The Horror in Smithville - Part - 14 - B - 2

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[caption id="attachment_2489" align="aligncenter" width="500"] The Horror in Smithville[/caption]

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Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Let’s see, today I am going to share the very next chapter in my favorite and beloved horror classic ‘The Horror in Smithville’! Yes it has been a long time since I posted any of this story. To be exact the last time I posted anything of this story was on August 29^th, 2014! That is pretty much a whole month since we last checked in on our story in Smithville.

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The pages have been written, it is just that I have been so preoccupied with the (futile) attempt to gather funds to help me battle my recently diagnosed Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cancer. For those that have not been around, I am working a campaign (just as hard as I can) named Danny’s Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo to help me out with the costs of; treatment, medications, transportation, Caregivers, and everything involved in a battle with a lymphatic cancer. It has been an ‘uphill slog’ that has bore little, if any, fruit. With just a matter of days left I fear that I will be completely unable to resume treatment for my cancer.

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Regardless, if that is what my; friends, family, and followers deem as ‘my fate’ then so be it! Today we rejoin ‘The Horror in Smithville’ with Truman Dunahoo, Barry Gartuska, and Betty Sue in the Principal’s Office at Smithville Middle School. Barry has, just moments ago, finished beating Timmy Marref with within a inch of his life. Now, Tom, Archer and Timmy are in transit to the Smithville Hospital. Timmy is unconscious, but I have a ‘Good Feeling’ about his prognosis.

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Mr. Dunahoo has taken Barry to the Principal’s office in hopes of holding him until he can be arrested, and booked for, assault on Timmy Marref. There will be no shortage of witnesses, as a majority of the student body and a good number of teachers bore witness. Betty Sue is quite beside herself, and (at first) is of little help to Truman. Well, before I publish any ‘spoilers’ let’s get ‘On With The Show’!

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[caption id="attachment_3239" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Horror in Smithville[/caption]

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Part Fourteen – B – 2

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Mr. Dunahoo, Truman, sat there for several minuets trying to cry… wanting to cry. In just the matter of an hour Truman had; seen one of his students beat to a bloody pulp, physically dragged the offending student to the Principal’s office, struck said student in the face (even though he had it coming, this gave Truman little solace), and handcuffed the violent student to a chair. As Truman sat there, thinking, it occurred to him that this oncoming storm had a curious effect ton many people. Batty Sue showed a spine of steel that she had never before shown, Barry Gartuska had nearly murdered a student, and he… HE had struck a student across the face without giving it a second thought. What was this town coming too?

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Truman had been sitting in the Principal’s office lobby chair for several moments, when he felt a warm hand on his left shoulder. He looked up, from his hands, and saw Betty Sue with a coffee cup in her hand. She brushed back the hair from his face, and handed the cup of coffee to Truman. Truman loved his coffee, he often drank ten to twelve cups a day. As he grabbed the cup from Betty Sue’s hands, he looked up at her with a new found respect.

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Truman had known Betty Sue since her first day as Roger’s secretary. She was a very nice person, often given to flights of fancy and had more than her fair share of difficulty with focus and authority. However, today he had seen something different in Betty Sue. Taking the cup of coffee, from her hands, Truman spoke.

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“Betty Sue, I just wanted to express my thanks for all your help with Barry, today. As well, I have to congratulate you on… well, your show of strength, earlier. I have known you as long as you have been Roger’s secretary, and never have I seen you ‘take charge’ the way you did, today. Kudos, Betty Sue!”

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She turned away too quickly for Truman to be sure, but he thought he had seen Betty Sue begin to blush. Blush at the compliment that Truman had just paid. She had earned that compliment… earned it and then some. She had overcome her fears, marshaled her inner strength, and helped Truman secure an unruly and potentially dangerous student. Potentially dangerous… Ha! Barry Gartuska had nearly killed a fellow student, in cold blood. Whatever fate befell Barry Gartuska, from this day forward, was none of Truman’s concern. What ever he got? He deserved!

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Batty Sue started speaking, just as Truman finished his thought.

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“Well, Truman, if it hadn’t been for your quick action, and strong hands, Barry might have gotten away. He might have hurt other people. You took command over the situation, brought a violent student right here to the office. And we worked together to detain the violent student before he had the chance to hurt anyone else. I am just glad that I remembered that we had those handcuffs…”

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“You did brilliantly, Betty Sue. I had no idea that Roger had handcuffs’ n this office! I am sure glad that he did! Oh, have you reached Roger yet, on his cell phone?

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Betty Sue looked down at her feet, and scuttled back behind her desk. She kept her head down, as she spoke.

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“Truman, I keep trying his number… but nobody answers. I have left several voice mails… and Roger has not called back… yet. I have called the Smithville memorial hospital. They have no record of Timmy being admitted... yet. I can only guess that they are still on their way to the hospital. I will keep trying to get Roger on the [hone…”

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Truman could clearly see that Betty Sue had become bothered by her inability to get Roger on the phone. Truman could see that this setback had caused Betty Sue to retreat, some, back into her old habits. Right now, he needed the other Betty Sue, and he thought he knew how to get her back. He took a long drink, from the cup of hot coffee. Man, Truman did love his coffee. If he’d had his way? He would just sit here and drink Roger’s office coffee, for about ah hour. Seems Roger uses a different brand of coffee, for his office than they have in the teacher’s lounge. Truman would talk to Roger about that, but right now he needed to help Betty Sue find her grit, again. Looking up from his coffee cup, at Betty Sue, Truman spoke in a clam and relaxed tone to Betty Sue.

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‘Betty Sue… tell me. Tell me what happened… earlier when you found your strength? What... what went though your mind... what brought you to that place?”

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Betty Sue sat behind her desk. She sat there for a moment, that it was obvious that she was working it out in her head. Then, Betty Sue spoke…

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“Well, I would have to give credit where credit is due, Truman. For months… years now Principal Marsch has been drilling the same thing… over, and over, and over into my head. He is always talking about (Truman and Betty Sue say this word together… simultaneously) ANARCHY!

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They both laugh… look at one another, then Betty Sue continues. As she does Truman can see her self-confidence return. This is exactly what he had wanted.

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“Roger is always talking about “Confusion leading to anarchy”. And, you know what Truman? Today I saw it! I saw it happening to me! As sure as if I was standing outside myself. For five years Roger has been harping on anarchy… and, Truman, today I SAW IT in myself! I did not like what I saw… nope, not at all! So, I thought about what Roger had told me, screwed up my courage, and took control of my own; emotions thoughts and actions. It felt great! I could ‘see’ what needed to be done, where things where and what to do in what order. Truman, I have never seen life so clearly!”

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Now Truman understood what he had witnessed, earlier. This is an ‘all new’ Betty Sue. New and improved, to say the least. He hadn’t been close with Betty Sue, since she started working for the school district, that was about to change. Truman just loved to support people making change in their lives, and Betty Sue was a prime example. Truman took another, long, drink from his coffee cup, then spoke.

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“Betty Sue, I am… well, I hope this doesn’t sound… odd… but I am very proud. Proud to see someone take such control over themselves, and in the midst of crisis, too! I am proud of you Betty Sue, and proud of how you handled yourself. You had best believe that I will be telling Roger all about how wonderfully you handled yourself in this... crisis. I would have never thought of handcuffing Barry to the chair in the other room. I didn’t know, till you told me, that chair was bolted to the foundation! I guess they did that just for circumstances like… this. It is troubling. Thinking that someone actually… foresaw something like this happening… in a Middle School.”

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As Truman said those words, in his mind images came flashing back. Images.. most upsetting. Images of poor Timmy Marref’s broken body. Images of Barry bouncing his head on the cold hard ground, and worst of all images of the red red blood mixing with the stark white snow. A shudder went right up Truman’s spine, and he thought that he might cry, all over again. Truman’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Betty Sue’s voice, she was talking to him, and she was very upset!

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“Truman… Truman! I just got off the phone with the Sheriff’s office. Sheriff Daniels is not there! I managed to talk to Deputy Henning. He told me that the Sheriff was headed out to the Carnival job site… too. That Darryl had tried to raise him, over the car radio, but wasn’t able to reach him. What should we do?”

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Truman sat, quietly, for a moment. Took a large sip off of the, now cold, coffee and thought. Things had to be getting pretty crowded “out to the Carnival job site…”. First, it was the Middle School Principal Roger Marsch getting called out there. Now it is the only Sheriff for the town of Smithville, Sheriff Walter Daniels. Next, nobody was able to get a hold of anyone once they left for the Carnival job site. Something was rotten in Denmark, at it lived at the Carnival job site! Truman knew enough law to know they had no right to hold a minor indefinitely. Especially one that was handcuffed to a chair bolted to the ground. Soon enough Barry would need to go to the bathroom… or something! Truman had transported Barry, once, he was not too fond of the idea of that happening again, today.

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Truman put his, empty, coffee cup on the corner of Betty Sue’s desk. Stood up, and decided it was time for him to make some calls and get things moving. There was a storm headed directly FOR Smithville and soon, nobody was going to be able to go anywhere! Truman turned to Betty Sue, and used his Command Voice for his next requests.

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“Betty Sue, I want you to write Principal Marsch’s number and the Sheriff’s office number on a notepad for me. While I am calling those numbers, I want you to get on the phone with the hospital, again. I want to KNOW if we have just the perpetrator of an assault locked in Ralph’s office… or do we have a murderer locked in there!”

Betty Sue wrote the two phone numbers on a sticky notepad, and handed them to Truman. They, both of them, began dialing numbers. Betty Sue was connected to the hospital, after a couple of rings, Truman was not having such ‘Good Luck’. Not wanting to disturb Betty Sue’s phone conversation, Truman stepped out into the hallway to make his phone calls. As soon as Truman stepped into the hallway, he noticed it. It wasn’t but four in the afternoon, but the hallway of the Middle School was dark like it was midnight. Truman hung up the phone. It was obvious that, whatever Principal Marsch was doing and wherever Roger had found himself, Roger was not answering.

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Truman decided to take a short walk, outside, to check out the weather and the oncoming snowstorm. He began dialing the number for the Sheriff’s office, hoping to finally reach Sheriff Daniels! No sooner that Truman had stepped out the door, that he noticed the sky and clouds. The sky was darkish blue, and the clouds completely covered the sky from horizon to horizon! The storm, that was on its way, was going to be a huge storm! By midnight tonight, they would be measuring the snow in feet and not inches!

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Truman was smelling the air when Deputy Henning answered the phone at the Sheriff’s office. The air smelled of something foul, it made the hackles on the back of Truman’s neck stand up on end. The voice, on the other end of the line, was familiar… and it sounded scared.

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“Smithville Sheriff’s office, Deputy Henning here. How may I help you?”

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Truman had met Deputy Henning on several occasions. Darryl was a mostly unremarkable man. He was of average height, average weight, an average build with unremarkable brown eyes. To be honest? The most remarkable and/or memorable aspect of Deputy Darryl? Was that Deputy Darryl was a Grade ‘A’ klutz! On the first occasion of him meeting the Deputy, Darryl had knocked a cup of coffee out of his (Truman’s) hand and caused it to end up in his lap! On the second occasion of them meeting, it was at the end of a PTA meeting where Deputy Darryl had given a talk to parents about ‘Finding out IF your Child is Using Drugs!’/ Deputy Darryl had knocked over a whole table of refreshments! His gun holster had caught on the table cloth, on which all the foods, snacks, cake and sandwiches were spread, and Deputy Darryl had dragged all the food on to the floor!

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The third and last meeting he had with Deputy Darryl was when he had pulled Truman over for a “busted headlight”. Truman had known that the taillight was not working, properly. However, it still came on, for a time, and then would not work. If he pumped his brake, for awhile, the light usually came on for the rest of any given trip. When he was pulled over Truman explained that fact to Deputy Darryl. Well Darryl, in his infinite wisdom, decided it “must just be a loose wire… let me knock on the light cover and see if I can get it working… so I don’t have to give you a ticket”. Darryl went back, removed his extra large and long flashlight from his gun belt. Then Deputy Darryl went about tapping the gel cover on the brake signal. The next thing Truman knew? He was standing beside Deputy Darryl at the rear of his car and the (expensive) cover over the left back brake light lay in pieces on the ground!

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“I won’t give you a ticket, tonight, Mr. Dunahoo. Just get that tail light fixed. OK?”

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It cost Truman $150.00 to “get that tail light fixed…” because of Deputy Darryl. That was a lot more than the cost of the light bulb, which was all that was wrong with the brake indicator. Truman had sent a copy of the paid invoice for the broken tail light, but had never heard back from Deputy Darryl or Sheriff Daniels. All Truman knew was that he was glad that Timmy was already gone before Deputy Darryl came out to the Middle School. Now, Truman was inviting disaster by trying to get Deputy Darryl out to pick up Barry, but something had to be done.

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“Deputy Darryl? This is Mr. Truman Dunahoo… at the Middle School? I don’t know if you have heard from Sheriff Daniels.. but we need someone out her to pick up Barry Gartuska. Barry is the student that beat Timmy Marref to the point he is on his w3ay to the hospital. Now, we need somebody from the Sheriff’s office to come and pick up Barry.. BEFORE this snow storm hits!”

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Truman was surprised by the pregnant pause that came after him speaking. Truman stood there, outside in the freezing cold, waiting for Deputy Darryl to answer. He heard nothing, finally Truman repeated himself, even louder.

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“Deputy Darryl? Do you hear me, Deputy Darryl? This is Truman Dunahoo… Teacher over to the Middle School? We are holding Barry Gartuska, and we need someone from your offices to come and pick him up! We do not have the facilities to hold students… indefinitely. Do you hear me, Deputy Darryl? Do you understand me Deputy Darryl?”

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Truman was sure that Deputy Darryl had heard him that time. People over at the end of the parking lot, had heard Truman… and were waving at Truman. Truman didn’t have to wait long, this time, for Deputy Darryl to answer this time.

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“Yes, Truman… I remember you! You are the English and Drama teacher at the Middle School, correct? You say you are holding the boy that beat up Timmy Marref? OK... I understand. No, you are right you shouldn’t be holding be holding a murderer there at the Middle School! I am the only one here, right now. Sheriff Daniels is out on a call, all that is left is Linda, our dispatcher, and me! I really shouldn’t be leaving Linda here alone… but I don’t see as I have a choice, right now. You are right. You don’t have the ability to hold a violent criminal, and we need to get him… locked up BEFORE this snowstorm hits Smithville! Truman, just hold on to him for another 10 to 15 minuets. I am leaving NOW! I will get there as quickly as I can to pick up the offender… just keep him locked up, and I will be right there…”

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“Murderer?” Truman thought to himself. Last he had heard was that Timmy had not even made it to the hospital. Now… Timmy Marref… was DEAD?!? Truman tried to ask Deputy Darryl to repeat what he had said, but the phone was disconnected before he got the chance. This was a bad turn of events. This was a very bad turn of events. Truman and Betty Sue were now holding a pre-teen murderer handcuffed to a chair in Principal Marsch’s office! That changed everything! Truman had not smoked a cigarette in more than ten years. Right now, Truman wished he had a cigarette to smoke! Truman was unnerved, he needed some time to think… and unwind before he went back into the office and told Betty Sue. Told Betty Sue that litte Timmy Marref was dead!

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Truman decided to try calling Principal Marsh’s cell phone, again. He was quite cold, so he started walking around the teacher’s parking lot, as he dialed the number, and let it ring and ring. The funniest thing happened, as Truman was walking around letting Roger’s cell phone ring. Truman heard a cell phone… ringing! JUST as Truman realized that his phone was ringing in his ear, that outside he as hearing another phone… ringing! The call went to voice mail, as Truman had already left several voice mails for Principal Marsch, Truman hung up. He immediately called Principal Marsch’s phone, again.

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Ring… Ring (in his ear)… Then, all the sudden, Truman hears another phone… ringing just a few feet away from him! Truman leans down, close to the ground, and tries to see the phone that is ringing. There is already several inches on snow, on the ground, which is making it more difficult for Truman to locate the ringing phone. Again, the phone goes over to voice mail and, again, Truman calls the number back. This time Truman was much closer to the phone on the ground. Within in two rings Truman is nearly on top of the phone he is calling. Then, it switches over to voice mail.

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Truman dials Principal Marsch’s phone fro, what he hopes to be, the last time. Truman is on his hands and knees, now, and as soon as the phone begins to ring, Truman begins sweeping snow out of the way. In one of the big sweeps, Truman’s hand knocks something back up against the rear tire. BINGO! Truman hangs up his phone and heads to the rear left tire. He reaches around the tire, and grasps something in his hand. It is small, cold, and in a leather case. Just like Principal Marsch’s phone is kept, in a leather case.

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Truman picks the item up, brushes off the snow, and sees that he has Principal Marsch’s phone in his hands! He takes the phone out of the leather case, pushes the power button on the right side. Right under the time and weather he sees the ‘Return if Found’ information. It is Roger Marsch’s cell phone, and it has ten missed calls. Truman’s heart fell into his stomach, because he knew that they were not going to be able to get a hold of, or talk to, Principal Marsch until he returned from the Carnival Job site. This was not ‘Good News’ at all! Truman put the phone back into its leather case, and put the case into his front pants pocket. As he did this, again, Truman had an irresistible urge to smoke a cigarette.

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He wasn’t going to fall for the impulse, but it was disturbing that it was happening now, after a decade of not smoking. He walked back into the Middle School, and headed to Principal Marsch’s office. He was sure that Betty Sue would be as crestfallen, by his discovery in the teacher’s parking lot, as he was. It was only 5:00PM but Truman just could not wait till this day was over! Now Truman had to go into that office and tell the very sweet secretary, Betty Sue, that; Timmy Marref was dead, that a murderer was locked in Roger’s office, and that Principal Marsch had left his cell phone in the teacher’s parking lot. Probably he missed clipping the cell phone case to his belt, and never even thought about it until he went to use his cell phone. BOY! Truman thought to himself, BOY I sure hope that it wasn’t an emergency when Roger reached for his missing cell phone! That would be terrible!

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Betty Sue was on the phone, when Truman walked in through the Principal’s office door. He sat down, right where he had left the empty coffee cup, and waited for Betty Sue to get off the phone. The ‘Bad News’ he had to share could wait a few minuets more. After waiting for several moments, Truman got up and went over to pour himself a fresh cup of coffee. Well, this coffee had been sitting here since this morning… so (realistically) fresh was not a correct adjective to be using. Nevertheless, Truman loved coffee and the brand that Principal Marsch had chosen for his office was better cold than what they picked out for the teacher’s break room was hot.

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With full cup of coffee in hand, Truman turned around to see Betty Sue hanging up the phone. The time had come, Truman reached into his front pants pocket and pulled out Roger’s cell phone. He held up the phone and began speaking to Betty Sue. They ended up speaking to each other, at the same time.

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“Betty Sue I just found Roger’s cell phone…”

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“Truman I just got off the phone with the hospital and…”

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Both Truman and Betty Sue now, simultaneously, begin laughing. The stress of the day, the injury of Timmy (maybe the death of Timmy), the physical confrontation with Barry Gartuska, the suspense of the oncoming blizzard, and it being well after when they usually lave the campus caused Truman and Betty Sue to engage in a very long and intense bout of laughing. Once complete, Truman (again) held up Principal Marsch’s phone and explained how and where he had found it. Betty Sue sighed and lowered her head, it was plainly visible that she was upset that Principal Marsch was out therewith no way of calling them, and no way for them to call him.

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Truman was about to relay the… information Deputy Darryl had shared about Timmy’s condition, when Betty Sue spoke.

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“Well, I finally got ahold of the hospital, Truman…”

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Before she could finish the sentence Truman spoke…

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“I am so sorry that you had to hear, that way Betty Sue. I found out while I was in the parking lot talking to Deputy Darryl. This is the worst possible news for the Marref family!’

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Betty Sue cocked her head sideways, the way dogs do sometimes when they are curious or confused. She shook her head, and then spoke to Truman.

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“Truman, I just talked to an orderly over to the hospital. He told me that Timmy, Tom and Archer had just arrived. That Timmy was conscious but awaiting examination, x-rays, and an MRI of his head. They said he was awake and talkative. Seems Timmy is going to be just fine!”

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Truman, at first, didn’t say a word. He just stood there, slightly embarrassed, thinking ‘Deputy Darryl Strikes AGAIN! He smiled, then laughed under his breath. Shaking his head, Truman spoke. He explained how Deputy Darryl had told him “Timmy’s dead” and how he did not want to be the one to tell her. They both stood/sat there, for a moment, and then broke out into laughter, again. Truman walked around to the front of the desk. As he did so, Truman smelled something… burning! Truman was standing directly in front of the only door leading into the inner office, Principal Marsch’s private office. The room where, cigarette smoking, Barry Gartuska was handcuffed to a chair bolted to the foundation. Nevertheless, Truman walked up against the door and called out to Barry inside.

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“Barry Gartuska… are you smoking in there?!?!”

Truman waited a couple of moments, then he repeated himself even louder.

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“Barry Gartuska, are YOU smoking in that office? Answer me!”

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No answer, but the smell of… burning was growing STRONGER! Truman was going to have to open the door and find out for himself. He had to be careful, though, if Barry had.. somehow gotten out of his restraints? He could ambush Truman as he entered the room. Truman’s day had just gone from ‘Bad’ to “Worse’. Truman turned back to Betty Sue and…

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“Betty Sue , hand me the keys, again. I have to check and see if this reprobate is trying to burn the building down! I am just concerned that he might be out of his restraints… and he might try to ambush me... when I enter!”

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Betty Sue open the top center drawer to her desk, removed the key chain and handed it to Truman. Then, Betty Sue reached back into the drawer and pulled out a very formidable looking letter opener. She got out of her chair, walked around the desk and took up a position right between Truman, and the door. If Barry was going to try something, then he was going to have two people to get through!

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/7vKh0ReY620]

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My Dear Readers! WOW! So, we have Barry handcuffed to a chair that is BOLTED to the FOUNDATION… Betty Sue and Truman think TIMMY IS DEAD… and Barry is fixing to get a very… SPECIAL visitor, next week. ;)

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You just read eight pages of my story. Eight pages, single spaced with a 12p font! Like I said, in earlier posts, I still have another… ten to twelve pages left! That is written, unedited, and ready to be proofed then published! OMG! The next scene (Part – 14- B – 3) is just frigging incredible! I have been ‘planting seeds’ all through the first 128 pages (FYI what I have published, so far, IS 128 pages!). Now, in the upcoming chapters I will be reaping what I have sewn. I, already, know how this all ends. I know what happens with Timmy after his savage beating… what happens (at the Carnival) on Saturday night… and what happens to Archer… OMG! What happens to ARCHER! INCREDIBLE!!!

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So, My Dear Readers, stick around as we approach Halloween I will be unfolding this tale and scaring the Dickens Out Of YOU!

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Adieu!

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Thank YOU!
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