Joe grumbled under his breath the entire way to his locker about stupid math lab assignments and teachers that give way too much work. As he rounded the corner, he saw his locker door pried open and the contents strewn on the floor.

"Damn it," he said as he stooped down to look at the door and the mess. He knew someone had taken a crow bar to the locker door to bend it like that. The lock had held so only the bottom of his locker was accessible. It looked like the person had pulled out everything they could reach through the gap in the door and left it on the floor.

Frank is really going to worry now, Joe thought as he looked at his math lab book in the jumble of books and notebooks on the floor. He'd let Frank look at the mess before picking up the book. Even if someone broke into his locker, he knew he still had homework to finish. Joe turned back towards the auditorium to get Frank. He had already been gone for a few minutes longer than he had said.

Joe approached the auditorium half expecting to run into Frank out looking for him. He pulled open the door and took a few steps in before he realized that he didn't see anyone. Just then, the lights went off completely.

He took a few steps back so that he was closer to the wall and started to edge towards the stage. It made him very uneasy that everyone was gone. Where were they?

Joe kept his back to the wall as he walked up the steps on the right of the stage. He still hadn't heard a sound, but he just knew that someone was out there. He cautiously peered into the orchestra pit to see if anyone was hiding there, but could tell by the faint glow of the emergency lights that it was empty. Looking across the dark stage, he decided the best approach was to stay close to the wings as they afforded some place to hide.

Joe was between the second and third curtains when he smelled it. Gasoline. He took a step closer to the open stage and almost slipped. Then he realized he was standing in it. A puddle of gasoline reached from the wings onto the stage. As he brushed into the curtain, he could feel wet spots on that as well, as if it had been splashed around.

"I know you're there Joe, come on out and join my play," said a calm voice which raised the hair on Joe's neck. "I know you don't care that you didn't get the part, but this is what I've worked for. I do care."

"Alan?" Joe said, finally placing the voice.

"None other. Alan Botts who wants to go to college to study drama. I've been in community theater productions, summer workshops, you name it. But can I get a part in the stupid school play?" his voice was becoming more frenetic as he spoke. Joe could hear more gas being sloshed on the floor of the stage.

"Alan, let's go talk about this, somewhere else. You can tell me what happened," Joe said calmly as he crinkled his nose against the gas fumes that were quickly becoming overwhelming.

"You're not leaving Joe, you've seen the proof that I planned this. But I found the notebook in your locker Joe. So with you and it gone, no one will know," Alan said as he tossed the notebook on the floor.

Joe finally found Alan's exact position when he heard the notebook splash into the gasoline. Joe knew that notebook must be the one he had lost a few weeks ago because his Dad had Alan's at home. Well there goes my party plans, he thought to himself as he positioned himself behind Alan. He was hoping Alan would continue talking so that he didn't give his position away.

"You can't get away Joe, you're right in the middle of it with me. If only that stupid drama teacher had not been so prejudice. It really wouldn't have come to this. I was the best person to play the supporting role, she even said it. But I don't 'look' right – she didn't care if the person could act, she only cared about the color of their skin. This is what I think of her play," he said as he grabbed the lighter out of his pocket.

Joe lunged for him then, still shocked at what Alan had said, but he had to stop him. No matter how wrong the teacher was, this was not right. Joe's feet slipped in the gasoline but he managed to hit him in the back with his good shoulder enough to knock him off balance. The lighter flew from Alan's hand and landed on the stage.

Alan swung around and threw a punch that glanced off Joe's jaw. He saw stars, but shook his head to clear it. He kicked out at Alan's legs and as Alan dropped to the floor, Joe took the second to get his arm out of the sling.

After Alan hit the floor he saw the glint of the lighter. Alan reached out and grabbed it and clicked it once which was just enough to create the one spark which started everything burning.

Joe had lunged at Alan to stop him but when he realized it was too late, Joe pulled him back away from the blaze. Before Joe could completely subdue him though, Alan slammed his fist straight into Joe shoulder sending pain shooting up his neck and down his arm and causing Joe to stagger back towards the flames.

"I'm sorry Joe. You have to die," Alan said as he rushed Joe again. Joe knew he had enough gasoline on him to burst into flames if he got any closer to the fire. He sidestepped Alan's next lunge, but had not seen in the dark and smoke filled auditorium that Alan had picked up a large board used as a prop. Alan swung the board so that it smacked Joe square in the chest. Joe stumbled backward right towards the flames unable to catch his breath or regain his balance.