My Sister's a Guardian (RotG Fanfiction)

Chapter 10: The Chaos After

(Content/trigger warnings for this chapter: none)

--Ranya--

"Good morning, future leaders of America," Mrs. Peeks said once announcements ended. She had pale, thin wrists, and gray hair in a tight bun at the top of her head. "Take out your splendid novels and turn to page 30."

We all flipped to the nearest chapter, stifling groans, and I gave the scribbled notes of my green notebook one last once-over so I could think about them during class. I should focus on gathering evidence for Mattie's case. She needs it the most right now. I'll think over the evidence I have so far and how best to present it.

Tooth peered at my novel before resuming flicking her gaze around the room. I tried to figure out why she was being so paranoid. I went through all my mental notes on her and remembered that during the last war with Pitch, he had kidnapped all but one of her Mini Fairies—the tiny helpers she loved—and stolen all the memories she guarded. Maybe it had hit her hard, and she was wary of what might suddenly strike if she wasn't paying attention.

"What a magnificent day to learn," Mrs. Peeks said. "I hope everyone applied their intelligence and really thought about how they could improve their fog driving this morning. I certainly did." Someone actually groaned this time, and her sharp eyes snapped in his direction. "Would you like to tell us what you learned, Cory?"

"Uh, I don't drive," he said, and snickers flitted around the room.

The intercom retched out static, and everyone glanced at it for a second, but then resumed attention on the teacher. Except for Tooth. Her feathers bristled.

"Well, Cory, I hope you someday do." Mrs. Peeks opened up her own faded copy of Of Mice and Men that she always forgot had different page numbers than ours.

A scream reverberated in the distance, but no one except for Tooth looked up. It just happened sometimes in public schools. Mrs. Peeks said, "In this chapter, we can see that the two inciteful main characters—" Two screams sounded off, and she stopped.

"I'll be right back." Tooth zipped out of the room.

A couple of people giggled. "What is going on down there?" Mrs. Peeks said. She opened her mouth again, but was interrupted by thirty more screams. My stomach twisted with doubt at my earlier thoughts that we'd be fine. One ripped boy named Ned got up, but Mrs. Peeks made him sit. "I'll see what's going on," she said.

That was when Tooth darted through my teacher. She grabbed my arm tight. "We need to go. Now."

I stood and said, "We need to leave, guys! It's not safe!" Tooth dragged me from the room. One look behind me, and everyone stared like they knew I was on drugs. A metaphorical knife cut into my chest. "Guys!" But Tooth had the stronger grip and hauled me away.

As she yanked me down the hall, Mrs. Peeks ran back around a nearby corner. "Evacuate! Immediately!"

In seconds, my whole class was dashing through the hall as we sprinted down a set of stairs that bent under our combined weight.

"What's going on?" I tried to ask over the pounding of feet of high schoolers and teachers spilling into the hall. I had meant the question for Tooth.

"Skeletons!" a soprano shouted.

"People being paralyzed!" a raspy voice yelled.

"Fear Angels," Tooth said, tightening her grip on my arm though I wasn't fighting it anymore. "At least, that's my guess."