Our Generation: The Soap Opera The Devil’S Ropes

Part 2

The front doors to the St. Attila High School gymnasium were heavy and old, and they closed behind the school’s head counselor Mr. Quorn and his guest with a reverberating bang. It was because of this that nobody heard the gunshot that hit cheerleader Laura Mossy in the back, and nobody saw her as she stumbled into the gym from the back entrance and fell to the floor. Laura hadn’t seen the person in the ski mask who shot her, but she knew who was behind the shooting. She stared across the cold linoleum to where Slate Gravel stood. He was pushing around a skinny girl who wore too much jewelry.

“Sadistic creep,” Laura thought. Him and his “parties,” the way they always started out fun but ended up costing a person everything, in the end. Nevertheless, Laura smiled; she knew where all his secrets were hidden. She was too weak now to shout, but slowly, painfully, she began to inch her way across the gym room floor.

A few minutes later screams rang out as Laura Mossy’s body was discovered tangled in the gym’s climbing ropes. The attention of everybody in the gym was immediately focused there.

Zoey Star, the boy’s football coach, told Arianna Jordan to phone the police, and the girl nodded and hurried off, looking pale. The female coach glanced almost suspiciously over at Slate, but the football player simply returned her stare with his usual smug expression and said nothing.

Jewelry Girl, whose real name was Gwenn Petors, went over to where Llib Namlig was now sitting alone. He still looked a little queasy.

Gwenn spoke first. “Things are happening right behind our backs, Jon. I’m tired of this game.”

Jonothon Cordoll, who was actually with the FBI, agreed with his partner. “I know. If I get this sick on the first day of football practice, imagine how the rest of the season is going to be!”

Gwenn squeezed her partner’s hand. “Just you be careful!”

But she wasn’t joking.

Mr. Quorn, meanwhile, still standing by the gym’s front door, listened helplessly to the words of Nathanial Attila III, the school’s primary monetary benefactor. “These events reflect poorly on your school, Mr. Quorn, and through it, my grandfather’s name. I seriously hope nothing like this ever happens again.”

Zeus, the janitor, stood and watched all these proceedings from a distance.

THE SOAP OPERA TELL US MORE What happens next? Send your version of the continuing saga of St. Attila High to the address, e-mail or fax at the bottom of Page B1. Keep your story to no more than 400 words. It should be complete fiction. Avoid references to real people and real situations. Stories must be received by noon Thursday to be considered for publication next week. Include your full name, age, school and home phone number. You must be between 13 and 18 to enter. And be sure to leave a suspenseful ending. Other “episodes” can be found online at http://ourgen.spokane.net.