Filth

Chapter 3

Hey!! Chapter 3 for your enjoyment x

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Miss Miller wasn't in school the next day. Her desk was empty of her usual clutter and a new teacher was sitting at her desk. This teacher looked, if it was possible, even stricter than Miss Miller. I wondered where she had gone. Just yesterday she had chucked me out of class and now she was gone. When everyone had entered the classroom and sat down, the suited man stood and I internally gasped.

He was huge, at least 6ft something. The wrinkles in his face made his face rougher, older, scarier. And his eyes, his eyes were icy grey. I could feel them piercing the class as he studied every student. His gaze fell upon me and I examined my desk, his ice-cold glare burning through me.

'Everyone stop talking.' His voice was barely audible and yet the room suddenly quietened. It felt as though a bitter wind had blown through the room. I was bursting to ask him questions, my arm muscles twitched as I decided whether or not to ask. His eyes immediately snapped to my arm, 'Yes?'

How did he see that? I felt a shiver run down my spine as I gulped, 'I-I was just wondering - um... Where's Miss Miller?' I finally managed to spit out the words, recoiling slightly in my seat. It felt as though I was poking a sleeping lion, just waiting for it to wake and attack me.

His voice remained dangerously low, 'Miss Miller, as I heard, expressed some very controversial views. She is gone.'

The class began whispering. Was that yesterday? Was that what she said about Black people? Wasn't it Danielle who brought it up? Matthew, a boy who sat beside Lisa, spoke, 'She didn't say anything wrong!'

The teacher's piercing glare landed on a now nervous Matthew, 'Excuse me?'

'S-she didn't say anything w-wrong?' His voice became shakier, suddenly unsure in his statement.

Holding his stare, the teacher allowed a pause, letting the tension become chokingly thick. Finally, after dragging out the silence, he continued in a voice so low we had to struggle to hear it, 'From what I understand, Miss Miller spoke in a very questionable manner about her views. We are not here to express our views. We are here to teach.'

'But Danielle's the one who brought it up! It's her fault -' Lisa exclaimed before being cut off.

'Silence!' He yelled, raising his voice for the first time. It was so silent, we could have heard a pin drop. There was not a noise, not even light breathing. 'This is not for further discussion. Who is this Danielle?' Internally groaning, I raised my hand slowly. 'Ah, well you seem to have a knack for starting trouble.'

'But I didn't mean to! I was just asking if -'

'Did I ask you to speak?' He raised his heavy grey eyebrows. I shook my head, slumping in my seat. 'Now, that is the end of the matter. Shall we move on to some actual work?' It might as well not have been a question for all the choice he gave us. I let out a breath of relief that I wasn't going to get into trouble. 'I am Mr Howard. I'm here to teach you. Whatever you do with that education is your choice, if you don't want to learn then leave this class now. I don't have time for people who do not want to learn about history.'

Nobody moved a muscle in the silent class. For the first time, the corners of Mr Howard's mouth turned upward. For a moment he looked almost welcoming, the harsh wrinkles that had previously added to his angry look became softer and instead of adding a cold exterior, made him look almost amenable.

Sitting at home now, I thought about it. Maybe he wouldn't be so bad. The rest of class went quite well actually and he didn't say anything more about Miss Miller or where she had gone. I wondered if she was okay but then I thought about what she had said and shook her from my mind. I felt a nagging guilt knowing that it was myself who had caused her to lose her job. Well, it's not like I'd have to see her again. At least I hoped not.

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Why didn't I think of it? I should have told Tommy yesterday! I rushed to the bottom of the field straight after school, running as fast as I could. I only just noticed that the cotton field was full of people. Usually they were picking cotton from the top of the field but they had moved further down. None of them looked my way but I dived behind the bushes to make sure. I pulled the branches apart, peeking through the gap and panting. Trying to be quiet was difficult with my pounding heart and loud breathing. I searched the field of people, I noticed that all of them were coloured. My mind flitted back to what Miss Miller has said. Is that really why we didn't work with them? Just because we aren't supposed to like them?

My eyes landed on Tommy, sweating profusely and panting in the hot sun. He wiped his forehead and stared up at the sun burning brightly, not a cloud in the sky to form any kind of shelter. He was closer than the other people and so I decided to risk calling him.

I whispered, 'Tommy.' My voice was obviously too quiet as he didn't even twitch. I raised my voice ever so slightly louder, 'Tommy!'

His head snapped in my general direction. I lifted my head and grinned, feeling silly kneeling behind this bush. His bewildered face cocked to the side, silently asking me what I was doing. I waved him over but he refused, shaking his head and glancing behind him. I tried to see what he looking at, standing on my knees but his eyes widened and he ordered, 'Stay down! I'm coming.'

He rolled his eyes and slowly approached the bush, nervously looking around. Nobody noticed, too engrossed in their work.

'What?' He asked, leaning over the bush.

'Is that any way to talk to your friend?' I asked, beaming at him.

He smiled teasingly and replied, 'Oh, you're my friend, are you?' I placed my hands in my hips, playfully scowling.

'Fine, if you don't want to hear the greatest news I've ever had to tell someone...' I turned around, ready to leave.

He stopped me with a frantic whisper, 'Wait, what? What you got to say?' I just smirked, prolonging his wait but it didn't work because I was bursting to tell him.

'You know that teacher I said was horrible about you? She's gone!' Tommy looked confused so I elaborated, 'Miss Miller was fired, or at least I think she was, because she wasn't in school today. The new teacher, Mr Howard, is terrifying but he did hint that she was fired for being rude about you.'

Tommy raised his eyebrows in wonderment, looking more than a little shocked, 'Really? I -'

Suddenly, Tommy was violently ripped away from the bush. I screamed and hurried up from the floor, only to see Mr Perkins holding him by his shirt, 'What do you think you're doing?' Mr Perkins' face was etched with fury, staring straight into Tommy's fear-stricken eyes. I've seen that look before. He looked just like Sammy when father was about to -

Wham.

I hadn't even registered the punch until Tommy howled and fell to the floor. My eyes widened and I immediately cried out, 'No, stop! It was my fault! Mr Perkins!' I scrambled over the bush, nearly falling over my own feet. Mr Perkins pulled his foot back and kicked Tommy in the stomach. I flinched at the groan of pain Tommy emitted from the floor, 'Mr Perkins! Stop! It was me!' I ran in front of Tommy, heart racing in fear.

I was beginning to regret standing in his way. He towered over me in the same way father did, his eyes full of the same hatred I had seen too many times. His curled fists twitched at his sides as though he wanted nothing more than to hit me too.

'Leave right now!' I paused, considering whether I should stay or not. Mr Perkins leant down until his face was level with mine. My hands became sweaty in fear. My breathing was becoming irregular as I tried to calm myself down but my body wanted nothing more than to run from this terrifying man. He was too much like my father. He then shouted, his spittle flying across my face, 'NOW!' His bellow made me jump away, kick-starting my fleeing instincts.

I ran. I ran as fast as I could, glancing back only once to see Tommy being roughly yanked up by the arm. I turned and kept running towards the house, tears streaming down my face.I finally reached the house and ran to my room, slamming the door shut and leaning against it, panting heavily.    

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Until next time xo