Loki and the Kindergarteners Save the World (ONC 2023)

saying sorry is the hardest part

Will felt a little hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay, Mr. P?"

He lifted his head and met Alexandre's large, round brown eyes. For once, the child had no funny remarks. Behind Alexandre, the rest of the class crowded around their teacher, who was still pressed against the door. They were pale, save for the rosy cherub spots on their cheeks. From beyond the door, Fenrir's snarling and gnashing had abated for now. Will wondered if the wolf was searching for another way into the school.

Rather than dwelling on that danger, Will swallowed and forced a shaky smile. "Of course, I'm okay, Alexandre. Thank you for being brave, all of you. You're even braver than me."

Despite the situation, the kindergarten class beamed, proud that they were braver than adults.

Then he realized one child was missing. Will jumped to his feet, breath catching in his lungs. He'd grabbed Charlie and carried her out of the room.

She was hiding under the coats hanging outside their classroom. Twenty colourful sweaters and coats hung on their designated hooks—such innocence, contrasting the horror lingering outside the building. The jackets were so small and vulnerable, just like their owners. How could Will protect all of them from the monsters and the end of the world?

Will approached Charlie slowly and crouched down. In the attack, she'd lost some beads, the braids still tightly threaded yet fraying at the ends. She'd adjusted her glasses, though there was a vicious scratch over one of the lenses. She sniffled and wiped her hand across her nose.

"Hey, Charlie," he said, keeping his tone light. "You were brave back there."

Charlie shook her head, fresh tears welling up. "No, I wasn't, Mr. P. I was scared. I couldn't crawl to you."

Will's smile softened, and he shifted to cross his legs. "Being scared doesn't make you any less brave. You are smart, observant, and have a lot of bravery in you. I'm lucky to have such a strong kindergarten class." He reached out for her to take. "Do you want to join the rest of your classmates?"

Charlie pushed her glasses up her nose, took Will's hand, and they wandered back to the class.

"Why didn't he save us?" Charlie asked, glancing over at Loki. The trickster paced back and forth. Will imagined the trickster was deep in an imaginary argument with himself.

"That is a good question." One Will suspected but saw the trickster, unconcerned by the well-being of the children, and the teacher's anger popped like a bubble.

"What the hell was that?" Will demanded, storming up to Loki.

The trickster paused mid-stride and tilted his head. "What was what?"

"You just left those kids...why?"

Baffled, Loki shrugged. "I told you to leave them as bait—"

"That's not going to happen." The words were so threatening Loki had the good sense to flinch. "These kids are my responsibility—"

"Ah, yes, there it is. They're your responsibility." Loki combed his fingers through his golden hair. "Not mine."

"But you're the only one who can face those monsters," Will argued. His blood boiled to the point that his vision swam.

"Oh, no, I'm not doing that," Loki laughed.

"Why not? Those are your children out there. By your logic, they are your responsibility."

"Ha! I know, and the responsible thing is to stay away." The trickster waved his hand in the direction of where he thought the monsters were. "I like my limbs right where they are. Attached."