School Scares | Volume 1

School Scares

It Came From Third Grade

“My big sister is in third grade!” gloated Susie at snack time one day. 

Susie liked to brag a lot to Mac and Sammie. They were the cool kids in this first grade classroom and Susie wanted to prove she was cooler. 

“She also has straight A’s!” Susie said. 

“What’s an A?” Sammie asked. In first grade, they just had color charts to show how good they were in class each week.

“Okay, everyone,” Mrs Drench told the class, “I’m coming around to grab your water cups. Please throw away your napkins.” Snack time was over and it was story time, now. 

The kids knew what to do. They have been doing this since kindergarten. They each took turns throwing away their paper towels from the snack as Mrs Drench collected their water bottles and placed them by their backpacks. Then they each found a seat on the carpet in the front of the room.

The kids gathered on the mat, joining their usual groups. Mac and Sammie sat next to each other, while Susie sat with Luke, Nora, Mary, and her best friend Lina.

Mrs Drench started reading “The Three Little Pigs”, and all of the kids listened eagerly. All of the kids except for Susie. She wanted a way to prove herself worthy of hanging out with Mac and Sammie. She had already tried pushing them on the swings at recess, letting them take her turn on the slide, even giving them all of the crafts that she made in class. There had to be a way.

“Susie? Are you listening?” 

Susie realized she had been staring into space and Mrs Drench realized, too. She stopped reading to ask Susie that. The other kids turned to Susie, too. Susie nodded her head, not able to find words. It was like she just woke up.

When the school day was over, Susie met up with her third grade sister outside. They walked down a block or two, telling each other about their days. They got into their mom’s car which was not parked too far away. And then they drove home.

At dinner that night, Susie’s big sister told everyone about what her class did, and how they all got a special treat for being extra good in class. Susie’s mom doesn’t usually allow candy at dinner, but Susie’s sister asked, anyway. The mom agreed, and Susie’s sister took out the wrapped hard candy out from her backpack. She popped it into her mouth when she was finished with dinner. Susie was jealous of the candy. What little kid wouldn’t be?

“Do you think if we’re extra good, we can have candy?” Susie asked Mrs Drench, after telling her about her big sister. 

“I’m sorry, Susie,” Mrs Drench replied, “but in this class, we have snack time, and they don’t.” 

Susie couldn’t imagine not having snack time.

“Why are you grumpy?” Lina asked at craft time, covered in glue and little shards of craft paper. 

They were making paper roses for mother’s day. But, Susie was holding her arms tight to her chest with her brow scrunched up. 

“My big sister got candy yesterday and I didn’t.” Susie finally told her friend.

 “Well, why don’t you ask your mom?” Lina asked. 

“It wasn’t from my mom,” Susie replied, “it was because she was good in school. But that’s not fair! I was good in school, too!” Susie wouldn’t let it go. 

Lina shrugged the best she could and turned to Nora who was sitting on her other side. They continued talking and crafting.

That night at dinner, Susie’s big sister wasn’t acting like herself. She was kind of like a robot, or an alien. She has been like this ever since she ate the candy, actually. Susie didn’t seem to notice; she was still grumpy about the candy situation but didn’t say a word so her mom wouldn’t find out.

“Mother, I will now go wash my dishes,” Susie’s big sister said, “and then I will go to my room for bedtime.” Like a robot, she spoke in monotone.

The next day at school, Susie asked Mrs Drench again.

“I’m sorry Susie,” Mrs Drench said again, “It must just be something that the teacher does. I’ll let you pick out the story if you’d like.” 

Susie wasn’t grumpy anymore. Now, she was sad. Once again, she didn’t want to do her craft. This time, Lina didn’t do anything. Neither did anybody else.

And then came snack time. After everybody cleaned up from their crafts, they found their seats again and Mrs Drench passed out paper towels and their water bottles. Then, she came around again and passed out the veggie straws for snack.

When it was time to clean up after snack, Luke accidentally tipped the trashcan over when he threw away his paper towel. Mrs Drench hurried and helped clean it up, giving Susie the perfect chance to sneak out, and into the third grade classroom.

And so Susie snuck out, even though she knew she would get in trouble when Mrs Drench realized. Susie decided she would just sneak in, grab herself a candy- maybe one for Lina as well- and then sneak back to first grade.

Susie successfully snuck out of first grade without anyone realizing. Lina did look over to her but Susie just put a finger to her mouth to hush her, and Lina listened. Susie speed-walked through the hall. It was kind of eerie, all alone. But it would be worth it for candy.

Susie reached for the doorknob of the third grade classroom. A greenish glow surrounded the door. Susie slipped inside, and just like that…

Disappeared…

THE END