The Teacher, theStudent, and the bookbyAsukafan2001collage byLittletoy            I wasn't the popular teacher, but at the sametime I wasn't the hated teacher either. I was one of those in between teachers.

I was just one of those teachers that the student's didn't like or hate.

           If you were to see me now, you would think oh hemust have been a science teacher. I know how you guys think. I was aware of yourniche, but I didn't approve of it or think it was rational. I regret to informyou, that I wasn't a science teacher. I taught math. I wasn't a young upstartjust out of college high on power because he had just got his license nor was Ione of those older then time teachers.

           My loss in stature as I prefer to call it allstarted on a rather warm spring day. Rain drops fell to the ground dampening thepavement as it fell. The breeze was only a slight howl as I pulled into theparking lot. It was still dark when I had arrived on that day. I had grabbed mybriefcase and headed for my classroom.

           I loved this time of the day; I was alone andhad my thoughts to myself. The students had yet to arrive; only some of thefaculty was here. It was quiet; it was the only time I had to call my own backthen.

           I did a lot of busy work, grading papers,quizzes and things like that. I always prided myself on returning the tests backthe next day. I could remember when I was a student the wait was oftenagonizing.

           The morning had flown by like It always did andsoon the hustle and bustle of the students arriving, the slamming of lockers wasechoing through the halls. My time of utopia was gone.

           The day had been going by nicely until myadvanced theories of mathematics class. This where the story really begins, yousee we were going to the library so that they could research a mathematician.

           So anyway, the class was in the librarygrumbling about the assignment like students usually. I was off in the farcorner where I could still see them all yet at the same time remove myself fromeverything. I was drinking my iced mocha and reading the paper when a bookcaught my eye. It was sitting on the table next to me. It was an unmarked book,that didn't even have a barcode on it. I thought maybe one of the students hadbrought it from home but it was dusty and looked like it hadn't been touched fordecades. I grabbed the book carefully and flipped it open. The pages werebrittle so I carefully turned each one, page after page was filled with allkinds of weird stories and tales.

           I had skimmed one but I hadn't came acrossanything that really caught my eye until I saw one with a picture of a hand thatwas reaching out grabbing towards a man. How weird, I thought to myself so Istarted to read through the tale, however as I read through I begun to get atingling sensation all over my body.

           This is where I had made my mistake. I keptreading thinking it was just a headache from lack of caffeine or because it hadstarted to get louder and louder. I swear to this day that I could almostfaintly hear chanting in the back of my head. I continued to read through thenoise was getting louder and louder my head pounding, I double over in absolutepain and I fell out of my chair. I tried to yell for help but the words couldn'tseem to escape my lips.

            I had awakened shortly later under the table,only as I stood up I realized was under the table. I looked up in shock as Itook a few steps back as I spied the top of the table almost a hundred milesaway.

           This couldn't be happening was all that had comeinto my mind. It repeated over and over again in my head. I was in disbeliefunsure of what was going on or where to go then all the sudden the floor shookthen all was quiet for a moment then it shook gain fiercer then the last timethen silence, then it shook once again. I was in an absolute panic as I ranaround like a chicken with its head cut off as the floor shook harder andharder. I tumbled to the ground, grasped the carpet fibers. A sandal crasheddown just outside the awning of the table, her toe nails painted red as herperfume permeated the air. I stared up at her athletically sculpted legs travelinto a dark black mini skirt. , I watched her muscles flex as she bent down, herwhite tank top hugged her body as her pony tail bobbed up and down in the air.

           I didn't know what to do or think. I was stunnedas I lied there on the ground under the table. She looked amazing and yet tothis day I am clueless on who she was. As she was bent down, her back to me Iwanted to run out to her, I wanted to touch her, her skin looked smoother thensilk, her perfume which filled the air had me enthralled, then she stood back upto her dizzying height, her face was nothing but a blur as I could barely seepast her breasts, her toes wiggled almost as if to say good bye, then in twomighty strides she was carried well from my realm of vision.

           I stayed under that table for a long time. I wasglad that it was out of the way. I thought no one would come anywhere near thereand I would be able to collect my thoughts and for awhile I could. My class hadleft when the floor begun to rumble once again. I could hear the voices of agroup nearing me. I nervously looked out from beneath the table as 8 legs camestriding into view. 4 male legs, 4 female legs, there voices were deafening asthey neared me. I prayed that they would just walk by but the girls pulled acouple of the chairs out and the guys followed suit. Sandals and shoes wereshoved towards me at nearly unimaginable speeds. As there feet protruded towardsme I ran out from beneath the table. I only glanced back once to see a group ofjocks and cheerleaders gabbing away trying to avoid doing actual work onwhatever assignment they were suppose to be doing.

           I didn't really know where I was going. I hadmade way towards the computers when I felt everything shake around me. I lookedbehind me and realized this was one of my classes only; it looked to be asubstitute leading them in. I had known where to go, as I had wandered into thecomputer room but I knew that I couldn't stay on the floor, not with 30 studentswalking in here. I climbed one of the legs of the chair. The climb wasn't as badas I thought that it would be. I easily pulled myself up onto the seat of thechair when I felt it shake.

“Where do you think Mr. Wendell is at?” The moment that Iheard the voice, I knew who it was. It was the voice of my Haley Rogers and thatalways meant her sidekick Holly Ricks was with her.

           I just knew that this was going to be bad. Ilooked around for a way that I could get down but my mind was out ofpossibilities.

            It was at this time that my life changedforever. There had never been one moment in my life that I could have saidbefore this defined everything that I was, and everything that I was going to belike this one did. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish that I couldchange at least something about that frightful day.

          I just wasn't prepared for there speed, the force which she pulled the chair outknocked me on my stomach. I was about to plummet off the chair to most likely mydoom when a incomprehensible weight pressed against me, The ass of Holly Ricksenclosed around the top half of my body.

           “It's weird, I saw him earlier today.” Icouldn't understand then why I wasn't dead. I could feel the air being shovedout from my lungs the stress on my body was enormous my bones were on the vergecracking and yet somehow I had yet to be harmed.

           “Wat is up with you Holly? You are squirmin'”           “I think something is on my chair” I felt everybone shattering ounce remove from off my body. I didn't even have the strengthto move as I heard Holly gasp, then Haley.

           “Mr. Wendell” Haley barely managed to sputterout as she looked down at me. I then felt her warm fingers wrap around a coupleof my left leg. Everything whizzed by as I shook from side to side as I foundmyself dangling in front of Haley's face, her brown locks of hair just inchesfrom me.

           “I think your ass killed him, Holly” laughedHaley as she poked me in the stomach with her finger then set me down on thekeyboard.

           “Listen, girls take me to whoever is in chargeof this class right now” I demanded as I hung upside down.

           “Wha? You are asking us for a favor?”           “No! I am telling you! Unless you want to getdetention.” I barked out at her.

           “We can barely hear you….”           “You can too!! Take me to the teacher, she justacross the room, do you hear me!”           “I just can't seem to hear him, he must be toSMALL. Maybe if he asked a little nicer we might be able to hear him…but…”           “I am not fuckin' playing around. This isserious. I am through with you two, detention for a week do you want to make ittwo weeks”           Haley then pulled at Holly's skin tight blacktop; she slid me down into her top. It was then I felt swift movements as thegirls snuck out of the computer lab. They giggled as they ran down the halldiscussing who was going to drive. I was left only asking driving where. I foundout later, that it was to Holly's house.

 * * *           My eyes flutter open as I roll onto my stomachand push myself up off the floor. I look down at the newspaper which covers theground. I head over to the left corner and look out through the bars down atHolly sleeping away. Her blonde hair put down, her blankets in shambles, as theyhang over the edge in some places, some are on the floor. She has on nothing butsome plaid boxers and a black sports bra.

           As a burst of wind gusts threw her window, Ishiver as it hits my nude body. I shake the bars a couple of times trying towake her up but it never works. I slump to the floor.

                      The floor of my cage is riddled withurine spots, and bread crumbs. I use to think of it as appalling, but now, it'sjust my life. It's just how it is.

           5, 4,3,2,1 ring there goes the alarm, always onone.  My body just wakes up five minutes before Holly's alarm on its own.

           I listen to her grumble as she stands upgrabbing her guitar pick. She runs the pick along the bars of my cage telling metime to get up.

           Even though I am up, even though she knows thatI am up, every morning she runs that damn guitar pick across the bars of mycage. I hate that guitar pick. I hate how it beats against the bars almost likeits gloating, mocking me.

           Holly, however, doesn't even look at me. Shesets the guitar pick on the desk below me and heads out of her room.

           I am left alone, looking at these same fourwalls that have grown to look familiar and safe. I use to dream about leavingthese four walls, but now, I can hardly remember what its like out there. Whatdoes spring smell like? What does it feel to walk barefoot across the yard, toshoot hoops on a summer's day? I just don't know anymore. It's like that wasanother life so long ago.

           As Holly returns she ponders a bit over heroutfit finally deciding to go with something casual, just jeans and asweatshirt. She then walks towards me, her eyes locked onto me. That smile ofhers spread across her face.

           “Sleep well Wendie? You are such a messy littlecreature.” scoffs holly as her eyes look at the floor of my home.

           The floor begins to shimmy from side to side, Irun to the back wall of the cage leaping off the floor and onto the metal bottomof the cage. Holly walks off with what to her must only be a tray. A look ofdisgust passes across her face as she dumps the newspaper into her wastepaperbasket.

           I cringe as there is a knock at Holly's door; myeyes are glued on the door. I pray that its Katie, I like Katie she is so niceto me, but I haven't seen much of her lately.

           My heart leaps as I watch Katie glide throughthe door, her short blonde hair pulled back in a miniature pony tail, it onlygoes out about a inch or so but looks cute, She has on red zippered sweatshirtwith a white t-shirt underneath, a baseball cap on and jeans, I cringe as I seeHaley walk into the room. Haley heads towards Holly as Katie heads towards me. Iwave to her as she easily opens up the top of the cage and reaches down grabbingme.

           Her warm hand hugging me as I glide down towardsher stomach, she smiles down at me as she sets down on Holly's unmade bed.

           “How's my little Wendie doin' today huh? Ibrought you a little gift, I saw it at the mall the other day, and I couldn'thelp myself.”           I was set down on Katie's lap. I looked up ather wishing that I could go home with her. I often tried to think of ways tostow away with her, but I know it's hopeless; I would probably be a bother toher.

           “What do ya think Wendie?”           I stared at almost in disbelief. It was achocolate in the shape of a raindrop, it had a name but I forget, I rushedtowards it and began to rip off the tinfoil like I was opening up a gift onChristmas day.  As I unwrapped the candy I saw the shadows of Holly and Haleystand over me. I looked up at Katie almost in tears as I start to bite into thechocolate when I watch a pair of massive fingers wrap around it, I look backjust in time to see Holly plop it into her mouth.

           “Holly that was mean! I got that for Wendie”scolded Katie.

           “Oh he doesn't mind do ya” says Holly as shegrabs me off of Katie's lap. I squirm in her grip. Haley shoved the actual floorback into my home as Holly drops me back in.

           “See you later, we have school. I am sure youremember that place, you use to work there. They got this really hunkie teacherto replace you though.”           “Oh you Mr. Matheson, I would do anything to goout with him” exclaims Katie           “Who wouldn't girl, Cya Wends” blurts out Haleyas the girls walk out and I am left behind.

           I sigh as I settle in for a long day, when thedoor swings back open. Holly's Sister Brianna walks in; she smiles as she skipstowards me. She grabs the cage and sets down on Holly's bed.

           “Mom says im sick and can't go to school today.

So it looks like its just going to be me and you.”           Brianna, who looks just like Holly only Briannais a couple years younger, Brianna carries me out of the room enclosing her fistaround me. I listen in as she gabs with her mom about numbers and such. As hermom leaves I can feel Brianna's body lurch as she sets me down on the table. Ilook around lost as I haven't ever been out of Holly's room. I watch in shock nawe as Brianna pulls off her Pajama's revealing street clothes.

           “I have been waiting for a day with you for along time Wendie. I hate having to lie to do it, but I want to play with youtoo. Don't worry, this will be our little secret” I am shoved head first intothe back pocket of Brianna's jeans. Only my legs come out the top as Briannaheads out the door. I hear a car horn honk and Brianna start to run.

           “I have got the coolest thing to show you, mysister keeps it locked up in her room, but I snuck it out.”           “Oh my god, look at him! He is soooo going tothe beach with us.”           “I figure he will be perfect for all those hardto reach places.”                     Little did I know, my life was just about to geta lot more interesting….

 The end