Dead End High

If the voices had been a dream, Adam had no way of knowing for sure. He had dozed off a little. Maybe he had slept. Perhaps he had been asleep the entire night? He couldn’t be certain.

Back at school, life continued as usual. Although there weren’t so many students around as before, they continued to move here and there as if nothing mattered. When Adam thought about it, wasn’t he just like them? Turning up at school, business as usual as if nothing was wrong. The more he thought about it, the more bizarre it felt.

Daisy awaited him at the gates. ‘More disappearances. Apparently quite a few went missing yesterday. I don’t even know why I’m here. I should stay home where it’s safe… but I don’t know, I don’t even think it’s safe at home.’

Adam sighed, still disturbed by the strange encounters of the previous night. ‘Who’s missing this time?’

‘Well… from our class – Matt Rogers, Carol Baker, Megan Manelow, Mike Tripps and Will Stetson...’

‘They got Will too?’ Adam flinched. Then he remembered how Will’s body had become transparent in English class a few days earlier. A chill ran down his spine as it occurred to him that it may have been a premonition, just like with Michael Matthews. But then again, why hadn’t he received similar premonitions when it came to other students? No, it had to be a coincidence and surely had to have something to do with the after effects of his illness.

‘Did your parents turn up?’ Daisy asked as they passed by the site of the new pavilion. Adam was relieved to see it was still on its foundations. There were still no workmen around and it looked exactly the same as the last time he had seen it.

‘No.’ He pushed all the disturbing thoughts aside and walked alongside her as they headed for the locker blocks. ‘I had a really strange night…’ He wanted to tell her about Drake calling to him, but it might upset her. Either that or she’d think he was nuts.

‘Well at least you get to do whatever you want. I’d love it if my parents disappeared.’

‘Yeah, but what if they’re dead?’

Somebody shoved them both aside. Adam was about to react until he saw who it was. Todd Spencer. Todd turned around and smirked, an evil glint in his eye. ‘So Braddock, you piece of sewer slush. I hear your big hero, Drake, has done a runner, huh? Disappeared?’

‘How... how do you know?’ Adam asked. He backed away a few steps, not daring to rile him up.

‘Good news travels fast in this school. Looks like you have no bodyguard now, do you?’

‘Come on Todd, I don’t want…’

Daisy stepped forward with a scowl on her face. ‘Yeah, Todd. Leave him alone, you creep!’

‘Oh and what are you gonna do about it, huh?’ He shoved her, sending her toppling to the ground.

Adam felt like he was going to burst. It was one thing to push him around, but to manhandle the girl he was in love with? His rage broke through. He lunged forward and gave Todd a shove of his own. Todd teetered and then went crashing to the ground.

Todd stared up at Adam with a bewildered expression. Adam came to a halt, stunned by his own strength. Then he felt a surge of pride. Todd’s face turned sour and he scrambled to his feet and lunged at Adam, who managed to dodge Todd’s flying fist just in time.

When he lunged again, Daisy stepped forward. ’I said leave him alone! Get the hell away from us, Spencer!’

Todd’s eyes were wild and he breathed heavily. He looked like a raging bull about to charge, but he remained where he was. ‘You think I wouldn’t hit a girl?’

“If you do, then everyone will know what a big coward you are!”

Other students had gathered around them and made a few sniggering remarks of agreement. Todd’s eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. ‘You’re just lucky you’re a girl!’ he hissed and turned to Adam. His glared at him, but then to Adam’s horror his face began to fade. He could see the figures of the other students through him, looking with disdain at the bully. Adam felt like if he reached forward, his hand would pass right through the guy’s face, but he didn’t dare try in case Todd saw it as an act of aggression.

Todd’s face solidified again as he spoke. ’And you, Braddock, are just lucky you have a sheela looking out for you. Just as well I’m a gentleman and wouldn’t hit a lady...’ He said his last sentence extra loud, obviously for the sake of those watching. ‘But Braddock, you better watch your back!’

Todd strode away.

The mob dispersed and Adam breathed a sigh of relief. ‘That guy just never gives up.’ But he couldn’t help but think about how the bully had become transparent. Something inside him told him to go after Todd and warn him that he might be next to go, but he didn’t. Besides, he didn’t feel inclined to do any good deed for Todd Spencer.

’Creep,’ Daisy snorted. Then her face lit up with a glorious smile. ‘Thanks for sticking up for me.’

’Thanks for sticking up for me.’ Even though he couldn’t stand Todd Spencer, he couldn’t help but wonder whether he would ever see him again.

Science was the first class of the day. The number of students had dropped to nearly half. He began to relive last night’s dreams… if they were indeed dreams. It had seemed so real, but how could he explain it? Ghostly voices talking to him. As far as he knew, Mrs Diamond and Mr Bryce had not disappeared. Though they could easily have vanished since last he saw them, outside the police station

Ghosts didn’t exist… did they?

He stared at the beaker of green and lumpy liquid on his bench. It reminded him of the movie where aliens were lined up, drinking from a bowl of vomit. One of the heroes, posing as an alien, had to drink from the bowl for fear of having his cover blown. The aliens had wiped out an entire town of humans.

An eerie feeling came over Adam. What if aliens were responsible for the disappearances here in Pungaru? Miss Crazy and her two men could be aliens. Mr Vennie could easily be an alien. Aliens might have taken over their bodies, just like in the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers. And maybe Pungaru was only the tip of the iceberg? What if the same thing was happening in every town in New Zealand? In every country in the entire world?

Oh no.

Maybe Mr Bryce was right? Maybe their old principal wasn’t as crazy as Adam first thought?

But that didn’t explain his dreams, visions, premonitions, or whatever they were. Drake, or something, was trying to warn him. Mr Bryce too. Did that mean everyone was in limbo somewhere?

When Adam prepared to start the experiment he noticed Mr Kemp staring at him. There was something funny about the way he looked - a weird sort of hunger. Was Mr Kemp one of aliens too? Maybe it was the same with all the teachers still at school? Maybe they had been staking out the place, waiting for the alien leader to arrive and take control.

‘You ok, Adam?’ Daisy paused from stirring the concoction they had brewed to look at him.

Adam came to his senses and nodded. ‘Yeah… I’m ok.’

Robyn sat at another bench, playing with some of her science equipment, looking like she was doing something different from everyone else. Mr Kemp didn’t seem to care in the slightest. Before Mr Vennie came along, he was always very strict and had a short fuse when it came to students not doing what he asked.

Robyn saw him looking and smiled. He smiled back automatically and received a thump on the shoulder for it. ‘Why are you smiling at her?’ Daisy screwed up her face.

He could hardly believe it - Daisy getting annoyed with him for smiling at another girl? Daisy blushed, before returning her attention to the experiment, which bubbled above the Bunsen burner. Adam glanced back to Robyn’s bench, but found her standing at his side.

‘Hi, Adam,’ she said, in a gentle voice. ‘How’s things?’

Daisy glared up at Robyn with a venomous look, but Robyn didn’t even give her a second glance. .

‘Hi, Robyn. Enjoying life at Pungaru High?’

‘Well... To tell you the truth, not really. It gives me the creeps actually.’

‘Yeah, I know what you mean.’

She forced a laugh. ‘I guess it’s just with so many students missing...’ her voice trailed off as she shied away.

He felt sorry for her being the new girl, especially with all the drama going on. She didn’t seem like a loner, but hadn’t bonded with anyone. She always kept to herself. ‘What do your parents think?’ he asked, trying to make her feel welcome, despite the tension oozing from Daisy. ‘I bet they wish they’d never come to Pungaru.’

Robyn stifled a laugh. ‘Yeah. Feels like the Bermuda Triangle or something. What are you doing after school? Wanna hang out?’

Adam felt an elbow jab into his side. He glanced at Daisy who gave him a really evil glare. Adam turned back to Robyn. ‘Sorry. I can’t. Got things I have to do.’

‘Oh.’ Robyn’s face dropped a little.

‘Maybe another time?’

He received another elbow in the side, this one harder than the first. He tried to ignore it.

‘I’d like that.’ Robyn smiled, then turned slowly and went back to her bench.

’What do you mean maybe another time?’ Daisy hissed.

‘Well... I don’t know.’ Adam wasn’t quite sure what to say, never having been in this type of situation. ‘Why does it worry you so much?’

Daisy’s face darkened. ‘Why do you think, you jackass? Come on! You’re my friend now. Why would you want to hang out with her, when you can hang out with me?’

Adam didn’t want to throw away his chances with her. ‘You do have a point there.’

‘Of course I do! Until we find Drake, it’s you and me, no one else.’

Adam slumped at his workstation. So, he was only a replacement? So she hadn’t forgotten about Drake? No doubt if they did manage to find everyone, she’d lose interest in him in a heartbeat.

The next period of the day was English. Miss Crazy stood at the front of the class, waiting for all the students to arrive. Adam wanted to question her about the things he had learnt, but needed an opening to bring up… certain topics. Several chairs were vacant. In fact, a student who had been in the science class twenty minutes earlier had not arrived.

Miss Crazy didn’t seem too sure whether to start or not. ‘Is everybody here?’

Adam’s blood began to boil; she knew darn well people were missing. After all, she was the one responsible.

‘Well we’ll start anyway. Adam, it’s good to see you back. What happened yesterday? I was very worried.’

Adam hesitated. ‘I... I was sick.’

‘Strange.’ She looked at him with her usual unblinking stare. ‘The school rang your home, but you weren’t there. In fact, your parents said you were at school.’

His parents? She was lying, or at least bluffing. His parents had been missing for two days now. ‘They weren’t around yesterday.’ He glared at her and any fear he had of her vanished. He wanted to call her bluff, he really did.

Miss Crazy appeared to put on a good performance. ‘They weren’t? Where were they?’

‘I don’t know! But I tried to contact them myself and couldn’t. So how did you manage to?’

‘Well...’ She continued to look directly at him. ‘It wasn’t me, it was the office. Perhaps they rang here, I don’t know… Look, there’s no need to get defensive, I was just worried about you, that’s all.’

Adam felt bolder, seeing his classmates around him, listening and watching. Now was his chance to reveal Miss Crazy for the fraud she was. ‘Speaking of disappearances, Miss Casey. What happened to your son?’

Miss Crazy froze and she blinked. ‘My son? H... how did you know about him?’

Adam couldn’t admit he had been in her house. ‘Oh, it turns out I know someone who lives in Opanake who knows of you.’

‘Who?’ Several more times she blinked.

He made up a name. ‘His name’s Frank Marshall. Says he used to live down the road from you.’

The blinking stopped and once again she resumed her stare. ‘I’ve never heard of him. Are you telling me the truth?’

‘Of course!’

The other kids in the class were silent, all staring at Adam and Miss Casey.

‘How? This doesn’t make any sense. Have you been checking up on me, Adam?’

‘I told you, my...’

‘That’s a lie, Adam. You’re lying.’ Her eyes narrowed.

Adam finally snapped. ’I’m lying? You’re the one who’s lying. You’re not even a real teacher! You’ve never taught before and you don’t even have a teaching qualification.’

The class gasped and he felt better than he had all year. Daisy gave a knowing smile. Even Jack looked impressed, grinning at Adam, with a twinkle in his eye.

Miss Crazy stared at Adam and she blinked several times.

Scott stuck up his thumb and whispered to him, ’Woohoo, go for it, dude!’

Miss Crazy spoke in a strained voice, ‘How can you know something like that? You can’t know that.’

‘So you admit it then? You’re a fraud. What are you up to here in Pungaru? What do you know about the disappearances?’ Adam felt his pulse racing.

She hesitated and tried to speak, but kept coming to a halt. ‘I... surely you... Look, this isn’t what you think. I have nothing to do with any disappearances. I am not up to anything and I don’t know where you got that idea…’ Her manner became firm. ‘You want to know what’s really happening? Do you really want to know?’

Adam didn’t speak; shocked she was offering some sort of truth. Would it all be rubbish? He waited anxiously.

She started to speak, but much to Adam’s despair, his ears started playing up on him again. She spoke in a loud voice, but her words still sounded muffled and he couldn’t make out a thing she said. He looked at her, confused, wishing desperately he could make out what she was saying.

’Are you listening to me, Adam?’ Her voice rang clear again, but then became muffled yet again as she continued to talk to him. For a few seconds Adam could only stare at her, not knowing whether to tell her he couldn’t hear her or not.

‘…not hearing me, are you, Adam?’

Adam didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to look like an idiot in front of his classmates, so he just stared at her.

Miss Crazy gave a deep sigh, shaking her head slowly, without breaking eye contact. ’This is achieving nothing. Adam, you really need to be less paranoid. I think we all need to take a break and just calm down a little. Think about your accusations and try to think things through a little more clearly. Class is excused.’ Miss Crazy picked up a bag and left the room.

The class sat in stunned silence, but after several seconds, it was Scott who broke it. ‘You’re the man, Adam baby. You just upset a teacher so much she had to leave the class!’ He chuckled as if it were a great joke.

‘What did she say?’ Adam stared at the door of the classroom.

‘Ah, nothing much, monkey man, just stuff about not being involved in the disappearances and that the cops are handling it and shit like that.’

‘Is that all?’

‘Yeah, frood, nothing worth mentioning. Forget about it.’

Before Adam could probe for anything more, Darren spoke from the desk behind him, ‘Are you for real about her not being a real teacher?’

‘It’s true.’ Adam felt frustrated, really wanting to know what Miss Crazy had said while he had had his relapse.

‘What’s true?’ Robyn was on her feet and walked over to his desk. ‘Adam, how did you know all that stuff?’

‘I visited her place. She has a house in Opanake. That’s where I found out she’s not really who she claims to be.’

‘But why would you do that?’

‘Because something’s not right about her.’

‘But she’s really nice.’

‘She appears that way but she’s a fraud, and I’m still convinced she has something to do with the disappearances. She even suggested she knows what’s going on. You all heard her! I’d like to know exactly what she knows and soon. Before anyone else disappears.’

‘Same here, kid.’ Scott nodded.

There he was calling people “kid” again, thought Adam.

‘Drake and I went with him,’ Daisy added. ‘And when we were there, Drake disappeared!’ She gave Robyn a dirty look. ’She must have had something to do with it. And now we know she knows about the disappearances. She said so!’

‘Adam, didn’t you hear what she told you?’ Robyn asked.

‘No, I didn’t!’ Adam let out a burst of air. ‘What did she say?’

‘It was all a heap of crap,’ Darren said.

‘Yeah, total BS,’ agreed Scott.

Robyn stared at Adam for a few seconds, then hung her head, shaking it from side to side. ‘She’s not a bad person, Adam. I’m telling you.’

‘How do you know?’ Adam asked.

‘Well... I know her. Outside of school.’ Robyn finally looked up. ‘She’s ok, Adam.’

‘How long have you known her?’

‘A month or so.’ She nervously fiddled with her hair.

‘A month,’ sniggered Scott. ’Wow, baby doll, you’re a real expert on her... not.’

‘You hardly know her,’ Adam insisted.

Robyn turned her eyes twoards the floor again. ‘She’s ok.’

‘Well anyone who claims to be a teacher when she isn’t, can’t be all ok, can she?’

‘Unless she was desperate for a job,’ Darren suggested.

‘Could be, kid,’ agreed Scott.

Adam wasn’t convinced. Even if she wasn’t directly responsible for the disappearances, she was involved somehow. She knew what was going on. Adam looked at Robyn again. ‘Rob, you have to find out what she knows.’

‘Why?’

‘Well if you know her... no wait. You shouldn’t risk it. You could find yourself disappearing as well. You should stay right away from her until we know for sure what’s going on.’

Robyn gave a final sigh. ‘Don’t worry, I have nothing to fear from her. Anyway. I’m gonna go.’ Without another word, she took her books and left.

Once again silence reigned, until Daisy broke it. ‘Where does she think she’s going? It’s the middle of the period. Man that girl is strange. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s tied up in all this too. She turns up here a few days after Miss Crazy? Is that a coincidence? I doubt it!’

Adam didn’t reply. But deep down, he knew that Daisy had a point.

At PE that afternoon, Mr Grimes greeted Adam with a friendly hello. Adam had been dreading it, but he dared not attempt to skip class again. Adam said hello back, but in a subdued tone. He did not want to talk to the man, but the man wanted to talk to him.

‘Where did you dash off to a couple of days ago? When I came back you were gone.’

‘I felt sick.’

‘That’s too bad. Hope you’re feeling well today, because I have a cross country run planned.’

Those students standing nearby groaned.

‘Cross country?’ grumbled Jack. ‘But it’s not even cross country season!’

‘Don’t you think that’s a bit dangerous?’ Adam asked.

Mr Grimes seemed completely oblivious. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Come on! You plan to send us all on a run around the fields out back? What if more of us go missing?’ He felt like accusing the man of having his buddy Don out amongst the bushes, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Grimes snorted and was about to say something then changed his mind, ‘Mmmmmm. You really think it’s dangerous, do you?’

‘Of course it is!’ Jack growled. ‘Duh!’ Some of the other boys murmured in agreement.

Mr Grimes took a long breath through his nose. ‘There’s nothing to worry about. Stick with someone else and you’ll be fine. Adam, I don’t like the way you’re looking at me. You don’t need to fear me, you know. I’m not going to do anything to you, or to any of the other students here.’

‘Why are you here, Mr Grimes? What do you want from us?’

Grimes frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Are you really a PE teacher?’

‘Ok, ok, I’m not a trained PE teacher. But as you are well aware, there’s a shortage of teachers here now. I just want to be your friend...’

’My friend?’

’Everyone’s friend. I’m here to help you guys. I don’t know what you’ve heard about me, Adam, or for that matter what you even think of me, but I’m not the bad guy here. Trust me. And if you’re really that worried, you can stay here.’

Adam declined the offer. He would much rather run with the group, than hang around there with him. Grimes seemed disappointed and sighed as the boys headed out.

‘Grimy sucks,’ Scott panted as they ran.

‘I loathe him!’ Darren said.

‘Making us run the cross country track, is not hoopy at all, man,’ grunted Scott. ‘He’s a sadist!’

‘I don’t know what he is,’ Adam huffed, running behind them. ‘But I don’t trust him.’

Scott quickened his pace. Darren matched it. Adam struggled to keep up, but fell behind. He wasn’t much of a runner and usually trailed behind. His pals disappeared from sight and for a brief second it seemed like they just faded away. No, he must have been imagining it. They had just ran into the trees, that was all.

Someone came from behind him, shoving him with full force. He went sprawling and hit the ground hard, grating himself on some loose gravel. He fell right near a steep bank and he had to hold himself firm to prevent from toppling over the edge.

At first, he thought that maybe Grimes really had set him up. But it wasn’t him, it was Todd.

Adam tried to sit up, but Todd shoved his foot into his chest knocking him back down. ‘So, Braddock, you little slime. You thought you could avoid me, huh? Thought that your little girlfriend could go on protecting you, huh?’ Todd’s face had an evil sneer, like a tiger that had just cornered its prey.

Fear welled up inside Adam. He struggled to sit again, but Todd’s foot kept him pinned to the rock-hard ground. He squirmed, causing loose rocks and dirt to gave way and tumble down the embankment.

‘I didn’t do anything to you!’ Adam cried out, feeling Todd’s foot dig harder into his chest. He flinched in pain and tried to shift himself to more solid ground. He looked down the embankment, a shiver running through him.

‘Don’t give me that crap, Braddock!’ Todd gave him a quick kick to the ribs and replanted his foot. ‘I’m going to teach you a lesson right here and now. You got that, you piece of sewer slush?’

Adam let out a wild cry. ’Noooo!’ He grabbed Todd’s leg and shoved it off him. Todd lost his balance and tumbled over the embankment. He let out a hideous cry and plummeted head over heels down the rough steep slope, reaching the bottom with an abrupt thud. Adam climbed to his feet, dusting stones and dirt from his clothes.

Below, Todd clutched his leg in pain. ‘Damn you, Braddock, you little punk, I’m gonna get you for this!’ His body began to fade like it had earlier that day.

At first Adam stayed where he was, looking down at the bully as his body became transparent and he could see the dirt and grass underneath him. For a moment he hesitated, debating to go down there and help him, but afraid of what Todd might do to him, he decided against it. He’d return later if Todd didn’t show up afterwards.

He hurried on along the track, leaving Todd behind.

‘Where’s Todd?’ Scott asked as Adam emerged from the boy’s changing room.

‘Don’t know.’ Adam shrugged, relieved to see that his friends had got back safely. Adam had deliberately dressed quickly to avoid running into Todd in the changing room. However, he didn’t have to worry as Todd didn’t arrive back, in fact he didn’t turn up for class the following period either.

Afterwards they headed down the back of the school to see if he was still there, perhaps suffering from a broken leg or something. They reached the embankment where the short tussle had taken place, but there was no sign of Todd.

‘Maybe he went to the nurse’s office?’ Scott suggested.

‘Or maybe he was too embarrassed to come back to school at all.’ Darren took a step away from the edge.

‘Don got him.’ Adam was sure of it. After all, it would have been the perfect opportunity.

‘Lighten up, kid!’ Scott slapped Adam’s shoulder. ‘He’ll show up tomorrow, covered in bandages. Besides, can you imagine him going quietly if he was abducted?’

‘No… but then there was no one around. Nobody would’ve heard him scream.’ Adam began to wish he hadn’t run away and left Todd there now. As much as he hated the guy, he would feel tremendous guilt knowing he had been abducted.

‘It’s no great loss.’ Darren sat down on the grass overlooking the bank. ‘The world will be better off without him.’

It Adam hadn’t been partly responsible for Todd’s fall, he might have agreed, but on this occasion, he didn’t reply. He and Scott sat down next to Darren.

Adam turned his eyes towards Darren as friend gazed down the bank, looking completely miserable. Adam touched his shoulder. ‘Darren, something’s up with you, isn’t it? It’s pretty obvious. Is it because of the disappearances?’

‘I think you ought to know I’m feeling very depressed.’ Darren didn’t look at him. ‘I’m tired of this place. I’m sick of Pungaru.’

‘Hey, I know it’s not the most exciting place on Earth, but it’s nice. There’s beaches and of course you get a great view of the mountain.’

‘I hate mountains.’

‘Since when?’

‘Since forever. And I hate this dead-end school. I’m going nowhere. Here I am, my brain the size of a planet, and all I get to do is attend classes all day. God, I’m so depressed.’

Adam stared at him for several seconds. He was still getting over the comment about his brain being the size of a planet. Darren wasn’t dumb, but he definitely wasn’t super intelligent either. He turned his eyes across to Scott, who didn’t look at all concerned. It was like he was used to Darren’s change of mood.

Scott chuckled and patted Darren on the back. ‘Cheer up, you miserable hunk of tin. Stick with me kid and I’ll take you on a journey through the universe you’ll never forget. You’ll never get depressed again.’

‘It’s going to take something bigger than your ego to accomplish that,’ Darren said.

‘Hey if there’s anything bigger than my ego around here, I want it hunted down and shot now!’

Adam frowned at his two friends. Something wasn’t right about them today and there was something very familiar about the conversation they had just had, but he couldn’t pinpoint it.