School of Fear Read Free Page A

hysterical, and neurotic
     boy in the borough of Manhattan. He was also kind, genuine, sweetly naïve, and a vault of unusual facts. His mind often journeyed
     to dark places, setting off a hailstorm of concern, which he didn’t think twice about sharing.
    Oddly, Theo’s siblings never worried much about anything other than getting into the bathroom first. Therefore, it was hardly
     a surprise when Theo took his grandmother’s death the hardest of all the children. While admittedly a tad insensitive, his
     siblings were grateful for the extra space their grandmother’s death provided. Before judging the Bartholomew children, one
     ought to remember that Manhattan apartments are unbelievably short on space, prompting many landlords to list closets as bedrooms.
    Regardless of the rationale, the Bartholomew children’s interest in their grandmother’s room offended Theo. He thought it
     best for the room to be kept as a shrine to his grandmother, complete with her hearing aid, dentures, and heart medicine.
     Her stuff was the last vestige of her presence in his life, and moving it felt downright sacrilegious. The shrine idea, along
     with the “We Miss Grandma” tee shirts, were vetoed at a Bartholomew family meeting.
    Theo’s disappointment in his siblings intensified when none of his six brothers and sisters joined him in throwing their bodies
     on the coffin at the funeral. In true Theo fashion, he considered the act to be a testament to loyalty and love. As Mr. Bartholomew
     spoke at Morristown Cemetery, Theo stared at the oak coffin covered in white lilies. His father’s voice echoed in Theo’s ears
     as he ran full-speed toward the casket, ultimately knocking off the lilies. He held on to the coffin tightly, his face squashed
     against the smooth wood. Theo believed that if he had died first, his grandma would have done the same for him. He saw it
     as one final hug, albeit through a casket.
    With tears streaming under his glasses, down his soft skin, and onto his snug suit, Theo felt a hand on his back. It was his
     older brother, Joaquin, sent to fetch him. Theo released his grip, allowing his brother to lead him back to his seat. Theo’s
     dramatic performance continued with him squawking “Why?” loudly while looking at the sky.
    “Because she was ninety-five,” Joaquin calmly responded.
    Theo glared at his brother, irritated by his literal response.
    “What? Was that a rhetorical question?” Joaquin just didn’t get it.
    Shortly after Theo’s grandmother’s funeral, the already anxiety-prone boy developed an even more intense fear of death and
     a fanatical need to track his family’s whereabouts. Theo demanded hourly contact with each member of the family to confirm
     that they were alive. All data was logged into a notebook aptly labeled, “Dead or Alive.” It was quite a striking title, but
     Theo did have a flair for melodrama.
    Sitting in his family’s dark living room, the walls lined with books and paintings, Theo opened “Dead or Alive” and began
     with his eldest sister, Nancy. He had last seen her running out the front door with only a cardigan to keep warm. Theo worried
     she could catch a cold, lower her immune system, contract meningitis, and contaminate the whole family. He had prudently texted
     her to get a jacket, surgical mask, and some antibacterial hand sanitizer, but she ignored him. As he dialed her number, Theo
     shook his head, thinking about how often his siblings thumbed safety in the face.
    “Nancy, this is your brother …” He paused, expecting her to greet him warmly. “I suppose since you have four brothers I should
     identify myself by name. It’s Theo.”
    “Trust me, I know who this is, Theo,” Nancy said with obvious annoyance.
    “Good to hear,” he replied with an oblivious smile. “I need verification of your safety and well-being. And I wanted to encourage
     you to return home to get a heavy coat, surgical mask, and hand sanitizer.”
    “Stop