Rise of the Evening Star

Alyssa shook her head regretfully. I was having so much fun. We talked in front of my house for a while after you drove away. He was being really cute and funny. Then he moved in close. I was terrified-I mean, I hardly know him, but it was also sort of exciting. Until we actually kissed.

Kendra, he had dog breath.

Kendra could not resist laughing.

Alyssa relished the reaction, becoming more animated.

I’m serious. It was rancid. Putrid. Like he had never brushed his teeth since birth. It was worse than I could ever describe.

I thought I was going to throw up. I swear, I almost did.

Staring at the leprous scalp of the thing Alyssa had kissed, Kendra could only imagine how bad his mouth would have tasted. At least the illusion concealing his true identity had not disguised his rank breath.

The bell rang. Mrs. Price was encouraging a few noisy boys at the back of the classroom to take their seats.

So what did you do? Kendra whispered.

I think he could tell how shocked I was by his breath.

He had this weird smile like he’d been expecting it. I was totally grossed out, so I wasn’t very nice. I told him I had to go and rushed inside.

Is the crush over? Kendra asked.

I don’t mean to be shallow, but yes. Trina can have him.

She’ll need a gas mask. It was that foul. I went straight to the bathroom and gargled mouthwash. When I look at him now,18 he makes me shiver. Have you ever eaten food that madeyou puke, then not been able to imagine ever eating it again?

Alyssa, Mrs. Price interrupted. The school year does not end for four more days.

Sorry, Alyssa said.

Mrs. Price crossed to her desk and sat down. Yelping, she jumped up, swatting at her skirt. Mrs. Price squinted at the class. Did somebody put a tack on my chair? she asked incredulously. She patted her skirt and checked her chair and the floor. That really hurt and was far from funny. She put her hands on her hips, glaring at the class. Somebody must have seen. Who did it?

The class members were silent, exchanging sidelong glances. Kendra could not imagine anybody doing something so hurtful, not even Jonathon White. Until she remembered that Case had been standing near Mrs. Price’s desk at the start of class.

Mrs. Price leaned against her desk, one hand rubbing her forehead. Was she going to cry? She was a fairly nice teacher-a middle-aged woman with curly black hair. She had narrow features and wore a lot of makeup. She didn’t deserve to have a goblin play hurtful pranks on her.

Kendra considered speaking up. She would have ratted out the monster in a heartbeat. But to her classmates it would look like she was telling on a cool kid. And although he was a prime suspect, she hadn’t actually seen him do it.

Mrs. Price was blinking and swaying. I don’t feel so…18 19 she began, her words slurred, and then she toppled to thefloor.

Tracy Edmunds screamed. Everybody stood for a better look. A couple of kids hurried over to the fallen teacher.

One boy was feeling her neck for a pulse.

Kendra pressed forward. Was Mrs. Price dead? Had the goblin pricked her with a poisonous needle? Case was crouching beside her.

Get Mr. Ford, Alyssa shouted.

Tyler Ward ran out the door, presumably to fetch the principal.

The kid feeling for a pulse, Clint Harris, declared that her heart was beating. She probably just fainted because of the tack, he speculated.

Elevate her feet, someone said.

No, elevate her head, someone else said.

Wait for the nurse, a third voice instructed.

Mrs. Price gasped and sat up, eyes wide. She appeared momentarily disoriented. Then she pointed toward the desks. Get back in your seats, pronto.

But you just passed- Clint began.

Back in your seats! Mrs. Price repeated more forcefully.

Everyone complied.

Mrs. Price stood at the front of the classroom, arms folded, eyeing the students as if trying to read their minds.

I have never in my life met such an unruly group of vipers, she spat. If I have my way, you’ll all be expelled.

Kendra furrowed her brow. This was not like Mrs. Price,20 even under the current circumstances. Her voice had a differentedge to it, cruel and hateful.

Mrs. Price grabbed the lip of Jonathon White’s desk. He sat in the front row because of repeated discipline issues.

Tell me, my little man, who put a tack on my chair? She was gritting her teeth. Veins bulged in her neck. She looked like she was about to explode.

I… didn’t see, Jonathon stuttered. Kendra had never heard him sound scared before.

Liar! Mrs. Price yelled, heaving the front of his desk up so that it tipped over backwards. The seat was connected to the desk, so Jonathon went down as well, banging his head on the desk behind him.

Mrs. Price moved over to the next desk, to Sasha

Goethe, her favorite student. Tell me who did it! the crazed teacher demanded, spittle flying from her lips.

I don’t- was all Sasha managed before her desk was upended as well.

Despite her shock, Kendra realized what was going on.

Case hadn’t poisoned Mrs. Price. Whatever pricked her had cast some sort of spell over her.

Kendra stood up and shouted, It was Casey Hancock!

Mrs. Price paused, staring at Kendra through narrow eyes. Casey, you say? Her voice was soft and lethal.

I saw him by your desk before class started.

Mrs. Price advanced toward Kendra. How dare you accuse the one person in this class who would never harm a fly? Kendra started backing away. Mrs. Price continued speaking in a low voice, but she was clearly furious. You did21 this, didn’t you, and now you’re pointing fingers, blamingthe new kid, the one with no friends. Very low, Kendra. Very low.

Kendra reached the back of the classroom. Mrs. Price was closing in. She was only an inch or two taller than

Kendra, but her fingers were hooked into claws, and her eyes boiled with malice. The normally even-tempered teacher looked like she had murder on her mind.

Only a few steps away from Kendra, Mrs. Price leaped forward. Kendra dodged sideways and raced down a different aisle toward the door at the front of the classroom. Mrs.

Price was right behind her until Alyssa stuck out a foot and sent the rabid teacher sprawling.

Kendra yanked open the door and found herself face-to-face with Mr. Ford, the principal. Behind him stood a panting

Tyler Ward.

Mrs. Price isn’t herself, Kendra explained.

Shrieking, Mrs. Price lunged at Kendra. Mr. Ford, a heavy man with a sturdy build, intercepted the manic teacher, pinning her arms to her sides. Linda! he said in a tone that suggested he could not believe what was going on.

Linda, calm down. Linda, stop.

They’re all maggots, she hissed. They’re all vipers.

Devils! She continued struggling vigorously.

Mr. Ford was looking around the room, taking in the overturned desks. What’s going on here?