Exception

deux.

"rocket ships will take off whether you're in them or not"

Cierra looked out the window. Watching as people ran for cover who'd been unfortunate enough to be outside as the rain began to hit the streets. Arrays of coloured umbrellas were opened. The intensity of its fall grew heavier and heavier every second. Cierra watched as it became a living fabric, washing down over the country fields as farmers rushed their cattle into barns and undercover.  Watching as the cold world outside her rushed past, cars driving on winding roads a little more cautiously than usual.  Water sloshed up as the tires splashed into the puddles forming on the side of the road. It seemed so cinematic. The small rickety car rolled along as her mother hummed along to the static radio which only played 80's English rock.

"Excited?" 

"No," she couldn't in this dreary weather even attempt to conjure up a lie of happiness to satisfy her mother. Cierra turned away from staring out the car window to face her mother. 

"How are you happier about this than I am?-" Cierra asked turning to see her mother's focused eyes on the slippery road.

"-Is it because you'll be kid-free, living your inner party mum lifestyle after so many years chained to responsibility"

 Cierra smiled at herself before her mother grinned in response "How did you  know?" 

"Well considering we are almost-"
Her mother drew out the ending just long enough for the car to come to a stop

'Here." Cierra looked around at her surroundings. The rain which had been previously bucketing over the car now stopped as the cover of the cement driveway sheltered them.

"Oh." She said

"come on we'll be late," Her mother said, the click of her seatbelt coming undone.

She groaned reaching for her coat and the book which she had started the journey reading. 

 As she stepped out of the car she pulled her glasses from her jacket pocket wearily, adjusting them on her face as her squint turned into a clear view of what was in front of her. 

The dark and hulking building which appeared before her was big enough to host the royal family. It stood there as if conjured from the storybook of a child. From the parts, she could see the surrounding forest and garden it was almost its own town. The kind of place you imagine in medieval tales featuring kings knights and queens. She half expected a dragon to come flying out of the clouds.

'well. this is..." Her mother struggled to finish the sentence but she didn't have to, Cierra knew exactly what she meant

"The beginning of a horror movie? That seems like the right description to me"

Her mother held back a choked sound before composing herself

"It's definitely... dark'

'agreed'

'It's like you. It's perfect. Cierra groaned, as her mother began leading the way towards wherever it was they were going to meet whoever it was they were meeting. Her mother held in hand the letter they had received originally which detailed the date they were to arrive, the time and the instructions on where to go to get to the headmaster's office. 

'Are you sure you know where we are going?' Her mother whose back was still facing Cierra nodded, or at least Cierra was assuming it was a nod from the limited view she held. 

'where in the hell is everyone- I thought this was a school' 

Cierra noticed the slight underlying anxiety in her mother's voice. She felt it too, the anxious air in between the walls as if it was closing in so slowly you couldn't notice it, but you knew eventually you'd be trapped and suffocating in the limited space. After multiple turns and twists her mother stopped in front of a black door, the plaque attached to the wall next to it reading 'Headmasters office' 

'Well, I got us here. Now you have to make sure they don't kick you out Cierra's heartbeat was unconsciously beating too fast, unnaturally fast. 

'Mum I-'

The door opened swiftly, the slight creak ringing in the echo of the hall. When the initial shock wore off, there she stood. The headmaster. 

'Hello, Mrs Lavande, It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance' Her mother's arm reached out behind Cierra pushing her forward to be at her side. She noticed that her mother's hands were cold, and her face seemed struck with the sight of the woman before them. There stood a woman, no taller than 5'6 wearing a blue striped suit, her blonde bright bob bouncing off her shoulders. Green eyes stared with what seemed like a Disney-planted sparkle in them. Her voice even sounded sweet. Considering everything Cierra suddenly questioned if this entire thing had in fact been a joke. She was half expecting Ashton Kutcher to jump out and yell that she had been punk'd. 'No no, it's MY pleasure, Miss...' Her mother hesitated still not knowing the headmaster's name. 

"Triste" She finished, her smile even brighter than before. Cierra almost let out a laugh but stifled it, this woman who seemed nothing more than a bubbly primary school teacher literally had a last name that meant sad. And ontop of that she ran the most terrifying gothic-looking, prestigious schools in the country- perhaps the world.

'