BEEP BEEP BEEP
Yawning, Rica Hewlett opened her eyes and reached over to turn off the alarm. Was it really 6:00 already? Sitting up, she did a một giây take when she saw where she was. Since when did she sleep in a classroom? Especially a classroom that she didn’t even recognize…
“Ah! Miss Hewlett. Awake already?” The prim, English-accented voice did NOT match the hip, purple-haired, piercing-clad, twenty-something woman standing over Rica. “Well, rise and shine, my poppet! bạn have a big ngày ahead of you.” She must have looked taken aback, because the woman threw her head back and laughed, so that Rica had a clear view of the purple-haired lady’s various silver nose rings. “That, dude, is known as “imitation.”
Now the lady spoke in a normal, albeit precise, voice. “The name’s Hannah Clark, Junior Suprema. I already know all about you, of course.” Hannah helped Rica to her feet as she spoke, then snatched a clipboard off a nearby bàn and began to recite facts. “Enriqua Maria Hewlett, also known as “Rica”, age fourteen, eldest child, parents Mateaña Miranda Gonzales and William James Hewlett, two younger siblings, twins Celeste Mariana and Fransisca Josefina.”
Slightly shaken, Rica nodded cautiously. “Yep. That’s me. How do bạn know so much about me, anyways?” But Rica doubted Hannah had even heard her, for the young woman was still peering the clipboard, an odd look on her pale face. “Miss Clark? Hannah?” “Mmmm? What’s that, honey?” Now Hannah was studying Rica curiously, like an interesting specimen in a zoo. “Well, I was just wondering…”
“Oh! They’re awake!” Hannah rushed over to a boy who looked about thirteen hoặc fourteen as he slowly pulled himself to his feet, who had also been laying on the floor of the “classroom.” Upon studying the room thêm closely, Rica realized that there were in fact dozens of kids slowly awakening all over the floor! Suddenly, she felt a slight tug on her black designer tee, and turned around to see a girl behind her with long, tousled brown curls, who looked just as confused as Rica felt.
“Um, excuse me? I probably sound pretty stupid asking this, but uh… where exactly am I?” The girl’s dazed crystal blue eyes locked with Rica’s Sô cô la ones as she repeated her question. “Well? Where are we? And what the heck is that beeping sound?” Rica bit her lip before she answered. “To be honest… um, I really don’t know either. The last thing I remember, I was about to get in the car with my Những người bạn to…” She gulped as she remembered what exactly she had been about to do. To drive a bunch of underage kids to a concert…
“All right, dearies! Is everybody seated and ready to begin?” At first, Rica thought that it was just Hannah doing her “proper” voice again, but then she realized that a stout, very short woman with wavy red hair in a messy bun, jeweled blue horned glasses, and wearing long, flowing white robes just like Hannah’s was addressing the room from tiếp theo to the whiteboard. So that was who Hannah had been imitating! There was a mumble of assent at her words as the still-sleepy teenagers stumbled to their chairs.
“Now, children, that is not the proper way to address an instructor,” the woman scolded. “You shall reply ‘Yes, Mrs. Akenburr’ hoặc ‘NO, Mrs. Akenburr.’ Do bạn understand?” “Yes, Mrs. Akenburr,” everyone replied, thêm hoặc less in unison. “Good. Now, let’s begin. So, let’s start out bởi getting acquainted. We’ll start in the back, and weave our way up to the front. When it’s your turn, say your name. Let’s start with you!” Mrs. Akenburr pointed at a tall, African-American girl in the back of the room.
“Tanikka Sanders, Mrs. Akenburr.” “Thank you, Miss Sanders. Next?” And so on it went. There were about fifteen guys and ten girls, and Rica didn’t recognize any of them. With a start, Rica realized that everyone in the room was wearing the same white robes Hannah and Mrs. Akenburr were wearing, even the guys! The girl tiếp theo to her was “Antoinette Luca, Mrs. Akenburr.” Hannah introduced herself, looking down and fidgeting with her robes as she spoke. After everyone had been “acquainted,” Mrs. Akenburr straightened her robes and began to speak.
“Now, children, I’m sure bạn are all wondering why we are here. And to that, I am afraid, there is no easy answer. But I think I shall begin this task bởi saying a statement. This statement might cause bạn distress, surprise you, hoặc frighten you. But please, remain calm while I explain.” Rica gulped, trembling slightly at the instructor’s words. A knot of fear was slowly growing within her, and uncomfortably gnawing at her stomach. Glancing around, she saw that many of the other students looked equally uneasy. After a long, dramatic pause, Mrs. Akenburr opened her mouth once thêm and spoke her tiếp theo words with utmost clarity and utmost dread.
“Your families… well, they think bạn are dead.”
At Mrs. Akenburr’s words, many of the “students,” hoặc whatever the unlucky twenty-five were, managed to contain whatever emotions they were feeling. The remaining few, however, did not manage to contain their emotions. These few (all girls, unsurprisingly) fainted on the spot. Hannah, however, had apparently been expecting this, for she procured a rag and bowl of cool water and rushed to the unconscious girls’ sides. But Mrs. Akenburr remained cool and collected, and responded with “We’ll wait until our poor Những người bạn awaken to continue. Please hold any các bình luận hoặc các câu hỏi until then.”
“But Mrs. Akenburr,” a preppy looking girl with long reddish-blonde curls, a màu hồng, hồng satin headband, and sparkly màu hồng, hồng lip gloss blurted out as she bolted up from her seat. “Surely bạn don’t expect us to hear such an alarming statement without any explanation and not ask any các câu hỏi of it!” Mrs. Akenburr sighed before responding. “Miss Jezebella Applegate, is it not?” The màu hồng, hồng girl nodded nervously at her name. “Yes?” “Please, my words are not as horrific as they seem. If bạn would just wait for an explanation…” The end of the command drifted up expectantly, so Jezebella gave a slightly nervous smile, and sat once more. After several anxious minutes, Mrs. Akenburr cleared her throat and began again. “Anyways, back to business. I probably put that the wrong way. Rather, they think bạn are in a coma for undetermined causes. Of course, bạn are actually here, in a place we call “Galas Etherpyte.” Based on that name, and the apparel we are all wearing, where do bạn think bạn are? bạn may talk amongst yourselves, and when, and if, bạn determine the answer, call me over and whisper our location in my ear. bạn may begin.”
Swiveling to face Antoinette, the two immeadiatley began to talk. “How on earth are we supposed to figure out why we’re in a courtroom based on the name ‘Galas Etherpyte” and a bunch of white robes?” Antoinette asked Rica. “Wait- a courtroom? What do bạn mean? We’re in a class room!” Antoinette gave the Hispanic girl an odd look. “No we’re not!” Rica frowned. “I don’t know…” she replied cautiously. “But there’s something about that name that’s bugging me.”
Antoinette shrugged, chewing on a hangnail. “Dunno… it kinda sounds like one of those whatchamacallits… anagraphs?” “Anagrams!” Rica exclaimed. “It’s an anagram…” Luckily, Rica was one of those people who had the perfect brain when it came to anagrams and word puzzles. “Regale ash petty… the learpy gates… oh my gosh!” Rica cried. “I know where we are, Antoinette!” Antoinette looked bewildered, and some of the nearby groups turned and looked at them. “What on earth?” “That’s just it, Antoinette!” Rica whispered excitedly. “We’re not on earth! The pearly gates… we’re in heaven!”
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Yawning, Rica Hewlett opened her eyes and reached over to turn off the alarm. Was it really 6:00 already? Sitting up, she did a một giây take when she saw where she was. Since when did she sleep in a classroom? Especially a classroom that she didn’t even recognize…
“Ah! Miss Hewlett. Awake already?” The prim, English-accented voice did NOT match the hip, purple-haired, piercing-clad, twenty-something woman standing over Rica. “Well, rise and shine, my poppet! bạn have a big ngày ahead of you.” She must have looked taken aback, because the woman threw her head back and laughed, so that Rica had a clear view of the purple-haired lady’s various silver nose rings. “That, dude, is known as “imitation.”
Now the lady spoke in a normal, albeit precise, voice. “The name’s Hannah Clark, Junior Suprema. I already know all about you, of course.” Hannah helped Rica to her feet as she spoke, then snatched a clipboard off a nearby bàn and began to recite facts. “Enriqua Maria Hewlett, also known as “Rica”, age fourteen, eldest child, parents Mateaña Miranda Gonzales and William James Hewlett, two younger siblings, twins Celeste Mariana and Fransisca Josefina.”
Slightly shaken, Rica nodded cautiously. “Yep. That’s me. How do bạn know so much about me, anyways?” But Rica doubted Hannah had even heard her, for the young woman was still peering the clipboard, an odd look on her pale face. “Miss Clark? Hannah?” “Mmmm? What’s that, honey?” Now Hannah was studying Rica curiously, like an interesting specimen in a zoo. “Well, I was just wondering…”
“Oh! They’re awake!” Hannah rushed over to a boy who looked about thirteen hoặc fourteen as he slowly pulled himself to his feet, who had also been laying on the floor of the “classroom.” Upon studying the room thêm closely, Rica realized that there were in fact dozens of kids slowly awakening all over the floor! Suddenly, she felt a slight tug on her black designer tee, and turned around to see a girl behind her with long, tousled brown curls, who looked just as confused as Rica felt.
“Um, excuse me? I probably sound pretty stupid asking this, but uh… where exactly am I?” The girl’s dazed crystal blue eyes locked with Rica’s Sô cô la ones as she repeated her question. “Well? Where are we? And what the heck is that beeping sound?” Rica bit her lip before she answered. “To be honest… um, I really don’t know either. The last thing I remember, I was about to get in the car with my Những người bạn to…” She gulped as she remembered what exactly she had been about to do. To drive a bunch of underage kids to a concert…
“All right, dearies! Is everybody seated and ready to begin?” At first, Rica thought that it was just Hannah doing her “proper” voice again, but then she realized that a stout, very short woman with wavy red hair in a messy bun, jeweled blue horned glasses, and wearing long, flowing white robes just like Hannah’s was addressing the room from tiếp theo to the whiteboard. So that was who Hannah had been imitating! There was a mumble of assent at her words as the still-sleepy teenagers stumbled to their chairs.
“Now, children, that is not the proper way to address an instructor,” the woman scolded. “You shall reply ‘Yes, Mrs. Akenburr’ hoặc ‘NO, Mrs. Akenburr.’ Do bạn understand?” “Yes, Mrs. Akenburr,” everyone replied, thêm hoặc less in unison. “Good. Now, let’s begin. So, let’s start out bởi getting acquainted. We’ll start in the back, and weave our way up to the front. When it’s your turn, say your name. Let’s start with you!” Mrs. Akenburr pointed at a tall, African-American girl in the back of the room.
“Tanikka Sanders, Mrs. Akenburr.” “Thank you, Miss Sanders. Next?” And so on it went. There were about fifteen guys and ten girls, and Rica didn’t recognize any of them. With a start, Rica realized that everyone in the room was wearing the same white robes Hannah and Mrs. Akenburr were wearing, even the guys! The girl tiếp theo to her was “Antoinette Luca, Mrs. Akenburr.” Hannah introduced herself, looking down and fidgeting with her robes as she spoke. After everyone had been “acquainted,” Mrs. Akenburr straightened her robes and began to speak.
“Now, children, I’m sure bạn are all wondering why we are here. And to that, I am afraid, there is no easy answer. But I think I shall begin this task bởi saying a statement. This statement might cause bạn distress, surprise you, hoặc frighten you. But please, remain calm while I explain.” Rica gulped, trembling slightly at the instructor’s words. A knot of fear was slowly growing within her, and uncomfortably gnawing at her stomach. Glancing around, she saw that many of the other students looked equally uneasy. After a long, dramatic pause, Mrs. Akenburr opened her mouth once thêm and spoke her tiếp theo words with utmost clarity and utmost dread.
“Your families… well, they think bạn are dead.”
At Mrs. Akenburr’s words, many of the “students,” hoặc whatever the unlucky twenty-five were, managed to contain whatever emotions they were feeling. The remaining few, however, did not manage to contain their emotions. These few (all girls, unsurprisingly) fainted on the spot. Hannah, however, had apparently been expecting this, for she procured a rag and bowl of cool water and rushed to the unconscious girls’ sides. But Mrs. Akenburr remained cool and collected, and responded with “We’ll wait until our poor Những người bạn awaken to continue. Please hold any các bình luận hoặc các câu hỏi until then.”
“But Mrs. Akenburr,” a preppy looking girl with long reddish-blonde curls, a màu hồng, hồng satin headband, and sparkly màu hồng, hồng lip gloss blurted out as she bolted up from her seat. “Surely bạn don’t expect us to hear such an alarming statement without any explanation and not ask any các câu hỏi of it!” Mrs. Akenburr sighed before responding. “Miss Jezebella Applegate, is it not?” The màu hồng, hồng girl nodded nervously at her name. “Yes?” “Please, my words are not as horrific as they seem. If bạn would just wait for an explanation…” The end of the command drifted up expectantly, so Jezebella gave a slightly nervous smile, and sat once more. After several anxious minutes, Mrs. Akenburr cleared her throat and began again. “Anyways, back to business. I probably put that the wrong way. Rather, they think bạn are in a coma for undetermined causes. Of course, bạn are actually here, in a place we call “Galas Etherpyte.” Based on that name, and the apparel we are all wearing, where do bạn think bạn are? bạn may talk amongst yourselves, and when, and if, bạn determine the answer, call me over and whisper our location in my ear. bạn may begin.”
Swiveling to face Antoinette, the two immeadiatley began to talk. “How on earth are we supposed to figure out why we’re in a courtroom based on the name ‘Galas Etherpyte” and a bunch of white robes?” Antoinette asked Rica. “Wait- a courtroom? What do bạn mean? We’re in a class room!” Antoinette gave the Hispanic girl an odd look. “No we’re not!” Rica frowned. “I don’t know…” she replied cautiously. “But there’s something about that name that’s bugging me.”
Antoinette shrugged, chewing on a hangnail. “Dunno… it kinda sounds like one of those whatchamacallits… anagraphs?” “Anagrams!” Rica exclaimed. “It’s an anagram…” Luckily, Rica was one of those people who had the perfect brain when it came to anagrams and word puzzles. “Regale ash petty… the learpy gates… oh my gosh!” Rica cried. “I know where we are, Antoinette!” Antoinette looked bewildered, and some of the nearby groups turned and looked at them. “What on earth?” “That’s just it, Antoinette!” Rica whispered excitedly. “We’re not on earth! The pearly gates… we’re in heaven!”
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