New Teacher
by Kevin Stadt
Part 1 appears in this issue.
conclusion
Back home, in her bedroom, she pressed the play button on the recording app.
“What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here? At my home?”
“I don’t buy this act.”
“You were staring at me in my apartment.”
William’s half of the conversation was entirely missing. Jenny turned the app off and dropped the phone on the bed as if it were an insect. She gnawed a fingernail while pacing back and forth. “What the hell is this? What’s going on?”
* * *
Jenny sat across from the Adjunct Faculty Coordinator, Dr. Bell, who hired the part-time teachers and served as their main contact in the department. The small, messy office had books stacked on every available surface, and the veteran teacher’s wild white hair frizzed out in every direction. Dr. Bell wore a grandmotherly cardigan over a faded Grateful Dead t-shirt.
“He was at my apartment! I should go to the police and get a restraining order.”
“Let’s just take a deep breath. I know Bill. He took both his freshman comp classes with me, and I thought he was a really good guy. I’m still hoping this might all be a big misunderstanding. When he gets here, we can see what he has to say.”
“Ha. Can’t wait to hear it.”
A quiet knock on the door interrupted them. Dr. Bell rose to open it. Jenny’s breath caught in her throat when William entered. She could hardly recognize him. He appeared at least thirty years older with gray hair, his thin frame swimming in his clothing, and moving as if his joints had been rusted tight with arthritis. Dr. Bell took his hand and led him in as if he were made of glass.
“Bill! So good to see you! Come on in and have a seat.”
His voice came out soft and hoarse. “It’s been too long, Gail. Not sure what all this is about. Is Ms. Brooks here?”
“Yes, she’s right here.” Dr. Bell led him to a chair, then took her own seat. “Bill, I just wanted you to come in so we could clear the air. It seems that you two somehow got off on the wrong foot this semester.”
William looked ancient and confused. “I don’t understand. I’m enjoying Ms. Brooks’ lessons very much.”
Jenny became aware that she was staring at him with her mouth hanging open. She struggled to collect herself, her mind reeling. What is this? Am I going crazy? How did he make himself look so much older and smaller? Maybe this guy is his father, or an actor.
Dr. Bell said, “Ms. Brooks, could you start things off by specifying what the issue is, the way you see it?”
For a moment Jenny’s mouth moved soundlessly. Finally, she cleared her throat and blinked. “Sure. So on the very first day of class, he was waiting in the dark in the classroom an hour early. Scared me to death when I walked in.”
“I like to come to class early to prepare, and I don’t use the lights.”
“Then he told me I smell good.”
Dr. Bell turned to William. “Bill, did you say that?”
“I think so. I do apologize. I know nowadays men aren’t supposed to say things like that. It’s just that I noticed her perfume. Chalk it up to me being old-fashioned. When I came up, complimenting a lady wasn’t considered offensive. Simpler times.”
Jenny wanted to punch something or scream. “Fine, but then there’s what he wrote on the first day of class. It’s the creepiest thing ever. It basically makes it sound like he’s a cannibal.”
Dr. Bell nodded. “Bill, can you shed any light on that for us?”
“Sure. I’m taking the Special Project course with Dr. Conner in the anthropology department, and I’m researching food taboos. I’m writing a paper about why different cultures consider some kinds of meat taboo that others don’t, like how dog or horse meat is acceptable in some cultures, but not others.”
Dr. Bell smiled and held her hands up. “Okay. There you go. I knew there had to be a rational explanation.”
Jenny talked too loud and fast, unable to hold back. “Last night he was...” But she trailed off before even finishing the sentence, realizing how she’d sound.
“He was what?”
“At my apartment. Watching me.”
“I don’t quite follow. He came to your apartment?”
“Yes! I mean, he was sitting on a bench in the park near my apartment.”
An expression of suspicion and waning patience settled on Dr. Bell’s face. “Sitting on a park bench.”
“Yes.”
“Watching you.”
“Yes!”
William lowered his head and shook it slowly, as if deeply saddened by the situation. “Ms. Books, I hesitate to say something like this, but I wonder if you should talk to someone. A professional counselor, I mean.”
“I already do.” Then wishing she hadn’t said that, Jenny shot up and slapped her hands on the desk. “You don’t understand! He’s not even really blind, and he wasn’t this old in my class.” She addressed William. “What is this? Makeup?”
Dr. Bell interrupted. “I think we need to bring this situation to the attention of the dean.” When she turned to William, her tone softened. “Bill, I’m sorry about all this. I’ll be in touch soon about where we’re going to go from here. Thanks for coming in today.”
“It’s okay, Gail.”
William stood and took a few small steps toward the door. He turned his face in Jenny’s general direction and wore an expression of infinite pity. “Ms. Brooks, I don’t understand what’s troubling you, but I hope you sort it out. And since I seem to bother you, I’ll stop by the registration office this afternoon and drop your class.”
Dr. Bell’s voice sounded apologetic. “Do you want any help out, Bill?”
He waved the offer away. “I’ll manage. Good afternoon, ladies.”
Dr. Bell and Jenny watched William slowly make his way out of the room with his walking stick. After he shut the door, Dr. Bell’s eyes narrowed as she studied Jenny’s face.
“Is everything okay? Are you feeling all right?”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing. I’m just asking. Just trying to understand.”
“No, no, no! Please don’t act like I’m crazy. That’s not what this is!”
* * *
Jenny woke in the middle of the night to Ben crying. She dragged herself out of bed and shuffled down the hallway. When she got to Ben’s room and turned on his light, a scream escaped her throat. William stood in Ben’s room, holding the crying baby. But he was not the frail old man he’d been in Dr. Bell’s office. He towered tall and muscular, with a full head of dark hair, even younger and bigger than on the first day of class.
“Please! Give him to me. You can take whatever you want. I have some money in the—”
“There’s a glass of water on your living room coffee table. You’re going to go sit on the couch and drink it.”
“What? Please, whatever you want—”
“Yes, whatever I want. You already said that. I want you to sit down and drink the water. The whole glass.”
Ben wailed. She leaned against the door frame and bent over, hands braced on her knees. Her heart pounded in her ears and her breaths came fast and shallow. When she looked at him again, he took off his sunglasses for the first time and met her gaze. The irises of his eyes were an inhuman, impossible red. She gasped and put a trembling hand over her mouth.
“What are you?”
“I’m getting bored, Jenny. Aren’t you supposed to be smart? With your fancy master’s degree? I’ve already said it twice. Drink the water. If I have to say it again, what happens next is on you. Yes?”
“Yeah! Okay. Don’t hurt him! Whatever you say.”
Jenny walked to the living room, William following with the screaming child. A glass of water sat sweating on the coffee table, and all the window blinds had been closed. She sat down and picked up the cold glass. William watched her intensely. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.
“Please, just don’t—”
He wagged a finger in the air. “Ah, ah, ah. Not another word until it’s gone.”
She hung her head. Am I having a nightmare? Am I sleeping? What can I do? Her mind felt like lead. Finally she moaned, looked at Ben reaching his tiny hands toward her, and slammed the water. It had an odd metallic tang to it.
“See? Wasn’t so bad.”
She wiped her mouth with her sleeve. “Just let me have my baby. If you leave now, I won’t even tell anyone this happened.”
“Sure. Here you go. Has quite a set of lungs on him, doesn’t he?” He handed the baby over with exaggerated delicacy. Jenny cried and hugged Ben, rocking him back and forth while William stood nearby, grinning widely.
“Just go!”
“All right. I’d like to grab something to eat first, though.”
“What?”
“Feel like I haven’t eaten in a month.”
“Take whatever you want and just leave us alone!”
“Whatever I want.” William strolled into the kitchen, and Jenny heard him open cabinets and the fridge as he rummaged through her food, whistling. Jenny tried to soothe Ben, wiping his tears with her sleeve and cradling him while she tiptoed toward the front door to make a run for it.
William reappeared before she got to it. “I don’t know. Nothing in there really strikes my fancy.”
The room started to spin and Jenny sat heavily on the floor, shaking her head.
William leaned in close, his face set in mock concern. “How are you feeling? Everything okay?”
Her words came out slow and syrupy. “Whajoodoodame? Whawassinit?” She struggled to keep her eyes open as everything in her vision doubled. She only barely managed to lay Ben on the carpet before slumping over. Inside her head, she screamed at her body to move, to get up and grab Ben and run. But nothing happened. Jenny watched helplessly as William picked Ben back up.
“That’s a good boy. He’s adorable, Jenny. So cute. I could just gobble him up, as they say.”
Jenny moaned weakly. “No, please!” Tears rolled down her cheeks and she could hardly catch enough breath to speak. “Just don’t hurt him. Anything else. Anything.”
William raised an eyebrow and looked back and forth between Jenny and Ben. “All right. I’m touched. So I’ll give you a choice: him or you. Yes?”
Jenny felt her body was pulling away from her, growing distant. She answered quickly, sure she wouldn’t be able to talk at all soon. “Take me.”
William smiled and nodded as he put Ben on the floor. Jenny’s eyes closed. The last thing she felt before passing out was impossibly strong arms lifting her up, and the last thing she heard was her baby’s screams fading into nothingness.
Copyright © 2019 by Kevin Stadt
