The Death of 1977 (Book 3)

"Now, say de alphabet backwards dis time." The medium sized, young Mrs. Fortuna commanded her second grade class as she methodically strolled past all twenty-seven desks on her way back to her own desk in front of the small classroom.

With some rolled eyes and some lethargic moans, the children, in unison, all began reciting the alphabet in reverse while the rain outside that following morning pounded against the four brick walls of the tiny schoolhouse. It was quite apparent that each student would have loved to have been anywhere else in the world other than their own school. It wasn't that they couldn't say the alphabet backwards, it was just the simple fact that performing such a task was just that, a task. Meanwhile, Mrs. Fortuna, with her tightly wrapped braided hair, leaned against the edge of her desk with her arms folded and listened to not only her lackluster students drone on and on, but also the rain that sounded as if it were increasing in its fervor. Yes, the walls of the schoolhouse were made of stone, but the roof was metal, rusted metal to be exact. Mrs. Fortuna always made sure in cases of torrential rainfalls to not only keep a steel bucket in the left corner of the room, but also keep a vigilant eye on the roof to make sure no dents would appear.

"Very good," Mrs. Fortuna said out loud. "Now dat you have dat mastered, den perhaps each of you can recite de books of de bible, too."

"I can!" A little girl smack dab in the middle of the class excitedly raised her hand.

"No, no, Liliana, dis is for everyone." Mrs. Fortuna spread her arms wide open.

At once, each student, minus Liliana, either sat back in their seats or slumped down. Some actually turned to the lone window in the schoolhouse and stared outside at the rain like they were wishing it would come and carry them far away.

"Turn around, Gaston and Joonbo!" Mrs. Fortuna admonished two boys.

the rest of the class

Mrs. Fortuna began a tour of her class up and down each row, making sure every student was speaking the words that she wanted to hear. The instant she reached the back of the room, her eyes couldn't help but to be mesmerized by the same rainstorm that the boys found so alluring. The rain was so overbearing that all she could possibly see was a solid, blinding sheet. As soon as the students got to the book of Zachariah Mrs. Fortuna lost interest in

a truck rolling by before she squared her eyes even more out the thin window to see a figure moving about in the rain. It was a dark thing that seemed to be galloping. Tourists would often ride horses up and down along the beach on any given day, but it was pouring and they were nowhere to

see the figure drawing closer and closer while hearing it make such a

"First and Second Peter," the class

of the window and

that she nearly vomited. "Everyone get up and run to de backdoor!" She hollered with

up from out of their seats and clamored for the backdoor. All 27 bodies huddled together in the corner

She screamed before running back to the window and looking out to see where the

growl and roar as it repeatedly ran around the schoolhouse. The children all

corner of the school to the other she raced until she found herself at the backdoor along with the children. Sweating, huffing and puffing, Mrs. Fortuna held guard against the door as the beast stalked back and forth. She pointed her weapon at the door with the children all behind

saying to her students, "You all must be very, very quiet!