Running Late

The Trek Continues

The next day Olivia set four alarms, woke up an hour earlier than normal and spent an extra half hour at both the bus stop and the hall outside the classroom to ensure that nothing so horrid could happen again. As the teacher unlocked the door of the class and she stalked proudly to her seat that now felt more welcoming than ever, she wondered if this action had truly advanced her cause or only caused her to seem more weak and desperate to the obnoxious teacher.

She tries to put aside her worries and instead pulls out what she needs for the class and the novel that will keep her occupied in the time before it. Today she has a daring novel with tales of pirates and sirens, witches and kings and the happy ending which makes her feel better every time she reads it. Olivia knew that she would need a pick me up today as the events of yesterday hung over her and the touchy topic of today loomed ahead.

"The Salem Witch Trials" was written on the blackboard that morning in the crisp white lettering always used by her frustrating professor. The words seemed to be etched out of the surface below, breaking through the dark wall of the board to reveal the light, raw secrets within. For most this topic was simply a reminder that the picture of the past was painted  in blood.To Olivia anything to do with that dark time was a frightening parallel between what her ancestors had to face and what she faced every day. Her classmates could never truly understand how the accused felt since they had never looked out their window and seen the bonfire waiting to turn them to ashes.

The book that usually solved all of Olivia's problems had no effect today as the only thoughts that seemed to be able to shine through the white cracks of the blackboard ahead where of persecution and loss. That is until she heard the slightest giggle echo through the near empty classroom to berate her with it's pierce cries. She didn't even need to turn to know that it was the queen bee of the bubble heads, Eliza sending the mocking tones her way. Olivia at least pretended to read to disenfranchise the attention seekers that would surely disrupt her for the sole purpose of laughing at her response. They came over regardless and proceeded to take my book and read the back cover.

"Such an egghead that you need to memorize your books now Livvy?" Eliza spat out with a sneer. "Please don't call me Livvy" was Olivia's only response but her lack of answer confirmed the accusation in their minds, leading even the teacher to snicker. "So Livvy" Eliza continued with a patronizing tone "You excited for today's lesson?" The only reason the bubble brains hadn't been expelled for the string of suicides they had indirectly caused with their rumors and backhanded insults was that they never directly insulted anyone, they became masters of innuendo and dancing around the truth. They may lack the intelligence for school or anything else that may actually be positive for society as a whole but the whole lot of them are geniuses at destroying people from the inside out. Olivia  felt no need to give them any more cannon fodder than they already had so she remained silent until the lot of them simultaneously turned on their designer heels and stalked to their seats at the back of the room. Olivia felt so attached to the so called witches that had been affected by the trials since she felt as if she and so many of the people she knew where being attacked in the same way. In her head she replied to the girls that it would be just like digging up old memories but out loud she remained silent.

She had felt so alone when she was younger, never having any friends since she was always the weird one and not having the support of her family since her parents always seemed more concerned with fighting than with her. In high school that changed; in high school the problems she had always faced got better but they also got much worse.