Sub Torture

After the incident with Harris, Kelly dismissed the crowd and went to check up on the students in the teachers' lounge. There were a few of them as well as many replacement substitutes. Several teachers had already resigned since the beginning of the school year and even more substitutes had either left or disappeared for some reason. Not to mention the McCoy incident. It was little wonder that several teachers were stressed from not only the insanity of the school but by being forced to teach extra classes and give up many of their prep periods. It was clear as soon as he walked in the stress was taking it's toll.

One teacher was muttering to himself downing several pills. Another was in the corner holding her head saying, "Puppies and Kittens, puppies and kittens," over and over again. Two others were looking through the newspaper searching the want ads for another job. Another was tearing apart papers with her bare hands grumbling "I will not kill them…I will not kill them even if the voices tell me to…" The rest were drinking scotch or whatever alcoholic beverages they could get their hands on.

"Oh look everyone it's our fearless leader," Mr. Sherman grumbled as he downed his fourth gin and tonic.

Everyone groaned as they looked at him. "Let me guess," Mr. Rodeski snapped. "Another disaster has befallen Bayville! What happened to the Superintendent Kelly? Demon sighting? Food fight? Earthquake? What else has happened in this madhouse?"

"Car exploded and someone threw some kind of bomb when he was in the bathroom," Kelly sighed.

"Oh," Rodeski groaned. "Is that all?"

"I gotta get my resume together," Mr. Sherman groaned. "I can't take much more insanity! This place makes Attica look like a nice quiet vacation spot!"

"Hey here's a job that's nice and safe," Mrs. Hawkins said. "They're looking for people to go over to Afghanistan to deactivate landmines!"

"Why don't we just set the school on fire and get it over with?" Mrs. Jupiter said.

"Mrs. Jupiter did you take your pills this morning?" Kelly blanched.

"No," Mrs. Jupiter took them out of her handbag. "Thanks. Maybe these will shut up the voices in my head!"

"Oh just use the scotch like the rest of us," Mr. Sherman groaned.

"People I am trying to get more teachers here," Kelly sighed. "But for some reason I can't seem to recruit too many."

"Gee I wonder why?" Mr. Sherman groaned.

"Come on you can't blame everything on the strange events and the students," Kelly told him. "There simply are not enough teachers out there."

"The voices tell me to use duct tape and tape 'em all to their seats!" Mrs. Jupiter laughed maniacally.

"Uh…Mrs. Jupiter how would you like to take the rest of the day off?" Kelly gulped. When she left the room laughing he asked Rodeski, "Is that pool on how long she'll last still open?"

"Yup," He took out a notepad.

"Here's five dollars. Put me down for the end of this week," Kelly gulped.

Suddenly a young woman burst into the room covered with silly string. "I can't take anymore!" Mrs. Harmony screamed. "I QUIT!"

"What happened to you?" Kelly looked at her.

"Some of the Institute Kids got into a silly string war with some of the football team members!" She snapped. "Draw your own conclusions!"

"Which ones from the Institute?" Kelly sighed dreading the answer.

"Bobby Drake, Kurt Wagner, and Evan Daniels," She told them.

"Oh no Brotherhood this time?" Rodeski asked. "Or were they too busy stealing toilet paper again?"

"I don't have any Brotherhood members in my class!" She snapped. "And I never will! I am out of here!" She stormed out.

"Mrs. Harmony please!" Kelly chased after her.

"Okay she's been here exactly three months today," Mr. Rodeski took out a chart. "And since no Brotherhood members were involved that means Mrs. Hawkins you win the betting pool."

"All right!" She crowed as she collected her money. "Come to mama!"

"Oh great there's even more classes we have to cover!" Mr. Rodeski sighed. "What are we gonna do?"

"I say we go on strike," Mr. Sherman snapped. "At least we'll get out of school for a while."

"We can't do that!" Mrs. Hawkins said. Then the sound of a vending machine exploding in the distance got her attention. "On the other hand…"