❛ I'm a lonely boy, lonely and blue. I'm all alone with nothin' to do. ❜

DEAD POETS SOCIETY
chapter twenty-two

THE CURTAINS OPENED to a painted palace backdrop with large Greek columns and greenery. The beautiful scenery surrounded the three taking center stage: Theseus, Hippolyta, and Philostrate. The boys and Eliza all grinned and laughed as the play rolled on, none (beside Eliza) believing that they would ever enjoy Shakespeare. Not when they had read it over and over during their years at Welton as their previous teacher would monotonously read the narration that bored them all to tears.

⠀⠀⠀But this! This is how Shakespeare meant for his plays to be performed.

⠀⠀⠀It wasn't until the second act that Knox and Chris had made it to the theater. Eliza could see them taking seats near the back so that they could slip out before the lights came up. She smiled their way before returning to the play as Neil took the stage with a fairy.

⠀⠀⠀Neil glowed on the stage, a grin taking up his entire face as he looked at the fairy who had tip-toed onto the stage. They both wore dark long sleeves and pants with ornamental crowns of flowers and foliage adorned on their heads. Neil, or Puck, walked from one end of the painted trees to the other as he sneaked behind the fairy.

The Fairy spoke first,

⠀⠀⠀"Either I mistake your shape and making quite,
⠀⠀⠀Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite
⠀⠀⠀Calledd Robin Goodfellow."

⠀⠀⠀Puck nodded, smiling from ear to ear and said to the Fairy,

⠀⠀⠀"Thou speak'st aright.
⠀⠀⠀I am that merry wanderer of the night.
⠀⠀⠀I jest to Oberon and make him smile
⠀⠀⠀When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile." 

⠀⠀⠀Puck imitated a horses neigh that erupted a laugh from the audience. 

⠀⠀⠀"Neighing in likeness of a filly foal.
⠀⠀⠀And sometime lurk I in a gossip's bowl
⠀⠀⠀In very likeness of a roasted crab,
⠀⠀⠀And when she drinks, against her lips I bob
⠀⠀⠀And on her withered dewlap pour the ale.
⠀⠀⠀The wisest aunt, telling the saddest tale."

⠀⠀⠀Charlie turned to Eliza with a big grin, "He's good," he stated, turning to Keating immediately after out of excitement. "He's really good!"

⠀⠀⠀Keating turned to him with a smile, holding a thumbs up to show he thought the same.

⠀⠀⠀"Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me.
⠀⠀⠀Then I slip from her bum, down topples she,
⠀⠀⠀And 'Tailor!' cries, and falls into a cough,
⠀⠀⠀And then the whole quire hold their hips and laugh,
⠀⠀⠀And waxen in their mirth, and neeze, and swear
⠀⠀⠀A merrier hour was never wasted there."

⠀⠀⠀Puck sighed dramatically, looking towards the audience as something caught his eye.

⠀⠀⠀"But, room, Fairy! Here comes Oberon."

⠀⠀⠀The Fairy exclaimed.

⠀⠀⠀"And here, my Mistress! Would that he were gone!"

⠀⠀⠀The two moved back into the trees and hid themselves amongst the foliage of their hands.

⠀⠀⠀The play had gone on for an hour more and not once were any of them bored. Not even Chris who sat in the back next to Knox and wasn't filled with adrenaline like the rest of them as they watched one of their best friends act on stage.

⠀⠀⠀Now, the play was coming to a close as Puck took center stage to close off the final adage of the play.

⠀⠀⠀"Think but this, and all is mended—" Puck began, his eyes flitting across his friends close to him, the rest of the audience filled with a deep sense of appreciation of this art and then to his father in the back that made his words turn just the more darker and biting. 

⠀⠀⠀"That you have but slumbered here
⠀⠀⠀While these visions did appear.
⠀⠀⠀And this weak and idle theme,
⠀⠀⠀No more yielding but a dream.
⠀⠀⠀Gentles, do not reprehend.
⠀⠀⠀If you pardon, we will mend.
⠀⠀⠀And, as I am an honest Puck,
⠀⠀⠀If we have unearned luck
⠀⠀⠀Now to 'scape the serpents tongue.
⠀⠀⠀ We will make amends ere long.
⠀⠀⠀Else the Puck a liar call.
⠀⠀⠀So good night unto you all.
⠀⠀⠀Give me your hands if we be friends,
⠀⠀⠀And Robin shall restore amends."

⠀⠀⠀The curtains closed as Puck stepped back into the trees, his hands once more covering his face.

⠀⠀⠀The room exploded into applause, and soon the actors returned to accept the cheer. The room stood for them, Neil tanking the audience with his bright smile as he waved to the crowd. One of the girls pushed Neil forward as he tried to sink back into his castmates.

⠀⠀⠀The boys screamed excitedly, Charlie leaning over to the boys stating, "One, two, three," before he and the rest of the Dead Poets Society (including Knox in the back) screamed, "Yawp!"

⠀⠀⠀Soon, the room cleared out, everyone crammed in the entrance hall of the theater.

⠀⠀⠀"There he is!" Charlie exclaimed, pointing at Neil and shoving through the crowd to get to Neil.

⠀⠀⠀Although, Eliza noticed the man in front of him, the one she had seen just once during opening ceremonies. He was mean and cold and had no respect for his son, and his appearance here didn't bode well for Neil's future.

⠀⠀⠀Eliza had been left with her thoughts in the middle of the crowd. She didn't regain herself until the boys were shuffling out of the door, trailing Neil. Eliza made her way to the boys as Keating moved to catch up with Neil to give him high praises.

⠀⠀⠀"Neil!" Keating called excitedly. "Neil, you have the gift. What a performance! You left even me speechless," Keating praised, catching Mr. Perry's attention, who stormed towards the two. "You have to stay with—"

⠀⠀⠀"Get in the car," Mr. Perry said quickly, cutting Keating off. "Keating, you stay away from my son."

⠀⠀⠀"Neil!" Charlie shouted, following after them as Neil got into his father's car. "Neil! Mr. Perry, come on!"

⠀⠀⠀Keating pushed forward quickly despite the dread filling him and pulled Charlie back by the forearm.

⠀⠀⠀"Don't make it any worse than it is," Keating told him lowly, patting Charlie's arm before stepping away.

⠀⠀⠀Eliza noticed her Uncle's terrified look, causing worry to rack down her spine. Something felt off with Mr. Perry and Neil. Eliza watched as the car went down the street calmly and turned towards the Perry house. Something in her gut told her that the next day would be a stranger to them all.

⠀⠀⠀"Is it okay if we walk back?" Charlie asked, interrupting both their thoughts. "Captain?" he asked again when Keating didn't move a muscle.

⠀⠀⠀Keating turned, nodding slightly.

⠀⠀⠀"Eliza? You wanna join?" Charlie asked, holding his hand out to her.

⠀⠀⠀"Go," Keating assured her. "I need to clear my thoughts anyway," he whispered, his voice shaky, but only Eliza could tell. She frowned but nodded in understanding.

⠀⠀⠀"Knox," Charlie called, throwing his hand for the boys to follow, his other hand holding Eliza's.

⠀⠀⠀Meeks, Pitts, and Cameron took up the back, chatting excitedly with Knox, Chris, and Todd behind Eliza and Charli. The boys seemed interested in Chris and how such a pretty girl would even dare talk to Knox. She then pointed out that Eliza was a beautiful girl and spoke to Knox. But, of course, they all gave their varied excuses on why that was different.

⠀⠀⠀Eliza was giddy with excitement for Knox, wanting to burst at the seams that he had finally gotten his dream girl, or close enough. But, she still had to break it off with Chet Danburry. Although, her worry for Neil overrode any other thoughts or feelings. She kept going over the night in her head, what was to come for all of them.

⠀⠀⠀"Do you know where Neil lives?" Eliza asked suddenly, interrupting Cameron in one of his very tediously described stories that no one cared about.

⠀⠀⠀"El!" Cameron exclaimed, but no one listened.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, of course," Charlie nodded, swinging their hands back and forth in an attempt to distract her from whatever she was thinking.

⠀⠀⠀"Is it an easy walk?" she asked, furrowing her brows at him.

⠀⠀⠀"No, we'd need a car," Charlie said, his own worry beginning to take hold of his insides as she spoke so calmly. "What is it?"

⠀⠀⠀"Nothing," Eliza muttered, recessing back into her own thoughts. "Nothing, don't worry," she assured him, squeezing his hand one last time.

AUTHOR'S NOTE —

Next chapter is going to make you cry. I'm sorry but it's had to come since the beginning of this story. 

I can't believe this book is almost done, I never thought I'd ever come back to this. I'm especially surprised for the amount of people who have read, commented and voted on this story! Dead Poets Society while it's a movie we've all probably seen in school is quite a niche group to have watched it and to have come to read this story is crazy! I didn't think this would get past 2k reads and now we're closing in on 7k! I have all of you to thank. I love you!

PLAY: William Shakespeare, "Midsummers Night Dream"

SONG: Lonely Boy by Paul Anka

Thank you for reading! Leave comments telling me your thoughts on this chapter, but however you interact, know that I really appreciate you reading. I hope you enjoy, and until the next one.