Chapter 25
Back to Class.
Won't you believe it? It's just my luck Won't you believe it? It's just my luck Won't you believe it? It's just my luck Won't you believe it? It's just my luck
No recess No recess No recess
Won't you believe it? It's just my luck Won't you believe it? It's just my luck Won't you believe it? It's just my luck Won't you believe it? It's just my luck
No recess No recess No recess
You're in high school again You're in high school again You're in high school again You're in high school again
You're in high school again You're in high school again You're in high school again You're in high school again
No recess No recess No recess
School by Nirvana
"So what's next on the supernatural front today?" Jo asked, they just got back from hunting a skinwalker in Minnesota. And it was tough and hard but they managed to take it down, although they might psychologically scared a teenager who would have many years of therapy to come.
"Well, let's see, we got four bodies that was found without their hearts in Milwaukee,
uh, cattle mutilations in Arizona and also 5 kids gone missing within the past 5 days. Ellen, what do you got?" Jack asked as he looked online on his laptop.
"Well, we have a potential case in Oklahoma, four men went missing in the woods for the past four weeks, also…"
"Whoa." Jack said as he spotted an article that was about his old high school.
"What?" Ellen asked
"I think I know where we're going next."
"Where?"
"Norfolk, Norview High. Look at this, Miranda Watson 18 years old, found dead in public school toilet.. According to a statement from her best friend Andrea Whitaker, she said that something was off about Miranda and when she went back to toilet to get her for class, she was found dead hanging from the ceiling with the words Hail Queen Bitch carved on her stomach. She's the police's top suspect at the moment because she was the last person Miranda talked to before she died that's third one this week, first murder was Wayne Simpson, sophomore, found in the janitors closet, hooked on the door, that's two over the past three days." Jack explained
"What's so special about it anyway?"
"It's my old high school." Jack said as he closed the laptop.
"Really?" Jo asked
"Yeah and I think it's time to head back to class." Jack said as he grabbed his jacket and headed to his car.
"Why I do have to ask the questions again? I already told the cops everything." Andrea said as Jack and Ellen were at her house imposing as FBI. The police had released her from custody. Miranda was a Queen B, popular, beautiful, well-liked but not by everyone.
"Andrea, we understand. But it would be helpful to us if you could tell what happened that day."
Andrea sighed, knowing that she had no choice, "it was after my biology class, Miranda and I had a talk about her ex-boyfriend who cheated on her with one of her friends. When I said to her it's time for history, she said wait by the door.
10 minutes later, I noticed that she hadn't come. We were late for history, so I went back to find her headless. And the words hail Queen bitch was carved on her stomach" Andrea was disturbed by the image of it. "What has she done to deserve this? I mean. Sure
Jack and Ellen looked sympathetic for a moment, no teenage girl should go through a trauma like this, especially her.
"Ok, can you tell us the name of her ex?" Ellen asked
"Michael Davis. "
"Anything else that you might add?"
Andrea nodded thoughtfully "Actually there is. When I found her I swore for a moment… there was a voice. It said uh…. I can't remember though."
"Take your time, sweetheart." Ellen said softly and patiently.
"Got it. The voice said: Run and catch, run and catch, the lamb is caught in the blackberry patch."
Jack and Ellen glanced at each other for a second before turning to Andrea.
"Thank you for your time." Ellen and Jack stood up and headed back to the Mustang.
"What do you think?" Ellen asked,
"I don't know, could be ghost possession or witch craft? I don't know, either way we gotta check it out."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I'm sure. Why?" Jack asked as they got in to the car.
"I mean it is your old high school…."
"I know, I can handle it now. Besides I wanted to visit it. You know settle the score with the past."
"How was it anyway?"
Jack sighed "It wasn't exactly a walk in a park for me, considering that my dad was a marine and a hunter. You can kind of get paranoid of protecting your family. And for me, it was no exception."
Flashback September 1990
"Remember, son. This is your first day here; so don't start any trouble, ok? You've been in enough trouble already at Junior High and you better starting improving your grades. Trust no one, it's for your own good. Do you have your sliver knife in your pocket?" Jack nodded "Good, now do I make myself clear about the conditions, young man?" Curt asked as he was in the family car while Jack was outside of the Norview High school. Jack was like any other teenager, young, wild, rebellious and had a loud mouth.
"Yes sir." Jack answered half heartily
"Good, now have a good day. And remember what Sun Tzu once said: Keep your friends close…"
"Keep your enemies closer." Jack finished.
"Alright, wanted you to know that." Curt said as he droved off school.
Jack sighed as he went to Norview High for his first day not to happy about it.
"You weren't happy to go to school?" Ellen said as he finished the story while they were on the road.
"Nah, but dad wanted me to go there so I don't blame him one bit. It's just that…" Jack sighed, "It was a difficult time."
"How?"
"That's another story for another time." Jack said as he parked his car and got out of his car with Ellen and went to their motel room
The next day, Jo and Jack were in the halls of his old high school while Ellen talked to Michael Davis. So many memories for him here in Norview High.
"So what are we doing here?" Jo asked
"We're here to check out the crime scene. Do you have your EMF?" Jack asked
Jo nodded, they headed to the public bath where they pulled out their respective EMFs and it went sky high on their meters.
"Whoa." Jo said
"Yeah, my thoughts exactly." Jack agreed,
"So we're dealing with a possible ghost."
"Yeah, unfortunately."
"Ok, now that we have that out of the way, can I ask you something?"
"Sure." Jack answered as they put their EMF's away.
"What were you like back in high school?"
Jack chuckled "Do you really want to know that? This coming from a college dropout."
"I never really fit in to be honest. So can you tell me? Please?" Jo gave a puppy dog eye look to Jack, that look could give Sam's a run for its money.
Jack was really trying to resist but couldn't so he gave up "All right when I was a freshman…"
Flashback:
"Class, say hi to our newest student Jack Cahill." Mrs. Newton, the history teacher said as Jack stood next to her in the class.
"Hi Jack." Class greeted, most of the girls were in awe of his good looks.
"Do you have anything to say here?"
"Not really, babe." Jack winked; Mrs. Newton narrowed his eyes at him for that
"Take a seat."
"Yes ma'am." Jack saluted in mockery and went to his seat. Jack sat next to a brunette who lowered her head not trying to show her blushing.
"So today, we're going to talk about American History. I want all of you to get your notebooks and write down every important detail of what I'm about to say." Jack rolled his eyes while everyone groaned.
God, what a waste of time. But he pulled out his notebook anyway. Mrs Newton noticed that and asked "Am I boring you, Mr. Cahill?"
"Not at all, Mrs. Newton. Continue."
"Anyway, today we're going to talk about the history of violence in America. So get your history books and turn to page 81." Everyone went to their books except for Jack.
"Mr. Cahill. Don't have you your books?" asked
"Oh I'm sorry. I must forgot while you confiscated me earlier, you know up close and personal" The guys chuckled at joke,
Mrs. Newton glared at Jack thinking he is a troublemaker.
One of the girls looked at him, He smirked at her. She blushed at that; this place might be not so be bad after all.
"You're unbelievable, you know that?" Jo said while shaking her head a bit as he finished.
"So I have been told. You know, the whole cool guy personality was just a façade, you know. It was my way of handling the issues. The pressure of not disappointing your parents and live up to their expectations."
"Yeah, I know the feeling. " Jo agreed on that remembering how Ellen was trying so hard not to let her daughter follow her Dad's footsteps. She was trying to protect Jo.
"Come on let's go back to the motel." Jack said as they left the bathroom and headed back to motel.
"I talked to the ex about where he was at the time of murder and he checks it out. He was at the principals when it happened, so he's out of the suspect list." Ellen explained as they sat down around
"Yeah, one down, many to go. By the way, did you find anything deaths at the high school?"
"Yeah, back in early October 1990, a kid was found dead in the school bathroom Uh," Ellen scrolled down to the page she was looking for. "Simon Robertson."
"Simon Robertson?" Jack repeated, he had known the person.
"Do you know him?" Ellen asked
"Yeah, he was a good guy. Had good grades but he got bullied nearly everyday."
"What was like for him there?" Ellen asked
Jack sighed, "Simon had a tough time."
Flashback:
"What's the matter, Simon? You need to go to mommy?" one of the bullies Mark said in baby talk as he and his friends Shawn and Gerard bullied him outside of school.
"By the way, I've heard that your mom went to rehab again. Because she's a alcoholic." Shawn stated as he pushed Simon to Gerard
Jack shook his head as he had enough of this. He walked and shoved them away.
"Back off." Jack stood in front of Simon
"Are you serious? Defending this freak?" Mark asked, he laughed with his friend
"Really,? This coming from the three J's: Junior, Jerky and Jackass." Jack pointed to the three
Mark scowled at that.
"And if you dare lay a finger on him, you are going to get bumps and a t-shirt that said: "I've went to Norview High and all I got was this lousy t-shirt and a Jack Cahill beating that I will never ever forget." Mark went to punch him but Jack blocked him and took him down.
The other two tired to attack Jack but he easily double punched them. He walked over to Simon who was singing a lullaby in order to calm him down
"Run and Catch, run and catch. The lamb is caught in the blackberry patch."
"You ok?" Jack helped him get up.
"Yeah, thanks." Simon nodded gratefully for him as they picked up books from the ground
"No problem. I'm Jack."
"Simon."
"Pleasure to meet you. Now where is your class?" Jack asked
"Uh, Biology." Simon answered
"What do you know? I'm heading there as well." Jack smirked as he and Simon went to biology class building up a friendship that lasted until the day Simon killed himself.
"Bastards." Ellen stated looking sympathetic as Jack ended the story of poor boy, it's a damn shame for what happened to him back then because of those bullies.
"Yeah, he didn't live in a happy home, drunken mom, runaway dad at when he was a baby. She's been in and out of rehab since he was fourteen. Jack added as he shook his head. "When I found out he hanged himself, it broke my heart because all he really wanted to be a normal kid with friends. They kept bullying him until the point that he killed himself. it makes sense now, he used to sing the lullaby every time, his mom used to sing when he was a baby before she got in to drinking."
After a moment or two of slience; Jo spoke up.
"So, Salt and burn the remains?"
"Salt and burn." Jack sighed sadly before he stood up and went to his car with Ellen and Jo following them.
When they arrived at the cemetery and headed to the gravesite, they started to dig up the coffin.
They opened up the coffin and saw the remains. As they were about to burn them, Jack's lighter have out of his hand. They turned around to see Simon who looked pale but healthy.
"Hi Simon." Jack greeted as they tensed.
"Hi Jack, long time no see." Simon stated as he tossed the light away
"How's it been?"
"A lifetime."
"Why are you doing this?" Ellen asked, meantime Jo was trying to find that lighter
"Simple, remember Mark?"
"Yeah." Jack answered,
"That little girl I killed? That was his daughter. I've killed Shawn's son Wayne too. And now only one more to go. Gerard." Ellen shook her head sadly,
"That's what this is about? Payback, this is not who you are, I know you. I said to you once if you become like them, you're no better than you are. Please, let us put you to the rest." Jack pleaded
"Listen what he says, Simon. " Ellen said
"No. Not until they feel the pain I felt, everyday I was humiliated, embarrassed by those baboons. So what better way to get revenge than inflict pain into their loved ones?" Simon said looking mad at them. "Can you imagine what was like for me? To have every damn person in the world against you?"
"I do actually. You want to hate them all because it feels good right? But the truth is that you only get to destroy yourself of that hatred. Trust me, I know it personally. That hatred is only to do more harm than good. Let it go." Jo found the lighter and sneak past Simon who was busy talking to Jack.
Simon shook his head "I can't."
"Please, don't do this."
"No, I have to. I'm sorry."
"Me too, Jo?" Jack ordered, Jo flicked on the lighter. Simon realizing that, charged at her but Jack pulled out his salt gun and shot at him buying Jo enough time to drop it on the casket, burning the remains.
"No!" Simon shouted as he went up in flames and disappeared into thin air. Jack closed his eyes as a slient tear escaped for his high school friend.
The next day, Jack, Ellen and Jo went back to Norview High to pay a little visit to an old teacher, namely Mrs. Newton. The bell rang indicating that the class was dismissed.
Jack knocked on the door once her students left and Mrs. Newton went to open the door.
"May I help you?"
"Hi my name is Jack Cahill, I'm one of the your old students back in 1990." Jack said
"Jack? Oh my god, y-you… wow. You've changed."
"Yeah that's true." Jack agreed,
"Can we come in?" Mrs. Newton nodded and let Jack, Ellen and Jo come in to the classroom.
"And who are those beautiful women that you brought with you?"
"My girlfriend Ellen and her daughter Jo." Ellen and Jo shook hands with Newton.
"So what brings you here?"
"Thought that I might pay you visit, to see how are you doing."
"I'm doing fine thank you."
"And I wanted to say something to you personally."
"Which is?"
"I'm sorry for the way I acted to you on my first day here. And I might say something bad things to you, so I want to apologize, can you accept my apology?" Jack asked a bit sheepishly.
Mrs. Newton smiled accepting his apology. "Of course. Apology accepted."
Jack sighed a bit of relief "Thank you."
Ellen smirked, approvingly of what he just done.
"Well, if there's anything else that you might add?" Mrs. Newton asked
"No that's all, thank you for your time." Jack nodded as they headed for the door,
"By the way, Jack. Before you go, let me ask you a question. Are you happy with your life right now?"
Jack thought about it for a moment before answering "Yeah, I am." Jack smiled a little as he left the classroom with Ellen and Jo.
They got in to the car and Jack sighed.
"You all right, honey?" Ellen asked
"I don't know, coming back was a bit hard I guess."
"Don't beat yourself up. It was nothing you could've done to prevent this."
"I just wish that I could done something more."
"I know but you did your best, you were there for him in hard times, I think he'll happy for what you did." Ellen kissed his cheek as they drove back home, knowing that Simon is in a better place right now.
Fortune, fame, mirror vain, gone insane but the memory remains
Heavy rings on fingers wave
Another star denies the grave
See the nowhere crowd cry the nowhere tears of honour
Like twisted vines that grow
Hide and swallow mansions whole
And dim the light of an already faded Prima Donna
Fortune, fame, mirror vain, gone insane
Fortune, fame, mirror vain, gone insane but the memory remains
Heavy rings hold cigarettes
Up to lips that time forgets
While the Hollywood sun sets behind your back
And can't the band play on
Just listen, they play my song
Ash to ash, dust to dust
Fade to black
Fortune, fame, mirror vain, gone insane (Sing it)
Fortune, fame, mirror vain, gone insane
Dance little tin goddess
Drift away, fade away
Little tin goddess
Ash to ash, dust to dust
Fade to black
Fortune, fame, mirror vain, gone insane (Sing it)
Fortune, fame, mirror vain, gone insane but the memory remains
Ash to ash (Ash to ash), dust to dust (Dust to dust)
Fade to black (Fade to black), the memories remain, yeah
To this faded Prima Donna
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Dance little tin goddess dance
Say yes, at least say hello
Say yes, at least say hello
The Memory Remains by Metallica
AN: Next up is Live free or Twihard and the plot will have some twists in it.
But i am not going to reveal it. You'll just have to wait and see.
So how did I do with this chapter? Let me know when you review.