Embedded Files
Doris watches nervously as Leroy approaches where she’s standing, in what appears to be slow motion. She turns back to look at the other room where a crowd of people surround the other Leroy who is still crying out in pain. The injured Leroy looks up in pain and confusion, half concerned by his injured leg and half concerned by seeing himself in the other dance class.
Doris turns back to the original dance room, where the first Leroy is now standing virtually face to face with her. Suddenly the door slams shut!
Gregory Crandall, having closed the dance room door, puts his arm around Doris’ shoulder and leads her away down the corridor.
Crandall: “Oh Doris, My Dear Doris...”
Suddenly he's interrupted by the same announcement that Doris heard in the hospital:
“Dr Reid Code Blue, Room 421. Dr Reid code blue, Room 421”.
Doris looks around to see where the voice could be coming from, half expecting to find herself back in the hospital. Instead she notices that the second dance classroom has disappeared and she’s in a normal corridor at the school. Relieved but still confused by the announcement Doris turns back to Mr Crandall.
Doris: “Did you hear that? What was it?”
Silence greets Doris’ question as she looks around, she is surprised to discover that Crandall is nowhere to be seen.
As she looks around again wondering where the drama teacher could have gone Doris notices that things begin to change and she finds herself facing a blackboard covered in musical notes.
Behind her she hears a male voice with a British accent ask a question.
Ian: “Excuse me Miss, where’s Mr Shorofsky? ... Are you a substitute teacher?”
Doris turns round and sees a class of young faces all looking back at her expectantly. For a moment Doris doesn’t know what to say and there is what felt like a long silence. She looks from face to face and to her relief doesn’t recognise anyone apart from the plump black girl she’d spoken to earlier. She half expected to see Leroy, Coco, Bruno and her other friends looking at her and that really would have been a difficult situation to explain.
Instead she focuses in on the shaggy haired youth who asked the question.
Doris: “And your name is Mister...?”
The man replies enthusiastically: “Ware, Miss, Ian Ware.”
Doris: “Well, Mister Ware, yes I’m a substitute as Mr Shorofsky is out sick today.”
The class excitedly starts muttering amongst themselves.
Doris remembers how the students used to treat substitutes so quickly warns them:
“I’m fully aware of all the little games you guys like to play with substitutes and I’m having none of it. Anyone being disruptive will be sent straight to Mr Morloch”.
The class exchange puzzled looks.
Dusty: “Miss, I think you’ll find Mr Morloch left last year, it Mr Dyrenforth now”.
Doris nods: “Of course it is, I’m here so rarely it’s difficult to keep up with all the changes. Well the threat is still the same anyone being disruptive will be sent to Mr Dyrenforth.”
Doris pauses for a moment then spies some music books on the desk in front of her and continues.
Doris: “Now, Mr Shorofsky has obviously left us some work to be doing so I think we should be getting on with it.”
She splits the books into two piles and hands them to Ian and Dusty to distribute amongst the class. She looks through one of the books herself and finds a piece of music she recognises.
Doris “Okay Class, turn to page 10. Mister Ware do you play an instrument?”
Ian replies enthusiastically: “Yes Miss, the guitar, I’ve studied with all the great musicians”.
Doris looks at him sceptically: “Well okay then I’d like you to play the music on page 10 to the class”.
Ian looks nervously at the music, then back at Doris.
Doris: “Is something wrong Mister Ware?”
Ian: “Erm, No Miss”.
Ian was new to the school and hadn’t told anyone that he couldn’t actually read music. Slowly he picks up his guitar, looks at the music, then back at Doris.
Doris: “We’re waiting Mister Ware”.
Suddenly an idea comes to Ian and he starts to play but instead of playing the classical piece on the page he plays “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones. The class starts to giggle followed by a couple of students starting to sing and a couple standing up to dance.
Doris looks at them and smiles: “Okay class, okay you’ve had your fun but let’s get back to the lesson”.
Ian: “But Miss, me mate Mick Jagger taught me this song and it’s one of me favourites”.
Doris: “You know Mick Jagger?”
Ian nods: “Yes Miss.”
At that moment the door opens and Mrs Berg walks in: “Oh Mr Shorofsky, I’m sorry to bother you but....”
Mrs Berg stops in her tracks surprised to see Doris.
Doris: “Hello Mrs Berg, Mr Shorofsky is off sick, remember? I’m the substitute.”
Mrs Berg nods slowly: “Oh, oh yes silly me, how could I forgot..?”
The class giggles as Mrs Berg turns to leave. At the door she bumps into Mr Shorofsky who is rushing into the room.
Shorofsky: “Sorry I’m late class, the strangest thing happened....”
Shorofsky stops confused by the scene in front of him.
Mrs Berg: “Oh Mr Shorofsky you’re better now, how nice. I guess you won’t be needing a substitute teacher after all?”
She takes Doris by the hand and quickly leads her out of the classroom, leaving a puzzled Mr Shorofsky scratching his bearded chin.
As Mrs Berg shuts the door, there is a flash of light and Doris finds herself face to face with Mr Crandall again outside the dance room. He puts his arm around her shoulder and leads her down the corridor.
Crandall: “Oh Doris, My Dear Doris...”
Doris waits for the sound of the hospital announcement but it doesn’t come. Instead Crandall continues talking.
Crandall: “Doris..., Doris... I thought you’d learned to not get involved?”
Doris looks at him and smiles: “I wasn’t getting involved; I was just going with the flow. I thought I handled that situation pretty well and no one suspected anything apart from maybe Mr Shorofsky.”
Crandall is surprised and confused: “No one suspected anything? What about poor Leroy, he’s seriously hurt his leg you know?”
Doris realises that she is actually back to the moment when Crandall had shut the dance room door and he doesn’t know about her pretending to be a substitute teacher and is talking about the two Leroys seeing each other.
Doris sighs: “Oh that! Well I wasn’t actually doing anything. I just opened the door and was watching I didn’t know Leroy would see himself like that. Besides, what am I supposed to do? Lock myself away in cupboard or something?”
Crandall laughs: “No, no, Doris, nothing like that but you need to make a decision”.
Doris is puzzled: “What decision? I really don’t understand what is happening. I keep moving in time to different events that happened at the school, then I was in hospital and now I’m experiencing events that I was never originally part of. Then a moment ago I was experiencing two different events at the same time. How is any of that possible?
Crandall gives a weak, sympathetic smile: “I wish I could help you more my dear but closing that door and rescuing you like that, will come at a price. Events are happening that shouldn’t be happening and it’s affecting other people, which is why the two Leroys could see each other. This has to stop and only you can stop it, when you make your decision.”
Feeling confused and frustrated Doris puts her head in her hands and sighs.
Doris: “But.. I don’t know how to. I don’t even understand what you are talking about. What is this decision you keep mentioning? If I don’t understand what is happening how can I make any decision?
Raising her head from her hands she looks at him straight in the eyes.
Doris: “You know what is happening here don’t you?”
Crandall reluctantly nods his head.
Doris: “If you know, then tell me, please. What is it that I have to do? What decision do I have to make? Mr Crandall, please Help me! If you’ve got the answers then please tell me what to do!”
Doris looks pleadingly at him and for a moment there is a long silence while the teacher ponders the situation, then he slowly nods his head.
Crandall: “Okay Doris, I will tell you everything I know.”
Doris smiles gratefully.
Crandall continues: “But I have to warn you dear, there will be an even bigger price to pay if I do.”
The warning falls on deaf ears as Doris nods enthusiastically.
Doris: “That’s okay, just please tell me..”
Crandall takes a deep breath and opens his mouth to speak....
To be continued.....
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse