THE OTHERS

Chapter 1: School

I clutched its furry back. I had to be faster, no matter what. A voice was yelling behind me, telling me to do something I couldn't understand. They were catching up and we were slowing down.
I should start from the beginning, all the way from the start.

September 1972
It was the first day of a new school year in the Blue River Secondary School, and everyone was rushing to their classrooms to sit with their friends. All the girls went to the left side of the building, and all the boys went to the right. I said goodbye to Julian (my brother) and he rushed to meet his friends.
I looked around the hallways and painfully remembered how my sister used to run in the corridors, ignoring the rules. It all changed when she died last year.
"Stop running, Darcie Hale," they all used to tell her, "you always get yourself into trouble."
The three of us are triplets, even though we are nothing alike.

I sat with my friend Sam, who isn't necessarily my best friend, but I've known her for years. Our new teacher was scribbling something on the blackboard. Her jet black hair was tied in a tight bun, her crimson square reading glasses were dangling off their string onto her chest, and she was serious, successfully trying to scare the class. When everyone was taking notes, I noticed Sam had ink on her pinafore.
"Sam, you have ink on your pinafore," I pointed out obviously (and quietly).
Unfortunately, Sam has never been good at whispering. I think she's always been a bit slow.
"WHAT? REALLY, LIZZIE? HONESTLY, IT'S LUCKY THAT MS. BAKER DOESN'T HEAR US. SHE SHOULDN'T KNOW I HAVE INK ON MY SKIRT!"
I glanced around the classroom, making eye contact with everyone. Of course, they had all heard Sam's 'whispering'. Everyone, including Ms. Baker.
"BANKS!" she yelled Sam's surname.
"I- I'm sorry Miss." she replied, worry engulfing her round face.
"IT IS MISS BAKER," the teacher corrected her sternly, "GET BACK TO WORK."

A few minutes later, I realized Ms. Baker was wearing beige clothes that made her look a lot like a piece of bread with hair and glasses. I decided it would be better to tell this to someone else, not Sam, so I told a girl that sat next to me (Clara). She laughed, but quietly and daintily like a proper lady, covering her mouth. Suddenly, we both heard a loud, snorting sound. Sam had heard.
"OH LIZZIE, YOU ARE TRULY FUNNY! YOU ARE DEFI-" she stopped laughing, realizing her mistake.
This was the last straw.
"SAMANTHA, GO DIRECTLY TO THE MASTER'S OFFICE. ELIZABETH, YOU TOO, SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THIS ELEPHANT DISTURBING THE CLASS!"
Everyone gasped, and looked at Ms. Baker's red face that was swelling with anger.