Arachville's Academy for the Paranormal

Chapter 4

After a thirty minute drive of terror, the bus driver comes on the speakers again. "If everyone can sit down and buckle up! We are about to have a rough ride!"

The clicks of seat belts replace the chatter of creatures. I watch in horror as the bus drives off a cliff.

Water engulfs the bus, and it seems I'm the only who seems to fear drowning, at this point.

Thomas was completely calm as he stares out at the fish swimming by in schools. The bottom of, what I presume was Lake Michigan, was surprisingly clear.

Finally I was calm. The monsters on the bus didn't bother me, though it still was very weird.

Chloe stares longingly at the water. She mutters something under her breath.

The bus gets a sudden burst of speed, and the bluish green water of the lake turns into a beautiful rainbow like color. "What's going on?"

Thomas smiles, "We are almost there!"

We all jerk forward and then pick up speed. Colors seem to fly past us at light speed. One girl screams and others laugh. Some put their hands in the air.

The rainbowish color disappears and we are on the ground again. Our bus jerks around as we drive on the dirt road.

"We're here!!!" Thomas stares out his window. A massive castle, towers over the small bus. Everyone bursts into excited chatter as we come to a stop.

The intercom blares in static, "Welcome to Arachville's Academy for the Paranormal!" I barely make out the bus driver's voice. "Please exit in an orderly fashion and enjoy the rest of your day!"

Kids start to file into the isle as the door squeals and opens.

Thomas, Chloe, and myself are still remaining on the bus when everyone leaves. Chloe struggles to pull her water tank out of the seat. So Thomas tries to wrench it free. It jerks out and he raises above his head before placing on the ground.

"Thanks." Chloe smiles and walks off the bus.

I stare in awe at Thomas, oxygen tanks are usually heavy. Heaven knows how much one filled with water weighs.

I quickly forget what I was gawking at, and we both walk off the bus too.

Our group stands in the huge gateway of the castle. A tall skinny man with one eye stands in the front.

He sighs before starting, "Welcome all new students, my name is Avin and I'll be you tour guide this evening!" By the tone of his voice, I could tell he didn't want to be here. "All water breathers, please join Natalie for your tour of the aquatic school...." He points to a young brunette girl, sitting in the water. I look closer and see she has a greenish blue tail, she was a mermaid.

Unlike Avin, Natalie smiles and waves. Chloe grabs her tank. "Bye, guys. I guess I'll see you on the way back home."

"What do you mean?" I was hoping we could choose roommates, and Chloe did live close to me.

Her fin-like ears twitch, "Well the land and aquatic schools are completely different. I won't see you guys until we leave."

"That sucks...." Thomas frowns and kicks a small pebble.

She waves as she, and a third of our group walk towards their mermaid guide.

Avin leads us through the castle. Showing us our future classrooms, such as brewing, mythology, combat, etc. and a few normal classes like history, and gym.

The next room we saw was the cafeteria. It's a huge room with ceiling so high up they must reach out of the atmosphere. Lanterns decorated it stone walls, and balloons cluttered the sky. As well as a few tables that seem to float in mid-air.

Thomas whispers in my ear, "That must be where the flyers sit."

I stare at the tables, longing to fly up there. A strange urge, though.

"You're doing surprisingly well for a "human" at Arachville's."

I glare at Thomas when he uses the air quotes around human.

Everyone gets excited when a delicious scent washes over us. My stomach growls in response.

Avin scowls and directs us towards the dorms.

Our dorms were the turrets on the castle. Boys down the right hallway, girls on the left. There were three different levels of hallways on both sides.

"Ok that concludes our tour. Now I'll pass out your dorm keys..." Avin grabs a pouch off his side.

Before he can grab a key, Thomas speaks out. "But what about the rest if the school?" He was right. The school was huge and all we saw were the classes, lunch room and the dormitories.

Our guide glares at him. "The rest of the castle is either restricted from younger students or students all together!" Avin snaps, his one eye bulges when he talks.

Thomas looks away and doesn't say another word. "Ok, Rashleem," the girl with snakes for hair steps up and takes the small key from his hand. "Cario," Cario was the bug-headed boy that sat across from me on the bus. I shiver when I see him.

"Juliana,"

"Tuzio,"

"Cory,"

"Sortha,"

"Thomas,"

"Jonan,"

"Randy,"

The group of kids with keys grows and grows until it was just me and the boy with fiery wings.

"Victoria," I walk up to grab my key. Avin hesitates before handing it over. It was a small, gold key. With a spiderweb pattern on the end and the number "312" engraved in it.

Thomas beckons me to him when I join the group of people with keys.

"What is your room number?" He whispers while Avin gives out the last key and starts to talk about the rules of dorms.

"Three twelve. And you?"

He takes his key out of the pocket in his uniform. It was the same as mine but the pattern was on the key part instead of the handle. "Four thirty eight."

I hear Avin clap his hands, "Now go to your room and your schedule will arrive tomorrow!"

Our group disbands into the hallways. "Promise me, you'll sit with me at dinner?" I ask, if my roommate didn't like me, I knew Thomas would keep me company.

He smiles, "Of course!"

We separate and I try to find my room number through all the twists, turns, and stairs.