Once Upon A Nightmare

- TWO -

- Cindy -

Run, Cindy, run! You got this, you can beat the bell. RUN!

Diving into the room, I let out a breath of relief. Whew, I made it! I mentally high fived myself just as the bell rang. I found a seat and plopped down when the morning announcements went off.

"Good morning, students! I hope you all had a wonderful summer before returning to class and to the new students, I wanted to come on and welcome you to Farris Taile High. I hope your year is full of wonders and magical fun. Have a good day!"

The exact moment the speaker cut out, in strolled the teacher. His black dress-shirt and matching slacks was a huge contrast between his pale skin. Did this guy ever see the light of day? He turned and scanned the room.

"Name's Mr. Hadies, teach Greek myth and math. If you aren't meant to be here, get out. If you are, hi, how ya doin'?" He paused taking note of our reaction. "Yeah, yeah. Hades as in the 'God of the underworld'. My mother didn't like me that much but, hey, might as well be, ya know?"

I felt the person next to move closer. "Is he for real?"

I took this moment to take her features in. She had an excessive amount of blonde hair that was falling helplessly from her bun, her large green eyes popped because of her thick, black lashes, and her features were soft yet pronounced, almost giving her an innocent, childish look. The way she dressed was comfy yet dressy, serious but casual. She wore a black dress with white stars scattered all over. Atop the dress, she wore a short, purple, knitted sweater and paired it with some black sneakers.

I shrugged. "He could be but then again, we are in school."

We tuned back in on him. "Roll call! Adam East... Orchid Fa... Lee Hang... Matoka Hontas... Eric King... Phoe Prince―"

"―It's pronounced Fee-oh."

"Yeah, yeah. Esse Ralada... Azel Rapuns..." The girl next to me raised her hand. "Phil Red... Eugene Rider... Yasmine Saltin... Ariella Seeas... Sidney Tremaine―"

"―Cindy."

"Same thing, Sidney. Ugh, Ulesi Wonder... Tottiana Works... and Ston Uws." He looked up and scanned the room once more. He was wasting whatever time was left so we could leave class and just like he planned, the bell for the next class rang.

All students belted from the class and to their next. It was how the entire day went. I would casually see Bella and watch as she would run and hide when Adam was around. And at one point, he caught up with me, wanting information on Bella. It was a normal day.

But something told me this wasn't going to be a normal year. Something was different about this year. There was something new, something more magical, something―"

"―Peculiar."

In front of me stood an older woman. She wore a black shawl and a teacher's card. Her face didn't ring any bells, she must be new. Before I could ask her name, she already answered.

"My name is Ms. Tence, Pattsi Tence. I am the forensics and literature teacher here. No, we have never met; no, I am not new, actually, I am quite old if you can't tell from my skin."

I went to speak again.

"How do I know that we have never met and how do I know what you were going to say? Well, I am well educated when it comes to time. It was a specialty of mine. I am also similar to what you may call a psychic. I can predict certain events and trust me, darling, this year is not a year of good. The tables have turned for the worse and balance must be restored. I cannot tell you much more but seek for the truth. Search for the book far from reality and everything will come together."

In the blink of the eye, she was gone. Book far from reality? Balance being restored? Turning for the worse? Um, psychiatric ward, yes, I think one of your patients are running around my school. Could you please send someone to get her, thanks.

Whatever she was talking about was probably a joke of some sort. But it's not, something told me. All of this is real but all of it was not. This was all too confusing to me. Why did she have to fill my head with her crazy? Why is it always me?

🔽🔼🔽

► A book far from reality? Hm, I wonder what that could mean? ◄ 

► I guess Had(i)es didn't calculate Wonder-boy being in his class, huh? Also, does any else like Hades, leave me a comment. ◄