Page 40 of When It Burns

“Uh, Miss Caroline…” she says as I continue making sure my slideshow is ready for the class.

“Uhh, why is Robby’s backpack moving?” Tilly asks, and I immediately stop my setup and look over in the corner where Robby looks like he’s ready to crawl onto the floor while reaching towards his bag.

“Robby,” I start, already knowing something is really wrong. “What’s in your bag?”

“Well, Miss Caroline, I didn’t want you to” he starts, but he’s immediately interrupted by a tearing sound.

One of the girls sitting closest to Robby lets out a blood-curdling scream, and I look frantically at her while she points at Robby. I move closer and see claws coming out of his bag until a small head pops out with its teeth bared.

“Is that a raccoon?!” the boy sitting closest to Robby asks.

I feel like my eyes are about to pop out of my head. I have sat through hours of training on curriculum and airborne pathogens, but nobody in professional development has ever talked about how to handle a wild animal in my room.

I run over to my phone and send an SOS text to Hannah. I know it’s her planning period so as long as she isn’t in a meeting she will come running. I dial the office, but after their track record the last few weeks I am not surprised I can’t get any of the staff on the phone. They’ve been overrun with it being so early in the year. Oh well. Guess I’m gonna have to figure this one out on my own.

I glance up at my students and realize they’ve all climbed on top of their desks. The young raccoon pulls itself all the way out of the bag and looks around the room. As the creature turns, he takes off as though he just realized how outnumbered he is. He sprints around under the desks as he runs, which causes all of the students in the room to scream. Even Robby is standing on top of a table.

“Robby, is this yours? What is going on?” I yell over the screams.

Robby looks as though he is about to cry. “Miss Caroline, you have to believe me! I was on the way to school this morning, and this guy was in the road. I watched someone swerve at him, and I couldn’t take it. I got out of my car and walked towards him before I realized he’d been hurt. His arm is all messed up. I couldn’t just leave him, and it looked like something had knocked him out so I put him in my backpack so he could rest.”

“Well, he’s not resting now is he?” I hear one of my students yell.

I hear a knock at my door and rush over to let Hannah in. “Hey, I saw your text. What the heck is going on?” my best friend asks as she steps in and I hurry to close the door. “Oh my GOD holy shhhhhi-” she starts before she realizes where she is. “Shoot. Holy shoot. Is that a freaking RACCOON?!

“Yep. Indeed it is. “

Hannah and I make eye contact and she says, “Great,” before she leans over and whispers, “What the hell Caroline. What are we gonna do?”

I stare at her before shifting my gaze back to the situation in the room. The little raccoon has realized how outnumbered he is, and is hissing at all of us.

“You are going to call Gerald over at Animal Control. He’s helped us at the farm a time or two. Maybe he can send someone. I’ll call the office again,” I say as we finally jump into action.

“On it,” Hannah says as she grabs her cell phone from her pocket while I walk over to the room phone.

“Okay, guys. Y’all just hang on. Y’all just stay away from it the best you can.” I encourage my class as I dial the front office number. After three tries, I finally hear someone answer.

“Springside High, this is Mrs. Bess! How-,” the secretary starts before I interrupt.

“Where’s Mr. Hale? I need him now,” I say frantically.

“Caroline?” Mrs. Bess asks.

“Yes. Where is he?” I ask, cringing at how blunt I sound.

“Oh well, I swear I saw him around here a minute ago. He was waiting on someone from the district to come by. You know they always like-” she starts and I know if I don't stop her, I’ll be here for several minutes. The critter on the floor chooses that moment to dart from where he was hiding towards the other side of the room. Screams fill the room while students jump around on top of their desks.

“Mrs. Bess! I need him in my room right now. There’s a raccoon in my room,” I say, trying to remain calm.

There’s silence on the line for so long I think she’s gone, until I hear her whisper, “What?”

“Someone picked up a baby raccoon on their way to school this morning thinking it was injured. It clawed its way out of their bag and now it’s running around with all thirty-two of us in this room. I need someone in this classroom please,” I say, knowing this situation isn’t her fault but feeling the frustration building nonetheless.

“Oh sweet Jesus. MR. HALE!!!!” I hear her shriek and I pull the phone away from my ear. I look over at Hannah who is still on the phone while the raccoon continues running around and hissing as it makes its way around the room. Hannah and I both jump on top of my desk when the animal heads our way, and I say a silent prayer that the desk will hold us both. Collapsing on the floor is the last thing I need to do today.

“Okay guys, it’s gonna be okay,” I exclaim trying to reassure them. I love animals but if someone gets bit or scratched by this chaos I will feel horrible.

Hannah ends the call before saying, “Gerald is sending someone. He said less than five minutes.”

---