By CARLY WANNA, Gazebo Editor
Stratford has five missing persons, the names of which have recently been identified: Douglas the Alpaca, the Grinch, the Turkey, the Globe and the Snowglobe (unrelated to the Globe).
Students in Stratford’s Creative Writing class were assigned to “kidnap” items from teachers Michelle Fleming, Griff Ethridge, Bobby Stecher, Hollie Wangerin, and Frank Katz and hold the objects hostage. For several weeks, they have been exchanging ransom notes with the faculty members.
The students did not break the honor code, and each teacher was alerted before the project began. The students did, however, open up a slew of playful banter with each respective teacher.
Mrs. Fleming’s wall outside Room 118 has hosted the most responses as she attempted to plead for the return of her beloved alpaca. The “Mama Llama” — as the kidnapper calls her — refused to comment on the matter. But she insisted the world knew that Douglas is, in fact, a llama, not an alpaca.
Other teachers have begun attempts at negotiations.
“At this point, I think that a classic hostage exchange is necessary,” said Katz of his missing Snowglobe — which also sings his native “New York, New York.”
“I will send my representative down the main hallway with the goods. He or she can send his or her representative down the hallway with the Snowglobe to meet in the middle and cross forward. That way, nobody has to menace anybody else. I’d do it on a bridge, but there is no bridge.”
Students in the second period Creative Writing class have taken photographs of the objects in various locations, including during spring break.
Wangerin’s snow globe traveled to Asheville, N.C. Stecher’s turkey made an appearance in the meat section of Kroger. Douglas the Alpaca posed for a picture next to an Auburn hat, much to the dismay of Fleming, a die-hard Alabama fan.
The teachers made an announcement to the captors during the Monday assembly on March 21. Essentially, they stated the suspects, identifying them by their middle names.
One anonymous captor addressed the situation.
“They just need to get over it because this was for my profit anyway,” said the kidnapper.
He/she noted that the victims would be returned next week.
There was breaking news on the hostage situation on Monday. The Grinch turned up missing from his abductor’s locker. A note was left behind, signed by the “Grinch Freedom Fighters.”
