Silence Speaks

I

3 r d  P e r s o n  P O V

Jack Ackerman hurried through the empty corridor to get to the auditorium on time. His first day at this new school was already going wrong.

Jack's aspiration in life has always been teaching. Ever since he was a child, he loved to help and support children.

Following his dream, he went to college right after high school. He found perfect college for him, which was Columbia University in New York.

Those were simpler days.

Jack slid into the auditorium, trying hard not to be distracting.

After occupying a seat, he listens in on what the person on the stage is saying

.

"Welcome back staff! I'm the new principal at this school and I look forward to an amazing year with you guys!" Mr. McBride said in to the microphone.

"Some things that are going on this year are..."

Jack zoned out, not interested in the principal's cheesy beginning of the year speech.

Somehow his thoughts came to his mother. How he misses her everyday and every second. Working beside her was the thing he missed the most.

~

The principal closed the "meeting" and Jack headed to his new classroom.

He was in room C228, right next to the teacher Mr. Manson.

Walking down the hall, his fingers grazed the walls slightly, for he was taking in the building. Looks like where his momma used to work. The brick walls covered with thick layers of white paint, as if they were applied to make the school appear clean. With a slight smile that carried an undiscoverable emotion, he stared at the grey and light blue tiles covering the floor.

This was going to be his second home.

Well, almost.

He continued down the crusty corridor. Eventually making it to his new room, he gripped the rusty doorknob. Jack took a breath. Damn, was this going to be hard.

After entering his classroom, he begins to decorate for the upcoming year. Adding your stereotypical teacher signs to the wall. Saying things like "Keep calm and learn on", "Don't stop learning" and whatever else he could find at his local OfficeMax.

A knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts. Standing there was a tall thin man and a slightly shorter man. The tall one was Mr. Manson, Jack assumed. The apparent Mr. Manson was wearing a red collared shirt with a logo he could not recognize for the life of him. The other man, Jack couldn't distinguish the identity of.

Mr. Manson held out a hand, and Jack shook it with a transparent smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Kevin Manson, nice to meet you" He introduced.

"Nice to meet you," Jack added with fake enthusiasm, then letting go of his hand.

Turning to the other man he asked,

"And you are..?"

"Mike Wilkos,"

"Well it's nice to meet you both. I look forward to a great year," Jack added, hoping he could be left to think to himself.

The two men nodded in agreement, before exiting the room.

Jack let out a big sigh. Starting a new school year without his mother was going to be tough.