The next Monday, when he got to school, he saw a crowd outside the principal's office. People were speaking so frantically that he couldn't make out, let alone understand, any word they said or what they were talking about. In the corner of his eye, he saw one of the teachers leave the school, locking the door behind him, with a disapproving expression. He then spotted his best friend, Scott Anderson, near the lockers and went to ask him what this fuss was all about.
"It's the police and our crazy of a principal. They're outta their fucking minds !" he sounded really angry and kind of worried. He was paler than Mark had ever seen him.
"Why ? What's going on ?"
"They want to lock us into the school until the killer gives himself up !"
For a second, Mark thought he had misunderstood.
"What ? This is totally insane !"
"I know, uh ? But it's already been decided
"What ?" To Mark, it sounded like some kind of bad joke but he could see on Scott's face that he was deadly serious "But... it's not even legal! I mean, this is seriously fucked up ! And besides, there's no way they'll get the parents to agree !"
"Well, they actually did ! The chief convinced them. Apparently it's a new technique that the FBI developed and they needed an opportunity to test it, I guess we're the lucky ones !" He, of course, was sarcastic "Anyway, he talked to all the parents and gave 'em a speech about how it was for everyone's good, that the problem would be finally solved, that everybody could stop worrying, at last, blah blah blah, y'know the usual stuff. And they said yes !"
"This is so fucking creepy ! How can they do something like this ? It's horrible ! I don't wanna do it. I don't wanna be locked in with the psycho that killed Jenna and wait for him to give details about it !" He was losing his temper. Scott raised both his hands to try to get him to calm down.
"I know, dude, I know. But you'd still have to see him at school everyday either way. At least, consider that you could know who did it and the guy could be sent to jail. And maybe he had his reasons, maybe he just lost it, y'know, maybe... he wasn't such a psycho, at least the guy put a cloth on her in case she got cold or something..."
"Are you fucking kidding me ? She was fucking dead !"
Mark couldn't believe what Scott was saying. He knew that Scott was a kind person who always tried to look on the bright side of things and to see the best in people but this was seriously messed up. How the hell could he have such thoughts ? Scott's face went pale and he answered messily.
"Yeah, I mean, of course he's a sick bastard but, yeah I... I was just trying to... I don't know, maybe explain why he did that or... whatever. I was... I was just trying to calm you down."
"And look what a great job you've done by saying shits like that !" Mark took a deep breath "Any way, ain't there something we can do about this twisted thing ?"
Slowly regaining his composure, Scott answered:
"No man, it's too late. Actually, it's already started. Don't you see the cameras on the ceiling?"
Mark looked at where he was pointing. There was indeed a dozen of tiny black devices attached to the ceiling that severed with the white paint. The room was so full of people crammed next to the lockers that he hadn't even noticed them.
"Cameras ? What the f...!"
"Yup, cameras ! 'cuz they wanna film us, too. Ya know, Big Bro's watchin'us ! I guess we're the freaking star of a brand new reality show !" Scott was trying to joke but you could see that he felt really uncomfortable and angry with the situation.
"Damn, this is fucked up." He felt sick, this whole thing was just so twisted.
"I know, but again," he sighed "try to see it in a good way. There's a good chance that the killer will crack up and reveal himself." Mark knew this tone, it was the one that Scott used whenever he tried to comfort him. Scott had always been such an optimist, it was a real example for all. On the contrary, Mark's biggest fault was that he got angry pretty easily. This was why his relationship with his mother was so complicated. And also because she was selfish and carefree since his father had left them fourteen years ago.
-"Maybe..." admitted Mark
-"And, besides, we have nothing to blame ourselves for," Mark barely noticed how his voice was shaking.
-"Yeah, I guess" answered Mark absent-mindedly
Three months before, he would have agreed without a second of hesitation. But now, with all the things going on at school, he wasn't so sure about that anymore...
His thoughts were interrupted by a voice in the speakers:
-"All the students must go to the cafeteria right now !"
Scott and he shared an apprehensive look.
-"Well, I guess we must go", said Scott
They followed the other students to the cafeteria. It was a big room, which was usually very noisy and smelled like food anytime of the day. Mark suspected the cleaners of neglecting this room. He didn't blame them though, it was always very dirty because of the carelessness of the students. There was about thirty tables, each one sitting about a dozen students. He liked this room because it reminded him of so many memories with his friends. This time, however, he had a bad feeling when he got into the room. It was completely empty except for the lights and another fifteen cameras on the ceiling. Without all the chairs and the tables, it seemed much larger and the four hundred of students of the school had no problem to fit into it. In the center of the room stood the principal accompanied by the chief of the police. The principal was a dark-haired man in his forties. He was very tall and had thick black eyebrows that made him look stern. Mark had always been slightly scared of him but he wouldn't admit it out loud. The students called him Hitler, though they would never dare to say it to his face. He had some kind of natural authority and, just by walking through the corridors, he could make the whole school look like an army submitted to him. Actually, Mark wasn't so surprised anymore that he had managed to convince the parents. Mr. Smith was very charismatic and he spoke in a way that made you want to believe everything he said, that made you hang on every word he said. He must have given them great arguments about safety, about people watching over their children, about stopping those horrible crimes from happening. Anyway, he knew how to rule the school with an iron hand. The fact that the chief of the police was his cousin didn't help either. One of his favorite occupation even seemed to be hiding in dark corners to appear suddenly to yell at students who are late for class. The rare students that had been asked into his office had observed a drastic change of behavior when they had gotten out. Mark had never been into his office. He was your average straight-A student and never had any problem with his teachers. This time, however, he felt guilty under the gravity and the sternness of Mr. Smith's look.
As usual, the principal's face was unreadable, no one knew what to expect.
-"Good morning everyone" his voice echoed in the room. His sole presence was enough to make everyone quiet. No one wanted to mess with Mr. Smith. "The recent events that have taken place in the school have forced me to make an important decision. I want you to know that it was taken for everyone's safety and that it is irrevocable. From this day on, you will stay between the school's walls until the responsible for these events reveals him or herself." He was interrupted by a few protests from the only students brave enough to dare to voice their opposition to his decision. "Be quiet !" he yelled. The cafeteria fell into perfect silence, once again. "As I said, we want the person who has committed such horrible acts to speak up and confess their crimes. Otherwise, you will stay here in the most complete silence. From now on, every student who'll open their mouth and let out the tiniest word will be considered as a suspect and will be arrested by the police." He pointed to the chief who had stayed quiet. "All the doors leading to the outside will be closed. You will be able to use the restrooms, where there are cameras and mics too, and food will be delivered three times a day..."
A popular student named Pete interrupted him.
-"But sir, this is unfair ! We haven't done anything !"
For a second, an awkward and terrible silence filled the room. Then, Mr Smith answered calmly but with such fury in his voice that it was even worse than if he had actually shouted.
-"How dare you answer back ? How dare you contest my authority ?" His face was twisted by rage. "I'm going to teach you a lesson in manners, young boy !"
Mark had never seen the principal so furious. Take that back, he had never seen ANYONE that furious. He felt terrified and a shiver ran through him. Everyone in the room was terror-stricken. He took Pete by the arm, so hard that you could hear his bones cracking, and pushed him in the chief's direction. The chief pointed his gun at him. He made a gesture to tell him to move toward the door and they both left the room. Silence took over the cafeteria once again and the principal continued:
-"I hope this little demonstration showed you what you must not do if you want to stay safe. As I was saying, cameras and microphones have been set up all around the building. You see this ?" -he had a small black electronic device in his hand- "this is a touch screen on which I can see every camera that was put in this school on live, I just have to choose which one of them. So if ONE" he insisted on the word "if one of you dare to say a single word, we will know it. And measures will be taken. Now that you know the rules, I will leave you to DECIDE" -once again, he emphasized the word- "if you want to take responsibilities for your actions."
The principal ended his declaration on that and left the room in the most profound and terrific silence that Mark had ever heard in his whole life.663Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQsrBjrEeG
