One Tune (#Wattys2017)

Secret Passages

I had to leave about ten minutes early, so I could get my stuff and go down to my class. I checked my schedule so I could know which class I had first.

Period Two: World History: Mrs. Browne

I checked the map me and Ink had made and found the quickest path to Mrs. Browne's class.

I shoved the paper back in my pocket and hurried off back to the medical ward. This time I didn't enter, but I did stand by the door, holding a bsk only a black binder that I had found in my desk a few days eariler. All my school items had been taken away and sent back to my parents along with a letter that explained what had happened. Ink told me that we were writing lettings in Reading today, so I was reletively excited to sent something back to my parents. I missed them deeply, but I was glad to be here. I had some new friends, and a place in society. Not that girl that wasn't only pulled out of the box whenever someone needed help.

The bell rang and I went towards the class. I had a pass that excused me from all Trainings, no matter if they involved my arms or legs. It was saddening, since I was really looking forward to my archery class. It seemed a fun thing to do, and I really liked the sport. Or activity. Whatever it was considered. I wove in and out of the figures with a free period and going to their dorms or outside to the courtyard. I got annoyed and cut through on a path that Ink had shown me, but was extremely old and crumbly, so I shouldn't even think of using it. I slipped behind the marble statue of Athena, goddess of wisdom, and continued off down the passageway that was probably as old as Athena herself. Not like I thought she existed literally, but the storys of her. I ducked my head down so I wouldn't hit the loads of cobwebs hanging from the low hanging celing. I ran like a football player, clutching the binder to my chest and crouching down, running head first.

I soon emerged by a crumbling statue of some god or goddess. I couldn't tell who because the facial features were all but gone. I squeezed out from behind him and started off at a normal pace towards Mrs. Browne's classroom. I blended into the crowd easily, and broke off once her class came into sight. Mrs. Browne though... looked creepy, to say the least. Her hair was cut in a too high bowl cut and her skin was wrinkled in worry lines on her forehead and laughter crinkles by her eyes. Her eyes were a muddy color, and she stood maybe two inches smaller than I. She was skinny and her mouth set in a permanent frown. I automatically didn't like her. But who knows, maybe she would be a decent teacher.

I smiled at her and entered the classroom, slipping into an empty desk in the back corner. I wasn't going to put myself out there, and I kept repeating it over and over in my head until I could spell it backwards. The bell rang again, telling everyone left in the halls that class had begun and for them to hurry up. Some kids came in a little later, but they quickly apologized and took their seats. Anita came in as one of the stragglers, handing the teacher a note before coming to sit next to me.

I whispered, "What was that?"

"What? The paper? Oh, that's a tardy pass. If you are held up in a class long enough, ask the teacher for a pass, and they will give you one," Anita looked back towards Mrs. Browne, who was reviewing from the last class.

"So who remembers what we were disscussing yesterday?" Her voice rung out in the room, sounding like the chime of a bell. A guy raised his hand on the far side of the room. I only noticed him because of his eyes. They were like chips of ice implanted into his face, which in turn made him look older than he probably was. His hair was jet black, which made him seem even scarier. I made a mental note to avoid him at all costs. Mrs. Browne's voice sounded out once more, "Yes Daniel, what were we talking about yesterday?"

"We were discussing World Leaders," Even his voice was scary. It carried a tone of confidence and the know it all sense in his eyes. Daniel, or whatever his name was, seemed to carry the air of a confident jerk. I took my eyes away from him and looked at Mrs. Browne, forcing myself to seem interested.

"You are correct Daniel, and we will continue on with that as todays lesson since we didn't finish up on that yesterday," And with that, she launched off onto a speech on Gandhi. I slumped down over my desk, quickly scribbling notes down. My handwriting was nearly illegible as I flew my pencil across the paper. I dare glances up at the whiteboard and sometimes caught the eye of Daniel. Class went by quickly, and with the help of some students, didn't finish her lecture. "Tonight, your homework is to find and understand a quote from one of the leaders we talked about today. Write it down and bring it to class."

A loud groan rose from the class as we stood to leave. The bell had already rung and I was on my way to the library. I flitted out of class, and headed down the passageway I had used eariler to get to the library.

Once I arrived, I just wanted to stand in the middle and look up at the wide expanse of what was called the library. It was a room that filled up the entire two storys, There wasn't a floor to make it two stories high but it went up to the roof of the second floor. There were books piled high in bookcases that had rolling ladders so you could get to the books higher up on the shelves. I walked over to the librarian and asked if he needed help. He was standing in the middle of the ladder, trying shakily to reach a book on a higher shelf, "Why, yes I do. I can't seem to reach this book here for a student. He's in the medical ward and Nurse Sarah told me he wanted this book to read while he recovered. Can you help me?"

I smiled and let the older man get down before climbing up to reach the book he was talking about. It was about the workings of a car, and I smiled. Aaron still was a car enthusatist. I climbed back down and handed the book to the librarian who thanked me and went to his desk to check it out, "Could you take this down to him? I'd be mighty thankful."

"Sure," Once he handed me the book I smiled at him before heading towards the medical ward.

One Tune