by Sigrid Ellis

Author:Sigrid Ellis
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Apex Publications
Published: 2014-08-04T04:00:00+00:00

well–defined slope, and therefore no well–defined derivative. So the derivative doesn’t exist at this point.” Megan nodded as I spoke.

It was at this moment that through the window I noticed one of my perennially late students shambling toward class. He was looking particularly disheveled, and I wondered to myself about the appropriate tack to take when he entered the classroom. Charlie wasn’t a bad kid, and he wasn’t bad at the math either. He was just a serious flake who was too disorganized to attend class regularly or turn homework in when it was due. If I had to guess, I suspected the reason he was late this Friday was a drunken binge the night before. Thursday night parties were becoming more and more of a problem.

Although I anticipated the door opening, I continued on. “At all the other points on the graph other than the kinkpoint, there is a perfectly good tangent line, and therefore, everywhere else the derivative is defined.” Charlie still didn’t enter. This distracted me to the extent that I finally crossed to the door and opened it. Charlie was standing in the lobby facing away from me.

“Are you going to join us, Charlie?” I asked.

He turned to look at me, his expression suggesting he didn’t register who I was. But then his lips pulled back into what might have been a grimace and what might have been a bizarre smile. There was definitely something off–kilter about him. His eyes looked filmy, and his posture seemed all wrong. Spittle hung off his chin. That must have been some party.

He shuffled forward and I backed into the room, not sure what to make of him. He stopped when he saw row after row of students staring at him. I tried to regain my composure.

“Nice of you to join us, Charlie. Perhaps you would like to take a seat.” I motioned to the front row.

Charlie lurched forward and instead of taking the seat I had intended, he fell on top of Megan. Initially I and all the other students assumed Charlie had tripped, and there was a broad giggle from the class. But almost immediately, Megan started shrieking, and suddenly blood was spurting out. Charlie made guttural snarling noises as Megan flailed about. It took me a moment to register what was happening, but then I leaped forward.

“Get off her!” I screamed. Grabbing at Charlie’s arm, I tried to pull him back, but his teeth were embedded deep in Megan’s neck. I pulled harder, putting all my weight into it, and the three of us toppled back onto the floor, with me on the bottom and Megan on the top. Charlie never released his grip as he climbed back on top of her and continued to chew on her neck.

Tom and Manuel, two of the biggest students in the class, both members of the front line of the football team, leaped up from their seats at the front of the room. They tended to sit near the door to make their escape as soon as possible.

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