What He Took

Chapter 1

Present: January. News cameras and crews surrounded Olympus High School Monday morning following the announcement of a fatal accident involving one of the school district’s employees the night prior. This January morning felt crisp, even though the sun was out. The sun was shining brightly off the cars and vans that surrounded the school, making the ice crystals appear to be dancing. The crew anxiously awaited for the superintendent to arrive and discuss his thoughts on the matter at hand. Karla, the news reporter from WCOTV, was the first to notice him stepping out of his white sports car. She could tell he was trying to avoid her, but she reached him too quickly for him to scamper away.

Looking back at the camera man and she walked briskly towards the man in the Italian suit, Karla whispered in a low tone, “Begin on my countdown. And 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. We are here with Superintendent Waymer to discuss the tragic incident surrounding one of his employees, the principal of Olympus High School. Sir, in your own words, how is the staff responding?” Karla breathed heavily as she spoke.

“You know, we are at a loss for words. We are still trying to wrap our heads around the entire situation. Something like this rarely happens in our community. Our priority is finding all the facts before making any decisions.” The superintendent appeared to be annoyed.

The staff of Olympus High School gathered in the media center waiting for word on how the school would proceed. The staff trickled in one by one, noting how silent the room was. Everyone stared at each other puzzled. The entire faculty sat in silence together, where it usually buzzed with banter from the staff and students. Mr. Johnson decided to walk over to the tv and turn it on while they waited for the superintendent to arrive. As soon as the tv buzzed on, they recognized his voice immediately.

“Dr. Barber is a key component in making our district successful,” Dr. Waymer noted. “She has implemented programs that greatly impact business owners, parents, and students. We are all waiting anxiously to see how this plays out. I’ll have no further comment until we hear the final report. Thank you.” Superintendent Waymer walked away from Karla before she could ask any other follow up questions.

“Back to you at the station, John.” Karla finished.

The staff sat in bewilderment staring at the television screen. Superintendent Waymer had asked the staff of Olympus High to arrive early Monday morning before the students did to discuss how the school would proceed. He advised the staff to turn off their phones upon arrival. He wanted to ensure nothing was posted to social media without him knowing it first. The staff waited patiently, wondering what the final word was.