Whispers Beneath the Fall
1052 Words
Students rushed toward the spot where the girl had landed.
“Someone call 911!” a boy shouted—then suddenly collapsed to the ground.
*****
A few minutes later…
“Out of the way!” the nurses said as they rushed out of the ambulance. They carefully lifted the unconscious girl and placed her inside.
“Leo! Leo! Wake up!” students cried, gathering around the boy who had fainted.
“Someone get me water,” the school nurse said as she returned from assisting the ambulance team.
“Here,” a girl said quickly, handing her a bottle.
“Leo… Leo,” the nurse called, splashing water gently on his face.
Leo stirred and slowly opened his eyes.
“Are you okay?” the nurse asked, helping him sit up. “Let me take you to the school ward so you can rest.”
“Thank you, Nurse, but I’m perfectly fine,” Leo said, trying to stand.
He swayed.
“Is this what you call perfectly fine?” the nurse snapped. “You fainted and now you’re losing your balance.”
“Nurse, I…” Leo tried to speak.
“Don’t argue with me,” she cut him off firmly. “You’re coming with me.” She held his arm and guided him away.
*****
“Jesus Christ,” Wumzy whispered.
“Holy Spirit,” Tessa muttered.
“Jehovah,” John breathed.
“Goodness…” Mina said slowly. “That girl fell from a school with almost seven floors. God bless her soul.”
“Mina, do you even have a heart?” Wumzy snapped. “Who said she’s dead? Which one is ‘God bless her soul’?”
“Obviously she won’t survive that fall,” Tessa said bluntly. “How can she? Discipline Elite School or whatever they call it… now I see the discipline.”
“Tessa and Mina, I’m sure both of you are witches,” Wumzy fired back angrily. “Ready to drink the poor girl’s blood. See the way you talk! The day God fires you, you’ll think you hugged a transformer. Nonsense! At least stay positive.”
“The poor girl…” John murmured. “Would she survive? Am I the only one who saw those two girls on the rooftop laughing when she fell? What if they pushed her?”
“John!” Wumzy called sharply.
“Yes—yes?” he answered.
“Are we even on the same page?” she asked coldly. “Are you suddenly playing detective? Whether they pushed her or not is none of your business. We’re here to study, not to solve crimes. Calm down, Detective John.”
“Cool off, Wumzy,” John replied. “Did I offend you?”
“Let’s all keep quiet and focus,” Mina said firmly. “Let’s act normal, not like someone’s blood splashed on our brains on our first day.”
“Thank you, guys,” John said in relief. “I’m happy you won’t stir trouble and start fighting…”
“Shut up!”
Wumzy, Tessa, and Mina said together.
“Oh… okay,” John muttered. “I’ll keep quiet. I don’t want to wake the devil inside you.”
*****
Minutes later…
“Mr Park, my dad and I have already spoken,” Kevin said. “Tessa, Wumzy, Mina, and John are like my siblings. Please take care of them. They’re brilliant students, and we want them to become even better. I also heard that Engineer Chen Xiyi, the Technology King from China, sometimes comes here to teach. Is that true?”
“Yes, Mr Gabriel,” Mr Park replied. “You have nothing to worry about, as long as they focus on their studies.”
“Good. I also heard the girl who fell committed suicide,” Kevin said quietly. “Was it bullying?”
“Don’t worry, Mr Gabriel,” Mr Park assured him. “We’ll investigate fully. Your students are safe, and their academic performance will improve. You can trust us.”
“They can go to class now?” Kevin asked.
“Yes,” Mr Park nodded. “Mistress Kim, please take them to Class 2B.”
“Wumzy, Mina, Tessa, John,” Kevin said in English. “Focus on your studies. Make your families, teachers, and school proud. Make me proud too.”
“Okay, sir,” they replied.
“Class 2B?” Mistress Kim asked.
“Yes,” Mr Park confirmed.
“Alright. Follow me, students.”
“I’ll be going now,” Kevin said. “Goodbye.”
“I’ll see you off,” Mr Park replied.
*****
“Did you understand what Uncle Shen and the principal were saying in Korean?” Wumzy asked in their local language.
“No,” Tessa replied. “I wasn’t even listening. I’m still thinking about the girl who fell.”
“At least you could’ve listened so you can translate,” Wumzy sighed.
“I said I didn’t focus,” Tessa snapped. “I have nothing to translate.”
“So all those K-dramas you watched were for nothing?” Mina teased. “You were pretending all along?”
“Leave me alone,” Tessa said sharply. “I’m not in the mood to argue.”
“Oh really?” Mina scoffed. “Fine. I’ll let it go.”
“Me too,” Wumzy added.
“You three are born again for real,” John said. “What God cannot do does not exist.”
“John, just shut up,” Wumzy said.
*****
As Mistress Kim led them down the corridor to Class 2B stairs…
“Blacks,” a girl whispered.
“I heard they’re from Nigeria,” another replied. “They’re joining our school. Looks like Class 2B.”
“Class 2B?” the first girl gasped. “They’re about to enter hell. That’s the class of bullies. Didn’t they see that girl fall? They probably think it was an accident.”
“Is there any class without bullies here?” the second girl said bitterly. “I transferred here because of bullying, and this place is even worse.”
“I know,” the first girl said nervously. “But Class 2B is the worst of all. Let’s go before one of them targets us next.”
- Writer
