September 9, 2019

Westerberg High Student News

DAY ONE: WHAT TO EXPECT FOR FRESHMEN

By Diana Leigh (senior year)

My dear Freshmen: Welcome to high school! I know, this is a sudden change for some of you. Perhaps, others have had siblings who have told you what to expect. Nonetheless, I am writing this to give you all some advice that you would do well to remember.

This school is haunted. There's really no way to say it more bluntly. This article will tell you the story behind it, as well as my encounters with the ghosts, and what to do to keep them satisfied.

40 years ago, this school was 'ruled' by a clique known as the Heathers- so named because there were three girls, all named Heather. Heather McNamara, who was the head cheerleader; Heather Duke, who ran the yearbook committee; and Heather Chandler, the almighty. Some had described her as a 'Mythic Bitch'. Incredibly ruthless, a word from any of them could send your social life into hell. A former student, Veronica Sawyer, told me, "If there was anyone who could raise you from obscurity, only to send you plummeting back, it was the Heathers. I would know, because they did it for me."

Ms Sawyer proceeded to tell me the whole story. "It all started when I forged a hall pass. I can't get in trouble for that, 40 years later, can I? Duke was in the bathroom, as her bulimia was acting up, and McNamara and Chandler were hanging out, trying to avoid class. I was also there, doing my business, and then Ms Fleming walks in, ready to hand out detentions to anyone out past the bell.

"I saw my chance to get on the Heathers' good side, so I forged a hall pass, saying we were on the yearbook committee. Ms Fleming bought it, hook, line and sinker. As soon as she left, Chandler interrogated me, asking what I wanted. Originally, I just wanted to sit at their lunch table so people wouldn't bully me so much. However, McNamara really stood up for me, saying I'd make a good addition to the clique. They gave me a makeover and invited me into their social circle. It was fun. While it lasted.

"A new kid showed up, just for the year. Tall, dark hair, sparkling grey eyes… total dreamboat. Kurt Kelly and Ram Sweeney saw me talking to him, and decided- for some reason- to beat up the new kid. (New kid, by the way, was Jason Dean, or JD as I called him.) Yeah, the two jocks didn't get far. Turned out JD was really clever and strong, and he kicked both their asses. JD took me out for slushies after. He told me he liked the pain of brain freezes. Weird. But, I was still infatuated.

"That weekend, we had a huge party at Ram Sweeney's place. Everyone got completely hammered, including me. I remember, sorta, throwing up all over Heather Chandler's new coat. She promised to kill me on Monday. So, in my drunk, high, state, I decided the best course of action was to go and sleep with the new kid whom I'd met literally the day before. He was my first.

"Heather was really hungover the next day, so I went over to make her a hangover remedy and do some major ass-kissing to make up for the last night. JD came with me. We got there, and see she's dead. Glass table shattered, a cup in her hand. She'd drunk drain cleaner. Not sure why she of all people would commit suicide, but Ms Fleming said we couldn't judge from outward appearances. You can probably find a copy of Heather Chandler's suicide note in the newspaper archives somewhere. It was a pretty big story.

"Her funeral was packed. So many people. Pretty sure that made the news too. You can ask your parents about it. Practically everyone in the town was there. Ram and Kurt invited me, Heather Duke and Heather McNamara on a double date, with me as designated driver. Right after my best friend's funeral! Well, they weren't the smartest. I agreed. Turns out, McNamara kept her and Duke from date rape by offering me up for date rape. Barely managed to fend off a wasted Kurt and Ram, and gave them more booze.

"Next morning- monday morning- my whole life went to sh*t. Kurt and Ram, those f**king d*cks, spread a rumour, saying they'd had a nice lil sword fight in my mouth, if you get what I'm saying. After school, that day, they beat up JD pretty good. He was so angry… Gave them a good tongue lashing. I'm surprised he didn't kill those d*cks right then and there. The very next day, JD and I were out behind the school making out in his car, a cop comes up and asks us if we'd heard anything suspicious. We said, yes, we'd heard three gunshots, maybe 20 minutes prior. Didn't think much more of it.

"We get to school, find out it's been cancelled because Kurt and Ram killed themselves in a double suicide. The Linebacker and the Quarterback, turns out, were in a gay relationship. Didn't want to live in this prejudiced world anymore, so they killed themselves. Their suicide note's also in the newspaper archives. Honestly, I don't blame them. Back in the late '80s, everyone was prejudiced. Things have definitely changed.

"We go to the funeral. Not quite as packed as Chandler's, but still pretty crowded. Kurt and Ram's fathers said they'd've been supportive if they'd've known. And then immediately proceeded to kiss in front of everyone. In church! Everyone was shocked but supportive.

"JD and I fought that night. Our first big fight as a couple. I broke up with him. If I had known what he was planning, I wouldn't've. To get my attention back, he created a bomb, planned to blow up the school. He was willing to kill everyone in Westerberg High, just for me to love him again. The night he picked, there was a pep rally- to boost everyone's spirits after the multiple suicides. JD had thermals upstairs in the gym, but the starter bomb was in the boiler room. He was ranting, almost delusional, thinking I was a ghost, maybe the ghost of his mother?

"He was going to press the trigger.

"I talked him out of it, but there was still the matter of the bomb. The timer wouldn't stop. He grabbed it and ran outside to the football pitch, where it exploded, killing him. I miss him, still. But, I've moved on. I just hope all their spirits have too."

I didn't have the heart to tell Ms Sawyer the school's still haunted.

THE GHOSTS

We believe there are five ghosts haunting this school.

One, in the girls' restrooms, we believe to be Heather Chandler. She appears in the mirrors and, apparently, has turned the faucet water into drain cleaner.

Two, roaming the halls and cafeteria, we believe to be Kurt Kelly and Ram Sweeney. They don't have a physical form, from what I've heard, but their force has been felt. They've been known to smack lunch trays from students' hands, and particularly target freshmen.

Three, haunting the football pitch, we believe is Jason Dean. A very hazy figure, he's hard to spot, but if you lock eyes with him, it's said you'll experience a headache like a brainfreeze.

Four, in the boiler room, is an unknown ghost. No physical form, only echoes and whispers. One witness says they heard a sing-songy masculine voice, repeating 'Our Love is God' over and over. Someone else said they heard a whisper in their ear, asking for Veronica, before feeling a sharp pain in their side, as though they had been shot. A third witness had heard a male voice repeating the number Seventeen. The number 17 has been carved into and painted on the walls more times than possible to count, and no matter the efforts to cover up the damages, the number still remains.

Next week's article will document my experiences with these ghosts. That's right, I got permission from the school to spend five nights consecutively in the halls of Westerberg High. I may have had some help from Ms Sawyer, who convinced the school board to let me figure out once and for all what's happening here.

Diana Leigh, signing off.