We were on our way to Prufrock. Duncan and I had just gotten our uniforms. Now we were leaving. Leaving the city. Leaving the memories. Leaving our home. Leaving our parents and Quigley. Leaving our old lives. I tried to distract myself by writing a poem, but nothing came to my mind. I stuck with staring out the window. I glanced at Duncan. To most people that face meant he wasn't feeling anything. I knew what that face meant. It meant sadness. When he got sad, his face would go blank.

After a while I heard Esme say, "We're here!" The limousine stopped, and Duncan and I got out. We looked at the school. It looked like a graveyard. Many gray buildings, all shaped like gravestones. I tried to shrink into air, but it didn't work.

"Come along, orphans." Esme said. "I will take you to the Vice Principal's office but after that I must leave. I have to get back to the city." She walked to the largest building. It was just as gray inside as outside. We sat down on a bench in front of the door that said VICE PRINCIPAL NERO.

"I must leave you here. I'm sure it won't be a long wait." Esme said. She walked away.

A girl in a pink dress and a jeweled brooch walked up to us. "C is for cute! A is for adorable! R is for ravishing! M is for gorgeous! E is for excellent! L is for lovable! I is for I'm the best! T is for talented! A is for amazing! And my name is Carmelita!"

"Gorgeous doesn't start with M." I said.

"Only cakesniffers care about poetic form!" she said angrily. "I'm Carmelita Spats and you two are the cakesniffing orphans I'm going to give a tour to."

She proceeded to give us a tour of the school. It was not a pleasant experience. When we got back to the bench she said, "And this is the bench where you were supposed to meet Vice Principal Nero ten minutes ago so now you're late."

"Thank you for the tour." Duncan said.

"Ahem." She said.

"Ahem what?" I asked.

"It is traditional at the end of a tour to give the tour guide a tip." she said.

Just then the office door opened and a squeaky voice said, "Come in, orphans." We left Carmelita in the hallway and entered the office.