The Lu Shi Tribe

It was a dark night and Luna was ready to eat. She joined the rest of her family, who were sat around the dinner table, after a thorough scrubbing of her hands. The family thanked their mother amidst mouthfuls of the gorgeous pork chops in the specific sauce Luna’s mother was so good at making, the seedless brown bread her mother baked every fortnight for her family to enjoy and the small mini-muffins Luna had created by herself, using her special recipe - these were almost as good as her mother’s bread.

There was always conversation at the dinner table, usually led by Clementine, Luna’s younger sister. As usual, she began it now. “Oh mother. . . sweet, kind caring mother. . . this morning the shed door was unlocked. I just locked it now - think of the stuff that may have been stolen. And. . . whose turn was it to lock the door. . .”

At this moment Luna began to frantically shovel an array of food into her mouth and pockets, in case Clementine continued and/or her mother turned the table over (which was looking more and more likely - her face was turning red and her eyes were screwed up).

“I don’t want to get Luna in trouble,” started Clementine, with a smarmy smile showing she’d like nothing better, “But check the rota if you don’t believe me - and pardon me if I am mistaken, but I am quite sure it was Luna’s turn to do that chore this morning.”

Luna grabbed a last muffin and stuffed it into her already bulging pockets.
“Look, my dearest mother, for here I have the rota - it so happened to be in my pocket -” (I bet it was, thought Luna) “and yes, I was quite correct - it was Luna’s turn this morning. . . why Luna, all our valuable things in there could be stolen, I didn’t check but I’m sure nothing’s been stolen - a quick glance of mine told me as such.”

Luna swallowed her mouthful of muffin and opened her mouth to speak - she had locked the shed - Clementine had probably unlocked it just to spite Luna, she loved to get Luna in trouble. But her mother beat her to it, with a look on her face that was clearly full of fury. “Fourth time this week, Luna. Get to your room before I kick you out of my house!” She pointed down the hallway, where the door to Luna’s room stood.

Luna took her time to get up, in case the food tumbled from her pockets. Sersha (Luna’s mother) continued to point at Luna’s room, her furious face contorting into a look of pure loathing. “And stay in your room!” She continued, as Clementine smiled at Luna, mock-innocent.

Luna reluctantly retreated to her room and locked the door behind her. How she hated Clementine. She unloaded her pockets and ate, her stomach growling with hunger. Luna could hear the clink of cutlery and knew that her family had finished their meal.

As Luna finished her last muffin, voices filtered in through the crack under the door.

“Bruno, she’s got to be sent away! She can’t do her chores, she can’t draw a thing and she looks like an overgrown mongrel. She’s a disaster! I refuse to house her. Money’s running short as it is!”

“As I very well know, Sersha! But we don’t have to send Luna away. . . I mean, we could organize a punishment stretched for a long period of time.”

“She’ll be one less mouth to feed - we’ll save money. C’mon Bruno, it’s easy. Y’see, I found a place with low tuition. . . she’ll be happy there. It’s called Bruntwood High. It’ll smack some sense into her for it recommends the use of a cane and a red hot poker if you even get a question wrong. Don’t you see how happy Luna would be if we sent her there! It’s a boarding school too, so we won’t have to see Luna very much.”

“We could send away Clementine as well. She could accompany Luna - they’d both have fun.”

“No - not my little Clem!”

Luna ignored them. She grabbed a book from the floor - she didn’t have a desk and she only owned three books but she excelled at reading. The arguing subsided and Luna was just getting into the story when her mother rattled the doorknob.

“Open up, Luna!” Sersha yelled, pounding on the door. “You know we do not permit you to lock doors in this household.”

“You allow Clementine.” Luna retorted, unlocking the door.
“That’s because she’s responsible.” responded Sersha, opening the door.

“I’m responsible!”

“You’re not, Luna. Deal with it. Anyway, I came to tell you that you’re going to boarding school. You’re a careless, thoughtless child, and without you we can save money. You’re going to Bruntwood High - it’s the strictest school in the country and my goodness, you need it. No complaining, Luna.”

“But what about Clementine?”

“Oh, my darling Clem’s staying here.”

Luna turned away and Sersha exited to enroll her eldest daughter in the boarding school Bruntwood High.