Red Crosse Sinners

Chapter One: Lukas

“Miss Williams! Wake up now!” My dorm leader, Mrs McCarthy, an elderly Scottish woman, bellowed into my door.

   I’d learnt from previous mistakes. First time I was here she virtually knocked the door down in anger and shook me awake. The second time she had to come and wake me up, I’d locked the door, but she had the key and then proceeded to wake me from my slumber I so desperately never wanted to leave. But finally a month or so ago, it hit me what I had to do.

   Change the locks.

   So I did that, and even now with the grey haired Mrs McCarthy bashing her wrinkled little fists against the heavyset door, I smiled into my pillow, more asleep than awake.

   “Acedia Williams so help me…” she threatened through the door. I could almost feel her beady brown eyes staring me down through the key lock. I groaned.

   No…don’t think about it…just sleep…

   “ACEDIA WILLIAMS! DO NOT MAKE ME CALL FOR THE PRINCIPA-” Mrs McCarthy began before she was silenced abruptly. This sudden silence made me frown. What on Earth could make her stop attempting to wake me up? This was one of her life’s greatest missions. She never gave up, and tended to more often than not resul in her getting one of the more equipped students to pick the lock and wake me up. One guy had been dumb enough to try poking me with a heavy metal pole to wake me. It bashed me in the arm, nearly breaking it. It hurt. But it didn’t stop me from grabbing the end of the pole he was poking me with, yank it from his grip and smash him across the head with it. All of that was done in a semi-slumber. I was a real bitch to try and wake up at the best of times. If I’d been out the previous day at a party or studying, you’re in for WW3 styled showdown which was exactly what that dumbass got.

   I sat up slightly, my eyes half open as I walked towards the door. I liked sleep, but my curiosity as to what made my loud dorm leader go silent overpowered my desire to sleep. I opened it to see Dr. Hugh Crosse standing there.

   Truth told it took me a moment to process it the fact it was him, but I established eventually who the man before me was. I didn’t know if it was the mass of greying hair that was slicked back or the very neat, tailored suit he wore with those ultra-shiny leather shoes he had on his feet; but I recognized him. And when I did…

   “Shit!” I squeaked, my eyes flashing open, wide with shock, holding the door open dumbfounded. I licked my lips to try and bring some moisture to my mouth but it felt bone dry. My tongue was all papery and cracking. He made me nervous and frantic. I never wanted to embarrass myself in front of the headmaster, that’s one person I refuse to embarrass myself in front of. And yet here I was in my pyjamas, staring at him like a deer in headlights after I yelled ‘shit’ in his face. I could feel my ears going pink.

   “I’ll pretend I never heard that Acedia. It’s not a way to address your principal,” Dr. Crosse said in his deep but light-hearted voice. He even grinned. My eyelids drooped again as I relaxed slightly at his tone, I was fully awake even though I never looked it. My large eyes always looked dopey and tired.

   “I advise you get changed out of those bright little summer shorts and tank top of yours, get dressed and head towards to food hall before you have to go to your classes,” Dr. Crosse suggested before giving me a polite nod and walking off. My eyes followed him for a moment and then when I looked back to the empty hall in front of me I noticed the little mop of white hair attached to a glaring old lady was standing there. Her arms were crossed and she did not look impressed. I looked down at her and gave her a bored look.

   “Watch your anger Mrs McCarthy. I’d say that anger gives you greys, but by the looks of it, it’s turning your hair red again,” I stated slowly, with a stifled yawn at the end. This set her off. She called me ‘pathetic’, ‘unreliable’, ‘waste of air’; all the good stuff before she finally calmed herself down somewhat, and returned to her main point.

   “This is the last time I attempt to wake you up, do you hear me young lady? I will not waste my time on you furthermore!” Mrs McCarthy said warningly. I stared at her for a moment before slamming the door shut in her shocked face and shuffling over to my closet, feet dragging through the carpet making them burn slightly. I absolutely despised mornings.