A Light In The Dark Read online

Jack had heard all the stories about the one teacher every student agreed was the worst - Mr. Graves. Even his older brother Walter had made sure to tell him all about 'Grim Graves' every night before bed. But then Walter loved to try and scare Jack, older brothers are like that you know. According to Walter the only time Mr. Graves ever even smiled was when the kids in his class weren't.

  He couldn't really be that mean, could he? The thought worried Jack and made him remember the one story about Mr. Graves that truly frightened him. It was his brother's favorite, and most kids still whispered about it.

  According to Walter there was a kid in Mr. Graves’s class a long time ago, his name was Billy. Well Billy had a lot of trouble in class, and he always forgot his homework. One day Mr. Graves decided to make Billy stand in front of the class to answer a question and Billy got so nervous he couldn't even talk. He just froze like a statue.

  Mr. Graves told Billy he would have to stay after class that day because he was in trouble. Nobody knows for sure what happened but that afternoon the janitor found Billy curled up in the classroom closet. The light bulb had been taken out and poor Billy had even had an accident. His parents had to be called and he even switched schools.

  Jack had never been able to believe any teacher could do something like that to a kid. At least that is until he turned around and looked up at Mr. Graves for the first time. His eyes were like frozen ice behind his black rimed glasses and his nose reminded Jack of bird’s beak. Jack felt like a tiny mouse starring up at a very hungry owl that planned to eat him. His arms even got all bumpy.

  "Sorry, Mr. Graves," he said quietly. "Very well then," Mr. Graves began without taking his eyes off Jack. "Take your seat, third row second from the back," he instructed. "Yes, sir," Jack nodded before heading to set down.

  A quiet giggle greeted him from behind his chair as he sat down. It could only mean one thing; Kim was in his class - again.

  - Episode 3 -

  Of all the girls in the world, Kim had to be the most annoying one ever. And to make it worse her favorite thing in the whole universe seemed to be beating Jack at everything. If he raised his hand to answer a question she always managed to answer before him. When they had races in P.E., Kim always beat him. She was like some kind of super robot girl, Jack was sure she had to be an alien or something.

  The worst part of it all though, was that she was always explaining to Jack that he was her boyfriend. It always made his face red. "You’re a boy and you're my friend," she would say. "That makes you my boyfriend." Kim always sounded like a teacher when she said it too; like it was a fact he couldn't argue.

  And here she was sitting right behind him. This had to be the worst Monday ever thought Jack. Maybe it was even some kind of record among bad Mondays. Desperate not to get into any more trouble from Mr. Graves Jack tried to make sure he got his pencil and paper out to be ready for class.

  Mr. Graves was already writing his name on the board with a piece of chalk. Most of the other teachers were already using the shiny marker boards but he guessed Mr. Graves still used this old chalk one for some reason. Jack didn't much like the sound it made really but at least it wasn't stinky like the marker ones. He was sure they must make some of the markers extra smelly, you know kind of like extra chunky chocolate chip cookies. Only that these were maybe not tasty, but instead were just stinky.

  As Jack was opening his brand new notebook, a really cool red colored one he picked out, Kim started poking him in the shoulder. "Going to be quiet as usual, huh Ben?" she whispered. "Not even a hello for my boyfriend?" Jack immediately spun around in his chair excited and yelled, "Turbo!"

  - Episode 4 -