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Chapter Fifteen: Heroes from the Ashes

Grant Leach

After school that Thursday, the front door was jammed with students and I knew I had to go out through the door by the cafeteria. Also by the cafeteria was that dreaded Wall and all of those names painted on it.

Instead of looking away, I walked straight up to the Wall and stood before the initials of my brother. I ran my fingers across the silvery paint. I thought about him and I thought about the life we once shared together because everyone else—even our parents—had abandoned and forgotten about us. I always thought that when I backed out of a fight, I retreated to my parents. But I couldn’t. I realized I always retreated to Cade and he retreated to me.

I said I loved my brother when he was alive and I mourned his death but it wasn’t until now that I truly appreciated all he did for me and all the advice he gave me that kept me alive long after he was gone and protected me long after he no longer could.

And so, as I looked at those initials that I painted on myself, I made my peace with him, with my family, maybe even with the school knowing that I wouldn’t let them hurt me anymore, and—most importantly—I made peace with myself.

I didn’t do my homework a couple weeks ago so they squeezed me into detention tomorrow. But all of the sudden, I got called down to the office.

I walked into the room, a puzzled look on my face. I approached the secretary. “Hi, I got called down. I’m Grant Leach.”

“Oh yes,” she said. “Do you have detention tomorrow?”

I nodded.

“Well, it appears that there was a mistake with the planning. We are going to have to reschedule it for Monday. Can I see your detention slip?”

I dug it out of my backpack and handed it to her. She crossed out the date and wrote in the new one. She handed it back to me, smiled, and told me to have a nice day.

“You too,” I said politely, still bewildered by this, as I put the slip back into my bag and left. I started home, noticing how easier it was just to walk that distance to my car now that I no longer truly hated anyone.

Well, I didn’t make much of this rescheduling at the time. But let’s just say I was glad it was not on Friday.

*        *        *

Rex Fitzroy

The bell rang and I hurried out of the classroom. Temperance was waiting for me by my locker.

“What room’s your detention?” I asked her.

“It’s on the third floor,” she answered. “I should probably head up there.”

“All right, I promised the track coach that some teammates and I would help get the shed open so he can check on the equipment.”

She nodded. “Do you want to go out for dinner after?”

“Yeah, a nice fancy one, and I’m paying.”

She giggled. “All right, I’ll see you after.”

I nodded. Then, as no one was watching, my mouth came down on hers and time stopped for a minute. She was dazed as I started walking away.

One of my friends from the football team patted my back. “Good going, Rex,” he commended me. I just kept smiling like an idiot.

*        *        *

Todd Wright

We were put in a room on the third floor with a bunch of other freshmen. All of us were members of Chess Club. The room had tables instead of desks with too many chairs crammed inside to accommodate the amount of students that would be in here. Dulcie and I were in the chairs closest to the door beside the whiteboard that connected the room to the next classroom. We didn’t even get a table. We were just backed up against that door.