The Night Children

Chapter 10

Edited. 

I took my seat beside Aleena, meeting her gaze. Her brown eyes were sharpened with intensity, a silent message spreading across her face.

Listen to every detail.

I was certain I would.

Mr Osmin stood on stage, staring out over the assembly full of students who stared wide eyed back. Usually, the hall would be buzzing with voices but in this current point in time, only a few whispered conversations commenced. The lights beaming down on Mr Osmin made his bald head gleam. His brown eyes glared pointedly at whoever met his narrowed pupils.

As if deciding he had finished watching everyone like a hawk, he bent down to the microphone. "Good morning staff and students." 

What little chatter that was heard initially died down within a second. I eyed him off with dislike. After our meeting two weeks ago, I now reconsidered my optimistic opinions towards him.

His booming voice continued. "As most of you have heard, several students have disappeared from this school recently. The police have contacted us and advised us to ask the entirety of the school to open up about their most recent sightings of the missing children Amber, Francesca, Gabriel, Colton and Claudia." His gaze swept over the silent hall, taking in anybody who seemed somewhat suspicious under his interrogation. "This is your chance to speak now."

A voice drifted back from the end row. "Maybe Slenderman took them."

Mr Osmin wasn't fast enough to catch the speaker, however his hands clenched harder on either side of the lectern.

Another voice overrid the previous, and I was certain it was Aleena's most recent root, Jake. "Probably just wagging class so they don't have to deal with this crap." From the corner of my eye I saw Aleena's mouth twist into a knowing smirk. Her reaction confirming my predictions.

However Mr Osmins eyes were beginning to bulge out of his head and I wondered if his head would explode. "Enough with the smart remarks Brookefield High. The community is looking for answers."

There was a very long pause before someone broke it. "Try looking up your ass sir."

Mr Osmin responded with a small, animal like noise. A vein began to line his forehead and I was sure it was taking all his might not to start screaming like a child. I glanced at Aleena to see her reaction but the smirk had fallen off her lips and she was staring off into the distance, her mouth now set into a firm line.

Mr Osmin took a deep breath before responding, apparently justifying it was better to ignore the comment than explode in front of his staff. "If by any chance any of you are in contact with these people and do not inform us, charges can be laid when they are found."

Now no one made a comment, mainly because it was obvious Mr Osmin was barely holding himself together.

He adjusted his tie, loosening it around his collar. I realised it was because his neck had grown sweaty. "The Mayor and the Counsel have decided there is to be a set curfew for all persons aged under eighteen from now until said otherwise."

"When?" 

I looked over to see the boy who asked too many questions in chemistry say.

Mr Osmin glanced in his direction, his moustache quivering. "Eight o' clock."

Everyone seemed to suck in a breath. Eight o' clock? I haven't gone to bed at that time since I was two. I once again looked at Aleena to see her reaction. Surely she would be scowling, especially because she would usually be prowling for a guy to sleep with well past that hour but she was staring stony faced in front of her, apparently not listening. I was unsure if that was a bad sign, Aleena never listened. But even she had told me earlier this was an assembly not worth phasing out of.