Frame Story
Jess Brodie

“Watch it, four-eyes,” snarled a boy in varsity jacket as he bumped into Henry. Henry shifted nervously away from him and walking over to his AP English class. He saw triplet girls are about to entered into the classroom and he opened the door. He held it for girls to enter first and the girls smiled warmly at them and chorused simultaneously,“Thank you, Henry.”
Henry said,“You are welcome.”
Henry entered the classroom which it was filled 32 students who is threw paper airplane or trying to impress girls by threw the wad of paper into the garbage basket from long distance. The loud chatter of people filled in Henry’s ear and Henry went to his seat. Henry sat down and pulled out his AP English textbook on the table. Henry also pulled out the blank paper and started to doddle it. The teacher walked with her back straightens stiffly into the room and gasped in shock. The teacher quickly took her ruler and banged it on the table. Henry abruptly stopped his drawing and looked up to find the source of the loud bang noise. The classroom noise level went down except the loud banging of the ruler repeatedly. The ruler with the end of the stick was worn from the many years of slap it down the desk and the teacher gave the students calm but creepy smile. The teacher said,“Now, we will start our chapter three of the textbook. Please open up to the page 210. Read from page 210 to 300. Xavier! Stop clowning around and start reading!”
The boy who was fooled around with the girl behind him quickly took out the book and started to read, refused to look at the teacher in the eyes. The teacher gave a satisfied smile and sat down comfortably in the swivel chair. The teacher took out the romance novel and started read until the class was finish with the reading. Henry noticed some of the students pass around the notes to their friends. Henry shifted his focus on the book. Much later, the class dismissal bell rang across the school. The students sighed out in relief, saved by the bell. All of the students rushed out the AP English classroom to get away from their sadistic and dictator teacher. Henry walked out the classroom and some girls waved at him. Henry gave them lazy wave. One girl came to him and asked,“Are you okay? You have some bags under your eyes.”
Henry said,“Yeah. I am fine. Just tired, that’s all.”
The girl gave him suspicious look and Henry sighed,“Ashley, I am fine.”
Ashley nodded in comprehension and went to her class. In Henry’s mind, he was deeply troubled by a terrible memory he has hold for long time until he saw the new girl who have hair that looking like if her hair was on fire, she has forest color of eyes, and attracted lot of boys’ attention. When he first saw her hair, he started to remember his past and he has nightmare about it every night and couldn’t sleep at all. He has serious problem. The problem is that he likes her. At lunch, Henry sat down with the red haired girl and said, “Lorraine, do you mind if I sit here?”
Lorraine looks at Henry and said, “Sure. You can sit here. What’s up?”
Henry shook his head and said, “Nothing much but very tired.”
Lorraine teased, “Oh did you see any ghost last night?”
Henry said, “No, nightmares.”
Lorraine’s smile disappeared, “Oh, I hate nightmares. They sometimes feel so real. That is one thing I hate the most. I understand why you are very tired.”
Lorraine picks up the knife expertly to cut up her potato and Henry saw the hand that gripping the knife. Henry suddenly has blinding white flash then he heard those words,
“Blood! Red haired girl standing over two dead bodies with knife in her hand!”
Henry snapped out of his trance and looked at Lorraine. Henry asked her, “Is that supposed to be dangerous? I mean holding that knife like that.”
Lorraine looks at her thumb and said, “Oh that is just my habit. Yeah, you are right. It can be dangerous to me.”
Lorraine removed her thumb off the sharp edge and put it down on the tray. Henry shifted his focus on his food and dig in. Few minutes later, the bell rang signaled that lunch is over and return to your sixth period. Henry picked up his backpack and slung over his shoulder. He dumped the content that was still left on his tray in trash can. He exited the cafeteria and headed over to auditorium. The cafeteria located at west side of the building while auditorium in east side of the building which it required Henry to run. Henry arrived at the door with sad and happy face masks plastered front of him. He opened the door and entered. The room was darker than he thought. His eyes adjusted to accustom the dim environment. The only bright lights were focused on the stage. The stage has two tables set up facing each other and four chairs for each tables. The two chairs at one of the two tables were occupied by two people. The tall with short brown and curly hair stood front of them spotted Henry in auditorium seat area and said, “My fellow member! Come on up here. Good to see you again. Now the debate club can start.”
Henry jumped onto the stage and went to his chair. He sat down and greeted his fellow members. The debate club leader announced, “Okay, as you know that we have debate match against Brutus Sapienta and I have to inform you that they are notoriously known for their rebuttal. Let show them how brave and gallant Caesar Veritas really are! Our topic for tomorrow debate will be category of politic and it will be about should American Forces invaded Syria or American Forces to stand by? Brutus Sapienta’s leader, Samantha Reyes, personally requested to me that her team take the invasion question. That mean we have to find other way to counterattack their debate so that American Forces to be standby.”
Henry and the team crowded together and discussed the topic. They found a best way to counterattack Brutus Sapienta’s rebuttal and questions. It takes them one hour and fifteen to finalize their plan and questions. The dismissal bell rang across the school and Henry waved good bye to his teammates and the teammates returned wave. Henry slung over his backpack over his shoulder and went out the auditorium. He raised the hand to guard his eyes from harsh sunlight that was beaming through the skylight window. Henry spotted a familiar red haired girl came out the Science Hall. Henry ran to Lorraine and said, “Lorraine!”
Lorraine turned around to the sound of her name. They headed over to Social Studies class and they are in same class. Henry asked, “How was your class?”
Lorraine groaned in annoyed tone, “It is so boring! The teacher keeping talk about how the combustion work for one hour straight then pass out the papers that was completely not related to what the teacher was talking about. Look at this!”
Lorraine fished the paper out the Chemistry textbook and gave it to Henry. Henry looked at the paper and said, “Oh, it was not related, all right. Really? He talking about combustion for almost whole of the time then give you paper that talk about Electromagnetic field? Oh boy. It sound like you got a cheapo and lousy chemistry teacher.”
Lorraine nodded in dismay and asked Henry, “What about your sixth period?”
Henry smiled and said, “Debate Club is doing well. We will face against our longtime rival, Brutus Sapienta.”
Lorraine winced, “Ohhhh, I hear about them. They are very tough group to crack. They won’t give up until their opponent surrender. You and your team better to have best luck.”
Henry said, “Yep, the debate club was not like back in Denio High School.”
Lorraine stopped in her track and said, “Say again?”
Henry said, “I said that the debate club was not like back in Denio High School.”
Lorraine’s eyes widen and said, “You come from Nevada?”
Henry said, “Yeah, I come from Nevada. What’s wrong?”
Lorraine shook her head, her red hair flying around like fire, “Nothing. Just that I thought you come from Minnesota or Iowa.”
Henry shrugged and opened the door for Lorraine to enter. Henry came in the classroom and a young male teacher with casual shirt with denim jeans and he has headphone dangling from his neck, was sleeping on the rocking chair. Many girls who took liking to him cleared their throat simultaneously and it was loud enough to wake him up. He jolted and fell off the chair. He regained his composure and stood up so fast that it looks like it never happen. His eyes were very groggily and asked the classroom, “Uhh, what is the time?”
One girl pointed her index finger at the clock. The teacher looked up to the clock and look at the classroom again. He said, “Right. It is 2:10 now. So, do you have your textbook?”
He wander around the desks then suddenly jumped on one of the student’s desk with his big Michael Jordan brand sneaker and pointed at him, “Tell me, when is Napoleon’s last defeat in Waterloo?”
The student was taken aback from his own teacher’s action. After he gotten over his initial shock and answered with grin, “On June 19, 1815, Mr. Bradford.”
Mr. Bradford snapped his finger and said, “Right-o!”
The student who just answered smiled in satisfaction. Mr. Bradford waltzed and stepped on other desk then other until he arrived on Henry’s desk. Mr. Bradford pulled out carrot and took a bite. He pointed carrot at him and asked, “Henry! What is Julius Caesar’s famous quote at end of his life?”
Henry took a moment to think out an answer then the answer popped in his mind. He answered, “Et tu, Brutus?”
Mr. Bradford took out another carrot and gives it to him. He said, “Right again. Carrot is good for your eyes and brain.”
Henry was unsure what to do with carrot as Mr. Bradford waltzed again to his own table and sat down in Zen mode. He jabbed his finger at Henry and said,
“Eat, eat, and eat.”
Henry took a bite and to his surprise it taste very good. He continued to eat the carrot and Mr. Bradford announced, “I have good and bad news. Which one you like to hear first?”
The class answered, “Bad news!”
Mr. Bradford nodded and said, “Well, tomorrow, we will have final exam.”
The class groaned but Mr. Bradford put up his hand in air and the class followed him. Mr. Bradford said, “But, the good news is the final exam will be based on Middle Ages!”
The class cheered because it was their favorite subject. Henry remembered that everybody in the class dress up for middle age style and Lorraine dressed up like a high class lady but the highlight of the class was Mr. Bradford entered the classroom with real medieval knight armor. Henry smiled and saw Lorraine smiled also. The dismissal bell rang across the school for last time for the day. Mr. Bradford shouted over the overlapped conversation, “Remember tomorrow is final exam! Have a good day!”
Mr. Bradford sighed in relief and sat in his rocking chair and put on his headphone in his ears. Mr. Bradford lean back and listen to tranquil music of Beethoven. Henry and Lorraine walked together to their homes. Lorraine lived few blocks away from Henry and she went past Henry’s home as Henry went inside his home. He went to his bedroom and throws his backpack on his bed. He sat down on his desk with computer sitting on the top of the desk. He pulled out his homework and start worked on it. After his homework, he booted up the computer and the computer flicked on. He opened Internet and look at his email then suddenly he thought about Lorraine’s reaction about where he come from. So he decided to check something on Denio news archive and he found an article with images of two adults’ faces on it and it stated,

Murder or Accident?
By Ray Anthony
The incident occurred on June 21st, 2010, on 129th Maple Elm Street in Denio, Nevada. The two bodies were identified, Alexander and Ava Flores, local residents of Denio. Denio is very small town with population of 45 people. The Denio Police Department (DPD) confirmed that Alexander and Ava were killed by the weapon of knife. DPD decided to bring in FBI forensic team on July 23rd, 2010 to investigate on bodies. John Brooks, one of the forensic expert and leader of the team, stated, “It was knife wound and it is the main cause of wound but we also found lot of alcohol in Alexander and Ava’s system which it is possible that they were killed by accident. The way the knife stab area was affirmative that someone did handle the knife but in defensive way. Nobody know how but we also found another set of footprint which we suspect it to belong to eyewitness but many people claimed that they saw a girl with red hair running away from the house. So, we can’t say it was murder or accident until new evidence show up. Thank you.” On July 25th, DPD did man hunting for Alexander and Ava’s daughter, Cheryl Flores, and turn up with nothing. On July 26th, the eyewitness gives statement to Judge Pennyworth. On July 29th, Judge Pennyworth officially closed the case. Judge Pennyworth said, “We closed the case because the eyewitness has given me the statement but the suspect disappeared without any trace. We cannot do anything until new evidence show up.”
Henry read again and hit the print button. The printer printed the paper and it spit out on Henry’s lap. Henry folded up the paper and put in his pocket. He went downstairs and jotted on the notepad that he will be out for while. He went outside and walked to Lorraine’s home. He arrived Lorraine’s home few minutes later and knocked on her massive oak doors. The door opened by Lorraine and Henry said, “Hello. Can I come in?”
Lorraine said, “Sure. What’s up?”
Henry said, “Remember where I came from? Well, here the news article I found on the internet. Here read this.”
Henry pulled out the paper and opened it up. He showed it to Lorraine. Lorraine looked at the images first and let out a little shriek. Henry said, “What’s wrong? Come on, read this article. It should interest you.”
Lorraine said, “No. No. I know about this news but I couldn’t stand read this again.”
Henry noticed Lorraine’s eyes were sort of in trance-like and Henry shook her gently. Lorraine screamed and pushed him away. Henry fell on the wooden floor and said, “Gee! I am trying to help you.”
Lorraine has tears forming in her eyes and she apologized, “I am so sorry. I’m sorry. I thought you are my father.”
Henry asked, “What did you say?”
Lorraine’s eyes widen and it looks like she says too much about her. Henry asked again, “What did you say?”
Henry was very confused and trying to figure out why Lorraine said father. Lorraine shook her head, refusing to answer his question. Henry said, “Are you come from Nevada too?”
Lorraine’s expression become sour and said in difficult voice, “N-Nevada.”
Henry asked one more time, “Okay, are you come from Denio also?”
Lorraine put on her hands on her ears and squeezed her eyes tight shut. Henry stood up and went to her. Lorraine hyperventilated as she continued to keep her eyes shut. Henry pulled her arms away from her ears and pulls her into hug. Henry said, “Why are you like this?”
Lorraine’s face finally has tears streaking down her cheek and sobbing hard. Lorraine said, “When you said Denio High School, I remember what I did to my parent.”
Henry said, “Tell me.”
Lorraine sat down on the floor and said, “I killed them with knife. Lorraine is not really my name.”
Henry said, “So, your real name is Cheryl Flores. Where were you after the death of your parent?”
Lorraine said, “Yes that is my real name. I run away and got help from my friend. My friend drove me to here, Nebraska where I lived with my relative. How did you know about the murder?”
Henry said, “Simple. I was there.”
Lorraine said, “You saw all of this?”
Henry said, “No but I did see you standing over the two dead bodies then you took off. Why did you kill your parent?”
Lorraine said, “They tried to kill me and somehow I got their knife. My father fell on me and my knife just stick in his body then my mother did suicide on herself with the knife. You know that my parent is very abusive?”
Henry remembered,
“What are you doing?” screamed her father. Henry stood behind the tree and heard slapping sound. The crying was come from Cheryl. Henry followed her and her father to the behind of the house after her father dragged her out the picnic party. Suddenly, Cheryl running into the house crying but what make Henry gasp in shock was that her face was bruised all over then her father went back to party with fake pleasant face on him.
Henry said, “Oh yeah. Were your parent drunk on the day you killed them?”
Cheryl said, “Yeah, I remember there was big bottle of vodka and beer.”
Cheryl burst out more crying and Henry comforted her and Henry said, “I got to tell to police.”
Henry and Cheryl went to police station and told the desk sergeant about what happen. Blond buzz cut haired sergeant with drill instructor’s face repeated what happen and call Denio Police Department. The sergeant hanged up the phone and pointed his finger at Henry and Cheryl. He said, “Judge Pennyworth ordered you to show up in the court by next week on Monday.”
Cheryl and Henry went to Denio Court building on Monday in their Sunday best clothing and saw Judge Pennyworth was sitting behind the high desk. Cheryl and Henry took turns explaining their stories to Judge Pennyworth. Judge Pennyworth listened to the stories. The social caseworker show up in court and give her testimony about Cheryl’s parent being abusive and she failed to file that report. Few days passed then months passed as the witnesses show up on the court telling their testimony pointing to Cheryl’s parent. On final day, the jury went to other room to discuss the crime and Judge Pennyworth went inside his office. Henry and Cheryl was edging on their chair until the bailiff said, “All rise in order of Judge Pennyworth.”
Everybody stood up and the jury filled in the seat and Judge Pennyworth returned to his seat. One of the jurors stood up and announced to Judge Pennyworth, “Your Honor, we found Cheryl guilty of death of Alexander and Ava Flores.”
Judge Pennyworth sighed and looked at Cheryl and Henry. He let the longest minute ever passed and cleared his throat. He said,
“Cheryl Emily Flores, you are found guilty of manslaughter. Your sentence will be 3,000 hours of community service plus 16 sessions with counselor. Henry Williams Erwin, you are highly praised for your bravery of bringing in the suspect and found new evidence. The court is adjourned.”
The gravel banged across the courthouse. The news article by Ray Anthony once again appeared on front pages on every newspaper companies,
Flores Case Solved!
By Ray Anthony
On May 23rd, 2013, three years passed since the Flores case officially closed are now officially opened. The original eyewitness appeared to the court but this time with the suspect he found in Lincoln, Nebraska. The trial of Flores case last few months before they reached to conclusion. Cheryl Emily Flores is found guilty of manslaughter and is sentenced with 3,000 hours and 16 sessions with counselor. Henry Williams Erwin is highly praised for bringing in the long lost suspect and able to help Cheryl to tell whole story. The case is officially solved on August 11th, 2013.”