Nowhere Safe

There's just one more

in the laundry room.

It's okay.

Mom...

What?

See, everything's fine.

Ashley!

We're going to be late.

I'm coming.

Sure you don't want to wear

something a little nicer?

No mom, I don't.

Okay. You ready?

Sure.

It's going to be fine.

Yeah, just another school.

Okay stop! Stop,

stop, stop.

What, here?

Yeah.

Ashley, that's a

bit extreme.

Mom, it's not

worth the risk.

The most

powerful civilization...

Hi.

Oh, here.

Thanks.

I got it.

A fight... A fight to

the death!

Wanna move?

Nice hoodie.

Oh, uh, thanks.

Miss Beardall used to

work out of here

so I hope this is okay

for you as well.

Of course.

Good because we don't have any

extra office space available.

Okay, let's see, you have

your first hour off,

class in the second

hour, fourth hour,

lunch and a sixth

hour class.

Okay.

And if you need

any help, call me.

That is Mr. Carlisle.

What is he...?

Don't even get

me started.

I need to get back

to my office.

Stop in this afternoon?

Thanks.

Maxie!

Hey! Don't do that!

Wait, did you

say something?

That's what I thought.

Yo, Burnside.

What's up man?

You going to Cal's

this weekend?

Yeah dude!

All right everyone,

take your seats.

I see we have a

new student.

Please stand, tell

us your name.

Um, my name is

Ashley Evans.

Hopefully you're not

too far behind

in the curriculum but

I'll get to you.

Just sit there.

It's always nice to have

some fresh blood here.

Let's turn our text

books to page 207.

Hey, check it out.

She's that girl...

Oh whatever.

Romans!

Did you see how

high she jumped?

Ah, good morning class.

Ancient Rome was one of

the most powerful,

most technologically advanced

societies in the world.

Also one of the

most violent.

Now, can someone tell me

what the coliseum was?

Oh, my parents saw it on a

cruise they went on last year.

Awesome!

What was it?

Awesome.

Oh, oh...

Wei?

Col-i-see-um,

an amphitheater in Rome.

Wei scores! Yes, it is the

amphitheater in Rome.

Thank-you Wei.

Now, the coliseum was the

mecca of all entertainment.

Let's say you wanted to go and

see two warriors fighting.

Yeah!

Where would you sit?

Sitting? I'd be fighting in

the middle of the arena.

Yeah!

That's a beast.

Okay, Nick?

Box seats - wherever

the emperor sat.

Okay. Carrie?

I guess that makes me

queen. Or empress.

No way I'm sitting in

the last section.

Totally! I get it.

Totes!

All right, anyone else?

Max?

Oh, I'd probably just be...

Max, he'd be in the middle of

the coliseum wetting his pants.

Yeah, I'd kick his butt.

Well as a gladiator you'd have

many opponents to fight.

Sure would...

Yeah with one

big difference.

What'd you say?

Uh, nothing.

No, you said something...

What was the difference?

Well...

they fought to the death.

Blondie's right. They

fought to the death

because they were

the lowest class.

What?

Most of them were prisoners of

war, slaves, criminals.

Or just people that the

Romans used to torture.

They had no choice.

It was either fight...

or die.

Throughout the coliseum

crowds roared and

people flocked to see

the latest fight.

Remind you of anything today?

Um, boxing.

Battles we gather to watch.

Anything else?

Oh, American football.

Yes, Wei.

Movies.

That's very insightful Carrie.

See, violence is as much a part

of our society today

as it was in ancient Rome.

Now, we may not literally kill

people for entertainment anymore

but we do flock to death

and suffering.

You ever rubber neck on the

side of the road

to see an accident?

When someone's house

goes up in flames

why do we rush to film it

on our cell phones?

You ever leave a negative

comment online

or spread a rumor for all

the world to see?

I know we talk about

the Romans and how

they really delighted

in the bloodshed,

but I think the real question

today for us here is this...

Why do we take

so much delight

in watching other

people suffer?

History is always

in the making.

What will your

history be?

Hey...

Watch it.

Uh, here.

Thanks.

Yeah.

I'm Max.

Ashley.

What's your next class?

Uh, spanish.

I've got drama.

I hear there's a new

teacher today.

Later!

Okay, well welcome.

I'm really looking

forward to hearing

what you've been

doing in drama.

Um, so what play have you been

working on this semester?

Any of the roles

been cast yet or

are we still in the

casting process?

Anyone?

Oh, thank-you.

Honey can you hand

me a tomato?

So? How'd it go today?

It was just school.

Come on, tell me

about one class.

Okay, um, history

was good.

Really? The teacher seems

kind of eccentric.

Yeah he was.

Okay, look, it's

not perfect.

But we're lucky you

know it's hard to find

a position in the middle

of the school year.

So does that mean we're

lucky

that the previous drama

teacher died?

Lemonade from lemons.

Subtle.

Here's your mom's locker you

loser. Ow, no, come on man!

What's your problem?

I can't believe you stabbed

me in the back like this.

I trusted you.

Lisa I didn't...

Of all people

I can't believe you

went and did that.

Ok, thank-you.

Hi.

Hi.

Where did you get

this dress?

Um, I got it from a costume

store years ago.

I'm thinking about using

it for our play.

I'm Julie Johnson by the way.

I'm the new drama teacher.

Kevin Carlisle,

history.

Wow, you've taken such

good care of it.

Thank-you.

Hey, watch this.

Hey, pick it up!

You gotta give them credit.

They know how to

make their own fun.

Want the run down on

everyone here?

Uh, yeah, sure.

All right. Well, there you've

got your intellectuals.

They got a full ride scholarship

through all the universities.

They're nice enough.

Then we got the foreign

exchange students.

You know, Brazilian, German,

Italian, French. Norwegians.

Now, they're always hanging

out with each other,

but none of them know english.

You gotta wonder how they

communicate right?

Then, right there, the

skaters and the drama geeks.

You know they merged together

because one of them

was dating the other.

Now it was very Romeo and Juliet

at first but now it's cool.

Then, Nick's the leader

of that... um...

Gang?

Yeah.

You know you've got

Burnside right next to him

who is 95% mass, 5% brain.

Then you've got Carrie,

the queen bee.

Got a whole hive following her

all the time, you know.

As long as they're on

top they don't care.

Okay. So they're the

group to avoid.

Yeah, well I try

to ignore them.

You know high school

isn't forever.

Oh, cool.

Um, where is...?

Oh yeah, I'll show you.

Okay.

You spend way too much

time on your costumes.

Carrie, how long did it

take you

to pick out your

clothes this morning?

I changed a couple

of times...

Maybe 20 minutes.

Oh, girls

Not just girls.

Uh, Nick if I'm not mistaken

you're wearing a shirt

from one of those

guy boutiques.

What?

You act like you just

picked whatever shirt

it is you wanted

out of your closet

And I'm willing to

bet you paid... what?

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