Beyond The Woods

Chapter One: The Raven Post

The Raven Post (I)

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Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock... and just like that, time stopped. And so does his heart as he saw the word 'expel' clearly imprinted on the paper.

"What?" Rob asked for the second time.

The man, who looked like he was on his late thirties, took a deep sigh and was ready to repeat it again. "As I said Mr. Evans, you have forty-eight consecutive lates with the same reason all over again. We can't keep tolerating that."

He stopped, tilting down his head back unto the massive pile of papers on the desk. On his right chest, a name tag was pinned down with letters that spelled 'Mr. Dulcero Mult'. Below was the word 'Principal' in italics covered with scratches all around, because of that time when Mr. Mult refused to obey the caution sign, and slipped half-way through on the west corridors. He fell on his front teeth first and needed to go to the dental clinic afterwards. Mr. Mult could barely talk for about three days.

Rob had still remembered, and he considered that as bad luck for scolding his algebra teacher in front of their class.

The tall, petite woman, who was standing beside Mr. Mult, watched Rob as he acted like a circus clown, chuckling in the seat. She cleared her throat, and Rob froze for a moment before one word slipped from her mouth.

"As Mr. Mult said," She dictated, "We can't give you anymore detentions after class. We're so sorry, Mr. Evans, but we have to expel you from this institution."

Rob, whose face earlier looked like a circus jerk, was mind racing a mile a minute as he heard the woman's mellifluous voice. His lips curved the wrong way, and those hazel eyes felt like it could not hold on to a wave of tears. The paper bent were his thumbs rested. He didn't know what to do.

Rob could not just go home and show this letter to his grandmother. What if Grandma might be worried? He quivered under his breath, and was sure enough that his uncle would scold him for the eleventh time this week.

Rob could already think of the bad things his uncle would do to him: A night in the basement, a week without supper, or worst, it could be the old-no-cellphone-for-a-month punishment. But Rob was so used to not being able to use his cellphone, that it no longer bothered him even in a far stretch of time. What terrified him most were the online assignments that would always be given by Rob's least favorite teacher, Mrs. Adlin.

The only way that became his distraction was his interest in studying the stars above. As long as the sky's awake and the stars whisper stories, there was not a reason for him to be sad, although it scared him most that his uncle might notice and confiscate his things; that was why he was forced to hid it underneath one of the planks on his bedroom's floor every day, only to be picked up later at night when Uncle George was fast asleep.

Rob's current situation was tough for him to handle, even more now that he got expelled from school, which was his last chance to succeed, and pretty much the last way of escaping his uncle's tyranny. However, that chance was gone and Rob knew that he was never going to leave that house. Never, unless if he has the guts to tell Mr. Mult the real reason, but he hesitated to speak.

"There must be another way other than this." was all Rob could manage to get out.

He looked down unto the necklace his mother had given to him, rubbing the cold surface with his hands, before she departed ways with his father. Rob considered that as the worst day of his life, too much problem for a single day caused him to lose focus on his daily activities, especially school.

Mr. Mult dropped his pen and started piling up the papers that was placed on the burnished, brown desk. He scoffed and tried to arrange his white pen holder, but failed, deciding to give up after. Rob could sense that Mr. Mult was up to something no good, and he's pretty sure that Mrs. Petunia was doing her best to save him from being expelled.

"So what is your response, Sir?" She questioned the fat man, who nearly had a neck, playing with his bubble head collection. But he ignored her and continued springing up the coil of the tubby cat. "I'm sure that Mr. Evans has a valid reason for this." said Mrs. Petunia.

She doubted about the words she had uttered, so too as Rob while his knees were shaking. He wished he could turn back time and just be early in school for once. If it was not for his Uncle, Rob was definitely sure that he'd be arriving on school before dawn's first sunlight. As early as four in the morning, Rob was already awake on that time. He would sweep the front yard, water the plants; even buy breakfast at the convenient store. However, his Uncle's demands were the one that kept him from being an early bird.

"Sir?" Mrs. Petunia repeated, but this time it sounded more convincing.

Mr. Mult for the first time listened, dropping his bubble heads unto the heap of paper works. Rob had never seen him so still, maybe because he had ADHD, and whenever Mrs. Petunia would suggest something, he wouldn't bother to listen. The next thing would happen was he always forget everything what she talked about.

With haste, Mr. Mult fixed himself before he could fall even more to the trance of her words. He tightened up his red-bow tie, tucking in ebony curls back into his head. Mr. Mult seemed that he wouldn't give up without a fight, even though he already did.

"For a moment there, Mrs. Petunia, you sounded quite convincing on the defense of this boy," He looked at Rob. "And you, Mr. Evans, got to start looking for yourself. There wouldn't be more Mrs. Petunias on other schools, I suppose." He paused and shifted his gaze to Mrs. Petunia, "Since I'm quite charmed at your words, Lily. I think it wouldn't be a big problem of giving this boy a second chance."

Mr. Mult turned to Rob, whose face was going to burst into a big hug after. Rob could not believe what he just heard. Rob knew Mr. Mult as a person of sarcastic behavior, and maybe just the exact person who crushed everyone's dreams, but this was a different side of him.

"I-I..." Rob stammered. His heart pumped against his ribs with surprise. "I don't k-know what to say."

His mouth refused to open. There wasn't any more words he could speak, except embraced the silence of gratefulness.

To his left, he saw Mrs. Petunia smiling at him, and he knew very well that she was just as happy as he was. Mr. Mult, who was still looking at him, rather quite doubted he had given Rob a second chance.

Rob couldn't be happier, and he promised not to waste this chance. He bowed his head.

"Thanks, Mr. Mult."

Rob heard them both over the desk, whispering about something, in which it wasn't of his concern. He sat back at the comfy chair, waiting several minutes before, Mrs. Petunia, regain back her posture.

"Mr. Evans," She said. "Mr. Mult wants to give you another chance, so you are given a time of nine hours which is the remaining time of the school day, to prove to us that you aren't as irresponsible as we see you to be. And wait, we will be also monitoring you, so you don't need to come back here after dismissal."

Rob listened and promised himself that he would not break school rules anymore.

The deafening sound of the school's bell echoed on the hallways. Rob had to go because it was time for his history class; the most boring subject for him indeed. And the terrifying part was that it was taught by Rob's least favorite teacher, Mrs. Adlin. Rob swallowed while settling his mind for what goes next.

As they heard a thousand clicking of shoes beyond the door, Mr. Mult just know what he wanted to do with Rob.

He cleared his throat.

"You may go now, Mr. Evans."

Mr. Mult pointed his hand toward the door, where loud voices sneaked in in the office to be heard.

Rob handed the paper to Mrs. Petunia. She smiled, as if telepathically telling him to be careful not to break school rules next time, and he too promised himself. He picked up his bag and headed towards the old oak door. He exhaled, ready to go back to his lessons, but this time without doing school violations.

As he was about to twist the knob, Rob heard Mr. Mult.

"Remember boy, last chance."

And with that, he closed the door and joined the crowded hallways, going towards his history class.

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