School: Our job? Then I Quit

Teachers constantly talk about how "School is our Job" Or "It is Our Job to do School" and a bunch of other stuff like that. well, If it Is my Job, then I want to Quit! See, at a Job, you get paid, yet, you have to pay to go to school. What kind of Job makes YOU pay to go and do the WORK. It is the OTHER WAY AROUND. Your employer pays you for the work you do. Bad employer, this school. But seriously. I have to pay to go at get an education that is REQUIRED BY THE STATE. If it is REQUIRED, then we shouldn't have to pay for. I have a great Idea, Colorado: Pay for schools yourselves, like Texas. My cousins who live there never had school fees, (except if they lost something) and so they don't know what I am talking about when I say School is too expensive. Either do one of two things, people:
1) Make school a option, where you have to pay to get in, or
2) Make school required, but you don't have to pay for it!
Make the state pay for our schooling! Trust me, it will be a good investment!

Chapter One of The Keepers

Before I post this, I would like to say that, the name Melissa was used because I couldn't think of another name to use, and, besides, I think it fits. Melissa Deyoung. I would also like to say that the romance between the main character, Melissa, and the other main character, John Ashburn, is in no way reflected of of real events. This is a work of fiction, and should be treated as such. Thank you

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Chapter One

                She heard the sounds of heavy footsteps coming down the hall. Turning, she saw a shadow move. She decided to follow it, and found herself in a small storage room. Reaching next to her, she found the light switch, and turned it on. The man in front of her jumped in surprise, and turned towards here, a look of great fear and confusion on his face. She looked at him with equal confusion. His body was large and muscular, and his hair, long, and slightly unkempt, looking dirty, as if it hadn’t been washed in years. His clothes looked to be made of old-fashioned leather, and his boots looked to be old plate, like a knight’s. On his shoulders ha had small plate pads as well, also like a knight’s. Across his back was hung a huge sword. At his waist hung yet another, and in his hand was a spear. She turned to leave, and suddenly stopped. ‘A spear? Swords? What is this guy? A renascence fair worker?’

                She turned back and looked more closely. He still hadn’t moved, and seemed to not be breathing. The hand holding the spear was incased in a Gauntlet, covered with strange markings a Crystals. ‘Who is he?’ She thought. The main raised his hand with the spear, and she instinctively backed away. Suddenly, a flash came from his Gauntlet, and the sound of a soft explosion, and he was gone. She shook her head, and walked away. ‘I’m dreaming…Or maybe I’m just seeing things now. I think I need to take a vacation.’ She thought to herself.

“Miss. Deyoung, you haven’t left yet?” She jumped, and spun around, hand already going to the small knife she kept with her.

“Oh, No, Mr. Carden. I’m sorry. I was just leaving,”

“I told you, just call me Allen. And, what were you doing in the medieval store room, Miss. Deyoung?

“Oh! Um…I thought I saw someone moving around back here, but, I guess it was just lights moving across this guy,” She pointed to the stand holding a suit of armor.

“I see. Well, you should probably get home, Miss. Deyoung. You know I worry about how far you have to walk to your house. Maybe I should give you a ride?”

No, no Mr. Carden. You need to stay here, it is your job. Don’t worry; I am not even going home yet. I’m meeting some friends for a little fun tonight. But, thank you for the offer, Allen,” With that she left the building, rubbing her arms at the chill of the night-time air. She was just about to step away from the Museum when she heard a voice,

“Hey there. Long time no see, Melissa! How have you been?” Melissa spun around, whipping out the knife she carried, and stopped, mouth slightly open at who she saw in front of her. He had long black hair, tied back with what looked like a strip of black leather. He wore jeans and a simple, white button-up shirt, and a long, black leather trench coat. From what she could see, he had a decent muscular build, and a look of intelligence about him. His left hand was held up in a wave, and his right was concealed in a pocket in his coat. Last, she looked at his face. A long, jagged scare went from the top of his face, down over his right eye to his chin, and another crossed that one, from his right temple to just below his eye. His eyes were a brilliant green, and filled with some familiarity. Suddenly, she recognized him. It was the scar over his eye that gave him away.

“John!” she shouted, running up to him “It’s been years since I last saw you! How have you been?” She threw her arms around him, and he put his left arm around her as well. She stepped away, and saw a smile on his face.

“I’ve been well, thank you Melissa. Look at you! You certainly have done well!” He said this with a smile, looking her up and down. She playfully punched his arm,

“Oh, shut up, you,” She was glad she could hide her blushes, and then looked him up and down and said, “You’re not looking too bad yourself. You look nice. Very nice.” He rubbed his head absently, and then said,

“So, where you headed off to?”

“Oh, I am meeting with some of my friends for dinner.  I still eat at that old place every Friday night.”

“Really? You mean…?”

“Yes, the place you took me on our first date. My girlfriends and I love that place. Though, it does get annoying how they all keep pestering me to find a man,”

“You’re still single?” John asked with surprise. Melissa smiled at this, and nodded,

“Well, I never quite found anyone. Not since you left, John. Where did you go?” John’s smile dropped from his face just then, and his eyes seemed to dull, but a second later they were back.

“Oh, I just had to get away. I would have rather let you know, but, we had to go really quickly. I’m so sorry if I caused you any pain,” He said this with such sincerity, that Melissa simply shrugged.

                “I figured it must have been something important if you couldn’t talk to me. But, You know that I work in a Museum, what do you do?” He laughed and said,

                “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Besides, it’s classified,” She shook her head and turned to walk away. She was going to be late.

                “Wait!” He shouted. She stopped, and looked at him. He stepped up to her and held his arm out for her.

                “Shall I walk you to dinner?” She smiled, and took his harm happily, leaning her head on his shoulder, like she had done those many years ago.

                Their walk took them to an old building, its name long forgotten, because its sign had been worn off, and everyone around here just called it The Diner. John opened the door, and let Melissa in, and followed after her. She turned to him, and he nodded to her, and began to turn to leave. She grabbed his arm, and looked him in the eye,

                “Hey, would you like to join us for dinner, John? We always have one extra seat, just in case,” He smiled and nodded, following her to a table with a group of women and men, and sat next to her. She said hello to everyone, and said to them,

                “Everyone, I would like you to meet John Ashburn, an old friend of mine,” She must have been smiling a little too much, because one of the girls said,

                “He must have been more than a friend!” Everyone laughed, and John just looked uncomfortable. She mouthed an ‘I’m sorry’ to him, and sat down. One of the men at the table, the husband of the woman who had just spoken, asked,

                “So, John. How long have you known Melissa?” John, barely glanced up from the menu when he answered,

                “Since we were born. We were always together during school, and our families counted us each as another member.” The other man nodded, and held out his hand to him.

                “I’m Bill. Nice to meet you. This is my wife, Jenny” She nodded, and smiled at him. John set the menu down and extended his left arm. Melissa noted that he kept his right hand hidden in a pocket still. When the waitress came, she seemed to be distracted by John, who smiled pleasantly at her, and ordered a steak, medium rare, potatoes, asparagus, and a salad. Everyone stared at him, and Bill said,

                “Got yourself an appetite, eh, John?” Everyone laughed at this, including John who said,

                “Well, you would too, when you just got here! I haven’t even found a hotel yet,” Their smiles all disappeared, and John looked around curiously.

                “There have been no planes here for years. None have arrived today, either. How did you get here?” John smiled and said,

                “I took the train of course!”

                “The nearest train station is twenty miles away. Do you have a car?”

                “Nope. I walked. Nothing wrong with that, is there?”

                “Your telling us that you walked across a twenty mile long dead zone? The hottest place you will find in this area, wearing that, with no baggage?” John dropped his smile, and answered in a low voice,

                “Listen. I am tired, I am hungry, and just got back to the town I was born and raised in. Do I not have baggage? Of course I do, and a friend of mine is taking care of it right now. I wanted to visit with Melissa before I moved on to a hotel, and left in the morning. So, I do not appreciate your distrust of me, Bill.” Everyone lowered their eyes, and the waitress came by with the food. John’s smile returned and the conversations at the table continued as normal. Melissa watched John as he picked up his knife, and noticed that his right hand had a gauntlet very similar to the other man’s.  She asked him,

                “So, where did you get that Gauntlet? And why are you wearing it?” John glanced at it, then swallowed, and answered,

                “Oh, just a gift. And, I wear it as a constant reminder of some things, which I would prefer not to talk about.” When diner was finished, and they had said goodbye, John and Melissa walked out of The Diner, and John turned to leave.

                “John?” Melissa called

                “Yes, Melissa?”

                “If…Um, well…If you need a place to stay, um, you could stay with me…” John smiled and said,

                “Sure, Melissa. Thank you” He walked over to her, glanced at where they were, and then stopped. His right hand was again in his picket, and he was lifting his left one slightly. He said in a calm voice,

                “What time is it?” Melissa glanced at her watch, and said,

                “It eleven oh four. Why?” She soon got her answer, as John shouted,

                “Get down!” And grabbed her, and pulled her down, as a gun-shot was heard, and the glass above them shattered. John rolled to his feet, as people screamed, and some called nine-one-one. Reaching into his trench coat, he pulled out a strange looking pistol, and aimed at the man who had shot at them. They stood their like that for a long time, until the cops had arrived. They started for both John and the other man, until the crown explained what happened. John showed a slip of paper to them, and turned away, picking Melissa up.

                “Sorry about that, Melissa. I just didn’t want you to get hurt,” She shook her head. It sounded to her that he had known it was going to happen. She asked him,

                “How did you do that? How did you know someone was going to shoot at me? Or was it at you? What’s going on?” Her voice was shaking with fear. John hailed a taxi, and  said,

                “I’ll explain it all when we get to your house. You’re going to have to trust me,” The taxi stopped, and the door opened, and out stepped…..

                The man she had seen earlier. He still had the sword at his waist and the Gauntlet on his hand. He leaned over to John, and said,

                “Ke tal na?” The last thing she heard or saw was John answering,

                “Yes. History has just changed,” Melissa then passed out thinking ‘What is going on?’