On Mute

Chapter One: Meeting the Mountain

Carefully tucking my sketchbook back into my bag I flung the arm over my shoulder and continued on my way to school. The gravel crashed brashly against my ear drums as I pounded the moist rock in the morning dew. I was just upon Willow Creek High School, my school, my current adventure. My heart was racing almost as fast as the feet beneath me as I pushed forward.

I have been here for three years now, but still it feels like the first day of high school. The lush green trees and beautiful trails have a lot to offer the curious artist. Almost every day I find a good specimen to sketch, and like always I do my shading and lines almost entirely in 2HB lead.

"Abigail!" called a voice from just up ahead. I focused my attention forward and was met with a bright and smiling face.

"Brianna, good morning!" I walked up to my friend and accompanied her into the school.

"Stopped to draw another dandelion I see?" she shot her eyes downward swiftly to the sketching pencil I did not have time to hide.

"Nah, it was a wild rose this time." I gave a small snort and she rolled her eyes. I did this to her every day, she waited just outside the front gate for me in the morning (for most of the time I am late due to artist's impulses) and then she would scold me on how I should care more about being punctual.

"Abby I love your sketches and all, but can't you do that stuff after school? You are going to be late one of these days and grade twelve teachers won't cut you as much slack as the others."

"How can you be so sure?" I argued.

"Because we are a small community Abby, all the teachers know how much you like to doddle about."

"Are you saying they don't like my vision?"

"I'm saying they don't like your attitude!" she leaned up against her locker and spun the lock into its three digit combination. "If they don't think you are taking their course seriously they will easily kick you out without a second thought, you know that right?" I stood there idle as she tossed her unneeded books into the bottom shelf.

"Brie I am seventeen now, I understand that I have to be respectful to my teachers. I am not trying to anger them for fun or anything; I just like to draw, is that too much to ask?" she slammed the door shut and replaced the deadbolt.

"I'm just saying you're pushing your luck Abby, in grade ten it was cute... but now this is getting out of hand. Don't you care at all about your future, mid terms are only 2 months away are you going to be ready?"

"I'll find the time to study." She looked at me expectantly. "Alright?" I added after a second. She groaned as if I said the wrong thing then turned on her heels.

"You need to MAKE time Abby, sketching can't be your whole life you know?" then she disappeared into the masses of people that swam through the hallway like salmon going upstream. I quickly bee lined to my class as well and set myself down in the nearest seat, still chewing on the words Brianna spat at me.

Dazing off into oblivion was usually how I past the time but all of a sudden a knock came from the door and I lost my train of thought. Like a flash my eyes refocused and instinctively darted towards the sound, heads peered over others and whispers came from all around. The teacher made his way to the door after giving us a few looks then blocked its entrance as he talked to the person behind it. Quickly I lost interest and pulled my sketch pencil from my case; absently I began to draw spheres, then those spheres became apples then those apples became a bowl of fruit, carefully I made the veins of the leaves and decided to add tiny bunches of grapes.

"Yes, yes I understand. Please, come in." A nerve in my face tugged and my head shot up. Some guy was standing in the doorway, tall, thick and brawny. His lazy gaze fell over us and he let out a huff at the sight of our surprised faces. I was the most surprised of all because as my eyes peeled away from him they made focus to the only empty chair in the room, and that unfortunately was right beside me.

And down he sat; his impressive mass weighing down the chair until it groaned in restraint. Pretending not to feel his piercing gaze on my being I continued my sketch until all I had to do was the shading, then I looked up and realized he was still at it. I stared back.

"What?" I urged ignorantly. He grunted something incomprehensible then leaned back in his chair, the teacher was still talking to the V.P. outside of the room and the whole class was abuzz with curious voices. The big lug seemed unfazed by the murmurs for he never showed any sense of annoyance or curiosity in them at all. One guy even shouted from the back of the class "Hey buddy, what's your name?" but the brute didn't even flinch, not at the question or even the snickers that followed. Luckily sooner rather than later the teacher rejoined us; he stood erect and frozen to the spot as he locked eyes with Mr. Mystery Student and all I could guess was that he must have been nervous because he readjusted his collar more than once.

"So, may the class have the pleasure of making your acquaintance?" The mountain peered up from his desk and raised one eyebrow. "Muh-Muh- May we catch your name son?" The teacher shuttered. (You know I really should start paying more attention in this class... I forgot Sir's name again.) Like a roll of thunder his deep voice uttered "Marc Alders" and I watched as his Adams apple rose and fell with the tones then ultimately disappear back into the jowl.

"Well, t-thank you very much Mr. Alders, you may be seated for the remainder of the lesson." Sir's knees were just on the verge of buckling.

"But... I'm already sitting down?" Marc breathed with a hint of annoyance. The class burst out laughing but the mountain never flinched, just sat there with his smug half-frown.

"Indeed... you are." Sir croaked, luckily the bell rang at that very instant and the class fled from the room. As I got up I saw Marc look at me, then he stood and grabbed his stuff also. It was a quick glance but a definite one, and I blended into the crowd as fast as I could... I never felt so comfortable in the company of a large group of strangers before in my life. Who was this guy and why was he being so creepy?