Ruby Redfort- Watch Where You Step

Dead in bed

Unfortunately for Ruby there was no excuse to skip school the next day. She walked into Twinford Junior High with the air of a prisoner walking to their death. In actual fact, she hadn't done her Geogrpahy homework, and knowing Mrs Helsberg the prisoner metaphor was becoming more and more realistic. Ruby had Mrs Drisco first, which wasn't much of an improvement. When Mrs Drisco's least favourite student walked into class a second before the bell rang she was greeted with a sneer and nothing else.

"Good to see you too Mrs Drisco!" Ruby said in an overly cheerful voice before making her way to her seat. She nodded to Clancy who sat next to her before pulling out her books and preparing for a long and tedious lesson.

"Today," announced Mrs Drisco, aggressively chalking words on the board, "we are learning about Social Learning Theory."

Ruby yawned. She'd read all about this on one of her common Twinford Library visits. She'd actually found it fascinating, but anything Mrs Drisco said was bound to sound boring and monotone. The basics of the theory was that since humans were social creatures, it was our nature as babies and children to learn from those around us. We'd copy actions from our parents, and attitudes from our siblings. Even things as simple as smiling were learnt through Social Learning.

"It makes you think," Mrs Drisco said, "about all the children out there who grow up in homes without proper love or attention. What will they grow up to be like? Who will teach them how to smile? Most neglected children grow up to be troubled adults, their problems ranging from speech disabilities to mental problems that could even lead to psychopathic tendencies."

Huh, Ruby daydreamed. Maybe the Count had a not-so-happy childhood. It would certainly explain a lot.

As her boring as boring can get teacher droned on about who knows what, Ruby slipped into a state of absentmindedness. She was only awoken from her trance when a piece of scrunched up paper was slid onto her desk. She opened it to find the following messily scrawled.

Vtl ngf ptsc iqgfb izp udmybpay kaaxjtj rcn?*

Ruby frowned and scribbled a message back.

Fz, ewse pphamcwo?

This was answered with,

Bzm Bgybdycib. Xcwb Swihcl. Pt'k l npezch ezccllqc uwqbtpz, LSD i usxwjk xwjfeixf. Zta qgog lsd ndmyl izp wizpz ssj, rjke tnayo xf mms.

She wrinkled her nose.

Kz ewse sxdwms ztu qmdbtj?

The reply:

Fz wcw vvdod. Qi kpmbwo txcp vplfzpd nijkpa, qme iad ept vzkigca hstl ww hih ay xtjqmrl smpdep. Tnpzngym'h s mci kawdcpl. Bq ois zll hgxm xeawgllvi hpwedp wkwc ndj oqcfpz pfo bwwj edmwl cge aiga bpdvqcy ljdme qi. Saxpjpvidj pt ola p tto swlt.

All of a sudden the thwack of a wooden ruler hitting Ruby's desk could be heard throughout the classroom. She looked up slowly to find a smug Mrs Drisco staring back down at her.

"Well, well, well, what have we here? Clancy Crew and Ruby Redfort passing notes in class? Sounds like a detention worthy offense to me. Better head down to principal Levine's office..." she looked at Ruby suspiciously." Unless Miss Redfort here has a note."

Ruby did have a collection of notes in her satchel, all written by different authorities excusing her from things such as cheerleading, music class and maths homework. But unfortunately, not matter how hard Ruby racked her brains, she couldn't remember there being a note that excused her for passing notes in class, particularly notes in code.