Part 1!! Super excited to continue this series hope y’all enjoy it!

I was startled awake by a crash in the hall outside my room. Jolting up and throwing my green hoodie on I opened my door to see what the commotion was about. I peeked out my door careful not to push it too far or a creaking sound would wake the whole building full of sleeping teenagers. Looking around eagerly for what made such a loud crash in the middle of the night, I heard footsteps outside my window. I closed the door and scurried over to the dusty windowsill not knowing whether I should be scared or curious about all the mysterious happenings. After a few minutes of sitting and pondering the peculiar instances, I closed my eyes and attempted sleeping but I couldn’t understand who would’ve been up this late in the night. Turning my head over to my pink alarm clock my Aunt Leona bought me I made a plan for the next morning.

I woke up early the next morning from a restless sleep if sleep is even what you would call it. I changed quickly and rushed out of my dorm. This time I didn’t care how loud my door was when I opened it. I ran down the curved stairs to the front door of the west building where I and other students lived for nine months of the year (it gets old walking down the same halls every day). Closing the big door of the main building in the west part of campus I saw the big lettering saying “Pine Field Boarding School West Campus.” While I scanned the words I noticed a crack in the letter “S” of school. Feeling curious I looked closer to the ground and noticed a small pile of glass. I scanned the area for a little bit and concluded that that must have been the crash I had heard last night. I continued walking and came to a pathway with signs pointing straight with the directions “Straight ahead Mr. Gregor’s Office.” As I was walking I was thinking about my time at Pine Field. I had been here for four months and truth be told I wasn’t having much fun, but like my Aunt Leona said “it was a privilege to receive a scholarship from such a fine school.” Aunt Leona was right, I was very grateful for the opportunity, but I didn’t feel I belonged. The path became more narrow and I could see Mr. Gregor’s office building now.

Gently I knocked on Mr. Gregor’s door. I knew he would have to have been startled to have a knock at his door so early in the morning. Hearing a slight grunt inside I knew he was awake. A wiggle at the doorknob and Mr. Gregor was standing smiling with a cup of coffee. He led me inside and I slumped on his green chair in front of his shiny maple wood desk. I looked at his shiny name plate which read “Richard Gregor, Student Counselor.” Mr. Gregor honestly looked nothing like how I’d imagine a counselor let alone a student counselor. He had a striped button up shirt that somewhat made him look professional, but he was wearing a leather jacket, a chained necklace, and all around his office were pictures of ancient motorcycles. After getting some more coffee from his small coffee pot Mr. Gregor sat down in his brown chair behind his desk. As I was waiting for him to get situated I noticed his mug said “Worlds Best Mom.” Now I was thoroughly convinced that he wasn’t very professional, yet something made me feel like he knew what he was doing.

“Well Dani why’d you come so early in the morning this time?”

Mr. Gregor was my only “friend” since I had come to Pine Field, so I allowed him to call me Dani, unlike my other teachers who called me Danielle. I hated that name. It sounded so princessy, which I was not. My parents named me after my Abuela Daniella. I loved my abuela and her name was beautiful it just didn’t seem to fit my weird, loner, curious personality.

“I heard things last night….around the west campus building. They didn’t sound normal,” I told Mr. Gregor.

“What kind of noises?” Mr. Gregor asked.

“A crash, and footsteps.”

Mr. Gregor’s face became serious. I had never seen him this way. It didn’t scare me but I started feeling uneasy.

“Did you see anyone watching you or trying to get in the building?”

I shook my head, afraid to talk.

“Okay, come into the other room with me Danielle,” ushered Mr. Gregor.

Danielle? He hadn’t called me that since we first met and I told him to call me Dani. I suddenly felt like something was seriously wrong or that maybe I was endanger. I followed Mr. Gregor into a small room that I had never noticed in all the times I had come to his office. I stepped foot in the mysterious room that just had one tall dresser, a box of keys on top, and a chest on the floor. By now I was pretty confused about what was going on and I almost felt like leaving, but I couldn’t, maybe I was needed for something. But of course that was crazy. I was never needed for anything, especially when it came to adults. Mr. Gregor walked over to the box of keys and picked out a rather large key. I just stood there confused and helpless. He unlocked a drawer in the dresser and pulled out something with a chain and stuffed it in his leather jacket pocket. He crossed to the other side of the room to the little chest on the ground. He opened it and pulled out a book and a sheet of paper but half of it was gone.

“Come over here,” called Mr. Gregor.

I hesitated before walking over there, but I did. I crouched on the floor to see the ripped paper and book, both were in strange writing.

“This is going to be hard to believe and strange, but dangerous people are after you, they think you have these,” said Mr. Gregor pointing to the book and paper.

I stood there still. Shaking my head I wanted to believe this was all a dream, but when I opened my eyes I was still there. Mr. Gregor realized I wasn’t quite grasping what he was saying, so he stood up and walked over to the brick wall in the room. He pushed one of the bricks in the wall and the wall swung opened like a door. My heart started beating fast. What was happening?

“Don’t be scared. Follow me,” said Mr. Gregor reassuringly.

Mr. Gregor walked in through the door and was suddenly gone. I didn’t know if I should run for help or follow my curiosity. I walked closer to the mysterious opened wall and closed my eyes. If I walked through this door I could never see my home again. I wasn’t thinking about Pine Field. I was thinking about my home with Aunt Leona, the only part of my parents I had left. I squeezed my fist, opened my eyes and walked in the dark hall. I wasn’t ready for what was coming, but I would be brave no matter what. I followed.