The Bullworth Never Ending Story

[BloodChuckZ]

Karen heard the door unlock and slide open.  She was back to wearing her blindfold again, as Omar had warned her that the other Townies were not to know she had identified the Clique as their Kidnappers.  “It’s best for you they don’t find that out”, he told her, his face just inches from hers.  She could smell the beans on his breath.  “Some of these Dudes are crazy....They’ll take the both of you down to the river and hold your heads under ‘till you drown, then just let the current take you both out to sea.”

So Karen kept her mouth shut, only being able to be rid of the blindfold whenever Omar was in the room alone with her.  She would only know if that was the case when he approached her and removed it.  Most times, it wasn’t removed, and whatever Townie it was would roughly yank her legs apart and start to assault her.  Karen had lost count of how many times she had been raped in this room since this all started.  She had also lost track of time, as there was no way to judge it.  The room was kept dimly lit at all times, and she was only fed on a irregular basis.  Water was always given to her, each time, though.  Karen knew that was so she wouldn’t dehydrate and spoil their fun.  A bucket that acted as a ‘Chamber Pot’ was close by, it was emptied often by whoever came into the room, to keep the smell at a minimum.

A while ago (She didn’t know how long), one of them had come up with an idea of how to secure them better (It was probably Jerry, she thought).  A thin chain had been secured around her waist, and her wrists had been cuffed to it.  Karen recalled seeing news videos of prisoners being led from Jails to Court, and thought it was a similar thing to that.  Along with that, one of her ankles was now cuffed to a log chain, which in turn was attached to the pipes running along the wall.  Karen felt this had been done to make it easier for her tormenters to assault her, rather than having to do with her comfort.  But she was thankful for that, it had been so difficult always having her arms chained up over her head, so much that her hands would often go numb. 

The door closed and she heard the locks slide home.  She heard the footsteps come closer and a hand was laid on her head, then her blindfold was being removed.  It was Omar this time.  He grunted, “Got a surprise for you”, and moved to one side.  Halfway between the door and her mattress, another figure stood there.  Karen blinked to get her eyes adjusted, then saw who it was.  Melody was standing there.

“MEL !”, she burst out.  Omar quickly silenced her, saying in a low voice, “Shut It !  Nobody knows she’s in here !  My turn to stand guard tonight.”

Omar rose and went to Melody, removing her blindfold.  She was hooked up in the same kind of apparatus as Karen was, her hands cuffed to the chain about her waist.  She stood stock still and didn’t speak.  “Melody ?”, Karen said uncertainly.

Omar put his hands on Melody’s shoulders and slowly turned her towards Karen.  Her eyes were blank and unseeing, devoid of any recognition, her face like a smooth mask.  Omar led her, like a puppet, over to where Karen was sitting and pushed her down gently beside her.  “Melody ?”, Karen said weakly.  “Oh, Mel, it’s me, Karen....What’s the matter....Melody ?”

But Melody would not speak.  The only response was that she laid her head on Karen’s shoulder, still starring blankly ahead.  Melody had retreated to within herself.  The cumulative toll of the assaults over the past week had broken her.  Karen shot a look of anger and pure hatred at Omar.  “What have you Sick Perverts done to her ?”, she demanded.

“She been like that a couple days now”, Omar said, avoiding a direct answer.  “Gonna leave her here awhile with you, see if you can snap her out of it, somehow.  Two, Three hours, I’ll get relieved, so gotta have her back to her room before then.  Help her out, Hey ?”

Omar strode back to the door, undoing the locks, then opening and stepping through and closing it behind him.  Karen heard the locks sink home.  She was so suddenly overwhelmed that she had been unable to muster a reply. 

In the ensuing stillness, Karen was, for the first time since their ordeal began, truly terrified.  She still held to her faith that Tony would find her, would rescue them, somehow.  But, she fervently hoped it would be soon, real soon.  She didn’t know how much more she could take.  Strong as she believed herself to be, at her very core she was still just a scared little girl.  She stroked Melody’s hair as best as she could through the restraints, and tried her best not to cry.
__________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Laying in the darkness, Tony had a hard time getting to sleep that night.  He kept running over things in his mind, trying to make sense of how they might relate to Karen and Melody’s abduction.  There was so much to assimilate, so much to figure out.  What was turning over in his mind seemed too fantastic, too surreal, like something out of the Twilight Zone. 

If only she was here, to help me make sense of all this, he thought.  Images of the all the times they had brainstormed in his Mediator’s Office, tracking down the intricate mystery of the secrets of the School and the Vale Valley itself rose in his mind.  Flooding in along with that was their short time on the Island in the Narragansett Bay.  Oh, how he missed her so much !

In his heart of hearts, he fervently believed she had been taken and was being held somewhere.  He refused to acknowledge that something even more sinister had happened to her.  No bodies had been found, no gruesome remains had been unearthed.  The possibility they could have been taken by outsiders had occurred to him, some evil visitors to the Valley using the Fourth of July celebrations as a cover to swipe two young girls, but he felt...Believed....That they were still in the Valley, somewhere.  Their abduction would have been too much of a sheer chance to be anything like that.  He couldn’t let himself think otherwise. 

He cast a look over towards Nick’s bed.  He was already snoring.  Tony knew Nick was hurting just like he was, but Nick was able to keep it bottled up, somehow.  His time with Melody had been far shorter than his with Karen, maybe that had something to do with it.  Tony was astute enough to know that different people handled a loss differently.  But in the recesses of his mind, Tony wished he could be more like Nick.  Maybe, he would be able to see things a bit clearer.

In thinking that, he began to fall into sleep himself, still worrying the mystery of what had happened to Karen, to Melody.  Ghostly voices filtered through his subconscious, pinging off each other like echos in a cavern.....

“Nobody ever ran At the Boney Man before !”
“Dere was dese Black Robed dudes, chantin’ somptin’ at me.”
“The Hooded Men....Black Robes, can’t see their faces.“
”Fish white, like they never saw the sun, or maybe like Dead People”
“They call themselves....The Quantum Electi.”
”Even the Townies used to hang out there at night.”
“Den....I wuz just at the Crazy Place, Dat’s all I remember.”
“I think there's a connection between the Church and the Asylum.”

The voices swirled in his mind as he tunneled deeper into the realm of darkness.
___________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Suddenly, he was in the Dome once more.  It was a bit lighter, he saw, although the way was still dark and gloomy.  He had traveled some, he realized, although he still had quite a ways to go.  The sense of loss and grief still enveloped him, but there were still no bodies or dismembered limbs.  They were not dead, he told himself again, there was still hope.  But he sensed his time was still short.  Suddenly, hearing very low chanting behind him, he had the urge to look behind him, fearful of something, or someone, tracking him.  What he saw was a cave, and far back within was ghostly, black hooded figures with fish-white hands and partial faces showing.  At the front, one figure stood out from the rest, an upside-down pulsing blue cross on it’s chest.  The figure’s arm was pointing outward, beyond Tony.  The low chanting changed pitch, and words seemed to materialize from it like a whispering wind.   “THE ONES YOU SEEK, THEY ARE NOT HERE, NOR HAVE THEY BEEN.  YOU MUST LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR THEM, IN A PLACE FAR FROM HERE.  THEY ARE NOT HERE.  YOU MUST GO.”  At once, Tony felt an object in his hand.  Looking at it, he could see it was Melody’s Cell Phone.

Tony watched for a bit longer, but the lead figure kept insistently pointing to the far side of the Dome, the apparent direction in which Tony was heading.  He saw then that the cave was an obstacle of which he had surmounted, the largest one of a series of obstacles from where he had started.  Facing back the other way once more, he peered into the darkened landscape.  Obstacles that lay ahead were shapeless and indistinct, save for one.  It resembled a wall with gates interrupting it’s expanse across his path.  It was still a bit away, and Tony couldn’t tell just how far in front of him it was, as the concept of distance was somehow skewered here.  Tony looked up overhead at the jagged hole far away in the apex of the Dome, and it seemed to him he HAD moved, had made progress.  He started forward again, with new resolve, and walked into a sudden mist which swirled ahead of him.

Tony waved his arms and the mist dissipated somewhat, showing the familiar scene of the School hallway by the School Store.  Ghostly Mr. Luntz was there once more, pointing again towards the School Store.  But when Tony looked, he not only saw the figure of whom he now knew to be Mr. Riddle behind the window, but also the figure of Lola, standing just to the outside.  She smiled at him and beckoned him forward.  Her lips were moving, but no sound issued from them.  Tony moved forward to hear, but the white mist enveloped the entire scene once more, and gently Tony drifted downward into a deeper, dreamless sleep.
____________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Ms. Phillips arrived early at the School Office on Sunday morning.  She chose to come in early for a couple of reasons....Mr. Galloway was in deep sleep and wouldn’t wake much before noon, and she had to make sure the office was cleaned and that no evidence was left from Mr. Galloway’s drinking binge.  She hadn’t had the time to clean up then, she had to get him out of there without being seen.  All they needed was for the drinking rumors to start up again....If the State School Board got wind of THAT, Lionel Galloway would be finished at Bullworth Academy, or anywhere else for that matter.  A byproduct of getting rid of the corruption and opening up the Vale Valley to the world was that secrets would be so much harder to keep secret.

Dedrie Phillips unlocked to door to the Headmaster’s Private Office, recently that of Dr. Milton Crabblesnitch, and now that of Mr. Galloway....And she intended to keep it that way.  Last year, that dick Hattrick had caught him drinking, and virtually blackmailed Mr. Galloway into checking himself into the Asylum to 'dry out’ in exchange for his silence.  But Mr. Hattrick had gone to the Headmaster anyway with his accusations.  A student named Jimmy Hopkins had shown up just in the nick of time with photographs proving Mr. Hattrick was selling test answers to the Preps, and Mr. Hattrick was fired instead (He later got his job back after filing a lawsuit against the school for improperly firing him, but not before losing his house due to no income and legal fees).  In the meantime, when Mr. Galloway wanted to leave the Asylum, he was refused.  Ms. Phillips turned again to Jimmy Hopkins to sneak in to the Asylum and break Mr. Galloway out, as Mr. Hattrick had somehow arraigned for her to be barred from getting him released.  Jimmy did so, and Ms. Phillips was waiting in her car to spirit him away. 

Those things were mostly buried under the lid of secrecy, like many other things about Bullworth Academy, and in fact the Towns, was in those days.  Ms. Phillips had convinced Mr. Galloway to give up his drinking habits, and to settle into a life with her.  For some unfathomable reason, she loved him dearly, despite his being an Alcoholic.  The ones who had known about his secret vice were gone now, but if any word got out now about his recent lapse, it would probably become Internet News, and it would be all over.  Ms. Phillips had worried about how Mr. Galloway would handle the stress of his new unexpected job.  She had thought he had been holding up well, but it seemed that something pushed him over the edge. 

Ms. Phillips had a pretty good idea what that was....It had been the two girls that vanished just a week ago, Karen and Melody.  He had talked of it every night since, feeling that somehow he was to blame for their disappearance, that he could have prevented it somehow.  That was one thing she loved about him the most, his caring and loyalty to his students.  She comforted him, telling him that he wasn’t to blame, but she should have seen the signs.  He had been more morose lately, feeling he had failed them somehow.  So, he had buckled under the pressure of his perceived failure of leadership, and gave into the bottle. 

Unlike last year, when this sort of thing was easily covered up, this would be big news if it ever got out to the out-of-town Press Reporters who were still hanging about.  Ms. Phillips was determined that wasn’t going to happen.  Ms. Phillips would keep him at home for a few days, under the pretense of illness, and run things in his absence.  But her first task would be to scour the Office and dispose of any evidence, primarily any other Liquor or empty bottles, just as she had done the same last year.  After, she would check the Outer Office and his old English Room (for which classes weren’t being run this summer).  Then, the rest of the school, in the places where he used to hide his empty bottles.  The task would take most of the morning, so she began with the Office. 

The near-empty bottle he had been drinking from still sat on his desk.  She pulled out a trash bag from her purse that she had brought along and stuffed it in there.  The desk was a bit messy, so she cleared it up, then checked the drawers for any other bottles.  Finding none, she bent down and looked under the desk.  Nothing was there either.  She then checked inside the file cabinets, the drop tables, the clothes wardrobe and the bookshelves, still finding nothing.  She then proceeded to get down on hands and knees and look under everything in the room.  She didn’t find any Liquor Bottles, but she did find something unexpected, under the Wardrobe.  She grasped it and pulled it out, holding it up.  It was a black high-heel shoe.

Ms. Phillips held it up to see.  She didn’t think it was hers, having never lost a shoe here in the Office.  She brought the shoe closer to her face and wrinkled her nose at the smell.  She had been thinking that it might have belonged to that battle-ax, Ms. Danvers, but the odor coming from it was too strong.  It had been worn recently.  She glanced inside, near the heel, and read the size stamped there.  It read, 'USA SIZE 6'.  It definitely wasn’t hers, she was a Size 7.

Ms. Phillips was no dummy.  She quickly realized what Mr. Galloway was talking about when he said they had 'made love’.  He didn’t mean that time a week ago, he meant Friday night.  Somebody had been in here and had taken advantage of his drunken state, pretending to be her.  And Ms. Phillips had a pretty good idea of just who that was.
________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Trent and Paige were hanging outside early beside the Boy’s Dorm with Russell.  Paige had brought along another one of the new girls she had gotten to know named Amber Anderson.  As it turned out, Amber had a strange fascination for Russell.  After learning that Paige was having a relationship with Trent, she prevailed on her for an introduction to Russell.

It was a strange paring, big Russell and this wisp of a girl.  Amber was barely over five feet tall, and weighed in the neighborhood of a hundred pounds.  She had a rather plain face with thin, dirty-blondish hair that hung down straight on either side of her face to just above her shoulders.  Her figure was thin, but she did have a couple of tiny breasts poking through her blouse.  She wasn’t a bright girl by any means, and her voice showed a slight speech impediment when she talked, witch wasn’t often, as she really didn’t have much to say.

However, once introduced to Russell, she asked if he could show her any tricks.  At first, Russell was normally confused as to what she meant.  “What You Mean ?”, he asked her.

“Lika, Strongman tricks”, Amber said, somewhat shyly.

“Oh !”, Russell said brightly.  “Russell Can Do That !  Trent ! Get Russell a Soda Can !”

Trent had a soda can in his hand.  “Got one right here, big guy, but it’s....”

“That Will Do !”, Russell proclaimed, snatching it from Trent’s hand.  “Watch This !”, he said to Amber, and he proceeded to smash the can against his forehead.  Unfortunately, the can was still almost half-full, and the Beam Cola squirted all over Russell’s head and some splattered onto Amber.  But instead of being angry, Amber uttered a gleeful laugh.  “Showa me some more !”, she begged, wiping a hand over her face.

Russell laughed too, soda running down his face, and said,  “How Abouts Russell Pick Up Dumpster ?”  Amber clapped her hands together in glee, and they both headed off to where the Dumpster was located behind the Dorm.  Trent and Paige watched them go.

“Seems like a match”, Paige commented.  “They like each other.”

“I don’t know”, Trent said.  “Russell’s never had a girlfriend.”

“About time then, wouldn’t you say ?”, Paige said, as Russell and Amber disappeared around the corner.  She turned her attention toward a lone figure who had caught her eye, heading towards the arch from the Dorm steps.  “Hey, who’s that ?”

Trent turned to look.  “Oh, that’s just Constantinos”, he said, spotting him in the otherwise empty yard. 

“Oh....Yes”, Paige said, squinting. “That weird little kid.  He’s a strange one.”

“Heh, yeah, real strange”, Trent laughed.  “Did you know he used to be the Bullworth Mascot ?”

“This place had a Mascot ?”, Paige asked.  “I never knew that.”

“Ah, yeah”, Trent related.  “That kid there, we used to Bully the hell outta him.  So, he went off and volunteered to be the Mascot.  Then, he’d go around Campus wearing that stupid red outfit, even had a Bull Head that went along with it.  Said it made him stronger.”

“So....What happened ?”, Paige asked.  “There’s no Mascot now.”

“Yeah, funny that”, Trent responded, “Hopkins beat him up one day down at the Pool and took the Bull Head away from him.  He never give it back, either”, he laughed.  “They become kinda friends after that, and Jimmy even protected him, but he never gave the Bull Head back.”

“So, what’s his deal now ?”, Paige asked, puzzled. 

“He got the Bull Head back, after Jimmy got....Arrested.  And was gonna be Mascot again, but I hear Tony beat him up, or something.  So...He’s Tony Calderone’s bitch now”, Trent said.  “Hangs around, eavesdropping on people, gettin’ the latest dirt and all that, sells him the information.  If he weren’t under Tony and Nick’s protection, I think half the kids in school would gladly beat the shit outta him.”

“That so ?”, Paige said.  “I think....I seen him before, hanging around the Girl’s Dorm....”

“Around, and probably in, too”, Trent said with a chuckle.  “The Snot’s pretty good about gettin’ in and outta places without being seen.”

“Hmmmm”, Paige said, looking at the arch where Constantinos had disappeared.  “Wonder where he’s off to now ?”
__________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Beatrice finished putting her entry in her Diary for the day.  It had all been so easy, she confided to it, how she had ‘stolen’ her own Diary and snuck down to Mandy’s Gym Locker after hours and stashed it there.  The Combination Lock had presented no challenge to her....After all, it was just about numbers and random probabilities, just child’s play for her.  She had buried the Diary under the mess in Mandy’s Locker, and locked it back up, then high-tailed it back to the Dorm, unseen. 

She had been scheming on how to approach Nick to enlist his ‘Help’ in getting the Diary back, but in a stroke of karmic luck, he had instead come seeking her out.  As soon as she spotted him, she put on her crying act, and from there, it was just a snap to reel him in, like a fish hooked on a line.  Her Line, that was. Honestly, she thought, Boys are so Predictable. Turn on the waterworks and watch them swarm.

Now she was was brainstorming ways she could get Nick back for a return visit.  She had carefully written down all the measurements she had taken when he was here, but she had overlooked one.....What she termed as the ‘Deflated Bulge’.  She would definitely have to get that one the next time.  She had gotten caught up a little too much in the heat of the moment and forgot to take that one, and it was a needed component in her research for Human Sexuality.  A small giggle escaped her.  When she finally wrote up all her findings, it was going to make a great paper.  She even had a humorous title for it....”Battle Of The Bulge.” 

Her attention was suddenly drawn to a figure apparently sneaking past her partly-open door.  She bounced up off the bed and went to the door to see who it was.  Beatrice saw a dark-haired boy stealthily moving away from her down the hall.  Instead of screaming, she called out, “Hey, you little Pervo, what are you doing up here ?”

Constantinos froze.  Crap, he’d been spotted.  He turned slowly around.  “Ummm....I was just....Leaving ?”

Beatrice’s eyes narrowed.  “Say-y-y....I know you !  You’re that boy that used to hide out in our Wardrobes and spy on us !”

“Umm...Yeah”, Constantinos said.  “Look, I just come up here to see someone....”

“I’m sure you did”, Beatrice interrupted.  “It’s what you do, isn’t it ?”

“Well...Um, Yes......No, No”, Constantinos backtracked, “I just come to see one of the new girls, Ok ?”  His eyes darted around.  “Please don’t call the Matrons.  This is Important !”

“That so ?”, Beatrice paused, leaning back against the doorframe.  A germ of an idea was sprouting in her over-active brain.  “You know a boy named Nick ?”

“Uhhh...Yeah....I do”, Constantinos replied, wondering what that had to do with anything.

“Good”, Beatrice said.  “Tell him to meet me up here in my room tonight after lights out.  I have something to tell him in private.”

“Er...Umm...I...I don’t know....”, Constantinos stuttered, sweat popping up on his brow.  Every second he stood here he risked getting caught.

“Say you’ll do it, or I’ll Scream”, Beatrice said sweetly.

“OK !  OK!  I’ll tell him, allright ?”, Constantinos exclaimed.

“Fine, then”, Beatrice said, and flicked her hand.  “Get along now.”

Without another word, Constantinos turned and hurried down the hall.  Beatrice watched him go to the last room, opposite the stairs, and rap on the door.  After a few seconds, the door was pulled open, and Constantinos slipped inside.

Pervo Little Twerp, thought Beatrice.  She remembered him, all right.  But it seemed he wasn’t spying on someone this time, though.  She laughed.  Did he have a little girlfriend ?
___________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Melvin banged once again at the door in the basement of the Dragon’s Wing.  “Com’on, Thad, open up !!", he whined.  “You’ve been in there for days !!”

Actually, that was an exaggeration....Thad had only been holed up in the tiny room since Friday after school.  At first, it hadn’t been noticed that he was even missing, and it wasn’t until late Saturday that Bucky had even mentioned anything.  After looking high and low for him, the Nerds had finally discovered him holed up in the small basement room Sunday morning.  Melvin had keys to the locks, of course, but it appeared that Thad had done something to them....Stuck Gum or Glue in them, maybe.  The only way it had even been known that Thad was in there was when Melvin tried to get in.  Thad had yelled out, “GO AWAY !!  I’M BUSY !!” through the door.  When Melvin tried to persuade him to come out, his only response was to repeat the he was busy, and to come back later. 

Well, it was now several hours later, but Melvin was getting no response.  He got to thinking that something had actually happened to Thad, and that maybe he should get a couple of their M-80s (which were in short supply these days), and blow open the locks.  Just as Melvin stepped back from the door, however, the locks clicked and the door was flung open to reveal a rather haggard-looking Thad.

Thad was a mess.  His hair was wildly tangled, and rivets of sweat were running down his face.  His glasses were spotted with drops of moisture, and his shirt was in disarray, unbuttoned and open.  He had a wild look in his eyes as he faced Melvin....But it was a look of triumph.

“Thad ?”, Melvin said, taken aback at the sight of him, “What’s....Happened to you ?”

“I’ve Done It !!!”, he declared, a note of elation in his voice.

“Umm....Done what ?”, Melvin asked, wondering if Thad had gone insane.

“Figured it out”, Thad crowed.  “The Trigger Release....The Increased Velocity Spring...I’ve built it !!!”  Thad led Melvin into the room.  It smelled of sweat and farts, like it hadn’t been aired out in a while.  “Look !!!”, Thad exclaimed, pointing to an object on the table, “There It Is !!!”

Melvin looked.  On the table lay the biggest hand-carried weapon Melvin had ever seen.  “Is that.....”

“The Th-uper Th-pud Gun !!!”, Thad lisped proudly.  “After all these years, we finally have the Ultimate Weapon, and it’s ME that will go down in Nerd Hith-thory !!!”



Melvin examined the weapon.  It’s Barrel looked three times the length of a regular Spud gun, and had aiming sights at the tip.  It’s handgrip was a little larger than a standard-size Spud Gun, presumably to house the larger Increased Velocity Spring in the Trigger Assembly and the Compressed Air Charge.  There was also a Collapsible Buttstock attached for optional shoulder firing.  Melvin could see that the Multi-Stock also acted as the Magazine for storage of extra Spud rounds.  It was quite a formidable looking weapon. 

“Hmmm.....It looks powerful”, Melvin observed, “But....Just how long is that ?”

Thad whipped out his trusty yardstick.  “A bit more than 36 Inches”, he announced, measuring it.

“But....That’s too long !”, Melvin protested.  “We won’t be able to hide this thing if we’re carrying it around !”

“Oh, Yess, we will !”, crowed Thad.  “I made the Barrel collapsible, Th-see ?”  And in so saying, Thad showed him, collapsing the Barrel down to just a third of it’s size, then back again.

“How’d you do that ?”, Melvin said wonderingly.

“It’s really three tubes, they fit inside each other”, Thad explained, “It’s these Ball Bearings that lock them into place, Th-see ?”

Melvin saw.  “Wow....With this thing, it’ll almost be like a....Potrable Spud Cannon !!”, he exclaimed excitedly.  “Have you tested it yet ?”

“No”, Thad admitted, “I just got it done !  But I want to go th-ry !”

Melvin looked at him, and wrinkled his nose.  “Clean yourself up some first.  Then we’ll go to the G&G Field and test it out !”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

An hour later, they were at the area between the school and the old rail line path, a spot long used as the Nerd’s G&G Battle Game Area.  There were low rock faces on both sides, and the area stretched from behind the Library down to beside the Observatory and a little ways past.  They had entered through the Nerd’s Gate, set beside the Library and now much more secure than it ever had been.  Melvin had grabbed a small empty wooden crate to take along for a target, and when they encountered the cleared area, Melvin laid down the crate and they began counting steps.  Walking South, they had paced off a bit more than 500 steps.  By this time, there were near the mounds at the South end, so they climbed one and Thad pulled out and un-collapsed the weapon.  Resting the Buttstock on his shoulder, he sighted back to the wooden crate, now just barely visible, and squeezed the trigger.

 The sharp, unexpected recoil knocked Thad on his ass, the Buttstock of the Super Spud Gun dropping into Thad’s crotch as he fell.  “OH, NUTS !!”, he exclaimed loudly, but he still kept ahold of the Barrel.

Melvin had paid no attention to Thad’s woe, though.  He had been tracking the path of the Spud as it sped toward it’s target, almost too fast for him to see.  The wooden crate splintered to pieces in less than a second after Thad had pulled the trigger.  “Oh, Mah Lord !”, Melvin uttered in sheer amazement.  A line of poetry ran through his mind as thoughts of what his overbearing Father would say to such a display, and he whispered the words.....

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock ?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day ! Callooh ! Callay !
He chortled in his joy !”

Thad struggled back to his feet.  “Holy Castles !”, he exclaimed.  “It Works !!  WORKS !!”

“Wow....", Melvin said, as if in a dream.  “Wonder how fast that was traveling ?”

“The th-peed of light times the th-peed of a flying th-paceship", Thad cried gleefully. “Not Impossible !!"
________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Johnny sped his bike into the Greaser area at the Autoshop and skidded to a stop.  His face white, he leaped off the bike and headed to the door.  Flinging it open, he hurried inside, and spotted the only person up and about. 

“Peanut !!”, he gasped harshly, nearly out of breath.  “I need....Need.....”

Peanut came closer.  He’d been bunked out in the corner of the Autoshop in a sleeping bag with Binky.  Greasers rarely were up early if they didn’t have to be, and being Sunday that meant usually not until noon.  “Johnny ?  Dat be youse ?  Whatcha need ?”

Peanut was startled at the way Johnny was looking.  He seemed really frazzled, his hair out of place.  A Greaser never let his hair get out of place, even in a fight.  Johnny stared owlishly at Peanut.  “Where....Ise everybody ?”, he got out.

“Why...Dey sleepin’, y’know....”, Peanut answered uncertianly.  “Dis here’s Sunday, y’know, nobody’s up early....”

“Den wake 'em up”, Johnny ordered, “Right now, have dem meets up wid me’s out front.” 

“Well...Ok, busts they ain’t gonna like being woke up so soon, y’know....”, Peanut began.

“RIGHTS NOW !!!!!”, Johnny practically screamed, cutting him off.  Peanut jumped at the forcefulness of his demand, and scurried to comply.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 Still, it took a good 15 minutes to get everybody assembled and out front.  As the Greasers filed out the Autoshop door, grumbling, Johnny was pacing back and forth impatiently.  The Greasers lined up, somewhat nervously.  They hadn’t seen Johnny this wild-looking since....Well, since last year, right before Total Mayhem at the school that one night.  Peanut spoke up in a subdued voice, “K, Johnny, everybody’s here....Cept, Norton and Hal....So, what’s up ?”

Johnny continued pacing as he spoke.  “Lola....She didn’t come home last night !”

At first nobody said anything.  Then some mumbling arose, mostly in the course of, so what ?  While Johnny had been gone, and Lola had still been here, it wasn’t unusual for her to drop out of sight for days or even weeks at a time.  Since she had quit school last Summer, they had pretty much stopped keeping track of her, only seeing her occasionally in New Coventry, or the rare times she came to the Autoshop to see them.  So, they didn’t really understand what Johnny was all worked up about.

Johnny noticed their reaction, and said, a bit more franticly, “Don’t youse gets it ?  She’s MISSING, prollby gots SNATCHED like dem other giols !!  We gots to Find Her !!!”

They hadn’t thought of it like that, being a little slow on the take.  “Ummm....How long she be missin’ there, Johnny ?”, Vance, who was probably the most sensitive of the Greasers, asked.

“Since shes went off on her bike yestiday”, Johnny moaned.  “Get ever-body mounted up, we needs to look for her !”

“Umm...Sure, Sure, Johnny....Right away”, Peanut said.  “We gots to find Hal, and Norton, let them know.....”

“Dey already know”, Johnny said, “Dey was at Blue Balls dis mornin’, I tolds dem.  Dey out lookin’ now.  Gets ever-body on der bikes, we search New Coventry foirst, den spread out.”

“Right”, Peanut said, then hollered, “Youse Heard Johnny !! Let’s Move Out !!”

One by one, the Greasers took to their bikes, and soon a line of them was biking out towards the school’s front gates, led by Johnny with Peanut bringing up the rear. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tony left the Boy’s Dorm and headed towards the school, last night’s dream still heavy on his mind.  Nick was still sleeping in, so he decided to go in alone.  Since the School Store was not open on Sundays, he would have to try and find Mr. Riddle elsewhere....Probably in the basement, he thought.  As he neared the main pathway and began to turn to the left, the entire Greaser Clique, it seemed, came zipping by him, led by Johnny Vincent. 

Tony stopped and watched them go by.  Where the hell were they off to in such a hurry ?  Spotting Peanut at the end of the line, he stepped out and waved at hin to stop.  Peanut almost hit him, skidding to a stop just inches away.

“What’s Going On ?”, Tony shouted to Peanut.

“Lola’s gone missing !”, Peanut explained quickly, “Since yesterday !  We’re goin’ lookin’ for her !  I gotta go now !!”

Tony nodded and stepped back.  Peanut wheeled around him and took off the catch up with the others.  Tony watched him go.

Tony’s strange dream filtered back to him.  It had directed him not only to see Mr. Riddle again, but Lola as well.  Tony stood for a while in indecision, wondering if he should join the hunt.  Then, he decided it could wait.  Missing since yesterday ?  If the Greasers didn’t find her, Tony had an idea of where she might be.

He should try to see Mr. Riddle first.  Tony turned and resumed his course for the school building.
_______________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Going in the front door of the school, Tony nearly collided with Ms. Phillips.  She seemed to be in a hurry, and was carrying a black trash bag.

“Oh Dear....Tony !”, she exclaimed.  “I...Didn’t see you there !”

“Um....That’s Ok, Ms. Phillips, my fault !”, Tony said, wondering what was in the black trash bag.  Clinking sounds were coming from it as Ms. Phillips tried to hide it.  “I’m...Um, just trying to find Mr. Riddle.”

“Oh....Mister....Riddle ?”, Ms. Phillips said absently. 

“The new Janitor”, Tony said, frowning.

“Oh....Yes, of course.....The Janitor”, Ms. Phillips said distractedly.

“Umm...Ms. Phillips, you all right ?”, Tony questioned. 

“I’m....Just fine”, Ms. Phillips answered, seeming to regain her composure.  “I just have something to take care of.  See you in class tomorrow, Ok ?”

And with that she slipped around Tony and hurried across the Patio and down the front steps.  Tony watched her go, shaking his head at her strange behavior.  What was in the black trash bag, he wondered, and why did she have a black high heel that Tony had glimpsed, sticking partway out of her purse ?  Did she carry extra shoes around ? 

Mysteries for another time, he supposed.  He could ask Constantinos, if he was around, he would probably know.  But Constantinos seemed to be pretty scarce lately, either locked in his room or gone.  Tony wondered just what was his deal.  If he was having problems, he could come to Tony and let him know.  Tony liked to think they had become good friends, after all they had been through together.  Maybe, Tony thought, with Karen and Melody’s disappearances, Constantinos didn’t feel like he should load anything else on him. 

Whatever the case, Tony would have to deal with it later, if and when he could catch Constantinos alone.  For now, he had a mission to accomplish.  He went into the school, the door closing behind him.

As he figured, the School Store was vacant and shuttered.  That left the Basement.  Tony went around the corner to the hallway and went to the door that led to the basement.  Trying the handle, he saw it was unlocked.  He opened the door and headed into the basement.
__________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

“Ooooh, look who’s here !”, Hayley said as Tiffany let Constantinos in the door.

“Who be dat boy ?”, a painfully thin, hollow-eyed girl said from the other side of the room.

A fattish girl flounced up off the bed.  “It’s that boy that done testified for us !”

Tiffany giggled. “This here’s Constantinos”, she told them, then pointed out the other girls.  “Hayley you know, that there’s Whitney and over here’s Carla.”

“Meetcha”, Constantinos mumbled, shifting his weight uncomfortably.

“What’coo get a boyfriend ?”, Whitney spouted out, sounding like she was on Crack.  “Where’s we get us some boys ?”

Carla gave her a withering look. “Like anybody would want yo’ Skinny Ass, Whit.”

“Yous should talk, you Fat Bitch !”, Whitney whipped back, he eyes bulging from her skull of a head even more than usual.  “Cows not be that attractive, y’know !”

“Can it, ladies”, Hayley said, rolling her eyes.  Turning to Tiffany, she said, “I suppose you want some private time now ?”

“If’n you all don’t mind”, Tiffany said, her eyes locked on Constantinos, her stare boring into him.  Carla and Whitney resumed their verbal sparing as Hayley went to the door and opened it.  “Com’on girls, we’re not needed here.  Let’s take a walk.”

The girls continued to fling insults at each other as Hayley ushered them out the door.  In parting, Whitney snidely remarked that Tiffany could at least share, to which Tiffany just laughed in her face.  “Get some meat on them bones, maybe we see then !”

As soon as the door shut behind the three girls, Tiffany grasped Constantinos by the belt and led him to her bed.  “That was a braaaave thing you done yesterday.  Them ole bitches had it out for the lot of us, y’know.  Wanted to send us all back up the river for what Shideed an’ LaDonna started.  But, you showed up and saved our day.”  Constantinos stood mute as she undid his belt and slid down his pants and shorts.  His bulge was already at attention.  Tiffany pushed him back on the bed and kneeled down.  “Now....Here’s your reward”, she coo’d, and engulfed him in her mouth. 

The part of his mind that was occupied with sex, a pretty substantial part where boys were concerned, totally took over.  Constantinos was just an observer along for the ride, and what a ride it was.  Tiffany bobbed her head up and down, faster and faster, until Constantinos’ world blew up.  He fell back on the bed, drained.

But Tiffany wasn’t done.  She continued to massage him.  She smiled evilly and said, “Boy, you gettin’ me some more books tonight ?”

Constantinos couldn’t speak right away.  “Ummm-Hummm”, he responded, feeling stirrings that would not abate. 

“That’s good”, Tiffany said smoothly.  “I got big plans for you, yes I do.”  As she talked softly, she wiggled out of her pants and panties with one hand while keeping the other firmly latched on to him, squeezing. 

“How many.....More books ?”, Constantinos gasped, against a tide of freshly rising passion. 

Tiffany rose and straddled him, grasping his bulge.  “All Of Them !!”, she said, ramming herself down on him.  "The Whole Library !!"  She began slamming him, harder and harder.  “You’ll get them for me, won’t you Boy ?”

“Unnnnnngh !”, Constantinos grunted, no longer in control of himself.  “Unnnnnnngh !!”

“Won’t You, Boy ?”, Tiffany repeated, her hips moving like pistons now.  “Won’t You ?”

At the edge of his passion, he could deny her nothing.  He would even murder for her, for this.
“YESSSSSSS !!!!!”, he screamed, as his universe exploded.
________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Tony headed for the steps that led down to the Furnace Room.  To his left was a brand-new gas-fired Furnace.  Long ago, someone had tapped downward into a natural gas source, probably when the school was built, as there was no ‘Gas Company’ in the Vale Valley.  Other, older buildings probably had done the same.  It was, in effect, free energy....For as long as the natural gas pocket held out. 

Tony knew his way around the basement, having been here several times before already.  He wound his way around the maze of rooms until he reached the back area.  He hadn’t been here since he and Jimmy had seen Pete and the Luntz brothers off that night back in late April.  He cautiously crept into the large back room.  Looking to the left, he saw the little alcove where there was a cot along with a small TV and Radio on a shelf.  There at the Cot was Mr. Riddle, bent over and shoving something underneath it.  Tony waited until he stood up and called, “Umm....Mr. Riddle, Sir ?”

Startled, Mr. Riddle jumped and suddenly reached into his pocket, withdrawing a small, snub-nosed revolver.  “Who’s Out There ?  Show Yourself !!!”

Tony froze in fear.  He hadn’t expected this.  Who was this Mr. Riddle anyway ?  “Uhhh....It’s....Just me, Mr. Riddle....Tony Calderone !!  Don’t shoot !!”

“Whadda you doin’ down here kid ?”, Mr. Riddle snarled.  “This is my private area !”

“Umm...I know that, Sir....", Tony began, haltingly.  “But I used to come down here when Mr. Luntz was down here....And, I didn’t think you’d mind any....I need some help, you see, and....”

Mr. Riddle remained tense for a bit longer, then relaxed when he saw that it was just Tony and that nobody else was with him.  He stuck the gun away.  “Still, kid, you shouldn’t be down here”, he said.  “You might get hurt.”

“You left the door unlocked”, Tony pointed out.  “I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

“I was told to do that”, Mr. Riddle grumbled.  “Something about kids having fights in ‘The Hole’, whatever that means.”

Tony half-smiled, and explained about the Hole Fights.  Mr. Riddle listened, and when Tony was through, remarked, “Guess that’s one way to settle scores.  Crude, but effective.”

“Seems to work”, Tony said, “Although it hasn’t been used much lately.”  He was thinking of Tad maybe fighting Hal over their incident at the Carnival, but the stuck-up Preppies didn’t much like to use the Hole, preferring to use their Boxing Ring instead. 

“So, what kinda help you need ?”, Mr Riddle asked.  “Still about the missing girls ?”

Shocked, Tony replied, “Of course it is !  What do you think, that it’s some other stupid thing ?  Why do you think I’d even come to you ?”

“Why DID you come to me ?”, Mr. Riddle asked, intrigued.

“Well, I....I...”, sputtered Tony.  He was so close to anger over Mr. Riddle’s first questions that this last question threw him.  Tony stood with his mouth open, indecisive.  If Tony told him that he was here because of some dream, Mr. Riddle would likely laugh in his face.  But what else could he say ?   

Finally, Tony sighed.  In for a penny, in for a pound, he thought.  “It’s....Because of these dreams I have.  They show me.....Well, they show me the School Store....With you behind the counter.  Kinda stupid reason, I know....”

Instead of ridiculing Tony, Mr. Riddle said, “There’s something to be said for dreams.  Sometimes, they’re pre-cognitive, you know.  It’s even said that Lincoln had a dream he was gonna die before he got shot.”

“So....You don’t think that’s...Dumb ?”, Tony asked in surprise.

“Tell me....Do you have these kind of dreams often ?”, Mr. Riddle asked.

“Uhh....Well, yes...."  Tony answered, then added,  “But most of them before showed me the worst that could happen, bombs, explosions, dead people....”

“And did those things happen ?’, pursued Mr. Riddle.

“Yeah, the bombs and explosions happened”, Tony said, “But not the dead people, because....Because....”

“Because you prevented that”, Mr. Riddle told him.  “Somehow, you kept whatever was going to happen FROM happening.  Not all dreams foretell the future, Tony.  Some foretell what MIGHT BE if nothing gets done to stop it.  Don’t you see ?”

“Well....Yeah”, Tony said, with a troubled look.  “But....They’re different now.  I’m in this, like, Dome place or something, and it’s really weird....”  Tony went on to describe his latest dreams, starting with the one he had the night before Karen and Melody went missing, concluding with last night’s dream.  “So....I really don’t understand these so well.”

“Tell me Tony”, Mr. Riddle said, appearing lost in thought, “Do they leave you clues ?  Any clues at all ?”

“Not really....I came to you for the clues !”, Tony answered.  “And, it was a dead end !  Karen and Melody weren’t at that Church !”

“You say there wasn’t any clues ?”, Mr. Riddle asked.  “Weren’t there ?  Think.”

Tony did think.  He turned and closed his eyes, dwelling on those dreams.  As he concentrated, voices returned to in his mind.

“The ones you seek, they are not here, nor have they been !”
"You Must look elsewhere for them, in a place far from here !”

Unbidden, more voices floated up into his mind.

“Your friend was in our care.....we sent him away to different place.”
“You young ones are known to us....The Heros of Bullworth”
“All things are possible under the care of the Ultimate !”
“Here, take this...It might provide a clue.”
“They are also unclean and corrupt !”

Tony’s eyes flew open.  There was more !  From....Where, exactly ?

Mr. Riddle smiled. “Here’s another”, he said. “Riddle me this....In the place of great despair, where souls have lost all hope, does the one with the most jagged mind hold the key that is sought ?”

Tony had a confused look on his face at Mr. Riddle’s pronouncement.  “What does that mean ?”

“It means what it means, kid”, Mr. Riddle said.  “It up to you to figure it out.”

“But....I Can’t !”, Tony said, then dropped his voice to a near whisper.  “I just Can’t.”

“You figured out the one that led to the Church, didn’t you ?”, Mr. Riddle asked.

“Well....Yeah...”, Tony said, “But....Why can’t you just tell me ?  Why the riddles ?”

Mr. Riddle began to pace up and down.  “You know, Tony, you’re famous now.  Everyone in the world who cares to turn on a computer knows your story, and the story of Bullworth.  There’s people who would like to help....Want to help.  But, they can’t do it directly.”

“What does that mean ?”, Tony asked, “Can’t do it directly ?”

“There’s more than just the Cops and the FBI looking in on this case”, Mr. Riddle answered, “But, they don’t know where the girls are.  No one does, except their kidnappers.  But, there’s people who are trying to help, from a distance.  They have to take what they’ve learned about this place, and provide some kind of clues.”

“Who are these....Others ?”, Tony asked. “Why would they want to help me ?”

“When you and your friends brought down the corruption here, that in turn brought down a Crime Syndicate.  Not just any Syndicate, the biggest in the country.  For that, there’s bound to be.....Repercussions.  Since you and your friends are still out here, in the open, there’s a possibility that you could become....Targets.   Then again, there’s some people that want to see that you stay alive and all right.  And, they are working in your behalf, trying to point you in the right direction.”

“But....We’re just Kids !”, Tony exclaimed.  “And everything oughta be safe now, Safe !”

“Fact is”, Mr. Riddle said, somewhat sadly, “No one is ever really safe.  You have to guard your life, every day.  Some more than others.”

Frustrated, Tony dropped his head.  This was a lot to take in.  He needed time to think.  Raising his head, he eyed Mr. Riddle.  “Who are you, really, Mr. Riddle ?”

Mr. Riddle stared back a bit before answering.  “I’m just a man. kid.  Nothing more.”

“And, are you sure you don’t know Mr. Luntz ?”, Tony asked.

“Nope”, Mr. Riddle replied blandly.  “I don’t know anybody by that name at all.”
____________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Pinky had finally had it.  Coming downstairs from her and Tad’s room at Harington House, she was shocked to see that high-class Slut Vanessa sitting in Tad’s lap.  Tad’s chair had it’s back to the stairway, and even though Vanessa could have easily looked around and seen Pinky on the stairs, she was too busy fiddling with Tad’s hair to notice. 

Pinky moved noiselessly down the stairs in her bare feet, fuming.  Sure she had slept in, this was a Sunday, after all.  But what right did it give that Tramp to move in on what was supposed to be her man ?  Not that it was the first time she had laid her hands on him, oh no.  There had been a few other occasions where Pinky had caught her touching him, flirting with him. 

Pinky carefully removed one of the decorative Cricket Paddles from the wall at the foot of the stairs.  There was no one else in the huge room except the three of them, and Pinky crept closer to the chair until she was almost directly behind it.  Vanessa caught a movement from the corner of her eye, and looked up just in time to see the Cricket Paddle arcing towards her face.

WHACK !!!!!!!  Vanessa was knocked off Tad’s lap and went sprawling on the floor.  She rolled once and got up on her elbows, her dark hair hanging disheveled in her face.  A trickle of blood ran down her temple.  She glared at Pinky standing by the chair wielding the Cricket Paddle.

“You Low-Life BITCH !!!”, Vanessa growled in a very un-ladylike voice.  “How DARE You Attack Me !!!!”  Quick as a flash, she was on her feet, advancing on Pinky, apparently without fear. 

Pinky wasn’t expecting her to get up.  She backed a step up, taking another swing with the Paddle that only hit empty air.  Tad had recovered from his initial shock and began to rise from the chair.  “I Say, Pinks, What On Earth Are You Doin....”

WHACK !!!!!!!  Pinky’s next backswing smacked Tad full in the face, and he fell back into the chair.  Blood spurted from his nose in a spray.  “Ohhh, My Word !!!”, he cried, “My Dose !!!!”

“Who Are You Calling A Low-Life, You High-Flouting SLUT !!!!”, Pinky screamed, totally ignoring Tad and his busted nose.

“I Hear Girls Like You Marry For Money, Guess You Don’t Have A Trust Fund Anymore !!”, Vanessa shot back.

“What’s The Matter, You Run Out Of Cousins ?”, Pinky yelled. “That Why You Came Here ?”

“Low-Rent Is Always Low-Rent, And I Hear That’s What You’re Going To Be, Miss Poor Broke Bitch !!!”, Vanessa screamed back.

“Now You’ve Gone And Done It !!”, Pinky shouted, enraged.  “You’ll Be Sorry !!”  She began to advance on Vanessa once more, swinging the Paddle.  Quickly, Vanessa ran to the other side of the room, grabbing another decorative Cricket Paddle off the wall and whirling around.

“Come At Me, Bitch !!”, Vanessa screamed, “Come At Me Now !!!”

The other Preps who had been in the Common Lounge on the second floor had heard the commotion, and had quickly lined up along the upstairs railing.  This was very interesting, as none of them had ever seen two Prep Girls go at it before.  Soon, they even began to cheer the fight on, being unable to help themselves.

”How Exciting, A Girl Fight !!!”
“I Say, Kick Her Ass, Vanessa !!”
“Knock Her Block Off, Pinky !!”
“Fight !!  Fight !!  Fight !!”

Pinky Advanced on Vanessa.  “You TRAMP !!!  I Saw What You Were Doing With Him !!”

“Are You Mentally Damaged Or Something ??”, Vanessa shouted, swinging the Paddle at Pinky.

“Do You Know What You Just Did ?  Do You ??”, Pinky yelled, ducking the blow.

“I Hear You’ve Dated From A Lower Social Class !!”, Vanessa gloated, stepping closer and landing a blow to Pinky’s shoulder.

“OUCH !!!", Pinky howled, backing up a bit.  “Step Away From Me !!”

Vanessa swung again, but missed.  “You’re Just A Thug In Good Clothes !!”

Pinky swung back and also missed. “Do You Really Think You’re Interesting to Tad ?”

“Better Than You”, Vanessa swung back.  "You’re Just Compensating For Being A LOOSER !”

“You’re A Sick, Evil, Psycho Creep !!”, Pinky shouted, striking back and catching Vanessa in the side.

“Ooooff !!!  You BITCH”, Vanessa screamed.  She retreated a couple steps, but as Pinky advanced, she began flailing away with the Paddle again.  Both Girls were swinging hard now, with none of the swings connecting as they continued to swear at each other.

CRACK !!!!  Suddenly, the two Cricket Paddles met in mid-air and broke in half.  Screaming in rage, Vanessa threw the broken handle aside and charged at Pinky, hands extended, trying to claw at her eyes.  Instead, she wound up scratching Pinky’s face.

Owww !!”, Pinky screamed, “Did You Just Touch Me ??” 

Both Girls began clawing at each other, then began yanking on each other’s hair.  The Preps on the railing above witnessed a strange dance, as the girls pulled themselves awkwardly about the room, grunting and cursing.  The Preps on the railing increased their calls with cheers and whistles as the girls finally pulled each other to the floor, rolling around like dirty sandlot fighters.  In those close quarters, the weak punches of the girls had little effect, until Pinky managed to push Vanessa away from her a bit and then rammed the handle of the broken Paddle deep into Vanessa’s stomach.

“Uuuuuggghh !!!”, Vanessa gasped, and then began to gag.  She rolled over on all fours and threw up.  “You....Insane....Bitch !”, she sputtered.

“Yeah, OK, Whatever, Psycho”, Pinky said, rising to her feet and planting a solid kick to Vanessa’s ass.  She went sprawling, still puking.  The fight was over.

Pinky stood, breathing heavily.  She stared at a defeated Vanessa for a bit, then looked around for Tad.  He was still sitting in his chair, eyes closed and hands to his face, moaning over his busted nose.  She marched over to his chair.

“I’m Leaving”, she announced. “We Are Over, Understand ??”

“But...But....Pinks....Come on, now....”, Tad snuffled, blood still leaking from his nose.

“Why Are You Even Talking To Me, Tad ?”, Pinky said. “I’m Done !”

With that, Pinky stalked off, climbing the stairs to her room to pack up her things.  She pushed through the other Preps who were congratulating her without a word.  Deep down, her emotions were swirling....Anger, most certainly, but also a sense of triumph for having kicked that pretentious bitch’s ass. 

As she was packing up, she gave no thought to the fact that she herself had been cheating with Tony just a couple of nights ago.  In Pinky’s world, that made no difference whatsoever.  Derby and her had cheated on each other, and often, of that there was no doubt.  But at the very least, they both had the breeding not to flaunt it around each other. 

She hauled her bags, a bit painfully, out of the room and down the stairs.  The rest of the Preps had dispersed back to their common lounge, without bothering to attend to Vanessa, who was laying on the floor in her own puke.  Tad was still sitting in his chair, bleeding.  She walked past without saying anything, and left Harrington Hall for good.
___________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Tony used the Basement door that faced the Parking Lot to leave the school.  There were still many questions in his mind, and he felt he should maybe take a ride to sort things out.  Perhaps, something would occur to him that he was missing.  He headed over to the Garage Area of the Autoshop that faced the Parking Lot, unlocked and raised the Garage door where his bike was.  Pulling it out, he closed the door and began to ride, going through the gate to the long access road. 

Coming to Valley Valley Boulevard, he hung a left and rode on to the Vale.  He biked around aimlessly for awhile, then decided to return to the ‘Scene of the Crime’, as it were.  He headed off towards Vale Valley Road, and finally came to a stop at the place just West of the little bridge where the Abduction had apparently taken place.  Sitting on the curb by the road, he ran things through his mind once more as he stared at the street.  What was he missing ? 

Clues.  What clues did he have ?  There was Mr. Riddle’s riddle.  There were the Ghostly Voices of his dreams.  There was the scraps of information he had gotten from others.  How did it all make sense ?  It was like a large, oppressive weight bearing down down on him.  Tony sighed.  He had the feeling that he could make all the connection lines on all the charts up in his Mediator’s Office and still not find the answers he needed.

Tony remembered seeing an old movie called “Demon With A Glass Hand”, about this man from the future with no memory.  The man had a computer for a hand, but it was missing some fingers, and he was being chased by Aliens, also from the future, who wanted to kill him and take his glass-hand computer.  As the show progressed, the man had to find his missing glass-fingers and plug them in to the glass-hand computer, much like a ‘finger drive’ would plug into a USB port.  The glass-hand computer could actually speak to the character when he sought information as to who he was and why he was there, telling him certain things, but also letting him know “I Am Incomplete.  My Mechanism Is Not Whole.  I Can Serve You Better If I Am Complete.”  The character’s name, ironically, was Trent.

Tony was feeling a bit like ‘Trent’ right now....Clueless about what the Clues meant.  But in thinking, there was one clue he hadn’t tracked down yet, that of his dream vision of Lola.  Tony couldn’t imagine what she could possibly tell him about any of this.  And although they hadn’t really spoken since last winter, when he and the Chef had delivered her to the Bus Station in a raging snowstorm, Tony felt that Lola would be willing to help him in his quest to find Karen and Melody.  But to be able to talk with her, he felt certain that the only way to do that was for them to be alone, without Johnny Vincent being around, given his obvious jealousy problems. 

Tony rose from his spot on the curb and mounted up on his bike.  It was time to go join the hunt for Lola, although he had a feeling he wouldn’t have to look too far.  He didn’t believe she had been snatched or kidnapped like Karen and Melody, because what Mr. Riddle had said made sense....It was Tony and his friends, the girls included, that were the targets.  Tony had the growing conviction that the girls had been taken as some form of revenge.  Their disappearances had been quick, efficient, and with no witnesses whatsoever, and that spoke of some sort of professional planning.

Since Lola had played no part in the events which Tony and his friends had done to bring down the corruption in the Vale Valley (and elsewhere, as it turned out), it was very unlikely she would have been abducted by those seeking to avenge themselves.  If what Mr. Riddle had relayed to him was true, he and his friends....Nick, Laurent, Constantinos, and maybe even Ray....Were still in danger.  Snatching the girls may have only just been the beginning.
________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Nick finally awoke well after Noon.  Unlike Tony, he had no pre-cogitative dreams, or dreams of any kind, it seemed.  At least none that he could ever remember.  Sometimes he wondered if Tony was just making all that shit up, or had an overactive imagination.  Still, he had to admit, from what he had heard, there might be something to it after all.  But just not for him.

Nobody was around, the Dorm was practically a ghost town.  Nick didn’t want to be cooped up in the Dorm, anyway.  He decided to head down to the Football Field, and maybe hang out with the Jocks if he could.  They were the only Clique he really felt comfortable being around, since they had accepted him as nearly one of their own after his rescue of Damon from the Asylum.  On his way down there, he kept a sharp eye out for Beatrice.  That was one crazy bitch he didn’t want to be running into today, or ever again if he could help it.

As he approached the Field, he could see that the Jocks were being run through some kind of practice drills in the early afternoon heat.  He went down the steps anyway and headed over to the bleachers.  Mandy had the new Cheerleaders out too, in their skimpy outfits, and at least he could watch them, he figured.  As he looked up in the bleachers, he saw a couple other people and climbed up to join them.

It turned out to be that kid Lance and the big boy, Bob.  Nick didn’t really know either of them very well, but they seemed friendly enough when he greeted them and sat down.  After some initial polite conversation, Nick found out that Bob wasn’t feeling too well and had been excused from the practice drills.  Lance had been assigned to look after him,in case he got sick or something.

It seemed that Bob was suffering from the effects of heat exhaustion just a mite.  His large face was beefy and reddish.  Lance had put a wet towel over his head and it seemed to be helping.  Nick thought it might have been better to keep him in the shade, but he didn’t say anything.  After a while of small talk, Lance asked him a question.

“Hey, ummm....I heard you guise, like went to that Church”, Lance said. “Is that true ?”

“More than that, we went into that Church”, Nick replied, his eyes on Mandy and the Cheerleaders.  One of them reminded him of Melody, and that made him sad. 

“Inside !?”, Lance said incredulously.  “What was it like in there ?”

Nick wondered just how this kid had heard about their adventure.  He concluded that Ray had probably blabbed about it to someone.  Word traveled fast around this place, it seemed.  He wished could find out just what happened to the girls.  He gave Lance a brief version of the inside of the Church and their events that took place while they were in there. He concluded with, “It really didn’t seem all that helpful. We didn’t find any clues as to what happened to the girls.”

HERE, TAKE THIS....IT MIGHT PROVIDE A CLUE.  The sudden forcefulness of the voice that slammed into his mind unnerved him.  A ghostly image of a Cell Phone dropping into a hand accompanied the unreal voice.  Where had that come from ?

“Man, that Sucks”, Lance went on.  “So, you guys got any ideas where to look next ?”

AS FOR THE ONES YOU SEEK, THEY ARE NOT HERE, NOR HAVE THEY BEEN.  YOU MUST LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR THEM, IN A PLACE FAR FROM HERE.  The voice came again, just as forceful as the first time.  Nick closed his eyes and shook his head.  What was this ?

“Hey...Um, Nick ?”, Lance said, “Something wrong ?  Heat gettin’ to you ?”

WE SENT HIM AWAY TO A DIFFERENT PLACE.  IT IS NOT OUR MISSION HERE TO LOOK AFTER SUCH CHILDREN.  The voice continued to echo in his mind like a Megaphone.  Nick felt nearly sick to his stomach. 

“Hey...Nick !”, Lance exclaimed, seemingly from far away.  “Snap out of it, Man !”

BUT YOU WILL NOT REMEMBER THAT, OR ANY OF THIS.  The voice spoke again, but fading now.  Abruptly, Nick’s mind cleared.  He raised his head and blinked, looking over at Lance.  “Err...I’m alright, I guess.  Just a...Something.  Ok now.”

“Maybe you’ve taken too many punches”, Lance observed, knowing of Nick’s fighting prowess.

“No...I don’t think so”, Nick said, but nevertheless still felt a bit sick.  “I’ll be fine, seriously.”

“Bob No Feel So Good”, Bob suddenly piped up.  “Maybe Go To Infirmary Now.”

Lance looked over, startled.  “Oh !  Course, big guy.  I’ll walk you over.”  Turning back to Nick, he said, “You gonna be alright ?”

“Yeah, just fine”, Nick answered absently.  He was dwelling on something the voice said.  “You guys go on, I’m gonna just sit here awhile.”

“Ok, if you’re sure”, Lance said, rising.  “Com’on Bob, let’s go.”

Lance and Bob left then.  Nick watched them go.  He then sat there awhile, looking back at the Cheerleaders.  The one reminded him of Melody.  What had that voice said ?

The Cell Phone.  Something about the Cell Phone.  Melody’s Cell Phone.  Some kind of clue ?  But that wasn’t possible.  Tony had checked it out, he had watched him do it.  But had he checked everything ?  What if they had missed something ?

Nick rose to his feet.  The Cell Phone was stashed in a drawer back in their Dorm room.  He trotted down the bleachers and headed up the steps by the Gym, heading back to the Boy’s Dorm.  He had to find out.
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[BloodChuckZ]

Christy returned to the house to find Winkie sitting on the porch stoop.  She climbed the short steps and sat down beside him.

“Hey, Babe, where’ya been ?”, Winkie greeted.  He’d been asleep, as he had a gig to play that night.

“To the Store”, Christie answered, pulling out a Zagnuts candy bar for Winkie and handing it to him.  “This heat is Soooo Annoying.”  It had been a rather hot week by New England standards, and she was perspiring.

Winkie unwrapped the candy bar and bit into it, his favorite.  “Thanks for the candy bar”, he said between bites.  “This a special occasion ?”

“I had to go to the Store cause I was bored”, Christy said.  “I feel like summer break should be, like five months long, and not so hot all the time.”

“So, anything interesting happen ?”, Winkie said conversationally, still munching.

“No...Not really”, Christy said.  “Except.....I ran into Ms. Phillips on the way home.  She was acting....Strange.”

“Strange how ?”, Winkie said, licking his fingers of the melted chocolate as he finished the candy bar.

“Um, well...”, Christy said, dropping into her gossip mode.  “I don’t really know.  She was kinda....Spacey.  More than usual, that is.  She told me I was going to have to take over her classes for a few days, cause she had something to do.  And then, she started asking me questions about Miss Jones.”

“What kinda questions ?”. Winkie asked, not really caring but humoring her, as always.

“About where Miss Jones was Friday, what she was doing after school, stuff like that”, Christy answered.  “I told her I didn’t know, I left right after classes and came home, as you well know.  All that time, she was looking at my feet, at my shoes I guess.  Then, she asked what my shoe size was.  So, I told her, what a strange thing to be asking, but she insisted I take one of my shoes off and show her !  So, I did, and she saw it was size 8 and gave it back to me.  Then she pulled this black high-heel out of her purse and asked me if I’d ever seen that before, and I told her sure, there’s a lot of black shoes like that, a lot of women wear them around here, but it did look like someone with small feet, cause the shoe wasn’t that big, y’see.  So then she just sighs, and says she had to get going and she’d see me tomorrow before school and give me the lesson plans for the week.  Then she just walked away, muttering something.  Real strange.”

“Um, So...What ?”, Winkie asked, “Did she think that shoe was yours, or something ?”

“Eh, I don’t know”, Christy said.  “But everybody knows I don’t wear heels much, I always wear loafers, cause I’m too tall anyway.”

“It’s a wonder she didn’t have you try it on”, Winkie joked, “Just to see.”

“I thought she was going to, there for a second !”, Christy exclaimed.  “I could almost see her wanting to, then she just stuffed it back into her purse.”

“Hmmm”, Winkie said, for lack of anything better.  “Well, I don’t really know the lady...She seems nice enough....”

“Yeah, but Ms. Phillips hits on male students”, Christy said disdainfully.  “She has them paint pictures of her in Art Class, reclining on a sofa.  Those boys eat it up, sniff around her like dogs in heat.  I think she gets off on it.”

Winkie greeted that comment with a shrug.  About every school had a hot teacher that teen boys were liable to whack off to.  It was almost like a tradition.  The conversation lagged as Christy perspired more in the heat.  She stared idly down at her worn loafers.  Maybe it was time for some new shoes.  “I wish I had, like five thousand dollars so I could go buy everything”, she said wistfully.

“We’ll get there, Babe, someday”, Winkie answered.  “It just takes time, y’know.”

Christy sighed.  “I know....It’s just that....I think I ought to get some 'grown-up’ shoes, if I’m going to be taking over her class for awhile.  They all treat me like I’m still a student, maybe if I looked older, or something, I’d get more respect....”

“Well, I suppose we could afford some things...”, Winkie allowed.

Christy turned to him.  “Then...Could you be a dear and walk with me to the Clothes Store ?  That would be just Super !”

Winkie nodded, smiling.  Christy seemed energized at the idea of shopping.  She leapt up and hurried inside to put away the stuff she had gotten from the Yum-Yum Store.  Then she rejoined Winkie, ready to go.  Arm in arm, they headed off to the Worn-In Clothing Store.
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