Masquerade of Madness: School Lesions: Part two

Creed glared. He was beginning not to like this woman. Maybe she meant well, but something about that speech, where he would fall in with the wrong crowd, irritated him. He stood up and slammed his hands down on her desk, almost yelling, "I am not like the Humans that go here."

The principal was taken aback. "You are a very rude child!" she said, regaining her composure. "It is a well-known fact around here that a child who has never been in a crowded area before, will follow the crowd's patterns."

"What are the numbers, the ratios? Not every single child will follow in just any footsteps of others." Creed was having trouble keeping his wings under control. Good thing he was wearing a sweatshirt that had no accommodations for his wings.

"Hmmm." A teacher with black hair and red eyes interrupted them. "Excuse me. I am here to escort the new student to class," he announced.

"Go ahead." Miss Darlene seemed frustrated.

Creed followed him. The teacher turned around to face Creed, anxious to speak. "It has been a long time. You probably don't remember me; you were just a tike then." He lit up a cigarette and leaned against the wall.

Creed smelled it and held his nose in a graphic display of distaste. "It smells harmful. I do not think you . . ."

"Stop right there. People around here do not care as long as it is not the students," he blurted defensively.

"How do you explain your red eyes?" Creed thought he needed to change the subject.

"Congenital disability."

"And they believe it, Terrence Magnus?"

"So, you do remember me," he chuckled with a big pat on Creed's back in a display of sincere affection.

"How is Vincent?" He stopped at a door labeled Mr. Howl's room.

Creed stopped, his eyes openly displaying his sorrow. "He was captured, but he told me he is okay for now."

"I figured as much," Terrence said, wanting to console Creed. "Vincent would have been in contact with me by now. He worries about your safety. But if you ask me, he raised you just fine. You seem to manage to take care of yourself very well. Before I let you go in there, who are you staying with?"

"Sue Azure."

Opening the door, he nodded in approval. "She is a nice kid."

"Terrence, bring in the transfer student." Mr. Howl looked at the doorway as Creed entered. His balding head made Creed swell with anger – it reminded him of the council's bald heads. "Welcome to Capital Academy," he said in a bored tone.

Terrence put out his cigarette and left, closing the door behind him.

Creed scanned the classroom. He noticed that a few broken windows were taped off. There were plenty of empty desks. The students were not paying attention, either. He saw Sue, who smacked a guy yanking vigorously on her ponytail.

Creed pointed back at Sue's dilemma. "Are you going to do something about that?" he asked Mr. Howl.

"About what?" the teacher snorted and blew his nose on a tissue.

"You mean you do not see that?" Creed pressed him.

"I see it but why should I interrupt kids being kids? If society doesn't care, why should I?" He wasn't sure why, but the intensity of Creed's eyes made him insecure about his position as the teacher.

Terrence stood outside the door listening. Creed is going to cause a stir, he thought to himself. He walked away, lighting another cigarette as he went.

"You are wrong!" Creed roared. "You are the teacher! Exert some control over your students!”

The teacher became infuriated. "Why should I risk my life for these students? That's not written in my contact."

"It is part of your duty of being in charge of the students and as an adult."

The student pulling on Sue's hair stood up, yanking Sue out from her desk. "What are you going to do about it, transfer student?" he demanded angrily. His messy brown hair fell to his shoulders. His mustache made him look older than his high school years.

"My name is Creed," he replied coldly.

"Well, Creed, what kind of a name is that?" The student continued to taunt him.

Mr. Howl left the classroom in a fit of rage. That transfer student needed to learn his place and Brandon Smith was just the one to teach it to him, he thought smugly to himself.

Brandon's grip grew more painful, and Sue screamed out. Some of the students just looked at their desks, while others laughed. Creed could feel his wings trying to erupt. He hugged his shoulders to keep them down.

"See," Brandon laughed. "He's just a big pussy." He yanked at Sue's hair again.

"Stop!" Sue wanted to hold back the tears that began to slip from her eyes.

"You see, Doll, all of this could have been avoided if you just went out with me." He yanked again, but this time Creed walked over and seized his hand.

"What do you think you're going to do?" he mocked Creed.

Creed did not answer but continued to squeeze the hand.

Brandon lost his hold on Sue's hair. He was shocked that the geeky kid showed so much strength. Brandon saw something in Creed's eyes, something he couldn't understand – anger maybe, or fury, even depression. Brandon became scared, but he didn't want anyone to know.

He regained his confidence, on the surface anyway. "What, you want to fight me?"

"Let's take it outside," Creed replied quietly.

"The roof," Brandon announced, almost laughing, "up to the roof!"