Author's Note: I officially applied for college. Finally! I haven't been accepted yet but I'm pretty sure I'll get in. YAY! I'm going to study animation and work on movies you'll write fanfiction for later. Can't wait.
Chapter 8
Lockers
Boys don't become men until they marry and men don't become responsible until they have their first child.
That's what my sister learned when she had to deal with the first boy to ever have a crush on her. My dad told her that little nugget of wisdom and I heard it when I eavesdropped on a call between her and a friend.
When my sister learned a boy from school had a crush on her, she did something I never thought a teenager would ever be willing to do.
She went to our dad for advice. Who does that?
Anna Grisholme does, apparently. That was two years ago, and she rejected that first guy. Now she's sixteen and dating this jerk. Well, just turned sixteen. And the guy she likes is a jerk who likes ruffling hair and calling me squirt and buying my twin stupid-head brother videogames.
I'm eleven now. Practically a teen myself. I'm sure "squirt" isn't appropriate anymore. And is it supposed to be flattering? What's flattering about a verb that sounds like the back end of a squid or clogged ketchup bottle or worse? Ew. It's way worse than…
"Jelly Bean, do you know where my notebook is?" Anna asked as she tossed her gym bag at the boy who stood in the doorway to the living room and completely turned her backpack upside down, spilling everything out. Pencils scattered upon impact and stray paper limped through the air like drunk fluttering butterflies.
Jillian Grisholme rolled her eyes and shrugged with a non-committal grunt as she continued to leaf through her brother's journal while he sat four feet away blissfully unaware of the danger his social life was in.
James sucked on his hard candy as he concentrated on rebuilding his science project again. Why did his twin sister have to be such a turd? It was like she didn't care that both of their grades depended on this stupid volcano. She wasn't going to get credit if she didn't help, the teacher had said so since she broke it in the first place. But she seemed to think he was bluffing.
The living room table was covered with newspaper, as was the floor surrounding, while a wet clay and plaster structure took up space. Generally, their mom wouldn't allow it anywhere near her living room carpet, but she made an exception this time because the kitchen still had a pumpkin carving party mess, which Anna had promised to clean up after Halloween.
James tried to scratch his nose with an arm since he didn't want to get any more plaster on his face.
"Here, Notebook!" Anna called jokingly. She huffed in annoyance as she yanked a strand of black hair behind her ear.
"Where did you put it last," Jillian said with a sneer.
"Don't start with the mom quotes. You, dearest sister of mine, know that is the most unhelpful phrase anyone could say," Anna dropped to her knees to check under the couch, her voice becoming muffled, "If I knew where I put it last, then I wouldn't be looking for it like this."
"Maybe you should just be smart enough to remember where it is."
James half-heartedly poked into the conversation without breaking his concentration, "That coming from a brat who can't even remember her email password…"
"You shut up," Jillian snapped.
"Hey now," the teenage boy said, "That's enough. I think I heard your mom mention something about no Trick- or- Treating tonight if you squirts fight today."
"OK," mumble James completely tuned out.
"Fine, Mark," Jillian muttered.
Anna cheered in triumph as she got up from the floor holding a spiral notebook. "History class, here I come…"
Jillian rolled her eyes again and poked the edge of the volcano with her foot in boredom.
James slapped her foot away without even looking.
"Ready?" Mark asked leaning against the doorframe. He shot Anna a goofy smile.
She smiled back at him, almost making her little sister puke. Teenagers were weird.
"Yeah. Hey James, Jillian. You walking to school or do you want us to drop you off?" Anna asked stuffing her things back into her backpack. She grinned already knowing the answer.
"I wanna ride," Jillian said swinging her legs off the couch, purposely barely missing the volcano by a couple inches.
"I…um…" James swallowed, glancing between his sisters and his project, unsure. "We have another hour before we have to go."
"Breakfast?" the eldest Grisholme sibling said a shrug. "We have time for iHop."
"I'm paying," Mark added.
James bit his lip, conflicted. Should he stay and work on the volcano for an extra hour or go to breakfast?
"It's not due until next week, you nerd," Jillian said, pulling her shoes on. She got rid of her stupid light up sneakers ages ago. Converses were what everyone was wearing these days.
"What's not due?" Mr. Grisholme said as he walked into the living room in his work clothes and keys in hand. His suit jacket was slung over his arm. His gun sat neatly holstered at his side. "Anna, I thought you and Mark already left."
"Not yet." Annalise didn't look up as she tied her own shoes tighter.
"Morning sir," Mark greeted softly, staring at Anna. He wordlessly picked up her backpack and slung it over his shoulder without her asking.
The large man with graying hair nodded and slapped Mark on the back, making the poor kid, stumble and cough. He turned to his youngest kids, "Still working on that mountain guys?"
"It's a volcano," James corrected.
"Well, you've been working hard on that thing all week. You deserve a break kiddo. Go with your sisters and Mark and give your brain a rest before school. How's that sound?"
James groaned a little but nodded and stood up hesitantly.
"And Jillian? You're helping your brother with chores after school since you weren't working on your project with him."
Jillian's face twisted in disgust, but she didn't dare argue…yet. Not if she wanted her iHop waffles that morning. She glared at her dad discreetly when he wasn't looking and stuck her tongue out at James who just glared back and rolled his eyes.
Mr. Harold Grisholme waited until his daughters and son were out the door and walking toward Mark's car before he spoke again.
"May I have a word, Mark?"
Anna looked behind in curiosity, having heard her father.
Mark waved her off, "I'll be right there."
Annalise shrugged. She then ran back and gave him a quick peck on the cheek and another on her father's before shooing the twins to the car, ignoring Jillian's taunts.
"What are they talking about," James asked as the siblings got in the car, Anna in the passenger seat.
"Don't know," Anna said, pulling out her sketch book after checking that the small plastic pet carriers in the box she put in the car earlier were still okay. The driver's side door popped up and Anna looked at Mark suspiciously out the side of her eye.
The teenager slid into the driver's seat, a strange look on his face as if he wanted to burst out laughing but wouldn't dare.
"What's with that look, Roman?" she said with a small amused smile. "You look like my cat after she caught a bird."
Mark tried to wipe the smile from his face. He was almost glowing.
Anna thought his grin was almost too cute. She looked at him with raised eyebrows when he leaned over and abruptly kissed her on the lips. She almost didn't hear Jillian and James' loud disgusted protests from the backseat. She blinked, eyes confused as he pulled away. "Mark?"
"Your dad gave me permission," Mark cleared his throat, embarrassed "T-to uh…take you to the dance tonight. Happy birthday?"
Anna snickered, "That's it? You actually asked his permission? He knew we were going together for weeks." She raised her eyebrows higher. She could tell Mark was hiding something. She wasn't sure what, though.
"The whole damn town knows," Jillian and James muttered at the same time.
"Language!" Anna chided.
Her little sister stuck her tongue out at her.
"Well I thought it'd be nice to ask anyway," Mark said shrugging as he started the car.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Jillian muttered.
"Can we go already?" James complained as he elbowed Jillian in the ribs.
She immediately punched him in the shoulder eliciting a sharp "ow!"
"Yep! How's about we take a shortcut. Up Cipher Street perhaps?" Mark suggested.
There were excited whoops from the kids and a happy little clap from Anna at the mention of the infamous street.
Not only was it the most twisty street in town, but it also had the nickname of "Roller-coaster Lane" from teens taking the long way to school due to its steep up and downs and sharp turns.
"Breakfast first," James said.
An hour later the twins climbed out of the car with a few groans and looking a little green.
"Breakfast first? Really?!" Jillian snapped at her brother.
"Hey, no one argued," James defended quietly as he adjusted his backpack and stood up, shaking his head slightly, "I probably should have buckled up better. Ow." He winced and rubbed the top of his head. The ceiling of Mark's car wasn't very cushioned.
The twins started to walk away before Anna opened the door and climbed out. "Hey, aren't you two forgetting something?"
They both groaned, but James turned around and gave his taller sister a side hug.
Jillian crossed her arms stubbornly.
"Come on…" Anna said with an adoring grin, arms open wide.
Jillian rolled her eyes, aware of some students staring and grudgingly came forward.
Anna bent down to hug her and…
A nasty fart noise erupting from Jillian's backpack, causing quite a few people to look their way.
"Are you serious?!" Jillian complained in disgust as she pushed a giggling Annalise away, "When did you even get a whoopee-cushion in my backpack?!"
Anna cackled while Mark leaned his head on the steering wheel with a sigh. Annalise didn't always act her age. A whoopee-cushion was a little more immature than usual.
"Hey that was mild," Anna snickered and Jillian angrily dug the toy out of her backpack and threw it at her elder sister's face, "At least you're off the Pumpkin List now, Jellybean."
"You're a freak," Jillian said as she turned on her heel and dragged a snickering James into the school with her.
Anna snickered as she got back in the car.
"You are a freak," Mark said with a laugh, "A lovely freak, though."
"Awwww. You always know what to say," Anna cooed mockingly.
"Can I get another kiss for that?"
"Dream on," Anna said.
Mark looked into her green eyes for a moment longer and smiled.
"What?" she laughed at his goofy grin.
"Nothing. Just...happy birthday, Anna." He said. After a pause, he said, "I really think I'm in love with you."
"I love you too," she replied, tilting her head slightly, "I know it's my birthday but you're not usually sweet like this. Is there something I should be aware of?"
"I just realized that I don't really say it very often. Sorry about that."
"It's okay. I don't really say that I love you that often either." Anna said as she buckled up. "Don't take this the wrong way but I'm glad we were friends for so long before you asked me to be your girlfriend. We don't have to try too hard to make each other happy."
"Yeah. Though honestly, I was a little put off by being friend-zoned so much." Mark said teasingly.
"Okay, first of all, we've known each other since kindergarten. Second, I always thought you liked Sarah."
"Well, I did always think she was attractive, but I never actually considered falling for her," Mark retorted.
"Still think she's attractive?" Anna asked.
"Eh. What's the answer that won't get me slapped?"
Anna kissed his cheek again to catch him off guard. "I would hope you have a little more faith in me than that." Her grin was a little distrustful though…
"Kidding. Yes, she's still a little attractive, but I think she'd look better if she didn't wear so much make-up. Plus, she's a little…"
"Worldly?" Annalise added, deciding not to comment on Mark's opinion of make-up. He meant well, she knew, and maybe he was right, but Sarah could wear whatever she wanted.
Mark nodded. "Still think John's attractive?"
Anna snorted, "You're asking if I think your best friend is good-looking?"
Mark shrugged. "Hey, just being fair!"
Anna rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but it's superficial. He did another stupid sandwich joke yesterday, you know."
"He's just messing around," Mark said.
"But it isn't funny. He's a good guy, but none of the girls like him if he seriously thinks 'make me a sandwich' is funny. He's hot, but it's not everything."
"Good to know," Mark chuckled.
"Well, don't tell him I said that. He's got a big enough ego."
"Nah. He'll start flirting with you behind my back. I kind of want to invite him to my wedding as the best man and hitting on my high school girlfriend would ruin it for me."
"Aw. Give him a little credit. Now are we going to be sitting in the car all day talking about other people we find attractive or are we going to school?"
Mark shook his head as they drove the five minutes to their high school.
"Soooo?"
Anna rolled her eyes at her best friend, Sarah, sitting on her desk when she walked into class.
"What is it, Sarah?"
"Did you pick a costume for tonight?" Sarah said, refusing to get off Anna's desk, even as other students trickled into the classroom.
"Of course." Anna wondered why the gray-eyed blond was even asking. She should know Anna always chose her costume weeks before Halloween. "You?"
"I'm going for a cute nurse look."
Anna grimaced. Knowing Sarah, it was probably a little questionable.
Sarah saw the look and rolled her eyes, "Oh lighten up. It's on the one night where dress code doesn't matter. Much. You should relax and enjoy yourself too. You're the birthday girl."
"Hm. Well, I don't want boys staring at me all night," Anna shot back, leaning on her desk as she flipped through a notebook.
"Just one, right?"
Anna glared at Sarah.
Sarah teased, "You got to keep a guy like Mark interested if you know what I mean."
"Interested?" Anna said, fairly annoyed, "I'm not lowering my standards for anyone, not even Mark. He takes me as I am."
"There's my little freaky friend."
Anna hummed, unbothered by the tease.
Sarah scoffed apparently not agreeing, "This is high school, Anna. Have a little fun!"
"I can have fun without losing my virginity," Anna said lightly.
"Ooh. Ouch," Sarah said, "Fine. Be that way, prude. How are we still friends?"
"Beats me," Anna shrugged, a smile tugging at her lips. Sarah had never actually been with a boy like that either, she was just okay with others thinking she had. "Can I have my desk back?"
"We still have five minutes. I wanna gossip!" Sarah grinned.
"I hate gossip."
"Liar," Sarah picked. "Even if it's about you and Mark?"
Anna tersely nodded.
"Still a liar. You love gossip just as much as me. Too bad. I heard Chelsea say Mark was cheating on you."
"Whoa. Jump right into it why don't you? And I wouldn't believe anything Chelsea says. I trust Mark more than I do her. Actually, I trust anyone more than I do her."
"Yeah. Just thought you'd like to know. No one believes her by the way. She's probably just trying to ruin your birthday."
"It's strange she wouldn't put energy into that. I can't possibly occupy her mind that much," Anna said. She frowned in sympathy. "It makes her come across as petty…and desperate."
Sarah kicked Anna in the ankle and nodded toward a girl as she approached.
Speak of the devil.
"Morning Chelsea!" Anna said cheerily as she turned toward the unpleasant classmate.
"Morning, witch. Happy birthday, I guess," the blond said, her hair darker than Sarah's. When had her mother let her dye it?
"Thanks, wasn't expecting a congrats from you."
"Yeah well. It's just funny to me how a creep like you just had to be born on the night for dead things. How's that feel? I read somewhere that a long time ago if a kid what born on Halloween, they sacrifice it so that demons wouldn't possess it. Guess you caught a lucky break, freak."
"Do you consider yourself attractive Chelsea?" Anna asked, the smile never leaving.
Sarah snorted in amusement.
Chelsea glared at her then turned back to Anna, "More than you, Wednesday Addams."
"Then you'll be interested to know that in Aztec times, attractive people were sacrificed to their gods. Guess you're lucky too."
Chelsey looked confused for a moment. Was that a compliment or an insult.
Sarah snorted again. Why was Anna so weird with her comebacks?
Anna looked up and waved to Mark as he walked in. They had split up earlier because he needed to meet with his friends about something.
He came to sit in the seat behind her. He glanced at Chelsea who was still staring at Anna in confusion. After a moment, the girl looked miffed and went to her desk with a scowl.
"I miss something?"
"Nothing," Anna said with an impish smirk.
A couple of other boys, Mark's friends, came just as the bell rang.
"Hey dude," John said sitting next to Mark.
"Hey, man." Mark said slapping John on the back in that weird male way that made Anna curious, "How was it?"
"Remind me never to let a chick drag me into planning a dance again, no matter how hot they are," John groaned, putting his head on the desk sharply.
A brunette across the room looked up and snapped, "Hey you volunteered!" Grace glared at her friend, ignoring how he called her 'hot.' He never meant it and was dating her sister anyway.
"I could say 'I told you so,'" Mark said.
"But I'd punch your teeth out."
"And I'd knock you to the ground."
"True."
Anna opened her mouth to ask what they worked on for the dance but was interrupted as their teacher arrived.
"Alright, get to your seats, everyone."
The teens grudgingly cut their socializing short and got to their seats as the teacher started to drone on about the demonic arts of trigonometry.
Things were pretty normal until lunch hour.
"Hey guys, I'll be right back," Anna said, "Save me a seat?"
"Pumpkin List?" the group of friends all said at the same time.
Anna had the decency to look insulted, "How dare you! I'm not always looking to cause mayhem!" But her eyes were alight.
"Sure, you are," Mark said knowingly.
Anna laughed wordlessly before darting away.
She got to her locker and immediately noticed another group of teens watching. She rolled her eyes. It was like she always had an audience this month.
"Good morning, Rick," she murmured to the skinny older teen with the locker next to hers.
"Sup," the pimply eighteen-year-old senior said.
She opened her locker and…
"AHHHH!" another girl who was walking behind her at that moment screeched as a dummy with a gory plastic clown mask swung out from the back of the locker as Anna pulled the door open, fake plastic claws scratching against Anna's face.
Even Rick jumped back and swore. And he was a guy who likes horror movies for date night.
Anna stared face to face with the prank, inspecting it for a moment, having not reacted at all.
"This is the best you can do?" Anna said, unimpressed, looking over her shoulder at the suddenly disappointed teens who were watching her from afar.
"Told you it wouldn't work," one of the four boys snarled as his friends swore and frowned.
"Better luck next time," Anna said honestly, unaware that she came across as haughty, but not caring anyway. She reached into the back and disconnected the dummy from her locker and tossed it toward the guy.
He caught it with a scowl and walked away as students laughed at him and his friends.
"Those guys still sore about you stealing their crowns?" Rick said.
Anna eyed him as he stuffed what she thought was cigarettes into his pocket.
"What crown? I've always been the queen of tricks," Anna said, "They're just mad I finally came into the spotlight when I came to high school."
Rick rolled his eyes, "Whatever, kid."
As he closed his locker, Anna caught a glimpse of candles and a couple antique books.
"What are you working on?" she said, eyes bright with curiosity.
"Senior history project and none of your business."
She shrugged as he walked away abruptly.
He was right, it wasn't any of her business what creepy stuff the older teen got into. They weren't even friends. She was just a bit concerned.
Rick was suspended for a week last year for setting a fire in the basement with his friends. Then rumors started popping up when the administrators found, and quote, "demonic stuff."
As a Christian, Anna was taught to stay as far as possible from "evil sorcery" that dealt with demons and such. She had some belief it was real, but kept her interest to history books, legends, and storybooks for her parents sake, as intrigued as she was. She felt no fear of retribution if they found her stash of lore books and ghost stories, but kept it well hidden for their sake. Her poor mom was so upset when she caught Anna playing with an ouija board when she was nine and claiming to talk to the ghost of a sick little girl who died in their house back with the town was an old logging settlement.
Annalise dropped a couple crickets into the pet carriers she brought.
"Soon," she whispered with a grin while a student nearby glanced at her in concern.
"Your girlfriend's a bit of a weirdo," John said, blithely. He'd only gotten to know Anna since she and Mark started dated. That girl was always a bit of a loner, even if she was happy to talk to anyway who tried to start a conversation with her.
"Don't talk about her like that," Mark said, squirming a bit.
"Why not? She's fine with it."
"But I'm not."
"Okay. Fine." John waited until Sarah, Grace, and the others went ahead. "Dude, are you sure about tonight?"
"Yeah. We already talked about this. Stop trying to talk me out of it."
"I just think you're making a mistake, Mark. I mean come on! There's lots of fish in the sea."
"So? I already asked her dad last week and talked to him today."
"You not even graduated. I mean, what if you're out, I don't know, window shopping with her one day and this hot chick walks by and…"
"Then I'll ignore her."
"You sound like a girl who reads romance novels."
"You're a jerk." Mark crossed his arms as both boys ignored the sea of high schoolers pushing their way around the two basketball players.
"This is stupid Markie-boy. What if you learn something about each other in a couple years that you can't stand? Huh? What if you wake up one day and realize you don't actually like her?" John shook his head in frustration.
"Look, John, you're my best buddy. You've always had my back. Could you just trust me on this?" Mark said.
"Couldn't you just get laid and get over with it?"
"Dude…"
"You're about to ruin your life before even graduating. Of course, I have your back." John shoved him lightly.
"Whatcha boys talking about?"
Mark and John both jumped in shock and looked behind them to see that Anna had walked up on them without them knowing.
"Nothing!" Mark stammered. "N-nothing at all, Charmer."
Anna tilted her head suspiciously. "Uh okay? Let's go. The cook said she made me a birthday cake."
"R-right…" Mark said. He held Anna's hand while John walked behind them. Mark could feel his buddy glaring daggers into the back of his head.
Finally, the last class of the day came.
History class was always Anna's favorite. The teacher, a younger woman by the name of Christine Northrop, always taught regarding stories. She hadn't been at the school long, only about a year. This was her first year as Anna's teacher.
Annalise absolutely adored the woman, nearly always staying after class to ask question. She helped clean up the room at the end of the day, despite Christine's amused protest.
Christine always tried to keep their attention on the subject, pulling them into the history and striving to make her students understand what the people were going through in the era she spoke about with stories that painted a picture. She didn't always teach from the book either, so those that cared about class actually felt like they were learning something that wasn't supposed to churn them out of high school like ill-informed packaged meat.
"Afternoon, guys and gals!"
"Afternoon Ms. Northrop," the class mumbled like the angsty tired teenagers they were, some groaning as they wished the day was over already.
"Is everyone ready for Halloween?"
There was an half-enthusiastic cheer from the students.
"Alright. Alright!" Ms. Northrop snickered as she jumped up to sit on her desk. "What about the Souling Race? Show of hands, who's competing?"
Most hands shot up, Anna's first among them, much to Mark's amusement.
"Okay, so I know it's kind of a town tradition but would someone mind explaining it to me? I haven't been here long enough." She tilted her head, eyes drifting to Anna who held her hand up straighter and grinned.
There was a round of chuckles from the students.
"Anyone?"
"It's kind of Anna's thing," someone from the back quipped.
"Yeah. The weirdo wins every year."
Anna chuckled softly and lowered her hand.
"How so Anna?" the teacher asked. "How do you 'win'? I hear it's like a…uh…a game, right?"
"Teacher's pet," someone coughed discreetly.
"I've never stamped another person's card," Annalise said.
"…I need a little more than that," Christine said.
"Well, it's like a big game of hide and seek except you're trying to scare other people. We sneak around the woods wearing black clothes or our Halloween costumes," Anna explained, ignoring the hateful looks some of the students were giving her. It was a game for children they thought, even though most of them participated too. They were just sore she wasn't willing to let someone else win. "Everyone gets a punch-card at the entrance, and every time you get a scare out of someone, they have to stamp your card. If someone scared you, it's vice-versa. And you have to keep track of which cards you stamped. In the end, if you want to be in the competition you have to turn your card in, and the judges tally the points. Then they announce the high scorers and ask if anyone wants to contest the scores."
"What does that mean?"
"Anyone can contest the high scores saying that that someone lied about who stamped who. They have to prove it, and if they can, then the judges subtract ten points for each contester from the high scores. Then there's a final tally and the winner is announced."
"And you've always won?"
"The years I've competed. I haven't every year. I've scared everyone in this room at least three times, and I've never stamped anyone else's card."
Christine looked impressed, "Hm. What's your secret?"
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret."
Someone sneered at the back of Anna's head. What an obnoxious bitch.
"Heh. I hear it's also your birthday Anna."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Happy birthday! You must really like Halloween then."
Anna nodded, politely.
"Funny. I always had an interest in Halloween. I'm sure you'll like the lesson today," Ms. Northrop then addressed the whole class. "Okay, everyone. We're taking a break from the usual stuff. Since we're letting out early today, this is going to be a short lesson about Halloween. How many of you carve pumpkins for Halloween?"
Most hands went up again.
"Do any of you know where that tradition came from?"
Mark looked toward Anna but was surprised when she looked confused. That was weird. Anna was crazy about Halloween most of the time, so it was strange for her not to know.
Students looked around cluelessly.
"Learn something new every day I guess," Christine murmured, "Well you all at least know they're called Jack O' Lanterns right?"
There were nods this time.
"Phew, thank…uh..thank the stars. Okay well, the Jack O'Lantern story is ancient, and there are many different versions. For example, in Scotland they called it the Will O'the Wisps. And those were usually magical lights that would guide lost travelers. Now Jack O'Lanterns are similar in that they are still supposed to guide lost travelers. Usually. However, both Lanterns and Wisps typically offer guidance to lost souls rather than the living. Ghost. Spirits. Dead souls lost to wander without a way to move on. The guiding lights promise home and safety for those departed." Christine went around her desk to draw on the chalk board. She drew a little stick figure man. He had disproportionally long limbs and seemed very lanky, but it was a freaking stick figure. Who cared. She even drew a face on the figure. It resembled a Jack O'Lantern face, just a little. Big round eyes. Two little slits for a nose instead of a triangle. The mouth she drew as a simple line with little tick marks. They looked a bit like stitches.
The face looked a bit like a skull if Anna tilted her head.
"The story goes that a man named Jack made a deal with the Devil, but it didn't go well for him."
Anna dropped her pencil in surprise.
A couple students looked at her weirdly.
Mark only sat straighter in shock and confusion.
Christine glanced at the teenagers questioningly for a moment before continuing.
"Jack was a thief and murderer who was so wicked that demons decided to collect early. Jack was traveling down a road by himself one day when a beggar man came up behind him out of nowhere. They talked for a while before the Devil revealed who he was and told Jack that he was there to drag Jack to Hell. Jack laughed at him saying he didn't believe what the man said. Now at that moment they were passing an apple orchard. Jack mocked Satan, mind you this could be any demon not just Satan, but it's generally understood to be Ol'Scratch. Moving on. Stingy Jack mocked the old man saying that a weak beggar like him couldn't even climb a tree to reach a few measly apples, let alone drag a man like him to Hell."
Anna was a slight bit pale now as she stared ahead in confusion. She glanced at Mark who just stared wide eyed and opened mouth before shaking his head.
Sarah noticed her friend's expression. Was…that fear on Anna's face. No. It couldn't be. Anna literally couldn't be afraid. So what was it? Anna could panic, that was a separate part of her brain. But she never panicked either. She `actually just looked intensely confused. About what? It was just a silly story.
"The demon, who was very prideful, took the challenge, climbing the tree in a couple seconds, throwing a few apples at Jack for good measure. He intended to come back down immediately and drag the impetuous mortal to Hell with him. However, Jack was a brilliant man. He may have been wicked, yet he was very shrewd. He reached forward and quickly scratched a…cruxifix into the tree with a dagger, preventing Satan from coming down. Jack made the man promise to never take his soul to Hell or else he would leave him up in the tree forever."
"Satan angrily promised, and Jack scratched out the symbol. The man in the tree immediately disappeared, and Jack went on his way, proud to have bested Satan himself.
Christine glanced at the clock. They were being let out almost an hour early, so she only had a few minutes.
"Some stories say this happened a few times over the years. A demon would approach Jack (maybe the same one), Jack would cheat them one way or another and make the same deal. Years later, Jack finally died. He went to the gates of Heaven and asked to come in, but they wouldn't let him, saying his evil deeds were too great. Jack didn't know where to go so he searched for the gates to Hell. When he eventually found them, the Devil was waiting for him. He smiled at Jack and said that Jack brought this on himself because he was going to uphold their deal and not allow Jack inside. Now Jack as a spirit was freezing and begged to be let in, but the Devil wouldn't have it. He kicked Jack out, throwing an ember at the man in anger."
Anna listened in rapt attention, green eyes fixed on her teacher.
"Jack with nowhere to go and nothing to light his way in the dark, he took the ember and carved a lantern out of a turnip."
A boy snorted, "A turnip?"
"A turnip," Anna repeated quietly.
"Yes. Pumpkins didn't become popular until Europeans came to the Americas and found that pumpkins were easier to hollow and carve. Anyway, Jack used the ember to light the lantern, and the legend goes that he still wanders the world today. Some stories say he haunts the nights, telling his story to unsuspecting listeners as a warning. Others say that over the years he gathered other lost souls, offering them guidance and community so that they can move on themselves eventually. Others are darker, saying he became a demon himself, going insane from the loneliness and hunts for his own victims on Halloween night, ripping their flesh RIGHT OF THEIR BONES!"
The teacher jumped forward with a shout, making some teens jump while earning a few eye rolls and chuckles.
Someone snorted as they were abruptly woken up.
The bell suddenly rang, startling some students who had listened intently to the story.
"Hey, perfect timing," Christine said. "Happy Halloween everyone. Go get a sugar coma."
"Ms. Northrop, do you have a minute?"
Christine looked up to see Anna standing at her desk. She smiled at the girl as her class excitedly packed up to leave school early. It was no secret she had a favorite.
"Anything for you, sweetie."
"That's it?" Anna said, incredulously.
"Well, that's the basic story. I skipped over a few parts. There's one part, or version, where Jack tricked a demon into turning into a coin to pay for a drink but trapped him in his pocket with a wooden cross." Christine had a strange look in her eye and glance out the window.
"What about his son," Annalise said stiffly.
"His son?" Christine looked at Anna in confusion as Mark followed Anna to the desk.
"Did he have a son?" Annalise said, coming around the desk to pick up a piece of chalk dropped on the floor.
"Hmm. Oh, I suppose he might have. It's just an old made up story Anna," Christine chuckled as she took the chalk with a grateful nod, "Details change. You could tell the story with him having a son if you want. In a hundred years, it might even be the popular version I'll end up telling."
"But…"
"Anna we should probably go," Mark said taking Anna's wrist and pulling her out of the classroom, "Thanks, Ms. Northrop. Loved the story."
Anna protested for a bit, and Mark waved politely as they left, the last ones out of the room.
"Glad you enjoyed it…" the woman said. She eyed her students as they left, shooting Annalise her kindest smile.
When they were gone, Christine picked up the phone on her desk.
"What was that for?!" Anna snapped, pulling her wrist out of Mark's hand as they stopped down the hall a ways. Dozens of teens passed them on their way to leave. "That story's just like my dream Mark!"
"I don't think she knew the same story as your dream. She did say it was an ancient legend."
"But still!"
"Anna, you probably heard the story somewhere before, and it came back as a dream with Halloween season starting."
"Mark I swear, I have never heard that story before today," Anna said vehemently. "You know how much I love Halloween. Don't you think I would be all over a story like that? Jack O'Lanterns, Mark! Kind of a big Halloween thing. I swear, I've never heard the story before."
"I'm just saying…"
"I know what you're saying!" she shouted.
Students stopped what they were doing to stare. A few people started whispering.
Anna ducked.
"Sorry…" she said for Mark's sake.
Mark frowned, "No you're right. If you never heard it, then I believe you. It's just… a little weird that the stories sound so similar."
"Yeah." Anna looked down.
"Hey," Mark put a hand to the side of her face and made her look at him.
She smiled and leaned into his hand instinctively.
Mark stalled at those emerald green eyes for a moment. "I know you aren't afraid Charmer. But I know things can frustrate you when you don't understand them. Don't let it. I'm sure it's nothing. Kay? Yeah, it's weird, but sometimes things are just that. Weird. Let's just enjoy tonight okay? You're going to kick butt at the Race, and I get to take the most beautiful girl in the world to dance for her birthday. This is going to be the best night of your life."
"Whoa. Slow down. A little exaggeration there Roman. Sure, tonight is going to be awesome, and I only turn sixteen once, but labeling it as the best is a little premature," Anna said softly.
"Trust me. I know what I'm talking about."
"You're not planning a surprise party, are you? You know how that's going to work right? I can't exactly appreciate the effort." There was pity in her voice. She sometimes recognized how difficult her…disability…could be on those close to her.
"Oh, ye of little faith. You're just going to have to wait."
She kissed him. "I can do that." The blacked-haired, green-eyed girl smirked.
Mark shrugged with a mischievous grin, "Awesome."
Hm. I wonder what Mark's planning. Or planned. I'm all over the place with this timeline! :P