[W.I.P] IDEK :,)

Many legends roam around schools. Some more than others. Some with different origin or maybe differences in how it ends, but it ultimately comes to be the same story. Many schools have their “haunted classroom” stories, maybe one of a student, perhaps a teacher. Whatever the case may be, it’s always the same. Horror rumors circulate around faster than the speed of light. Romance and drama rumors spread around three times as fast, everyone trying to find their fill of school drama to tell their friends, but those that dabble in both genres and categories seem to be ones that fill everyone’s interests.

Nobody seems to know where these rumors start, only that it always shows up on a social media account with the name “Toxic Bane.” Schools all around the precinct wonder who the mysterious account holder is. Teachers have tried to lure out the person, seeing it as disrespectful of the schools that are mentioned. Nothing has worked. Nothing seems to work on them, it’s like they’re not even real..

Their posts circulate the internet almost every night, around 1:00 a.m. They always start with the same introduction.. “Would you like to hear another venomous rumor?” The text then begins to speak upon rumors or legends that circulated schools, most of the time being ones of horrid and gorey descriptions. The account always seemed to be trending when it came to posting their newfound knowledge. Girls would tell the stories to each other during sleepovers and boys would pretend they were survivors during whatever was talked about. Reality is, nobody wishes to be part of those legends. Nobody wishes to be the subject of a legend that is only circulated around the internet and amongst high school kids, just to find their name run through the mud as “stupid,” “unimportant,” and other types of descriptive words that wouldn’t be appropriate for younger people to hear. The world isn’t kind to victims of those rumors. Scrolling through the comments, people speak about how it was stupid to go through whatever happened, but they know whatever really happened to those people, nobody would react calmly. The circumstances and situations leave anyone, brave or timid, rethinking what choices they’ve made up until that very moment. Their beating heart, racing minds, shaking limbs, paralyzing fear. Nothing could lead them up to that moment, nothing can prepare them for such acts of violence.

People wonder what happens after death all the time. Is there an afterlife? Are there shiny, pearly gates waiting for anyone with a virtuous soul? Is there a fiery, eternal blaze waiting for those who have committed their lives to harm and suffering of others? We constantly hope to find those answers throughout our lives, hoping for some sort of closure to look for after death. We wonder if death is painful, if it’s a nice paradise or a numb void. That’s what that account brings. A way to cope through the times we all knew to feel like our end. The account symbolizes our end. The way the victims felt when they died, is what that account wishes to captivate. The pain, the horror, the terror, the paralyzing fear, every single detail begins with the introduction, “Would you like to hear another venomous rumor?”

While everyone makes such a fuss over a person with access to an account, they make such a big deal and fail to realize that they’re right under their nose. A student at Providence’s School for Girls, a school known for its modest students and gentle vibe. Despite the name, the school doesn’t prioritize religion. A student led school to help students captivate their creativity and discovery. Prideful of their modest and intelligent girls, nobody thought to look at someplace like that. The least expected places seem to be the places where everything happens. The source of every single secret and rumor. What makes the girls' so intelligent is the knowledge they know of other schools and how easily it is for them to leak information about them. One wrong step and every school is in a hot seat.

That’s what the account uses. The account captivates the idea of power and brings all those dark rumors to light. Parents feel worried about staff that are found on that account, schools try their best to hide everything they’ve ever done that could ruin their “perfect” reputation, and students feel comfortable that their experiences are not forgotten to the younger years that come after.

I find myself pulled to that account quite often. Every single rumor I hear… I can't help but to post it. I start typing my usual introduction and look through my notes to see which rumor I’d like to choose. I cross off the topic I chose so I don’t get confused later. The pads of my fingers know what to do at this point. Muscle memory takes over and by the time I know it, I found myself looking at a fresh new post ready to be seen and admired, maybe another legend to get teachers attention. It isn’t even an hour before the usual comments and messages roll in. “Who are you?” “Why must you tarnish school’s names like this?” The ones from school staff and teachers, but then there’s the ones from students. “Thank you for this.” “I don’t feel so alone, thanks to you.” I am these students’ voices. Messages of student’s experiences roll in every post.

I walk into school every day like nothing happened. Like how everything I know is nothing, just to see staff give their usual announcements telling kids to step up before they bring enforcement. As usual, it’s a bluff, but students never like to be threatened with useless ideas that never get anywhere. The idea of getting the authorities involved in such useless controversies bore me to no end. The idea that teachers are willing to call them for useless children doesn't make sense to me.

I reach my classroom after a good while of waiting for the wave of children to cede. I sat down at my desk, getting my books and pen in order. A straight-A student making a post about many schools' most gruesome rumors and legends. Such a coincidence. The quiet one nobody other than teachers seemed to acknowledge, backing them up blindly in this revolution of education. The one who all teachers seem to love, is the one who fights against them with such force and resistance that nobody expects. I will be the resistance. I will bring to light everything that seems to be unjust with everyone.

I led this grand rebellion since I could remember. It started off with anonymous notes in the front of the school, then the offices, and when middle school came in, I began the account. I would often hear friends talk about uncomfortable situations they had with their teachers, so I began posting them with the introduction people now know me for. It caught everyone by surprise. It gave the students hope and they started sending me their experiences through messages hoping for someone to post them and bring to light what had happened to them. Nobody fought their war alone and went down without a fight. I’ve been asked anonymously to post stories, and that’s what I do.

For the longest time, I felt I had no purpose. I felt like I was going about life with no real goal in mind. I walked the path of someone with a useless presence, it felt so boring. So devoid of its color and hope. Nothing to look forward to everyday besides seeing the sunrise. There was nothing that kept me alive until I started that account. I made a purpose for myself, and that was sharing stories, rumors, and legends of schools all around the precinct. I made something of myself, even if it is anonymous. I gave myself a reason to keep going. I gave everyone a reason to speak up.

Studies piled on every student. Midterms have students stressing out about assignments they have yet to finish. Teachers have work piled onto them and finish until late in the night. Everyone is overworked and tired. Everyone is bound by the system they were forced into staying in for the sake of making it in the outside world.

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Published by Vxmpy

[W.I.P] IDEK :,)

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