This...is the new author's note.
Warning, this story is for mature audiences only. Reader discretion is advised. Story contains violence, depression, triggers, suicide, innuendo, and themes involving extreme gore. I have chose an M rating, for I perceive this as not harsh enough (compared to what else is on this site) for an MA rating. You have been warned. Feelings of nausea, anger, sickness, sadness, and any other emotions are your liability.
That being said, this story is not all about violence or our lovable-excuse me-overly-violent, disgusting, and as a Jeff-fangirl would say "beautiful" Creepypastas, but is also about what it means to be human and to live through a situation where your choices determine the outcome of others in a more drastic way. Of course, being who I am, there is humor. Satirical, sarcastic, dark and gag humor.
I have pre-written, heavily edited the story, and decided this was no longer a crack fiction, no, this story is something more. So embedded is this story in my day-to-day life, that Wednesdays are thought of as unlucky. My friends now joke openly about the prospect of Creepypastas being real...they are not. Creativity vs. Reality. However, as the crime rate rises in my city, and odd things come into account the story becomes...intense. Don't worry, none of it's real…
I respect those that review, and I can understand if you do not wish to, and I will not force your hand in something you don't want to do. I will not ask for reviews, or give those that review special treatment.
I hope you enjoy, sincerely (4ever-A-Nightmare)
Chapter 1: THIS IS HELL
Everyone always warned me about High School. How long the work would be, how hard the classes got, how strenuous the whole ordeal was, not to mention the hours upon hours solely spent on homework. Teachers say high school was where you learn important lessons needed for the real world. However...if you were to ask a Senior, they'd tell you that high school was when you wept, when you cried and when you felt like you were losing your mind. They would tell you that high school...was nothing, but hell.
...
This day was nothing special, nor was the one before it, nor the one after it, but I always hoped for a change. Today, before I even knew it, was the day my wish was granted.
After a short walk to school, notable only by a car carelessly running a red light, almost causing a car wreck, and nearly killing me, I found myself in the band room. For once, I had reached the school early. Knowing perfectly well I had things I should be doing, I leaned back in my chair and scrolled through my phone for a game of solitaire.
I didn't really count on someone bothering me.
"Hey, have you heard the news?" Asked a voice.
"What news?" I asked, eyes glued on the flawless cards on my phone.
"Its on posters everywhere; it says we're having all substitutes today." The boy in front of me said.
I frowned and looked up. Surely, I would have noticed posters everywhere. Was I really oblivious enough to walk through half the school and into the band room and not notice any posters? I was aware of the answer to that question, and I wondered how much I missed on a normal basis.
"Are you sure this isn't a prank?" I questioned.
He shrugged, and handed me a flier.
"These were at the front of the classroom. I guess it could be a prank. I dunno. Heh, it's funny."
It was a neon green and in bold print it declared: ATTENTION: ALL SUBSTITUTES FROM WEDNESDAY—FRIDAY AS PART OF A STATE APPROVED LEARNING APPROACH.
Eying it with suspicion, I walked into the hallway and this time paid a bit more attention. Everywhere, different neon fliers all had the same message. Firstly, I clearly needed to focus more. Secondly, if our Republican state approved this then they also approved of Obama's methods. In case you're wondering, our state doesn't.
"Alrighty then..." I said in awe, looking around in shock. Prank or not, this was pretty cool. Come to think of it, I don't remember seeing any of the teachers.
Pulling out my phone I began to text my friend, Z. A simple message, just enough to convey my thoughts.
'Z, YOU SEE THESE FLIERS. IT'S CRAZY, DUDE!'
Hitting enter, I watched the sending bar travel across the screen and then pause almost there. It stopped and my phone informed me it wasn't delivered. Confused, I hit send again, checking my reception. I had no success despite the full bars. I suppose, that it's a problem on her end or she must be in the part of the school that has no reception or elsewhere.
I had no clue where she would be at. My school is big enough, full of long hallways students like to pace in the morning and gather in groups to talk, but there was really no place to have a nice private conversation with friends. The library, concourse, and cafeteria were always packed with students, so I guess I could check them out. A quick glance at the time, made me reconsider. One of those locations then.
As I walked down the hallway, towards the Library, I saw a gaggle of girls crowded around a flier.
"This is unbelievable!" One of them screeched.
I recognized the voice of Lenore, otherwise known to a few as Nori. Pausing in my trip, I greeted her.
"Hey." I said.
She turned to me, clearly angered.
"Have you seen this!" She shrieked, thrashing the flier in my face.
I caught her wrist and moved the flier out of my face. My eyes caught her amber orbs and I stared into them until she calmed down.
"Yeah, I have actually. It's a bit—who am I kidding, it's very odd." I said, simply. No reason to panic, if I started suggesting my theories of the government using us as test subjects or reality being a video game it might freak her out.
"Odd! ODD!" She shrieked, her voice in such a high pitch I think I might be deaf. Once she got riled up, there was no calming her. "It's more than that!"
She stormed off, and I wondered what her problem was. Lenore would usually be one of the kids celebrating the lack of teachers, not opposing it. Checking my phone, I cursed. I guess I'd wait to talk to Z later. We shared no classes today, so perhaps sneaking in a text at lunch or in Advanced English wouldn't hurt.
Walking back up the long hallway, I entered the band room...to almost turn back around. My eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and I felt my lips part in shock. Am I having a dream or nightmare…? Nightmare. I sure as hell I wouldn't have that thing in my dreams.
At the front of the classroom, stood a black and white clown, and if my eyes were mistaken, Laughing Jack. He was sloppily writing things on the board, humming a childish song under his breath. Uneasily, I walked to my chair at the back of the room where the percussion was. On guard, I eyed the 'substitute' with uttermost care. A few other classmates entered the classroom, wearing varying expressions of confusion and awe at the sight of the substitute. Most kids walked back out to talk to friends (as well as discuss the substitute's attire). A few stayed, leaning in closer to whisper their opinions about the clown at the front of the room.
The band room existed in a state of tension for a minute, nothing breaking the sounds of marker squeaking against the whiteboard like a frightened mouse and the hissing snakes of whispers until, Jade broke the ice by yelling obscenities at the top of her lungs.
Slowly and ominously, the black and white clown turned around, and my stomach dropped, fear surging through my veins. A black and white cone-like nose upon his face and he looked exactly like my worst nightmare. I still hoped it was a costume.
"Is there something the matter, kiddo? Didn't your mommy ever tell you not to scream indoors?" He taunted Jade, his voice was like needles across the skin, stinging and nipping.
Jade froze to the spot in fear, before turning on heel and dashing out of the band room. Smirking, Laughing Jack giggled, dropping the marker near the board with a CLUNK and surveying the room.
The fear had grown roots and I ducked my head and stared at my book, my hair falling around me like a curtain. Surely, there's an explanation. A prank, a hallucination, or perhaps I'm still at home sleeping…
Two very loud, obnoxious voices penetrated my thoughts harshly and called most of the room to a new focus. I recognized Adam and Travis, laughing about some (idiotic) thing.
"Is that a clown?" Adam remarked, loud enough for the whole country to hear.
I looked up at him and the clown at the front of the room. The clown looked down at the boy.
"Why kid, you seem surprised! Are you afraid of clowns?" Laughing Jack asked, tilting his head to the side and smiling wide enough to show off his pearly white shark teeth.
In an instance, both boys were cowering puppies.
"I...uh...no...I don't think so." Adam stuttered.
"Good." Cackled Laughing Jack, swinging open the doors to the auditorium and disappearing into the darkness.
Adam and Travis exchanged looks.
"Band's going to be...interesting." Travis offered, lost for words. Both boys nodded, and exchanged halfhearted goodbyes, separating off to their sections. Travis walked past me, eyes on his phone. After a few minutes, he swore, and started talking to Zak.
As the five minute warning bell rang, I watched the doorway. Kids poured in, unknowing to our killer substitute. The usual sound of instruments and chatter was not comforting, and I watched as the drum major made his way to the front.
"Band horn's-" He started, but was cut off by someone's shout.
"What the hell is written on that board!" Ramone shouted from our section. A few heads turned to stare at him.
"Yo, Brandon, what does it say!" Shouted someone from the trumpet section.
The drum major, Brandon, turned around and skimmed the sloppy handwriting on the board. He read part of it out loud.
"All around the mulberry bush...What the hell, these are the complete lyrics to 'Pop Goes the Weasel...' Uh...the list of things to do is—read it for yourself." Shaking his head, he moved to the side to chat with the other drum major.
I read the board.
Play my song perfectly!
1. Even out the band.
-Get rid of bad Players
-Balance
-Fun
2. Tune the instruments.
3. Combine band and orchestra.
4. Play the song!
Then, there was a very odd request...
"I need these volunteers: 1 Tuba, 2 Trumpets, ¾ of the Clarinets, ½ of the Flutes, 2 Percussionists, 3 Trombones, and 1 French Horn at the front of the room. Thankees!"
Skylar, our blonde, snare drummer, section leader surveyed us, before choosing two volunteers.
"Sampson and..."
"Austin." Ares stated, choosing this moment to walk into the band room and drop his bag down next to Skylar's chair.
"You look like shit." Skylar said, looking at Ares.
Ares did look...well...not so great. His hair was messy and his eyes were bloodshot. He wore pajama pants and an old dusty shirt along with his hoodie. As always, his hood was pulled up.
Plopping into a chair, Ares let his gaze sweep all of us in the section who were staring expectantly at him.
"Some freaky ass cop or something dragged me out of bed and dropped me off outside the classroom." He muttered, running a hand through his hair. Muttering, he reached into the pocket of the hoodie and pulled out a pick, combing through his afro-like hair.
"What?" Skylar said, staring at him in confusion. So Ares launched into this tale about this 'freaky ass cop,' dragging everyone's attention in, but mine. I had turned to see who had volunteered.
At the front, Sampson and Austin had joined the other volunteers. Being chosen was either a very good thing, or very bad thing. You never knew with a person like Laughing Jack in charge. A psychopath's personality was almost completely unpredictable.
The doors swung open again, and Laughing Jack re-emerged from the now faintly lit auditorium, a colorful axe tucked into his belt.
"Welcome all, to my class!" He shouted, stepping onto the conductor stand.
Everybody stopped what they were doing, some staring agape with their mouths open.
"What is a stupid looking clown doing in our class?" Ares muttered, casting a look at Skylar who could only shrug.
Good thing that 'clown' didn't hear him. Turning to the 'volunteers,' Laughing Jack grinned, his sharp teeth glinting.
"Well kiddos, you get the fun job of running errands for me. Doesn't that sound delightful!" He said, his voice filled with lightness, and delight.
"You two," The clown said pointing to two of my friends that had been shoved up as unwilling volunteers, "Go to the gym and tell the students they have free period, unless you see someone down there. If you do, say Jackie sends his best wishes!" He sent them off with a wave of his hand. I watched them go and I couldn't help but feel sorry for them. I didn't think I going to see them ever again. The rest of the volunteers were sent off to various places. When all was taken care of, Laughing Jack spun on his heel to face the majority and smiled at everyone sadistically.
"Now, to determine the good players from the bad players! I suggest you all learn to play my song within...twenty minutes!" He started. There were various whispers and mutters rising like wildfire throughout the room.
"During that time, I will be gone; don't try to run! Hahahahahahaha! Remember, bad players are like pests, you've go to exterminate them!" He broke off laughing. The whispers grew louder and eyes streaked from friend to friend, classmate to classmate. Some avoiding looking after making contact.
"Oh, and if you don't get what that means...if you all's screw up I'll kiiiiiiilllllll yooooooouuuuu~" His singsong voice rang throughout the suddenly silent room. His smile grew at the wide eyes and shock holding everyone in place. He broke off into loud laughter and skipping childishly, swung one of the doors open and disappeared into the hall. The lock clicked tight.
There was silence for a few moments after as the rising hysteria and chaos began to brew.
