AN: I'm baaaack! Sorry it took so long, I wasn't able to get to a computer for a while! Most of you seem to think I'm evil... Just because I'm picking on Jeremy, or rather, someone else is... doesn't mean you have to hate me :-P I happen to love writing cliffhangers. This chapter is kind of short, but there's more coming soon if I can get to a computer.
Since most of you are in angry awe, I'll let you get straight to this chapter, so you can still be mad at me. As always, read, review, and enjoy!
It was a silent class that greeted Ari as she stepped into the Computer and Math Sciences classroom. Hesitantly, she walked up to the student-teacher's desk in front of the class. Each desk was outfitted with a state-of-the-art computer, and the student-teacher's desk was no exception. The class' supervising teacher, Mrs. Hertz, walked up to the front of the room.
"Since Jeremy is unable to instruct you today, and I will be leaving shortly, Ari will be supervising you. Open your books to page ten and work drills until I return. The one who completes the most drills correctly will receive extra credit. You may begin." Mrs. Hertz watched the students apply themselves to their computers for a moment before she turned to Ari. "I'm leaving now to help look for Jeremy, as are the rest of the teachers. The students shouldn't need much help; they all know what to do."
Ari nodded and sat down in the computer chair that had previously been occupied by the now-missing blond genius. Mrs. Hertz left the room quietly and Ari moved the mouse of Jeremy's computer, turning off the swirling bars of his screensaver. She moved the pointer toward the internet icon, having every intention of checking her email when a small screen containing a pink-haired girl popped up.
"Good morning, Jeremy," the cheerful pink-haired girl said quietly. Ari stared in surprise at the small screen for a second, then closed it down. Geniuses and their start-up programs, Ari thought, rolling her eyes. Another program was running, and it looked like a scanning program. Cylinders would pop up, turn green, then another cylinder would come on to the screen. Minimizing that window, she opened the internet and went to her email.
"All math teachers and Jim, search the forest. All english teachers, scour the grounds. History teachers, search the lake, and science teachers search the cabins. Nurse Dorothy, you will need to stay on the grounds by me in case he's hurt," Principal Delmas ordered. The teachers left grimly to begin their tasks, all hoping to find the boy. Once they were gone, the principal walked back into the main cabin and sat down on a bench by one of the tables, Nurse Dorothy on his heels.
"A missing student... this is unheard of, especially on the first night at camp! Jeremy's such a reasonable student, too. It wouldn't be like him to sneak off without letting someone know." Principal Delmas massaged his temples tiredly.
"I'm sure we'll find him. We have the whole staff out looking for him. But sir, I don't think he snuck off. Remember how his bed looked? I don't think he'd have thrown everything around." Dorothy sat down on a bench facing the agitated principal. "No one blames you for what happened."
"Any sign of him yet?" The burly gym teacher released the bush he had just searched behind and stood up straight, listening for an answer.
"No, not over here," Mr. Mather shouted back.
"Jeremy... Jeremy!" Jim walked deeper into the forest, thoughts bouncing around wildly in his head. I wish I'd been nicer to him, Jim thought, c'mon kid, where are you? I promise I'll never make you do another push-up for as long as you live.
The math teachers also redoubled their efforts, searching for the missing boy.
Each science teacher searched a cluster of cabins. Mrs. Hertz was assigned cabins one through four. Her first three provided no clues, and she entered cabin four.
"Jeremy? Jeremy, are you here?" she called softly, checking the top bunks and looking under each bed. When she got to the bed Jeremy had chosen, she picked her way carefully through the papers and clothes and knelt down by the bed. In order to look under the bed, she had to move the small pile of clothes that had been tossed alongside the bed. As she pulled away the last blue shirt, it revealed a pale, upturned hand.
AN: Ok, ok, this didn't really answer any questions, but it did put in some emotions and thoughts and give a little bit of something for you there at the end. Now that you're all angry at me again, review on your way out. Thanks!