The Ymbryne Academy

Chapter 16

Miss Sparrow waited until later to finally see if Esmé would unlock the door. Alma gave up a while ago and was in her room so she thought it might go better if it was just her.

Miss Sparrow tried to door handle and found it was still locked. She knocked gently on the door but got no response.

"Esmé, dear, open the door." Miss Sparrow says softly but when she got no answer, she fished around in her pocket until she found the pin from earlier.

She unlocked the door and pushed it open. She shut the door behind her and gasped when she saw Esmé.

The girl looked over at her in a panic and quickly hid whatever was in her hand, in her drawer behind her where the candle was.

"Esmé, what are you doing?" She asked, worried for her and rushed over to her.

The girl pulled away from her gaze.

"Go away, I don't want to talk!" Esmé snaps.

"Sweetheart. Please." Miss Sparrow plead, taking her hands. They heard a knock on the door. When neither of them answered it opened.

"Alma told me she was worried about Esmé. Is something happening?" Miss Bluejay said.

"Get out! I didn't ask for a crowd." Esmé says, pissed off and goes to walk off when Miss Sparrow took her arm.

"Ouch!" Esmé yelled and pulled her arm away. Miss Sparrow gave her a look and asked her to pull her sleeve up. "No way."

"Give me your arm." Miss Sparrow says softly and Esmé glared at her.

"Get out of my room!" Esmé snaps.

Miss Bluejay walked over. "Darling, please." She said gently. "We're here for you. We want to help." Esmé pulled away from her, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Leave me alone." Esmé says firmly and looks away from the two embarrassed. "Get out and leave me alone."

Instead of listening to her Miss Bluejay wrapped her arms tightly around the girl. "I'm so sorry Esmé. I'm here for you. I understand."

"Get off of me and get out!" Esmé says but she didn't bother struggling against the mentor, instead tears building in her eyes as she leaned against her.

Miss Sparrow walked over and wrapped her arms tightly around the two. "We can help, dear." She said gently as Esmé's tears began to fall.

"I don't want help." Esmé says firmly, gazing down at the floor away from them. "Just please leave me alone."

"Then give me whatever you have been using." Miss Sparrow counters with a firm, motherly look.

Esmé hesitated for a long moment before going to grab the razor blade she'd hidden. Miss Sparrow took it and tucked it away into her pocket to dispose of later.

"Thank you. Is there anything else you use?" Miss Sparrow asks and Esmé paused for a moment before sighing and handing her a small pocket knife she had. "Where did you get this?"

"My father gave it to me." She says quietly. "Told me to finish the job." She mutters the last part under her breath.

The two ymbrynes heard it anyway due to their excellent hearing. Miss Bluejay gasped and brought her arms around the girl. "Oh honey. You're never going back there."

Miss Sparrow looked at the girl worried and shocked at the sentence as she pocketed the knife, gently looking over her as the other mentor held her tight.