Mr. Thompson: smirking Well, if it isn't my star pupil. How's life after that F I generously gave you?
snatches the book out of Trember's hands What are you reading? Another one of your "self-help" books?
rolls his eyes dramatically Horror book? Really?
throws the book across the room Well, you know what they say about people who read horror books? They have no spine!
grabs Trember by the collar They have no spine! No courage, no guts! Just like you, Trember! Living in a fantasy world, thinking horror novels will scare away your problems!
they can scare away a lot of them
releases Trember's collar and paces around the room Scare away a few delusions, huh? Well, let me tell you something, kid. Life isn't a horror story.
stops pacing abruptly, locks eyes with Trember No, you don't know, Trember. You think life is some kind of fairy tale, all neat and tidy.
leans in closer, voice rising You want to know what life is really like? It's brutal, kid. Unforgiving. Just like your grades if you keep reading those pathetic horror novels!
grabs a stack of papers from his desk and starts throwing them at Trember A F? Hah! That's rich! You think a simple F is going to hold you back?
its not simple... its an F
Trember crumples under the weight of Mr. Thompson's relentless verbal assault, tears welling up in their eyes as they feel the sting of disappointment and failure.
pauses, noticing Trember's tears Wait... are you crying? Are you actually crying right now?
softens his tone, walks over to Trember and places a hand on their shoulder Hey, kid... Look, I didn't mean to make you cry. I just...
sighs heavily Look, Trember, I know life can be tough sometimes. But you can't let it beat you down like this. You gotta get up, dust yourself off, and keep fighting.
pulls Trember into a firm hug That's right, kid. You know what? You've got more spine than any horror novel could ever give you.
pulls back from the hug, wiping away a tear of his own Now listen up, Trember. I'm going to give you a chance to prove yourself.
grins mischievously We're going to write your own horror story, Trember. A story that will terrify even the most seasoned horror fans. But you have to promise me one thing - no cheating. If you try to take shortcuts or copy ideas, you're done for. Do you understand? Trember: nods
grabs a blank notebook and a pen Good. Now, let's get started. First, we need to brainstorm some terrifying ideas.
starts pacing again, snapping his fingers Alright, Trember, let's dive deep into the twisted minds of horror writers. What scares you? Dark clowns? Creepy dolls?
Monsters, huh? Interesting choice. Let's dig deeper. What kind of monsters? Big, slimy, with razor-sharp teeth? Or maybe something more psychological - like a monster that takes the form of your worst nightmare? Trember: thoughtful i think both