EdgeWaters

Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Sabrina

What could that possibly mean?  I thought to myself. My mind couldn't nearly process my English vocabulary study guide sitting in front of me, mocking me, rather than a conspiracy theory about my own English teacher.

There was no way in the history of theories that Ian's theory could be true. I tried to listen in into more of Charlie's conversation with Ian, but I had a strong feeling in my gut that they caught me during my not so secret eavesdrop session because they had already replaced their conversation into a topic about them meeting at the donut shop just around the corner after school to discuss their theory. Sadly, perhaps this was my theory as well, I wasn't sure whether to be happy or sad. It always seemed like I was always getting involved in things I shouldn't.

            I tried to come up with multiple excuses of how Professor Cambell could be innocent and that any possible alternative answer to why he was seen in a cloak seemed more realistic than what Ian just said. I was extremely interested in conspiracy theories, but I never had one sitting right in front of me. I didn't know what to think or do, it was all so ridiculous that I don't know why I was so interested, but I knew one thing for sure. There was no way anyone could stop me from going to the donut shop after school. Absolutely nothing.

Returning to my study guide and textbook, my mind could not escape Ian's tone of voice when he tried to convince Charlie of what he heard. Something about it ran chills down my spine, all the way into my toes. It made the words of the book spin as if the whole Earth had been turned like a basketball on a finger of a little show-off child. Normally, I thought of things logically, but there was just something that couldn't take my mind off the possibility that Professor Cambell could be hiding more.

I turned my head back in the direction of Charlie and Ian. They were always in their little tree that always annoyed to heck out of me, I spotted something behind them. My vision has never been my best so I could only make out a shadowy figure, almost like what one would see in a horror movie, the part in the movie where you throw your overly buttered popcorn into the person next to you as a result to being jumpscared.

The figure seemed to be moving in almost a wolf-like manner, as if it were tracking down prey. At that exact moment my hands became almost like two icicles mittens had been placed on them along with the whole continent of Antarctica. I pulled back my hands trying to rub them together to regain heat. The process was painful as it felt like a thousand pins and needles were being pulled against me. I turned to check the people around me, all acting normal. It seemed like because of my strange encounter that the whole world should just freeze and everyone should just know what's going on with me. Yes, that sounds selfish. I'm sorry.

When I checked to look again for the shadowy figure, I saw nothing except Charlie and her little precious Ian smiling and laughing as they talk about gosh knows what.

I decided that maybe I was just hearing things and possibly just had a panic attack which caused me to make out figures with my imagination. I tucked my study guide into my book, slammed it shut, but not before writing on a sticky note to remind me to stop by the donut shop after school and then headed towards the direction of my English class. Great, Professor Cambell's class. Could this day get any better?

...

"Alright class," Professor Cambell said as he dozed off focusing on my face, "What period is it?"

    I sucked in a gulp of air unable to speak. I muttered under my breath, begging the little imaginary voice in my head to do anything it could for the Professor to not say my name until-

    "Girl," Professor Cambell said as he slapped my desk giving me an unfamiliar glance, almost as if he knew something. Knew what I knew.

My mind could do nothing else besides repeat my worried thoughts over and over. What if he knows that I heard that story about him? What if he gives me detention and then puts that black cloak on right in front of me revealing a monstrous face and-

"Can you watch my class for me?" He said turning his glance into a friendly and desperate smile, "I have some business to attend to. Now, ehm-your name?"

"Sabrina." I mumbled, not shocked by the fact he didn't remember my name.

"Ah, yes right Sabrina is in charge do not do anything stupid because I'm sure erm Sa-"

"Sabrina."

He smacked his head, failing tragically at attempting to be comedic. "I was just going to say that."

"Mhmm." I replied, hoping he didn't hear me.

"Sabrina will be watching you. There's worksheets on the table up front, everyone grab a piece of paper and I want it done by the end of class."

He stood up to leave while I stood up to contradict his sentence, "Professor, you informed my mother that we had an English exam this afternoon."

Professor Cambell smiled lightly, "What exam?" He walked out the door before anyone could answer his almost rhetorical question.

As I ran to catch the door before it slammed I heard muttering voices from behind. Turning around to face "my class",  I stood very tall pretending to be very teacher-like in a very awful British accent. "Everyone get your papers done," I paused to allow my classmates to laugh.

"And Timmy," I said pointing to a boy named Kevin, "If I see you laughing at me once more I will search for your home address and give you tutoring lessons every evening."

    "Oh, yes mam." He said as he leaned back in his chair and relaxingly put his feet up on the desk.

    "Timmy!" I yelled holding in a laugh.

    "Oh, sorry miss. I was just imitating Professor Cambell." He gave me a childish wink and then returned to talking to his friends before getting up to grab a piece of classwork.

    The rest of the class was spent in silence with everyone doing their papers as if one of the strictest teachers had been keeping an eye on them. Nobody seemed to slack off and not one person failed to complete the assignment. Well, almost everyone. As for me, I kept staring off at the door in a complete daydream of what Professor Cambell could possibly be doing. How he manages to leave school grounds during active hours without getting any consequences after multiple parents have complained to the school of his treatment to his class, nobody will know. Or do they?