Monday Morning

Monday morning. You add one of the small statuettes to the books and laptop in your small rucksack. It’s a pleasant stroll to school, a few of the girls pausing to say good morning to you. You recognise some of them.

At school you avoid the Staff room and head to your office. Fist deed of the day place, the statuette on the shelves nearest the door in. For a while you consider what to do as if it was ever a choice. You chose the statuette in for a reason, to test it. You can only test it if it’s on. It’s not like anyone can tell it’s on. Turn it on and leave it. Hed to assembly. Forget about it. You doubt it will do anything.

First lesson of the day is a Lower Sixth lesson. It goes without hitch.

A brief break before the Upper Sixth ‘A’ Stream file in. Ellie first to arrive, head down, bag clutched to her chest. You wish her good morning. Fearful eyes are her only response. The other girls stream in minutes later, busy chatting, taking their seats, getting out their books, looking attentive.

Last week the girls handed in their holiday homework, a discussion of the withdrawal of Roman troops from Britannia at the beginning of the 5th Century. You’d marked it over the weekend. Now you’re going through what they did, pointing out their errors, going through details they missed or shouldn’t have included. Overall, it was well done, but you’d expect as much as they’re the ‘A’ Stream, the best the school can provide. You soon get into a fruitful discussion with the girls over sources and over evidence.

All the class contribute, except Ellie. Which is a shame because Ellie’s was well written and obviously well researched. She found credible theories which the other girls didn’t. You do at one stage ask her where she got those theories from and you see pure panic in her eyes. The other girls snigger when she doesn’t speak. You have to tell them to be silent.

You have a good idea where she had got those ideas from, so you mention them for her. You can see her nodding to herself but she doesn’t speak. {if Ellie = 1}She’s very restless today. Last week she sat stock still, her eyes and hand the only things that moved. Today she fidgets. Every time you look at her, she glances away. She’s always shifting in her seat. She can’t seem to keep her feet still. She lowers her head even further. You catch her several times with her eyes screwed up. Very peculiar. You’d ask her what was wrong, but you know you’ll just get no answer.{endif}

You turn back to the other girls and your lesson. A lesson that could last longer than it actually does. The bell rings to inform everyone the lesson is over. The girls stream out for lunch.