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Something landed on Jack's arm. He tried to flick his limb and get it to leave but it stayed. It was heavy too. He moved his arm again, but this time it shook back. These fucking pests. Just everywhere. He slapped the thing. It felt like him. Rubbery, oily. Skinny. He looked at his arm. A hand. Arm. Robyn's arm. Words began forming as they bounced around his ear canal. "Huh? Yeah, no, I'm fine. How are you? I just saw your mother back there, in the window," Jack said, sniggering and then howling with laughter. And then he was clear again. "Oh my God, what did I just say?" Jack could hear the excessively loud noise coming from the auditorium. He hadn't just made a joke about his best friends dead parents, had he? He had. "No, no, no no no nononononono Robyn, I... I don't know what that was, I... that wasn't me..." Jack stammered. What do you say after laughing about your friends murdered family? You don't say anything. There's not much to say but stammer your apology out. He stared at Robyn. His eyes glazed over and he couldn't tell what was on her face. Disgust, sadness, shame, anger, humiliation. All of them.
A Southern drawl woke him from his stupor. He looked out of the windows at the halo of light then back at the girl. Then back at the halo of light. Jack opened the door for Braden. Braden was a Grease Monkey that Jack had always gotten along well with. A technical minded guy who enjoyed the simple task of taking things apart and putting it back together, better. Something Jack could appreciate. Robyn had stepped further away from him, enough so that it was noticeable there was some discord among the two who were normally joined at the hip. "Things are, well, happening. I guess that's the only way to put it at the moment. Things are happening," Jack said, a weary tone in his voice. This day had gone down quickly. Today wasn't good. Today was, by all accounts, pretty bad.
As Jack looked around the auditorium he couldn't see Aria. She must still be doing whatever she was doing. Vanessa too. She wanted to talk to me. Jack stepped over to the front of the seats where a boy was trying desperately to settle people down. Jack patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks bud, I'll take over from here," he said. The kid scampered away gratefully. Jack stood in front of the mass of excited kids. They kept yammering. Jack slumped his shoulders and leaned on the back of a chair, arms crossed. His eyes drooped. And then it was suddenly quiet. Jack saw that the class leaders were living up to their roles. They found their defacto leader had taken the stage and that now was a pretty good time to get the low-down. Boy, was Jack going to ruin their day even more. He pushed himself off the chair and let his hands hang at his sides. “First of all, glad you could make it. Everyone besides a handful I have sanctioned are here in this hall. Think of this as a roll call, essentially. Now as you may have realised, a few things have gone amiss as of late,” Jack said. The audience stayed quiet. Wow. Tough crowd. “Firstly, there has been some... celestial miscalculation?” Jack said, looking at the Nerds. They cautiously looked at each other before one of them - Ro was his name, Jack thought - shrugged his shoulders and nodded. Close enough. "This 'miscalculation' has resulted in a total solar eclipse that has somehow caused a boat load of unhealthy things to happen. That being, primarily, that all the teachers, and possibly some students have disappeared. My guess is that they were watching the eclipse and poof, gone. Don't know why, so don't ask. It is also pitch black. This auditorium is being lit up by your mobile phones currently, a highly finite resource if ever there was one. They don't have very good battery life in most cases, so quite soon we may be going back to the dark unless we find some alternatives." The students were not happy by this news, and shouts started to break out from the crowds. Something was thrown as it landed with a thump and then a splatter a few feet away, but it was too dark to see what it was and the trajectory it took.
"Secondly, some of us were heavily affected by a shriek heard earlier. In my case, it psychologically and emotionally ruined me for a few minutes. I have no idea if the same effect will happen again, but I do, unfortunately, know what caused it. As do just under 4000 of us here," Jack said, his steely voice echoing through the now silent chamber. Something in his speech caught their attention anyway. "When collecting the remaining students, we passed by a window and found the source of the cry. It was definitely a... creature thing of some sort. Two legs, human-ish face, no eyes, big fat lumps on its back. It looked very dead to me. I do not know if they are, I do not know what they are, I do not know what they are capable of. My best advice at this moment would be to not fucking antagonise them," Jack spat the last three words out. Students squirmed in their chairs. The headteacher never gave these kinds of speeches. "They may be able to smash windows or break down doors or even get through walls. This school was built to withstand war, but I don't know the situation we're in right now. We could be at war and those are the resultant victims of a nuclear attack, or this could be something else entirely. We do not know." Soft weeping came from somewhere in the room. The fact that this wasn't a bad dream and that something very real had happened was forcing its way into the brains of everyone, like a vicious worm burrowing into the depths of your mind. None were too amused that there were no answers to be found. "And to pile onto our news already, I have had a glimpse of the outside. There's a thick grey shroud hanging out there. Very dense. Maximum viewing distance is maybe four feet, possibly closer to three-and-a-bit. Not sure how infrared fares with it though," Jack said. Most of the people sitting in the room were booing or crying now. Their reactions did not help the situation. "Just because we do not know what is going on does not mean we aren't going to find out. We have possibilities. We have routes to travel. We have scientific leads that can divulge information. We have some of the best kids in the country in this school, that's why we have the school capable of withstanding anything bar an asteroid, and fewer other do. We are valuable. We have the ability to figure out what is happening and to sort it out. I don't want to sound dramatic, but we may be alone."
"However, we need structure. No, not goddamn school again," Jack retorted to a call from the dark asking if school would be starting up again. Jack thought for a moment, recalling all the pop culture he had consumed over the years and tried to find a perfect analogy. He was stuck between a choice of Dawn of the Dead and The Walking Dead, neither particularly stellar examples. Maybe too fittingly, Metro 2033 came to mind. So settling for something less detrimental to the overall well-being of the students psyche, he settled on The Maze Runner. "Has everyone read or seen The Maze Runner? Or know what it's about? Well in the book, they don't know where they are or what they're supposed to do, but they manage to pull their resources and skills together to create a community that works. And that's what we need to do. We need to create a community. One that runs efficiently, can handle breakdowns, can hold the weight of 5000 of us. So from now on, I'll be setting some standard rules. One's that keep you alive."
"I also want to start building our community together, effective immediately. Grease Monkeys, meet me down here. Any scientists who do not already have a position elsewhere meet me down here and split up into your respective fields; Physics, Chemistry, Biology. Mathematics, come down here and put yourself with the Physicists. Everyone else, find Robyn Capuche at the entrance and once I'm finished discussing here I can talk you through what's going on," Jack said. The students then got up and did what they had to, quietly, quickly, and orderly. Why did the principle have so much getting us to do that? It's not like I'm that much of a smooth-talker, but damn, they're actually doing it. As the students swarmed and dissipated among the various masses, he watched as his groups formed before him. "Alright, welcome guys. Here's what's going to happen."
"Firstly; Biology, Chemistry, and Physics students will all combine to form one group. I'm gonna call you guys the Nerds because I always have. Sue me for laziness, I don't care. You're main goal is to figure out what is going on. Take what you want, take what you need. You have direct access to the supplies. But firstly, lights. Here's where you come in my Monkeys. Monkeys and Physics Nerds are going to go down to the basement and have a look at the grid. Scope it out and fix what went wrong. Lights are now our number one priority. Phones only last so long, and once it goes dark things are going to get intense and scary," Jack said. He swung his flashlight over the crowd and saw Braden in there. "Braden, when you're done there come find me, I want your help in rigging something up if we're going to go outside," Jack ordered. He walked past Braden and out a hand on his shoulder. He leaned in close to the Southern boys ear. "It's good to have someone sane here. People are going to shit real fast. You notice anything, you let me know," Jack said softly. He walked through the throng of people and headed towards the enormous group from where Robyn's voice echoed.
Jack pushed his way through the crowd until he reached the centre. "If you're standing here, it's because your prime subject isn't science, mathematics, or auto shop. And that's fine. We have a place to build and support here. You won't be wasted. I don't know what Robyn's just told you," Jack said, nodding towards the pretty girl standing beside him, "but we will be living here. A good friend of mine suggested re purposing the gym halls, which I think is a mighty fine idea. So I'm gonna leave you in the capable hands of Robyn, and she'll get you guys sorted out." Jack gently took a hold of Robyn's arm as she made her way to leave. He couldn't see her face in the gooey black, but as Jack moved closer the light from his mobile illuminated her face. "Look, Robyn, I really am sorry. I really really am. I don't know what it was, but I wasn't thinking straight. Everything was fuzzy, like it was a dream, like I wasn't awake. It's the shock and exhaustion," Jack explained despite him not agreeing with his answer. He didn't think it was entirely the shock and exhaustion, but he felt like he wasn't the same after the encounters with the monstrosities outside. He didn't feel himself. He didn't feel like helping a crying kid. He didn't care if that loner in the corner would be a loner forever, dying in their one-bedroom flat at 46 with no-one to cry at their funeral. Jack didn't feel like Jack, Jack felt like a badly recreated copy of himself that got bashed up in production.
A Southern drawl woke him from his stupor. He looked out of the windows at the halo of light then back at the girl. Then back at the halo of light. Jack opened the door for Braden. Braden was a Grease Monkey that Jack had always gotten along well with. A technical minded guy who enjoyed the simple task of taking things apart and putting it back together, better. Something Jack could appreciate. Robyn had stepped further away from him, enough so that it was noticeable there was some discord among the two who were normally joined at the hip. "Things are, well, happening. I guess that's the only way to put it at the moment. Things are happening," Jack said, a weary tone in his voice. This day had gone down quickly. Today wasn't good. Today was, by all accounts, pretty bad.
As Jack looked around the auditorium he couldn't see Aria. She must still be doing whatever she was doing. Vanessa too. She wanted to talk to me. Jack stepped over to the front of the seats where a boy was trying desperately to settle people down. Jack patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks bud, I'll take over from here," he said. The kid scampered away gratefully. Jack stood in front of the mass of excited kids. They kept yammering. Jack slumped his shoulders and leaned on the back of a chair, arms crossed. His eyes drooped. And then it was suddenly quiet. Jack saw that the class leaders were living up to their roles. They found their defacto leader had taken the stage and that now was a pretty good time to get the low-down. Boy, was Jack going to ruin their day even more. He pushed himself off the chair and let his hands hang at his sides. “First of all, glad you could make it. Everyone besides a handful I have sanctioned are here in this hall. Think of this as a roll call, essentially. Now as you may have realised, a few things have gone amiss as of late,” Jack said. The audience stayed quiet. Wow. Tough crowd. “Firstly, there has been some... celestial miscalculation?” Jack said, looking at the Nerds. They cautiously looked at each other before one of them - Ro was his name, Jack thought - shrugged his shoulders and nodded. Close enough. "This 'miscalculation' has resulted in a total solar eclipse that has somehow caused a boat load of unhealthy things to happen. That being, primarily, that all the teachers, and possibly some students have disappeared. My guess is that they were watching the eclipse and poof, gone. Don't know why, so don't ask. It is also pitch black. This auditorium is being lit up by your mobile phones currently, a highly finite resource if ever there was one. They don't have very good battery life in most cases, so quite soon we may be going back to the dark unless we find some alternatives." The students were not happy by this news, and shouts started to break out from the crowds. Something was thrown as it landed with a thump and then a splatter a few feet away, but it was too dark to see what it was and the trajectory it took.
"Secondly, some of us were heavily affected by a shriek heard earlier. In my case, it psychologically and emotionally ruined me for a few minutes. I have no idea if the same effect will happen again, but I do, unfortunately, know what caused it. As do just under 4000 of us here," Jack said, his steely voice echoing through the now silent chamber. Something in his speech caught their attention anyway. "When collecting the remaining students, we passed by a window and found the source of the cry. It was definitely a... creature thing of some sort. Two legs, human-ish face, no eyes, big fat lumps on its back. It looked very dead to me. I do not know if they are, I do not know what they are, I do not know what they are capable of. My best advice at this moment would be to not fucking antagonise them," Jack spat the last three words out. Students squirmed in their chairs. The headteacher never gave these kinds of speeches. "They may be able to smash windows or break down doors or even get through walls. This school was built to withstand war, but I don't know the situation we're in right now. We could be at war and those are the resultant victims of a nuclear attack, or this could be something else entirely. We do not know." Soft weeping came from somewhere in the room. The fact that this wasn't a bad dream and that something very real had happened was forcing its way into the brains of everyone, like a vicious worm burrowing into the depths of your mind. None were too amused that there were no answers to be found. "And to pile onto our news already, I have had a glimpse of the outside. There's a thick grey shroud hanging out there. Very dense. Maximum viewing distance is maybe four feet, possibly closer to three-and-a-bit. Not sure how infrared fares with it though," Jack said. Most of the people sitting in the room were booing or crying now. Their reactions did not help the situation. "Just because we do not know what is going on does not mean we aren't going to find out. We have possibilities. We have routes to travel. We have scientific leads that can divulge information. We have some of the best kids in the country in this school, that's why we have the school capable of withstanding anything bar an asteroid, and fewer other do. We are valuable. We have the ability to figure out what is happening and to sort it out. I don't want to sound dramatic, but we may be alone."
"However, we need structure. No, not goddamn school again," Jack retorted to a call from the dark asking if school would be starting up again. Jack thought for a moment, recalling all the pop culture he had consumed over the years and tried to find a perfect analogy. He was stuck between a choice of Dawn of the Dead and The Walking Dead, neither particularly stellar examples. Maybe too fittingly, Metro 2033 came to mind. So settling for something less detrimental to the overall well-being of the students psyche, he settled on The Maze Runner. "Has everyone read or seen The Maze Runner? Or know what it's about? Well in the book, they don't know where they are or what they're supposed to do, but they manage to pull their resources and skills together to create a community that works. And that's what we need to do. We need to create a community. One that runs efficiently, can handle breakdowns, can hold the weight of 5000 of us. So from now on, I'll be setting some standard rules. One's that keep you alive."
"Number One: You never put a fellow student in danger.
Number Two: You don't mess with what you don't know.
Number Three: You don't go outside unless we're prepared for it.
Number Four: You don't mess with those things out there.
Number Five: You do your job, and you do your job to the utmost standard."
Number Two: You don't mess with what you don't know.
Number Three: You don't go outside unless we're prepared for it.
Number Four: You don't mess with those things out there.
Number Five: You do your job, and you do your job to the utmost standard."
"I also want to start building our community together, effective immediately. Grease Monkeys, meet me down here. Any scientists who do not already have a position elsewhere meet me down here and split up into your respective fields; Physics, Chemistry, Biology. Mathematics, come down here and put yourself with the Physicists. Everyone else, find Robyn Capuche at the entrance and once I'm finished discussing here I can talk you through what's going on," Jack said. The students then got up and did what they had to, quietly, quickly, and orderly. Why did the principle have so much getting us to do that? It's not like I'm that much of a smooth-talker, but damn, they're actually doing it. As the students swarmed and dissipated among the various masses, he watched as his groups formed before him. "Alright, welcome guys. Here's what's going to happen."
"Firstly; Biology, Chemistry, and Physics students will all combine to form one group. I'm gonna call you guys the Nerds because I always have. Sue me for laziness, I don't care. You're main goal is to figure out what is going on. Take what you want, take what you need. You have direct access to the supplies. But firstly, lights. Here's where you come in my Monkeys. Monkeys and Physics Nerds are going to go down to the basement and have a look at the grid. Scope it out and fix what went wrong. Lights are now our number one priority. Phones only last so long, and once it goes dark things are going to get intense and scary," Jack said. He swung his flashlight over the crowd and saw Braden in there. "Braden, when you're done there come find me, I want your help in rigging something up if we're going to go outside," Jack ordered. He walked past Braden and out a hand on his shoulder. He leaned in close to the Southern boys ear. "It's good to have someone sane here. People are going to shit real fast. You notice anything, you let me know," Jack said softly. He walked through the throng of people and headed towards the enormous group from where Robyn's voice echoed.
Jack pushed his way through the crowd until he reached the centre. "If you're standing here, it's because your prime subject isn't science, mathematics, or auto shop. And that's fine. We have a place to build and support here. You won't be wasted. I don't know what Robyn's just told you," Jack said, nodding towards the pretty girl standing beside him, "but we will be living here. A good friend of mine suggested re purposing the gym halls, which I think is a mighty fine idea. So I'm gonna leave you in the capable hands of Robyn, and she'll get you guys sorted out." Jack gently took a hold of Robyn's arm as she made her way to leave. He couldn't see her face in the gooey black, but as Jack moved closer the light from his mobile illuminated her face. "Look, Robyn, I really am sorry. I really really am. I don't know what it was, but I wasn't thinking straight. Everything was fuzzy, like it was a dream, like I wasn't awake. It's the shock and exhaustion," Jack explained despite him not agreeing with his answer. He didn't think it was entirely the shock and exhaustion, but he felt like he wasn't the same after the encounters with the monstrosities outside. He didn't feel himself. He didn't feel like helping a crying kid. He didn't care if that loner in the corner would be a loner forever, dying in their one-bedroom flat at 46 with no-one to cry at their funeral. Jack didn't feel like Jack, Jack felt like a badly recreated copy of himself that got bashed up in production.