Abel Hayes and the dark phoenix

Every so often I would bring up Ms Weber in a convo with someone, but they would

stare at me like I was insane.

At some point I had begun to doubt my own memories and almost believed them – That there had never been a Ms Weber.

Almost.

But like I said, Vere was a crap liar.

When I mentioned the nam Ms Weber to him, he would start sweating profusely, then claim that he had no idea who I was talking about.

But I could tell when he lied.

Something was strange was afoot, and It had begun on the field trip.

I was occupied with class work during the days, but at night, Mr Weber and her horrible transformation had become the star of my nightmares.

Whiles I was going through my existential crisis, the early sunsets had become even worse.

On one bright afternoon, everthing suddenly became dark in a freak eclipse and the meteorologist and astronomers had no idea why.

I started feeling angry for no reason all the time.

My already low grades dropped from Ds to Fs. I got into fights almost everyday ,and I was sent out to the principals office so often he shouldve asked me to pay rent.

Finally, when my annoying Ecology teacher, Mr Langley, asked me for the nth time why I could'nt at least manage to get a passing grade in his class, I lost control. I called him an c*cksucker.

I wasn't even sure what it meant, but I had heard Sansa Ellis say it a ton so it must have been really good.

After being sent to the principal's office for what could've been the millionth time, he finally decided that he didn't want to see me anymore, I would not be welcomed to Vida Academy again.

Fine, I told myself. I wanted to be upset, I wanted to be sad and angry but I wasn't.

I wanted to go home.

I wanted to go back to my mom and live in our little house in queensland, even if I had to go to private school there and put up with the snobby rich kids and condescending teachers.

And yet… there were things at Vida that almost didnt make me want to leave. The view of the prairies just out my window, the green meadows on the school campus, the smell of nature.

I'd miss Vere, who'd been the only friend I had, even if he was a semi creepy dude.

I worried Sansa Ellis would turn him into a doormat next academic year.

I'd miss Kriol class, too – Mr Kamau's crazy Australian legends and his unwavering belief in me, that I could be better.

As my final exam week at Vida neared, Kriol was the only subject I studied for.

Maybe it was all just to impress Mr Kamau, after all he was very intense about Kriol.

The evening before the exam I was hunched over my text book in frustration. Vere was on an erand so he couldnt help me study like always.

And without him, I got so frustrated I that I actually ripped a page of my copy of the 'Basic guide to indigenous culture' textbook.

All the strange words were bouncing through my mind all jumbled up. There was no way I was going to remember a hundred different words all spelled simliar but with different meenings.

And switching tensed in-between phrases? Forget it.

But when I took a breath of fresh air, I remembered that Mr Kamau was the only teacher who had ever put any faith in m.

"I will accept only the best from you....Abel"

I took a sighed with resignation and picked the textbook back up from the floor.

Then I thought about seeing him. We hadn't really spoken since the principal passed the verdict. I hoped he wouldn't be too disappointed in me.

Maybe I could ask for help on the upcoming exam At least If he knew in adavance that I would be failing, maybe he wouldnt be as mad.

I didn't want to leave Vida Academy with him

thinking I hadn't cared enough to try.

I made my way downstairs to the staff offices. Most of them were dim and empty, but Mr Kamau's door was cracked slightly open, his curtained window glowing with a warm light.

I was just about to knock on the door handle when I heard two hushed voices inside the office.

They were arguing...

Mr Kamau's voice was slightly irritated. He had asked a question. A voice that was definitely Vere's said, '… He's in danger, sir.'

I froze. I hadn't heard my name, but somehow I knew they were talking about me.

I silently placed my ear on the door.

'… He'll be all alone this summer,' Vere was saying. 'I mean, for God sake there was a Yowie in the school! Now that the demons know where he is –'

'We would only make matters worse if we acted rashly,' Mr Kamau replied. 'He is not yet ready, rushing him now will only harm him.'

'But we cant ignore the danger to his life. If the demons really think the samhadi torch is with him they –'

'Will rush to their demise, beacuse we are both here, Vere. Let him enjoy his mortality while he still can. Our world isnt a plasant one'

'Sir, he saw her…'

'His imagined all of it,' Mr Kamau corrected. 'The magic that clouds the vision of the mortals will convince him.'

'Sir, I… I can't let another one die.' Vere's voice was quivering with emotion. 'You know what that would mean for me.'

'He wont die, Vere,' Mr Kamau said kindly. 'I am to blame for the incident with the Yowie. You are still inexperienced, but I should have seen her for what she was. For now though, let's just focus on preventing any other 'incidents' from –'

The text book left out of my hands and hit the

floor with a thud.

The office suddenly went silent.

My heart pounding in my chest, I hurriedly picked up the book and backed down the hall before sneaking into the slightly opened janitors closet.

Loud resounding footsteps echoed through the hallway, the shadow of something much larger than any man moved acorss the hallway, holding something that looked suspiciously like a sledge hammer.

A large furry silhouette paused in front of

the closet, then moved on.

A bead of sweat trickled down my neck.

Somewhere down the hallway, Mr Kamau spoke. 'Nothing,'

I slowly closed the closet door in front of me.

A few moments later I heard the brisk tap-tap-tap of heeled shoes tapping against the floor.

He sighed. 'My nerves haven't been right since the torch went missing.'

'Mine neither,' Vere said. 'But I definitely sensed…'

'Head back to the dorms,' Mr Kamau encouraged. 'He will be suspicious if you keep away for too long.'

After the lights went out in Mr Kamau's office.

I waited in the closet until I heard him spark the engine of his truck.

Finally, I slipped out into the hallway and made my way back up to the dorm.

Vere was lying on his bed reading a love island magazine with what was likely to be age inappropriate content and holding a tissue box.

He looked really absorbed in what he was doing as if he'd been doing that all night.

'Hey,' he said, bleary-eyed. 'Are you set for upcoming exam?'

I didn't answer.

'You look like shit.' He frowned. 'You good?'

'Yeah.' I finally replied. I entered the bathroom because I was too scared to talk to him right now, and started showering.

I didn't understand what I'd heard downstairs and I didnt want to understand. I even hoped that I'd imagined the whole thing.

But I understood something clearly: Vere and Mr Kamau were had been talking about me behind my backbfor a while, and They thought I was in some kind of life threatening danger.

The next day I wrote the exam.

Maybe I should've given myself more credit, because the exam wasnt nearly as difficult as I expected.

I had turned in the paper and began to left the hall when Mr Kamau called me back inside.

For a moment, I was worried that he had somehow found out that I had been at his office last night , but that didn't seem to be

the issue.

'Abel,' he said. 'Don't be too upset about leaving Vida. This place....isnt right for someone like you.'

His sounded as kind as ever, but his words sounded jarring to my ears.

Even though his voice was hushed, the other kids turning in their papers could hear him clearly. Sansa Ellis smirked at me and mouthed "Bye loser". For the first time I couldn't find it in me to be annoyed.

'I understand.'

'I mean…' Mr Kamau fiddled with the hb pencil in his hand like he was trying to find the words. 'You require a special kind of guidance.'

My lips were quivering.

I geuss I never knew how much I counted on Mr Kamau to believe in me and yet here he was, finally admitting to me in front of the class that I didn't belong here.

'I understand,' I said, my voice trembling.

'No, no,' Mr Kamau tried agaim. 'What I'm

saying is. you're not a normal child, Abel. That's not really a–'

'I get it,' I snapped. 'Im glad you reminded me just how much of a freak I am.'

'Abel –'

I didn't hear him. I had already left the class.

The weeks passed by and soon enough, it was time for me to go home.

I shoved my clothes into my suitcase while the other guys in the dorm joked around, talking about their plans for the Vacation.

One of them was taking their girl on the family Yacht. Another was gonna go sight seeing in yellowstone. They were all troubled kids like me, but their daddies were politicians or big time corporation owners.

I was a poor runt, from a family of nobodies.

They asked me what If I had any big plans and I told them I was going back to home. That was it, no exciting tours planned.

'Oh okay' one of the guys who was trying to be nice said. 'That's cool too.'

Then having decided I was a buzz kill, they went back to ignoring me.

The only person I was afraid would get all weepy on me was Vere, as it turned out I was worried for nothhing. When I told him I was leaving he had said: 'Oh cool' and de'd booked a train ticket to queensland on the same train I waa taking.

And so thats how Vere and I ended up on the train together, heading for Queensland.

Strangely enough Vere kept glancing around nervously, he had the same look he wore whenever Ms Weber came around for dorm room inspections and he had left a plate of half eaten mac n cheese under his bed.

He kept on glancing at the other passengers and through the window. And I suddenly realised that he'd been acting weird ever since we left Vida, as if he expected something bad to happen any moment.

Before, I'd just thought he was being his normal scaredy cat self. But there was barely anyone on the train besides us and his nerves were still in a twist.

Finally I had enoguh, 'Looking for another Yowie?'

Vere almost fell of his seat when he heard me. 'Wha ... what did you say?'

I came clean about hearing the conversation between him and Mr Kamau the night before the Kriol exam.

Vere's frown deepened. 'You heard everything huhh?'

'Oh… not that much. Just you know, the stuff about demons coming for me?'

He winced. 'Look, Abel .... this neither the time or place to talk about this? I promise I'll explain everything when the time is right. For now....just trust me…'