By 
Steve Graham entered the office of Principal Withers. Ricky Simms the current hall monitor placed a gold sash on the principal’s desk.
“Well it’s been a great run,” said Ricky as he shook hands with the principal.
Ricky exited the office.
“Another senior out the door, welcome to hall monitor duty,” said the principal as he handed Steve Graham a gold sash.
“Thanks,” Said Steve.
“Your route will start from the east side of the school to the west side. Here is a ticket booklet to mark up students and a radio.”
Principal returned to his chair.
“Remember, respect the authority.”
Steve exited the office and walked down the hallway. On the eastside of the school were the science halls. The scent of sulfur was thick in the air. On the ground rested a piece of paper. Steve picked up the paper. The name Allison Sandusky was etched on the math sheet.
“Lost homework Sandusky, not your style.”
Steve returned to the office. He placed the paper on the principal’s desk.
“I got something here. Missing homework yet this student is known for having all assignments.”
“Who?”
“Sandusky, Allison.”
“That’s interesting. There have been numerous reports of missing homework. Well, return the paper and look into the matter quietly.”
“Room?”
“301 B English. West side of the school.”
Steve ventured off down the west wing classroom. He approached the bathroom.
“I can afford a quick stop.”
Steve entered the west bathroom next to the band hall. Inside Eddie Pinkerton the school bully beat a kid to a pulp, his fist covered in blood. The victim held on to his backpack for dear life.
“Easiest job ever. I take you nerds out and cash in,” said Eddie.
“Stop!” said Steve.
Eddie called back to the victim.
“You got lucky,” said Eddie.
Eddie turned off the lights. Eddie left the bathroom. Steve turned on the lights. The victim’s face was broken in and swollen. Steve radioed back up. The scent of sulfur lingered on his shirt.
“Don’t worry help is coming. What did he want?”
The victim wheezed.
“My homework.”
His face turned purple before the nurse and Principal Withers arrived. His school badge read Tim Sutton known to the student body as the smartest kid in school. The ambulance hauled him off down the road.
Steve sat in the cafeteria and sipped on strawberry milk. He pulled out Allison’s homework from his pocket.
“Something else is at play here. Why the homework? Eddie only takes money, nothing more, nothing less.” Said Steve.
He flipped the paper over. On the backside was a list of ten names. The very top name read Tim Sutton.
An hour later Sutton died in the hospital. The P.A. system made the announcement.
Two kids a few chairs down talked about science class.
“Science is so boring and it stinks!”
“Yeah because of the sulfur.”
“Sulfur!”
Steve stood up from his chair. He walked down to the science labs. One classroom was dark inside through the window a light flickered.
“There is no class this period.”
Two shady figures gathered in the dark corner. A keychain light emerged between the figures. Steve twisted the knob and opened the door slowly.
“You had one job! Get his homework not kill him. This is so bad!” said a shady figure.
“I didn’t mean to, the bastard wouldn’t let go!
Steve kicked a trash can as he stepped inside the room. The shady figures were alerted at the noise. One figure pushed the other to the ground. The standing figure darted out of the opposing class door. Steve turned on the lights.
“Eddie Pinkerton.”
Steve raced after the hidden figure his feet crashed into the tile with mighty thumps. Outside, the world was dark engulfed in heavy rain. The shadowy figure climbed the ladder to the school roof.
The crisp splash of rain soaked Steve’s clothes. The sky held the might of Zeus as thunder raced across the clouds. The hidden figure now revealed in the eye of the storm. Allison Sandusky.
“Allison.”
“No one was supposed to die! It was a simple job. Eddie was only supposed to steal the homework of my competition!”
“All this for valedictorian?”
“I had no choice!”
“We all have a choice!”
“You’re just a freshman, you wouldn’t understand.”
“Help me understand.”
“My parents would disown me and toss me in the street without a second thought. Harvard or nothing else, I had to be the perfect little girl, hours I bled over books! I was a prisoner!”
Steve took a step forward. Allison took a step back closer to the ledge.
“Don’t come any closer.”
Allison takes another step backward.
“Don’t do it!”
“I’m sorry.”
Steve ran toward Allison. Allison jumped off the roof and disappeared in the night.
