Victor F: Reanimator

(A Horrid Fan Fic of a Cherished Feature)

Written by: Janice Ghost Hunter

Chapter Three:

The Mentor

Though it had only been two weeks since the missing students had returned, time was going by very slowly. It seemed like eons had passed since the incident of the "Dutch Day Terror", which it was referred to now by those who still talked of it. The hype around the whole event seemed to have been covered up nearly completely by the press and the adults around town were always quick to hush their children up about it if they were heard speaking about it. Either way, time was going by extremely slowly and the science class became a tedious chore which was made worse by the constant blundering mistakes of the coach who was currently trying and failing miserably to teach the science class he was assigned to. Students left the class more confused than enlightened nearly every day.

There was a glimmer of hope however. A rumor had started amongst the students that a teacher who had been dismissed a couple weeks back would make his return. Victor couldn't keep his hopes much higher that Mr. Rzykruski would be reinstated as his teacher again.

Victor was reading a chapter in a book covering the subject the coach was attempting to teach, ignoring the gruff woman completely, when he by chance looked out the window. To his delight he saw his old favorite teacher just outside in the parking lot! But then he noticed he was speaking to someone he never had met nor had seen before. It was a rather petite woman with short reddish hair wearing a black leather motorcycle vest, a white tank top, goggles, green pants, spiked wrist bracelets, and black boots. Victor was confused as to what Mr. Rzykruski would be doing talking to a individual like that. He watched more intently. They appeared to have known each other for some time as both were standing casually and laughed from time to time. Mr. Rzykruski leaned on his car as the woman sat on a black Harley Davidson motorcycle with two wheels in the back. He'd never seen a three wheeled bike before either. After a few more moments, they shook hands and the woman walked towards the school while Mr. Rzykruski took off in his vehicle. 'What the heck was that all about?' he pondered. He would have directed a note to Edgar in the desk next to him about what he saw, however, Edgar was gone. This time is wasn't due to a health issue. He was gone to participate in some sort of school program that he and a handful of other students got to partake in. In a few hours he would be able ask Edgar all about what he was doing in the program and tell him about that strange woman he saw with Mr. Rzykruski in the parking lot.

At lunch, Victor made his way with Elsa towards the school cafeteria. A few of the students known to be in the program Edgar was in walked out of the dining hall with other adults. Each of the children looked very happy about this visit with the adults who were with them. Victor wondered if he would see a certain suspicious character walking around with some other student.

When Victor walked into the cafeteria with Elsa, he was shocked to have seen what he witnessed. The weird woman was sitting at a table across the way with Edgar! He seemed to be glowing with happiness as he spoke with her. She sat across the table from him, her back to Victor and Elsa. Startled, he grabbed Elsa and swung her gently just outside the Cafeteria entrance behind a wall.

"What's wrong, Victor?" Elsa said in a startled voice, looking at him with surprise.

"Edgar is with that strange lady I saw outside. I think she's a biker!" he said, trying to keep a hushed tone.

"You mean the one you saw with Mr. Rzykruski?" she queried.

"Yes! This can't be good! My Mom always says to stay away from biker people because they aren't really good people to be around," he peered around the corner at Edgar, who was laughing now with the woman.

"Victor," Elsa said in a matter of fact voice. "That would be Edgar's mentor. She's someone who is supposed to be helping Edgar, not to hurt him or whatever else you're thinking. Have you noticed other kids with adults? They're with their mentors. I doubt she's a bad influence on him regardless of the fact that she's a biker or not." She looked at him with arms folded.

Victor, feeling a little silly now, looked about at the other students and their mentors in the hall. They were all meeting their student's friends and looking at projects their pupils had done. None of the other adults looked quite like the woman Edgar was with, but now feeling a little more at ease about her he figured he would have to give her a chance. Gathering his courage together, he and Elsa made their way towards Edgar and his mentor.

As Edgar saw Victor and Elsa coming towards him, he began to wave insanely with a great amount of energy. The woman turned around to look at the approaching children, a curious look glanced her face with a keen smile.

"Victor! Victor! This is my mentor! Mrs. Harris!" He stood up and met them halfway between them and the woman.

"Uh… hi," he said with an unsure tone.

"Hey there, you must be Victor," she said turning around completely to face him. "And you must be Elsa! I'm so happy to finally get to meet you two. Edgar has been going on and on about you guys!" Mrs. Harris stood up to shake Victor and Elsa's hands.

"Yes… it's a pleasure, Mrs. Harris," Elsa said warmly. Victor couldn't help but eye a couple of tattoos on Mrs. Harris' arms. There was a star and her moon on either one of her forearms and the face of a bobcat on her left upper arm. He'd never spoken to anyone with tattoos before.

"Let's sit down! I have so much to show you guys!" Edgar exclaimed, shaking with exhilaration.

"Take it easy now, Edgar." Mrs. Harris said in a motherly tone.

As the small group sat with the woman and Edgar, Victor began to gain a lot more trust in the strange lady with the goggles and tattoos as they exchanged conversations. She was a warm mannered woman who obviously cared a great deal for Edgar. She had brought Edgar a few gifts for him which he was now showing off with tremendous cheerfulness. She bought him a model of the motorcycle she rode in on, a handsome black sweater, a bar of soap, a toothbrush with some toothpaste, a few books, a bag of candy, and a sort of hands on science kit for him to experiment with. Edgar went through each gift, explaining what they were and carefully showing them off to his friends. Mrs. Harris was obviously very glad at seeing Edgar this happy.

"Well, it sure looks like you're going to be busy with these now, aren't you Edgar?" Elsa said with a grin looking at Edgar.

"I'm going to learn about microscope stuff!" Edgar wheezed out, his excitement getting the better of him. Mrs. Harris laughed a little and looked at Elsa and Victor.

"I'm so glad Edgar has friends like you guys now. He tells me every night about you two and the things you get into here in school. I've got something for you two," she said as she pulled two small bags from a black backpack she had at her side. As she handed them the bags, Victor eyed what was inside. It was candy. Victor felt a little bad now about judging this woman the first time he saw her solely on her appearance.

"Thank you, Ma'am," said Elsa and she gave Mrs. Harris a nod.

"Thank you, Mrs. Harris," Victor said giving her a warm smile.

After a few more minutes of talking together, Mrs. Harris looked at the clock on the wall.

"Well Edgar, I'll leave you be with your friends. I'll see you next week, sweetie," she said looking at Edgar fondly.

"Does it have to be so long?" Edgar said with a little bit of a frown.

"Yes. But don't forget about what we talked about today, ok? If you need anything just call me on the phone. I don't care what time or what it is you need, alright?" Mrs. Harris now gave him a heartfelt hug and looked down at him.

"Ok. I can't wait until next week," whispered Edgar.

And with that, Mrs. Harris stood up and readjusted a backpack she swung onto her back. After bidding farewell to Victor and Elsa, she walked off towards the entrance of the cafeteria. As the three watched her walking off, they noticed that Bob had approached her. She patted him on the head after exchanging a few words they parted ways. Bob kept looking back at her as he walked back toward Toshiaki, who sat at the far side of the lunchroom. Shortly after that, Nassor walked into the cafeteria, looked surprised to see Mrs. Harris and began talking with her as well. Mrs. Harris was so short and Nassor so tall they could look each other right in the eye. Elsa made a joke about seeing that, causing Edgar to giggle snort and Victor to chuckle. After Nassor finished speaking with her, she patted him on his shoulder, and they walked off away from each other, waving.

"Bob and Nassor know her too?" asked Victor curiously.

"Yea! She's a nurse that works at the hospital downtown. She was Bob's nurse when he broke his arm and Nassor's nurse when he was trapped in that doll thing and almost died," Edgar replied, trying make his voice sound spooky after he said 'died'.

"Oh, wow! Really? I bet she told you all sorts of things about how those two were being real wimps about their situations!" Elsa exclaimed.

"Nope! Nurses don't tell other people about their patients. It's against the rules!" exclaimed Edgar, folding his arms, looking up in a snobby gesture, a huge smirk on his face.

"I didn't even know that!" Victor said taking a candy out of the bag he was given, placing the chocolate in his mouth. Lunch concluded shortly afterwards.

After school, Victor, Elsa, and Edgar walked home. This had become the end of the day ritual. Sometimes they would go watch the baseball game and sometimes they would just sit and talk about whatever subject that graced their minds at the time at their spot. Today, it was all about Mrs. Harris. Edgar was obviously very happy to speak all about her.

"You must really like her, Edgar. It's almost like you're talking about your Mom," Victor said, running a stick he found along a picket fence.

"Well, I hope it will happen sometime soon," Edgar whispered.

"What do you mean by that?" Elsa asked, slowing down along with Victor so they could listen to Edgar better.

"Oh… yea. That…" Edgar stopped and looked at the ground.

"Things haven't been so good lately at home. I don't think my Mother likes me much anymore. She never really liked having me around, actually," Edgar began to fidget with his fingers while focusing his gaze at different things on the ground. Victor and Elsa's bright faces quickly turned glum. Victor dropped the stick he was holding.

"Me and Mrs. Harris were wondering if my Mom would sign some papers to let Mrs. Harris adopt me. My Mother was alright with the idea at first, but now she doesn't want to sign the papers anymore. She said it costs too much money to do that. Mrs. Harris said she would pay for my Mother's half if she needed to, but my mother is being weird about it." Edgar's eyes looked a little wetter than usual now.

Elsa and Victor looked at each other in near horror. The two had thought it was weird that Mrs. Harris gave Edgar a bar of soap, a toothbrush, and toothpaste, before. Now it was all making sense. Elsa looked as though she wanted to cry. Victor held himself steady, but deep inside he felt a throbbing feeling in his gut and his throat started to feel choked. Still, he kept the strong face well.

"Well, hopefully they'll sign the papers soon, Edgar. Then you can live with Mrs. Harris and have all the fun you want. I think that would be very nice," commented Elsa, trying to make the situation less depressing, her voice cracking from the knot that was in her throat as well.

"Maybe there's something we can do to help out," added Victor.

Edgar smiled.

"You two are the best friends a guy could ask for," he looked up now, eyes shiny with tears though none fell down.

"Yea. Your Mom will sign the papers. I can see that happening for sure, but hopefully soon," Victor said putting a hand on Edgar's shoulder, trying to comfort his buddy as well as provide some hope however small it may be.

"My Mother isn't my Mom. Any lady can be a Mother. A Mom is someone who cares and loves you. Mrs. Harris is my Mom," Edgar proclaimed, quite possibly the wisest thing either Victor or Elsa ever heard him say. Taken aback by this, Victor and Elsa didn't have anything else to say. They processed to walk the rest of their ways home.

The rest of the walk to the middle of town was a quiet one. Each in the group had so much on their minds it was impossible to make much of a conversation. Silently, Victor prayed that Edgar's Mother would sign those papers soon. Edgar had been through so much in his short life that Victor desperately wanted something positive to finally happen to his little friend. That night, Victor spent a good long time just staring at his ceiling wondering what Edgar was up to now. Eventually, with Sparky asleep night to him in his bed, Victor went asleep.