Chapter 6

Charles didn't say anything in reply. Part of him felt the same way. Still part told him that they needed Clyde alive if they were going to get their world back. So, instead of saying anything, Charles gazed up at the girl. That was when he recognized her.

The girl was Connie Adams. Connie was a petite red head, whose long straight hair hung down her front, covering her small, round breasts. Her skin was pale and her eyes were green. Connie was in his sister's homeroom class. She was considered one of the brightest students at Sunnyvale High. She was also considered strange. She had few friends and most of those were geeks. What made her strange was her clothing. She always wore baggy, long sleeved men's shirts, long flowing skirts, and floppy hats. That and she had a pair of big, oval glasses that made her look like an owl. Not to say that she wasn't pretty, because she was. Unfortunately, she did nothing to enhance what God had given her. In many ways, she was very much a plain Jane. That was why Charles hadn't recognized her.

Instead of focusing on her face, Charles had focused on her naked body and her shape was not one that he immediately recognized. In fact, when he had first spotted her he thought she was a freshman. That was because Connie was short, with a very slight frame, and petite breasts, and barely any pubic hair. If it wasn't for the fact that Connie was wearing her trademark glasses, Charles would still be wondering who the heck she was.

"Connie ... right?" Charles asked out of habit. His eyes flickered to her face first, and then out of habit, down her naked form once more.

"Yeah," replied the girl, staring down at Charles. "Now do you mind not staring at my crotch?"

Charles blushed and looked away. Of course, that was a mistake as well. He found himself staring at Amy Winters naked body.

"And would you mind not ogling the other girls as well," Connie said curtly.

"Sorry," replied Charles, forcing himself to gaze at his feet. "I didn't mean to stare."

"Yeah," said Connie, her voice sounding a little more sympathetic. "I guess it is hard not to stare when everyone is naked."

"Umm ... yeah," answered Charles, trying not to look up. "Do you have any clothing?"

"No," replied Connie softly, "I thought I'd be clever and blend in with the crowd. I never thought to bring something to wear."

"Here," said Charles, pulling his 'hoodie' off as he spoke. "You can put this on for now."

Then, trying not to look, he held the garment up for Connie to take.

"Thanks," the girl said taking the garment from his hand.

"No problem," Charles murmured in reply. Then he went back to staring at his feet.

"You can look now," Connie said after a minute.

Charles looked up. Connie was standing on the stage wearing his 'hoodie'. Because of her size, it hung down on her like an oversized dress, which in a way was good. It meant that it covered her past her thighs, concealing Connie's nudity from Charles' gaze.

Charles smiled up in relief.

"Thanks," Connie said, spreading her arms wide as she spoke.

"No problem," Charles said again, "and it should be me thanking you. You're the one who snuck up on Clyde and walloped him."

"Yeah," replied Connie, pulling her arms back around her, and looking a bit sheepish, "but you distracted him long enough, so that I could get close to him. If it wasn't for you, he would have turned and shot me, so as I said ... thanks, both for distracting that bastard ... and your hoodie."

"And as I said, no problem," answered Charles, a warm smile forming on his face. "The way I see it, we worked together, and now I think we need to talk."

"About what?" asked Connie sounding hesitant in her response.

"Well..." answered Charles, "about what we are going to do next!"

There was silence for a moment as Connie took in a deep breath, and then with a sniffle she looked away. Charles waited patiently. Connie whipped her face on the sleeve of the 'hoodie' and then looked back. She didn't look at Charles. She stared past him, down at where Clyde lay unconscious.

"I think we should kill that bastard before we do anything else," Connie said in a voice filled with pain.

"And I think we should keep him alive," replied Charles firmly, "at least until we find out how to put the world back the way it was. I think we need him for that."

"Fine," snapped Connie, turning her gaze from Clyde to Charles. Her eyes burned with rage and it was obvious that she didn't like Charles' suggestion. "Then I think we need to tie him up."

"Agreed," nodded Charles. Then he glanced around. He looked up at the stage and then about the crowd. Suddenly his face lit up.

"Coach Greeley," Charles called out to the school's head coach. "Come here."

"Yes Master!" the man answered in a flat but obedient tone. Silently the man worked his way through the crowd of staff and students, moving as quickly as he could until he came to a halt directly in front of Charles.