Thanks to "SammyKay", "Spinelli Woods, Esquire", "lilvickiryan", and "Levioooosaaaa52" for reviewing! I really appreciate it! As for "lilvickiryan" 's question, about how I make the chapters so long? (I noticed you asked it earlier also…) I try to make the scenes of the story REALLY descriptive so that you can almost visualize or imagine the character's surroundings and emotions as if you were there. You'll notice that about one-forth of the content is actually dialogue! The songs I added heighten the experience because sometimes words don't explain some emotions or feelings well like songs do.
Chapter 8: Silence Hides Secrets
Location: At Third Street School, next Monday and school is about to start
It's in the low 40s and the sky is clear with not a single cloud. The gang reluctantly and disappointingly headed toward school when they hoped and wished all throughout last night that the huge snow storm would hit Third Street and not miss it as all the weathercasters predicted this morning. The gang was heading toward the front of the school. They took one slow step at a time thinking of what could have been a great snow day.
Spinelli complained, "I can't believe it! A snow storm that had to miss Third Street!"
T.J. disappointingly added, "Yeah...it's too bad....we could of had a snow day and stay home..."
Gus questioned Gretchen one last time, hoping that miraculously a snow storm would appear in less than twenty minutes. Gus rushed saying, "Are you sure Gretch? What about right now? Maybe your connection isn't working right."
Gretchen silently answered, "Sorry Gus. Galileo has been keeping track of the humidity, pressure, precipitation, and temperatures constantly and he has been gathering data from a 500 mile radius...but I'm sad to report that there is nothing in sight."
The gang and Ms. Finster's class silently moaned and groaned having to come inside the classroom and waited for Ms. Finster to show up.
Vince commented, "Man, I just hope this day ends fast."
Ms. Finster, out of the blue, cheerfully and bubbly said, "Good morning class and isn't it such a beautiful day! And with all of your wonderful sunny faces here to make it better!" (Imagine Ms. Finster talking sweetly just like in the episode "To Finster With Love.") The class was dumbfounded and just looked at each other wondering what happened to the crabby Ms. Finster they used to know.
T.J. nervously raised his hand and asked, "Uh...Ms. Finster, is something wrong? Did we do something wrong? Um....are things all right?"
Ms. Finster giggled like a small girl. She twirled around like a ballerina and at the end of it made a 'curtsying' sit on her chair.
Spinelli whispered to the gang, "She really does creep me out when she acts like that."
Gretchen cautiously questioned, "Did something happen last weekend Ms. Finster?"
Ms. Finster bashfully giggled and said, "Oh you sweet little darlings...he he he... I just had the most wonderful date with Hank. I know we couldn't see each other during school hours, but I had to see that fine gentleman once more...just once more..." Ms. Finster took a deep sigh and was lost in her romantic daydreams. The class all looked at each other again wondering what to think of that response.
Vince quietly spoke to Gretchen, "Hey Gretch...when do you think Ms. Finster will be 'off' Cloud Nine?"
Gretchen looked at her digital watch and answered silently, "In about a few hours..."
Ms. Finster looked at Vince and Gretchen from the corner of her eye and immediately became the cruel, snappy teacher she once was and yelled, "LaSalle and Grundler I suggest you shut up now or do so during a detention! You little brats think that just because my personal life has changed, it has to affect my work? HA! Hogwash I say! And don't get any smart ideas Detweiler about trying to break me down.....huh!" Ms. Finster groaned getting up and took out handouts for a social studies assignment and gave it to the students in the front row for them to pass it out.
Gretchen mouthed the words to Vince, and Vince understood her, when she corrected herself, "Make that a few seconds...."
At the first Recess of the day, the gang left outside to play and Stacey was still staying inside Mr. Johnson's classroom. Mr. Johnson did not mind Stacey in his classroom and continued his work on his desk. Stacey looked outside from her student desk and just gazed mindlessly into the kids of the playground having fun with each other. She just looked on and on...wondering what was it like to have fun with other kids. 5, 10, 15 minutes would pass and she sighed thinking that being a kid was impossible because of after everything she experienced, even though she was only 10 years old. She felt the cold shiver of solitude hearing only the wall clock tick, Mr. Johnson writing, or someone passing down the hallways. But something broke her train of thought...
"Mr. Johnson, may I go to the bathroom please?" Stacey said softly. She looked down on the ground wondering if Mr. Johnson would say something harsh.
Mr. Johnson was too busy grading papers and carelessly responded, "Okay...go head just don't take forever, okay?" He continued to shuffle student papers around trying to organize everything.
Stacey got up from her desk and slowly opened and closed the door behind her. She looked on either side of the hallway and not a single student was there. She never knew how big and lonesome the hallways were as the hallways echoed her walking...or maybe it was herself that was so lonesome. She went into the girls' restroom and when she was done and came out she saw Ashley T at the drinking fountain, but Ashley T wasn't drinking from it.
"Are you drinking from the fountain?" Stacey said in a confused tone of voice.
Ashley T snapped, "Like...whatever! Like I'm going to drink from tap...huh!" Ashley T's arms were crossed and she was leaning against the wall.
Stacey listened in closely to Ashley T's voice and asked, "What did you say?" Ashley T's voice sounded familiar but she couldn't pinpoint it exactly.
"Like I told you...I would never drink from the fountain! I always have the finest bottled water on hand. I wish those other Ashleys would be here by now." Ashley T remarked harshly.
Stacey's eyes bulged out and it was coming together, the voice and Ashley T's appearance. Stacey was becoming more suspicious and she slowly inhaled, "A...what's your name?"
Ashley T stood back away from her and looked at her strangely. Ashley T sarcastically said, "You don't know who I am? Ha! YOU DON'T KNOW who I am? I'm Ashley Tomassian, duh! Like it's so obvious! For being a new girl around here, you totally better start getting your act together!"
Stacey stood stiff and tried blinking several times trying to actually believe it. She was listening to Ashley T's every word and slowly questioned, "Does your father own Tomassian Omnimedia?"
Ashley T casually remarked, "Yeah, that's my dad's business. When are those girls showing up?" Ashley T was checking her nails and her manicure work done just last night.
Stacey couldn't believe that the girl she never thought she would see again was there in front of her. Her memories from two summers ago flashbacked in her mind and she became instantly enraged reliving those emotions. Her right eye started to twitch and her hands squeezed so tightly that her knuckles were appearing white. In one explosive emotion, she pushed Ashley T down on the floor and started pulling her hair.
Ashley T screamed and shrieked, "LIKE WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU UGLY LITTLE....ACK!" Stacey was pulling Ashley T's hair even harder and Ashley T was lying on the floor trying to hold onto her hair at the same time since she just had her hair professionally done.
Stacey was half upset and half sadden by thinking over what happened when she last saw her. Stacey yelled, "How could you and your father do that to my family? You almost destroyed my father's business you spoiled brat! Take your nappy hair self and weave somewhere else!"
Ashley T did not really care about what Stacey said about her father's business but when Stacey attacked her style...it struck a chord of bitter anger deep inside Ashley T. Ashley T angrily shouted back, "Nappy Hair?!? Ohh, look at yourself ghetto queen, and your butt ugly style of clothes!!"
The two were deeply involved in the catfight. Ashley T tried ripping off the sleeves of Stacey's sweatshirt while Stacey tried ripping off Ashley T's hair. They both started screaming and both lost their balance and both knocked themselves into the lockers that lined the hallway.
Stacey shouted and sneered back, "Oh, I haven't gone ghetto on you yet, girl!"
They both collapsed on the floor and Stacey finally was able to rip off some of Ashley T's hair. Stacey was on top of Ashley T, and when some of Ashley T's hair was pulled off...she shrieked and it echoed in the hallway. Ashley T ripped part of Stacey's left sleeve and, like a jaguar, took her nails and scratched Stacey's right cheek. Stacey's adrenaline was running high when Ashley T's acrylic hard nails tore into Stacey's skin. Ashley T left four scratch marks from her hand and Stacey's cheek was bleeding slightly. They continued to scream and holler at each other like animals as the catfight continued.
A crowd of students started to gather from the loud noises. Hustler Kid took advantage of the scene, he quickly spoke, "Do I have any bets on the new girl or Ashley T? Any bets ladies and gentlemen before Ms. Finster comes? Going once..."
Meanwhile back on the hallway floor, Ashley T grunted, "Like you psycho witch what's wrong with you?!?"
Stacey vented out, "You don't remember back at Detroit...at the Renaissance Center? AFTER THAT MEETING?!?"
Hustler Kid looked around for anymore potential bidders, "Going twice.... Everyone place your bets in...last call boys and girls..."
Ashley T sneered back at Stacey, "Like what are you totally saying?"
Stacey was boiling over and ripped out even more of Ashley T's hair. Stacey grinded her teeth and furiously yelled, "HOW YOU LEFT the place laughing at my family and I after WHAT YOU DID to my dad's business?!?"
Before Hustler Kid could speak, Ms. Finster came out of nowhere and whispered, "Gone..." finishing Hustler Kid's speech. There was a gasping silence from the students when Ms. Finster arrived. She then took a deep breath and yelled out, "ENOUGH OF THIS CATFIGHT!" She got in between the two enraged girls and pushed them aside. Ms. Finster complained, "I haven't seen this wild of a fight since one of my gal pals thought another was stealing her prune flavored Metamucil!"
Ashley T cried out, "Ms. Finster, Ms. Finster! That ugh! Like grotesque girl just fought me! Like totally out of nowhere! And just look! She ripped off parts of my hair!"
Stacey sighed deeply and looked back and forth knowing that she did start the fight in the first place. Stacey could only answer back, "She doesn't know what she's saying!" Ms. Finster looked at Stacey's cheek for some time and Stacey noticed Ms. Finster's behavior. Stacey put her hand on her cheek and her face could feel the warmth of blood rushing in to heal her wound. She took her hand away from her cheek and looked at it, and felt the blood on her fingertips. Stacey angrily called out, "Oh this is great! Just great!"
Ashley T screamed and cut off Stacey saying, "Ewww! Like did you get blood on me and my dress?!? All your nasty blood on me!"
Stacey barked back, "Hey honey it's an improvement from what I'm seeing!"
Ashley T snobbishly added, "Show's what little taste you have!"
The two girls rushed toward each other to try to continue their catfight, both of them wanting to rip the other to shreds mercilessly, but Ms. Finster prevented them and grabbed both of them with either hand. She ferociously said, "Enough girls! Enough! Both of you are getting a detention....and a long one at that! But before I do...I have to take you to Nurse Kramer....dang blasted feisty animals!" Ms. Finster dragged the reluctant girls with her on either hand as the girls squinted at each other with bitter animosity. They looked at each other knowing that this wasn't the end of their 'small' quarrel. The crowd of kids that were left behind just stared at the three walking down the hallway wondering what the fight was all about, especially since Stacey and Ashley T were the most silent students in Third Street.
Chapter 9: The Power of Snow
Location: At Third Street School, Ms. Finster's classroom, it's just before second recess on the same day
Ms. Finster was lecturing about the water cycle and she noticed T.J. daydreaming about outside. T.J. as were most of the kids in her classroom was enchanted by the snow falling outside. Miraculously, somehow, despite all predictions it was snowing! The kids of the classroom were excited for the second recess to begin since snow was a rarity for Third Street in Arkansas. T.J. was thinking back to all of the wonderful memories last Christmas on somehow it miraculously snowed also. He thought about the snow fight he and the gang had after the Christmas play and all of their crazy fun time adventures; building snowmen, making a snow fortress, tasting the fresh, cool fallen snow. He imagined the taste of the snow on his lips and tongue as he was mesmerized by the sight before him. He continued to dreamily smile away at the serene winter wonderland outside; it was a beautiful site...the cherished playground decorated in a fluffy, pure white.
Ms. Finster became irritated seeing how the kids were distracted by the snow fall and so she instantly closed the window blinds. The class moaned and went, "Awww..." T.J.'s daydreaming was sharply and rudely cut off from him as he began focusing back on Ms. Finster.
Ms. Finster roared, "You little rapscallions! This is important! I'm teaching you little malcontents on how it does snow or rain!" She took a deep sigh and knew it was kind of pointless because she knew how rare it was also to have snow fall at Third Street. She received a phone call from the class phone and after a few minutes went back to the blackboard to continue her lecturing.
The bell rung and broke the gloomy spirits of the students. The students sprung up from their seats and were filled with jubilation about the fun that was in store for them outside. Yet before the students could slam the door open, Ms. Finster delicately but yet mischievously began, as she was sitting in her chair, "Uh...children...where do you think all of you are going?"
Spinelli answered for the class, "Why outside of course! I mean just look at it!"
Ms. Finster craftily replied, "I don't think so...."
Vince discontented, with Ms. Finster's reply, questioned, "Why is that?"
Ms. Finster was tapping on her desk with her nails and looked up trying to appear innocent, but crabbily answered, "I don't know...maybe because THERE'S A BLIZZARD OUTSIDE?!?"
T.J. took charge of the discussion and protested, "So! It doesn't mean we can't enjoy the snow outside." The students of the classroom were becoming frustrated with Ms. Finster's behavior since they were all eagerly anticipating to play outside and enjoy every second of the rare snowfall.
Ms. Finster chuckled, "Oh! Oh! Oh! Yes it does! It's a school policy that whenever there is blizzard outside, students are prohibited from playing outside. Otherwise, we, the school, would be responsible for any complications you little hooligans would get. You know like hypothermia what have you..." She walked back to the windows and pulled on the cord and the blinds snapped back open. The windows revealed an unbelievable sight! The gentle, playful snowfall of ten minutes ago had turned into harsh, brutal torrential blizzard! The wind was howling at 40 MPH and the class couldn't see anything beyond Old Rusty on the playground because the heavy snow had "whited out" the scenery. The snow was accumulating fast and Hank couldn't keep up with it as the snow piled on inches upon inches! The playground had turned into an unforgiving place of deep bone-penetrating cold, seeping wetness, and breath-robbing winds. The class just stood there... dumbfounded... speechless...
Mikey shook his head back and forth, trying to make sense of it all. He cried out, "Why?! OH WHY?!? How could this have happened? Such a cruel trick dear mother nature has pulled on us!"
Gretchen whipped out her handheld computer and hurriedly asked Galileo, "Galileo! What happened?!? I thought you said there would be consistent light snowfall throughout the day!"
Galileo apologized, "I'm sorry Gretchen, but as you know weather can be quite unpredictable! In fact, I'm just as shock as you are!"
Vince whined, "Aw man! I mean snow rarely comes here at all...and now this!?!" The class began to become nervous and disappointed about the realization that they were not going outside to enjoy recess.
Ms. Finster tried to alleviate the concerns and complaints of the class, "All right hoodlums! All right! Just because you can't go outside doesn't mean that we can't enjoy recess..."
Gus, confused, asked, "What do you mean Ms. Finster?"
Ms. Finster ecstatically proposed, "Well I have some great games and songs to play!"
Gus became soon suspicious of Ms. Finster's attitude. He carefully asked, "Uh...what exactly Ms. Finster?"
Ms. Finster sneakily replied, "You'll see Griswald....now everyone push your desks to the back...it's time I teach you animals how to dance!"
As the class pushed their student desks to the back of the classroom, Spinelli whispered to T.J., "Hey Teej, you think she's gonna teach the class how she did those awesome moves back at the Holiday Dance?"
T.J. clueless as with the rest of the class, could only say, "We'll see Spin..."
Ms. Finster plugged in the CD-tape cassette-record player 'all in one player' and placed it on her desk. She played a song on the record player only Gus would infamously remember. Ms. Finster passed the lyrics of the song to the class (little did they know it was slightly changed.)
Gus sighed in disappointment, "Not this song....again..."
Randall cheered, "All right Ms. Finster this is extra moist!"
Spinelli muttered to herself, while looking up at the ceiling, "This is extra...lame..." Spinelli received the lyrics and started snickering as with the rest of class, seeing the change, only Randall didn't have the 'modified' lyrics.
Ms. Finster yelled, "Now sing with me you brats!"
The song began with a 1950s style beat and Ms. Finster sang with a scratchy voice, "Ahoy there sailors, can you do the otter dance? First you take your right flipper and you slap it on your pants!" (Remember "The Great State Fair" episode.) The class reluctantly but joked singing, "...and you slap it on your ass!"
Ms. Finster didn't hear it at first, slowly agreeing, "Yes...you slap it on your a-- WHAT THE HECK?!? Slap it on your ass?!? Who told you 'to slap it on your ass'?!?"
They bellowed and laughed uncontrollably as their stomachs started hurting from the laughter; even Randall couldn't control himself.
Ms. Finster shut herself up realizing she was saying a 'naughty' word, she angrily yelled at T.J. saying, "Detweiler! I should have known you would do this!"
T.J. was innocent actually and he laughed so hard but tried to be serious, "But ma'am...HA HA! I swear it wasn't me....but I think I've heard some say hanky panky begins with a spanky?!? HA HA!" T.J. was somewhat unsure about what he was saying with 'hanky panky' and what it meant...being only 10 years old.
Ms. Finster cut off T.J., "Detweiler! Hanky Panky business?!? You must wash your mouth with soap young man." The class erupted into laughter all over again and Ms. Finster sensed somehow that it wasn't him. She was discontent and mumbled, "Little rats! I'll find out whoever it was..." She roared, "Now class back to the real song!" She snatched all of the lyric sheets from the students and threw them in the garbage.
Ms. Finster continued the agony, "Then you take your left flipper and you catch a little fish. Then you take your little tail and you swish, swish, swish!" Ms. Finster put her iron hand on the record and stopped the music dead cold. The record made a harsh 'rapping' sound and only Randall stopped shaking his butt (none of the other kids in the class were dancing) during the 'swish, swish, swish.' Ms. Finster authoritatively said, "Why aren't you little whippersnappers dancing to the otter dance? Everyone loves it!" The class was calming down from their laughter but a few were snickering remembering it.
Vince cockily replied, "You can't be serious Ms. Finster?!"
Ashley A added, "Yeah I mean the Otter Dance...like get real..."
Ms. Finster evilly grinned, softly saying, "Try me..."
T.J. politely raised his hand, and slightly giggled, and asked, "Uh...Ms. Finster can I sit out for this dance?" He tried to entice Ms. Finster to approve of it by promising, "I'll just sit quiet at my desk..."
Ms. Finster permitted T.J. and his gang to be excused from the dancing and grumbled, "Fine Detweiler....just sit on the desks until recess is over and then we'll get back to teaching." To Ms. Finster's surprise, everyone in the class except for Randall went back to their desks and sat on them.
Ms. Finster taken back by how many students left the front of the classroom, complained, "Fine you little malcontents don't want to enjoy the music...I'll just have to play my own favorite music then..."
Randall excitedly and impatiently began, "Oh boy Ms. Finster! Can I play a song from my CD?"
Ms. Finster allowed Randall to use the 'all-in-one' player and set it to play the first track. Randall called out to the class, "C'mon everyone lets Macarena!"
The class, shocked out of their minds, sputtered out, "WHAT?!?"
Ashley B whined, "That was soooo 1996...like I wouldn't be caught dead dancing to that..."
Ms. Finster, satisfied by Randall's selection, complimented, "Good song Randall! Now we'll really be shakin' it!"
Randall added, with his eyes bulged out in anticipation, "But this is a Macarena Christmas version! Let's Macarena guys!"
The rest of the class sighed and looked around the classroom. Spinelli looked at the gang half-bored and half-tired, and commented, "Guys, it looks like its gonna be a long recess...and we're stuck seeing Randall and Ms. Finster shakin' it. Oh boy...." The class' eyes wondered off toward outside as they sank in deeper disappointment...as the mind addictive beat ("Macarena Christmas (Joy Mix)" by Los Del Rio) kept playing on and on reminding the class of their 'torture.'
Eventually, the second recess ended to the relief of the class. It was the first time T.J. ever thought he would be relieved for recess to actually end. Ms. Finster closed the blinds again to avoid the students from being distracted from the storm that was becoming worse and worse. Ms. Finster's class was ready for the school day to end as soon as possible but just 20 minutes before school could end, Principal Prickly came on the announcements.
"Good afternoon Third Street Students...as you have noticed there has been a blizzard that has seemed to have covered the school in snow...LITERALLY!" said Principal Prickly anxiously trying to figure out a solution to this dilemma. He continued, "Because of this...students have to remain inside the school premises until this snow storm gets weaker...that is all..."
T.J. exclaimed, "They're keeping us inside the school! Even after it ends!?!" The class was becoming discontent having to stay in their prison-like classroom from being bossed and humiliated by Ms. Finster.
Ms. Finster silenced the class, "Pipe down you maggots! All of you may have to stay here after school, but you brats are under my rule! Don't forget that!" Gretchen raised her hand, and Ms. Finster shouted, "Yeah, what do you want Grundler?"
Gretchen brought up, "Uh...can we please open the blinds and see how bad it really is?!?"
Ms. Finster grumbled, "Fine, I'll just do that but I want all of you to stop staring at--" Ms. Finster opened the blinds and her eyes bulged out, surprised she said, "WHAT IN THE NAME OF MY UNCLE ED'S DANDRUFF?!?" The class all gasped and their eyes were transfixed at an unthinkable event.
Despite all the efforts of Hank and the other custodians, the storm did not let up and the school was surrounded in 12 FEET OF SNOW! The snow was packed around the school so tightly, that the class could only see through the top quarter portion of the window. Everything below that top quarter, was covered in snow; it was like someone had pushed a great wall of snow right up against the glass of the window. T.J. stood up on his desk to see whatever was left of the playground. T.J. couldn't believe his eyes and the snow blanketed everything as if it wasn't there. Only the top platform (where King Freddie's throne was) barely seemed to emerge from the snow, Old Rusty was two-thirds covered in snow, the homes appeared to have lost a 'story' or floor, and the huge trees the gang used to climb on appeared to be nothing but wide, stubby bushes. The small hut on the top of Old Rusty appeared to be like a small solitary gazebo in the middle of an outstretched snow covered field.
The storm ruthlessly piled on more and more inches of snow that extinguished the bright sun and plunged Third Street and the neighborhood into a very dark gray, dreary mood. The class could hear the howling of the winds topping at 50 MPH making the old foundation of the school to creak slightly from the stresses of the winds and the outside snow slowly engulfing it. Ms. Finster and her class tried to take it all in for a couple minutes and without warning the bell rung and it was 3 PM.
Spinelli's mind clicked back on her surroundings and the bell reminded her of that. She had enough of Ms. Finster and there was no way she wanted to continue her torment when the bell signaled her freedom for the day. She stormed toward the classroom door and slammed it open, "That's it guys...there is no way I'm staying here! Once the bell rings...I'm outta here!"
Gretchen tried to make Spinelli realize the severity of the issue, "But Spinelli!"
Spinelli cut Gretchen off, "Gretch....I'm leaving this joint!"
Ms. Finster snottily threatened, "Ms. Spinelli if you leave this classroom....expect big trouble...." Ms. Finster went on in an ominous tone, "And I mean...BIIIGGG trouble!"
Spinelli brushed it off and carelessly responded, "Yeah! What a bunch of hooey! Once the bell rings there is nothing to stop me ..."
T.J. called out for Spinelli from his desk, "But Spinelli its freezing cold outside! Are you---" Spinelli already shut the door behind her and was stomping her feet toward the door. Ms. Finster would have chased Spinelli down but because she had to supervise the rest of her class, she couldn't.
No one was really in the hallways since Principal Prickly advised the teachers to keep their students inside their classrooms until the storm let up....hopefully. Spinelli approached the front double metal doors. Spinelli was frustrated with how ironic things had turned out with the snow and she was peeved having to endure the presence of Ms. Finster and Randall. It wasn't that Spinelli was upset with them, but staying crammed up with those two in the small classroom with that huge 'snow wall' appearance right up against the window made her feel anxious and edgy like an insane person in a tiny room of a mental asylum. She needed to have some type of openness...
She mischievously smiled, rubbed her hands together, and then tried to open the metal doors...but they wouldn't budge. It was like trying to push a boulder that just wouldn't move. The several feet of snow had put so much pressure on the doors, that they held them shut. Spinelli grunted and forced everything she had to move those doors so they could open outside. In a moment, there was a click and when Spinelli was able to see a sliver of outside, that's when she started to panic. The snow had found a weak point and snow rushed through the crack and caused the door to be forced wide open. Before Spinelli could get out in time, the snow covered her completely and she felt the harsh, reality of the bitter weather. The warm, comfort of the inside dissipated from her instantly and the cold, icy snow fell over her and even under her clothes. Spinelli fell into shock from the sudden change in temperature and her body became all tensed up.
Back at Ms. Finster's classroom, T.J. was heading toward the classroom door to see if Spinelli already left but Ms. Finster crabbily questioned, "What are you doin' Detweiler?"
T.J. somewhat worried answered, "I wanted to see if Spinelli is okay or if she left...I mean just look at it outside."
Ms. Finster sighed, "Go ahead Detweiler but just don't leave the doorway...."
T.J. antsily looked to the left and found nothing...but when he looked to the right he couldn't believe it! He saw, down the end of the hallway, was Spinelli curled up in the fetal position and shivering from the cold of snow. T.J. yelled back to the class, "Guys! Come quick! Spinelli needs our help!" T.J. ran as fast as he could...his heart racing...his breathing intensified and he slid down to meet up with Spinelli. His mind almost began to panic seeing Spinelli so helpless and frail being so cold and covered from the snow. The draft of the outside elements, from the wide open door, blasted the entire right side of his body with skin tingling cold as if someone left the door open to a huge freezer room. He gently but quickly brushed the snow off Spinelli and from her face.
Spinelli's teeth were chattering and breathing was hard from the cold. Her eyes were almost lifeless and T.J. couldn't see the tough-spirited fighter in them...only a helpless little girl. She stiffly moved her head to meet T.J. and met his baby, blue eyes again. Normally she would have been nervous to even look at them knowing how easily she could lose herself in them, but the cold dominated her mind and senses and she shivered, softly whispering, "I'm cold Teej.....I'm cold..." She felt so weak and exhausted from the snow that completely covered her...it was as if she dived into a frozen lake. She could see Gretchen, Ms. Finster, the gang, and the rest of her class arriving...
Gretchen hurriedly demanded, "T.J. we have to get her warmed up fast!"
Mikey screamed in horror, "Oh no!" He scooped Spinelli up and they rushed down the hallway to take her to Nurse Kramer.
T.J. feared seeing Spinelli so weak and tried to comfort her, "Don't worry Spin! We'll help you out!"
Spinelli still shivering, just whispered, "Huh? Just so cold....cold...."
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To Be Continued…