School Of Secrets

Chapter 3

After a while, the door opened, and I was let in by a woman who looked to be in her mid-40’s with blonde hair just like Florence’s and a menacing look in her dark grey eyes. I was about to ask her about the things that had happened, but then I figured that she could be the one behind it, and that wouldn’t be very smart, would it?

“Well, are you going to sit down?” She gestured to a chair in front of what was presumably her desk. I obeyed as she proceeded to sit down at her chair on the other side of the desk, a tall, leather office chair like the villains always have in the movies, that turn around as you walk in the door, the bad guy ready to great you with an evil laugh and a troubling speech.

“Now, Willa Grey?”

“Speaking.”

“Your great aunt was best friends with my mother.” She tried to smile, but it didn’t spread to her eyes, which kept the same threatening stare.

I swallowed and looked away. “So I’ve heard.”

She picked up a bowl lying in the middle of the desk. “Candy?”

I grabbed a handful. What? I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. “Thanks.”

She smiled again, but something was different, like she had accomplished her life’s goal by getting me to eat it.

“Now I hope you understand that Hardwicke Academy has a very specific set of rules. During school hours you must wear the appropriate uniform which is described in the manual you will be given at the first assembly.

“There is to be no girls in boys rooms or vice versa. You must be present for all classes and mealtimes. You are not allowed to leave campus at any time.

“And most importantly, you must do everything I say. You understand? Everything.”

I nodded slowly, unsure of what to say. It felt like she was trying to hypnotise me. Maybe she was. Everything suddenly became clear. She was the person behind all this strangeness. Florence hadn’t been affected because she was the Principal’s daughter. Besides, she was psycho enough on her own. The only thing that didn’t make sense was Penny. She didn’t appear to have any ties with the Principal, and yet she hadn’t been affected. She knew what was happening, but she didn’t tell me. I had to find Penny. Then, maybe, I would understand completely.

“Um, may I leave now.”

“I permit you to leave, yes.”

I left the room in a hurry, and realised something. I had no idea where I was. I hadn’t paid close attention when the lady led me here from my room. All I could do was wander around and hope for the best.

The school was a flipping maze. I finally figured that if I decided to open one of the fifty million doors this place had, I could find someone to help. If they had the silver eyes, I’d just apologise and move on. I summoned up some courage, took a deep breath, and pulled on the door handle. Two boys sat on the ground, game console controllers in hand, staring intently at a gory battle game on a TV screen. Fantastic. I was on the wrong side of the school. Thankfully, there was not a glazed eye in sight. No pun intended. Deciding there was nothing to lose, I tapped on the doorframe.

“Hello. I seem to be a little lost.”

One of the boys looked up, his green eyes confused, and slightly annoyed. “Damn straight you are.” He got up and walked into the hallway, where I was standing, while the other boy paused the game, and followed him. “I’m sorry, that was rude. I’m Peter.” He held out his hand, and I shook it. “But you shouldn’t be here. Girls aren’t allowed in boys rooms.”

“Am I in your room?”

“Well… No, but…”

“Then that’s solved.” I smiled at him, despite how perplexed I was about this whole situation.

He smiled back. “I suppose it is. Oh, before I forget, this is Steve.”

Steve nodded. “Sup.”

“Well. Peter, Steve, as you can see, I am hopelessly lost. I am also slightly confused as to why…” I leaned in closer to them and whispered, “... All the kids act like zombies and have silver eyes.”

Peter and Steve looked at each other. “It’s not safe to talk about here,” said Peter. “We’ll need to take you to the lab.

“The… lab?”

Steve laughed. “Don’t worry, it’s not like in Rocky Horror or something. If anything, you can trust us more than anyone else. We’re the good guys in this story.” He smiled.

“Wow, poetic much?” I laughed.

“That’s Steve,” chuckled Peter. “Anyway, I just have to ask you something. Have you been to visit Headmistress Hardwicke yet?”

What an odd question. These guys were saner than most people in this school, but they were still far from normal. “Um, yeah. That’s where I just came from. This lady took me there from my room and now I can’t find my way back, which was why I asked you guys for help in the first place.”

The look on Peter’s face became increasingly worried. “You didn’t take any of her candy, did you?”

Okay, random? But he seemed serious, so I replied. “Yeah, why.”

Steve gasped. “Crap, Peter. She took the candy.

What on Earth?

“I know, Steve. We need to get her up to the lab before the poison starts working.”

“Before what poison starts working?”

Peter looked at me, concerned. “Again, it’s not safe here. Let’s go quickly.”