A Smile to Hide (CYOA/WWYFF)

Chapter 9

    On the way to your dorm room, Principal Rhoda gives you some immediate guidance when socializing with your peers. Since you’re human, you should obviously stay away from things whose diet does include humans, although this school doesn’t allow any species with an all-human diet, just as human students aren’t allowed to eat any of the other beings. If such a being should interact with you, she suggests trying to be friendly first, because you never know, but if things do turn for the worst, find your friends or a teacher. Vice Principal Ymir gruffly adds that just because most humans are frail and usually don’t have any aggressive psychic or magical abilities, it doesn’t mean that anyone would go easy on you. The rest of the advice given was about basic etiquette, and then the conversation turned to school customs such as seasonal festivals, when you can use the phones for personal use, what you should do if you get hurt or injured, and that fights wouldn’t be tolerated.

    “Do you see those statues hanging from the center of the cross arch of the ceiling?” Vice Principal Ymir asks pointing a finger up which barely passes above her head.

    Still walking, you look up and see the gangly bat-like stone statues, and all the ones, lined up each in the center of where the cross arches meet further down the hall. You had also seen similar ones on the outside of the school, and near the windows. “They’re gargoyles, right?”

    “Yes, very good. These gargoyles, act as surveillance cameras, even when they are stone. That means that you can’t get away with much, if anything, here. Keep that in mind when you plan your mischief.”

A.  “Good to know,” you say lightly, not that you really were planning on pulling off any practical jokes at the moment. 

B.  “I’ll be sure to take note of that,” you mumble.  It’ll be hard to have any fun around this school. 

C.  At least if you get killed here, the person who did it will surely be caught. 

D.  Darn!  There goes the chance that you’ll be able to sneak out of this place! 

E.  So you’ll be watched 24/7.  Talk about creepy. 

F.  Pfft!  Those will be easy to get around, especially at night! 

G.  Well if the thought of twenty-four hour surveillance isn’t enough of a deterrent, their ugly faces sure would be.  

H.  “Wow, actual gargoyles?  I’ve never seen any close up.  I wonder what kind of stone they turn into, or if their muscles and organs and stuff just compact and harden up?” 

    Both of the principals guide you down several corridors and buildings, and finally reach the stairs that leads to the female dormitory.  “If you have any questions regarding the dormitory, phones, your roommate, dormitory hours, just ask your matriarch, Mrs. Brancherd,” Principal Rhoda says, guiding you to the door next to the stairs with “Residential Adviser” nailed to it.  “This is her office, just go in and ring the bell, and she’ll get you all settled.”

    You step in the room, immediately shielding your eyes from the slowly rising sun, pouring in from the French windows and step up to the desk.  On the counter over the desk is a large black iron bell, mounted on a circular frame.  Almost dubious about ringing this large bell, you look around on the counter and look over the desk and to see that there isn’t a smaller office bell.  It’s still early in the morning, and it would probably be wiser to not wake so many people up.  Especially ones with humans on their diet menu.  Seeing as there isn’t another bell, and not wanting to wait until Mrs. Brancherd—whatever she is—gets up, you cautiously grasp the handle and start tipping the bell.