PART TWO

Chapter 6: Natalie’s arrival

A whole term passed since the bombing. The owners used a lot of money to keep the story from spreading out to the press. They treated all the wounded patients inside the school campus and paid a lot of money to the parents of the deceased children. Life in Hamerton went on as usual. With the FIT MEGA SIXTY replaced on the mother CPU and a large part of the school debt paid, electricity fluctuation in the school was no longer a problem. It was even fit to assume that Hamerton was a safe place.

“Attention.” A boy called from the back of a midsized classroom. A teacher had entered accompanied by a girl around 16 years of age.

“Good morning.” The teacher greeted. “This is Natalie. Natalie Bradley. She’s joining you from now on.” He paused and the class filled with low murmurs of excitement. “She comes from USA-”

“Wow.” One boy interjected.

The whole class broke into a laughter.

Natalie, a year older now from when Caitlin left her, crossed her fingers with a little worry. She did not feel comfortable with all the attention the class gave her.

“Hey. Stop it.” One boy called for order on behalf of the teacher. He himself rose abandoning his seat. He walked close to Natalie and the teacher. “Welcome.” He said to Natalie and left the room.

“Take his seat Natalie. I think that he’s going to get another desk for himself.” The teacher said.

“Thank you sir.” Natalie replied and occupied the empty desk at the third row. This school is big. She thought. I wonder just where Caitlin is.

She took out her counter book and for a minute remembered her mom who bought it for her. They came together and tomorrow Mrs. Brooks would be flying back to USA from Heathrow.

The teacher begun teaching and halfway to the end of his class, the boy who gave up his seat for Natalie, came back with another desk. He pulled his desk to seat behind her forcing a little adjustment in the class sitting plan.

An electric bell inside the room rang and the teacher concluded. He left to give his students a break and the room filled with noise and disorder.

A girl sitting next to Natalie turned to her. “Hallow?” she greeted.

“Hi.” Natalie replied.

“Natalie right?”

Natalie nodded.

“My name is Ingrid, I like you.”

Natalie smiled.

Students within the room begun evacuating, leaving a few others studying, chatting or staring at Ingrid with Natalie.

“You’ve come from USA?” Ingrid asked.

“Yes.” Natalie replied shortly.

“I’ve been there too you know. I was staying in Brooklyn.”

“Really?” Natalie asked with disbelief “I’m from there too.”

“Yeah. Your face looks familiar. We met somewhere right?”

Natalie wagged her head “Noo. I don’t remember.”

“Cummon Natalie. Don’t you remember me? I remember you.”

Natalie was silent, lost.

Ingrid packed her books in her desk drawer and rose.

“Wait. Amh, how far have you gone with this subject?” Natalie asked referring to the session that had just ended. Hopefully, she thought, she would find time to ask Ingrid about herself later.

Ingrid took her book from the drawer and handed it to her. When Natalie checked it she exclaimed, “wow! We were through with this topic in November back in Brimstone.”

“Brimstone? You were studying in Brimstone. Which year was that?”

“I’ve been studying in Brimstone since Kindergarten in 2000.”

“Hey. I studied at Brimstone too but, I shifted in 2005. We were like three very good friends. Caitlin, me… Natalie! You must be my Natalie!”

Natalie covered her mouth, rising. “INGRID!”

The girls screamed embracing each other. Natalie was so happy to reunite with her old friend. Now, the ties would be strengthened if all the three were going to the same High school. But then, Ingrid drew back with her face showing sadness.

“Hey?” Natalie called more charmingly. “What’s wrong now, we just have to find Caitlin. She’s studying here too.”

Ingrid sighed. “I found out late that she was studying here.” She begun.

Natalie narrowed her eyes. She could not understand the ‘was’ in Ingrid’s sentence. Caitlin shifted? Why? She asked herself quickly in her mind.

“Natalie, Caitlin’s no longer with us.” Ingrid announced.

“What do you mean?”

Ingrid took in a deep breath and said, “last year, there was an explosion at our school… Caitlin, she died in that explosion.”

“Jesus.” Natalie whispered covering her mouth. She could not believe it.

Caitlin died? how? why? stay tuned to find out...