In a small town lies Kaijo High School, but our story no longer takes place there. In the city of Tokuko, five hours from Kaijo, 4 old friends, who were a part of their high school culture club, alongside some new faces, embark on the next stages of their lives, and this is their story...
March 2027. Tokuko Elementary
It's been two and a half years since the group faced a series of obstacles and dramatic happenings that seemed to have been ripped straight from fan fiction. The day they received the news that Kieran had died was the same day that a series of small earthquakes hit the local area. The group had felt like they were being abducted by aliens as the bright white lights of the news helicopter reporting on the earthquakes had engulfed them while they dealt with the devastating news they had just received. The devastation of October 21st 2024, had remained with the group ever since, but they had been able to move on and in time repair their lives and move forward.
Michi: Ok, so what's the plan for April?
CC: I think Lizzy said that she had all the plans ready to go and that she would share them with us later
Michi: She just loves holding us all in suspense
Alex: Tell me about it
Michi: I just want to get planning for my class next year and this not knowing what I'm doing is really stressing me out
CC: It's not deliberate, there's apparently a lot of changes that need fine tuning so Lizzy couldn't really share anything with us until she knew for definite what was happening. Wouldn't be fair if we all started planning for something that never ended up happening
Michi: That's true, I guess
Alex: I bet you wish you were still the senior teacher of us don't you?
Alex chuckles
Michi: Ha sometimes. I mean, I stepped down because it wasn't right for me after losing.... Anyway, Lizzy stepped up for me and she proved she has a natural flair for the job so I was never really going to argue against that
Lizzy enters the classroom
Lizzy: Hey y'all, sorry I'm a bit late
CC: If Kieran was here, he'd make a snarky comment I'm sure
Lizzy: Yeah and I would have kicked his ass, so I hope none of you are planning to pick up that legacy
Alex: No ma'am
Lizzy: Look I'm really sorry that it's taken so long to get everything sorted. There's been so much to sort out and arrange that we've not been able to release schedules and such
Michi: The first grade teachers already got theirs though?
Lizzy: Yes well, there's a reason for that. Uh I guess I should just straight out with it. I have been offered the job of Assistant Principal.
CC: Wow that's amazing!
Alex: Really good news!
Lizzy: Yeah so because of this, the details around the inner workings of our department have needed more time to arrange. Basically, I won't be your department lead anymore
Michi: Are we getting a new teacher as well?
Lizzy: Luckily for you guys, you get to keep me. There isn't enough in the budget for me to solely be Assistant Principal so I'll still be teaching grade four, alongside my new role. I'll just be a normal teacher in the department, who you know, also happens to be your boss. There is though now an opening for a new head of department that you are all welcome to apply for but I think that we would be looking at you Michi, to take back the role as it's previous holder.
CC: No complaints from me
Alex: Or me
Michi: Well thanks guys
Lizzy: Anyway, here are all the schedules and information etc. Since it's so late in the year and you've all been messed about so much, nothing is really changing, same classroom, same grade etc. Any major changes will now take place next year instead so if by that point you would like to consider changing grades and stuff then we can discuss all that in time.
CC: Awesome
Lizzy: On a more serious note however, we've finally been given permission to create a permanent memorial for Kieran. It's been a bit of a battle since he wasn't technically teaching here when he died but the school board have agreed that we can recognise and commemorate the role that he played in the school
Michi: Is there going to be a ceremony?
Lizzy: Well, yes and no. There are no students here anymore that he taught, they've all graduated to middle school, so it seems pretty redundant to host a school assembly for it, but there will be a service where those that were taught by him or remember him will be invited to attend. The main thing I'm asking for here is for your help to arrange it all, be a part of it etc, as the people that knew him best here.
CC: Of course
Lizzy: We're planning the ceremony for mid-April, around what would have been his 30th Birthday. There'll be a bench on the grounds named after him, and a little display put up in the halls around our classes
Michi: That's really nice
Lizzy: It's been a long time coming and I bet he's lapping all of this up wherever he is, me being this nice to him. It's a good thing he is dead otherwise I would have had to kill him of he'd witnessed this
Kaijo High School. July 2024
Lizzy: You ok there?
Kieran: Just had the feeling that someone was talking nice about me somewhere
Lizzy: I can say with certainty that it's not me
Kieran was sat in his classroom, in his chair in the back corner, by the window which overlooked the sporting grounds as well as the fields beyond. A couple of months ago, Kieran had felt like things were repeating themselves in a similar manner, as if he was reliving experiences, or at least similar ones. On the advice of his friend Lizzy, Kieran had shaken these thoughts, stopped running from everything and allowed himself to live in the moment. Kieran was finally at peace now, finally happy and free.
Kieran of course didn't realise but he was now in the afterlife, he had questioned this feeling only once before, when Lizzy had encouraged him to stop running. In that moment, a million different emotions, thoughts and feelings passed him by, the feeling of having been to the school before, but in different circumstances was his biggest reasoning, but when he cast everything aside and allowed himself to stop, allowed himself to live without running, these feelings all passed him by and sped away. He was happy and he wouldn't swap that for anything. Those feelings hadn't troubled him for a while, these so called previous memories never reappeared, but sometimes, only sometimes he would get a feeling that somewhere out in the world, he was being referenced, but only for a moment, and then it was gone and he was back in his own happy world. Though lately, they had been reoccurring, as if a link to his former life was still active, not that he realised this.
Lizzy: Am I talking to a brick wall here or do I need to punch you like one?
Well, almost happy
Kieran: Sorry
Lizzy: I asked you what's happening with the sports festival next week? You were supposed to find out whether or not you could be freed up to help me with the admin stuff
Kieran: Well.....
Lizzy: You little bitch
Kieran: It's not that easy to get out of these things!
Lizzy: Try harder
Kieran: I still have to compete in at least one event, that was what the teacher said
Lizzy: Well I guess that's a little victory
Kieran: I don't understand how you ended up overseeing all the admin stuff. Isn't that what the student council's for?
Lizzy: I made an impassioned plea that the Culture club were better placed to oversee it since we're responsible for the festivals and stuff
Kieran: We're only responsible for the culture festival
Lizzy: Still, they agreed with my line of thinking
Kieran: I guess I can help with some stuff then
Lizzy: Good, then we're meeting at lunch to prepare things, oh and after school each day for the rest of this week
Kieran: Hang on what?
Lizzy: We should be done by 5 most days...hopefully
Kieran: No but Lizzy
Lizzy: Such fun
Lizzy begins walking towards the classroom door
Kieran: Lizzy!
Lizzy: Such fun!
Kieran: I jus-
Lizzy: Such fun!
Kieran: Can you wa-
Lizzy: Such fun!
Every time Kieran tries to speak, Lizzy repeats the same two word phrase until she has left the classroom and out of sight
Kieran: God damn it
Tokuko. March 2027
Tori: I'm back
Delia: Took you long enough
Tori: Traffic was terrible
Delia: You work in the building next to us, I can literally see it from the window
Tori: There were leaves on the carpet
Delia: Whatever
Tori: Didn't think you'd be back yet anyway. Thought you'd be at the gym
Delia: Y'know there is more to me than just the gym, it's not my only personality
Tori: I didn't mean it like that, just you said that you were going to go after work
Delia: I did, I finished work at 2
Tori: Who finishes at 2?
Delia: I do. When you open a store at 6am, you better believe I'm not spending my whole day there
Tori: Spoken like a true manager
Delia: Regional Manager thank you
Tori: You got the job?
Delia: Sure did, I'm officially moving up the ranks again
Tori: We need to celebrate
Delia: Yeah sure do, but first, before I forget, Lizzy called, they're holding a memorial thing for Kieran next month and wanted to know if we'd go
Tori: What at the school?
Delia: Yeah, it's all finally been arranged apparently. I said we'd be there, didn't really want to say no
Tori: No one says no to Lizzy
Delia: Well one person did, and he's dead so that kinda proves the point
Lizzy, Katie and Yazzy's House. March 2027
Katie: Oh god. Oh god, crap, freaking crap
Katie is pacing around the lounge area as Yazzy comes down the stairs
Yazzy: What's wrong?
Katie: Lizzy is going to kill me
The entire downstairs area as far as Yazzy can see is covered with boxes
Yazzy: Jeez, what did you buy now?
Katie: I don't know!
Yazzy: What do you mean you don't know?
Katie: I mean I DON'T KNOW! I have no idea what all this is
Yazzy: How can you have bought all this and not know what's in it? Just open it and see?
Katie: No I can't, I can't do that, because then that acknowledges that I've bought it, I need to get rid of it all before Lizzy comes home. She can't know I've done this again
Yazzy: Where's it all going to go?
Katie: I DON'T, KNOW! Look stop asking questions and help me hide these boxes. I'm freaking out over here
Yazzy: Look, I have one more question, how did you do this?
Katie: It must have been the other week, I had a few glasses of drink and I went online. Bad combination I know, but I was in a groove and you know... anyway I didn't think I'd bought anything but I must have because look it's all here and now what do I do?
Katie hears a car pull up outside
Katie: Shit, it's Lizzy, quickly we need to move it all
Yazzy: There isn't time
Katie: SHUT UP AND HELP ME MOVE IT ALL
They begin to start moving boxes as the keys are heard opening the door. They both panic and freeze in place as Lizzy walks in
Lizzy: Oh....
Lizzy looks around at the carnage in front of her
Lizzy: My order finally came, awesome
Katie and Yazzy's jaws drop
Tokuko Elementary. March 2027
CC: Can't believe it's the final day already
Alex: This year sure has gone quick- Oh Jefferson, can you pick your coat up please? It doesn't belong on the floor does it?....Thank you that's much better, now off into class please
Lizzy: Are we all good to meet in my classroom after the final bell today? I know it's the last day and we all want to get out of here quickly, I just want to run over a couple of things before we finish for the year
CC: Yeah course, I wasn't planning on leaving straight away anyway
Alex: Same here, I was planning on taking my displays down after school so I'll be here
Lizzy: You've still got them up? I took mine down last week
Alex: I hate an empty classroom
Lizzy: So do I, I hate bare walls but I hate displays even more so I wanted them down asap. I just stuck a movie on and did it while they were distracted.
CC: Surprised you haven't put next year's up yet
Lizzy: I was going to, but the little darlings can't keep their hands to themselves so they'd be scuffed or damaged before I knew it
Michi: Lizzy? Sorry I know it's the last day and all but Mrs Washington wants a word, she's not happy about Mia's class next year, apparently there are too many distractions
Lizzy: I think what Mrs Washington forgets is that her daughter is the main distractor, and that ultimately I don't set the children's classes...well from next year I will but it's whatever
Michi: Sorry, I tried to explain but-
Lizzy: No I know, they won't hear it from anyone who's not their child's teacher, it's cool. CC, keep an eye on my class would you please
Later that day
Alex: Thank god for that, the little shits are finally gone
CC: Alex! Language, they might still be around
Alex: Whoops
At this point, Lizzy arrives
Lizzy: Thank fuck
CC: Oh well
Lizzy: I've just seen the last one off the premises so we are finally pupil free for the year
Michi: What a long year
Lizzy: Yeah and I don't want to make it too much longer so I'll be quick
CC: It's all good
Lizzy: So next year is proving to be a bit tricky to arrange
CC: I thought it was all sorted and such
Michi: Yeah, we have all our timetables, it's not changing is it
Lizzy: No I mean it is all sorted, timetables aren't changing or anything. it's just there doesn't seem to be enough time in the day for me to teach and be Assistant Principal, likewise Michi, you should really have more leadership time than what you're down for
CC: What does it all mean
Lizzy: The school have agreed to hire a floating teacher
Alex: Like a ghost?
Michi: Obviously not.....right Lizzy?
Lizzy: Not a freaking ghost, my god you guys, my kids are smarter than that. They're going to hire a teacher that won't be fixed to one classroom but will instead work across the school. So for example, they'll be teaching my class twice a week on a Wednesday and a Friday to free me up to do leadership things, and Michi, they're going to teach your class every Thursday afternoon and then in the morning on alternate Thursdays.
Michi: Oh nice
Lizzy: The other two days they'll be teaching other grades in the school but I just wanted you all to know that effectively, we'll have a new member of staff in our department for three days a week
CC: Do we know who yet?
Lizzy: The Principal and I are hiring next week so no I don't know who it will be yet, sorry
Michi: Well, we can't argue with additional staff now can we?
Alex: Exactly!
Lizzy: I've also got conformation for Kieran's memorial service. April 18th at 4pm in the gym
CC: That's amazing
Lizzy: Yeah, we'll discuss it more when we come back but just wanted to let you all know. On that depressing note, thank you Kieran you fucking shithead, go and have a good spring break.
Kaijo High School. July 2024
Kieran walked the long avenue that led to the school, although he was now heading away from it. Another day in paradise was other and Kieran was making his way home. This part of his journey home was his favourite part, every single day, a moment of calm, of tranquility, a chance to just-
Lizzy: Hey shithead
Lizzy karate chops the back of his head
Kieran: Hey
Lizzy: You left pretty quick today, something bothering you?
Kieran: If I said you, would you hurt me?
Lizzy kicks Kieran in the shin
Lizzy: You don't need to say it
Kieran: Ow, god that really hurt
Lizzy: Then it was successful
Kieran: What do you want?
Lizzy: Why are you being so cold to me? This is unacceptable Kieran, you know I don't tolerate this sort of behaviour from you
Kieran: Sorry, I was just lost in thought
Lizzy: You've been doing that a lot lately, I thought you'd stopped all that
Kieran: What thinking?
Lizzy: Well yeah, don't want to overwork that last brain cell
Kieran: If I only have one brain cell left, it's because you destroyed the others
Lizzy: Well....yeah that's true. No but seriously, you always seem like you're in another dimension lately
Kieran: I've felt like I am. I don't know, it's hard to explain but like, you remember a couple months ago when I said that I felt like I'd been in this place before, but it was all different
Lizzy: Yeah and I told you to stop running
Kieran: Yeah, and I did. I did stop running, I've allowed myself to just live and experience happiness, and I am, I really am....but this feeling keeps appearing, it keeps chasing me, like earlier when we were in the classroom, I felt like I was being discussed, like a part of my life was playing out, but not this life, and then those feelings came back, I was sat in my seat but it wasn't my seat. The view felt wrong, the room felt wrong as if this is a reality that's slightly different from what my brain knows
Lizzy kicks Kieran again
Kieran: Ow!
Lizzy: You're being weird again
Kieran: Ah I'm sorry
Lizzy: Look I don't know how to stop that feeling or whatever, I don't experience it so I don't know but like, just remember where you are and that this is real, this is now. You're not anywhere else, you're here
Kieran: Yeah that's true
Lizzy: Look, Katie and I are meeting up with Michi and Hunter to go watch a movie, I can't believe I'm even saying this but why not come along with us
Kieran: You sure?
Lizzy: No but I'd accept before I change my mind
Kieran: Fair enough
Lizzy: Well see you in a bit
Lizzy begins walking off before turning around
Lizzy: 7pm outside the theatre.
Kieran: Got ya
Lizzy walks on ahead, maintaining a speed quicker than Kieran's stroll so that she is soon out of sight. Kieran thinks back to earlier, his feelings of deja vu, he just can't put his finger on what it could be, or even mean. Whenever he tries to focus on that feeling, it's like he's stopped by an invisible wall, preventing him from digging too deep.
Michi: Are we all set for tomorrow then?
Kieran turns around but Michi is not there, although he knows for certain he heard her voice. The feeling returns but as he tries to focus on it again, he loses it. With the feeling gone, he continues his walk up the avenue.