LINDA'S NEW SCHOOL

BY JOREYMAY

[ part 17 ]

Trouble Outside

Shortly after completing her video, her cell rang. It was her watchers, and the news wasn't good. Tensions were starting to run high, and people were threatening to quit. She agreed to meet them all in the woods, as soon as she could get there.

"No rest for the wicked, I guess." With a shrug, she locked her office and went to Miss James' door. She knocked, and waited.

"Come in."

Poking her head in through the door, she warned the headmistress that she would be outside the building for the next couple of hours, meeting with some of her people. If she was needed, she could be reached on the cell.

Miss James acknowledged the statement, but did not look pleased.

Truth be known, Linda was not pleased, either. She had seen how a number of people had handled similar conflicts, but never in this kind of situation. She went out the front door, and walked toward the roadway. She pulled out the cell and called their number.

"I'm outside, walking down the road. Any cars coming?" She listened to the response. "Good. Have someone meet me and guide me in. It would probably be a good idea to have someone watch behind me. I don't think they would be stupid enough to try following me, but I could be wrong. Already? Whose idea was that? Great! Call me if a car comes or something. Thanks. Bye." She put the cell in her pocket and continued walking.

After the oppressive atmosphere of the school, the walk down the road seemed almost like the parks back home. Especially with the prospect of seeing her friends again. With everything that had happened, it seemed like weeks since that long, uncomfortable car ride. Had it really only been a day and a half?

The early evening was pleasantly warm, and the slowly fading light was more than enough for her to see her way. She had no idea how far into the woods they were, so she decided to just enjoy the walk. As she walked, she watched and listened for movement among the trees. Other than the light breeze rustling the leaves, she didn't hear much.

She wasn't sure how far she had walked when she saw a figure in the road, some distance ahead. As she got closer, she recognized the silhouette and waved happily. She picked up her pace a bit, and when she got close enough to do so without shouting she called out "Mark! Oh, I've missed you guys!" They came together in a brief, friendly hug, then set off into the woods.

"Is everyone there?"

"Almost. Constable Mary had to work, Roberta had a 'family obligation', and Steve is still doing the computer thing."

"He never was one for surrounding himself with nature." She grinned.

"Too right. Still, he's having fun doing his part."

"I'll bet. Getting him that computer was one of the better things we've done."

"Too right." He paused a moment. "Ok, why aren't you asking?"

"Because I want to hear it in general when I get there, and then each person's side from them. I don't want anybody to think you were campaigning."

"Makes sense, I guess. Watch the root, there. We're pretty close anyway."

She could make out quiet murmurings and see muted lights about 20 meters ahead. As she drew closer, she could smell faint traces of Indian take out. "Do you know if they left me any vindaloo?"

"There was some left when I headed for the road." With a smile, he raised his voice a little. "Of course, someone could have scarfed the rest while I was gone."

"You were the one who had thirds, you little rat!" Came a friendly response from Janice, the ambulancewoman, as they stepped into the small clearing which served as their "field headquarters". "Hey, Linda. How's that scratch doing?"

"What scratch?" Asked Mark.

"None of your business. It still stings sometimes. Especially when I dry myself off."

Amused at Mark's sudden discomfort, Janice responded. "I'll give you some ointment. Keep the tube with you, and reapply it each time. The *last* thing you want is that getting infected."

"Thanks. Now for the important stuff. What food did you save me?" Everyone laughed, and produced the cartons and a spoon. Looking over the wreckage, she sniffed one carton in particular. With a smile, she dipped the spoon in and took a taste. "Oooh, yes. The good stuff," she said, through pleasantly burning lips. Cradling her treasure, she looked around. "Are we ready to begin?"

"We are now." John, another of her council estate friends, stepped into the clearing. "Nobody followed you."

"Thanks, everyone. Actually, let me say that again. While most of you have your own reasons for what we are doing, you have let me play the central role in the whole thing and you have been here for me the whole time. It can't have been easy for you. Or comfortable," she added, looking for somewhere to sit. Mark showed her a folding chair. "So I really do want to thank each and every one of you. Now," she sat, smoothing her uniform skirt under her, and settled into the chair. "I understand there are some conflicts starting to come up. I should have expected that. I didn't, but I should have. Do any of you think you can give a brief summary of the problems, one that everyone can agree with?" Janice and Mark both indicated an affirmative.

"Alright. Here is what I propose. I will listen to the summary, and then make sure you all agree it is at least superficially correct. Then I will speak with each of you either separately or grouped by position, and try to sort this out. Is that acceptable to everyone?" They all agreed.

She gestured for Janice to begin. "We have been following what you have been doing, by listening to the bugs and phone taps, talking anonymously with your parents, and watching other indications. Some of us are unhappy with being left out of the loop when you use that damned bunny or your dad's briefcase to kill the bug you're wearing. Some of us are not entirely happy with the direction you are taking this, either. As you said, we each have our own reasons for doing this. Some don't think your way will fill our needs. And some are here out of personal loyalty to you," she glanced at a few of the boys, "and think we should all shut up and just let you do what you think is best. Finally, some of the younger people do not like the way the adults here treat them, and vice versa."

Linda looked around. "Does that about sum it up?" There was general agreement, although a few looked like they wanted to add something.

"Ok, here's what we'll do. I have one thing to address with all of you, then I will speak to you individually or in little groups. When I do, I want three promises from you. First, is that the rest of you will avoid listening in when it's not your turn. Second, when I do talk to you, I just want to deal with your issues rather than make some attempt at a universal solution. Finally, if we agree that I cannot meet your needs, you will be free to leave with no hard feelings. But if you do leave, you will take no action to undermine the rest of us. Can you all agree to these things?" She looked at each person, and got an affirmative.

"Alright. First, I need to talk about the blackouts. As much as we might wish otherwise, this is not a nice, clean little game. And some of you are not completely free to act as you might choose. I have said, or listened to, things which you really don't want to hear. There are some kinds of things which, if Mary or Janice heard them, would have to be reported. I am not saying that any of the unheard conversations included anything like that. But then again, I am not saying they didn't. There are other things which would simply be too upsetting for some of you. I can only ask you to trust me on this. Believe me, you will all sleep better for it." She looked around.

"For the same reasons, you do not want to hear my conversations with the others here. Think about the kind of reaction you would get if a boy accidentally overheard a frank discussion between some girls about recent, unpleasant period problems." John turned a bit pale, as the rest chuckled. "Can you all agree to do as I ask in this part of it?"

Again, she looked around until each agreed. "Alright. I will speak with Mark first, for two reasons. First, I wouldn't let him talk about it on the way in here. Second, I have what is probably an unrelated question to ask him. While we are talking, the rest of you get together and decide who will see me in groups and who will be one on one. OK?" They agreed.

She gathered Mark, the chair, and the leftovers, and moved to a corner of the clearing.

"Alright, Mark. Who is she and what is the problem between you?"

"How did you know?"

"How long have I been around you guys? How many times have I seen what you looked like after you had your heart set on some girl, only to have her reject you?"

"Not *that* many times!"

She just looked him in the eye silently. "Alright! Alright! Far too many times. It's that school mate of yours, Stephanie."

She winced in sympathy. "Uh, Mark? You remember what it was like after what we saw in the alley? Especially for the guys like you, the ones who knew her? Before that, you had been the randiest rooster in the crowd. How long did it take before you could chat up the girls again?"

"Until the bastard got nicked, and I had some talks with those counsellors from Janice's group. Even now, I'm not the same."

"Thank God! You were an embarrassing little git before. When you did start seeking female companionship again, you seemed more mature and caring. Sensitive, even. And you were a lot more successful at getting on their good side, weren't you?"

"Well, yes. But what has that got to do with this?"

"To all intents and purposes, some of those so-called teachers in there did the same thing to her sister that he did to her. Only they didn't just rape her body. They had her at their mercy for weeks, and abused and humiliated her at will. And when she collapsed, there was nothing any of us could do. She went from being a lot like I was before the alley, alive, full of energy, a bit wild and full of herself, to little more than a vegetable. Steph loved her intensely, even when she disapproved of her actions. She still loves her. She was always a bit of a prude, but after what happened to her sister she had a hard time trusting anyone. Even though it was women who did it, a man sent her there."

"It took the robbery and arrest to start you healing. What we are doing here may do the same for her. Stick around, and she will remember the part you played in all this. When she is ready, she will remember you. Be nice. Be helpful. But give her the room she needs just now. Can you do that?"

"I guess."

"Good. You're one of the 'shut up and follow' crowd Janice mentioned, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"It would be helpful if you could back off that a bit. Some of them are here for revenge, just like we were. They fantasize about closing down the school and torturing some of those teachers for a very long time, barely keeping them alive. I can get them a lot of what they really want, but it will fall short of those fantasies. In the end, what I'm trying to give them is even better. But they don't see that yet. Give them time and room, and especially understanding. You *have* been there. We didn't get everything we fantasized, either. But what we did get was pretty good. Use that memory to help you know what to say and do with them. Ok?"

"Ok."

"Anything we haven't covered?"

"Not really."

"Alright, then. Send in the next victims! Oh, one more thing. This is very important. Send me something to drink. All this talking is going to dry me out. No alcohol. I need what little is left of my mind tonight."

He agreed, and walked back to the group. Soon, a group of three girls with Stephanie in the lead approached. They handed her a cold can of orange soda, and waited as she took a drink from it. Then they got down to business. She convinced them that her approach would get them what they really wanted: destruction of the "old" school and punishment of the really bad teachers. She promised to get them a DVD of the punishment, which she could show to her sister if she thought it would help. When she was confident that she had their support again, she asked for a word alone with Stephanie.

"Had Mark been bothering you?"

"Now that you ask, he has been getting on my nerves."

"Thought so. I've had a word with him, and he should be better company after this. He knows more than you think about what you are going through. He went through something all too similar not too long ago. It wasn't directly to do with this school, but there are connections. If you need to talk, or even to vent, he can be a sympathetic ear. So can Janice, but she doesn't fancy you the way he does."

"He fancies me?" She rolled her eyes. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Yes, he fancies you. But he also knows that you are not ready for that now, and might not be for some time. So he will back off, but he will be ready to help if he can. Try not to take *too* much advantage of him, even if he is just a boy." She rolled her eyes, and they giggled.

She went through the group, and got them working together again. If things worked out, they all would get the important parts of what they really wanted. By halfway through the group, the night air had chilled enough that she was glad she had brought her hoodie. While the warmup shirt was an awkward fit over the uniform, the warmth was worth it. By the time she was done, she was more than ready to go back to her room. Most of the others had left already, to their homes or their planned activities.

Mark walked her back to the road, and made sure she was on her way before heading back to camp. He would make sure the camp was cleared and the equipment was working (especially the repeaters, which let them monitor the bugs and taps from a more comfortable location), then he would also leave. Two others would keep a physical watch on the road and the house that night, with others taking shifts before morning.

She had gone a little way down the road when the cell rang. It was Miss James, reminding her of the hour and the falling temperature, and asking whether she would be in soon. She said she was on her way in, and that she was using part of her old outfit to keep warm. Just as she ended the call, it rang again. This time, it was her father. He was doing a random check, to make sure she still had the cell. He assured her that things were moving rapidly, and that the turnover might even happen sooner than expected. They ended the call just as she broke free of the trees and headed toward the door.

She closed the door behind her and turned to unexpectedly find Miss James standing in front of her. They acknowledged each other, and then the headmistress moved around her and locked the door. She looked at the hoodie, and shook her head.

"Better not let anybody see you in that. It would be a serious violation of the rules, you know."

Linda nodded, and shed the offending garment. She wished the headmistress a good night, which got her a brief nod, then set off for her room.