The Final Blow

By Ten Black Roses

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"I'm sorry Todd, but you know speaking while class is in session is highly prohibited" Pointed Ms. Jewls out.

"But I only sneezed" Todd responded, raising his arms out.

"TWICE! That's a ticket to the kindergarten bus"

Ms. Jewls was only about to completely circle Todd's name, until she noticed he stood up and took action once more.

"Wait, Ms. Jewls, it doesn't seem right for me to constantly get this same punishment every time I commit an infraction I don't mean to happen intentionally" Replied Todd.

Ms. Jewls placed the chalk on the table.

"Well it's only the rules, Todd, It matters nothing if you make it an accident"

"Yes I, know" Began Todd, pointing out.

"But the problem is I don't think it will work out for me very well, at least with this repetition".

Ms. Jewls placed her hand on her face in sheer bewilderment.

"What are you trying to say, Todd?" She asked.

"Nothing that involves altering our legal system, I just want a diverse penalty instead of having to miss half to even four fifths of the class. Maybe I can finally reach the end without any problem" Said Todd while walking around for a limited sum.

"But what do you propose? I'm not sure the rules can have any crafty suggestions" Ms. Jewls asked.

Todd was almost really at sea on that claim. He looked at his feet in order to allow him entrance into thinking. Fruitfully, it was easier that way.

"Maybe you can give me something similar to an extracurricular activity like…say for instance, Louis' job for part time only, how's that?" said Todd.

Ms. Jewls mimicked Todd in what he had done in order to reach the same impact he had managed to get up towards.

Ms. Jewls smiled.

"Todd, you are a smart boy! I think we can add that to the list, said and done!" Ms. Jewls said, rubbing Todd's name out of the chalkboard.

Todd's expression quickly distorted itself into something more satiated. In what his efforts could be judged, this idea was clearly one he knew served him well.

"Thank you, Ms. Jewls! Now, can I have permission to go to the bathroom, please?" He asked.

Ms. Jewls couldn't stop herself from half frowning before her reply.

"I would, but seeing that Mauricia is using the restroom, I don't think it's a good idea… I'm not sure why, but I would highly recommend you waiting"

Todd wondered towards the way Ms. Jewls replied. He could see she shared a small amount of odd concern for this.

"But can I go anyway?"

Ms. Jewls now found herself in a room of qualm inducing apprehension. It looked like it when she tried to even make an effort in choosing what to reply for.

"I suppose there's no rule stating you can't go, is there Dana?"

Dana took out her enormous book before replying, and placing a finger on her tongue which later tapped a page.

"No, no there isn't! Although there is a mention about road hogs in the hallways, but that's virtually unlikely in these circumstances, no fun there!"

Ms. Jewls faced to look at Todd.

"All right Todd, go ahead!" Replied Ms. Jewls joyously, if a bit uncertain.

"Thanks Ms. Jewls! I really need this after an hour!" said Todd before heading out the door.

Having finally made his business, Todd headed out towards class. His expedient comfort was all he needed to make him think worrying was a thing of the past.

If not the eventual sound of ineffective roller-skates heading behind him.

He stopped to turn around.

"Hey Todd! I didn't expect you to leave at the same time I did!" Mauricia said while folding her fingers together as usual.

"Well it's quite apparent I had to get something over with! But now I'm just glad to…"

THWACK!

His words blinded him as he could not become aware in time to see Mauricia's fist slam him thoroughly backwards. Eventually, the hit's impulse was not strong enough to eschew him out of loosing his balance. He tried to stand straight while walking backwards once the force decreased moderately.

"Oh my lord, no!" said Todd as soon as he felt his last step to be the edge of a couple of stairs.

The efforts of his balance in persisting long enough for him to move forward was insubstantial as he could see the ceiling starting to turn over. The last thing on his mind in taking for granted how much this would hurt.

If only Mauricia could have seen what happened once Todd finally headed down. The last thing she could view was his entire self launching towards his back on the stairs. Ms. Jewls hadn't anticipated anybody but Mauricia's return primarily.

"Hi, Mauricia, um, where's Todd?" She asked.

"Oh, don't worry, he'll get here soon" She replied tactlessly while placing her hands behind her head.

The lone teacher couldn't do anything to stop that identical feeling from plaguing her doubts once more. Why did she keep on letting that same presentiment to block her train of thought?

"Well, I hope he gets here soon" She replied.

Two hours had passed before Ms. Jewls checked her watch, her goldfish mimicking the action.

"Well, it looks like Todd decided to ditch class today! How I ever chose to trust that little runt!" Ms. Jewls Proclaimed crossly. She grabbed the chalk board and wrote the standard discipline square

"I'm returning to the normal standardized penalty for this class, and if there's one person who won the privilege, I'll know it by simply looking at him!" She commanded while writing and eventually circling Todd's name.

"Hey Ms. Jewls! I didn't know we got a new ice cream truck!" interrupted Myron, looking out the window to see an ambulance.

"That's one big popsicle!" He added as two guys carrying a stretcher came inside the school.

"Myron, haven't we gone through the discussion between the differences of an ambulance and an ice cream truck before? If it has a cross, then there IS no frozen treats, remember?" Dana reprimanded.

"Well, I know that now!" began Myron towards Dana's direction before turning back to look outside.

"Otherwise, I'd need an explanation for why a giant Popsicle would be a place to lay someone who looks like Todd on top of"

Todd was a name the entire class could relate with if it meant knowing where he was. Unfortunately, it influenced as a state of shock for Mauricia after she roller-skated quickly towards the window.

"TODD?!" She yelled.

The ambulance was in the midst of driving off as Mauricia only watched. Meanwhile, her perception was taking her aboard the unease train. She turned around as she skated back to her desk.

Could it have been caused by that last punch? How would she know it wasn't really going to be her last punch, the closing drive?

"Okay, so apparently something happened to Todd while he was in the bathroom… or in the hallways. Would you know anything about this, Mauricia?" Ms. Jewls inculcated.

Now Mauricia could feel a heavy boulder of sheer anguish weighing her head down. As she thought about it, maybe the blow Todd could have received was twice as painful.

How would she know anyway?

"Nothing I can be sure about, or saw" Mauricia half-lied. Her insecurity was not doing anything except getting the best of her.

"Oh, well okay, Mauricia" Ms. Jewls replied, choosing not to suspect.

With added hope, Mauricia tried her best to cease thought about the obvious possibility towards why Todd was now on his way to the hospital. This had never happened before, meaning it was hard to get used to the idea of the after effect.

She chose to assume he was going to be all right. Out of the many things that provoked dismay within her world was imagining the worst for her.

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"Finally! Monday! Now I can see this day without any guilt stuck in my throat!" she told herself, looking at the school.

Once entered, there was a strange vibe throughout the air. No noise or presence near her stand. It felt somewhat peaceful, yet simultaneously frightening if she didn't know what her next move could be.

"Hello!" She yelled out.

"Anyone here?"

This seemed odd indeed; it was as though she were expected for her presence solely in order to demonstrate something serious enough.

She took the covert entrance to her classroom once she became bored enough to realize it. She was right upon thinking no one would be inside her classroom either.

All the desks were empty, or maybe ghosts were having their own session.

And maybe Todd is one of them.

"OH, SNAP OUT OF IT! MAUR!" she shouted at herself.

"I mean, clearly there's a surprise for me, did I forget my own birthday again? WHY DOES THAT KEEP HAPPENING TO ME!? Okay, I'm a little teeny bit paranoid, but so what? I'm just looking for an answer, that's nothing to be worked out into a big deal for, right?"

The chills almost took hold of Mauricia once hearing the door open. She quickly turned around to see it was no laughing yet reliably terrifying matter, nothing more than what looked like a normal plump mustachioed construction worker was the next presence in the room.

"Little girl… with roller skates, what are you doing here?" He asked.

"I could ask you the same thing, but who should answer first? Seeing that I'm only here because I have to be!" replied Mauricia, almost snappy.

The construction worker scratched his head before he answered thoroughly.

"You must have missed the memo… oh, that can't be good" He said.

Mauricia knew he wasn't lying, this seemed like a mystery to her. Unless she decided to make herself worry and assume the worst that is. Why did she have to do that if naivety was another one of her many, if not just primordial, principles?

"Well, I don't know how to tell this, so I'll just show it to you!" The construction worker implied.

The construction worker took out a newspaper and gave it to her before walking off. Mauricia knew he never really cared about the outcome once she was about to witness what her answer was going to be.

The newspaper seemed folded, which was why Mauricia liberally opened it up. Her expression was serious at first.

As every second went by, it distorted into misunderstanding.

But her mind didn't want to get the message well. Yet it became true as she slowly grew a look of complete appall.

Apparently, the building she was in was scheduled for demolition, now that its contract had been violated. Anyone who died in it was a legal condemnation of the building.

It was no use, the message had been delivered whether she wanted it or tried to isolate it. Nothing could disallow her from assuming things anymore. Even if her feelings were starting to get the best of her.

"Hey kid, in five hours, this building need to be completely empty, didn't they ever teach you about the dangers of procrastinating?" The construction man asked.

It was just too much for her to take. Take in the sense she even sighted his name.

"I'll be right out…just give me two minutes" She said.

"Okay, have your time!" He said.

The construction man departed the room, needless to say Mauricia was not well. As she looked outside the window, her hand placed itself on the glass. She then declines her head so she could finally let it out, without trying to hide it.

Even when the blame was hard to measure it thanks to the overdose of sorrow that had been locked for quite a time then. It was her own way of punishing herself, seeing that no one knew about it.

This took more time than she wanted it to devour.

This is MY fault! WHY!? WHY DIDN'T I QUIT!!??I just HAD TO STAY THE SAME! Now THIS IS WHAT CHANGED EVERYTHING!WHY?!

Her guilt trip would have to be screened in her mind anyway as her eyes became to blurry. Not even capable of seeing her own tears as they fell to the floor. Even her sniveling was less than noticeable.

I'm sorry Todd! I really don't know who I am! All I wanted was to be with you!

Outside of the room, the construction man knew two minutes couldn't have lasted this long. He just didn't want to intervene.

"Take as much as you need, kid" He said quietly, even if it wasn't intentionally for Mauricia to hear. It was just a way of him saying he would leave anyhow.

So this is as far as I'll ever go! No more Wayside. No more Dana, Ms. Jewls, Myron, Louis, Cheri, NOBODY! ALL IS LOST!!!

It was difficult. Almost impossible for Mauricia to dig deep inside her to cease crying. And when she did, that was still far from enough to persuade her in leaving.

I'll miss this so much. I wish I wasn't human!

The girl crouched down in order to find more comfort in that position. Seeing this place was on the verge of disappearing forever, she should cherish the moment while it was still at her over-shoved grasp. The moments she had shared with everyone.

Sure she could still visit her firends, it was just how it would happen. Forgetting was easy to do, especially when you don't have emotions.

No wonder she prefered to be anything but human.

Twenty minutes had passed. Mauricia wiped the damp humidity off her face before she looked forward again. Having been unaware of the time, she knew the construction worker would be worried up to his head. And one way or the other, she couldnt help wondering if Todd's funeral would exist anywhere near.

They should call it a miseryeral! I mean mostly in Dana's case, what's so "fun" about it!?

But as she looked up then down of her form, she found something to seem missing. Her face quickly altered from a frown to a scowl in the stir of her fortitude.

I've changed before.

She removed her helmet, it's reflectable shine sufficiently noticeable. For the second, and perhaps final time, her former self's face substituted her own. Leaving behind a resolute glare once she dropped it.

"I'll keep on changing if I have to!"

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"Is she gone, Joe?" one of the construction workers asked.

They both entered to see Ms. Jewls' room was now vacant before they had entered.

"It looks like it, Franz" Replied Joe.

"You should have seen this kid, she didn't know one of her friends had died, the poor tyke. I'm just relieved she took the time she needed to set a few demons straight! Otherwise it…"

Joe ceased talk when something caught his eyesight: a helmet and a pair of roller-skates.

"Hey look Franz, the girl decided to leave her belongings here" He said, taking hold of the pair.

"Now why would she do that?" Franz asked, scratching his head.

"I don't know" Joe replied, taking a longer time to look at Mauricia's possessions. It seemed as though nothing else was on his conjectures.

"Maybe she didn't want them anymore"

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That is finished!

Well everyone let me just take the time to say it's been a blast writing fan fiction of all my favorite genres in this site. I wish I could continue it, but sadly, I'm too old to have the time or essentiality to write work like this. I might read it, but I'm afraid it's time for me to "move on" with other things. Leave this to newcomers or anyone else who still enjoys writing stuff like this.

So for the first and definitely last time, Goodbye everyone!!!

(And to prove this is it, I will be signing off with all the pennames I have used (in the order of the first to the most recent.)

-Jaymon2

Dead Promises

Ten Black Roses