The Truth about Life

In a dim litted classroom

"The truth about life...wouldn't you say that's something most everyone wants to know?"

Mrs. Waters tapped the ruler patiently against her chin and scanned the room. Her grey eyes squinted under the thick framed lenses of her glasses.

The room was quiet and the air was thick with humidity,stinking of musk and sweat. It was the kind of aroma you would expect to have in a small classroom filled with close to 50 people, in the Texas summer heat.

The room was dimly lit and at some points it would flicker on and off as Mrs.Waters continued her rant on life. The two large windows on the left side of the room hardly did any good to have since the sky outside was dark and gloomy. It indicated a rainstorm and there was possible talk earlier on the radio that a tornado might be in the making.

Every time someone stood up or moved in some kind of way the floor creaked and at some point someone actually ended up making a hole in the wooden floor.

Hunter felt like giving up. As she slumped in her seat all she could think was, 'I should of made sure I passed my English class'.

She was here at Forest high in the heat of July to retake her English 3 class because she had screwed up the end of the previous year. Forest high was her only option to repeat the class at. Her dad stated quite nicely at the end of the school year that it would be Forest high or border school.

She didn't want to think anymore. Her brain was fried mentally and all she wanted was a cold glass of her grandma's sweet tea. She appreciated that it wouldn't be long before the bell would ring for the day to be over.

Fifteen minutes passed and even though the classroom was filled with bore, outside was a party in the sky as bolts of lightening lit up the dark grey sky. Thunder rumbled close behind each flash and everyone including Mrs.Waters, jumped in their seats.

Nelson Matthews raised his hand slowly as another bolt blew up the sky into a mass of white.

Mrs. Waters nodded at him to speak, chewing on the small bits of fingernail she had left on her thumb.

"Mrs.Waters..." He said softly, as he glanced over to the window beyond her shoulders. "I reckon there be a tornado coming up behind you."

Mrs.Waters hesitantly turned her head and shuddered as her eyes took in the scenery about 5 miles South. As calmly as she could, she managed to get up and rush to the door.

"Come on kids, it's time to hit ground zero before this beast takes us out." she urged sternly.

I'd like to tell you that everyone rushed out in an orderly fashion, but I can't lie. It was a complete and utter zoo.

Hunter grabbed her purse, clutching it closely to her side as the people around her started to shift toward the door. It wasn't unusual to have tornadoes, but it was the obviousness of how close and fast it was racing towards the building that freaked everyone out.

Hunter jogged the question asked a few minutes earlier as she watched everyone panic around her.

'What is the truth about life?' she asked herself.

Suddenly another flash bolted in the sky. Hunter zoned back into reality and noticed she was the only one still in the classroom. Even Mrs. Waters had moved on without her. She shook her head as if to rid the thoughts racing through her mind and ran for the door.

Quickly, she caught up with the rest of the class just as Mrs.Waters was rushing in the last round of students to the basement.

"Come on now Hunter before we all get killed. I need to shut this door!" Mrs.Waters snapped with fear and irritation.

Hunter rushed on in and Mrs. Waters bolted the door shut. Now all they could do was wait.

Mrs.Waters got out her clipboard and started with the attendance.

"Michael Powers?"

"Here!"

"Anna Wilkson?"

"Here!"

She continued on and everyone listened in quietly to respond to their name being called. They were at the end of the list when suddenly they heard screaming coming from above.

"Help! Help!"

It sounded vaguely female,but the wind was picking up so violently that it was hard to distinguish.

Mrs.Waters face turn a ghostly color as she looked up from her clipboard. Her mouth moved and it was almost hard to hear if she had said anything at all.

Everyone looked at her in confusion and fear until once again Nathan shot up in a rush and shouted.

"Victoria Walters! She had went to the bathroom Mrs.Waters!"

Just then another scream echoed through the room and in a flash it was muted as if someone had flipped a switch.

Words were uncomprehensible, tears streamed down people's faces. All Hunter Green could think about was the answer to the question Mrs. Waters proposed earlier.

"It doesn't last forever." she whispered softly. "it doesn't last forever."