Henrick (a short story)

“Finally!” I yelled into the silent classroom.

Luckily, Mr. Audio and I were the only ones left in the whole school. I had finished my homework two hours before, but I was stuck there from three o’clock, when school let out, until then, 7:30, because Matar and his gang were outside, just waiting for me to come out so that they could beat me up. It had taken especially longer for them to leave, since they usually go home at about 5 pm.

I had been glancing out the window every 5 minutes to see if they were still there- Matar, Conner, Buster, and the other kid their age who never talks (only hurts) and doesn’t even go to our school. Matar was the leader and the smartest, overall, of the four. Conner was the best at getting information, like pamphlets and brochures, for secret or hidden things like parties they wanted to go to without paying, and his body made that even easier. He looks weak (even though he can really throw a punch) and younger for his age, so no one would ever suspect him of doing anything illegal. Somehow, he knows a ‘little birdy’ everywhere. What’s more, he always manages to disappear every time the gang gets caught, and then reappear to bail them out with money that comes out of no where. Buster is the best at blending in with people, or looking a lot like a janitor to stay in the school late to do something bad, like get the answers to tests. The other kid just usually does the dirty work.

But at that moment, FINALLY, at 7:30 pm, they were gone. I didn’t know why they left just then, but I was so relieved that I didn’t even care.

“Good” said Mr. Audio. “I’m so sorry that you always have to wait this long for them to leave.” He said, standing up.

“It’s alright,” I answered calmly. “They usually don’t wait this long. Plus, staying here gives me a chance to get my homework done.”

I couldn’t wait to get home and relax.

“But what about your parents?” He asked with interest. “Don’t they get worried?”

“Oh, they don’t get home until late at night. When they do come home early, they never miss the chance to pick me up, and when they do, the boys don’t bother me.”

He nodded in understanding, then started gathering up his stuff and putting on his coat. It was a dark, but warm shade of green, was down to his knees, and it went well with his ironed jeans. I wore a black jacket that went just below my waste, showing my worn out jeans. It was autumn, and the leaves were just beginning to fall on the pavement in colors ranging form marigold to mahogany, and then to pure brown. That gave us a busy art class for the next several weeks. Mr. Audio was just patting his pockets for his belongings when he said “Oh, Shoot!”

“What happened?” I asked, curious.

“Well...” he continued searching his pockets, “I forgot something in the teacher’s lounge” he finally admitted.

“That’s okay” I reassured him. “You can leave through the exit there, and I can leave through the one up front, since I’m not aloud in the teacher’s lounge anyway” I suggested.

There was an exit in the teacher’s lounge that led to the teacher’s parking lot. Mr. Audio didn’t have a car, but he could still leave from there.

“You know, Henrick,” he told me, “You can come with me. It isn’t illegal.”

I thought about that for a moment before saying, “It’s not just that. You see, if I go through the main exit, I can lock it from there- that is, if you come with me to press the button. Also, the boys might be hiding out at the parking lot exit” I said- and it was all true. There was a button somewhere on or near the doors that locked them the next time they were closed, but only some of the staff knew about it. Also, the boys might very well be hiding there. He thought for several seconds before agreeing.