Chapter Sixteen

The mural had been changed. The basic elements were the same—a row of faces above with the school in the background. But the faces were no longer of famous people. They were the faces of a number of teachers, some with their backs to us, others looking up at a central figure who looked ominously down on everything. It was the face from the composite sketch, only this time he was in brilliant color, hair flaming. It was Mr. Sfinkter, the demonic clown.

Mr. Sfinkter’s clothing looked more military than academic. He was wearing boots that were crushing Sara’s and my heads. Beneath us, in Sfinkter’s enormous shadow, were a variety of other students painted in black and white. I noticed that the school had bars on the windows and a fence surrounding it with spirals of barbwire at the top.

Chill had changed my phrase from “The future is bright if you’re not afraid of the light” to “The future is bright if you don’t get crushed by the darkness.”

In the mural, Ms. Surette had an expression of confusion on her face, as if she knew something was wrong but didn’t know what. In the corner by her feet was Chill’s unreadable symbol of original design.

The group of teachers stood in silence. The assembled members of the community looked confused.

I looked at Chill’s mom. She was staring at the painting. I was sure she was realizing what had happened at the station. She looked at Chill.

The students erupted in the loudest applause yet.

“Cover it up! Cover it up!” Mr. Gondale was yelling while grabbing the top of the curtain and lifting it.

It took a minute before some of the other teachers jumped in and assisted.

Mr. Sfinkter was standing off to the side. He looked very much like he did in the mural, only it was his face that was flaming, not his hair. His eyes darted about. I realized that he was being torn apart, not knowing what to do. He wanted to put on a brave face for the teachers, but his anger wasn’t letting him.

When the curtain was finally up and covering the mural, the principal looked around. Chill was still standing where he had been when the curtain fell, his expression unchanged.

“You!” the principal yelled. He noticed the watching crowd and toned it down. “You, to my office, now.”

Chill nodded as if everything was going as he’d expected it to go. He turned and started to walk toward the office.

“You too, Ms. Surette.” Ms. Surette was still staring at the mural. It was as if she could see it through the curtain. Dazed, she looked at the principal. She nodded.

The principal quickly caught up to Chill. Mr. Sfinkter wasn’t far behind, followed by Orchid and her camera crew. Ms. Surette looked at the wall again before following.

As I watched them disappearing down the hall, I knew that Chill wasn’t going to slip out of this trick as he had all the others. I also saw that he’d accepted that fact.

The students had booed when they put the curtain back up and were now laughing and talking.

“He’s going to get expelled for sure,” I heard Mac say.

That’s when I made my break for the lynch mob that was heading to the office gallows. I got there just before everyone went inside.

“I did it,” I yelled.

They all turned around, including the camera.

“It was me.” I hadn’t thought this through. “I got into the school. I broke in last night. And I changed the mural.”

I saw a vein in Mr. Sfinkter’s forehead start to throb.

“Is he an abusive teacher?” the cameraman asked.

“Everyone in my office!” Mr. Gondale said before I could reply.

We all filed into the office. The principal stood at the door. He stopped the cameraman.

“Not you!”

“Freedom of the press!” the cameraman said.

“Just wait here, Don,” Orchid told him.

“I can’t let you in either,” Mr. Gondale told Orchid.

“He’s my son!” she firmly stated. “Now get out of my way!”

And he did.