August Taylor moves to rainy Willow Creek to take a teaching job. A place where death looms in dark corners and wolves roam at night. The young teacher questions himself when a student takes a liking to him. And the more time he spends in the town...
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oct. 23
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It was a rainy Thursday afternoon, the week has gone fairly smoothly. Most of the time was spent getting to know students better and learning the layout of the school. The weather was getting even colder as the week pushed on. Interestingly, Sierra took it upon herself to fill me in on some of the town's history.
The town was supposedly founded in 1811 when a group of white settlers set up shop near Native American land. The groups got along for the most part, tied together by their differences. The settlers were outcasted by their fellow colonizers by what Sierra described to be an unexplainable condition. A condition the religious colonizers could only describe as works of the devil.
Every since then different groups of people ended up in Willow's Creek. Former slaves, immigrants from the eastern parts of the world, and anyone else who felt a little out of place. By how she vaguely described the town's history it seemed everyone had something in common. Though, I wasn't sure what that was yet. Superstition? Religion?
I was pulled away from my thoughts when a student walked up to my desk.
"How can I help you today, Keziah?" I smiled at the girl in front of me.
"Mr. Thomas left a book for me, but the subs never had the key to his desk. It's for my college essay. Would you happen to have it?" Keziah frowned slightly.
"Does Mr. Thomas happen to be Mr. Stuart?" I tapped my fingers on the desk as I thought about what had been left with me. A key? I don't remember seeing a key.
"Mhm, Thomas Stuart." Keziah laughed but the sound was empty. "It's okay if you don't have it."
"I'll find it, don't worry Keziah." I raised my hand in a little fist, making the girl laugh. "Just give me some time to ask around, okay?"
She nodded, her smile finally reaching her bluish eyes. To me, that was a victory within itself. After the girl left the classroom I was left alone again. I guess she was my last student of the day.
I grabbed the short call sheet and went down it slowly until my eyes reached the name I needed. I swiveled my chair until I reached the outdated rotary phone. I finally entered the number with slight difficulty and listened to it ring.
"Room 100, Ms. Edith speaking." Ms. Edith's cheery voice rang out through the phone.
"Hi Ms. Edith, It's August." I spun in my chair, letting the bunched up chord wrap around my hand.
"Hi sweetheart. What can I do for you?"
"I had a student ask for a certain book but she said Mr. Stuart kept it in a locked desk? Is there a key somewhere." I said with uncertainty.
There was a small pause over the phone before a bit of movement.
"I have a few keys down here honey. I know for sure one is for the desk and another is for the library." She spoke and I could hear the jingle of keys.
