by Charles Richard Laing

Teacher glared at me as she rhythmically tapped the long scissors against her meaty palm. She was clearly running out of patience with me. The flashing lights in the parking lot and the constant pleadings from the bullhorns outside didn't seem to be helping her mood any.

I tried to focus all my attention on her. Otherwise, if I moved my herd an inch in either direction I would have looked at my classmates. That would have made me sick. I was the only one left alive.

"Do I have to repeat the question, Robert?" she growled. "You know I taught you this. You should know the answer."

Jessie didn't know the answer. Raven didn't know the answer. None of them knew the answer.

She started walking toward me. I couldn't think. I started to cry. But then it came to me.

The sharpened tines were inches from my throat when I screamed, "The Treaty of Versailles! World War One was ended by the Treaty of Versailles!"

"Very good," Teacher said. A sense of relief flooded my body. Then the bell rang and I knew I was done for. History was my best subject. I knew I would never make it through Math.

Copyright Charles Richard Laing 2004