Island
Dear Diary,
It’s around 3 pm in the afternoon, and I’m utterly confused. Ebonlores School is turning out to be something beyond just a school. Since this morning, I haven’t seen a single student. Those who came with me seem to have vanished into thin air. I thought I heard voices in Professor Xorki’s office, but when I entered, he was alone, engrossed in reading something. Maybe I was wrong, but I’m sure I saw students in the corridor, and suddenly, they were nowhere to be found.
Last night, at midnight, we reached a shore by the chariot. The journey through the forest felt like leaving the world behind. The chariot stopped, and following Ms. Tailholme’s orders, we disembarked. It was pitch dark outside, with spooky noises from animals and the forest air heightening my heartbeat. Ms. Tailholme lit up the Larton.
In front of me was a vast water body with an island in the distance. My mind was trying to figure out how we would reach the island without a boat or any visible means to cross. Ms. Tailholme touched the land, recited something, and suddenly, a bridge emerged from the water, connecting the shore to the island. The island’s massive door swung open. Ms. Tailholme instructed us to walk on the bridge without looking back. The door seemed tiny from the shore, but as we approached, it loomed large, like an ant in front of an elephant.
On the door, I saw the dark shadow of a statue that looked like someone standing there. As I approached the grand door of Ebonlores, the shadow turned out to be the guard of the school, “Garrick Dunewald,” the formidable gate watchman. His towering presence, wrapped in weathered cloth and adorned in robes, exuded an air of both strength and wisdom. His salt-and-pepper beard and deep eyes gave him an imposing look. In his hand, he held a device of some kind.
All the other students went inside, ignoring him. Perhaps Ms. Tailholme had ordered him to give me further directions. She went inside, leaving me alone with the watchman. In his heavy voice, he asked for my school invitation letter, which I handed over. When I inquired about the principal’s office, he didn’t answer my questions. Instead, he gave me a plain paper with my name on it, pointed to a building called “Xenon,” and out of nowhere, a building appeared on the paper. I didn’t understand what happened, but fear crept in, and I followed his direction.
I placed my finger on where he pointed on the paper and started walking. Miraculously, I saw my footprints on the paper, leading me to the building. Exhausted from the journey from the shore to the door and now to Xenon, I found a huge building with numerous doors. At the entrance, a creepy and dirty dwarf man snatched the paper from my hand and pushed me inside.
The interior was vast and dark, with fire lamps casting eerie shadows. Countless wooden beds were stacked one above the other, and some students were peacefully asleep. My screams couldn’t disturb their slumber. The roof of Xenon was made of some material that allowed us to see the sky, making it eerily silent. I think every door of Xenon led to a similar hall-like room.
Walking inside, I found a bed with my name on it and collapsed onto it. A boy on the bed above mine looked down, but the darkness prevented me from seeing him clearly. I covered my face with a blanket and fell asleep. When I woke up later, the entire hall was empty, and the dwarf, now cleaning with visible annoyance, ordered me to leave.
I stepped outside and found myself in the middle of I-don’t-know-where. Suddenly, a small, beautiful white kitten approached me, the first thing to relax me in moments. I grabbed it, hugged it, played with it, and suddenly, Professor Xorki appeared. He told me to come to his office and left before I could say anything.
I named the kitten Misty, and she helped me find Professor Xorki’s office. He was reading something, and after seeking permission to enter, he politely spoke with me, asking about my interests in various subjects. Some of his questions puzzled me, but he assured me I’d understand them slowly. He handed me a box, saying it contained books, and instructed me to wait for Mr. Servius.
As I sit in the corridor, waiting, I can’t help but wonder what kind of school this is. Since morning, I haven’t seen a single student, and I don’t know if I’m living in an illusion or if this is the actual reality. I hope I can grasp the nature of this place soon. I feel an overwhelming urge to cry out loud and miss my Ma terribly.
I wish Adam could be here with me.
Yours,
Zoe
