The Gift

Gabbling Flamingos

It is a bitter day in the heart of Winter. There may not be a blizzard, but inside me there is. So far, my first day of school has been quite scary, I must say. I've never seen so many kids crowded in one place all at once. As I had arrived to school, everyone was in clumps, like a flock of flamingos, squawking and fluffing their feathers arrogantly. The school building was towering over me, beckoning. The garden in front of the school was pretty impressive, I must say. Dark green hedges were cut into different shapes... beautiful. Each hedge was capped with sparkly snow. A huge sign read: Thistleborne Boarding School. A long, rocky path led to the school building. So far, the garden had been welcoming. But, when I stepped inside the school building, it was a sea of chaos and chatter. My heart was beating loudly in my throat. Where was I meant to go? All these strange faces were glancing at me. Some very thin, some chubby, some square-ish, and some round. There were people of all sorts! Brunettes, tall, short, thin,  blondes... all kinds. They had been here last year, so they already knew each other. But they didn't know me. 

I was a new species of bird. 

I was new, strange, wondrous, unfamiliar... and they all stopped and stared at me. I felt a jolt in my heart as I was the centre of attention. Nobody even said hello. I guess they were too busy gabbling on and on about their hair or maybe about who was pretty and who wasn't. 

After that, I found a lady called Ms. Lemming; she introduced herself as the counselor to all the new students. She gave us each our schedule for school. This was my schedule today:

Monday:

8:00                   AM       Wake up

8:00 - 8:35       AM       Get ready for class

8:40 - 9:25       AM       Breakfast

9:25 - 10:45    AM       English                              Ms. Marlowe - Room: 107  

10:45 - 10:55   AM      Break

11:00 - 12:20  PM       Math                                  Mr. Higgins - Room: 112

12:25 - 1:35    PM        Herbal Remedies          Mr. Popkin - Room: 178

1:40 - 2:25       PM       Lunch

2:30 - 3:40       PM       Outdoor Education      Mrs. Bambouche - Gym

3:45 - 6:25      PM        Free time

6:30 - 7:15     PM         Supper

7:20 -  8:55    PM          Free time

9:00                 PM         Lights Out                     

Ms. Lemming had said that if we needed any help with anything, we could go to her. Ms. Lemming then showed us around the school a bit. She showed us the Dining Hall, the Lounging Room, her room, the Study Hall, our dorm rooms, and where some of our classes were. 

In my first class, English, the teacher stated clearly not to go into the forest that surrounded the school, and that whoever would dare go, would have severe consequences. I asked why, and they just said that it was too dangerous for kids like us. After that, in class, I wasn't paying attention to the teacher, without realising it. I was thinking about the forest. I did it twice. Everyone in my class started whispering about me. I was the centre of attention now. Everyone started looking at me, wondering who I was coming into their territory. Wondering why I was so shy, so different.