mmmkay, kinda stupid title, but whatever. Enjoy the first chapter of a branch of thought I've been thinking about. Here: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1- Roles (Perspective: Paige) The lights were flashing, flickering and blinking vigorously. Most of the ceiling was about to give in to its weak support, and soon, the factory would collapse. I was bound to the wall, showing no mercy as I attempted to escape, but there was no hope. I watched as a girl was being beaten by an older man. Battered, bruised, and there was nothing I could do. Punch after kick, after beat after bash, this girl just kept taking it. Who was she? She seemed awfully familiar, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. She turned around, looked at me with the most desperate eyes, but I didn’t recognize her, at all. Finally, she stood up against him. The lights flickered faster, and I found myself watching a series of still images, gradually leading to the teen girl’s death. Upon the final blow there was a breeze, and the name “Faith” kept whispering past my ear. Was that her name? And still, who was she? All of a sudden, the man disappeared, and the struggling support of the ceiling gave in. The factory was about to collapse, but as I was still bound to the wall; there was nothing I could do. I shut my eyes and waited for it all to end. (blink, blink, open...) I woke up to my bedroom again. It was another strange dream about something irrelevant to my daily life. Looking around my room, yeah I should probably clean it, but I’m late, so stuff it. I cleared my head. Paige, get over yourself. You’re 27, you’re a history and geography teacher at Permacles High, and there is not a damn thing different. But there was something different; that girl, with her almost puppy dog look made me feel connected. There was something I should’ve done...but what? I walked over to my bathroom and cleaned myself up. Same as always: Blue Black hair, almost black eyes, fair skin, though you could say I’m fairly tanned, and late for work...school...whatever. The first day back at anything is quite annoying, especially since I enjoyed doing nothing so much...oh well. I put on my black jeans, white shirt and heels, my usual outfit. I could tell that this year would be fairly ordinary, but that Faith thing really got to me. Maybe something will happen, something exciting to put me out of my misery. Grabbing my house keys and clutching them hard (I have a tendency to lose them) I opened my rusty, cracked door and left my old, crappy house for the day. The school is literally around the corner, so I walk. But so help me if a student knows where I live, I’ll get stalkers and the occasional egging for sure. I am liked by most of my students, but you can’t be liked by everyone, and I learned that the hard way. Because I was late as always, I pretty much had my timetable dumped on me as soon as I got there. The first thing in the morning, and it was 12th grade History, oh joy. I stumbled upon my class by accident, grabbed the classroom key and let the 10 minute late class in. “Hello and welcome to Year 12. I am your History teacher, Miss Boss. Now don’t let the name fool you, I’m fairly easy going, but if you don’t do your homework I might kill you” Giving my signature smile, enough people knew it was a joke for it to not be an awkward laughter, which is very good when you’re trying to make a good impression. I scanned through the roll, and I’ve taught most of these kids before, except one, and her name was Faith. She had chocolate brown hair and her eyes were like mine, but she also had freckles, you wouldn’t think at a first glance that she’s 17. She looked exactly like the girl who stared at me in my dream. Because I’m the embarrassing teacher, I got her to stand up and introduce herself. “My name is Faith. I’m 17 years old and I’m from Gerady. My hobbies include Singing and practising Martial Arts. I look forward to spending the next year of schooling with you.” While talking, Faith seemed a bit monotone and a tad shy. Was it probably because she was beaten? Did that dream actually happen in real life? Was it a vision of the past...or the future? I have to find out. If this is the future we’re talking about, then I have a feeling I should protect her from what’s going to happen. After class, she turned around to me, her black eyes staring right through me, smiled, gave a slight nod, and went on her way to the next class. The next time I see her, I'll find out what’s going on. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
