Chapter 5: Welcome to your new home
I stood at the door of Fenton lodge, my mouth wide open in shock. I still couldn't get over the majesty of it. The old converted summer house stood proud and tall, the lake behind it bright orange from the setting sun. As I walked inside, I was shocked at how modern it was. The huge hallway led into a library, with thousands and thousands of books. Down the corridor was something that looked like a games room, and out across a porch looked like- I squinted- a big adventure playground?
Owen leaned over, and gave me a wry smile. "How do you like it so far"? He asked me. I laughed; a happy, light sound that filled the massive hallway. "Like it" I yelled at the ceiling, "I love it"! For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged somewhere, that I was in the right place. Owen smirked. "Let's not get too excited, or you won't fall asleep at all" he laughed.
Five minutes later I was heading toward my dorm. "How many COLA's are living here at Fenton lodge", I asked, intrigued. Owen paused for a moment. "About one hundred and sixty nine, including the older COLAS, who came here four years before you sixty younger one's arrived" he answered. I thought about that for a moment, and then asked, "Will we ever see the older ones"? Owen turned towards me, and roared with laughter. "See them, are you kidding?" he asked, "They share the same canteen, you will see them in the corridors every day, they even will, on occasion, appear in your Development sessions, as part of a support system. By the time you've settled in, you will have had enough of them". He chuckled to himself.
I smiled, liking the idea of these elder COLA's, who know how it feels to be- I struggled for a word- Different. We turned the corner, and I realised I was at my dorm. The door was a light pink and daffodil yellow. Owen opened the door and I stepped inside. The first thing I realised was that I could smell lavender. Just then I noticed the sign that was written on the door:
Lucky magic, Room 45
I opened my eyes, sleep still clinging to me like a limpet. For a moment, I didn't know where I was, but when the soft smell of lavender tickled my nose I remembered. I was in the COLA club. I was a telekinesis freak. And I was now sharing a dorm with three girls who I didn't even know. Weird.
The room was painted white and sky blue, and was actually pretty big. I swung my legs off the mattress and wandered around. Outside the window was the blue, tranquil lake that seemed to teem with life. There were some teens playing with a- I frowned -a fox? Then I almost fell over in disbelief.
The fox had just turned into an otter.
No, the otter had just turned into a falcon.
Then the falcon changed into a grinning boy with thick brown hair. The other teenagers were doubling up with laughter. I left the window, feeling too faint to keep watching.
This was unreal.
But, I realised with a pang of sadness, it wasn't real. This was all just some brilliant, brilliant dream.
Just then, I noticed a rustling beside me. I turned round, and then remembered my dorm mates. The girl closest to me looked pretty normal, with shiny dark red hair tied up in a huge plait, curling round her shoulder.
I could see she liked Top of the Pops magazine, because there was a huge stack of them under her bed. I turned towards my own bed, very plain, not showing anything about my personality at all. I opened my bag, and took out my envelope of my mom. I found an empty frame under my bed, and put the photo in that. I placed the frame on my bedside cabinet, and then sighed with happiness. Suddenly, I yawned, and checked my watch. 5:00 in the morning! , I thought to myself, Way too early for a weekend!
I jumped back into bed, and stared at the picture of my mum, baby me and dad, all happy as a family, and no weird things in my life, such as Telekinesis.
Then I fell into a gentle sleep...