Bab 21: Unrequited love
The admin team started to run but because the Bursar was already tired from escaping the Front Office he started to lag behind.
It was only a matter of time before his legs gave out and he fell to the ground.
Headmaster Peterkin's secretary tried to assist him by helping the Bursar to stand with one hand.
While the secretary brandished her umbrella against the insects with the other hand.
"Just leave me, Miss Francis," he gasped.
"Don't give up now Mr. Singleton, we have almost reached the auditorium, just hang on for a little bit more."
Emboldened by her encouragement Mr. Singleton felt his wavering spirit that had started to dip and rise again.
She believed in him and he fell for Miss Francis all over again.
Now he could rise to the occasion and would risk it all to bravely climb the tallest peak.
Running on nothing but pure adrenaline and raging fantasy.
It took everything within him just to get back on his feet and start running again.
He did just that, the chubby man found the strength he always thought he lacked and the inner courage to get back on his wobbly feet.
A case of unrequited love perhaps, everyone knows that the Bursar, Mr. Singleton had a crush on Miss Francis who was half his age.
He felt like he was going to die without confessing his true feelings.
"Let me take that," he said while grabbing the umbrella from her hand.
Gently he placed her body in front of his, she smelled nice, like wild peonies and reminded him of the first bloom of Spring.
No matter what they tried or whichever direction they ran.
They could not escape the trajectory of the locusts.
The vile creatures pursued them relentlessly as the first set of the locusts veered towards them.
Mr. Singleton brandished the umbrella defensively.
Using the pointed metal tip of the umbrella to inflict as much damage as he could on the pestilence.
Even though he was doing his best the locusts claws extended, and slashed at Mr. Singleton fiercely.
Mr. Singleton did not want to go out that way he felt like he should do something heroic.
Like sacrifice his life to save the others in the admin team.
Perhaps that way they would remember him favorably.
He hadn't kept in contact with family and friends his whole life revolved around work.
All it took was a split decision.
Mr. Singleton flung himself on top of Miss Francis when the swarm of insects lunged at them again.
There was just too many for Mr. Singleton to fend off with the umbrella.
He prayed at least one of them survived as blood gurgled from his lips.
Sweat dripped from his armpits and rolls of flab and soaked Miss Francis who lay beneath him.
One of them slashed at his right hand that held the umbrella.
Shocked by the pain he watched his blood spill from the deep cut, he could see his wrist bone.
Still Mr. Singleton hovered over Miss Francis.
The weight of his body pressing her down to the ground.
Miss Francis shrieked beneath him drawing the attention of the admin team.
Headmaster Peterkin and the head of security, after ushering the others inside the auditorium made their way back determined to assist the stragglers that lagged behind.
One of the security guards brandished a machete, the long silver blade gleamed in his hand.
He chopped away at the locusts to reach the couple while some of the other security guards shot at the locusts to keep them at bay.
Blackish liquid squirted everywhere from where the machete made contact with the giant locusts.
Mr. Peterkin ran over to where the Mr. Singleton still laid undignified perched on top of Miss Francis.
He called to him, "Mr. Singleton… Mr. Singleton…"
No answer.
Mr. Singleton's body remained unmoving despite numerous attempts to nudge him and get him to give Miss Francis some breathing space.
"Mr. Singleton you're crushing Miss Francis," the Headmaster cried in disbelief.
Unwilling to face the fact that his right hand man.
The Bursar whom he knew for years had at some point passed away while being shredded by the claws from the hybrid locusts.
Miss Francis somehow managed to shout, "help me please."
Her cry of despair snapped the Principal back to reality and with the help of another security guard they rolled the Bursar's heavy body off of Miss Francis.
Gasping for air, twisting since her windpipe and rib cage finally found relief.
The Principal helped Miss Francis to her feet.
Shaken and stunned over the recent turn of events, Miss Francis stood up with a grimace.
Her normally pristine, work outfit was soiled with dirt, blood and sweat stains, her hair had become loose from her bun.
In some places her buttons had become undone.
The disparity between wet and dry spots was glaringly obvious and part of her clothes were now soaked through with Mr. Singleton's fresh blood.
She stood now looking down at Mr. Singleton's unmoving body and the pile of locust bodies that were pooling in mounds nearby.
The next batch of locusts were on standby, watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
While the interim leader for this particular group had not yet been killed and watched from the back.
His steely gray eyes flickered with malice, his insect pupils fixed on Mr. Peterkin and the security team that stood between them and their meal.
Those eyes seem to burn and between its mouth, it hissed, "scum of the earth, all you do is destroy, we are here to reclaim what is rightfully ours."
The fact that the insect could speak shocked everyone and it sounded so frightfully horrid and unnatural to the human ear.
The Principal agitated now, stomped his foot in anger and snarled at the horrid insect.
Miss Francis started to back away since none of them were paying her any attention, she saw an opportunity to run and her body seemed to move of its own accord.
"After her, she's getting away," the locust hissed.
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