East Side

1 - East Side

Hi guys, this is my first book ever, so please vote and comment!!

Also this is a short chapter but it introduces everything so kinda important.

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All this time I've been hoping that something wierd would happen to me; after all, I've led such a boring life. With 4 sisters, my life hasn't exactly been 'We're paying for all of you to go to Disneyland!' from my parents. They both work, my mum is a Professor of Luingistics at Oxford University down the roadand my dad is an accountant. They pay well but they're boring, and because we rent a house all the money goes to that, plus we have a Land Rover and it costs LOADS to fill up with fuel, and we have such a big family to feed. My parents, my sisters: Lily, Penny, Charlotte and Lucy, and my grandparents who can't afford a house.

So, my life is full, and boring. All of my sisters get paid equal attention, which isn't a lot, considering both Mum and Dad are both at work all day, and my Grandpa is always busy making tea (I'm serious, he's got the kettle on every ten minutes) and Grandma is always asleep. ALWAYS asleep, 20 hours a day. She's really nice, caring and gives lots of attention when she's awake, which is mostly when we're at school so that's attention - nil.

I go to a normal primary school, with a normal family (that's what school say when they're telling you off for not doing your homework. 'You have a normal family, a normal household, a normal life - so why can't you finish you homework?'). Life is so boring! So that's why, when a letter arrived through my door with this address:

Bryony Heathwood, 1 Harper Drive, Merthfield, Whitby.

OPEN WITH CAUTION.

I definitely felt slightly suspicious (The only letter I ever get through the door is Aunty Alice's £1 in an envelope every Christmas). Especially the OPEN WITH CAUTION part. What was it going to do - explode? Yet, once I'd opened it, read the contents and showed it to my mother, that's what it did. Explode, I mean. There was a massive bang while I was talking to mum about the letter, and we both whipped round from chopping the tomatoes and there was a pile of smouldering ashes and scorch marks on the table.

The letter had read:

Dear Miss Bryony Heathwood. You have been selected to attend East Side School for Magical Cases. Your book and belongings lists are enclosed, and we hope to see you on the 1st September. Go to www.eastsideschool.co.uk/directions for how to get there. Yours Sincerely, Katie Pennywhistle, Deputy Headmistress.

Belongings: One blue East Side robe, one red. One white bowler hat with a red ribbon. Two pair of white, wrist length gloves. Two pairs of polished black shoes, any style (NOT HEELS). Two white shirts. Two East Side sweaters, one red, one blue. Girls: Two black pleated skirts. Boys: Two pairs black trousers. Books: Vampire History, by Juliette Johnson. Mathematics by Karl George. Speed and Stealth, a Vampire's Guide to Physical Education, by Lucy Hudson.

See you on the 1st!!

OK, total surprise. I know. But hey, here's the abnormal life I wished for. Especially since Mum told me I'd never been down for East Side, in fact she'd never even heard of East Side, and can I please go and ask my grandfather because she needed to be off to a conference. Once again, Grandpa was making tea even though he'd just finished his fourth cuppa today, and it's only nine. So, as usual, everyone was too busy to tell me what East Side is.

The 1st September was drawing closer, and I was constantly online on the East Side website. It didn't actually explain anything about the school, just gave the directions. I sighed and leant back in my chair. This was proving difficult. Then I heard a shout from upstairs.

"Darling, can you get me my pills?"

It was Grandma. Suddenly, I had some inspiration. I grabbed her pills and a glass of water and ran upstairs, my head thumping. There was butterflies in my stomach which had nothing to do with nervousness, just excitement. At the bedroom door, the excitement quickly, rapidly, turned to nervousness. As I opened the door, the hinges creaked.

"Grandma?" I called out. "Here's your pills - and I've got a question for you."

She swallowed two of the pills, and stared at me. "Go on - what's your question?"

I took a deep breath. My head was thumping. "Do you know anything about East Side School for Magical Cases?"