How to Save Someone: 101

Rosalie: Fall Festival

Fall Festival (or Fall Fest as I call it) took place the first weekend of September, Labor Day weekend, which was usually about three weeks after school started. Families would be able to spend the long weekend with their children before not seeing them again until November. There were games, food trucks, and obstacle courses.

My mom always made a huge fuss about the Fall Fest. It was the one weekend where she got to speak with each family, make a first impression with the new families, and generally got to know each of the families she was serving. The school had to be immaculate, the grounds have to be perfectly landscaped, and every staff member was instructed to wear their "best casual outfit". For me, that meant a nice pair of jeans and a flowy blouse. 

The laughter of families and screams of children welcomed me to the ground of HSSV. I double tapped the lock on my key fob before throwing it into my purse. My eyes caught sight of the tallest person and made my way to them. I smiled as I found my dad, Superhero Halen, manning the grill and my mom preparing plates with buns. 

My mom saw me first. "Pumpkin," Mom greeted me with a smile. She has called me by that nickname since I started dying my hair auburn in high school. She wrapped me in a warm hug before turning back to her duty.

"There you are, kiddo," Dad thundered with a grin on his face.

"Hey, Dad," I yelped as he slammed me into his side for a hug. It had been a few months since I had seen my dad. No matter where he was, he would always show up when it was important. Like birthdays, funerals, championship games, and Fall Fest.

"Where's your sister? I thought she'd be with you," Dad questioned.

"No, dear. Remember, she called last night to say she was on a top secret mission and wouldn't be in town today."

"That's right! What a kid." Dad picked up a hotdog off of the grill and placing it into a bun on the plate Mom was holding. She handed the plate to me. "You know, kiddo, if the school nurse thing doesn't work out, there's always room for you among the Superheroes," he gave a hearty chuckle.

Dad never approved of my decision to be a nurse. He definitely hated my ability, too. Being able to heal people was never enough for him. He trained me in every type of combat. He trained me to be a Superhero, even though I had the ability of a sidekick. But, when my younger sister, Maddie, came into her ability, he made her his whole focus. I mean, what was I compared to my sister who could raise the dead and conduct an undead army? All Maddie wanted to do was get away from Dad, though. So, as soon as he offered her a spot among the elite Superheroes, she took it.

Mom hit his arm, even though she knew that he probably wouldn't even feel it. "Leave her be. She's an amazing nurse! I need her here."

Dad smiled as he grunted.

Two girls caught my eye as I took a bite out of my hotdog. "Hailey!" 

"Darling, swallow your food before you call out to someone!"

I waved Hailey and Bella over, swallowing the hotdog and wiping my hands on my pants. 

"Hi, Miss Rosalie, Mrs. Duncan," they smiled as Mom handed them both plates. 

"I wanted you to meet my dad, Sam Duncan."

Their eyes widened as they looked up at my dad. "That's Valen," their mouths hung open. Watching people react to who my dad was the best part of being his daughter.

Dad gave his famous laugh. "Please call me Sam." Dad shook both of their shaking hands.

"Dad, this is Hailey Wilson, my mentoree. And her friend and roommate, Bella Shaw."

"It's nice to meet you girls." Dad grinned from ear to ear, also enjoying their reaction.

"Principal Duncan. Principal Duncan!" A female voice yelled as she got closer.

Mom turned and folded her hands in front of her. "Yes? What can I do for you?"

A woman approached us, clearly infuriated, dragging Danny Fenderson behind her. "My name is Miranda Fenderson. This is my son Aiden Fenderson. I need you to tell me why he's only in his ghost form!" 

~~

"What do you mean the kid isn't in his human form?" Cecilia James, we all call her Cece, spoke up. She was the school counselor, and she could only say the truth, when she wasn't drinking. 

The entire faculty sat around the conference room round table. Mom stood at the head of the table with Aiden Fenderson's file displayed in front of her. Danny's mother had been hysterical at the Fall Family Event, asking where his human form was and why he was still a ghost while crying.  

"His mother states his ability is his ghost form. He's supposed to be able to switch from his human form to his ghost form at will. He was found by a classmate during his first week in his ghost form. Meaning, from the time that his parents dropped him off to the time the classmate found him, his human form has been missing."

"Maybe he just misplaced it? Kids these days," Louis Bienville drank from his mug.

"That's the thing. He doesn't even remember having a human form. He thinks he's only ever had his ghost form." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Where did the classmate find him?" Nora Graham, Madame Movement and the wellness teacher, asked me.

"In one of the janitor closets. He was trapped inside, couldn't even figure out how to grasp and turn the nob. When he was asked how long he was in there for, he had no clue."

"How strange." Nora held a gloved hand to her mouth.

"I don't even remember seeing him on campus before classes started." Mark was on the school's campus at least every day three weeks before school started every summer to train the football players. "The football field is usually one the first places the freshman go to before classes start. I remember seeing all of the other freshman this year, but not him."

"Who's his mentor?" Mom asked us.

"I am," Paige spoke up.

"Could you keep an eye on Aiden for me? If anything else strange happens, let me know. 

"Yes, ma'am." Paige sunk back into her chair. 

"As for the rest of you, be vigilant. I'm not sure what's going on with Mr. Aiden, at the moment, but I will figure it out. If you see or hear anything, please let me know."

~~

"Rose!" Hannah jogged to catch up with me after we were dismissed from our meeting. "What do you think is going on?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. Whatever is going on, Mom didn't see it coming. I've never seen her so worked up before."

"It's an uneasy feeling, not knowing what's going happening when your job is to know everything." Hannah and I waved to Nora and Cece as they joined us. 

"What are you guys talking about?" Nora questioned.

"What we think is going on."

"I think the kid was kidnapped." Cece's eyes grew wide as she took a sip from her cup.

"Off of school grounds? You think so?" Hannah asked. 

"I-I mean, what do I know?" Cece took another gulp.

"What about his parents? Maybe they know something we don't." Nora asked us.