Written by William E. Spear
Published by The Three Fifty-seven
19 March 2024
He’s dying to forget.
She lives to remember.
(Tenny’s Theme fades up)
Hello . . . and welcome to the Three Fifty-seven.
My name is William Spear and this is our series titled SEVENTEEN.
The story is about Severin Vincent Tennyson.
Nicknamed “Tenny,” he is a sixty-four-year-old non-verbal, cane-using janitor at Gunderson High School in central New Jersey. Upon seeing Superintendent Millicent di Stefano for the first time in over forty years, he ran from the auditorium yelling, “Seventeen.”
In the previous episode, the Super, Principal Baker, and History Teacher Clarke Evans went into the Gunderson basement looking for Tenny. They found him, covered in blood, with his job coach, Jennifer Hargrove.
Di Stefano tried sending Hargrove away but Tenny roared, “SHE STAYS!” The Super confronted him asking, “Or, what?” He reached into his locker and slammed a large wooden box onto a table.
And now Episode Seven . . . AUGERING IN.
(Tenny’s Theme plays and goes under)
The box was sized and shaped to hold a large handgun. Tenny stepped back from it and across the top was labeled Paterson Firearms Company.
Clarke stepped in and spoke: “There’s no need for that.”
Tenny stood firm, tapped the table, and said, “Need now.” He turned to Millicent:
“Four? . . . You?” He winced at the lights stabbing his brain.
“For me?” she asked looking at the others.
“Not . . . for you? . . . Ffff-four? . . . You?” He rubbed his temples.
“I understand. For me,” she said.
Tenny looked at Jennifer as if to ask, “Does she have a brain?” and Jennifer shrugged back, “It doesn’t look like it.”
Clarke explained:
“He is asking “Four” as in the number “Four.” “Four? You?”
Millicent was more confused: “Why would he ask if I am a Four?”
Clarke continued, “He wants to know.”
Millicent stared at Clarke: “Maybe I’m a Nine. Or an Eighty-two.”
Clarke went on: “Are you the sister of the quarterback-“
-Millicent’s eyes lit up with recognition:
“-Tony, my brother, wore number Four,” said Millicent.
“Four,” smiled Tenny. Then he tapped his chest and pushed his words through gritted teeth, “Ssssss-seventeen.”
Clarke spoke, “Tenny caught the championship-game-winning touchdown pass thrown by your brother forty years ago.” He handed the photograph from the trophy case to di Stefano.
Tenny grimaced: “F-F-Four threw. I c-c-caught.” Blood started flowing from his nose and he wiped it on his shirt sleeve.
Clarke continued: “After he made the catch he got brutally hit – a severe concussion – and was hospitalized. But held onto the ball.”
Tenny rubbed his temple and slid the box across the desk. She looked around before opening it.
Inside was the game football and an inscription:
“To Severin Vincent Tennyson – number Seventeen – you are a great champion. And an even better person. Your friend.” Millicent choked on the words, “ Tony di Stefano – number Four.”
Tenny spoke: “For you.”
She looked up and said, “But he meant that for you.”
Tenny began stretching and twisting his neck as if something was preparing to burst from it. He continued, “T-T-Tony wanted . . . give you-u-u . . . m-m-more”
Millicent asked, “What more?”
Tenny was distracted by whirring and slicing sounds. In the distance but recognizable.
Millicent was frantic: “What else did Tony want me to have?”
The noises were coming closer. An explosion shook Tenny’s basement and toppled his locker.
He shook Millicent’s shoulders and shouted, “Get out!”
Metal beams twisted, screeched, and dropped in front of him. It was a singular chaos.
He backed away from her, grabbed his head, and screamed.
And collapsed.
(Tenny’s Theme fades up)
You’ve listened to Episode Seven titled AUGERING IN.
Theme music is through the courtesy of Lemon Music Studio.
William Spear wrote and narrated the series and it was produced by The Three Fifty-seven.
Thank you for your attention.
(Tenny’s Theme fades out)
WESJr
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