Chapter Seventeen

Eavesdropping

Looking at the chaos the students had left his classroom in, Jeremiah Jebediah let out a small smirk. Tables were off kilter, chairs un-tucked, and a number of forgotten pens laying on the tables or the floors along with the occasional piece of paper. Jeremiah knew the cleaners would sort it out in the evening but nevertheless slowly made his way around the room, correcting the positions of the tables with perfect preciseness. He tucked in the chairs, threw away the junk pieces of paper, and collected the pens to put in a drawer on his desk. Satisfied with the state of the room, Jeremiah pulled up his pure white jacket hanging on the back of his chair and slipped it on over his pure blue shirt and reached under the desk to where his pure white Stetson hat lay; a perfect replica of the old-school cowboy hats of American fame.

Jeremiah was perhaps one of the most popular teachers around Sussex Downs and that was mostly due to his personality and his character. Jeremiah firmly believed that school wasn't only a place to learn but a place to have fun and relax. He didn't mind students talking during his lessons as long as they listened when he talked and got the work done for the day. As a History teacher, he much preferred practical lessons rather that boring old textbooks or videos.

His classic cowboy image came from his childhood, where he had watched John Wayne and other such stars with his eyes glued to the TV screen. It was easier to watch the heroes on TV than live with the monster that was his father, after all. As he grew up, Jeremiah's interests expanded from the Wild West to other aspects of history – ranging from Aztecs to Nazi's. The way humanity evolved and divided into different cultures absolutely fascinated Jeremiah.

Shutting the classroom door behind him, Jeremiah paced down the corridor, humming lightly to himself. As he reached the stairs he heard a murmur which made him stop. He tilted his head in the direction of the noise and could just about make out voices though he couldn't hear what they were saying. Tightening his grip on his folder, Jeremiah made his way towards the classroom door where the voices were coming from. He recognised the classroom as one that was hardly ever used due to the fact the heating had broken almost two years ago and the college was too cheap to get it fixed.

Assuming that it was some students deciding to have an after-school meeting, Jeremiah was happily prepared to warn them to go home before the cleaners got here. He didn't mind the students staying after hours – if the school was open, why not? Better in school than out on the streets, that much was certain. Besides, the only people who would stay behind at school were the kind of people interested in their future and Jeremiah was completely in favour of that. He put his hand against the handle when he heard a word which made his heart skip a beat.

"…after Tanzi's vision, we went to find him. But he didn't want to hear what we had to say and drove off. We followed him and… well, we were too late. We tried to save him but..." The feminine voice trailed off and Jeremiah narrowed his eyes. He wished this door was one of the new ones that had windows but that was no wishful thinking. The voice sounded like an adult so was this some kind of teacher-student meeting? But that word… vision… what were the chances?

"So this is real? This is actually a thing?" This was a younger male voice. Definitely a student, Jeremiah guessed. "And what, all of us are next?"

"Not if I can help it."

"It sounds to me like you can't," the voice seemed angry. "This Jay… that homeless guy… Sounds to me like you haven't been doing a particularly good job."

"Zach, please, think about it," an elderly male voice said that Jeremiah actually recognised though he couldn't quite place who it belonged to. "They saved me because I was willing to listen. Both Daniel and Jay weren't exactly the type of characters who were willing to work together."

"That's why I brought you up to here in the morning and why I had you come back after lessons so you could speak to Ruby and Tanzi yourself." A different voice now. How many were there?

"I am still not happy about you lying to us, Paige. I thought you were honest."

"I am honest… for the most part. But if we are being honest, what were the chances you guys would just be like: 'Yeah, Paige, we totally believe all this nonsense about Death and the List and will happily listen to you!'" There was a pause. "Exactly. So you've heard from Ruby. What do you two reckon?"

"Hang on," yet another male voice – of similar age to the one called Zach, if Jeremiah could guess. "You've yet to explain exactly what the plan is? I mean… You say that once you skip someone on this so-called List then they go to the back of the line. Wouldn't the line come back around front again?"

"Yes," the first female voice replied. "But-"

"So if that happens do you expect us to just keep doing this again and again and again, till eventually death claims us? 'Cause that is no way to live. How do we stop this for good?"

Another pause and an intake of breath. "I only know of one way, Lucas, but that way is not an option."

"And who are you to say it is not an option? Isn't this the same option that saved you back when you were in London?"

"Yes, but—"

"So what is it? You can't just keep these things from us. We're the ones who are affected as well, not just you. You want us to work as a team? Then you need to come clean with everything."

"You're not affected though," the younger female voice said, Paige, if Jeremiah heard correctly. If it was the Paige Calloway of Sussex Downs infamy, then this just got even most interesting than it already was. Known around school was speaking to the sky, Jeremiah happened to know just a little bit more than most.

"Bullshit!" This boy had a temper. "I'm here for Lacey and that makes me part of the team. Just because I'm not on this List doesn't mean I don't have a stake in this. So, Ruby, tell us, what is this solution and why is it not a solution?"

"Fine… But trust me, you won't want to hear about it." The one called Ruby took a deep breath. "As far as I understand it, someone has to kill their loved one." Silence filled the room before Ruby continued. "I don't know if it has to be someone you love like a girlfriend or boyfriend or whether family fits the bill. Either way—"

"Christ almighty, you killed someone to save your own life?!" The boy's voice grew loud; aghast. "What kind of selfish-"

"It wasn't my choice! I hardly even knew it!" Ruby shot back, her own voice angry now. "Don't you dare assume you know what went down! I survived Death the first time and I know that what got me through it last time is not an option! I told you but you wouldn't listen! I will find another way – but if that takes a long time then so be it. If it means we have to live years saving each other then so be it! At the very least we will be alive and that is a damn sight better than those I knew four years ago, then Jay and Daniel!"

"Guys, guys, simmer down," Paige's voice called out. "Let us get our emotions out of this and I will put this on the table because this is a serious situation. I'll say it now – perhaps 'sacrificing a loved one' is the only way to save us all. If that is the case then I'll be honest: Who would be willing?"

"Paige, don't be foolish. We're not even considering-"

"We should consider it! Because what if it is the only way, Ruby? Look… I'm not saying Lucas here just ups and stabs Lacey in the heart, okay? I'm thinking do any of you have any family members on life support? Or - if it works for pets you really love - any pets that are reaching their peak? We have to think about the possibilities, guys, do you understand? Let me lay out a scenario for you: If you have, say, a father dying of cancer. He's reaching the state where he can't bathe himself or relieve himself or even eat properly. He isn't afraid of death but he hates thinking his family will have to take care of him and he hates the fact that he will lose who he is. Let's say for this metaphor's sake that we explain to him about Death, about the List, and how his death could save a number of lives. If the child was willing to do it and the father was willing to die, then what would be the problem?"

"…That's really, really disturbing," Zach said, his voice mortified. The stiff silence in the room made it clear that everyone else thought the same thing.

"I'm just putting emotions aside and putting everything down on the table. I'm not saying we should, okay? I just think that we should be thinking of everything we possibly can. After all, it's not like any other solution is going to come walking through that door."

Always one for a bit of dramatic timing and having heard more than enough to prove what he needed, Jeremiah took this moment to knock three times on the door. As soon as the sound rang out the whole classroom went silent.

Jeremiah waited patiently at the door before he heard footsteps. Then the door opened and he found himself looking into the face of someone he recognised. Jeremiah cocked his head slightly. "Jeffrey?" Being part of the older generation, Jeremiah had eaten many times with Jeffrey over the years. Jeffrey looked equally as surprised to see him though his look quickly turned apologetic.

"Jeremiah… I'm sorry. I know I didn't ask permission but… well, we've had a bit of an issue with the police. When I was taking the extra students for the trip we witnessed a crash and the police wanted statements. We thought it prudent to get as much information as we could by talking together before giving the statements."

"Hmm…" Jeremiah smiled again, looking clearly into Jeffrey's knowledgeable eyes. "As cover stories go, I like it."

"Excuse me?"

"No, no, excuse me," Jeremiah gently pushed the door and Jeffrey moved to the side, a little bit too flabbergasted to stop the teacher. Jeremiah stepped clearly in the room, hooked one thumb on his belt and looked around the room in interest.

Two tables had been pushed together and seven people were sitting around it, all now looking at Jeremiah with surprise. Three of them Jeremiah recognised as students of relative renown. There was Paige Calloway, of course, along with Zach Dryer and Naomi Collado. Zach was just generally well known while Naomi was known because of her attitude. He recognised Lacey only because she was a student of his history classes. Sitting next to her was a boy about Lacey's age who Jeremiah didn't recognise. Perhaps some other student? He certainly didn't seem it with the way he looked.

The two who most interested Jeremiah were the two women sitting at the end of the table. One had bright red hair and if Jeremiah could venture a guess he would say was Ruby. The other, looking shaken, pale, and generally unwell, barely even looked at Jeremiah.

"Greetings," Jeremiah tipped his hat towards Ruby. "My name is Jeremiah Jebediah and I am a teacher for this here school. Ms. Calloway just mentioned answers not walking through doors. Well, I would like to disprove this theory; your answers have indeed just walked through the door." Jeremiah found himself smiling even more at Ruby's confused expression. "But perhaps we should take this to somewhere more private and I have the perfect place. A friend of mine owns an office. If we head there then we can get answers about the List, about Death, and about what you can do to stop it."