Pink elephants came running. He was running with them. He felt a dread for something behind him. He ran and ran. He could hear screams behind him. They came closer and closer. He forced himself more, and his steps grow longer. Then it happened. He felt.
The screams came closer. The pink elephants began to changes to bats. He felt something behind him. He felt an arm on his shoulder. He turned around. There was the one they all hat feared. He was looking at himself!
"Terry, wake up!"
He opened his eyes and saw his mother's. They smiled.
"You had a nightmare."
She caressed his cheek shortly.
"My little boy!"
He sat up and gave her a hug, which brought them back to the reality. They ended the hug and she walked over to the door.
"Terry, you can always come to me, if you have some problems, you know."
He nodded.
"Get some clothes on. I need to go now, but I have left some food on the table for you."
"Matt?"
"He is still at Dylan's. Remember the meeting with the school at 11. Oh, I have to go, see you."
She kissed him on his cheek and left.
He quickly got dressed and ate the food, but all the time he was thinking about the dream. Was he afraid of himself? Or was it something else? He had had the same dream before.
He got his things and left for school.
o-
The felt like the whole school was staring at him as he walked into the office. A middle-aged woman, who was sitting behind a counter, looked up as he came in.
"Oh, you must be Terence McGinnis?"
He nodded.
"Your mother has already come. They are waiting for you in here."
She showed him over to a door to his left. She gentled knocked on the door. The door opened and an older man came out.
"Yes, Mrs. Hills."
Mrs. Hills nod over in Terry's direction. The older man followed it and saw Terry.
"Is this young Mr. McGinnis?"
"Yes."
"Well, young man, then you better come with me. We are only waiting for you."
Terry followed the man into his office. His mother, who was sitting in front of the desk, stood up and gave him a superficial hug. The older man sad down behind the desk.
"Well, Terry, my name is Dr. Descartes. I am sorry, that it couldn't be in more pleasantly circumstance that we meet. Well, as I was explaining to your mother. We can and will no longer overlook your carelessness about you schoolwork. It's therefore my…"
It knocked on the door.
"Yes!"
Mrs. Hills came in.
"There is a man standing out here. He is saying…"
Before she could say more came a man into the room. It was Bruce Wayne.
"Mr. Wayne, what can I do for them?"
Dr. Descartes tried not to look surprised.
"I have come to give both you and Terry a helping hand."
"What?"
Dr. Descartes was obviously confused.
"Mrs. McGinnis was so accommodating to tell me about this meeting yesterday."
He sent a small nod to her and she smiled back.
"Please, sit down."
Dr. Descartes' hand was shaking a little as Bruce sat down next to Terry and his mother. Dr. Descartes tried to take control over the situation again.
"So, what do you want?"
"A chance more to Terry."
"That's not easy. He is totally carelessness about his schoolwork."
"I think, we all is to blame for that - including me."
Dr. Descartes slowly nodded.
"So, what is your idea about this new chance?"
"In the end of the school year the students have to pass some exams."
Dr. Descartes nod.
"If Terry can pass his exams at that time with an over average score, will you then let him continue here?"
Dr. Descartes thought about it for a moment.
"Yeah, we will, but that's the problem. There is no way possible for Terry to pass. He is too far behind."
"Well, Dr. Descartes, let me worry about that. Do we have a deal?"
Dr. Descartes shook his head.
"Okay, if you think it's possible, then you can have your deal?"
Bruce smiled pleased. He turned towards Terry's mother.
"Mrs. McGinnis, could I have the pleasure of talking with you outside for a moment?"
She nod, and they walked out in the office hallway. The minutes passed. Terry and Dr. Descartes just sat there. Staring at each other, but then came Bruce and Mrs. McGinnis in again.
"Sorry for that, Dr. Descartes, but I haven't had the time to brief Mrs. McGinnis about my plan."
"No sorrows taken."
"Well, I have a friend, who is principal on a boarding school. She has agreed to take Terry in for the rest of the year – to make him fit for the exams."
"That would mean that Terry has to leave the school."
"Yes, but it's only until the exams."
"Okay, if you think it's going to help Terry."
The phone on the desk rang.
"Excuse me."
Dr. Descartes answered the phone. It was an important phone call, so Dr. Descartes said goodbye to them.
o-
They were sitting at a table in the cafeteria each with a cup of coffee. Bruce was about telling them about his friend's boarding school, when Mrs. McGinnis mobile phone rang. She answered it. It was from her workplace. They needed her, so she said goodbye.
After she had left they sat a long time in stillness. It was Terry, who broke it.
"What about…you know?"
Bruce did know.
"I have ask Clark, if he wanted to help."
"And?"
"He said, that not only would he help you, but the whole Justice League is going to help."
"But…"
"Clark has told them, that you have something important you need to do."
For a while none of them said anything, but then Terry emptied his cup.
"Well, I better go and empty my locker."
"You are coming back you know."
"Yes, I know, but I just want some of the stuff with me."
"Okay, I will wait in the car."
Terry left Bruce and went over to his locker, just as the bell rang out. Students rushed out of the classrooms. Terry began to empty his locker, but then he heard a familiar voice.
"Are you moving?"
He looked up and saw Dawn.
"Yeah, I'm going on a boarding school for the rest of the year."
"Was it that bad?"
"What?"
"I have heard, that you had some problems, but I didn't fought they were that bad."
"Well, they where!"
He finished his packing and said goodbye to Dawn. They promised to keep in contact, then the bell rang for the next class and she had to go. Terry walked down the empty hallway and out of the school to the waiting car outside. As the car drove away he looked back, but he didn't saw the girl, who was standing in the window looking at him. She was crying.
