October 13, 1998

Aside from being the headmistress of Hillcrest Preparatory Academy, Laurie also taught a Senior English class. It had always been her favorite subject at Haddonfield High, and she was grateful that she got to teach something she loved.

The fourth period bell rang as Laurie took her place at the front of the room, while her students filed into their seats. John took one in the back.

"Good afternoon class!"

"Good afternoon Ms. Strode," the students echoed back.

"Today we will be analyzing T.S. Eliot's poem The Hollow Men in preparation for your upcoming midterm next week" Laurie announced.

Her class responded in a choral groan.

"This shouldn't come as a surprise if you all did your assigned reading."

Laurie gently paced the front of the room and continued.

"Remember for the midterm I will ask each one of you two questions. One will be based on literal meaning and the other on deeper analysis of a poem or short story we've covered thus far. You will be graded based on your responses. Now, who wants to start?"

The class stared at her in silence.

"Okay, I guess I will. Who can tell me what T.S. Eliot meant when he wrote 'we are the hollow men, we are the stuffed men?"

After some timid eyes darted around the room in hopes someone, anyone, else would answer the question, a blonde girl's hand raised from the middle row.

"Yes, Allison?"

"Eliot was saying how the hollow men, although stuffed like scarecrows, don't have any souls."

"Correct! Good Allison," Laurie praised.

"Would anyone else like to expand on that?"

A boy named Henry shot his hand up from the left side. Laurie called on him.

"Eliot also mentioned that these 'hollow men' live in nothingness, as he wrote they're 'shape without form, shade without color'. It's almost as if they're not even human, but rather just a void of darkness."

"That's a very interesting analysis Henry. Would someone else…"

Laurie's voice started to slip from John's senses as he stared out the back classroom window. He was a good student and usually paid attention but something caught his eye on this afternoon. He wasn't sure but he could swear that a figure in a dark jumper was watching the school from across the street.

"How about you John?"

"John?"

His name echoed in his ear and brought him back to reality. Most of the class had turned around by this time and was staring at him.

"Oh sorry. What was the question?" he asked, trying to get back on track.

Laurie sighed. It wasn't like John to drift off in the middle of lessons. But this was hardly the time and place to discuss the matter. She put her frustrations aside and repeated the question.

"What did Eliot mean by the final line: this is the way the world ends, not with a bang, but with a whimper'?"

John looked out the window again but the man was nowhere to be found. Collecting his thoughts, he answered.

"I think he was trying to say…

The lunch bell rang, startling him and drowning out his answer. It didn't go unnoticed though, and Laurie asked if he could stay behind for a bit. She made her way through the rows of desks towards her son as the rest of the class gathered their belongings and filed outside.

She put a hand on John's forehead.

"Well you're not sick," she said half playful, half concerned. "And you're not one to daydream, so tell me, what was that all about?"

John hesitated to say. He knew this topic upset his mother but he didn't want to lie.

"I thought I saw someone standing across the street. A man. He was watching the school."

Though the news didn't come as a surprise, Laurie steadied herself as she sat in the chair next to John and took in a shaky breath. She couldn't believe the words made it out of her mouth.

"I've seen him too. I mean, I think I have," she admitted. "But Dr. Wallace wouldn't believe me."

The silence gave Laurie pause until John took her hand.

"I believe you. And I know you're just trying to protect me but I can't let you face him alone," he said, trying to keep his voice down.

Laurie shook her head and looked her son right in the eye.

"If you try to be a hero, he will kill you. Do not give him that chance."

"But…"

"No! John I need you to promise me."

He could see the fear and determination in his mother's eyes and knew she wasn't kidding.

"I promise, mom" he responded.

The bell rang again as to signal the fifteen minutes between lunch and fifth period students had to change out their books and get to class.

"Time's up" Laurie said, trying to joke around. Humor had always been Laurie's shield against uncomfortable situations. She went to her desk and rummaged around for a piece of paper and signed her initials on it.

"Here," she said, handing it to John. "A pass to eat lunch in 5th period, now hurry up."

Slip in hand, he collected his things and started to head out the door when Laurie called out,

"Oh John!"

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow's Friday? Yes. I just remembered I'm having something delivered to the house in the morning and I need to sign for it. So you take the Jeep and I'll be here around ten."

"Ok. See you later."

Laurie bid goodbye to her son as she tidied up for the next class. It was an unusually warm day for the month and the sun was streaming in through the back window. Reaching for the curtains, the foreboding twinge returned as Laurie glanced outside. In the sparkling haze of the sun, she could swear she saw a dark figure standing across the street.

And as it pierced its gaze in her direction, the final line from Eliot's poem echoed in Laurie's head:

This is the way the world ends, not with a bang, but with a whimper.