Stephen Todd: The Demon Teacher of Serenity Lane

It was a dark and stormy night. The the lightning clashed, the thunder boomed and the wind's ghostly howl soon joined the evening's sinister chorus, its force causing the dark branches of the willow trees nearby to sway manically, like an assassi proudly brandishing a hand-crafted weapon. It is on this night - this night of a thousand sorrows - that or story begins, at 666 Serenity Lane.

It is here that we first meet Benjamin Blake, a sweet and sincere soul. He is pale, with slightly shaggy yet strangely attractive jet-black hair, with sun-kissed skin and warm onyx eyes. He is sitting at an old, faded mahogany desk. He seems troubled.

His troubles started exactly five years ago, when he was first enrolled at St. Marianna's Private School. He had just finished at St. David's Private school in Wales, after his father, Hugh, a barber, had decided to move the family to England. He had been excited about starting at St. Marianna's, as he had always dreamed of life in the big city. Back then, he was a bubbly twelve-year-old boy full of dreams and aspirations to be a teacher. Now, he was merely an empty shell of the past. A ghost, a spirit: present, yet somehow unseen.

He had been sitting at that desk for appriximately fifteen minutes, trying desperately to focus on his English essay. The class had been asked to review a play or movie they found particularly interesting, set in the Victorian times. Benjamin had, without hesitation, chosen to review Sweeney Todd: The Dmon Barber of Fleet Street, which he viewed as a masterpiece. He and his best friend, Eleanor Lime, were both absolutely obsessed with Sondheim's work of art, although they thought Tim Burton's version was just the tiniest bit better because of the graphics and the gore.

Eleanor Lime was the first person to truly accept him at his new school. Upon starting, he had instantly been outcasted. They were all jealous of him - his perfect grades, perfect hair, perfect smile and sweet nature - and so, he was forced to eat alone on his very first day. It was then that he noticed the mysterious dark-eyed redhead. An older student - a sixth-former most probably - had her pressed against the wall. She was trying to squirm out of his touch. His hands were all over her, groping her. She cried out, but nobody came to her rescue. His lips ran along her neck as his hands slid down her body. Instinctively, Ben had ran to her aid, giving the young man who groped her a black eye.

This had earned all three of them a trip to Headmaster Gaw's office, but none of them cared. Especially not Eleanor, because she was saved, and she finally had a friend!
From that moment on, the two had become practically inseperable.

He thought of her now as he scribbled his name at the bottom of his essay. She would love to read this.

Perhaps I'll take it in for her to read tomorrow, he thought to himself. Poor Eleaor, she'd gone through scuh a hard time lately, what with her parent's divorce and everything. She was such a sweet girl, but not as sweet as his dear Lauralie.

Ahhh Lauralie: his sweet, beautiful angel. More radiant than the sun, more beautiful than Aphrodite herself. He and the lovely Lauralie had met when they were partnered together on a chemistry project, and chemistry soon bubbled up between them. Eleanor had tried to warn him off. Lauralie was the 'Queen Bee' of St. Marianna's Private Academy and it was easy to see why. All the girls feared or envied her. All the guys worshipped the ground she walked upon. Lauralie Elisabeth Windsor was a teenage model, a celebrity of sorts. Everybody knew who she was, as her face was spread across every magazine in Britain. Never had he dreamed that she would be his sweetheart. Oh and what a sweetheart she was. Oh, and how very gorgeous she was, with her shimmering honeycomb toussles and wide innocent baby blue eyes. So beautiful, so breathtaking, so very virtuous. She was quite possibly the only sixteen year old girl never to have gotten drunk or lost her virginity. Even after dating for three years, she and Benjamin had agreed to wait (under Eleanor's advice). Eleanor had remained an essential part of his life, but he noticed that whenever he mentioned his angel, Lauralie, she tensed up.

Two years went by. Benjamin and Lauralie had grown even closer. Benjamin had earned the spot of Head Boy, and Eleanor had become Head Girl. By now, Benjamin was quite possibly the most admired boy at St. Marianna's. The sixth former - Victor Thyme - had graduated now, and had gone on to St. Eden's University.

Graduation day had finally come for the class of 1982, and everyone was ecstatic. Especially Benjamn. For it was on this, the most joyous of days, he had planned to propose engagement to his beautiful Lauralie Elisabeth.

The ceremony was a blur, a total blur. It was only when Benjamin and Eleanor were called up to the stage that Benjamin snapped out of his trance-like state. He could vaguely feel Eleanor linking her arm with his, just about hear her excited chatterin as they ascended the four steps to the small wooden stage.

"Congratulations, cllass of 84!" Eleanor was giving the Head Girl speech. Everybody listened with wrapped attention, for they knew that all she was saying was true. "WE DID IT!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd as confetti was thrown and balloons were released - red, white and blue, the colours of the school.

Benjamin held up his hands, halting the celebrations. He took in a shaky breath, stepping orward.

"Ummm...I-I would like to call to the stage, my beautiful angel, miss Lauralie Elisabeth Windsor."
Whispers of confusion and anticipation spread like a wild fire as Lauralie daintily stepped up onto the stage, standing next to Benjamin. Eleanor gritted her teeth, watching with great confusion and irritation as all eyes turnned to Ben and Laura.

"Lauralie, from the moment I set eyes on you, I knew we were destined to be together," his tone was soft and gentle, but the words sliced through Eleanor like a shimmering silver blade. "And I would like to spend the rest of my life with you. I know I'm not rich or anything like that, but I love you, and I want to make you happy."
Lauralie semed stunned. The room was so silent, you could have heard a pin drop.

"Lauralie Elisabeth Windsor, would you do me the great honour of taking me, Benjamin Blake, as your husband?"

Five years had passed since that fateful graduation day when that glistening diamond engagement ring had been slid onto Lauralie's dainty, thin middle finger. The two were now happily wed, leading a seemingly idealic life. They had been married for four years. Benjamin had now finished college at age 22, and Lauralie had given birth to a beautiful baby girl. Belladonna, they had named her. Sweet little Belladonna. She looked like her mother, with short whispy golden hair and thoe big bue eyes you could just drown in.

It was a warm September evening. Lauralie sat in a rocking chair, humming a tune to herself as she knitted Belladonna a pink wooly jacket, knowing she would need it for when the winter came.

"Lauralie! Lauralie!"
It was Benjamin, bursting through the glossy wooden doors of the small apartmet they rented. They had rented the houe above Eleanor's famous bakery. She had become a great success, almost as successful as Gregg's if that was even possible. She had allowed them to rent the house for only £10 a week, since she knew the couple well. They were very close, always eating dinner together and having movie nights.

"Lauralie, Lauralieeeee!"
He was really excited. He raced to her side, breathless and flung his muscular arms around her slender frame. This took her by surprise, but she embraced him back anyway.

"Benny, what is it?" her voice was soft and confused.

"Lauralie, darling, I got a job, a TEACHING job!"
Anybody who knew Benjamin knew that being a teacher had been his dream ever since he was a little boy. As soon as he was old enough to think, he knew he wanted to teach. Now he had done it, he had gotten a teaching job at St. Marianna's! But alas, his perfect life was simply not meant to be. For nothing is so good it lasts eternally.