Post by brodie on Feb 6, 2019 17:30:27 GMT -5
The sun was low in the sky for the early morning winter season, a light touch of dusk clung to the early hours, as the children filed in to the neat little classroom. Each small desk was set out in uniformed lines, with name plates denoting where each child sat. The chalkboard, uncleared still bore the lesson from the day before and an apple, untouched save for a single bite, sat on the corner of the teachers desk.
It was most unlike the teacher not to arrive before her students, most days she was there to greet even the earliest drop off and share stories of their mornings, not one of the students could remember a single day when she was not present, but today when the young children filed into their classroom one by one, they were met with an empty seat as her desk.
It passed the usual time when the children would begin sharing about their day, the shrill school bell marking the start of their well structured day. It was a few more minutes before the school principal arrived in the classroom with a rather solemn expression; nobody knew where the class teacher was, but that was not something she would share with the class.
“Good morning children!”
She chirped merrily, receiving a disinterested but polite response back from the kids. She cleared her throat and looked around for a rewards chart or merit board, which would tell her which child was class leader. But she found none, their usual teacher was not a fan of favoring children and rewarded each on their own merit. The principal faltered for a moment, sighing with relief as she was stepped around by todays substitute.
“It’s quite alright, I’m sure I can find a volunteer to help me today, hm..?”
A shock of blue hair, twisted into a pretty french braid down her back and sharp eyes that seemed to read the face of every child as she passed them; were offset by a friendly smile and far more fashionable clothing than the children were used to seeing a teacher wear.
“Clara?”
A young girl, glancing up through her fringe, smiled in an almost… crooked way as the substitute picked up her name plaque. As the substitute tapped it gently atop the head of the young student, she almost cooed with the most enticing tone.
“You’ll be my assistant today, won’t you?”
For a moment, the young girl seemed to eye her with suspicion, but of course, this was a classroom, in a school building she attended every day, so there was nothing to fear… right?
The principal was quick to excuse herself, as soon as the door was closed; the teacher, who had since introduced as Ms. Caine; asked Clara to clear off the board, the teachers keen eye never once left the girl for the rest of the lesson; had the children been much older, they likely would have questioned such a subject matter… But alas, they were too young to question and, the only child bright enough to do so, found herself too fascinated by the subject to question it.
Ms. Caine seemed to know precisely how to hold the young girls attention, studying her a little closer than the other children; when it came time for recess, she offered the young Clara a chance to stay back and discuss the matter further.
After all, Charles Manson had been a fascinating visionary that so few had truly understood.
“Tell me something…” Ms. Caine seemed to muse aloud on the question, the long pause only heightened the curiosity that Clara felt, shuffling closer she took residence at the desk closest to the teacher, looking up at her with wide, hungry eyes. “Do you think your mommy misses you when you’re sleeping?”
Clara seemed to ponder on the question, of everything she had ever been asked, this was the strangest and, she felt that the answer should be obvious; rushing in with a childlike innocence to respond and please her teacher.
“Why would she miss me? I’m only sleeping…” it was almost as though, she knew the words were wrong as soon as they left her mouth, Clara shifted uncomfortably in her seat, as Ms. Caine regarded her softly.
“I would think she would, if you slept long enough.” The end of recess, marked by the shriek of a bell prevented the young girl from answering this secondary statement.
Clara was no ordinary child, naturally suspicious and on edge, even for her age, she was precocious and, while she had spent the first part of the morning all but tied to the new teachers hip, she now tried to keep her distance, feigning disinterest in the next lesson, instead picking up her crayons and beginning to sketch feverently in her sketch pad.
Lunch came and went without note, the day seemed to drag as school days often do. As lunch ended and sweaty, full bellied children made their way in neat little lines, back into the classroom, they were met once again with the hard faced principal. Who seemed none too happy to be within this little room for a second time in just one day.
Ms. Caine had been called away, with no one left to teach the class and it too late in the day to call for a sub, the children’s parents had been called to collect them early. None of the children noticed that their principal looked a little green around the gills, as some would say, none except Clara.
The children filed out much as they had filed it, all except for..
“Clara Kennedy?”
The young girl paused, turning back to look at the principal who held out a simple brown envelope, the kind that the school used all the time, her mother's name had been scrawled in red pen across the front, Clara clasped the envelope close to her chest and made her hurried way out of the classroom.
Tearing open the envelope, she was lucky to miss the white sheet, splattered with little droplets that seeped through from what it hid beneath; being rolled a little too non-discreetly through the back hall of the school. She didn’t even so much as look up when the large double doors at the back of the gym closed with a heavy thud.
Tiny legs pumped faster than they ever had before, a burn, an ache in her legs as she darted clear across the asphalt, eyes searching for her mother and, clutched in her hand was a simple hand-written note;
“She will miss you when you’re sleeping.”
And, tucked beneath it; a night vision photograph of Clara Kennedy… Sleeping.
It was most unlike the teacher not to arrive before her students, most days she was there to greet even the earliest drop off and share stories of their mornings, not one of the students could remember a single day when she was not present, but today when the young children filed into their classroom one by one, they were met with an empty seat as her desk.
It passed the usual time when the children would begin sharing about their day, the shrill school bell marking the start of their well structured day. It was a few more minutes before the school principal arrived in the classroom with a rather solemn expression; nobody knew where the class teacher was, but that was not something she would share with the class.
“Good morning children!”
She chirped merrily, receiving a disinterested but polite response back from the kids. She cleared her throat and looked around for a rewards chart or merit board, which would tell her which child was class leader. But she found none, their usual teacher was not a fan of favoring children and rewarded each on their own merit. The principal faltered for a moment, sighing with relief as she was stepped around by todays substitute.
“It’s quite alright, I’m sure I can find a volunteer to help me today, hm..?”
A shock of blue hair, twisted into a pretty french braid down her back and sharp eyes that seemed to read the face of every child as she passed them; were offset by a friendly smile and far more fashionable clothing than the children were used to seeing a teacher wear.
“Clara?”
A young girl, glancing up through her fringe, smiled in an almost… crooked way as the substitute picked up her name plaque. As the substitute tapped it gently atop the head of the young student, she almost cooed with the most enticing tone.
“You’ll be my assistant today, won’t you?”
For a moment, the young girl seemed to eye her with suspicion, but of course, this was a classroom, in a school building she attended every day, so there was nothing to fear… right?
The principal was quick to excuse herself, as soon as the door was closed; the teacher, who had since introduced as Ms. Caine; asked Clara to clear off the board, the teachers keen eye never once left the girl for the rest of the lesson; had the children been much older, they likely would have questioned such a subject matter… But alas, they were too young to question and, the only child bright enough to do so, found herself too fascinated by the subject to question it.
Ms. Caine seemed to know precisely how to hold the young girls attention, studying her a little closer than the other children; when it came time for recess, she offered the young Clara a chance to stay back and discuss the matter further.
After all, Charles Manson had been a fascinating visionary that so few had truly understood.
“Tell me something…” Ms. Caine seemed to muse aloud on the question, the long pause only heightened the curiosity that Clara felt, shuffling closer she took residence at the desk closest to the teacher, looking up at her with wide, hungry eyes. “Do you think your mommy misses you when you’re sleeping?”
Clara seemed to ponder on the question, of everything she had ever been asked, this was the strangest and, she felt that the answer should be obvious; rushing in with a childlike innocence to respond and please her teacher.
“Why would she miss me? I’m only sleeping…” it was almost as though, she knew the words were wrong as soon as they left her mouth, Clara shifted uncomfortably in her seat, as Ms. Caine regarded her softly.
“I would think she would, if you slept long enough.” The end of recess, marked by the shriek of a bell prevented the young girl from answering this secondary statement.
Clara was no ordinary child, naturally suspicious and on edge, even for her age, she was precocious and, while she had spent the first part of the morning all but tied to the new teachers hip, she now tried to keep her distance, feigning disinterest in the next lesson, instead picking up her crayons and beginning to sketch feverently in her sketch pad.
Lunch came and went without note, the day seemed to drag as school days often do. As lunch ended and sweaty, full bellied children made their way in neat little lines, back into the classroom, they were met once again with the hard faced principal. Who seemed none too happy to be within this little room for a second time in just one day.
Ms. Caine had been called away, with no one left to teach the class and it too late in the day to call for a sub, the children’s parents had been called to collect them early. None of the children noticed that their principal looked a little green around the gills, as some would say, none except Clara.
The children filed out much as they had filed it, all except for..
“Clara Kennedy?”
The young girl paused, turning back to look at the principal who held out a simple brown envelope, the kind that the school used all the time, her mother's name had been scrawled in red pen across the front, Clara clasped the envelope close to her chest and made her hurried way out of the classroom.
Tearing open the envelope, she was lucky to miss the white sheet, splattered with little droplets that seeped through from what it hid beneath; being rolled a little too non-discreetly through the back hall of the school. She didn’t even so much as look up when the large double doors at the back of the gym closed with a heavy thud.
Tiny legs pumped faster than they ever had before, a burn, an ache in her legs as she darted clear across the asphalt, eyes searching for her mother and, clutched in her hand was a simple hand-written note;
“She will miss you when you’re sleeping.”
And, tucked beneath it; a night vision photograph of Clara Kennedy… Sleeping.