I am publishing my middle grade novel, Dolbin School for the Extraordinary, chapter by chapter.
You can download the whole book for free on Amazon.
Click here for the previous chapter-Chapter 20: New Students
Or if you wish, you can go back to the beginning with chapter 1-Jake Cooper
Chapter 21: It Stops Now
Jake was very distracted as he walked to Professor Guinness’ classroom. But the presence of Principal Glover standing in the front of the room certainly got his attention.
“I need everyone to take their seats,” the principal said. “Mr. Cushing, I know this is your first day, and it has been quite the first day. I am glad to see you are doing better. Please find a seat. I will make my speech brief and then Professor Guinness will begin class.”
The class was silent. Principal Glover rarely visited the classrooms.
“Yesterday was a difficult day here in this class,” he began as the students shifted uncomfortably in their seats. “I see some of you have bandages from the cuts you sustained yesterday. I am sorry that happened.”
Sarah rubbed the bandage on her left forearm.
“As we all know, you are in a very unique and special situation. Having Extraordinary abilities grants you rights and privileges that others do not have,” the principal continued. “Unfortunately, it also puts you in extraordinary situations, and yesterday, and last night with the helicopter crash were examples of those. Mr. Kurtz will not be with us for a while. I cannot explain where he is –- so please do not ask. What I want to remind you is that in spite of yesterday, you are safe.
“Professor Guinness and our security detail were able to quickly stop yesterday’s event,” he continued. “If you have any more questions, our school counselor, Mrs. Mayhew, will be more than happy to answer them. With that, I will leave you to Professor Guinness.”
Principal Glover did not take questions. When he was done speaking, he turned and walked out the door.
The class was dead silent.
Professor Guinness walked to the front of the class and started, “Okay, students, get out your tablets and we will continue looking at Ivan and Dr. Dolbin.”
Sarah raised her hand and asked, “Professor, can you tell us what happens to students who are removed from Dolbin?”
The class murmured in agreement.
“No, I cannot,” the professor said, looking down at his tablet. He took a deep breath and then put his tablet down on his podium. “I know yesterday was scary and unexpected. As you all know, sometimes learning that you are different and Extraordinary can be very difficult to accept -- especially the responsibility of your skills.
“The outside world doesn’t want to accept you,” he continued, “and coming to this new world of Dolbin can be very stressful.”
He looked at Brad and then surveyed the entire room. “Mr. Cushing, today is your first day here. I bet you are feeling a little disoriented. Mr. Cooper and Mr. Daniels, you are also new with us just this week. And every one of you here in this class is new this year. No one ever said it would be easy to be an Extra. But, let me remind you, that you are not alone.
“Always remember that.”
He picked up his tablet and pulled up a photograph of Jedediah Dolbin, “Okay, let’s get back to our lesson from yesterday.”
Class continued and no one else disturbed the class, and math class went without incident.
At lunch, Jake, Mark, Henry and Cal sat down together and began talking. The cafeteria was buzzing. As Jake was about to take a bite of his sandwich, something in the corner of his eye caught his attention.
He turned and saw Brad standing there, holding his tray and looking scared. “Can I sit here?” he asked nervously.
The boys looked around. Jake didn’t want to sit with Brad. He wanted to forget about Brad altogether. He looked around and saw plenty of empty seats where Brad could sit. Then Jake remembered: He was the strong one. He was the one with superhuman strength. There was no reason to be afraid of Brad Cushing anymore.
Brad continued standing by the table holding his lunch. The other boys looked at Jake waiting on him to make the call if Brad could sit with them.
Jake moved his lunch and motioned at an empty seat at his table. “Go ahead,” he said. “Sit down.”
Brad sat down and the table became quiet. Everyone looked down at their lunch. Jack then came and sat down next to Brad and said, “Hey everyone! Brad, how is the first day going?”
“It’s a little overwhelming and kind of scary,” Brad admitted.
“I bet,” replied Jack.
The rest of the table nodded in agreement.
Jack looked around the table. He noticed that everyone was avoiding looking at Brad.
“Okay, guys, we need to do better than this,” Jack said. “Brad is here. I can’t eat with a bunch of sad sacks like this anymore. We all live on the same hall. We have to get along. Enough of this.”
The boys stared at their lunches.
Mark spoke next. “You’re wrong, Jack. Brad harassed me and Jake relentlessly at our old school. Jake wouldn’t have lost it with him if hadn’t been so mean to us,” he said. “Just remember, Brad. Your only power is healing. You’re a Healer. You don’t have super-strength or speed. Just remember that!”
Jake put his hand up and said, “Enough.” The table grew quiet again.
Jake took a bite of his sandwich and continued. “Look, Brad, I didn’t like you at school and you didn’t like me. But we are all in this new place, this strange place, and I don’t have the energy to avoid you.
“You can’t call me names anymore,” he said, staring Brad down.
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen here,” Bruce added. The rest of the boys nodded their heads.
“Yeah, the name calling stops,” Cal said, locking eyes with Jake’s old nemesis.
“Look, I agree,” Brad said. “You’re right. I am sorry for being mean to you guys at Kane. It just happens. The other boys liked it when I harassed you. That’s why I did it. But you’re right. I don’t have that other group with me.”
“It doesn’t matter if you have that group or any group. It stops now,” said Bruce.
“I understand,” Brad said, looking down at his lunch. “The fact that someone attacked a class seems scary to me. I don’t care if I can heal quickly. I can still be hurt.”
It was hard to feel sorry for someone who had been mean, but Jake and the other boys at the table understood his loneliness and fear.
For the rest of the lunch no one spoke.
After lunch the boys walked to gym. Brad pulled Jake aside before they went in to change. “Thank you for letting me eat lunch with you,” he said. “That was nice. I don’t know if I could have done that if I was you.”
Brad put his hand out to Jake.
The rest of the boys paused, looking at Jake.
“You’re welcome,” Jake said, accepting Brad’s hand.
“Thank goodness that’s over,” said Mark.
All of the boys laughed.
“Let’s go, boys! Stop standing in the hallway,” shouted Mr. Banner from the gym. “We’ve got work to do.”
The boys went to gym together.
The End
The story continues in Dolbin School 2: The Dark Cloud Rises. Available in Kindle and paperback.