Simon The Simple

Chapter 12: White Out

The school and the entire township found themselves shrouded in a relentless white glow, akin to a blizzard's all-consuming embrace.

A tempest had swept over their lives, not borne of climatic fury, but birthed from the Everlast Flower's searing brilliance. Those within a 300-mile radius who had braved a glance at its light were now seized by uncertainty, adrift in a sea of white, unable to discern night from day.

In his cell, Simon was besieged by the same boundless white void. 'Day or night? The distinction eludes me. I am engulfed in nothingness,' he ruminated, gripped by trepidation.

The distant peal of bells punctuated the air, mingled with cries of distress. The unafflicted residents of Eldora took upon themselves the solemn duty to warn others, urging them to seek the safety of their homes, for the perils of blind navigation were manifold.

'Everlast spoke of this blindness as a fleeting shadow; may her words hold true,' Simon pondered, his faith in her assurances warring with his unease.

'Classes will likely be suspended, given our shared plight of blindness. What a way to start off my first school year as headmistress.' Malary mused. "Historian, are you present? I require your company," she called out, the feather arriving to offer solace. As the quill caressed her cheek, she expressed her gratitude, "Thank you. Your presence is a comfort during these trying times," while stroking its soft feather.

Gimpy, bereft of sight, beat his wings in a panic, colliding with the academy's structures in his flight to Malary's quarters. His erratic path led him to violently smack against an unaffected student. "Watch it, you stupid bird!" the student scolded. However, upon Gimpy's troubled landing, the student's irritation gave way to realization as they noticed the owl's clouded white eyes. 'The bird is sightless,' they understood. With renewed determination, Gimpy took to the air, navigating by instinct towards Malary's chambers.

Malary inched across the floor, feeling for the familiar edges of her bed, when suddenly, the stillness was broken by the sound of shattering glass. She let out a startled cry, her mind racing with alarm. "HISTORIAN!" Her voice echoed with urgency. "Are we under attack?!" Yet, it was merely Gimpy, who had inadvertently navigated through the glass of her bedroom window.

His wings beat in a frenzy, striking against the confines of her room and brushing against the Historian. The quill defensively nudged the disoriented bird with its sharp tip, steering him clear of its prescious tome. As the sound of wingbeats filled her ears, a realization dawned on Malary. 'That must be Pete's owl, stricken with blindness during its flight.' Extending her arm, she called out, "Gimpy? Have you made it here at last?" In affirmation, the owl responded with a soft hoot, alighting upon her outstretched arm and dropping a black envelope gently on her lap.

"Ah, this must be the letter from Pete. Gimpy, I'm grateful for your efforts; I hope you are unharmed," Malary spoke, her touch soothing the agitated owl. Yet, what lay in her lap was not a missive of Simon's enchantment schedule - but an invoice, one that surpassed the allowances for a minor. Gimpy, with a flurry of wings and his crippled legs drawn close, readied himself to depart. His initial attempts were clumsy, meeting the wall with a thud, but with perseverance, he found his way through the jagged aperture left by the broken window.

As the afternoon light restored vision to the townsfolk, Malary's world gradually sharpened from a haze to clarity. "My sight returns! Historian, clarity beckons!" she voiced with a surge of joy. However, her jubilation waned at the sight of the black envelope. 'Oh no....it's a bill...not a letter. A debt hangs over Simon,' she realized. Tearing it open, she discovered the incredible figure within. The quill darted to its ledger, recording Simon's staggering debt. Malary's breath was caught, "More than ten thousand dollars? What has Pete done?! This could lead to him being sued by the city! Simon is only a boy; such a burden could mean legal repercussions for him!" Promptly, the quill sought out a gray sheet, poised to alert the authorities about the imposition of such a debt upon a minor without parental consent.