Rick heard sirens in the distance on their way to Wenscott Academy as he headed down Main Street towards The Olde Country Store. Rick briefly considered returning to the school to tell the police what had actually happened. Who would believe such a story?
He imagined the chief of police saying, "Oh, yes, I see. And what did Terrence, I mean the Devil, do next? Stab you with his pitchfork? Now I know what my kids mean when they tell me they had the substitute teacher from Hell!"
As Rick approached the corner of The Olde Country Store, a hand reached out from behind the building and pulled him out of the sunlight into the shadows. He barely forced out the beginning of a scream when the hand's owner, anticipating that might occur, covered his mouth.
"Shh! It's just me. Your mother
