Madam Vera's Occult Consultation

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For all seniors at Riverwood high school in Colorado, the senior internship program, or as the school calls it, the Busy Beaver Internship Program, stands as the final hurdle. Armed with information sheets, printed in splotchy black and white, the seniors set out into town looking for a business willing to accept them.

By the first week of school, all seniors are required to have found an internship otherwise they receive a 20 point deduction for their internship class and are given one at school. Students who don't care about 20 points usually just accept their fate and take the hit, but for the most part, they try to avoid it. Orla Friaz belonged to the latter category, refusing to take a hit so early on in the year.

The senior meeting regarding the program wasn't until the Friday two weeks before the first day of school. Since they gave out all the paperwork at that meeting, their search for work had to start afterward. Hoping to get a jump on things, Orla got to work the following Monday asking business owners if they needed any help.

As she expected, all the places that were known to give Riverwood seniors paid internships were already taken, still, there was no harm in trying. It wasn't until the sun went down that she started to get discouraged.

"It's only the first day," She reminded herself as she went home.

The next day, she tried again, checking another handful of businesses with no luck. On Wednesday, she was shocked to learn that even the sanitation department had an intern, from what she had heard, that was the last one to go. She left the building with her head hanging low and her hopes shrinking. On her walk back toward home, she ran into her friend Maya who happily ran up to her.

"Orla! Guess what? I got an internship at the tailor's!"

"Really? That's awesome!" Orla replied, giving her friend a celebratory hug.

Maya had always wanted to be a designer. When they were younger, she made a "dress" for Orla out of scraps her mother had leftover from a sewing project. She was too young to sew, so the whole thing was held together with safety pins, but Orla wore it with pride, strutting down the halls of Maya's home like a model on a runway. Despite her own panic, she was happy for her friend.

"How's your search going? I've heard a lot of people are having trouble this year," Maya asked as the two broke the hug.

"Errr... It's going. I'm having a little trouble, but I haven't given up yet."

"Did you try the library?"

"Yeah, they've got three interns already."

"What about the grocery store?" Maya offered.

"They've got one in every department."

"Yikes. That's about all I can think of. Well, let me know how it goes later, good luck!" Maya said as she walked away, giving Orla a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Filled with a restored drive, she changed her route to one that was longer but passed more businesses. She tried each one, getting shot down before she even had time to tell her introduction. They were all nice about it, but it still hurt.

Shutting the door to the last business on her route, she sighed in defeat, finally accepting that she was going to have to take the 20 point deduction. She prayed that she didn't get stuck with Mrs. Winkler, who was known for having her interns mop the floors since apparently, the janitors didn't do a good enough job. 

Her walk took her past an old building she rarely paid any attention to. It was tucked away in the woods, so most of it was covered up with only a few dark boards peaking out between the trees.