A/N: A recent interview that the talented Kathryn Long (who played Carly Beth from the 90's GB show) did sparked this new story of mine. Now this one is set in the HM I and II arc as a finale where Noah's Story that I did was set in the HM I and Scream of the HM storyline as that story arc's finale. I hope you enjoy!
Twenty Years Later...
Carly Beth Caldwell slid open the drawer at her desk and groaned and stared out to the classroom with an annoyed expression. She pulled an item from the drawer that caused faint laughter and snickers amongst the children. She was dangling an ugly black rubber rat. It was an ugly little thing with red eyes and little yellow teeth.
"Really guys?" she asked in annoyance, observing the ugly joke toy.
"So no one is going to fess up?" she asked in a strict tone. "This rubber rat just found its own way into my desk?"
The classroom of Sixth Graders just snickered and chortled together, much to the chagrin of their teacher.
A slick grin then cracked across Carly Beth's face. "Oh well," she sighed nonchalantly, setting the rubber rat down on her desk. "Here I was going to cancel your Jekyll and Hyde quizzes for Halloween."
The classroom was suddenly filled with groans and whines of "Aw man!" and "Not fair!".
As the students began to groan and whine, Carly Beth began to smile and then laughed merrily - much to the surprise of the students.
"Gotcha!" she chuckled pointing to her students.
There was a collective sigh of relief from the children, and then the sighs turned to giggles and laughter.
"You got us good, Miss Caldwell!" chortled a boy in a basketball jersey with familiar brown hair.
"Oh I can take a little joke," shrugged an amused Carly Beth. "I take it this was your doing Mr. Boswell Jr.?"
"Yeah, it was me." replied Steve Boswell Jr., laughing.
"Nice try," remarked Carly Beth, sounding a little impressed. "But if you're going to scare me, you're going to have to do better than Professor Ratigan here."
Suddenly the bell rang, and the class of chortling twelve-year-olds began to collect their books and folders to leave the school for the day. Carly Beth then called out, "I cancelled your tests, but I still want those book reports!"
The class groaned but the students agreed to turn in the report with a "Yes, Miss Caldwell.".
Carly Beth smiled and began to gather the homework papers her students had turned in for the day, along with various work the students had turned in days prior.
Carly Beth sighed. "Oh yeah, I need to grade this stuff too."
She began to sift through the various essays and comprehension checks, to make sure she had one from each child. As she began to sift through papers, she separated three different comprehension checks with a look of regret beginning to wash over her.
The three separated papers that required grading, had belonged to children that no longer attended Walnut Avenue Middle School. It had only been the first few months of the new school year, and again Carly Beth found herself losing students just like the last two years.
The Sixth Graders of Walnut usually all have one teacher while the Seventh and Eighth Graders all have their own different subject-taught classrooms in their own wing of the large middle school. While the other five teachers had classroom with twenty or more different students, Carly Beth's was the smallest.
"I need to talk to Armbruster about this-" Carly Beth murmured to herself, but her concentration was broken by an annoyed sounding twelve-year-old's voice.
"Mom, I'm ready to go." the girl grumbled.
"One second honey," replied Carly Beth remembering she was originally gathering papers to grade at home. "Come on in Lu-Ann, I'm just gathering these papers together."
In a huff, Lu-Ann flounced into a seat and placed her backpack down under the seat. Carly Beth looked to her daughter and could tell she wasn't happy.
"But then again, when are you ever happy?" thought Carly Beth wearily.
"Well my dear Lucy Ann Caldwell, I can only assume you have something you wanna talk about." said Carly Beth, standing at her classroom's chalkboard.
"Not really," came the glum reply from Lu-Ann. She then slowly walked over closer to her mother as to say "Well maybe there's one thing bugging me.".
Carly Beth eyed her daughter. For the teacher, it felt like she was staring into a minature version of herself. Lucy had long straight brown hair, a stubby nose, brown eyes, with a pointed pixie-like face.
Carly Beth herself was taller since her turn at being a student of Walnut, but shorter compared to most women her age. Carly Beth's long brown hair was more darker and in a neater-layered style with bangs, while she still retained a slightly youthful look.
"Honey, if you're at my board still looking to me - glumly," mused Carly Beth with a soft chuckle, "I think it's something more deeper."
"Mom, why do you let these kids always walk all over you?" asked Lu-Ann thoughtfully.
"Honey, they're nothing compared to me finding a worm in my sandwich," laughed Carly Beth merrily. "It's just harmless fun."
"Is it really?" asked Lu-Ann, growing a little more stern. "Mom it feels more like they prank you to be mean. Like you're not gonna do anything about it."
"Lu-Lu," sang Carly Beth sweetly, causing Lu-Ann to blush from embarrassment. "I know what I'm doing, okay? It's okay honey."
"But mom, the other teachers don't let their kids do what your kids do. I don't like it at all." Lucy told her, frowning.
"Look I get that you want to have my back like how your father-"
"Don't bring him up." snapped Lu-Ann angrily, so angrily that even Carly Beth was surprised.
"Well then," shrugged Carly Beth. "Even so, Lucy the relationship between students and their teachers can be something truly special. And that's what is going on here. Trust me, you don't have to worry. I got this."
Her daughter looked at her mother with her eyes reflecting complete doubt. Without another word, Lu-Ann retrieved her backpack and walked out of the classroom.
Carly Beth could only sigh. "The truth is, I dont have this.". she thought.
She then slowly picked up her grade book and surveyed her class roster with a distressed visage. "I've lost six kids this semesteralone.But why?"
Carly Beth angrily shut her grade book and placed it in her tote bag, feeling puzzled and guilty. Lu-Ann was right. And she knew she couldnt afford to lose anymore children.
As she walked out of her classroom and proceeded to the school's parking lot through a nearby door, she immediately retrieved her phone from her pocket and called the one person she could always rely on.
"Detective Greene speaking." said Sabrina once she answered her phone.
"Sabrina, you dont have to say that every time you pick up." laughed Carly Beth.
"I know. I just like saying it," laughed Sabrina. "I take it something's wrong?"
"Yeah I've lost six kids this semester," sighed Carly Beth. "And I have no idea why. Armbruster won't tell me why, the parents won't accept my calls...I'm just kinda scared. I haven't felt this scared since I was twelve. I might get fired or investigated when I'm not doing anything wrong."
"I can look into it," soothed Sabrina immediately. "Just say the word. I just have to get it cleared. But don't let it bother you or scare you. We just need to find out why this happening and how to stop it. Don't worry."
Carly Beth smiled. "Good ol' Sabrina."
"I appreciate that lots. I really do. But Sabrina, you're a detective in Michigan," laughed Carly Beth. "I'm sure with this being Halloween week you'll be busy. Surely this is a little beneath you."
"You know I can't just let you get fired Carly Beth," replied Sabrina calmly. "I care about you. And besides, children mysteriously being taken out of your classroom by every Halloween the last two years sounds like a dire mystery that needs to be solved."
"I know. I know," replied Carly Beth. "Look, if you do it try to keep the news out of it. It could ruin my reputation as a teacher if something like this gets out."
"I'm on it," assured Sabrina with a smile in her voice. "I'll tell you what. Let's talk about this more tomorrow. Meet me at Starbucks tomorrow morning at eight for coffee. And because you're on a teacher's salary, it'll be my treat."
"Uh-huh," chortled Carly Beth as she entered the parking lot. "Just leave Chuck at home would ya? That's the last person I need to see right now."
"He hates Starbucks coffee anyway," laughed Sabrina. Then a voice was calling for Sabrina to come to their office in the background. "That's the Captain. Gotta go! Tomorrow for sure!"
"For sure!"
"Bye."
"See ya."
Carly Beth placed her phone in her pocket and was now full of hope as she got in her car with an annoyed Lu-Ann. But if only Carly Beth knew what horror awaited her. If only she knew that this upcoming Halloween would be another one she and her daughter would never forget...
A/N: I felt that the HM and HM II storyline didn't really get closure with Scream of the HM being a retcon of HM II. So this story is kind of the finale to that storyline. Let me know what you think! Also I totally made Carly Beth a teacher for two reasons. One that will be revealed in a later chapter, and because it's kind of a tribute to Kathryn Long and her occupation of choice. It just feels right.