What if Alice had never been in an asylum …
My Alice is based upon the brilliant mind of Stephanie Meyer, I've just given Alice a past!
Chapter 3: School
None of us were ready for school to start. It had been a wonderful summer. Our Giants were going to win the pennant and go on to the World Series. I knew it.
Angela, Jessica and I lived on the same block. Our homes were small but they had a lot of character. Mine was white with pale blue shutters and a matching door. It was two storeys and it had a porch all around it. My family and I would sit on it in the evenings and drink lemonade as father read to us about the Giants.
My friend's houses were very similar, just different colors. There were trees everywhere in my neighborhood and they were covered in Spanish moss. When the wind blew, the branches would sway lazily and create a soft hush of sound that would finger its way through my hair. I loved that sound. Sometimes when we sat outside, Cynthia would play the piano and the breeze would accompany her. I loved those moments.
Angela and Jessica had agreed to meet at my house to walk to school together. Cynthia and I had butterflies, first day of school jitters I guess you'd say, so we were ready before it was time. We waited on the deck for Angela and Jessica to arrive.
Our red brick schoolhouse had a flat roof and was in the shape of the letter L. The longer half of the shape was where the individual classrooms were located, grades kindergarten through 12. I was in seventh grade and Cynthia was in third. The shorter side was an auditorium where plays were held. It had a stage with long velvet curtains, lots of folding chairs and a piano.
Angela, Jessica and I sat at our little wooden desks, side-by-side. We folded our hands respectfully and quietly waited for our teacher. Her name was Miss Madeline and this would be our third year with her. She came into the class and smiled at all of us. She was a heavy-set, older lady with dark hair piled high on her head like whipped cream on a piece of apple pie. She had on a cream-colored blouse with lace high around her neck and around her wrists. Her full dirt brown skirt practically dragged the ground.
She wore a beautiful cameo necklace every day. I noticed that she would put her fingers to it from time to time. Her expression was always wistful. When she would do this, I would get a picture of a handsome stranger. I imagined the two of them holding hands and walking down a boardwalk together. In my mind's eye they seemed very happy. I wondered who and where this gentleman was.
Today she had a stack of papers in her hands. She set them on her desk and studied the top sheet for a moment. Then she called role. Each one of us raised our hands and said 'present' when we heard our names. Nobody was absent today. When she had finished, she faced us all with her hands clasped in front of her. I just knew she had some interesting news she was dying to share.
"Good morning children" she said pleasantly.
"Good morning Miss Madeline" we chorused in return.
"This year we will be studying the usual, reading, writing and arithmetic." Her statement was met with a few hushed groans. She squinted and pursed her lips at the sound.
"But …" and she seemed uncharacteristically excited "we have an unusual opportunity this year." She didn't say anything else, only looked at us all expectantly as she let the unstated pique our interest.
"This year, we will be able to participate in the school play."
A low rumbling of voices followed her proclamation. The three of us looked at each other, eyes flashing. There was always a play at the end of the school year, but never had the lower grades been invited to participate. Acting in the play had been restricted to the tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades. We were thrilled!
The play we would put on was called "Church Picnic".
Please review! This is my first foray into a published work … I'd love to know your thoughts!
