The Academy of Exile

V

    Mr.S had his office door propped open with a fat aloe plant sat heavily within a cracked clay pot. His office was lively; with plants sagging from hanging pots and colourful juvenile paintings hung from each of the four walls. His desk in particular was a mess; with papers stacked high, burying his computer and telephone. It took Pearl a long moment to realise that this was the teacher she had walked in on before. Her gut clenched, was she going to get into trouble for running out? 
     Winter led Pearl inside of the room after knocking upon the door frame. Mr.S stood at the far window with his back turned to the pair of girls. He bit down upon a pear and nodded to himself, looking intently out upon the scene before him. Pearl moved onto her toes to look out too; his office overlooked the mountains. 

     Mr.S looked like a typical history teacher. He had a bushy, graying beard and thick black glasses. He was practically bald yet he didn't look very old at all. Maybe in his mid-thirties. He wore brown pants and a grey t-shirt with a dress jacket thrown over the top. Her glanced over his shoulder and looked at Pearl and Winter, his eyes were black and deep behind his glasses. 

    "Pearl! Welcome to the Academy." He begun, tapping his finger against the glass. His voice was warm and welcoming."It's beautiful here, isn't it? Like a picture." 

    "It's... incredible." Pearl hated small talk. She smiled accommodatingly but felt awkward and weird after what Winter and Verona had told her. What was Mr.S going to say? What could compare to seeing someone use magic?  Mr.S motioned for Winter and Pearl to sit. The pair of them took their seats in front of his desk silently. Winter reached over and grabbed a book off his desk, flicking through the pages absently as if she was tuning out. Pearl was thankful that she didn't leave. 

     "I'm guessing, by now, you have realised that something is up." Mr.S said simply, spinning around to face Pearl. He rested his hand on the back of his office chair. His knuckles were hairy. 

    "Uh... Yeah. I don't think I am in the right place."Pearl said quietly and Winter laughed. 

    "Well, Pearl. This is an institution for troubled teenagers." Pearl shot a confused glance at Winter whom shrugged and continued flicking through pages. Had Winter lied to her? Pearl's fingers tapped nervously against her knees. 

    "So... I am in the right place?" Pearl asked slowly. "I saw something just before. Something weird." 

    Mr.S pulled back his chair and sat down upon it. He laced his fingers together and shuffled up upon the surface of the desk. He paused for a moment before pulling open one of desk drawers and withdrawing a thick stack of paper. His eyes scanned over it. 

    "Pearl, you were brought here because you were exhibiting signs of chronic depression and anxiety in which no medication or therapy could treat, am I correct?" 

Pearl nodded cautiously. 

   "Have you been diagnosed for your intense night terrors? Or those voices you hear when it's really quiet, that whispering sound?" 

    "I-I never told anyone about that..." She stuttered and glanced over to Winter who shifted uncomfortably. She scratched at her temples and focused on reading. 

    "What about those thoughts you have. The really dark, violent ones? You were too scared to tell people because you didn't want to seem crazy..." Mr.S flipped over one of the pages and tapped upon the small font. "I know what's wrong with you." 

Pearl was on the verge of panic right until the last addition of his sentence. Her heart quickened within her chest and her eyes desperately searched the teacher's face.