Chapter 1
I was really looking forward to our next class, Mrs Calibrano, our History teacher called in sick and so they sent a supply in.
I passed some people in the corridors and they were murmuring how intelligent this supply teacher was, and that her classes were super fun. I really can’t find fun in this school and London S.E.P Boarding School wasn't a place for fun at all, so I was really curious to see if this new teacher really added some fun to her lessons.
When the bell rang, my best friend Ova and I went running to the History & Geography site, (you see, our school was kind of private so it was big...)
When we got to our classroom the supply teacher was writing in big bold letters:
GREEK MYTHOLOGY LEARNING SESSION.
I was so surprised that I gasped out loud which got the attention of the supply teacher and some of the students that were there earlier than us. ‘Well, well, calm down , sit down in your places we will be starting at any minute now!’ she tried to sound as happy as she could while giving a half smile and I had a strong feeling that she was faking it all. As I was walking down I tried to peek again at the teacher, get a second glance at her, I sat down and rested.
She was like an old office lady, she had sandy coloured hair tied up in a mini bun behind her head, her face features were horrible, and I supposed she never actually smiled which made the skin around her mouth go lumpy. She was really thin and tall, she was wearing a deep green office shirt and a black fishtail skirt, and in her face were these really vintage looking spectacles that were half way down her spiky nose. She caught me starring and glared at me like we were lifelong enemies, I didn't understand why.
I turned around to see Ova seated in his place with his feet in the air, his messy curly ash-brown hair was hiding his eyes so people wouldn't notice that he was trying to sleep, he did that whenever a certain subject or teacher didn't amuse him, it’s like they don't deserve his full attention, but he was always listening.
‘So class, I am Mrs Norris and I will be your supply teacher for the day! We will be doing a fun lesson covering basic Greek Mythology. Does anyone know anything about it?’ She asked.
She looked around jumping from student to student, ‘You little lady’ She pointed at Hya Gerri.
She was what we would call the teacher's pet of our class, she had Asian aesthetics; Eyes that looked half closed, perfect nose and a tiny mouth, her hair was damp black and it was always tied up in a ponytail with her bangs always trimmed exactly above her eyebrows and her uniform as perfect as ever.
She carefully stood up and shifted uncomfortably, ‘I don’t know much about Greek Gods, but if what I read was correct there are 12 main Gods in total.’
‘Achievement point for-’ she took a careful glance at the paper she was holding, ‘Miss Hya Gerri! Now can another person name at least one God?’ A minute passed and no one volunteered, her dark eyes shifting from student to student and of course she stopped at me. ‘Mister--’ she glanced again at the paper, ‘Jack Mckall’ she said it slowly like she was repeating something repugnant, ‘Stand up and talk.’
As I stood up I heard a rustling noise coming from behind me, I looked back and I saw that Ova was now seated correctly staring blankly at Mrs Norris with his fingers crossed, I asked myself if he noticed what a fake the teacher was too, but I quickly shook the question out of my mind and turned to face the teacher. ‘I don’t know about Greek Mythology, but I have already heard of some Gods like, Hades and Zeus maybe?’
The teacher made a snickering noise when I mentioned the name of Zeus, she turned towards the chalk board and began to talk and write, ‘Zeus, Poseidon, Demeter, Hera, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Hestia, Hephaestus, Hermes, Ares and Dionysus. Yes they are the 12 Gods that currently “Own” Olympus but not for much time...’ she stopped herself mid-sentence as if she was telling us something that she wasn’t allowed to say. ‘Well’ she turned to face us again, ‘Can somebody tell me at least one creature that is more powerful than the mighty Gods?’ Again nobody’s hand rose up and Mrs Norris was forced to chose another random, her eyes laid again on me and I got the strong suspicion that she was doing it on purpose, ‘Mister Vaeil please stand up’ she held out her hand, everyone turned around and focused their gaze on Ova.
He looked as stunned as ever, I guess he never thought the teacher would call him, he rested his hand in the table and rose up.
‘There is no such thing that can beat the Gods miss.’ Shortly after he sat back down and went back to his normal slumped back position.
The teacher made a hysterical laughter ‘You mortales always saying and don’t think!’ She turned around to the board again and began to write, while all students said each letter out loud,
‘H-E-R-A-C-L-E-S’
She was still facing the board, but she clutched her hands on the chalk and talked in an angrily voice ‘Demigods Mortales! Demigods are stronger than those Gods!’ she put her hand on the name written on the board carefully ‘Heracles could have beaten his father, Zeus, easily, but no, he chose to stay loyal to that Git of a God...’ she finally turned around, her face darker than before. ‘Demigods are the key to overthrowing Olympus.’ She suddenly shifted and her face lightened up again, ‘Ok Students any question?’ She forced a smile again.
‘You are such a twat.’
‘Um excuse me?’ Mrs Norris looked up in my direction; I slumped down in my chair and a huge shadow casted down before me.
‘You heard me, what you talk is Nons!’ Ova Implied while banging his fists on the table.
‘You can’t talk in that way towards members of staff young man.’
‘Ooh, I can’t be arsed! I can do whatever I desire...’ He grinned while pointing at himself; I looked over at him trying to imply not to make a scene. Ova looked down to me, still smiling and I saw a little purple flicker in his eyes, but shortly after it disappeared.
‘Interesting...’ The teacher said, she walked over to her front desk and grabbed a rectangular shaped paper and began to write on it. When she finished she started walking in a formally way towards our row with her chin up in the air, she stopped by Ova’s seat and handed him the paper, ‘Detention during brake time young man, for bad-mouthing a member of staff.’
Ova stared at the piece of paper in his hands with disbelief in his eyes; he glanced at the teacher and pleaded, ‘Bloody Hell, I’m out of here.’ As he stood up and got his bag the bell rang. I could see the teacher’s fierce gaze locking on Ova but he just rested his shoulders and walked out of the classroom, and of course, I went running after him.
On our way to the detention room, a lot of people seemed to be glaring at us like we didn't belong there, It was normal to me, but to Ova? He wasn't taking that very lightly; he kept asking people if they wanted a picture or if he seemed to be some kind of joke, and this went all the way until we reached detention. He stopped at the door and analysed who was inside, when he noticed that there was no teacher to be seen, he got hold of my hand and dragged me along the hallway.
‘What are you doing?’ I asked as I stumbled trying to regain balance.
‘Going somewhere, trust me, you'll like it.’ And so he dragged me across the hallway and many levels of stairs, careful so that no teacher or guard could see us, and finally we reached the place.
It was a beautiful garden with grapevines growing along huge sticks that came out of the ground, a stone path led to a little well that was placed under a tree that seemed at least a century old, ‘wow’ I finally said ‘what is this place?’ and my curiosity was at its highest.
‘A little garden that I've been working on, it seems like I have good hands on grapevines!’ He chuckled, the Sun was burning hot and streaks of sunshine were radiating trough the old tree’s leafs, highlighting Ova’s ash-brown hair in a way that it almost looked pretty to look at, but the mess made it unbearable, his blue eyes shining with pride as he looked around the garden, his garden. ‘Come on.’ He told me as he walked over to the fence; I followed him trying not to step on little wild flowers that were sprouting from the ground. I glanced one more time at the grapevines that were full of chunks of red grapes, looking at them made me remember that I haven't eaten anything the whole morning, much worst that I forgot to brink packed lunch, and my head was starting to tell me the same thing. ‘Look over there’ Ova said as he pointed to a little closed garden the other side of the valley, ‘That cemetery Jack, there is an old legend that says that people who die of insanity here get buried in there destined to suffer for eternity!’ He made little ghostly noises.
The garden caught my sight, little tombstones made of black and white marble filled every last piece of that field, and I got the feeling that there was a little bit more to that place then what it let on.
He turned around and sighted, ‘I don’t know what is in this place that makes it so unbearable, if I had the power I would recreate this whole planet to a perfect world, where we would be happy. No annoying people, no discrimination, and definitely no crazy teacher to torment us! It would be just you and me against the whole world. . .’ He looked at me and I smiled, ‘I promise you Jack, I will make this dream come true, we will have a perfect place to live! And I hope you will be there with me...’
His gaze was soft, waiting for some kind of approval or answer to his preaching, I turned around to face the building just like he had done, I looked up to the sky, the sun burning hot, which made my head hurt even more, still spinning badly I tried to answer, but I couldn't think right, ‘I, I think--.’
I fainted.
