Academy for the Strange

Chapter 1: A New School

        Fiona stepped out of the bus and stared up at the building in front of her with wide hazel eyes. Even having seen it slowly grow in view as they approached hadn’t prepared her for the looming reality of it. Made of pale stone with an deep gray roof, the massive building rose up three stories and spread out into what looked like separate wings from the grand front entrance. All in all, Fiona thought it looked more like a castle or manor than it did a school. She spun the black opal ring she still wasn’t used to wearing around and around her finger.

            The more she saw, the more Fiona had to wonder again how her mom had paid for this. The school had its own private plane for Christ sakes! Fiona shook her head and heaved her worn backpack higher on her shoulders. She ignored the chatter of the other students who’d been on the flight with her, focusing instead on taking everything in.

            The smooth expanse of the school’s front lawn was only interrupted by the wide drive the bus was currently disappearing down, lined on each side by colourful gardens. The lawn slowly dissolved into the rolling fields that seemed to make up most of the island. In the distance Fiona could see the dark blur that she presumed was the forest some of the other students had been talking about.

            “Grade nines!” A loud female voice called, drawing everyone’s attention.

            Fiona turned to look at the pretty blonde woman holding a clipboard. “I’m Helen Griffith, one of your teachers and head of the Fire Dorm. If you’ll all follow me, we’ll be starting with a tour of the school before we head to the dorms. And yes, before you ask, your luggage is already there. No, you can’t stop and go to the bathroom. You can do that later. Yes, I’ll be telling you which dorms you’ve been assigned after the tour. And no, you can’t switch rooms. Is everyone clear?”

            A ragged yes answered her as the students crowded around Helen. Or Ms. Griffith as Fiona assumed she should call her. She hesitated as the teacher began doing a head count. While she wasn’t a grade nine, Fiona was still a new student and wasn’t sure if she should be on the tour or-

            “Excuse me,” came an accented whisper. “Are you Fiona Wilde?”

            Fiona’s gaze snapped to the girl who was just stopping in front of her. With huge brown eyes, and silky looking hair of almost the same shade topping her petite form, the stranger was almost everything Fiona wished she looked like. She nodded and stuck her hand out, “Yeah, nice to meet you.”

            Even the girl’s hands were soft as she smiled shyly up at Fiona. “I’m Meredith, your roommate. I’m supposed to show you to the dorm and then take you on a tour. Unless you wanted to join the grade nines…?”

            “Nah, I’d like to get settled I think. Thanks.”

            Meredith flashed another quick smile before she led the way towards the front doors. “This is the main building. All of the classrooms and the teachers’ offices are in here,” she said as they climbed the wide, white stairs.

            Fiona glanced up as they reached the front door. The building was more impressive the closer she got, with windows that must be nearly floor to ceiling inside with little detailed arches above each of them. More and more, Fiona was beginning to feel out of place. Just yesterday she’d still been in the tiny, one bedroom apartment she and her mom had called home for the past three years. Today…

            Her eyes prickled slightly but she blinked away the tears. She’d done enough crying the last few days. And if her mom wanted her to come to this place, then she’d do her best to fit in. Even if she felt at any moment like someone was going to point out that she didn’t belong.