Red Rum.

Eight.

"Wait, so you're telling me you thought you could fly so at three o'clock in the morning you climbed your roof for an attempt?"

"I am so legit."

"How old were you?"

"I was like...six."

"So, Mini Einstein wasn't always the brightest crayon in the box?"

"I guess so."

"So, now I can feel the least bit better that you weren't naturally like this."

"Maybe he's born with it, maybe it's Maybelline," He sing-songs the makeup company's slogan.

"Oh, shut up!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying my anecdote, perhaps you can tell me one of yours?"

I ponder a few seconds trying to come up with a story to tell him, but I realize I really do not have anything light-hearted.

"I have nothing."

He shrugs as we turn another corner, the large open area smelling like an old mop in a supply closet.

"Oh, God, it smells dreadful in here...maybe we can head outside?"

"You lead the way, Madam."

"Oh, no, you're the Dora in this relationship."

He steps in front of me and offers his arm, "Shall we follow the yellow brick road to the outdoors of Emerald City?" I take his arm and he begins to skip through the desolate corridor of the airport.

"WE'RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD! THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OFF OZ! WE HEAR THAT HE IS A WHIZ OF A WIZ, IF EVER A WIZ THERE WAS! IF EVER, OH IF EVER A WHIZ THERE WAS, THE WIZARD OF OZ IS ONE BECAUSE...BECAUSE BECAUSE BECAUSE BECAUSE BECAUUUUSE...THE WONDERFUL THINGS HE DOES! WOO!"

Kyle jumps up and clicks his heels together, wiping out completely in the process, what a dork. I roll my eyes and saunter to the tiles he lay, "How can you be so smart to be so stupid?" He realized the awkward position of defeat he is in and gets up, wiping the sides of his hair back, "What ever do you mean?" He walks down to a set of doors, displaying a huge exit sign. "Suppose this is the exit," he opens the doors, revealing a blinding light of white and an overwhemling smell of salty air. The smell was so strong if I inhaled it a few more times I might end up vomiting on the spot. Kyle hands me the water bottle and I took a large gulp and stepped outside. Beyond the asphalt covered in faded paint there is a paradise of something you'd only read in a bestseller at Barnes and Noble.

It is surrounded by a grand, crystal blue moat of ocean, grasses greener than any evegreen tree to imagine. It's covered with a dome of salty, wet air, the sand is whiter than the winter snow seen in Maine. It's a cute fishing area yet kept away from the human view, as if the beauty was to be concealed.

We walked the perimeter of the airport until reaching a terminal where vehicles were parked to pick up people departing the airport. A bus with a sign taped to it read "Students of Hope's Peak Academy." I tap Kyle, who is staring at his shoes, and point toward the bus. "I think we should get on, now, some students are boarding," we walk toward the plain, patchy bus and take a seat. Oddly, the bus is a lot darker than I expected, the windows are dark tinted and the intereor of the bus is either a dark gray or a black. Bus bus begins to move out the airport a few minutes after Kyle and I board it. Though the world outside of this bus is a lot darker on this bus, the beauty of it never fades. Water is moving constantly as if the waves are welcoming all the visitors to it's paradise.

After about a fifteen minute ride, the bus stops at a dock.

"Attention students at Hope's Peak Academy: you will leave this bus to get on a boat, which will take you to Hope's Peak. Your belongings have already arrived at your dorms, please take all personal items with you for we are not responsible."

We all step off the bus into the blinding light and board a relatively large boat painted black and white. Which I assume is the schools colors, seems rather bland. We cut through the salty water with racing speed and arrive at a school which seems more like a city than a school. It is larger than any university I have ever seen. We all depart the boat, everyone rushing to get into the school. I am the oposite, taking in the amazement of my school, it is the size of my apartment times infinity. At the enterance I see my aunt, greeting the students, giving out handbooks, pamplets, and a bag which I assume have school spirited things such as a wristband, t-shirt, and other things.

When I reach her, she makes eye-contact and smiles at me. "Anastasia, hello, welcome to Hope's Peak." She gives me an embrace, "Hey, Thomas, please take up on the greeting, I need to take care of something." She gestures toward me, "Come with me, please."