"Whispers of the Enchanted Forest: Rita's Mysterious Odyssey"

Chapter 8

"Hello everyone, this is the headmaster. Hope you are enjoying the night. Because.. Detention class is starting now."

As the headmaster's announcement filled the cafeteria, a wave of displeasure, annoyance, and frustration swept through the students. They exchanged exasperated glances, muttered complaints under their breath, and some even banged their fists on the tables in frustration.

"Yes, the detention teacher has now arrived and insists on having his class as usual," the voice continued. The collective sighs and eye rolls were almost audible.

"All detention students, please report to detention class," the voice declared, listing off the names of the unfortunate students who had earned themselves a spot in detention. The atmosphere in the cafeteria grew heavier with each name mentioned.

"These students are: Erica and Eric Battson, T Savan, Jerry Mouse, Aaron Acorn, Walter Wolf, March Fishers, Emma Cowell, Catherine Jones, Prinklepine Rat and lastly, Diana Waterson," the headmaster's voice concluded, sealing their fate for the night.

The students begrudgingly began to make their way to the detention room, their expressions reflecting their strong desire to be anywhere else but there.

"Anika!" Rachel shouted.

We ran towards her and hugged her. "I'm so very sorry. I didn't mean for you to go to the principal's office." I apologized with tears in my eyes. She smiled at me and touched my shoulder.

"It's not your fault. Erica started the whole thing like she always does. Let's return to our dorm." Anika suggested.

Afterwards, we went to bed.The next morning, the blaring sound of trumpets pierced through the early morning hours, waking me up at an ungodly hour. I checked the time, only to find it was a painful 5 o'clock in the morning. Desperately, I buried my head under my pillow, hoping to catch a few more minutes of precious sleep. However, sleep eluded me as I tossed and turned, attempting in vain to drift back into slumber. My eyelids grew heavy, and I closed my eyes once more, making another futile attempt to sleep. Suddenly, the was a message on the speakers.

"Attention all, attention all. This is your vice principal speaking. We are.. ready to.. begin school.. so please.. get up.. and eat, bathe, etc.. for school.. thank.. you.. Also.... that's all." The vice principal spoke in a slow and tired tone.

The vice principal's slow and tired announcement left me wondering if he was alright. His speech was robotic, yet he seemed to be a human. After getting ready, we headed to the cafeteria for breakfast. I was grateful to Dominic for arranging whole wheat food for me, and I enjoyed a bowl of cereal. Once we finished eating, the girls took me to my locker on the second floor and provided me with the combination: 4427.

"Hey you, your school schedule is in your locker. If you get lost, you can ask a hall monitor to get you to class," Dominic informed me.

"Okay," I replied.

"Enjoy your first day of school, you," Rachel chimed in.

"Have fun," Anika added.

"Don't be afraid of the teachers," Alexa said, but Anika elbowed her ribs, causing her to yelp. "Ow. What? It's traditional," Alexa protested.

As I stood in front of my locker, I noticed the lockers were organized neatly in rows, stretching down the hallway. The metal lockers were a dull gray, and there were posters and artwork decorating the walls, adding a touch of color to the otherwise utilitarian space. It seemed like a typical school corridor, buzzing with students bustling to their lockers and chatting with friends.

I looked at my schedule to see what classes I had for the day. It seemed like a typical school schedule with various subjects like Math, English, Science, and History, but there were also some classes I hadn't expected, like Elemental Magic Studies and Forest Exploration.

As I organized my books and supplies, the girl next to me continued to stare with her unsettling gaze. I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, but I tried to focus on my schedule and not let her distract me. It was my first day, and I wanted to make a good impression and enjoy my classes.

The girl standing next to me was rather peculiar. She was about an inch shorter than me and had striking features that immediately caught my attention. Her long hair was an unusual shade of light green, and her brown eyes contrasted sharply with her lime green skin. She was dressed in a long-sleeved, striped green shirt paired with green pants. Her gaze, however, was what struck me the most; it seemed to linger on me with an eerie and crooked intensity, reminiscent of a frog observing its prey. Feeling a bit uneasy, I offered an awkward smile before turning my attention to my locker's contents.

I smiled awkwardly at the girl next to me, trying to be polite, and then turned my attention to my locker. Inside, I found three books – a copybook, a hardcover notebook, and a sketchbook – neatly arranged. There was also a pencil case and my schedule. I eagerly pulled out the schedule to see what my classes were for the day.

My school schedule for Wednesday, the 14th, showed that I had Mr. Leo Jackson's class in the morning period and Mrs. Boston's class in the evening period. I made a mental note of it and decided to head to Mr. Leo Jackson's class first, as the morning period was approaching.

I closed my locker and found myself face to face with the weird girl again. Her gaze felt penetrating, making me give a big, awkward smile before quickly walking away. I decided to take a detour to avoid her, making a semi-circle around her and giving a friendly wave as I went. However, the feeling of being followed persisted, so I started walking faster, eventually breaking into a run in paranoia. In my haste, I accidentally bumped into someone.

After rubbing my head, I looked up and saw the spider teacher! My body froze as he gazed down at me with his two brown eyes. He had short, black hair and appeared to have two normal human hands, but the rest of his limbs were spider-like legs. His attire consisted of a black suit with a red tie, adding to his unusual appearance.

"You must be the new student" Mr. Spitzer Webb began, and I nodded in response, still feeling a bit uneasy. "Headmaster told the staff about you. I'm Spitzer Webb. Tell me, why are you running in the hall? I see someone scared you. Understandable. You're new. Tell me, dear, what class do you have first?"

Summoning my courage, I stammered out my response. "I have Mr. J-j-jackson's class... but... I d-d-don't know where it is."

Mr. Spitzer Webb nodded thoughtfully. "Hope you find your class before you're late. You don't want the late punishment," he added, his hand hidden behind his back. Mr. Spitzer exuded an air of sophistication that made him seem like a classy villain, a blend of evil and gentlemanly charm.

"What's the late punishment?" I asked, curious about what awaited those who were tardy.

Mr. Spitzer Webb halted a girl with two short pigtails and instructed her, "Shauna, show you here what happens when you're late."

Shauna seemed less than thrilled as she rolled her eyes and reluctantly put on a sign that read, 'hi, I'm a late student. Smile.' I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it. "Thank you, Shauna. That will be all," Mr. Spitzer acknowledged.

Shauna's response was less than respectful as she replied, "Yes, sir," with a hint of insolence.

Mr. Spitzer then turned his attention back to me, his spider legs causing an unfortunate student to trip as he spoke."No running in the halls. You can trip and hurt yourself, Walter.".

Walter replies "Yes sir." before walking off. Mr. Webb turns to you "You, don't ever be late," he warned, emphasizing the importance of punctuality while making his point quite vividly.