All Girls School

Three

"The school is big," Maria says, "really big. Because of that, it can be a little hard to navigate. Even I find myself getting lost every now and then."

Yipdeedoo. Add getting lost to my list of fears. 

"But," Maria continues, "that means it's also great for exploring." She leads me up a huge winding staircase. "Actually, this was originally a mansion, built by a billionaire in the Victorian era, by the name of Gregorio Teague. He would host these escape rooms for kids here. Even now, you can find some of the trap doors, and hidden panels that he installed to make the escape rooms more fun."

Really? Well that was interesting. I'll have to look into that during my free time.

Maria leads me down a long hall. More tapestries, like the one in the lobby, line the walls, their bright colors drawing my eye to them.

"Who made all these tapestries?" I ask. 

Maria halts and looks around, as if not sure what I'm referencing. Then realization dawns. "Oh! Yes, they are quiet beautiful,  aren't they? Gregorio's wife wove them. She ordered them here when she died." She gently runs a hand down one of the tapestries.

What? "How could she order tapestries to her home?"

"Well, she wasn't living here at the time. When his escape rooms went out of popularity, he thought it would be a good place for children. So he sold it to a friend of his, and the house  became as it is today. Well, mostly the same. There have been quiet a few changes over the years. But, this staircase up ahead has not been touched since it was built back in 1840."

A few steps later we round a corner, and the staircase comes into few. 

"Woah," I'm actually almost impressed, the stairs are narrower then I expected, made of hard iron. I run my hand up the twisted railing. The stairs are a little too far apart, and I feel a little dizzy at the idea of falling through to the floor. I chide myself silently, there's no way that's possible, this is a school, it's gong to be safe.  I look up and see they spiral up as far as I can see, and suddenly I'm not so sure.

"I know, right?" Maria lets me admire it a moment longer, and then gently pushes me down the hall. "Come on, let's keep moving."

I trail her down at least twenty hallways, but she was moving so fast, and our path seems so jagged and zigg-zaggy, I loose count soon after ten. 

"So...how long have you been working here?" I ask, assuming it's a long time from the way she easily zips around the castle-er, mansion. Certainly feels big enough for a castle. 

"I think about a year now," Maria responds. "It's exhausting, and far from people, but it's a place to live, and when you can't get a job anywhere else, anything will suffice."

Maria not get a job? I'm sure people would love her, with her cheery attitude, and outgoing spirit. And she's learned how to do her job so well, even after merely a year, it's quiet impressive. But she must be lonely, such an outgoing person so far away from civilization. And her comment about not being able to get a job.... I realize suddenly I actually feel a bit bad for her. 

She clears her throat, suddenly not very eager to talk. "Down this next hall is a row of classrooms, do you want to go in one so you'll get an idea where you'll be tomorrow?"

That's nice of her. "Sure." 

She cracks open a door, and gestures for me to head in. 

The floor is polished wood, but it's scratched, and scuffed with chair and shoe marks. The air smells stale, like a shed full of dry wood. A hint of something else, almost musty, lingers in the air with it. Ten rows of desks neatly line the room, like an army of of chairs marching towards war. The room looks exactly like something you'd see in a book were the teachers are vampires or something. 

Comforting thought. I gulp.

"What do you think?" Maria asks, back to her cheery self.

"Um, well, it's, uh, it seems very...efficient...?"

Maria lets a smile slip. "I know it seems a bit...uh," she coughs to cover up her next word. 

I smile. 

"But, all the students say they really enjoy it here, so...."

Maybe they just say that cause they're all being sucked by the vampires at night. I think. 

"Come on," Maria says, after an awkward pause where I say nothing. "There's much more to see."

Next we walk through seemingly endless halls, until we finally arrive at the cafeteria, and then the sports room. She shows me the basement (which is creepy enough to support my vampire theory), the library, and the study room. She explains I'm also allowed to study in the library, and then drags me to the door of the teacher and staff lounge (plus their private offices), before rounding back around to the staircase.

I have no idea how long we've been at this now, definitely long enough for mom and Mrs. Clowel to finish, but Maria doesn't appear to plan on stopping anytime soon. 

I'm exhausted, and wish I could crawl into my bed with a cup of tea and a book. But Maria's still chattering in my ear about this and that, and I find have to concentrate if I want to be able to find my way anywhere tomorrow.

Finally, Maria pauses. "Alright I think you've seen everything now. Except..."

"Except what?"

She grins. "I think it's time to meet your roommates."