Escape From Brampsworth School For Privileged Boys.

Prologue: Aniyah.

I was the only unwanted child.  No one wanted to adopt me. And that’s why I ended up here. After 15 years of watching little girls and boys being adopted, they finally realized that no one wanted me. No one wanted a quiet, intelligent loud mouthed little girl. Especially as she grew up.
     That’s how I ended up here. Standing outside a large boarding school entrance, behind me a tall dark haired wrinkled man stood menacingly. I heard the twinkling of the silver bell he held in his hand. In a matter of seconds a hoard of girls came floating out the large oak door. Large smiles plastered on their faces. I let myself look over them, their ages seemed to vary. The youngest was a little girl about 8 years old, trying her best to push her way through the others. She was small and I could barely see her dull brown eyes.
    “Girls this is Camelia.”
I turned around confused, ‘Who the hell is Camelia?’ I wondered.
    “Welcome Camelia.”
I wasn’t sure what was more frightening. The way they all stared at me, with that blank smile. The way they spoke in unison, their voices all the same tone. Or the fact that around their necks, were thick white lacy and leather collars with gold bells attached. ‘The hell?’
    “Camelia?” The man behind me asked sternly.
I looked around waiting for this Camelia to show herself, but was left waiting. A bony hand landed on my bare shoulder, and I jumped at the coolness of the hand. I turned around slowly. The man was staring down at me, his face stern.
    “Who’s Camelia?” I muttered annoyed.
    “Ladies only speak when spoken to. They should be seen and not heard.” He reprimanded.
    “Excuse me?” I asked shocked.
    “You only speak when spoken to Camelia.”
   Then it dawned on me, I was the only one speaking, he thought my name was Camelia.
    “My name isn’t Camelia… It’s.”
    “That is it young lady.” His voice boomed, scaring me. No one had ever yelled at me before. Hearing him do it made me angry.
    “My name is Aniyah, not Camelia!” I yelled back.
I heard the girls behind me let out a quiet gasp. I rolled my eyes, glaring up at the man, who was now painfully grasping my shoulder, his long nails digging into my flesh. I did my best not to show my pain. I was so busy glaring at the man, I didn’t notice one of the girls placing a collar around my neck, until I heard the click of a key. My hands flew to my neck. Unlike the others collars mine was simple, a strip of thick black leather, with silver embroidery, a gold bell hung heavily from the center, landing just under my collar bone. I let my fingers clumsily follow the embroidery, my brain processing each letter, B-R-A-M-P-S-W-O-R-T-H. P-R-O-P-E-R-T-Y O-F B-L-A-I-S-E D-A-N-I-E-L-S.
    “I thought you would like something a little less frilly.” The man said smiling down at me in an almost fatherly way.
    I didn’t know what to do. So I let the girls lead me into the school, slowly, each one chattering quietly now that we were moving away from the man.
    “Who’s Blaise?” I mummered, dazed.