Chapter 4: Rumours to Reality.

Hastur joined Nyarlathotep the first thing next morning, taking a seat so he could rest. 'Surely, Hastur, you remember the first time I tested out this curse?'
'Yes, I do... You made me spread the rumour that wearing the school emblem would permenantly disfigure you...'

The Crawling Chaos was in a much better mood this morning, not having taught any kids yet. 'And the result was very good... Do you remember Sandra Castall?'
'No.'
'Neither does anyone else!' Nyarlathotep chuckled 'It was a rousing success! All anyone remembers is a girl with a warped face who used to attend the school, until she- angered by what she saw in the mirror- broke it into shards and used one to take her own life. She loses her life, the school board goes into utter chaos, I get my kicks! Everyone wins!'
Hastur did not hear that last statement, he was far to busy considering whatever it was on his mind 'Is it true, Nyarlathotep?'

'Is what true...?' he wondered, golden eyes narrowing suspiciously, good mood failing.
'The...' The weight of the Crawling Chaos' stare was an awesome and terrifying thing, even to Gods. '... The rumour that...'

'I can't stand Tepp! Always there when you don't want him! Always breathing down your neck like he's angry at us!' Ceaser demanded as they took their seats for two hours of hell. The petrifying chill warned them of his approach even before he even entered the classroom. Kara noted that he seemed to be far more strict today, anger focused in the direction of Alex, who- unfortunately was sitting next to Kara, so she too recived a large amount of his searing, mocking voice.
'MISTER GALE!' Alex flinched immediatly, what had he done to so enforce his teacher's wrath?
'Y-yes, sir?' Alex wondered, snapping out of his trance.
'Perhaps if you decided to pay attention in my class rather then daydream, you may actually be able to cram information into your tiny mind.'
The class was utterly silent.
Well sir, if you weren't such a mocking asshole, maybe I would show sympathy for you... Alex thought. 'Yes, sir.' he stated. Mr Tepp dug his nails into the desk deeply, maitaining an unflinching glare with Alex. 'Good. Now do pay attention, because I do not have the time for one-on-one sessions, especially with you-' his gaze shifted immediatly. 'Settle down, Mr Whateley...' he snarled.

'Now, we may have lost some time, but I feel that if we suffer no further interruptions, you may actually manage to learn something.' he returned to his desk and pulled a sheet from whatever was item it was covering. Revealed within a glass containment was a slimy green octopus.
Cries of disgust came from the assembled students, but Tepp merely regarded it with cold eyes.
'Is... Is it dead, sir?' Kara managed.
'No, not dead.' he assured her. 'Merely dreaming.' He gave the cage a sharp rap with his knuckles and the octopoid squirmed in reply. 'Now then, today I will be showing you the inner workings of this creature via a very common method.' He snapped a latex glove over a hand. 'Dissection.'
The Cthulhuian octopoid emitted a quiet squeak before slithering into a corner. But the Crawling Chaos turned teacher continued without mercy.

Kara had been seperated from the boys, busy doing physical Ed. Her teacher was a woman in a sharp green dress, brown hair frizzed up and piled upon her head. Her name was Ms Shrub... Or something like that. Kara had noticed something, that -Mr King aside- none of the teachers seemed to want to be here. 'Right class...' Ms Shrub/ Shub demanded standing before the panting, worn out women that had just run the entire length of the school. 'I think we're just out of time, you can all go and get changed, I have another job to go and do.'

'Mr Gale, please stop leaving your books in my class.' The science teacher demanded as he met Alex in the corridor, forcing a text book into his hands, then he was gone. Alex stuffed it away before walking towards the art classroom. 'Hey, Gale, you wanna make a dare?' Randolph Carter approached him outside.

'Hm? I'm listening, but you have to do a dare for me too.'
'Deal. You try and get on Teppy's good side.' he chuckled, Alex did not see what was so humourous. 'Very well then. In return... You, Wilbur, me and my friends have to spend the night in the school.'

'So?' Randolph shrugged. 'What's spooky about that?'
'Rumour had that there's something in the shadows, it comes in the dark...' Alex smirked darkly.
'Sounds dangerous and intersting. Deal.' Randolph shook his hand.

'Class...' Mr King was losing the will to go on.
'Sir? Sir? Sir? Sir?'
'Yes?' he groaned, facing the blonde female student and school beauty.
'Why do you wear that mask, Sir?'
'I wear it for my own reasons.'

'Is it 'cos you're ugly, sir?'
'No-'

'Is it 'cos you had botched surgery, sir?'

'No. Stop it, now. I will not tolerate this. I wear this mask because I do not want any to see my face. It keeps an air of mystery, mystery also creates good art.' he assured her. 'Now, class... That is our topic for today; Mystery.' he took a seat behind his paintbrush laden desk, resting his chin on his hands, golden hair falling past. 'Show me what you see.'
Hastur was not going to tell them the real reason why they were not to see his face; it would drive them mad- with lust and he did not want that.

'Mum! I'm home!' the door shut behind Kara as she arrived home.
'Oh! Hello, honey, how was school?' her mother leant her head around the kitchen door. She was a kind woman with blonde hair as soft as candyfloss. 'Fine, thanks, mum!' Kara sighed, dropping her school bag onto the floor and crouching down as she heard the padding of pawprints on the carpet. 'Hello, boy!' she squealed, holding tightly onto the tiny labrador puppy as it leapt into her arms. 'Ooh! Who'sagoodboy? Who'sagoodboy?'

Alex returned home seemingly more depressed, the sixteen year old just wanted to sleep and get up later for the night out in the school. But the rest of his family was not going to allow it; his sister, Linda, was sitting on the sofa, gaming away with Wii remote in hand, his mother was reading peacefully and his step-father was out gardening. Without saying a word to them he dropped his stuff and plodded up the stairs to bed.

Alex turned within the turmoil of his dreams, fleeting visions...
He was walking through the school, stopping to check behind him every few feet, shining a flashlight over his shoulder, illuminating the hallway. The way out was behind him, but... It seemed darker now. His breath steamed up as the temperature dived, something was coming; the same chilling fear in his heart. It was behind him... Alex turned to face whatever it was; three burning eyes stared at him from the darkness.
'Mr Gale...' A voice growled. 'I smell...You...'
Alex awoke from a sudden coughing fit, feeling his throat as though the shadowy claws were still there.