Chapter One – The School Teacher
After killing the Witch and being thrust into their first assignment the time keeper Njal came to them.
Suzy, Jim, and Albert were on the porch enjoying the summer breeze. Then time stopped and the Viking Warrior Njal appeared in front of them. In a deep echoing voice he spoke, “You have done well my faithful servants. You have past my first test without direction. Being thrust into a strange time and place with no directions is shocking.
I’m very pleased you went right into action and did what needed to be done. There is much for you to learn. You will need to be observant of all things around you, and act accordingly. You will work as a team, but I’ll test or use you one at a time as needed. I will send Suzy first. I have a little boy that saddens me. This is an important rule, “Innocents is always protected. We will fight to the end if need to protect it. If you ever need help call upon me and I’ll do what is needed. I will call other Warrior’s if needed, and even a Horse Men if that’s what it takes.”
Then Suzy was alone with the Viking Warrior Njal. In his deep echoing voice he spoke, “Love hurts it can be so bad that it consumes you. Your very being will be taken over by it. This clouds your thinking. You’ll make bad decisions, and lose all faith in love. This has happened to the mother I’m sending you to. I will make you a school teacher for her son Jimmy. I will also give you the power to stop time. Just say, “By the power of Njal I command time to stop. Then to restart it you just do the same. To call for help just say. By the power of Njal I command Jim to appear.
His stepfather is possessed by many Demons. I have sent others to remove the demons, but he just lets them back in. There is no saving him.
She has tried to leave him time after time, but her husband always finds her and drags her back. This is what I want you to do. Take the mother and child to another time. Then the child will be free of the pain that is haunting me. I’m sending a messenger to tell the boy you’re coming. Now go forth.”
Jimmy was only six years old and in the first grade, but he knew what his dad was doing was not love. Little Jimmy pulled the covers over his head and whispered, “Please make him stop hurting mommy. My mommy needs love. Please send her love. My love is too little, and can’t stop my daddy.”
Then time stopped and it went dead silent. Then the covers slipped from his head, and Jimmy saw a Ninja Warrior Princess smiling at him.
Jimmy’s eyes opened wide as she spoke, “My dear child your love is strong. It’s so strong it traveled the world to find me. I’m sending you some help. You will meet the fire red haired love Warrior. She will help you save your mommy. Do you understand?”
Jimmy nodded his head, and the Warrior disappeared.
Suzy awoke in a strange room. Climbing out of bed she went into the next room. She was in the kitchen of the house that she rented when she first met Jim. All her stuff was gone, and it felt strange. Then the diel phone on the kitchen wall started ringing. Suzy saw a calendar next to the phone that was turned to September 1969. She picked up the phone and said. “Hello.”
“This is the Principal at the grade school. Miss. Johnson is out sick and we need a substitute teacher for her first grade class. I was wondering if you were available.”
Suzy replied, “I’ll be on my way.”
The Principal affirmed, “We look forward to seeing you Miss. White.”
Suzy hung up the phone, and looked around the room. She saw a purse on the kitchen table. Opening it she saw a wallet and car keys. She went back into the bedroom and picked out a dress from the closet. Slipping the dress on she went to the bathroom. Brushed her hair and got the purse. In the driveway was a 1965 Ford Falcon. Suzy thought, Thank you grandpa for teaching me to drive that old truck. Inside the car was a three-speed manual column shift.
Suzy mumbled, “Three on the tree. I got this.”
She pushed in the clutch pedal, and started the car. Then she pulled up on the shifter and pushed it up into reverse. Backing the car out on the street she pushed in the clutch pedal, and pulled the lever down into first gear. Letting out the clutch she was off to the School.
A few blocks away Sabrina was fixing breakfast. Her husband Jeff was complaining, “What the hell is taking so long?”
Sabrina explained, “I got Jimmy’s pancake in the pan now. I’ll put your eggs in next.”
Jeff insisted, “Turn the burner up and cook the dam thing faster. My damn toast is getting cold. You’ve become a worthless bitch. I don’t know what I ever saw in you. You look like hell in the mornings. You need to wake up looking better.”
Sabrina set the pancake on Jimmy’s plate and assured, “I’m doing your eggs now.”
Jeff bitched, “Don’t break the yoke or over cook them. You know I like to dip my toast in the yoke, and you always screw that up.”
Then Jeff insisted, “Take Jimmy to catch the bus. Jeff watched her from the window eating until she returned. Then Jeff demanded, “Give me your shoes.”
Sabrina argued, “I haven’t eaten yet.”
Jeff muttered, “Maybe you’ll cook faster next time. Now give me your shoes!”
Sabrina begged, “Please Jeff just take my shoes. I’ll be good, I promise.”
Jeff ordered, “Get in the basement. I’m locking you in the laundry room. You can’t be trusted.”
Jeff locked Sabrina in the laundry room and went to work.
Parking at the school Suzy went into the office. Seeing Suzy the Principal announced, “Oh good you made it. I’ll take you to your class,”
Showing Suzy the class room the Principal informed, “I believe Miss. Johnson keeps a lesson plan book in her desk drawer.”
Then he left and Suzy sat at the desk. Pulling open the drawer she took out the book. The morning lesson was writing letters L,M,N, and O. Suzy put the book back in the drawer as the children started coming in.
She went to the blackboard and wrote L. Then put the M under it until she got to the O. The children were all talking and horsing around. A few were sitting at their desks waiting. Then the bell rang, and Suzy sat on the front of the desk. Some of the kids were having trouble settling down, and one little blond haired boy stared intensely at her.
Suzy announced, “Let me know when you’re ready. I’ll just wait right here. The room went quiet as everyone stared at the substitute teacher. Suzy got up and walked between the desks as she announced, “I’m Miss. White and will be your teacher today. Would everyone take out a piece of paper and a pencil? Then write the letter L at the top of the page.”
Suzy walked around the class looking at their papers. Then she went to the black board and wrote “ove” after the L. Stopping at one little girl Suzy requested, “Let me see your pencil.”
Suzy erased the “o” and handed the pencil back, as a little spark flew from her hand into the girl’s hand. Then she announced, “Try again”
Suzy moved on as she saw a boy stick out his tong at the girl she helped. Walking over to the boy she made a little ball of bright flashing colored light the size of a pea. Suzy let it roll off her finger to the boys shoulder. As she bent down and whispered in the boy’s ear, “Now doesn’t that feel better than what you’re doing?”
The boy replied, “Sorry Teacher.”
The entire class stared at Billy. They had never seen him apologize for anything. Then Suzy announced, “Now let’s do the “V” this one is easy just a straight line down then up.”
The Principal peeked in the little window in the door. He watched Suzy walking around the class. All the children had their heads down working. He thought. Good job Miss. White. Then he was on his way.
Suzy sat on the front of the desk as she addressed the class, “You already know how to make an “e” right.”
One little girl replied, “Yes, Miss. Johnson did that one already.”
Suzy went on, “Now put the “e” on the end and wright you name at the top.”
Then she walked around the class looking at the names. Looking at a girl’s paper she announced, “Nice job Joannie.”
Then looking at another she confessed, “Nicholas, that’s a big name for a little boy.”
She went around the class until she got to Jimmy. Suzy knew this was the boy. He couldn’t stop looking at her. Suzy revealed, “That looks good Jimmy.”
Then Suzy instructed, “Now put an “M” under the L.”
Then she added an “om” to make Mom. For the “N” she had them do the same adding “ow” to make it Now. Then Suzy wrote a sentence, “I Love Mom Now.”
As they were finishing the recess bell rang, and all the children looked at Suzy. She insisted, “What are you all waiting for? Go!”
With that there was a mad dash for the door. Except for Jimmy he just sat at his desk looking at Suzy. She walked over and questioned, “Don’t you want to play Jimmy?”
Jimmy questioned, “Are you the Love Warrior?”
Suzy put her finger to her lips and went, “Shhh, that’s a secret.”
Jimmy continued, “The Princess said she was sending you to help me. I need you to stop my daddy from hurting my mommy.”
Suzy insisted, “That’s not your daddy Jimmy.”
Jimmy replied, “I know, my real daddy died in the war.”
Suzy thought,
Oh yah this is the height of the Vietnam War.
Suzy insisted, “That’s an evil Demon, and we need to get you and your mommy away from him.”
Jimmy insisted, “It won’t work he always finds us and hurts mommy bad.”
Suzy felt the boy’s pain and made a ball of bright flashing colored light, and pushed it into him. Then she questioned, “Do you feel that?”
Jimmy disclosed, “It feels like a big hug from mommy.”
Suzy insisted, “Just let me take care of this and it will feel like that a lot.”
In the school yard a group of girls were gathered by the slide. Nancy disclosed, “I like Miss. White. She’s not like Miss. Johnson.”
Daisy agreed, “I know she makes writing our letters fun,”
Then the bell rang, and soon the children were coming back in.
Suzy wrote a capital and lowercase version of each letter on the black board. Then she sat on the front of the desk. When the class settled down Suzy explained, “I hate to do this, but your teacher has it in the lesson book for today. I need you to take out a piece of paper and put your name at the top. Then write each capital letter and lowercase letter ten times.”
Suzy heard a few moans from the class, so she walked around the class giving encouragement. One girl was having trouble with her “o’s.” Suzy requested, “Let me help you.”
Putting her hand on the little girls hand little sparks bounced around as Suzy helped her make an “o.” Then Suzy insisted; “Now you try it.”
The little girl made a perfect o, and Suzy just smiled. Soon the class was finishing, and Suzy was collecting the papers. Setting the paper’s on the desk. Suzy disclosed, “We have a few minutes until lunch. You can move around and talk if you wish,”
Then Suzy erased the blackboard as she listened to the noise of the class. It was like Music that was coming in waves. Then the bell rang and the kids started to file out of the class. Except Jimmy who stayed in his seat.
Suzy questioned, “Where do you live Jimmy?”
Jimmy informed, “722 west Elm Street.”
Suzy pushed a little ball of bright flashing colored light into Jimmy and insisted, “Go eat lunch Jimmy, we’ll come up with a plan.”
As soon as Jimmy was out of site Suzy cried out, “By the power of Njal I command time to stop.”
Then she cried out, “By the power of Njal I command Jim to appear.”
In an instant there stood Jim in front of her barefooted and in his underwear. Suzy blurted, “Jim! You’re in your underwear!”
Jim replied, “I always sleep in my underwear. Where the heck are we?”
Suzy replied, “They sent me on a mission. This is September. 17th, 1969, and they sent me to save a little boy. Now look around, blink home, and come back.”
Jim disappeared and in a flash he was back. Suzy explained, I’ve been sent to save a boy and his mother from his stepfather. He’s Demon possessed by many Demon’s. I’ve been her all day teaching the boy’s class. Now I need you to take me to his mother. We’re in Lambert and I’m staying in my old house on 35th in 1969. The boy’s house is on 7th and Elm. Do you think you can jump me there?”
Jim replied, “I’ll do 7th and Walnut, then we can just walk the block to Elm.”
Jim took Suzy’s hand and in a flash they were standing on the corner of 7th and Walnut. Walking down 7th Suzy explained, “Its 722 west Elm.”
Soon they were standing in front of the house, and they walked up to the door. Jim looked through the window, but didn’t see anything.
Suzy questioned, “Should I start time and knock on the door.”
Jim questioned, “You can do that? Start and stop time?”
Suzy replied, “For this they gave me that power.”
Jim replied, “No, let’s go in and look around to see what we’re getting into first.”
Jim took Suzy’s hand and blinked them to the other side of the door. Jim went down the hall, and Suzy went into the kitchen. Jim headed back to Suzy announcing, “No one in the bedrooms.”
Suzy replied, “I found stairs to the basement in the kitchen.”
They went down the stairs and looked around. Suzy insisted, “I don’t see anyone.”
Jim replied, “Let me check this door with the padlock on it.”
Jim disappeared and in a flash he was back explaining what he saw. Jim told Suzy, “Prepare yourself. She’s lying on the floor in there, and has bruises all over her body.”
Then Jim took her hand and they were standing in the laundry room.
Suzy gasped, “Oh no! Is she alive?”
Jim replied, “I don’t know I never touched her.”
Suzy kneeled next to her and touched her. She moaned a little and was crying.
Suzy whispered, “We’re here to help you.”
Opening her eyes she begged, “No! You have to go! If he finds you here he’ll kill me.”
Suzy took her hand and pulled her up as she assured, “No one is ever going to hurt you again.”
Then Suzy made a ball of bright flashing colored light and pushed it into her. She took a deep breath and wobbled around a little as she exclaimed, “I haven’t felt that for years.”
Suzy insisted, “I’m here to make sure you feel that the rest of your life, but first I need to know your name.”
Sabrina informed, “I’m Sabrina, but you don’t understand, I’m trapped. Last time I tried I had help and made it to Portland and he still found us.”
Suzy looked at Jim and exclaimed, “She doesn’t understand.”
Gripping Sabrina’s hand tight Suzy took Jim’s hand and insisted, “Jim take us to the kitchen in the house on 35th.”
In a flash they were all standing in Suzy’s kitchen. Suzy let go of Sabrina’s hand and she froze.
Then Suzy explained, “I’ll stop time at 2:30 when the bell rings. You blink Sabrina out front of the school; I’ll start time after you get there. Then we can take them to the house. Then decide what time we’re putting them in. I was told to move them to another time. Now blink me back to my class and I’ll start time.”
Back at the class room Suzy passed out a math work sheet. Then she wrote on the black board as the children worked. Suzy wrote, “You can't see it, but you know when it's there. You can’t buy it or take it. Sometimes a person may win it. Though not seen or heard it may be perceived. Some people want it; some people give it as a gift. It can make people insane, and people are hurt when they lose it. It can even be blind. It can be given to many, or just one. What is it?”
Suzy turned to the class and explained, “I’m leaving this riddle for your Teacher. You all know the answer. It was the first word you learned today.”
Billy was waving his hand wildly and Suzy questioned, “What do you need Billy?”
Billy replied, “You have to put a circle around it and write save, or the Janitor will erase it.”
Suzy smiled, “Thank you for reminding me Belly.”
Billy smiled big as Suzy put the circle around it and wrote save. Then Suzy read the riddle to the class, and questioned, “If you know the answer raise your hand.”
Almost everyone’s hand went up. Suzy pointed to Daisy and requested, “Would you tell the class the answer Daisy?”
Daisy stood up and announced, “Its “Love” Miss White.”
Suzy informed, “That’s the most powerful thing in the world. One day you will find that people will do anything for it. It’s the one thing that the more of it you give the more you get.”
Looking at the clock Suzy announced, “Oh look at the time. Put all your stuff away, get your coat, and lunch pail if you have one. Then line up at the door.”
The last few minutes seemed to take forever. Then the bell rang and Suzy announced, “By the power of Njal I command time to stop.”
Then Suzy went out to check on Jim. Jim blinked Sabrina down the road from the School. As they neared the School Sabrina took a tight grip on Jim’s arm. Then she stopped making Jim look at her. She cried out, He’s out front waiting for me. He must have come home for lunch and found I was gone. You have to take me home!”
Jim insisted, “Didn’t you hear what I told you. We’re Demon Hunter’s, and he has no power over us. Time is stopped. Look at him he hasn’t moved an inch.”
Jim tugged her arm and made her walk up to Jeff. Then he pulled away and Sabrina froze. Jim grabbed both biceps of Jeff and insisted, “See that woman coming out? She’s a Demon Hunter!”
Then they disappeared. Jim shot them five thousand feet in the air. Shaking the mam Jim yelled, “Demon! I’m talking to you inside of this man. Right now you are falling to earth at a rate that will destroy this body. Then that Demon Hunter will cast all of you back to Hell. Then you can spend the next thousand years finding another host.”
Suzy saw Jim disappear with the man, and walked to Sabrina. She touched her and she came to life. Sabrina’s eyes opened wide and she questioned, “Where did they go?”
Suzy replied. “It’s probably better that we don’t know that.”
Then Jim reappeared and ordered, “When time starts you leave.”
Then Jim let go of him and he froze. Suzy informed, “This isn’t going like I planned, Jim I’m going to get Jimmy.”
Suzy went back into the school. In her room the children were froze in place by the door. She touched Jimmy and he came to life. Pulling him from the line she exclaimed, “Your mom is outside we need to go.”
Jimmy questioned, “Why isn’t anyone moving?”
Suzy replied, “I’ve stopped time to keep you safe Jimmy.”
Jimmy threw his arms around Suzy and yelled, “I knew you were the Love Warrior!”
Gripping his hand Suzy drug Jimmy down the hall as he looked all around. Going out the door Jimmy saw his stepfather, and stopped dead in his tracks. Suzy kneeled down and whispered, “He can’t move Jimmy I’ve stopped him, but look over there. Do you see your mommy?”
Seeing his mom Jimmy yelled, “Mom!”
As he drug Suzy running to her. She kneeled on one knee catching Jimmy for a hug.”
Suzy instructed, “See that turquoise 1965 Ford Falcon in the parking lot? That’s my car. Take them to it, and I’ll go in and start time. Then I’ll be out as soon as I can.”
Then Suzy turned and went inside. Back at her class she called out, “By the power of Njal I command time to start.”
Then the children flooded into the hall. Suzy closed the door and went to the office. Inside she announced, “I’m going home now.”
