It was a normal December day at Dalton Academy in Westerville. Well as normal as a Christmas Fair could be when the Warblers are involved. Every year at Dalton there was a Christmas Fair held to collect money for the battle against cancer. It had been for many years. Teachers and students took part. It was called the Sebastian Smythe Christmas Fair or just the Smythe Fair. At this fair there was a stand where two students were selling apples. Well one was selling them while the other was eating them. The one trying to sell them had blue eyes and blonde hair while the other was a brunette with dark eyes.
"Buy them while they last", he called out as his friend advertised the apple kinds at their stand. He looked at his partner.
"They want last long the way you're eating them", the blonde spat.
"Hey I'm creating scarcity to make the prize go up", the brunette answered happily.
"Nate-" the blonde began while sighing heavily. But by now Nate had noticed me and a few others watch them. He cleared his throat and nodded in our direction. The blonde looked at us and grinned, fixing his uniform and hat to look stylish.
"Oh hello", he said. "And welcome to the fair. I'm here to sell the apples and of course tell anyone who wants to listen. What story you ask? Well the story about how this fair came to be… and of the person behind it. So I'm here to tell the story."
"And I'm here for the food", Nate cut in.
"My name is Charles Dickens", the blonde said calmly.
"And I'm Nathan New-" He realized what his friend had just said. "Hey wait a second you're not Charles Dickens."
"I am too!"
"What? A seventeen year old American Charles Dickens that hangs out in an apple stand."
"Absolutely!"
Nathan snorted. "Charles Dickens was a 19-th century novelist a genius."
"Aw you're too kind."
Nathan rolled his eyes and glared suspiciously at his friend. He crossed his arms and glared at him.
"Why should I believe you?" he asked. Otto grinned happily and fixed his hat. I must say he looked happier than a kid on Christmas. His grin was so wide that you could see his white teeth glisten. He looked at us and said proudly:
"Because I know this story as the back of my hand."
"Oh yeah?", Nathan said with doubt practically dripping from his voice. "Prove it."
Otto huffs annoyed.
"Alright", he said and turned his back to Nathan and held his hand out to him. "Hm there is a scar almost in the middle from where I scratched it when I fell off my bike and a small mark that-"
Nathan looked at the hand to check if his friend was telling the truth. Then he realized what was going on and groaned in annoyance.
"No no no no", he said annoyed and shook his head. "Don't tell us your hand tell us the story geez!"
I had to laugh, everyone else did too. These two were really funny and adorable in a strange way. Otto looked at his friend for a second and then seemed to understand what Nathan had said.
"Oh oh thank you yes", Otto said and then looked at us with his eyes wide and kinda creepy. "The Marleys were dead to begin with."
"Pardon me", Nathan asked confused. He'd been munching on an apple again and now looked up. Otto looked annoyed and turned to him.
"That's how the story begins Nathan 'The Marleys were dead to begin with'!" he said sharply.
"Ooooh", Nathan said and went back to munching on his apple.
"As dead as a doornail", Otto continued, while looking around at everyone gathered with those weird creepy eyes again.
"It's a good beginning kinda creepy and all and spooky", Nathan cut in.
"Why thank you Nathan."
"You're welcome Mr. Dickens."
If Otto heard the sarcasm in his voice is still unclear. He ignored it completely but still looked proud about his beginning and for being called Mr. Dickens. Nathan just rolled his eyes and grumbled something underneath his breath. I had noticed things changing around us. The fair was suddenly gone and so were the people around me. Okay whatever Otto had been doing was creepy. It felt as if we had moved back quite a few years in time. Nathan didn't notice any of this. But students were mingling around on the field outside of Dalton Academy as snow was falling. They were talking about everyday things. Otto looked back at me again and said:
"In life the Marleys had been friends with the captain of the Warblers, Sebastian Smythe. You'll meet him as he comes around that corner." Otto pointed at a corner.
"Where", Nathan asked, suddenly listening to his friend's story.
"There", Otto replied and pointed at the corner again.
"When?"
"Now!" Otto said and just as he said it a tall guy came around the corner. His was wearing a long black winter coat, black gloves but no cap or beanie. He looked quite smug and he had this arrogant air around him.
"There he is", Otto said. "Sebastian Smythe."
Sebastian started walking towards us but instead of walking around us he walked between us, pushing both Otto and Nathan back. I followed him with my gaze and noticed him cutting through the crowd, not caring about who he pushed aside or stepped on to do so. The freshmen jumped aside when he came and the seniors looked angry. But Sebastian had the same smug and arrogant look on his face the whole time. I noticed that when he came around the corner everything became darker and colder. Nathan noticed it too.
"Say is it getting colder around here", he asked. "Burr…" He shivered and as we watched Sebastian walk, students around us started to sing.
Freshman 1: When a cold wind blows it chills you
Chills you to the bone
Senior 1: But there's nothing in nature that
freezes your heart
Like years of being alone
Junior 1: It paints you with indifference
Like a lady paints with rouge
Sophomore 1: And the worst of the worst
Sophomore 2: The most hated and cursed
Sophomore 1: Is the one that we call Smythe (yeah)
I decided to follow Nathan and Otto while they followed this Sebastian Smythe. We kept to the shadows but we could still hear the singing and now it was three freshmen who sang.
Freshman 2: Unkind as any
Freshman 1: And the wrath of many
Freshman 3: This is Sebastian Smythe
All: Oh, there goes Mr. Humbug
There goes Mr. Grim
If they gave a prize for bein' mean
the winner would be him
Sophomore 1,2 & 3: Oh, Smythey loves his money
'Cause he thinks it gives him power
Vegetables on a cart: If he became a flavor you can bet he would be sour
Nathan and I stared at the suddenly talking fruit and vegetables. I must admit they freaked me out a bit and I noticed Nathan throwing away his apples. He probably didn't want them to start singing as well. Otto looked at us with a grin.
"Even the vegetables don't like him", he said.
Junior 1, 2 & 3: There goes Mr. Skinflint
There goes Mr. Greed
Senior 1 & 2: The undisputed master of
The underhanded deed
All: He charges folks a fortune
For his dark and drafty housesSophomore 1,2 & 3: As poor folk live in misery
Freshman 3: It's even worse for freshes
Freshman 1: Please dude can I have some help here?
Senior 1, 2 & 3: He must be so lonely
He must be so sad
He goes to extremes
To convince us he's bad
He's really a victim of fear and of pride
Look close and there must be
a sweet guy inside-Naaaah!All: There goes Mr. Outrage
There goes Mr. Sneer
Junior 2: He has no time for friends or fun
Senior 3: His anger makes that clear
Senior 1 & 2: Don't ask him for a favor
'Cause his nastiness increases
Sophomore 3: No crust of bread for those in need
Freshman 1, 2 & 3: No helping for us freshies
Otto turned to Nathan and I while we carefully followed this Sebastian Smythe. He had now entered the school and was still ignoring everyone around him. He cut through the crowd and the freshmen around shrunk back in fright. Otto looked at Sebastian and sai:
"Sebastian Smythe liked the cold he was hard and sharp as a flint… secretive and self-contained... as solitary as an oyster…"
All: There goes Mr. Heartless
There goes Mr. Cruel
Senior 1, 2 & 3: He never gives
He only takes
He lets his hunger rule
Sophomore 1, 2, & 3: If bein' mean's a way of life you
practice and rehearse
Junior 3: Then all that work is paying off
Junior 3 & Junior 2:'Cause Smythe is getting worse
All: Every day
In every way
Smythe is getting worse
Sebastian had reached a pair of big doors and now he turned around the face everyone. All of a sudden everyone around us got very busy and scattered in every direction, with lame excuses about how late it was or someone calling them. Sebastian narrowed his eyes at us and I pretended to be very interested in my jacket, yes just as lame as the rest of the crowd. He glared for a bit more and then said:
"Humbug."
He entered the room and closed the big doors behind him with a large bang. It was the Warbler Hall, it said so on the doors. When he was gone I sighed in relief but then felt a pat on the shoulder. I turned my head and noticed Otto grin at me. Oh great the story was about to continue…
Okay okay I know I'm supposed to update my other stories. But I have to get this out of my head first :) So bare with me.