Phrontistery Of Monster Kind - Six Feet Deep

Chapter 40

My morning sorting out room keys for our guests was interrupted by an email notification from Mayor. One of Ophis' snakes peered over the woman as she looped a cardboard tag around the key rings. Caught in a rhythm, she shoved it in a basket full of the ones who were due to arrive today as her free hand grabbed the next named label.

"Getting the detention students to cut these for us was a genius idea, Silver." She said as tossed the next one with the others. She went to check how many we had left when she caught me on my phone. "That isn't going to get the work done."

I hummed, snapping out of my stare. "Sorry what?"

"We need to get these done by tonight. You're the one who pushed this last minute."

I closed my phone, catching the bases of what the email was about by the subject line: New Student Arriving... "Sorry, Mayor says that mystery child is arriving."

Ophis' face fell as she got back to work, "Good luck with that."

"I'll take today's keys to Ethel." I fetched the basket with the keys and gathered my belongings to head down to the gatehouse.

Ophis repeated her last comment, and gods would we all need it. It would be a blessing if their interaction with the gatekeeper doesn't dissuade them from sending their children here.

It took twenty minutes from Ophis' office on level three to enter the gate tower. I settled the keys on a table where the saggy woman sat knitting. Near her was the petite woman amid a conversation with the older woman. Neither peered up at me, so I cleared my throat.

"These are the keys for the year sixes' and their parents. You are required to ID them upon entry." That may have been self-explanatory. Everyone had to unless they were from the primary school- and they were still logged in as guests. "I'm going to wait on the drawbridge for one of the students, there is no need to log us in."

The younger woman offered me a curt nod, barely acknowledging my presence.

I awkwardly shuffled away, wishing them goodbye upon exiting.

"Goodbye Edith," Ethel wished.

"Still Esmay," I mumbled, heading down the worn stone stairs and exited the gates to the permanently lowered drawbridge.

I checked out the email as I leaned against the newly added wooden fence. Mayor was out for the day, or she would have insisted on being there. I was surprised she didn't pressure Mors to take over for her. I should call him about the student and ask for his help. My mind drifted off to nature before I could dial his number.

The grass outside the school walls was overgrown and the wildflowers that had spread out to these parts were dying off. Pink and purple petals scattered on the ground and dropped into the shallow water below that couldn't even bother to wrap around the grounds.

The groundskeeper never touched these parts, not being on his pay. The back part where the students sneak out was always kept neat, more so now that they build new greenhouses down off the grounds. They wanted to keep the most used places pretty; I supposed.

The Scarrow Forest trees loomed in the distance, rustling in the light breeze. I shivered, pulling my cardigan closer to my body.

I hit his last digit before dialling him.

"Esmay, this isn't a good time."

"Are you in class?"

"No, I am in a meeting with the headmaster." There was a pause for a second. I could hear him talking to the headmaster on the other end, "Sir, that is highly- No." I couldn't hear Harro. "What can I help you with?"