Piercing the Darkness (18 page)

SIGNA HAD THE
attention of the guards in front of the school and at least half the demons from inside it.

“And now,” he said, “we’d like to take a look inside this school.”

The guards spit sulfur at him, and for a moment he was blinded. He raised his sword in defense and tried to clear his eyes, stumbling backwards out onto the school lawn. The guards followed him, pushing him back, waving their swords. The other spirits felt a new courage, and moved in closer, hissing, spitting, holding their swords high.

They were not watching the door.

SALLY WALKED BRISKLY
up the front walk and through the door. The clock in the main hall said she was on time; it was 11:50, time for lunch break. Now to find Miss Brewer’s classroom, Room 105. It was
either to the left or the right, but first she’d have to pass by the school office. There was a receptionist standing behind the counter, and several office personnel working at desks behind her.
Well
, she thought,
if I just look like I know what I’m doing, maybe they won’t ask to help me.

She headed for the hall, walking by the reception counter, keeping her eyes ahead, not slowing her walk, not looking bewildered.
Come on, Sally, make it convincing.

“DON’T YOU MOVE!”
said the demon behind the counter. “Don’t you come one step closer to me!”

Chimon and Scion had come in with Sally, and were now standing at the counter, their wings unfurled, totally blocking any view of the hallway. Their swords were drawn, but at their sides. They didn’t speak, but just looked at this slimy creature yelling at them.

“How did you get in here?” the demon demanded. “Guards!”

Suddenly Scion’s hot blade rested right between the demon’s yellow fangs. He thought it best not to pronounce another word.

THE RECEPTIONIST LOOKED
at the clock. Hmm. Miss Brewer was expecting a visitor today; the receptionist thought she’d heard someone come in, but there was no one in the hall.
Well, the visitor must be a little late.

SALLY TOOK A
left turn down the hall, disappearing around the corner. It had to be a miracle that that lady behind the counter had not seen her. Oh well. Now to find Room 105.

Good! Here was Room 103, and now Room 104, and bingo! Room 105!

She stood in the open doorway and knocked on the jamb.

Miss Brewer, the young and pretty fourth grade teacher, rose from her desk with a welcoming smile and extended her hand. “Hello. You must be Mrs. Jenson!”

Sally took her hand and replied pleasantly, “And you are Miss Brewer.”

“Please come in.”

I can’t believe I’m doing this
, Sally thought. She immediately stopped thinking such things—it could ruin her act.

Miss Brewer motioned Sally to a chair beside her desk and then continued to the bookshelf behind it. “So how are things at the Association?”

Sally sat down and kept her eyes on Miss Brewer. “Well, just wonderful so far. I’m really glad to be working for them now.”

“Well,” said Miss Brewer, pulling a loose-leaf binder from the shelf, “we’ve certainly enjoyed this curriculum, and the kids really take to it. Most of our parents are very pleased.”

She set the binder on the desk in front of Sally, and Sally smiled as she picked it up. On the cover were the words, “Sexual Understanding and Family Life, Fourth Grade.” At the bottom was the name of the publisher, Freeman Education Associates. She began to leaf through it.

“Could I help you find what you’re looking for?”

“Oh, don’t take your lunchtime to help me. I have a whole list of revisions . . . Let’s see, this is the newest edition, isn’t it? All right, that should make it easier, not quite as much to doublecheck.”

“Just what was the problem?”

Sally had her story well rehearsed. “Well, the quotes are accurate enough, but the sources didn’t feel the attributions were clearly enough stated, so now I have to prepare a reply and . . . wouldn’t you know it, I left my copy in the last town. Well, such are the hazards of being on the road.”

“It must be exciting, though, servicing so many schools around the state. Has the curriculum been well received in other school districts?”

“For the most part, yes.”

Miss Brewer paused to think, then chuckled, sitting on the edge of the desk. “Having trouble with the right-wing fundamentalists?”

Sally chuckled back and nodded. “That’s one reason I have to review all the attributions, to make sure everybody’s legally covered.”

“Oh, what a world!”

Sally took a chance. “Speaking of fundamentalist problems, I understand Amber Brandon was in your class?”

Miss Brewer smiled with curiosity. “Now how did you know that?”

“Well, yours is the only fourth grade class, and the paper said that
the child involved in the lawsuit was in the fourth grade, and I learned somewhere that the child was Amber, so . . .”

Amber’s former teacher nodded sadly. “Isn’t it awful? I’m glad they’re taking this thing to court. We’ve just got to stop all this harassment and censorship. Enough is enough.”

“Listen, don’t let me keep you from lunch!”

Miss Brewer set out for the door. “Can I bring you anything?”

“Oh, no, don’t worry about me. I won’t be long anyway.”

“Fine. Just take your time.”

And with that, she was out the door and down the hall.

Sally waited just a moment, then closed the binder and placed it back on the shelf it came from. Then she looked among the other binders, books, and materials for the title she was after. The kids in the class had drawn pictures of strange faces, weird animals, gods, and bizarre cartoon characters, and the drawings were still displayed on the walls, along with several complex, mesmerizing pattern studies. The curriculum had to be here.

She found it.

ANGO BEGAN TO
curse at Mota as his demon warriors became steadily braver. “Out! Begone, you! This is our territory, and none of your concern!”

Mota decided to push this demon a little. “Oh, is that what you think?”

He made a move toward the roof, ready to pass through it and invade their little operation.

“Attack!” Ango screamed, and every demon rushed forward, red blade flashing. “Away with him!”

Mota shot skyward, drawing a horde of spirits after him. He stopped, flipped, faced them. His sword became a continuous ribbon of light.

The first demon became two halves that passed by Mota on either side and then sank into oblivion. The second and third he swatted aside. He kicked and bowled down a cluster of eight. But they just kept coming, faster and faster, swinging and slashing with more and more strength. Mota had planned on putting on an act to keep them following
him, but suddenly he found he was no longer acting. This fight was real.

The next wave of spirits surged upward. He backed away, his wings reaching higher and higher. He couldn’t let this end too soon, but he was beginning to wish he could.

To the west he saw Signa involved in a similar skirmish, taking some real attacks, whipping his sword about and drawing the guards away from the school. He was backing away, about to be surrounded.

Chimon and Scion could hear the commotion all around the outside of the school. The demons sounded rather jubilant.

“YAAA!!” Suddenly four huge demonic thugs exploded through the walls on every side, their teeth bared, their talons ready to tear.

Chimon and Scion shot through the roof of the school like two rockets, retreating, totally surprised, and angry about it.

“Where did they come from?” Chimon hollered.

Scion was too busy defending himself against their swords and sharp teeth to answer. It was like being chased up a huge tree by a foaming pack of rabid dogs.

They backed away, higher and higher, trying to stay clear of those whistling red blades. What horrible situation had they walked into?

SALLY’S HANDS WERE
shaking and she was afraid to open the three-ring binder now in her lap. The title sounded harmless enough:
Finding the Real Me—Self-Esteem and Personal Fulfillment Studies for Fourth-Graders.