A School Of Weirdos

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

I woke up early in the morning with a nightmare replaying in my head. It was vivid, and I could recall it clearly. The dream seemed like a rerun of what I had experienced that day, but with a twist.

In the dream, Tutor Beatrice's kitten was on the teacher's desk, grinning at me. However, this grin wasn't just malicious; it was downright mischievous. Unlike the real experience, the kitten spoke to me with a human-like voice, sounding like that of a young boy.

"You don't know what lies ahead of you in this school. Just wait and see, Paul," it said, laughing evilly in a loud manner. I tried to get everyone's attention in the dream, including Tutor Beatrice and my friends, but none of them responded. It was as if they couldn't hear the kitten talking to me, and they couldn't see or hear me either. It was a terrifying experience, and I felt overwhelmed by fear, like thousands of bees stinging me all at once.

That morning, I pondered about John Felix Academy and its sudden return to normalcy. But, as time went on, the normalcy began to feel like a facade to me.

After what happened that day, I couldn't simply label the school as normal. The experience with the grinning kitten might seem like hallucination if I were to tell others, but to me, it felt undeniably real. I refused to let my mind deceive me.
Slowly, I started considering Isaac's advice. "Is it time to tell my mom about what's been happening in school?" I thought to myself.

However, before I could dwell on it further, procrastination got the best of me. My train of thought was abruptly interrupted when I heard the door creak open. It was my mom.

"Paul, you're spending too much time in bed. Get ready for school. I've prepared breakfast for you. You don't want to be late, do you? And I can't afford to be late for work," she said.
I simply nodded in response. It was clear to my mom that something was bothering me.

"Paul, is something on your mind?" she asked.

"Not at all, mom," I replied, trying to hide my true feelings.

"But your face tells a different story," she countered.

"Don't worry, mom, I'm fine. Perhaps I'm just feeling a bit moody this early morning," I said, forcing a smile.

"It doesn't seem like mere moodiness to me. It looks more like worry. You don't have to keep anything from me. Feel free to talk to me. I'm your mother," she reassured me.

For a moment, I felt the urge to confide in her about everything happening at John Felix Academy, but I quickly dismissed it.

"Don't worry, mom. I truly am fine," I insisted, masking my true emotions with a reassuring smile.

"Alright, dear, but remember, you can always talk to me if anything is bothering you," she said before leaving the room. With that, I began getting ready for school.

About thirty minutes later, I was already at school. Everything seemed normal. I half-expected to witness some strange behavior from students, but there was none. However, I couldn't shake off the fear I had developed for the kitten. I hoped Tutor Beatrice hadn't brought it to school that day, but unfortunately, she did. Despite my inner turmoil, I acted as usual around my friends, who seemed relieved to see me apparently okay, though I wasn't. The trauma lingered.

Of course, my friends were unaware of the kitten's grinning experience, but I planned to tell them during our first break. The thought of their reaction made me nervous, and I pondered whether to share it with them or not.

The classes before the break went smoothly as usual. Thankfully, Tutor Beatrice's class wasn't scheduled for that day, as I double-checked the timetable. I felt relieved because I didn't want a repeat of the kitten experience. Perhaps, I was frightened by the possibility of my nightmare turning into reality.

When the first break arrived, I mustered the courage to tell Michael and Amanda about my encounter with Tutor Beatrice's kitten. We were seated in our favorite spot in the school courtyard, enjoying our snacks on a bench. As we ate, I initiated the conversation.

"Guys, yesterday when you asked if something was wrong and I said it was all fine, I actually lied," I began, allowing my words to sink in. Both of them stopped midway through their snacks, surprised by my admission.

"You lied?" Amanda exclaimed, taken aback. Michael simply gazed at me with a neutral expression, his thoughts unclear.

"Yes, I did. Something was wrong, but I doubt either of you would believe me. You might even laugh," I confessed nervously.

"Don't worry, we won't laugh. Just tell us," Michael reassured me. Amanda nodded in agreement. Encouraged by their response, I proceeded to recount my ordeal.

"Okay, here's what happened. While Tutor Beatrice was teaching us yesterday, I felt a gaze on me. I later realized it was Tutor Beatrice's kitten, lounging on the table, staring at me intently. Initially, I thought it liked me, but its gaze didn't feel friendly. I became distracted and found myself staring back at it, trying to decipher its thoughts, almost as if communicating telepathically. However, it all ended fast, when in a very few seconds, the kitten grinned at me, baring its teeth before suddenly shifting its gaze elsewhere. The grin looked malicious, and I was instantly overcome with fear. I felt mentally paralyzed for a few seconds, unable to process what I had witnessed. I was very shocked. It was like a nightmare, and I couldn't believe a mere kitten could grin at me in such a manner. It was so human-like. The experience left me traumatized, and I even dreamt about it last night. It was a terrifying nightmare. In the dream, the kitten spoke in a human-like voice which was that of a young boy, saying, "You don't know what lies ahead of you in this school. Just wait and see, Paul," before erupting into a loud, evil laughter. It felt as though I was back in the classroom, just like the actual experience. I tried to get everyone's attention, but nobody responded, including you guys. It was as if none of you could see or hear me or the kitten," I concluded.

Michael and Amanda stared at me for what felt like an eternity, their expressions unreadable. Then, suddenly, they burst into laughter. What did I expect? No rational person would readily believe my story.

"Paul, you were simply hallucinating. You imagined it, and it happened. Your focused imagination on the kitten might have triggered the hallucination," Michael asserted.

"That's the simple truth, Paul," Amanda chimed in. I looked at them, lacking the strength and evidence to refute their claims. Eventually, I conceded.

Part of what Michael said was a very strong point; it made a lot of sense. That led me to consider labeling it as a hallucination. Within my thoughts, I made a deal with myself: if I witness anything as strange or weird as seeing a grinning kitten, then I won't dismiss it as a hallucination, but as something real. I'll tell my mom about all the strange occurrences at school so that she can withdraw me from it.

"Michael, I think you're right. It must have been a hallucination," I admitted.

"I'm glad you accepted the truth," Michael replied.

"Let's talk about something fun instead of dwelling on weird stuff," Amanda suggested, smiling.

"Alright then," Michael and I agreed. With that, we shifted our conversation to lighter topics like cartoons and movies, which we enjoyed discussing.

The rest of the school day proceeded without any unusual behavior. It seemed like it would remain that way forever, but I tried not to dwell too much on it. I held onto the deal I made with myself.

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