Chapter 8 : Pleading for Life (Part 1)

Mrs. Cambri and I rushed to the school. We need to talk to Madam Principal as soon as possible. 

"Ms. Fryxell! You came back so fast!" the guard said while opening the gate of the school for us. "Who is she?" he asked when he saw the woman in my back.

"She is Mrs. Cambri, the mother of the student I'm saying to you. We're going to talk to Madam Principal," I answered.

"Okay," he looks at Mrs. Cambri while handling a ballpen. "Kindly fill up this form, ma'am. It is necessary because you are an outsider."

Mrs. Cambri filled up the form and after that we walked to the Main Building where the Principal's Office is located. 

"Ms. Fryxell, I don't know but I feel so nervous right now," Mrs. Cambri said while her hands are on her chest. 

"Don't get nervous. I'm sure Madam Principal will listen to you. She can understand you. Besides, she is also a mother," I comforted her. I'm not really into these things so I'm saying what's on my mind. 

"FNHS is supporting the punishment for LGBT, right? I doubt Madam Principal will help us."

"Just believe that she will help us, and that will happen," I replied.

While walking to the Principal's Office, I can see one of the patrolling guards in the entrance of the Main Building. We rushed to him to ask something.

"Sir," I get him attention by calling his name.

"Oh, Ms. Fryxell. What can I do for you?" he asked.

"Is Madam Principal inside her office? I need to talk to her," I asked him.

"Yes, miss. She didn't leave her office since ten in the morning. The other teachers said that she's busy with the forms of the students," he replied.

"Thank you," I said.

I grabbed Mrs. Cambri's hand and walks fast to the door of Principal's Office. I knocked three times. It will be rude if I just opened the door without Madam Principal's permission.

"Come in," a familiar voice from the inside said.

I opened the door and take a small look inside. I saw Madam Principal sitting on her chair and doing something on her table. Her assistant, Mrs. Avena is on her own table next to Madam Principal's table. 

I went inside first then Mrs. Cambri comes, standing behind me. 

"Good afternoon, Madam Principal. Good afternoon, Mrs. Avena," I greeted them.

"Good afternoon, Madam Principal, Mrs. Avena," Mrs. Cambri greeted.

"Good afternoon. Have a sit," Madam Principal greeted back while pointing the two chair infront of her. 

"So, what can I do for you?" she asked when Mrs. Cambri and I finally have a sit.

"Our concern is about one of the student from Class-B, Angelo Cambri," I started talking. "She is the student's mother," I said while pointing Mrs. Cambri.

"What's with that student? Did he do something wrong? Failed grades?" Madam Principal asked before closing her notebook and putting the pen down.

"No, ma'am. He was arrested by the police," I replied. 

Madam Principal's eyes widened and she sit up straight, a sign that she knows that this conversation and my concern is a serious one.

"Continue," she said.

"The student was absent for a week. I talked to his adviser and found out that she already went to their house. Unfortunately, they weren't there that time. Because of his adviser's hectic schedule, I presented myself to help her. When I arrived at their house, Mrs. Cambri told me everything that happened," I explained.

Madam Principal nods and looks at Mrs. Cambri. 

"Mrs. Cambri, please elaborate what happened to your son," she said.

"It was Saturday, I came home from selling charcoal. I heard my son shouting. He was like 'Mama! Mama!' I rushed to our house and I saw several Capital's policemen holding my son. I talked to them and they said that someone reported my son as a gay, and that they need to arrest him. They said it is also the Minister's son order," she explained.

"So that's the case," Madam Principal touched her chin like she is thinking deep.

"Did the police show you evidences?" Madam Principal asked.

"No. They just arrested my son without showing any proof. What they are sayibg is the report of someone we don't know," Mrs. Cambri answered.

"That's our concern, Madam Principal. It is unfair. The Capital's police are just arresting people just becase of someone's statement. They are not investigating thoroughly," I stated.

"I see," Madam Principal said. "I want you to talk to the General."

I looked at Madam Principal with confusion. 

"You mean, General Cleofas?" I asked.

"Yes. I want to talk to him regarding the student you are saying," she replied.

"But Madam, he is difficult to talk and please to," Mrs. Avena said.

"I'm going to give a letter that I'm giving you the permission to talk to him. That is the only thing that I can do. The other things will be on your hand. If you succeed to persuade him not to kill the student, then good. But if not, it's not my problem anymore," Madam Principal stated. After that, she printed something and sign on it. We just waited for her to finish. Maybe that is the letter of permission that she is saying.

"Here. Take this. That's the letter," she said as she hands me the letter. I put in inside a folder to assure that it won't get fold. 

"I would like to come, but I have several works to do. Mrs. Avena will come with you," she said. 

"Yes ma'am," Mrs. Avena answered.

"You may go now."

The three of us leave the Principal's Office. 

"Casy, do you already know what to say to General Cleofas?" Mrs. Avena asked me while we're heading to the exit of thr school.

"No. I don't know," I answered. 

Honestly, this is the first time that I'm going to talk to a high person in the Capital. I feel so nervous. 

"You must know what to say. I bet General Cleofas will just give us a small amount of time to explain. Since you are the one who knows what happened, you are the one who will explain to the General," she said.

"Why me? Why not Mrs. Cambri?" I asked why pointing Angelo's mother.

"General won't let that since she is the mother of the prisoner," Mrs. Avena replied.

"What will I do? I don't know what I'm supposed to say."

I stopped walking and started thinking of what should I do. I knoe that talking to General will be a hard thing, but I can't do anything. That is the only way to save that child's life. 

"I know. I know now what I'm going to say," I said.

"Good. Just assure that the General will be convinced."