Better Times || A Splatoon Story

Day XIII Hour 13

The shot made me fall to my knees, my hands hitting the chilling concrete. My vision wasn't very clear, but at least I didn't feel any pain. Then alas, my eyesight goes to black.

•••

...

...

"...w..."

"...w...ake up, wake up. "

"Marie, sweetie, it's time to wake up," a sweet and cold voice calls. My vision went back to normal and I was in bed, my mother was before me in the daylight. Her thin lips were curved into a smile. "M-...Mom?" I stutter. "Yes? What is it dear?" Mother knelt by my bed, I started noticing my surroundings. I wasn't at school, this was my room back at Inkquelious. "Never mind..." I murmur. "Well whatever it is, I'm here for you. Now, it's almost time for school darling! Better not be late!" Mother ushers me out of my bed, I started getting my school uniform. This school uniform was different. The top was a baggy white sailor top, with a navy blue ribbon. The bottom was a skirt that was black. Today I wore my favorite socks, my white shin high socks with a bow on the outside. My backpack was hung on my door, and was a little too high for me to reach. My feet sprung like a rabbit and I push off my backpack off the hook.

My arms slips into the straps, now the backpack rests on my shoulder. Sighing, I walked out of my room now to the kitchen. Father was already at work, so it was just me and mother. "I made breakfast! Toast smeared with smooth butter, your favorite," Mother places the toast on a plate and brought it in front of me. "...Thanks mom," my stomach growled, I take the toast and munched it down. As much as I love toast, this one tasted off, this day seemed off. Just like that I finished the toast and it was already time for me to walk. "Here, I actually made lunch for you this time! Sorry I never really did it before~," Mother hands me my lunch and kisses my forehead. That must be why it's off, Mother was acting different. "Bye mom," I sorta waved to her as I was to leave. "Bye Bye sweetheart~" her cold grin was shown once again. And then again, I didn't bother with it.

Today I was almost late, the traffic was so bad that it was harder to move. I arrive at the school when the bell barely rang. I hurried inside to my classroom up the stairs. The school looked even more beat up than it was before. More cracks in the walls, more beaten lights, and a lot more of forbidden graffiti. I finally made to the classroom and sat at my seat, the very back in the right corner by the window. The teacher was always the last person to enter the classroom, we always started with following the rules of the school everyday. It was pretty annoying for the good kids, but it was like it was new for the delinquent kinds of kids. I never really participated in that, I always felt I didn't belong to that school or here in Inkquelious. I would always look out the window.

Whenever it was lunchtime, I wouldn't eat. We were aloud to go outside, that's where I went most of the time. I would sit under this shady tree and observe all the other kids. Sometimes I would pull out homework and get it done first. If I ever got bored, I would cloud gaze all alone. School was sometimes my escape from home, but it was still getto as it always been. That tree was there for me. I felt safe.

The bell rings for all of us kids to go to our classrooms. Even if my classroom was upstairs, I was still the first to enter. Once more, I stared out the window. As like a usual school day the teacher was always the last person to enter. It was time for our exam, the teacher was finishing up logging in and fixing our grades. "And start," the teacher lets all of us students begin the exam. It was a science exam, it was too easy. I was probably the only kid that payed attention in science, it was fun to me. There was a roar of a chainsaw that was so loud, the kids went to the window across from my window. Kids were screaming and pointing to what was outside, I slowly walked up to the window to see stupid man, cutting... my tree. They start right away and cutting into it, I remember my heart sinking. It was a good tree, but it didn't have personality. I made way back to my seat and slouched in disbelief. "At least I got to sit with it one last time," I thought, smile just a little. "Alright kids, get back to your seat and finish your exam," The teacher snaps. The kids all groan and moped back to their seats and did their exam. I finish first and turn it in to the teacher, I hear her whisper to herself.