Page 12 of The Teacher

“You took my phone!” Tom is clearly not happy. He snarls at James, wagging his finger threateningly.

“No, I did not.” James shakes his head. He’s not exactly pleading with the other boy or explaining himself, instead, he’s mocking him.

“Yes, you did.”

“I did not.”

“Yes, you did. You took my phone. I saw you.”

“No, you didn’t see me do anything. Why would I want your stupid phone anyway? It’s like five years old.”

That’s enough for Tom. He lunges at James, smacking him across the face. Now there really is blood. James looks bad. His face is already purple.

I think his nose is bleeding.

James cries out, half in pain and half in tears, and flails his arms towards Tom, who bats him away easily. This is going to launch into total warfare at any moment. It’s beyond a gladiatorial contest now.

This is a real fight to the death.

“Stop it, both of you,” I cry out in despair. Nobody listens. I’m actually afraid some serious physical damage is going to be dealt out soon if I don’t stop this. Then my teaching career would really be over, forget about the exams. I’ll be a goner for sure.

“STOP.”

The word echoes down the hallway, and everyone stops. But it wasn’t me who said it.

We all turn to the source of the voice.

I know who it is even before looking.

Miss Tweed.

The head of the mathematics department, and one of the scariest people I’ve ever come across.

No wonder everyone’s stopped at her command.

She marches down the hallway. Even though she’s five feet tall and the shortest person I know, Miss Tweed takes up the hallway of the school like a mythical all-powerful giant. She really is terrifying. A thing of nightmares. And she’s heading straight for Tom, James, and me.

Shit.

I feel sorry for the two boys for what they’re in for when Miss Tweed gets involved. I’m scared of her myself and I’m a fellow teacher.

She doesn’t say anything else as she marches down the hallway towards us, she doesn’t need to. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has stopped what they’re doing and are looking at her. She’s brought half the school to utter silence with just one strong word.

She’s supernatural.

She reaches us, standing next to me. She looks down at the two boys with a grimace that, if looks could kill, would burn a hole into their skulls.

I don’t know her age but if I had to guess it’d be around the early sixties. She’s tiny, with huge puffy brown hair that takes up a third of her height. I’ve never seen her smile lovingly once. She usually uses her smile to patronize and insult others.

And she is using that smile on me now.

“Miss Finn, how about you take the wounded boy to the school nurse.”

She means James. Fighting stopped, I can fully see him now. He really does have a bleeding nose. Tom’s blow really hit him hard. Blood streams uncontrolled from his nostril.

“Okay, Miss Tweed.” I didn’t know what to say.

“And,” she continues, turning to Tom. “I’ll deal with the other boy.”