The Queen's Red Lake

II

Breakfast is silent but the food is really good. There is a bowl of cheese grits, sausage patties, and golden brown homemade biscuits. Queen watches me curiously. I try to slow down but my taste buds didn't agree with me so I continue devouring the food. "Are they feeding you in the city?"

I swallow and clear my throat. "Yes, of course." I swallow again. "Just not on this scale."

"You're so thin."

Queen let me continue eating and when I'm done I say, "Thanks. I know this is an adjustment because my dad sort of sent me here out the blue."

"Your father has spoken of your ways." Queen scrutinize.

I look away embarrassed. I was hoping my father didn't go into great detail of the reason I was expelled. "I will take no disrespect here, Hal. You're a late bloomer to controlling your new-found anger but this is the perfect place to work-out your problems."

"Yes, ma'am." I say. Queen nods her head and then stand. I follow her out the door and we get into a gray classic Chevrolet. She doesn't speak to me as we drive into town. I notice the lake actually looks normal this morning and this settles my slight paranoia. I didn't get much sleep because I dreamt of water and figures swimming around me.

Unfortunately, it was blurry.

The radio speaks about the morning weather and small politics. We pull up towards a school and she park the car before passing me a folder. "Thanks." I tell her before getting out of the car and shutting the door. She drives off and I mutter a sarcastic, "Love you, granny."

There are students walking around me and they are all sporting the same uniform. I crinkle my nose in disgust. I despised uniforms. School is a chance for students to express themselves. "Well played father." I speak to myself while heading into the school. I make my way to the front desk and a woman looks me up and down and ask, "You need something?" She is smacking on a piece of gum and her hair is blonde, split into two ponytails.

"I'm new here." I state.

"Name?" She asks looking at me in boredom.

"Hal Ashes."

The woman begins to tap on the keyboard. "Ah." She says a millisecond later. "Here you go." The printer next to her starts and she hands me a few documents and sends me on my way. The bell rings loudly above me and I wander aimlessly around the empty halls. I notice as I walk that the school is more traditional than a school from the city. It is weird because it didn't look old and dusty it is more elegant and sophisticated.

The floor sparkled, and the lockers cover the walls with a shining red color and golden numbers. I glance over my schedule and read the classes my grandmother enrolled me in.

Self-Defense, Small Weaponry 1190I
Foreign Philosophy 2134A
Stealth and Survival 6382H
Computer Science 1010C
Advanced Biochemistry 4235F

I run my fingers through my tangled curls in confusion. "Are you lost?" This question is becoming rather frequent. I look up from my schedule and notice the janitor mopping the floors. "Uh, yeah." I respond. He gives me a polite smile and guides me to my first class.

"These halls can become tricky." The janitor explains. "It doesn't seem so huge from the outside but these halls hold so many secretive turns. Don't follow the numbers." He explains. "Pay close attention to the letters."

My coffee brown eyes flicker with confusion and he further explains, "Each corner on each wall has a golden letter. That is the level you are on."

I look toward the corner of the wall and notice a shining golden letter F. We approach a door and it reads Advanced Biochemistry in bold letters. Everything seems so backwards. "Why are the levels in letters and not numbers?"