John Saul by The Unwanted

Author:The Unwanted
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Horror, Fiction
ISBN: 9780307767950
Publisher: Bantam
Published: 1987-07-01T05:00:00+00:00

Charlotte Ambler stood behind the podium atop the choir platform hastily assembled fifteen minutes earlier, and looked out at the assembled students of Memorial High. Ordinarily they tumbled happily into the auditorium, laughing and chattering among themselves, looking forward to an assembly—any assembly—as a release from an hour of classes. But today it was different. They were still chattering, but their voices were subdued, and as they huddled together in small groups, they seemed to glance furtively around them, as if sensing that they were talking about something none of them had any information about and that they shouldn’t be talking about at all. Charlotte Ambler was about to give them the information they wanted, but she had a sinking feeling that it might already be too late, for nowhere in the sea of faces could she spot either Eric Cavanaugh or Cassie Winslow.

Rapping sharply on the podium with a gavel, she waited for the hubbub to die down, then cleared her throat.

“I’m sure most of you are aware of the unfortunate incident of yesterday afternoon,” she began, determined to choose her words as carefully as possible. If she couldn’t defuse the situation now—and quell the rumors that had already begun—there was a distinct possibility that the rest of the term would be a complete loss. If, indeed, it wasn’t too late already. “One of our teachers,” she went on, “Mr. Simms, has suffered a form of illness that is not at all uncommon in our day and age. Mr. Simms has been under a great deal of pressure—”

“And maybe a few knives?” someone yelled from the back of the room.

There was a gasp, followed by dead silence, and Charlotte Ambler slowly removed her glasses, letting them drop down to her breast. Abandoning the short speech she’d written a few minutes before, she stepped around the podium and moved forward to the edge of the platform. When she spoke again, her voice needed no amplification from the microphone.

“I shall not ask who said that,” she said, her words echoing coldly through the room, “because if I found out, that person would no longer be a part of this high school.” She paused for a split second, then went on. “What has happened is this: Mr. Simms suffered a sort of mental breakdown in the gymnasium yesterday afternoon, and it caused him to inflict a certain amount of harm upon himself. He is being taken to a hospital in Eastbury, where he will be treated for an indefinite period. For the remainder of this term his coaching duties will be handled by Mr. Johnson, and his classes by myself!” She paused, as if waiting for any of the students to dare make comment on her selection of substitutes for the absent teacher. When there was no response, she continued. “There may be certain scheduling changes, and you will be notified of those in due course. As for the rumors that have been circulating this morning, there is no evidence that Mr. Simms was attacked by anyone, or that there were any weapons involved.

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