Emma's train ride home was a long one. She'd enjoyed seeing Shane
and it felt good to have someone to talk to who wouldn't talk back and who
didn't have their own problems, but it didn't help her get her mind off
anything.
When the train arrived at the station, Emma decided she didn't want to go home just yet. She decided she'd walk around for a little bit and maybe she'd find somewhere to go.
The summer sun was setting behind a set of trees and the air was warm, but not hot. There was a delicate breeze in the air, but no hint of cold weather. Emma loved it and she felt happy walking. The fresh air always did wonders for her, and that, plus the beautiful weather, was very good for her spirits.
Before she knew it, she ended up at Degrassi Community School. She paused in front of the school and took a seat on one of the benches. Her eyes became fixated on the school's name. It was Snake's workplace, the place she'd known and loved him as a teacher before she knew and loved him as her father.
Emma stared at the emblem for a few more minutes and then got up. She slowly walked up to the building and found herself nose-to-nose with the window that peered into Snake's classroom.
Inside, she could see the computers that lined the room. He lived to be a computer geek and that's how he was able to make money off of it. He loved his students and, for the most part, they loved him too.
The classroom had been redecorated by the permanent substitute that had come in at the end of the year. The posters that Snake had put up that epitomized his love for computers had been taken down and in place, there were colorful posters with simplified instructions on how to use certain programs. It was something Snake wouldn't approve of if he saw-he was much too dry and intelligent to have that.
"Everything's changing," Emma said to herself. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the window. "He's being replaced already."
She pulled her head off the window and opened her eyes, stepping away from the window. She stumbled back into something, but she didn't know what.
"Oh!" she cried startled. She focused her eyes for a second and then realized who it was. "Sean?"
They'd had a nasty breakup and hadn't spoken in a long time outside of an occasional "hello" that would be followed by a fight.
"Hi, Em," Sean said. His hands were in his back pockets and his eyes were fixated on his feet. "How are you?" His voice was shaky.
"I'm okay," Emma said. "How are you?"
"Good, good-yeah, good," Sean said.
"You know, you can lift your head up and look at me. I really don't mind."
Sean let out a sigh and then looked up at Emma. He had a nervous smile on his face. "Yeah, yeah I know."
"Let's not be weird around each other, Sean," Emma said. "Not now, at least. I'm just not in the mood to be mad at you."
"Maybe I should leave, then," Sean said with a half-smile.
Emma looked at him and realized how comforted she felt by the fact he was there. She tilted her head at him and then said, "No, why don't you stick around with me?"
"On one condition," Sean said.
"What's that?"
"That we take a walk and stick around together. I don't want to be near this damn place for another three months."
Emma laughed and realized how little Sean had changed personality wise, even if his friends were different. "Fine, fine. We can arrange that."
Sean put his hand on her back and led her away from the window. Part of Emma clung on to the window, but the rest of her was glad to get away.
"So, can I ask what you were doing with your nose against the glass?" Sean asked.
"You just kind of did," Emma said. "And it wasn't my nose-it was my forehead. Big difference."
"Okay, I'm sorry. Why was your forehead pressed against the window? Is that better for you?"
"Much better," Emma said. "I was looking into Snake's classroom. Looking at how the class was changed and how, well, everything is changing as well."
"Yeah, Mr. Simpson," Sean said, "how's he doing?"
Emma looked away from Sean for a second and then turned her attention back to him. "Well, I never looked into his classroom before he got sick. I never looked into his classroom when he was sick and doing well. What does that tell you?"
Sean rubbed his forehead and stopped in mid-stride. "I'm sorry, Emma."
"Yeah, me too. Look, Sean, can we talk about something else for a little bit? Just to take my mind off of it."
"Oh, oh, oh definitely," Sean said, still stuttering. His stomach was in knots talking to Emma. He hadn't been happy since they broke up and he longed just to have a few moments to talk to her. Now that he was getting it, it was emotionally rough on him, but a roughness he was willing to handle.
"Thanks."
"So, what classes did you sign up for?" Sean asked. It was a generic question, but he had to jumpstart the conversation somehow.
"Nothing great," Emma said. "The required stuff of course, plus a film course, a botany course, and a creative writing class."
"You write?" Sean asked. "I never knew that."
"Well, I don't, but I figured it'd be something interesting to learn. Plus, I didn't want to take a computer course, because, well, it wouldn't feel right."
Sean saw his cue to jump in and change the subject, which he did quickly, starting to talk about some gossip he'd heard before the end of the year.
The time went by quickly and before they knew it, the sun had set on them. The day had become dark and they hadn't fought. They both knew it was nice and they realized they would be able to hold onto a friendship without having to fight or make-out. It was refreshing for them both to know they could move on but hold onto that piece of their life.
They decided to call it a night when they arrived at Sean's house.
"I'd invite you in, but well, the place is a mess," Sean said. "Big surprise, right?"
Emma laughed and said, "No, it's okay. I need to get home anyway. I've been gone all day. Mom's probably worried."
"Well, it was definitely great getting to talk to you again, Em," Sean said. He went back to looking at his feet.
"Is there something on your shoes that you just love?" Emma asked.
"Nah, I just, I don't know." He looked up. "Em, would it be okay if I hugged you?"
"I'd hate you if you didn't try." They embraced and Emma felt secure in his arms. She didn't want to let go because she knew what she was facing if she did.
They finally broke free and Emma looked at him adoringly. "Thank you for tonight Sean, you really helped me out. I feel a lot better now."
"Anytime," Sean said. "We'll have to get together this summer. Just stop by sometime."
"I will. But don't worry, I won't come in."
They both laughed and exchanged a final goodbye before Sean shut the door.
As Emma made her way down the street, she started looking up at the sky. There was a full moon and countless stars filled the sky. The small breeze from earlier in the day had turned into a nightly chill, but still, nothing uncomfortable.
She walked for a little bit longer and finally reached her house.
She went up to the door and noticed it was slightly ajar. She pushed her way in and shut the door behind her.
"Mom!" she cried. "I'm home."
There was no answer.
"Mom!"
Still no answer.
"Mom! Where are you?"
Emma made her way into the kitchen and didn't see her mom. She walked around down the hallway and saw Snake's door was shut halfway. There seemed to be a little light coming from under the door, but there was no noise that she could make out.
"Mom," Emma said quietly. She got closer to the door and heard something inside. She couldn't make out what it was, but it was a soft, muffled noise.
Emma pushed the door open and saw her mom's back sitting on the bed. The telephone was at her side. She was crying.
"Mom?" Emma said, barely making an audible noise.
Spike turned around slowly, her eyes puffy and red. She was holding a tissue to her nose and mouth.
Emma stared at her. Her eyes began to fill with tears and her jaw started to tremble. The room got very bleak, as if the color had been washed out.
"Mom, what's going on?"
"Oh, Emma!" Spike cried, pulling herself off the bed and running at her daughter. She wrapped her arms around Emma and they both began to sob uncontrollably.
As they sat in the embrace, Emma cleared the haze from her eyes and peered over her mother's shoulder into Snake's bed.
When she saw what was in the bed, she pushed her mother away and put her hands over her mouth, attempting not to scream. Her knees buckled and she collapsed to the floor. She couldn't even make herself cry. Spike jumped to the floor to grab her daughter, but Emma managed to push her away, although she couldn't even feel her arms as she did it.
Snake was in his bed. His eyes were open and there was even a minor smile across his face.
But there was no breathing. There was no movement. There was no blinking. There was no sound.
Snake was dead.
When the train arrived at the station, Emma decided she didn't want to go home just yet. She decided she'd walk around for a little bit and maybe she'd find somewhere to go.
The summer sun was setting behind a set of trees and the air was warm, but not hot. There was a delicate breeze in the air, but no hint of cold weather. Emma loved it and she felt happy walking. The fresh air always did wonders for her, and that, plus the beautiful weather, was very good for her spirits.
Before she knew it, she ended up at Degrassi Community School. She paused in front of the school and took a seat on one of the benches. Her eyes became fixated on the school's name. It was Snake's workplace, the place she'd known and loved him as a teacher before she knew and loved him as her father.
Emma stared at the emblem for a few more minutes and then got up. She slowly walked up to the building and found herself nose-to-nose with the window that peered into Snake's classroom.
Inside, she could see the computers that lined the room. He lived to be a computer geek and that's how he was able to make money off of it. He loved his students and, for the most part, they loved him too.
The classroom had been redecorated by the permanent substitute that had come in at the end of the year. The posters that Snake had put up that epitomized his love for computers had been taken down and in place, there were colorful posters with simplified instructions on how to use certain programs. It was something Snake wouldn't approve of if he saw-he was much too dry and intelligent to have that.
"Everything's changing," Emma said to herself. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the window. "He's being replaced already."
She pulled her head off the window and opened her eyes, stepping away from the window. She stumbled back into something, but she didn't know what.
"Oh!" she cried startled. She focused her eyes for a second and then realized who it was. "Sean?"
They'd had a nasty breakup and hadn't spoken in a long time outside of an occasional "hello" that would be followed by a fight.
"Hi, Em," Sean said. His hands were in his back pockets and his eyes were fixated on his feet. "How are you?" His voice was shaky.
"I'm okay," Emma said. "How are you?"
"Good, good-yeah, good," Sean said.
"You know, you can lift your head up and look at me. I really don't mind."
Sean let out a sigh and then looked up at Emma. He had a nervous smile on his face. "Yeah, yeah I know."
"Let's not be weird around each other, Sean," Emma said. "Not now, at least. I'm just not in the mood to be mad at you."
"Maybe I should leave, then," Sean said with a half-smile.
Emma looked at him and realized how comforted she felt by the fact he was there. She tilted her head at him and then said, "No, why don't you stick around with me?"
"On one condition," Sean said.
"What's that?"
"That we take a walk and stick around together. I don't want to be near this damn place for another three months."
Emma laughed and realized how little Sean had changed personality wise, even if his friends were different. "Fine, fine. We can arrange that."
Sean put his hand on her back and led her away from the window. Part of Emma clung on to the window, but the rest of her was glad to get away.
"So, can I ask what you were doing with your nose against the glass?" Sean asked.
"You just kind of did," Emma said. "And it wasn't my nose-it was my forehead. Big difference."
"Okay, I'm sorry. Why was your forehead pressed against the window? Is that better for you?"
"Much better," Emma said. "I was looking into Snake's classroom. Looking at how the class was changed and how, well, everything is changing as well."
"Yeah, Mr. Simpson," Sean said, "how's he doing?"
Emma looked away from Sean for a second and then turned her attention back to him. "Well, I never looked into his classroom before he got sick. I never looked into his classroom when he was sick and doing well. What does that tell you?"
Sean rubbed his forehead and stopped in mid-stride. "I'm sorry, Emma."
"Yeah, me too. Look, Sean, can we talk about something else for a little bit? Just to take my mind off of it."
"Oh, oh, oh definitely," Sean said, still stuttering. His stomach was in knots talking to Emma. He hadn't been happy since they broke up and he longed just to have a few moments to talk to her. Now that he was getting it, it was emotionally rough on him, but a roughness he was willing to handle.
"Thanks."
"So, what classes did you sign up for?" Sean asked. It was a generic question, but he had to jumpstart the conversation somehow.
"Nothing great," Emma said. "The required stuff of course, plus a film course, a botany course, and a creative writing class."
"You write?" Sean asked. "I never knew that."
"Well, I don't, but I figured it'd be something interesting to learn. Plus, I didn't want to take a computer course, because, well, it wouldn't feel right."
Sean saw his cue to jump in and change the subject, which he did quickly, starting to talk about some gossip he'd heard before the end of the year.
The time went by quickly and before they knew it, the sun had set on them. The day had become dark and they hadn't fought. They both knew it was nice and they realized they would be able to hold onto a friendship without having to fight or make-out. It was refreshing for them both to know they could move on but hold onto that piece of their life.
They decided to call it a night when they arrived at Sean's house.
"I'd invite you in, but well, the place is a mess," Sean said. "Big surprise, right?"
Emma laughed and said, "No, it's okay. I need to get home anyway. I've been gone all day. Mom's probably worried."
"Well, it was definitely great getting to talk to you again, Em," Sean said. He went back to looking at his feet.
"Is there something on your shoes that you just love?" Emma asked.
"Nah, I just, I don't know." He looked up. "Em, would it be okay if I hugged you?"
"I'd hate you if you didn't try." They embraced and Emma felt secure in his arms. She didn't want to let go because she knew what she was facing if she did.
They finally broke free and Emma looked at him adoringly. "Thank you for tonight Sean, you really helped me out. I feel a lot better now."
"Anytime," Sean said. "We'll have to get together this summer. Just stop by sometime."
"I will. But don't worry, I won't come in."
They both laughed and exchanged a final goodbye before Sean shut the door.
As Emma made her way down the street, she started looking up at the sky. There was a full moon and countless stars filled the sky. The small breeze from earlier in the day had turned into a nightly chill, but still, nothing uncomfortable.
She walked for a little bit longer and finally reached her house.
She went up to the door and noticed it was slightly ajar. She pushed her way in and shut the door behind her.
"Mom!" she cried. "I'm home."
There was no answer.
"Mom!"
Still no answer.
"Mom! Where are you?"
Emma made her way into the kitchen and didn't see her mom. She walked around down the hallway and saw Snake's door was shut halfway. There seemed to be a little light coming from under the door, but there was no noise that she could make out.
"Mom," Emma said quietly. She got closer to the door and heard something inside. She couldn't make out what it was, but it was a soft, muffled noise.
Emma pushed the door open and saw her mom's back sitting on the bed. The telephone was at her side. She was crying.
"Mom?" Emma said, barely making an audible noise.
Spike turned around slowly, her eyes puffy and red. She was holding a tissue to her nose and mouth.
Emma stared at her. Her eyes began to fill with tears and her jaw started to tremble. The room got very bleak, as if the color had been washed out.
"Mom, what's going on?"
"Oh, Emma!" Spike cried, pulling herself off the bed and running at her daughter. She wrapped her arms around Emma and they both began to sob uncontrollably.
As they sat in the embrace, Emma cleared the haze from her eyes and peered over her mother's shoulder into Snake's bed.
When she saw what was in the bed, she pushed her mother away and put her hands over her mouth, attempting not to scream. Her knees buckled and she collapsed to the floor. She couldn't even make herself cry. Spike jumped to the floor to grab her daughter, but Emma managed to push her away, although she couldn't even feel her arms as she did it.
Snake was in his bed. His eyes were open and there was even a minor smile across his face.
But there was no breathing. There was no movement. There was no blinking. There was no sound.
Snake was dead.