The Curiosity of The Enigmatic

“Crikey!” someone near shouted into my ear badly imitating Austin Stevens.

“Eric!” I hissed in annoyance but nevertheless managed to open my bleary eyes and follow the direction of his gaze. I could see we were just about to land; a red light was flashing above me warning me to put on my seat belt and everyone was in a frenzy.

“Please fasten your seat belts. We will be landing shortly,” an intercom crackled from somewhere and I quickly made sure I made seat belt was secure before I pressed my nose to the slightly clouded circular window and peered outside.

“Ah...” Below us were acres and acres of woodland, stretching further than the eye could see and nearly out of sight, in the direction we were going was a tiny scattering of buildings almost blending in with the countryside. Thatched roofs, I guessed.

Suddenly my stomach gave a strange jump as if I was going down on an elevator. I swallowed loudly and gripped the armrests, and also gripped Eric’s hand in turn.

“Sorry,” we both said simultaneously letting go. But I had greater worries and as the plane touched the air strip I scrunched my eyes up tightly, grinding my teeth against the sound of the screeching wheels.

And suddenly, it was all over and my relief was so great that I laughed and turned to face Eric.

“I’m alive!”

“Weirdo,” he said rolling his eyes and looking away. But a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

We were told to collect our hand luggage and I slipped my rucksack over my shoulder and began to slowly move my way along the aisle. Eric had somehow disappeared ahead of me and I struggled it out alone towards the exit whilst being jabbed in the back to move forward.
Has no one heard of the word ‘manners’ before? The youth these days...

Finally! Light! I emerged into a bright blistering day and already I could feel the sweat running down my neck. I cautiously made my way down the makeshift stairway almost falling into the girl in front of me when I was not so gently nudged from behind.

I was just about to lose it and face the brat when my breath became stuck in my throat. I was here! The enormity and excitement of the situation demanded some sort of reaction. And I could do was stare dumbly past the tiny landing strip at the buildings that faced me.

We were led onto a bricked pathway, by a few scary looking individuals (one of whom was Miss Tomlinson), meandering through shorn bright green grass and the occasional towering oak. Eight people could walk on the path abreast and for some strange reason the idea came to mind of cars, four-by-fours motorbikes and bicycles using this path regularly.
But it was devoid of such and only excited whispering and hurried footfalls could be heard upon it now.

My gaze once again drifted to the building in front of me. The pathway cut through it, creating a tall archway at which the ivy, growing all over the building stopped. The long, rectangular mass of leaves in front of me occasionally offered a glimpse of red brick beneath and I had a feeling that the ivy wasn’t ivy for strange foreign flowers grew at odd intervals. The building stretched into my far right and left and suddenly disappeared. Why did I get the feeling that although there were windows, it was just a glorified wall? Did it keep us out or something in?

My imagination is running away with me, I wondered as we stopped near the archway. I caught sight of the twin’s towering dark forms and felt strangely comforted knowing I wasn’t totally alone. But what if they’ve been to this school before just like Eric has? They seem more my age than his and I suspect they’ve been attending for a while.

My attention was grabbed by the sight of a distinguished looking man in his late thirties. He had approached our group from the front and I saw that the gate behind him, inserted into the archway, was open and two imposing brickish men stood at his side.

They were obviously not for show.

But what really caught my attention was the man’s shockingly green eyes set in a benevolent face. His black suit and red tie completed a very striking picture. And I realised with a shock, that he was the charming man I had seen when I’d been ‘kidnapped’, the one in the Academy’s video introduction.

The girls around me gave little girly gasps but I saw that Eric and the twins looked at him as if he was something mundane...like a toaster. All right then. If they’re not intimidated nor impressed there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be as well right?

“Prospective students!” The man called flashing us all perfect whites. Wait...Prospective students? Did that mean Eric and the twins were new as well? But...They insinuated that they’ve been attending this for a while!

Suddenly the man turned to the three in question and asked in an undertone but I had excellent hearing, “I’m sure you didn’t mind travelling with the newbies? A little mistake on the Academy’s part. How are your parents Quinton?”

One of the twins, the one with the special T-shirt, replied with a shrug, “They’re fine Mr Hugo, thanks for asking. Although dad’s struggling with that new experiment of his, and this batch of rats are dumber than the usual.”

I was shocked at the familiarity between them and realised that the twins weren’t brothers like I had thought for the other ‘twin’ made no move to join in on the conversation.

Just as I was about to try to get closer, in order to hear better of course, Mr ‘Hugo’ turned to face us, AKA the newbies. This remark stung but it was true. I was completely new to this but I also didn’t want to fall into the same group of females about five years younger than me.

“Now, before you will all be divided into dormitories let me welcome you to The Prestige Academy! It’s a great honour to have ex pupils of the famous girl’s academy in London. We have chosen the elite from the elite and expect great things from you.”

I rolled my eyes. Elite? You clearly do not see and hear what I do.

“You have each already gone through a placement process, without your knowledge, of which you’ll be informed of tomorrow. Now, please form a straight line in front of your overseer...”

This seemed to be a cue for the girls to go nuts. They giggled and formed a higgedly-piggedly line in front of a nice looking blonde woman and I looked around for Miss Tomlinson who I assumed was our...erm...overseer.

I saw her stern face and wished I had had the blonde lady instead. Breathing out deeply through my nose I went to stand in front of her with the guys. Obviously the line thing wasn’t going to work with us. Miss Tomlinson gave me a curt nod when I joined them and continued the conversation she had held with the others before I interrupted them. I’m used to being ignored, go ahead.

“Mr Stranovich and Mr Dante,, you know where you have to be, but I don’t want to hear any more trouble from you two, is that clear?”

They nodded and again their white blank eyes took me off guard and I struggled to look away.

“Mr Blanc,” she said looking at Eric. “Please keep what I told in mind. It would make everything much easier.”

Hmm? What was this? Did he get a scolding? But my smile was wiped off my face when she suddenly told me to follow her.

The twins (I have no time for learning the names of people I dislike) snickered and walked off towards the gate with Eric not far behind. I followed Tomlinson towards a small group of people that had suddenly appeared near the gate. The absence of the girls were a marked difference and I saw the ponytail of the last one disappear through the wrought iron gate.

Tomlinson led me up to Mr Hugo and my heart sank. What now? With him was a sneaky looking man with brown oil slicked hair and an even sneakier looking curly moustache. He was pole thin in stark contrast with the dumpy woman at his side who wore a long skirt, was barefoot, and had a gypsy shawl wrapped around her shoulders underneath which she wore a green shirt. She had a bushy mass of mud brown hair and she gave me a small timid smile when our eyes met.

I instantly liked her and gave her a wide smile. I was famous for my smiles (at least amongst family) and she instantly responded with a widening of her lips. The man I merely looked at but without knowing how I found myself face to face with Red Tie Man.

He held out his hand and I took it giving him a nice firm shake like my father had taught me. “Welcome to the Prestige Academy. I’m the Vice Principal Mr Hugo and this is Mrs Fleur,” he said gesturing at the woman. “She is the Botany expert in the Academy and this is Mr Hawkins, our Spy Master,” he stepped aside and Sneaky Moustache gave me a contemptuous smile.

“Spy Master?” I couldn’t help myself.

“Yes. Now you might be wondering why you’re meeting these two, who are both teachers and professors here, so I’ll enlighten you. Considering your unique ability, we have decided to have you major in Botany, as students gifted in plant growth for example are. But that will only be your alias. You will study under Mr Hawkins, our Spy master after hours as others specialising in your field will also do.”

This was getting very interesting. Although I had no idea how I would cope in a Botany class. My plants always die, even the cacti. “Sorry for interrupting but do all the pupils of Mr Hawkins use an alias?”

“Of course!” the Spy Master, interjected looking offended. “It is part of their training!”

All this time Mr Hugo’s smooth voice had kept my fears under control but the Spy Mater’s voice had a grating quality and my nerves were jiggled.

“Now Miss Davids, this course of action is not compulsory; we just believe that it is the best one suited to your talent. You may decline if you wish and take a general course like Hero Study or Ancient Studies wish undecided first years do. But unlike them you do not have years to decide.”