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2.3 - Rumours

[Sissel arrives at his classroom, the one that Goldberg had been teaching in, Tracey patting him on the back.]

Tracey: I’ll leave you to it, okay?

Sissel: Are you sure?

Tracey: Yeah, I’ll just go for a walk!

[Tracey smiles, patting him on the back and walking off. Sissel nods and enters the classroom. Inside the room, the window has been boarded up with the blinds closed. The room only has five other people there, three other students, Vincent wearing a green hoodie with an orange shirt, and a teacher. Vince sees Sissel enter and gestures him over. Sissel moves over and sits down at a computer next to Vince.]

Vince: Hey man, how you doing?

Sissel: Long story. Can I talk to you later?

Vince: Well we’ll be stuck together for a few hours, so sure.

[Sissel scoffs, smiling.]

Vince: [happy] Well that took long enough.

[Vince patted Sissel’s arm, getting back to work. Sissel brushes off his arm and logs into his computer. The teacher turns around, seeing the classroom. The teacher has a brown beard and short brown hair, wearing glasses and a white tie. He’s written on the whiteboard “Week 3”. He sighs.]

Hyde: Not many people here today then.

[One student pipes up, wearing a white button up shirt and a tie.]

Student 1: Most people haven’t been in after that lightning storm.

[Sissel and Vince look at each other, concerned.]

Hyde: Oh, okay then. Well… we still have to teach, at the end of the day. When they’re back then we’ll deal with them, catch up.

[Hyde turns back to the whiteboard, starting to write notes onto it. Vince leans over next to him to a different student. They’re wearing glasses and a red shirt.]

Vince: What’s up with it?

Student 2: The lightning strikes?

Vince: Yeah.

Student 2: I dunno.

[A third student wheels over, a ginger girl in a blue hoodie.]

Student 3: I heard a rumour that George turned to stone.

[Vince looks at the third student, surprised. The second student sighs.]

Student 2: That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

Vince: That is… ridiculous, sorry.

Student 3: [offended] What? Come on! It looked like the sky cracked open and you’re telling me that this is the dumbest thing.

Student 2: Yeah, I think so.

[The third students huffs, pushing away from them. Vince moves back next to Sissel, who is staring intensely at Hyde.]

Vince: [confused] You okay?

Sissel: [concerned] Who are you?

[Hyde looks back at Sissel.]

Hyde: I’m… the new substitute?

Sissel: Where’s Richard?

[The group all look at him in surprise, Vince returning to his computer and staying silent.]

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Hyde: [nervous] Well… he’s… he’s dead, Cecil.

[Sissel looks at Hyde confused.]

Sissel: No he isn’t.

[Everyone looks at him now in confusion. Vince looks at the side, confused.]

Hyde: [concerned] S-sorry what?

Sissel: I saw him earlier, on the way here.

Hyde: [concerned] I don’t think you did, Cecil.

Sissel: [defensive] no, I’m serious, he was just-

[Vince grabs Sissel’s arm, standing up with him.]

Vince: [worried] I’m gonna take him outside for a minute.

Hyde: [worried] Please, can you take him to the nurse?

[Vince nods, Sissel looking confused as he’s taken out the room. Vince closes the door and looks at Sissel, who has now realised what’s happened. Tracey arrives next to Sissel, resting on his shoulder.]

Vince: [worried] Sissel… I need you to be honest with me-

Sissel: [panicking] I can see dead people.

[Vince stops, surprised.]

Vince: [worried] Um… not what I was going to ask.

Sissel: [panicking] Sorry, um… just I think I saw Goldberg earlier-

Vince: [worried] That doesn't mean you can see dead people! Maybe you confused him with someone else.

Sissel: [panicking] I swear, I didn't! I swear!

Vince: [worried] Have you told anyone else?

Sissel: [panicking] W-well no.

Vince: [worried] Okay, don’t. Please?

Sissel: [confused] What?

Vince: [worried] Sissel… maybe this is just… trauma coming through.

Sissel: [certain] No, it’s… I can see dead people. I can see Tracey!

Vince: [worried] I’m sure you can! But…

[Vince sighs.]

Vince: [worried] I definitely want to believe you, but this might just be your… coping mechanism. Or you… I don’t know, but this might just be illness. Not a superpower.

[Vince holds Sissel’s shoulders, Tracey moving out the way slightly and behind Vince.]

Vince: [worried] I’m worried about you, okay, so just… keep it quiet. Please? Until you know for sure?

[Sissel looks past Vince and at Tracey.]

Tracey: Probably a good idea. So you don’t look crazy.

[Sissel starts to nod, moving back to Vince.]

Sissel: Alright then.

[Vince sighs, smiling a bit.]

Vince: [relieved] Um… okay, you go down to the nurse. I’ll clear things up in here. Okay?

[Sissel nods. Vince smiles, giving Sissel a quick hug and then entering the classroom again. Tracey moves and rests on Sissel’s shoulder.]

Tracey: You’re not going to the nurse, are you?

Sissel: [worried] Nope.

Tracey: You’re gonna go find “Richard” aren’t you?

Sissel: [worried] Yep.

[Sissel turns and starts to leave. Tracey sighs, smiling a bit.]

Tracey: [chuckling] Okay then, fun.