Chapter 1
The First Day
†Raven†
“Raven, you must go!” My mother slammed the door to my bedroom behind her, interrupting my session of meditation; the celestial scene in my mind dissipated into thin air, but I still did not open my eyes. “And why might that be mother?” I refused to worry, I stayed in my emotionless trance. That’s what I was taught: no emotion meant eternal peace in Azarath and every other dimension and world.
I would always remain emotionless.
“Trigon, he is coming! You must leave! You must-”
“Rachel Roth.” My eyes snapped open as I was stolen from my memories. “Here.” I looked up from the hood that covered my eyes, I stared at the third woman today whose purpose was to lecture us in some form of Earth’s arts. I despised this place called “school,” but through it Azar’s teachings lived on. It preoccupied my mind that had become a battleground, whipped and ripped asunder, torn from the very fabric of reality… It gave me a reason to be emotionless, nothing but the idea of boredom occupying the crevices of memories that dreamed to resurface. I longed to go home, to turn to Azarath, to return to my mother.
But I was faced to swallow the fact that that was impossible.
“Ms. Roth?” I gave my attention to the woman who was to lecture me this hour. “My name is Mrs. Williams. I will be your English teacher this year, and if you are in my class I expect you to follow the school’s rules.” I sat in my chair and stared at her blankly
“Aren’t I following the school’s rules?” I inquired, I was not aware I was doing something wrong.
“Your hood.” A boy I believe had been in everyone of my classes so far today whispered to me. “What’s wrong with my hood?” I spat at him, these confusing rules were starting to irritate me.
“You must be joking, Ms. Roth.” This woman named Mrs. Williams -I believe- who stood before me let out a slight chuckle, patronizing my ignorance. I did not understand why she was so amused. I may be ignorant of Earth’s customs, but if I was as big as her, I would shame myself from society. On Azarath, everyone was of good structure and health, and I kept finding myself disgusted with the lifestyles and customs they called “food” here in New York. I closed my eyes and tried to swallow my growing disgusts and angers that I was developing for these people.
“No, I am not joking, what am I doing wrong?” Her laughter ceased, and I could feel everyone’s eyes slowly turning on me. I really didn’t understand what I was doing wrong.
“Ms. Roth, you must know that you are not allowed to wear hoods or hats to school.” She stated it very matter-o-factly, and I couldn’t help but let my anger grab a hold of me.
“None of the other teachers had a problem with it,” I snapped and let my eyes pierce hers.
“None of the other teachers are like me Ms. Roth, I expect you to follow the rules. Now take of your hood please so we can continue with class.”
“No.”
“Dude, what are you doing? Just take of the hood!” The boy whispered to me again, “you are going to get in a hell of a lot of trouble if you keep it up-”
“What do you mean ‘No?’” her words dripped with discontent.
“It’s part of my religion.” Everyone gasped and gawked at me, and some girl next to me asked me if I was something called a “Muslim,” to which I gave her sharp look and said no very bluntly.
