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"Stop" he screamed. "This matter is much more serious than you think. There is something behind all this... something demonic. These are not children! They are...something else." The rest of us were shocked into silence. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He went on. "Have any of you been around these children. I have. I spent most of Sunday with several of them. They are no longer children. There is something...inside them. We must fight it. It threatens us all."

Now I was pissed...and scared. It never occured to me this could turn into a witch hunt. "You've out of your mind." I said and stormed out. Sister Willa walked out with us, probably an exit more insulting to the priest than the rest of us combined. Variety took her hand as we walked. "I'm sorry Willa, I'm sure that didn't help our cause for leaving the school open but I just couldn't abide that dirty trick. If I have caused you any embarassment, I apologize."

Sister Willa looked at Variety with sparks in her eyes. "Do not apologize child. Your actions were the only honorable ones that occurred in the room. Before the meeting started, the good father informed us that the diocese has already decided to close the school until this crisis is over. They apparently feel the risks for the church are greater than the needs of the children.

" Willa's normally warm features burned with anger. She visibly controlled her emotions and smiled at Variety. "So, we are battling windmills once again it would seem. I am sorry my dear, I`m afraid there is nothing for us to do but go home and wait it out." While Variety and John collected a few things in her classroom, I walked out onto the playground to say goodbye. The school had been a special place in my life and given the events of the last two days, I doubted I would see it again any time soon.