Phantom of the Elementary 8

August 11, 2022

6 AM

J.D. woke from his slumber, minutes before his alarm clock would have buzzed, waking him up for work anyways. He quickly sat up. "WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME!? I'M LOSING MY MIND!"

J.D. was sick and tired of living the same day over and over again. So today he decided he would shut off the alarm and simply go back to sleep because today was going to be no different than the last seven days.

9:55 AM

"J.D. wake up! Something terrible happened at your school!" J.D's wifey cried, abruptly waking him up. " someone blew up the school!"

J.D. slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?" He calmly asked.

"It's 9:55! Thank god you didn't go in!" His wifey replied, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a hug. "The news outlets are saying that the only known survivors thus far are the fourth-grade teacher, her students, and the principal of the school." She informed him, releasing her hug.

J.D. stretched his arms out and then proceeded to let out a loud yawning noise which could have been mistaken for a dying whale. "Are you going to cook me some eggs and toast for breakfast?" He replied rather nonchalantly.

"EGGS AND TOAST!?" His wifey blurted. "What's wrong with you!?"

"Oh yeah… right. Don't forget to add the bacon."

"Didn't you hear what I said!? Someone just blew up your school and you are asking about eggs and toast!?"

"Oh yeah… right. That happens every day." J.D. muttered.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's a long story… at least a week long… but I promise I will talk to you about it some more tomorrow."

J.D.'s wifey put her hand on his head and checked his temperature. "You don't feel warm, but you ARE acting a bit strange."

"Yeah… So… How about those eggs and toast?"

2:45 PM

The News Sentinel newspaper landed on J.D.'s doorstep. J.D. opened the door and picked it up. "I can't believe this paper is still in business."

On the front page was a picture of the damage at the school. The headline read "NIGHTMARE AT THE ELEMENTARY!"

"It's been a nightmare, alright." J.D. thought.

The picture not only showed the damage, but it also showed the principal consoling the fourth-grade class in the parking lot. Joseph Kerrington was standing next to the principal and Ms. Haley. You could also see the school sign in the background. Someone must have been in the middle of changing the letters because only the letter "I" was showing.

After reading the paper, J.D. decided to go down into his basement/man-cave to listen to music. Upon entering, there was a sign on the wall that said "WELCOME TO THE BATCAVE." His best friend had sent the sign to him just a few days before his birthday. It was one of the few things that could make him forget about these last crazy repeating days. At that moment J.D. decided that he would see what happened if he stayed awake all night. Surely the day couldn't repeat if he never falls asleep.

J.D. stayed awake all night listening to all of his favorite albums. Finally the clock said 5:59. "Just one more minute and I will be living a different day!"

August 11, 2022

6 AM

J.D. woke from his slumber, minutes before his alarm clock would have buzzed, waking him up for work anyways. He quickly sat up. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

He couldn't believe it. Despite him staying awake all night, he still somehow woke up and it was his birthday again.

That caused the wifey to wake up. Most days she might have been somewhat upset about getting woken up by such an annoying sound, but today wasn't most days, today was J.D.'s 46th birthday. "Happy birthday, honey." She said softly just before rolling back over to get a little more shut-eye.

J.D. shut off the alarm, just like he did the day before and went back to sleep.

9.55 AM

"J.D. wake up! Something terrible happened at your school!" J.D's wifey cried, abruptly waking him up. " someone blew up the school!"

J.D. slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?" He calmly asked.

"It's 9:55! Thank god you didn't go in!" His wifey replied, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a hug. "The news outlets are saying that the only known survivors thus far are the fourth-grade teacher, her students, and the principal of the school." She informed him, releasing her hug.

"Oh yeah… right. 9:55. Are my eggs and toast ready?" He retorted, letting out a loud whale-like yawn.

He then got up and went down to his man-cave. His wifey was stunned at J.D.'s lack of compassion for his school.

2:45 PM

The News Sentinel newspaper landed on J.D.'s doorstep. J.D. opened the door and picked it up. "Gee… I wonder what will be on the front page." He said rhetorically, throwing it down on the kitchen table.

He then walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a Diet Pepsi. His wifey entered the kitchen. "Oh! Look who came up from the Bat-cave." She said with an attitude.

"I had to get the paper… and a Diet Pepsi." J.D. replied.

His wifey began looking at the paper. "It's sad that someone would do such terrible things. Especially to a school. Do you know these people in this picture?" She asked, holding the paper up to his face.

"Yeah… that's the principal. That's the fourth-grade teacher Ms. Haley, and that kid standing next to both of them is the biggest troublemaker at the school."

"Hmm… Someone must have been in the middle of changing the school sign because it only has the letter-

"I" J.D. said, finishing her sentence.

"No. Actually it is the letter "C" his wifey corrected him.

J.D. spit out his drink. "What? Let me see that!" He demanded, snatching it out of her hands. "Yesterday the sign had an "I" on the sign. Today it has a "C" he said, scratching his head. "Perhaps I'm not remembering it the right way."

"What are you talking about?" His wifey asked, feeling confused herself.

"It's a long story. I'm sure we'll talk more about it tomorrow." He replied, heading back down towards his mancave and taking the newspaper with him because he wanted to study it closer.

August 11, 2022

6 AM

J.D. woke from his slumber, minutes before his alarm clock would have buzzed, waking him up for work anyways. And just like the day before he turned his alarm clock off and went back to sleep.

9.55 AM

"J.D. wake up! Something terrible happened at your school!" J.D's wifey cried, abruptly waking him up. " someone blew up the school!"

J.D. slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?" He calmly asked.

"It's 9:55! Thank god you didn't go in!" His wifey replied, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a hug. "The news outlets are saying that the only known survivors thus far are the fourth-grade teacher, her students, and the principal of the school." She informed him, releasing her hug.

J.D. laid his head back down onto his pillow. "Wake me back up when the evening newspaper gets here."

"What? Are you feeling sick!? Didn't you hear what I just said!?

"Ugh… just wake me up when the paper gets here!"

2:45 PM

The News Sentinel newspaper landed on J.D.'s doorstep. His wifey picked it up and brought it up to their bedroom. "The newspaper is here." She said, waking J.D.

J.D. quickly rose up and snatched up the paper. He studied the picture. Everything was the same except for the school sign. This time it had the letter "U" on it. "What is going on here? On the first day it had the letter "I". On the second day it had the letter "C". And now it has the letter "U" on the sign. I. C. U. I'm going to have to see what the letter is tomorrow."

August 11, 2022

2:45 PM

The News Sentinel newspaper landed on J.D.'s doorstep. His wifey picked it up and brought it up to their bedroom. "The newspaper is here." She said, waking J.D.

J.D. quickly sat up in his bed and snatched up the paper. He studied the picture. Everything looked the same except for the school sign. This time it had a letter "J" on it. "I. C. U. J."

August 11, 2022

2:45 PM

The News Sentinel newspaper landed on J.D.'s doorstep. His wifey picked it up and brought it up to their bedroom. "The newspaper is here." She said, waking J.D.

J.D. quickly sat up in his bed and snatched up the paper. He studied the picture. Everything looked the same except for the school sign. This time it had a letter "D" on it. "I. C. U. J. D."

J.D. was amazed at what he was seeing. Someone was leaving him a message on the school sign. "I. See. You. J.D."

"I'm losing my mind. This can't be right. The only way someone could leave me a message like that would mean someone else was also reliving the same day over and over again, just like me. But who?"

Then, J.D. had a thought. I will study the picture in the paper each day. If anything other than the letter on the sign looks slightly off, that could mean that is the person leaving me the message.


One by one each day went by as J.D studied the picture each day. He even memorized them so that he could draw the picture from memory. Finally, after the next five days were over, he completely drew out the pictures from each day, all by memory. He then looked for any differences. One thing stood out, other than the different letters, and that was the principal's posture. Some days he had his hands in his pockets, others he didn't. "It must be the principle." J.D. declared, slamming his fist down on the paper. "I think I'll pay him a visit tomorrow!"

August 11, 2022

6 AM

J.D. woke from his slumber, minutes before his alarm clock would have buzzed, waking him up for work anyways. He quickly sprung out of bed, put on his favorite Batman t-shirt, and left for the school. He remembered the principal coming out of his office at 7 AM to wish J.D. a happy birthday. J.D. figured he would get there a little early, hoping to catch the principal by surprise.

6:40 AM

The principal unlocked his office door, went inside, and turned on the light. He was startled when he saw J.D. sitting in his principal's chair. "J.D.? Happy birthday? And how did you get into my office?" He said, acting surprised.

"I got the keys from the janitor." J.D. replied.

"Where is the janitor?"

"He's in the restroom. He must have had a rough night because I found him with his head in the toilet."

"Okay… Why are you in my office?"

"Don't play dumb with me! I know you've been reliving the same day just like me! I SAW THE SIGN!" J.D. declared.

"What are you talking about? Are you feeling okay?"

"I SAID DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME! I know you are the one that has been blowing up the school! I also know you have been reliving this day over and over again."

"THAT'S ENOUGH! I WANT YOU TO LEAVE MY OFFICE IMMEDIATELY!" The principal demanded.

"Fine! Play dumb! I'll see you out on the playground today at 9:40! But I'm going to find that bomb before it goes off! I'm tired of reliving this day!" J.D. exclaimed, leaving the principal's office.


For the next three hours J.D. did nothing but look for the bomb. He didn't even go to his classroom. He searched everywhere, but he just couldn't seem to find the bomb.

"It had to be the principal." J.D. said to himself. "He's the only one that had a different posture in the pictures."

Suddenly a revelation entered his brain. "It is possible that his posture changed each day based on what someone else might have been saying to him just before the picture was taken. AND… that someone could be the one reliving the same day as me."

He thought about it for a second as he followed the fourth-grade class out to recess. He tried remembering everything he could about the picture in the paper. "Let's see… I remember Ms. Haley with her head down and she was crying in all the pictures. Joseph was pointing up at the sky in all the pictures. And the principal's posture slightly shifted in each picture."

Suddenly an aspect about the picture finally hit him. "Joseph wasn't pointing up at the sky! He was pointing up at the sign!" He proclaimed.

Then he remembered Joseph's face from the picture. "Each day he was smiling. On the first day it was only a smirk, and by the end of the fifth day he was grinning from ear to ear." J.D. remembered. "Wait a minute. Joseph Kerrington... Joe Kerrington... Joe Kerr... JOKER!"

J.D. turned to look at Joseph, who was beginning to harass a couple of the other students. Then Joseph turned to look directly at J.D. His face grew a grin from ear to ear.

KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

August 11, 2022

6 AM

J.D. woke from his slumber, minutes before his alarm clock would have buzzed, waking him up for work anyways. He quickly sat up. "JOKER!"

He then jumped up from out of bed, grabbed his favorite Batman t-shirt, and headed out to his car. Just as he sat down he noticed a note on the windshield, tucked under the windshield wiper. It read, "I'm going to have a lot of fun reliving this day over and over again with you... Sincerely. J.K."

J.D. squashed up the note and slammed it down on the ground. "You want to take me on Joker!? LET'S DO THIS! REMATCH!"