The Walkout

For a contest "Not Just A Brick"

Everyone at Eastwood High knew Mr. Halberd’s class wasn’t really about history. Sure, the course title said “World History,” but most days, Mr. Halberd barely made it past the first slide. Instead, he’d drift off into stories—about his glory days on the football field, old girlfriends, weird conspiracy theories, or complaints about “how soft kids are these days.”

At first, students tried to laugh it off. Some even found it entertaining. But after weeks of barely learning anything, the jokes got old.

Liam, a quiet kid who actually liked history, was getting frustrated. One afternoon after school, he sat at the kitchen table and unloaded everything to his parents.

“He doesn’t teach,” Liam said, annoyed. “He just talks. It’s like we’re wasting a whole class period every day.”

His mom frowned. “Have you talked to your counselor?”

Liam shook his head. “I don’t want to make a big deal. I just want to learn something.”

His dad leaned forward. “Why not study the material on your own? We can help you make a plan.”

That sparked something. Liam did some research, found an online syllabus that matched the school’s, and built a study schedule. Then he texted a few classmates who had also been venting about the class. A small group formed, and they started meeting in the library during lunch and after school.

The sessions worked. They actually got through the material—together. And it wasn’t long before other students took notice. Quietly, more and more joined. Study groups started popping up all over campus. No one made a big deal about it. It was just… spreading.

Then came the day.

Mr. Halberd walked into class, grabbed his coffee, and launched into a twenty-minute monologue about how “nobody wants to work anymore.” Liam exchanged a look with his friends. No words were needed. He stood up, grabbed his notebook, and walked out.

A few seconds later, someone else followed. Then another. And another. Within moments, the whole class—every single student—had gotten up and left.

Mr. Halberd stared in disbelief. “What is this?” he called after them. “Where are you all going?”

But the students didn’t answer. They just kept walking—calmly, confidently—down the hallway and into their study rooms.

They weren’t being disrespectful. They were simply done wasting time.

That day, they stopped listening to noise and started choosing to learn.