Мэг Кэбот - Avalon High стр 18.

Lance was going to remember a meeting with a teacher.

 Maybe I should have called to remind him, I said apologetically to Mr. Morton. Hes,

um, got a lot on his mind right now.

 What hes going to have, Mr. Morton said severely, is another flunking grade in this

class, to match the one he got in it last year.

 Oh, dont do that, I couldnt help crying out. Hes having a really hard time right now.

 Im not interested in hearing about the trials and tribulations of Avalon Highs star

guard, Mr. Morton said, in a tired voice. Im sure hes very sorry for what he let happen

to Mr. Wagner during Saturday nights game, but that isnt any of my affair.

 Im not talking about that, I said. I mean, there was this whole blowup with his best

friend and his girlfriend, and

 I would imagine any blowup between Mr. Reynoldss best friend and his girlfriend

would hardly be any of Mr. Reynoldss concern. Mr. Morton raised one gray eyebrow.

And certainly would not excuse his absence here.

 Thats just it. I felt stupid telling a teacher stuff that really wasnt any of his business.

On the other hand, I really did feel Lance had a legitimate reason to have forgotten our

not just to me, but to Lance, as well. After all,

or so he probably

meeting. Hecaused the blowup. Lance did. I mean, its not really his faultwell, I guess

it sort of is. But I dont think he could help it any more than Jen could. Then, seeing that

Mr. Morton was staring at me sort of incredulously, I realized I was babbling, and said,

Look, the whole things this huge mess, and he probably just forgot. Is there any chance

we could reschedule for tomorrow? I swear Ill

 I broke off, because Mr. Mortons face had suddenly gone as gray as his beard.

 He looked like he was going to be sick.

 Mr. Morton? I rose from my desk in some alarm. Are you all right? Do you want me

to get you some water or something?

 Mr. Morton had risen from his chair. Now he stood clutching the edge of his desk like it

was the only thing keeping him upright, murmuring something. When I hurried up to him

and leaned closer to hear what it wasI thought maybe he was whispering for me to call

nine-one-oneI was surprised to hear him saying, Too late. Started

idea. Were too late. Entirely too late.

 I glanced at the clock.

 Were not too late, Mr. Morton, I said confusedly. There are still five more minutes

until the bell

 Then he looked up.

 And I stumbled back a step. Because I had never seen as much despaircoupled with a

strong dose of fearin anyones eyes as I saw in Mr. Mortons at that moment.

 Its happened already, hasnt it? he rasped. Shes with him? With Reynolds?

 I swallowed. Id expected there to be some gossiping about what had happened between

Will and Jennifer and Lance. When Id climbed onto the bus that morning, Id heard a

few people murmuring that Avalon Highs It Couple had broken up, although no oneat

least if Lizs very direct questioning of me was any indicationappeared to know why.

 But for a teacher to take such an interest in his students love lives? It seemed a little

bizarre. Mr. Morton looked positively suicidal. His pale gray eyes, peering out from

beneath slightly craggy brows, had a beaten look to them, as if theyd seen something

almost too heartbreaking to bear.

 Um, I said. Do you mean Jennifer Gold? Because she and Lance are

together now. And then, because it was what Id told Will he should say to everyone, if

he wanted to prove he really was relieved, like hed said, about the two of them being

together, I added, And Will is really happy for them.

so soon. I had no

well, theyre

 But this didnt seem to have the desired effect, since Mr. Morton blanched even more.

 He knows, then? About them?

 Well, I said. I couldnt, for the life of me, figure out what was going on here. Since

when did a teacher care so much about whether or not a high schools It Couple had

broken up? Then again, this was Mr. Morton, the most beloved teacher in the schoolto

some people, anyway. The ones who didnt want to kill him, the way Marco had.

 Um, I said. Yeah. I mean, yes. Will knows. He found out yesterday. ButI added

hastily, when Mr. Mortons face crumpledhes fine with it. Really.

 Mr. Morton sank slowly back into his desk chair. He sagged there, a look of hopeless

desolation on his face.

 Were doomed, he whispered, to the wall.

 Which was when I decided that this? Yeah, this was probably not normal. Even for Mr.

Morton.

 I didnt know what to do. Mr. Morton appeared to be having some kind of breakdown

right in front of me.

 But why? Why should Mr. Morton care so much about who Jennifer Gold was dating?

 Then I remembered where Id last seen Mr. Morton. At the game.

 And suddenly, it all made sense. Well, sort of.

 Really, Mr. Morton, I said. I think youre overreacting. Lance and Will are good

friends. Theyll probably only emerge stronger because of this. And, you know, you really

shouldnt worry so much about it.

 Mr. Morton lifted his head to look at me. His lips, I saw, were moving, but no sound was

coming out. Then, slowly, he seemed to find his voice.

 I tried, he wheezed, his face as white as the chalk marks on the board behind him.

They cant say I didnt try. I did my best to bring the two of you together. But we were

simply too late

 His expression was one of the bleakest I had ever seen.

 Theyve won, he continued. Theyve won again.

 Mr. Morton, I said, in what I hoped was a soothing voice, I really think youre making

too big a deal out of this. Avalons still got a very good chance at making the district

too late

.

football finals. Will and Lancell work it out. Youll see.

 I smiled at him brightly

but my smile faded as he stared at me coldly.

 Um, I said. Youare talking about football, arent you, Mr. Morton?

 Football? Mr. Morton looked as if he were about to choke. Football? No, this isnt

about football, you stupid girl. This is about the never-ending battle of good versus evil.

Its about one man, born with the capability of saving this planet from ultimately

destroying itself, and the forces of darkness that are keeping him from doing so.

 I had no idea whatsoever how to respond that. Mr. Morton had leaned forward. His gray-

eyed gaze seemed to hold me transfixed. I couldnt move. I couldnt speak. I couldnt

even breathe.

 Its about all of us being plunged once again into the Dark Ages, Mr. Morton went on,

in that same raspy voice, and this time having no light to lead us out again. Its about us

being forced to stay there until another can be born, grow, and rise to take his place

we can get to him before they do next time, that is. Its aboutfailure , Miss Harrison.My

failure. For which everybody else on this planet will suffer for the rest of their lives. That

is what its about, Miss Harrison.Not football .

 I blinked.

 Oh, I said.

 Well, what elsecould I say to all of that?

 Mr. Morton sagged back in his seat and dragged his hands over his face.

 Get out, Miss Harrison, he said through his fingers. Please. Just go away.

 I picked up my backpack. I didnt know what else to do. He obviously didnt want me

there. Whatever he was going throughwhatever he was talking aboutit didnt have

anything to do with me. It was likely it didnt have anything to do with anyone

but Mr. Morton and whatever he was keeping in a bottle in his bottom desk drawer

 Because he was clearly unhinged, poor man. Nobody in his right mind talks about the

forces of darkness taking over the planet. Nobody.

 Except that

 Well, hed seemed so sane up till then.

 Then, just as I reached the doorway, something that hed said struck mereminded me, in

a strange way, of the words of another

 I turned to look back at him.

 Mr. Morton, I said.

 When he glanced at mehis face still a mask of utter despairI went on. Does this have

anything to do with

 Ill never forget the look that came over his face then. Never for as long as I live.

 Howhow did you know about that? he breathedso raspily, it was clearly an

enormous effort for him to speak at all. Who told you?

 Um, I said. Im doing a report on her. Remember?

 Mr. Morton looked visibly less tense. At least until I added, And, uh, Wills stepbrother,

Marco, mentioned something, too

 And there went the color from Mr. Mortons face.

 The stepbrother. He shook his head, looking bleaker than ever. Of course. If only

only

 And then, I could have sworn he said, If only I had stopped him when I had the chance

.

 Stopped who, Mr. Morton? Except that I knew. Or thought I did, anyway. Marco. He

could only be talking about Marco.

 Except that I thought hehad stopped Marco. Stopped Marco from trying to kill him. Isnt

that how the rumor went? That Marco had been trying to kill Mr. Morton, and Mr.

Morton had stopped him?

 Mr. Morton. I stood irresolute in the doorway. What was happening? What was going

on? It was true I had fantasized the other night that Jennifer was Guinevere and Lance

was Lancelot, and that Will was Arthur, and Marco was Mordred

 But that was only because

Astolat. Not to mention the fact that we all go to Avalon High, home of the Excaliburs. I

hadnt thoughtI hadnt even dreamedit could be remotelyreal .

 Because it couldnt be. All of that had happenedif it had really happened at

allhundreds of years ago. As the daughter of two historians, I know better than anyone

that history canand often doesrepeat itself.

.

with the Lily Maid of Astolat?

.

.

well, of what Marco had said about me being Elaine of

 But not likethis .

 And no oneno one in his right mind, anywaywould believe it could.

 Except

 Except for a member of the Order of the Bear, the group I read about who believe King

Arthur is destined to be reincarnated one day, to lead the world from the dark ages

 But Mr. Morton couldnt be part of something so ridiculous. Hes ateacher . A good one,

from everything Id heard. Teachers dont believe in silly things like that a medieval king

is going to be reborn and save the world.

 I was letting my imagination run away with me while Mr. Morton, over by his desk, was

still suffering. There had to be something I could do for him. The poor man was clearly in

need of

something.

 Mr. Morton, I said. Wont you

I think you might be sick.

think

 Mr. Morton did something strange then. He lifted his head and smiled at me. It was a sad

smile. It didnt come easily, either.

 But he smiled, just the same.

 Im not sick, Elaine, he said. Except at heart.

 I fingered the strap to my backpack. Wont you tell me why? I might be able to help,

you know. I had no idea how, of course. But I had to ask.

 Mr. Morton seemed to understand, since he spoke more kindly than hed ever spoken to

me before.

 Its too late, Elaine, he said, in the same defeated voice. Thank you all the same. But

its far too late. And better for you, in the end, not to know. After all, your part in it was

over before it could even begin this time.

 What do you mean this time? I shook my head. What do you mean by my part in it?

 But just then the bell rang.

 And Mr. Morton sighed tiredly and said, Youd better get along to class, Elaine.

 But what about Lance? Dont you want to reschedule?

wont you let me get the nurse? You dont look well. I

 No. Mr. Morton took the newspaper from his desk and dropped it, unread, into the

trash can. His tone, when he spoke again, had a knell of finality to it. It doesnt matter

now, you see.

 And with that, I knew I was dismissed.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

 I told myself I was being crazy. I told myself I was being ridiculous.

 I told myself lots of things.

 But I did it, anyway. Instead of joining Liz and Stacywhod informed me my

initiation had been scheduled for the upcoming weekendfor lunch, I did what I always

did when I didnt know what else to do: I called my mother.

 I didnt want to. But after my strange meeting with Mr. Morton, Id moved through my

morning classes in a sort of daze, feeling more and more uneasy with every passing

minute.

 Your part in it was over before it could even begin thistime. Mr. Mortons voice rang

inside my head.My part?This time?

 If only I had stopped him when I had the chance

from doing what?

 None of it made any sense. It was like the ravings of a lunatic.

 But Id looked into Mr. Mortons eyes, and I hadnt seen a hint of insanity. The only

thing Id seen in them was despair.

 And fear.

 It was stupid. It was impossible.

 But when the lunch bell rang, I was on the nearest pay phone anyway.

 The Order of the Bear? my mother echoed wonderingly. What on earth