Chapter 8 - School

Daniel entered his classroom at NASHS and there were snickers from one corner as Jenkins was watching something under his desk. Jenkins, who had a passion for video recording, was one of the big lads who sat at the back. “Hey what's the go bro”, called Stevens.

“You know I live opposite to Danny boy don't you. I got my new video camera trained on his front lawn. Like why pay for Netflix when you can watch this.”

Jenkins passed his mobile phone to Stevens and they watched as bastard Bob started kicking the hell out of a Ford Fiesta with Danny's mother in it. Stevens held up the phone, “Hey dudes, here's the domestic at Danny's last night. The class started gathering around “Jesus look at the old guy go”, said someone as a kick ripped the fender from the rest of the body. The video zoomed in to Danny's mother scrambling for the passenger side of the car with her face in fear. “She looks like a demon being exorcised.” called another.

“She must have been breaking commandments to incur the wrath of Moses”

“Must have broken all ten of them”

“Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live”

“Is that what it says”

“No shit that's what the good book says”.

All that Danny could do was to hide his face in shame.
The laughing from the class got louder and louder until Mr Hoskins, their class, and more specifically their history, teacher came in. Using mobile phones in class meant confiscation and crossing Jenkins was not to be taken lightly. They were silent.

Mr Hoskins, a tall man with a stern look, had been around the block a few times in his career and knew that something was up. He started walking up and down the rows of tables. “I wonder what could enforce such blanket cooperation at a moments notice?” as he headed toward Jenkins and Stevens. “Well gentlemen, any news for me”.

The exertion from laughing and now the tension from Hoskins looking so intently at them caused just enough sweat from Jenkins' leg to penetrate his trouser pocket and activate the touch screen. “BIIITTTCCHHHHH” yelled the betraying device.

It was too much for the class to contain themselves any longer. They burst out laughing and it was all he could do for Mr Hoskins to keep a straight face, but succeed he did. “Hand it over” Jenkins complied. In the few seconds it took him to pause the video he had seen enough to know it was a serious domestic.

“I want this class to be in silence while I am away and when I get back.” He strode off toward the Principal. He entered her office. “Mrs Walsh, sorry for interruption but I've just just confiscated a mobile phone with serious content on it.”

Mrs Walsh turned to the new student. “Imogen, can you be kind enough to wait outside for a few minutes while I attend to Mr Hoskins.” Imogen left.

Mr Hoskins, who had the same model phone, showed her the video from start to finish. “Mark, I know that Simon Jenkins has many failings as a student, but he is excellent at the visual arts. Are you sure that this video isn't, how shall I put it, fake. Realistically how many old men can do that?”

“Are we sure it is not doctored. Reporting of domestic violence to police is mandatory. I suggest we hand the video to the police and leave it to them to determine how authentic it is. “

Mrs Walsh nodded, “Ah perfect timing, Sergeant Becker, to complain about the graffiti no doubt, Please show him in.”

Sergeant Becker was indeed there for the graffiti, “Henry Becker meet Thomas Hoskins”, the men shook hands and Mrs Walsh showed him the video.

“Of course official testing will need to be done on the video, but this man is known to us. He is physically capable of those actions and is considered extremely dangerous. If, for any reason, he shows up at the school do not try to apprehend him but call us immediately. He would have left heaps for forensic evidence around and who was the student living at the residence?”

“Daniel Monkton”.

“Well there is a clear danger to Daniel to continue to be living there in the presence of this man. We'll take immediate steps to arrest him and call you when he is in custody. How did you come across this evidence.”

“A student, fellow classmate, living across the road. Do we have to go there?”

“Possibly. But we will try not to. Better get to it and make sure this guy is behind bars.” Sergeant Becker was off.

Mrs Walsh sat down. “Send in Simon, when you've taken Imogen MacBeth to class. Here's her history, make sure you read it. Pretty extreme stuff.”

With the mood of the class as it was Mr Hoskins took Imogen to one of the interview rooms and introduced himself. He read the briefing, maintaining composure. “You're being thrown in with a pretty rowdy bunch, are you comfortable with that, Imogen?”

“I'm sure, after all is said and done, that they are just a bunch of kids.”

There was something about her tone, the authenticity of her voice that sounded so out of place with her statement. She aint one of the normal ones, a voice in the back of his mind told him. “That's easy enough for someone of an older generation like myself to say, but it can be different when you're just a kid yourself.”

“If that's the viewpoint that you're comfortable with, Mr Hoskins.”, in a condescending tone.

Hoskins didn't want to get off to a bad start. “Well, if you're ready, lets proceed to class 11B.”

He caught the sight of the top of some students head as he turned the corner into the final corridor. The brown hair disappeared, the door closed and the class fell silent. A few seconds later both student and teacher entered the room.

“Today Imogen joins us in our studious endeavour for academic excellence. She has been transferred from Mt Lockyer.”

“Hello Imogen”, they chorused. They had learned that Mr Hoskins took introductions very seriously.

“There is a spare seat just over there toward the back. Simon, Mrs Walsh requires your presence immediately. You may wish to consider the legality of your recording on your way there. Simon got up and realised that he had been deluding himself that somehow the law didn't count because he was just a school kid. Now he was worried but composed himself and made a point of having a good look at the new girl. “I really don't think you're in a position to play the alpha male, Jenkins.”

Jenkins blushed with embarrassment and was at a loss for words.

“Of course he isn't, which is why he is the alpha male. Not that I'm impressed.”, said Imogen.

“Whoa”, the class chorused. A flicker of appreciation crossed his face has he turned for the door.

Talk about a quick climb to the top, thought Hoskins, but can she stay there. “You're sitting next to Daniel Monkton today Imogen. Carla, can you please show Imogen the ropes for the next few days.”

“Yes sir.”