Two Hours in Van der Berg

(text-style:"blur","expand")[//''Two Hours in Van der Berg''//] ''By Della Young'' //We have spirit! Yes, we do! We have spirit... [[How 'bout you?]] //

//Nestled in the mountains of Inferno, Maine, Van der Berg Preparatory School always had an ominous vibe and appearance. A late-night grading session at the school leaves eighth-grade history teacher Arlo Winston experiencing something he never believed in. // [[Continue...]]

In the history classroom, Arlo grades tests from the day. He glances at his watch: //7:26 P.M.// [[Grade papers.]] [[Take break.]]

Arlo sighs as he pulls another another test from his folder. "Ten down. Fourteen more to go," he says. He marks various questions wrong on the paper. "Did Zack even study Chapter 7?" As he circles another wrong answer, a bang echoes from the hallway. Arlo stares towards the door. [[Stay where you are.]] [[Get up and check the noise.]]

Arlo leans back in his chair. He talks to Lorelei, his longtime girlfriend, on the phone. "I miss you, babe," he says. "I'll be home soon." //"I miss you too. Please be careful on your way home. Those backroads are dangerous at night," // Lorelei says. "Of course. I'll call you once I pass Inferno Icing so you know I'm in town." //"Thank you. If you're up to it, stop by Icing and pick up a dozen blueberry doughnuts."// "Blueberry? You hate blueberries." //"Pregnancy cravings, babe."// A loud bang interrupts the conversation. [[Stay on the phone.]] [[End the call.]]

"An old building makes its noises," he says. In the upper right corner of Zack's test, he writes //78// before circling it. "Looks like I'll be having another chat with Ms. Collins about her son's work." He puts the test away. Arlo stares at the open door again. "That was a loud way of a building settling." Arlo frowns. He starts to stand up, but his phone rings, making him jump a little. [[Answer the call.->Take break.]] [[Ignore the call.]]

He holds his stare and frowns. Arlo gets up and stalks across the classroom to the open door. "Hello?" //Silence.// [[Call out again.]] [[Head back to the desk.]]

He shakes his head. "I need to make a dent in grading these tests." He pulls out another test. Arlo's phone stops ringing a few seconds later, but lights up with another call. He sighs. "Five minutes wouldn't hurt." [[ Quick chat. ->Take break.]]

Arlo walks through the classroom to check out the noise. "Hold on a second. There was some bang out in the hallway." //"A bang? Who else is working late tonight?"// "No one," Arlo says in the hallway. "I'm the only one here." He doesn't see anything out of the ordinary. [[Check west end of hallway.]] [[Check east end of hallway.]]

Arlo once again stares at the door. He doesn't take his eyes off of it. "Hey, I'm gonna have to go." //"Aww, I was hoping I could talk to you a little longer."// "I'll call you back. I need to get these tests finished though." //"Okay,"// Lorelei says. //"I love you and baby does too."// Arlo smiles at the thought of his baby. "Love you both," he says. "I won't be much longer." //"Bye, handsome."// "Bye, beautiful." Arlo hangs up. He walks through the classroom to check out the noise. He doesn't see anything out of the ordinary in the hallway. [[Go to east end of hallway.]] [[Go to west end of hallway.]]

Arlo walks down the long, dark hallway of the west wing. He puts the phone speaker and turns on the device's flashlight. //"I thought you said others were working tonight too?"// His light flashes over an old glass trophy case. Several sports and debate trophies from twenty years ago litter the case. "Well, that's what I thought," Arlo said, shining the light on a row of lockers. "I'm all alone." //"Arlo, I don't like the sound of that."// "Lorelei, I'll be fine. In fact, I work better in the quiet." [[Check east end of hallway.]] [[Go back to classroom.]]

The east wing is like memory lane for Van der Berg. Old photo collages and staff portraits line the walls. Arlo shines his device's light on the frames. "Not gonna lie," Arlo says, "These old portraits of former faculty members are creeping me out." //"Why hasn't the school taken them down?"// "I don't know. Maybe to preserve its history?" //"There are other ways to do that,"// Lorelei says. //"That school is so stuck in time".// Arlo stares at the grand portrait of Atticus Van der Berg, the former headmaster. "You're not wrong about that," he says. [[Check west end of hallway.]] [[Go back to classroom.]]

"Birx? Is that you?" Arlo asked, hoping to hear something from Van der Berg's custodian. //Silence. Again.// A chill causes Arlo to shiver. He starts to peek around corner of the door but his phone rings, making him jump a little. "Damn. I need to stop spooking myself." [[Forget the call.]] [[Answer the call.]]

Arlo chuckles. "It's been a long day. I'm making myself crazy now." He glances at his reflection in the door. "And I most definitely need to stop talking to myself." Arlo heads back to his desk. He pulls out another test. His phone lights up with a call. He sighs. "Five minutes wouldn't hurt." [[ Quick chat. ->Take break.]]

He shakes his head. Arlo glances back at the door before walking back to his desk. "I need to make a dent in grading these tests." He sits and pulls out another test. Arlo's phone stops ringing a few seconds later, but lights up with another call. He sighs. "Five minutes wouldn't hurt." [[ Quick chat ->Take break.]]

Arlo rushes back to his desk. He leans back in his chair and talks to Lorelei, his longtime girlfriend, on the phone. "I miss you, babe," he says. "I'll be home soon." //"I miss you too. Please be careful on your way home. Those backroads are dangerous at night," // Lorelei says. "Of course. I'll call you once I pass Inferno Icing so you know I'm in town." //"Thank you. If you're up to it, stop by Icing and pick up a dozen blueberry doughnuts."// "Blueberry? You hate blueberries." //"Pregnancy cravings, babe."// A loud bang interrupts the conversation. [[Stay on the phone.]] [[End the call.]]

The east wing is like memory lane for Van der Berg. Old photo collages and staff portraits line the walls. Arlo shines his device's light on the frames. "It couldn't hurt for these faculty members to smile for the photo?" He stops and stares at the grand portrait of Atticus Van der Berg, the former headmaster. Something about the man's beady, dark eyes boring into Arlo leaves the young teacher with another chill. "I guess I should be glad there's not a bust or statue of you in this school." [[Go to west end of hallway.]] [[Return to classroom.]]

Arlo walks down the long, dark hallway of the west wing. He turns on his phone's flashlight. His light flashes over an old glass trophy case. Several sports and debate trophies from twenty years ago litter the case. "Van der Berg will never win another trophy again." He shines the light on a row of lockers. "Nothing's down here." [[Go to east end of hallway.]] [[Return to classroom.]]

Arlo returns to the history classroom to find the door locked. He never locked it nor touched it on his way out. "What the hell?" //"Arlo? What's wrong?"// "The door to my classroom is locked," Arlo said. "But I never locked it." He hears Lorelei gasp. "I'll call you back." //"Wait, Arlo!"// But he hangs up with Lorelei right as another booming bang echoes down the hall. He whips his head towards the noise. A flickering light at the end of the hallway sends a chill down Arlo's arms. [[Investigate.]] [[Call out.]] <script> audio.src="Assets/eerie_ambience.wav"; </script> { <script> var audio = document.createElement('audio'); audio.src="Assets/act_two.wav"; audio.loop = true; audio.play(); </script>}

Arlo returns to the history classroom to find the door locked. He never locked it nor touched it on his way out. "What the hell?" He jiggles the doorhandle, but to no avail. Another booming bang echoes down the hall. He whips his head towards the noise. A flickering light at the end of the hallway sends a chill down Arlo's arms. [[Investigate.]] [[Call out.]] <script> audio.src="Assets/eerie_ambience.wav"; </script> {<script> var audio = document.createElement('audio'); audio.src="Assets/act_two.wav"; audio.loop = true; audio.play(); </script>}

Arlo saunters down the hallway. The flickering ceiling light at the end gives him enough light to see. He stops and faces a bulletin board, which has a photo collage from back in late October of his eighth-grade class. Students hold up designed poster board with a country they researched for a project. (text-style:"shadow","expand")[(text-colour:(hsl:0,0.8039,0.5,0.8))[//"TRAVEL THE WORLD IN MR. WINSTON'S CLASS!"//]] "Three months flew by," he says. Arlo focuses on one photo in the upper right corner of the board. A boy with furrowed brows and a frown painted on his face holds his poster crooked. The boy isn't the concerning part to Arlo. [[Pick up photo.]] [[Leave photo on board.]]

"Some funny joke you're playing!" Arlo says with a scowl etched on his face. "What are you? Twelve?" The ceiling light flickers yet again. He runs a hand through his hair and lets out a breathy laugh. "Mr. Matlin, you want to scare me, eh? You're butthurt that my class beat yours in tug-of-war the other day?" Arlo stalks down the hallway. "Get over it, Kevin!" Arlo says. "I know you've loathed me since day one. Quit playing these immature games." He stops as the light stops flickering, casting a dull brightness over the hallway. [[Go towards the cafeteria.]] [[Go towards gym.]]

//For nearly a century, its dark past never saw the light of the day. It was decrepit and one might say the school was stuck in the past.// [[Next...]] { <script> var audio = document.createElement('audio'); audio.src="Assets/eerie_ambience.wav"; audio.loop = true; audio.play(); </script>} [[References]]

Arlo pulls the thumbtack from the photo. He brings the photo closer to examine. His mouth slowly falls open. "No," he says barely above a whisper. "No, there's...that's not real." A child — a boy — stands off to the left side of Arlo's frowning student. "Who are you?" Arlo asks, but more to himself. Clad in the same Van der Berg uniform, the boy smiles even in his hazy and blurry form. Arlo tears his eyes off the photo and scans more of the collage. A locker door slams shut nearby. [["Knock it off whoever you are!"]] [["I have a knife on me and I won't hestiate to use it!"]]

Arlo reaches out, but pulls back, leaving the photo in its place. "It's nothing I need to worry about," he says. "At least for now." He continues down the hallway. Dust and cobwebs decorate archways and corners of frames and boards. Small craters sprinkled throughout the concrete floor show Arlo how long Van der Berg has stood and how it's crumbling. "And yet we haven't been given a violation for this." Arlo admires the school's name painted on the wall...or what's left of it. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[(text-colour:(hsl:0,0.8039,0.5,0.8))[Van der Berg]] (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[//Est. 1773//] (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[(text-style:"expand")[(text-colour:(hsl:0,0.8039,0.5,0.8))[Home of the Devils]]] "They don't give a damn," Arlo says. [[Go towards the cafeteria.]] [[Go towards gym.]]

Arlo turns left towards the small cafeteria. The flickering light from where he was dwindles until he's left in complete darkness. Only the moonlight shines through the dirty windows. The cold temperature in the cafeteria causes Arlo cross his arms over his chest. A sparkle in the corner of his eye captures his attention. He walks over to the first table. A knife lay in the middle. Arlo glances at another table. Another knife lay in the middle. He goes around to each table finding a knife laying in the center. Freaked out, he runs back to the classroom to find the door wide open. [["No..."]]

Arlo enters the school's gymnasium. Even the dark, he can still make out the writing of //Devils Pride// painted on the floor with the Devils mascot above it. A basketball bounces in the corner. Arlo remains still as he watches the ball maintain its pace. Another ball bounces in the opposite corner behind him. Arlo turns. Like the first, the basketball keeps its pace. From an equipment shelf, the tub of basketballs collapse, sending balls dribbling and bouncing everywhere. Freaked out, he runs back to the classroom to find the door wide open. [["No..."]]

"I'm actually embarrassed at your pathetic attempts to scare--" (text-style:"condense","fidget")[''PINCH.''] Arlo grabs the back of his neck as the bulletin board crashes down at his feet. The photo in his hand falls to the floor. "What the fu--" (text-style:"condense","fidget")[''PINCH.''] He grabs his left ear and backs away, slamming into a locker. [["What the hell was that?"]] [["So, you wanna play then?"]]

"Show yourself before we both get fired!" Arlo reaches into his pocket and feels for the black pocketknife. He keeps it in, but has it ready for whoever. The hairs on his neck raise. A cool breeze rushes by causing him to shiver. Arlo gazes around almost lost in trance. He lets go of the knife in his pocket. "I...I need to get outta here." [[Go towards the cafeteria.]] [[Go towards gym.]]

Arlo ignores the minor pain on his neck and ear as he shakes his head and runs down the hallway. Echoes of doors to various classrooms opening and closing bounce off of walls. Arlo slows down his pace. "What the...what the hell is going on?" With a deafening slam, all of the doors close. Arlo winces. He hears the thump of his heartbeat in his ears. "Is this hazing?" he asks. "Are you testing me since I'm the new guy?" [[Go towards the cafeteria.]] [[Go towards gym.]]

"Fine. I'll play your little game." Arlo pushes off the locker. He smirks. "Come out, come out, wherever you are," he says in a sing-songy tone. //Silence.// [[Get a little more defensive. ->"I have a knife on me and I won't hestiate to use it!"]]

He pauses for a second before stepping in. Arlo's eyes widen as he stares at the chalkboard. "Oh, shit." (text-style:"smear","expand")[//''PLAYTIME, MR. WINSTON''//] The sloppy, childlike writing splayed in the middle sends a shiver down his spine for the umpteenth time. [[Erase it.]] [[Leave it.]] <script> audio.src="Assets/act_two.wav"; </script> { <script> var audio = document.createElement('audio'); audio.src="Assets/more_ambience.wav"; audio.loop = true; audio.play(); </script>}

Arlo rushes over to the board and grabs the eraser, wanting nothing more than the eerie words gone. He rubs it over //PLAYTIME// before getting his name. Arlo gazes at the board now covered with white smears from the eraser. "I'm done," he says. Arlo slams the eraser down before going to his desk. On the way to his desk, he trips. "Ow!" He rams into the corner of a student's desk and falls onto the cold floor. Arlo groans as he sits up. He feels a gash on his forehead drip blood. [[Look for band-aids.]] [[Use shirt.]]

"No," he says. "Whatever I've touched, something has happened." Arlo turns and examines his classroom. He notices nothing else is out of place or messed with. He runs his hands over his face. "I'm done." On the way to his desk, he trips. "Ow!" He rams into the corner of a student's desk and falls onto the cold floor. Arlo groans as he sits up. He feels a gash on his forehead drip blood. [[Look for band-aids.]] [[Use shirt.]]

He struggles to get up, but manages to pull himself to stand. Arlo makes it to his desk and fumbles through drawers to find a band-aid. "Not even one! Damn it!" Pissed off, he slams the drawer shut. He scans the counter and locates a box of tissues. Arlo rushes over right as the tissue box flies off the counter and the door closes again. [["You gotta be frickin' kidding me!"]] [["Damn you! Leave me alone!"]]

Still on the floor, Arlo rips a piece from the bottom of his shirt off to stop the bleeding. He presses the fabric onto his wound. He grinds down on his teeth. "Can't wait to explain this to Lorelei." Arlo tears another piece and repeats the process. "I've got to get the hell out of here." But the door closes again. [["You gotta be frickin' kidding me!"]] [["Damn you! Leave me alone!"]]

"Enough with the door slams!" Arlo says as anger surges through him. He runs his hands through his hair. His lips curl into a snarl. "I've had it with your bullshit tricks! I don't know //who// or //what// you are, but screw off!" [[Continue talking.]] [[Stop talking.]]

"You're real, all right!" Arlo says not taking his eyes off the door. "You've shown me your presence with everything you did to me." Arlo lets out a humorless chuckle. "I don't want to play! Whatever I said in the hallway — forget it. I was pissed off." [[Continue talking.]] [[Stop talking.]]

"Tell me who you." //Silence.// "Communicate with me. Tell me what you want." //Silence.// "I've got something that will rile you up," Arlo says, wiping blood from lip that trickled down from his forehead. Before he could say anything, chalk screeches across the black board. [[Cover ears.]] [[Watch.]]

An awful silence hangs over the classroom. Arlo's eyes move from the door to the small window. He tilts his head, contemplating on his next move. As he shifts, chalk screeches across the black board. [[Cover ears.]] [[Watch.]]

Arlo quickly presses his hands over his ears to block out the horrendous sound. He shuts his eyes. "Just go away!" After a moment, he opens his eyes. "No..." The lights in the room twitch on and off. Arlo fishes for his phone, but the battery is dead. He reads more handwriting on the board. (text-style:"smear","expand")[//''PLAY WITH US!''//] [[Try to escape.]] [[Wait it out.]]

Slack-jawed, Arlo watches in horror in a trance-like state. The chalk's screeching echoes through the room. "No..." The lights in the room twitch on and off. Arlo fishes for his phone, but the battery is dead. He reads more handwriting on the board. (text-style:"smear","expand")[//''PLAY WITH US!''//] [[Try to escape.]] [[Wait it out.]]

Arlo grabs his papers and folders and throws it into his briefcase. He hobbles towards the door. He hears a //screech// and turns only to see the tall metal filing cabinet falling forwards. //Towards him.// [[Stumble out of the way.]] [[Look for something to block.]] <script> audio.src="Assets/more_ambience.wav"; </script> { <script> var audio = document.createElement('audio'); audio.src="Assets/aftermath.flac"; audio.loop = true; audio.play(); </script>}

Arlo huddles in the corner of the room by his desk. //"If I stay here and keep quiet, I can devise a solid plan to get out of here,"// Arlo thinks. The silence ends seconds later. Lights flicker on and off. More chalk screeches across the board. //"Don't let it get to you," // he thinks. [[Keep calm.]] <script> audio.src="Assets/more_ambience.wav"; </script> { <script> var audio = document.createElement('audio'); audio.src="Assets/aftermath.flac"; audio.loop = true; audio.play(); </script>}

With no time to spare, Arlo ducks into a small alcove as the cabinet crashes down, echoing in the classroom. The cabinet blocks his way out of the alcove. He bites his lip. [[Try moving it.]] [[Crawl over it.]]

Arlo panics and searches for something to block with, but it's too late. He crashes to the floor with the cabinet on top of him — well, more so onto his leg. Arlo groans and feels the hot pain surge through his lower-body. "Damn!" [[Crawl out.]] [[Push the cabinet up.]]

But the usual flickering of lights and screeching of chalk take a turn. One-by-one, the students' desks ram against the door. Arlo watches as desks barricade the only legitimate way out of the classroom. //"I may shit myself that this is really happening,"// he thinks. Cabinet drawers open and close. Arlo fixates his stare on his own desk drawer not far from him rapidly moving in and out. [[Focus on Lorelei.]] [[Focus on baby.]]

//"I have the ring..."// Books levitate from shelves. //"... Because I want to spend the rest of my life with you."// The noises reach a deafening high. Arlo brings his knees up his his chin and hides his face in his arms. //"You've made me a better man. You're my whole world."// Papers on Arlo's desk fly around, nicking him with cuts a bit. //"I love you."// And all at once, the chaos ceases. [[Take a peek.]]

//"I can't wait until you're here..."// Books levitate from shelves. //"...my little princess or prince."// The noises reache a deafening high. Arlo brings his knees up his his chin and hides his face in his arms. //"You'll be my pride and joy."// Papers on Arlo's desk fly around, nicking him with cuts a bit. //"I love you."// And all at once, the chaos ceases. [[Take a peek.]]

Arlo slowly lifts his head up. Glass litters the floor from the broken lightbulbs. Words and phrases cover the chalkboard. Desks block the door. Some drawers remain closed while others are open. Textbooks and ripped papers scatter the floor. Arlo opens his mouth, but no words emit. [[Get up.]]

Arlo manages to stand and gazes over the trashed classroom. He trudges throughout the room, taking in the mess on the floor. All of the textbooks show Page 173 — sections on The Boston Tea Party. Arlo faces the blackboard, taking in the unreadable scribbles and phrases. A desk crashing down startles him. He jumps back and watches as each desk falls from the barricade and slams down. Seconds later, only one desk sits in front of the door. [["So, now you wanna let me out?"]] [["Why did you do this to me?"]]

Arlo stares the door. "I never wanted to play your sick games! Can't you understand?" //Silence.// "Answer me!" Arlo says, his voice booming in the destroyed classroom. "Tell me why you put me through hell this last half hour?" The lone desk screeches across the floor and the door slowly opens. [[Let's get outta here!]]

Arlo stares at door. "The lights, the writing, the desks," Arlo says motioning with a hand around the room, "The drawers, the books, and papers? Why?" //Silence.// "Answer me!" Arlo says, his voice booming in the destroyed classroom. "Tell me why you put me through hell this last half hour?" The lone desk screeches across the floor and the door slowly opens. [[Let's get outta here!]]

Without thinking, Arlo bolts out of the classroom. He runs down the main hallway, but freezes when a dark figure appears before him. "Who the hell are you?" The figure tilts its head up. Even in the hazy, blurry form, Arlo can see the beady, gray eyes and nasty smirk on his gray lips. "You should know," the gravely voice says. "After all, you're delighted there is not a bust or statue of me." [[Run.]] [[Confront.]]

Arlo runs down the hallway from the spirit of Atticus Van der Berg, the former headmaster. Yet again, lights flicker on and off, messing with his sense of direction. He slips in a puddle of clear liquid and lands on his back. With a groan, he opens his eyes. Atticus hovers over him. Arlo slowly stands. "You were an easy target to them," Atticus says. "Don't you understand what the Deca Dead do?" [["Deca Dead?"]] [["I don't care!"]]

"Atticus," Arlo says, spitting out the former headmaster's name like poison. "I see the children have...provoked you." "Oh, really? 'Cause I was about to say how //delightful// the last thirty minutes have been. I love the way they decorated my classroom by the way." "You were an easy target to them," Atticus says. "Don't you understand what the Deca Dead do?" [["Deca Dead?"]] [["I don't care!"]]

"In 1959, ten students — five boys and five girls — all died within two hours," Atticus says. "That's sickening," Arlo says with a frown. "How did that happen?" "We will never know except they love to visit Room 112." "That's my classroom." "Exactly." "Why?" "It's simple. They don't care for anyone in that room." [["I've been in that room for years. Why now?"]]

"I'm not gonna argue with some dead man over this!" Arlo says. "I may be immortal, but--" "But what? Huh? What're you gonna do to me?" "I am not the one doing anything, at least not in Room 112." "That's my classroom." "Exactly." "Why?" "It's simple," Atticus says. "They don't care for anyone in that room." [["I've been in that room for years. Why now?"]]

"They have minds of their own," Atticus says. "Are you ready to finish?" "Finish what? What are you talking about?" "Playing with the children. You have nintey minutes left." Arlo stares at him at a loss for words. Atticus tilts his head to the side and stares off past Arlo's shoulder. Arlo follows the dead headmaster's gaze and turns. "Don't let them smell your fear, Mr. Winston." Ten children run toward Arlo from the end of the hallway. Arlo whips back around to find Atticus gone. [["Atticus!"]]

But the Deca Dead close in on him. Blurry bodies become more visible to Arlo, who notices big, innocent smiles plastered on their faces. "What do I have to do?" His question aims for no one, but the children corner him. The energy shifts in the hallway from an eerie chill to a pleasant warmth. [["I'm sorry for all of you, but stop the tormenting and move on."]] [["How is playing with you going to be of any help?"]]

On his back, Arlo wiggles around in hopes to crawl from under the cabinet. He huffs. "Why did I think it was a good idea to put extra supplies in here?" He moves some more, finding an ease of sliding out. With a forceful push, he crawls out. The cabinet slams on the ground. Arlo leans back on his hands and examines his leg. "Hurts like hell," he says rubbing it, "But I can manage." [[Let's get outta here!]]

With all the strength he could muster, Arlo pushes the cabinet up to free himself. The weakness in his body plagues him from lifting it high enough to escape. Arlo tries again, but to avail. [[Restart ->Try to escape.]]

Arlo pushes the cabinet forward. A screech rings through the classroom as he moves it. Black scuffles decorate the floor the more the cabinet moves. He finally clears some way and leaves the alcove. [[Let's get outta here!]]

Arlo pulls himself over the large cabinet. The metal feels cool under his clammy touch. He hops down. [[Let's get outta here!]]

"It's okay. Be at peace now," Arlo says to the children. "You don't have to go about it this way." A blond-haired boy steps forward. He grabs Arlo's hand. His cold touch sends a chill through the teacher, but Arlo accepts as he walks towards Room 112. "What's your name?" //"William."// The boy stops in front of the classroom. He lets go of Arlo's hand. //"Please play with us."// Arlo sighs. He drops down to one knee to be on eye-level with William. "Unless you tell me what that means, I can't." The boy turns his head and gazes down the hall where the other nine children stare back. He motions with his hand for them to follow. They do. [["William?"]]

"Make me understand that," Arlo says to the children. "I'm not like you and none of you are like me." A blonde-haired girl with braids steps forward. She grabs Arlo's hand. Her cold touch sends a chill through the teacher, but he accepts as she walks towards Room 112. "What's your name?" //"Elizabeth."// The girl stops in front of the classroom. She lets go of Arlo's hand. //"Please play with us."// Arlo sighs. He drops down to one knee to be on eye-level with Elizabeth. "Unless you tell me what that means, I can't." The girl turns her head and gazes down the hall where the other nine children stare back. She motions with her hand for them to follow. They do. [["Elizabeth?"]]

The rest of the children enter with Elizabeth into the classroom. She faces Arlo. //"We need you to teach us. We didn't finish the lesson."// "What lesson?" //"The Boston Tea Party,"// Elizabeth says. Arlo's eyes widen and dart to the textbooks still on the floor of the classroom. ''Page 173 on The Boston Tea Party.'' //"Mr. Miller gave us a skit on it. We have to finish the play."// Elizabeth frowns in her ghostly form. [["Okay. I'll teach you."]]

The rest of the children enter with William into the classroom. He faces Arlo. //"We need you to teach us. We didn't finish the lesson."// "What lesson?" //"The Boston Tea Party,"// William says. Arlo's eyes widen and dart to the textbooks still on the floor of the classroom. ''Page 173 on The Boston Tea Party.'' //"Mr. Miller gave us a skit on it. We have to finish the play."// William frowns in his ghostly form. [["Okay. I'll teach you."]]

"Everyone take your seats," Arlo says entering the classroom. They all pick up a textbook and sit at random desks scattered throughout the room. Arlo erases a spot on the board. "Can a volunteer come up and write the year The Boston Tea Party occured?" Hands fly up. Arlo points to a boy in the back corner. He walks up to the board. (text-style:"smear","expand")[//''1773''//] "That's correct," Arlo says as the boy smiles and heads back to his seat. "All right, I have a better idea. Since everyone is eager, how about each one of you write a fact about the event on the board?" The children nod. "Okay, line up and begin. I need to gather some information, so I'll be at my desk," Arlo says. The children line up as Arlo heads to his desk. //[["What am I doing?"]]//

//"I'm about to teach ten deceased children a history lesson on The Boston Tea Party..."// Arlo watches a girl write a fact on the board before signing her name at the end — (text-style:"smear","expand")[//''Sarah''//]. She skips away and another girl takes her place. //"...Because they never finished the lesson before they died..."// The girl hands the chalk to the boy behind her, but not before signing her name too — (text-style:"smear","expand")[//''Caroline''//]. The boy smiles before scribbling a fact down. //"...And all they were trying to do was get my attention to help them...// The boy signs his name at the end — (text-style:"smear","expand")[//''Thomas ''//]. //"...And I will."// //''"Are you sure about that?"''// [[That dark, gravely voice!]]

Arlo looks around. He spots Atticus peeking around the corner of the doorframe. He grins and taps the side of his head. //''"I won't make the next nintey minutes easy for you, Mr. Winston."''// Arlo freezes. //''"I may be immortal, but I can do way more than you can imagine."''// The young teacher glances back at the board as the last student signs her name — (text-style:"smear","expand")[//''Ann''//]. //''"Getting into minds is an ability I will forever cherish."''// Arlo shakes off the words from Atticus and retrieves his own textbook. He walks over to the board. "Excellent work, all of you," he says. "Let's dive a little deeper into the event." His eyes trail back to the door where Atticus vanished. //''"Be careful what you think. I will be listening."''// (text-style:"blur","expand")[''[[END.]]'']

Thank you for playing //Two Hours in Van der Berg//. Arlo's next thirty minutes are coming soon. [[Play Again. ->How 'bout you?]] <script> audio.src="Assets/aftermath.flac"; </script>

1. Atmosphere-Horror 2 (Loop). Julius galla. Retrieved from https://freesound.org/people/julius_galla/sounds/202239/ 2. Dark Ambient 021. Jalastram. Retrieved from https://freesound.org/people/jalastram/sounds/512252/ 3. Ambient Horror background music/noise. Db123infane. Retrieved from https://freesound.org/people/db123infane/sounds/541638/ 4. Dark Voyager. deleted user 2906614. Retrieved from https://freesound.org/people/deleted_user_2906614/sounds/233668/