A Snippet Of Luck

• Abby Newman, Grade 6, St Agnes Primary School
• Short Story
• 2014

Excellence Award in the 'The Text Generation 2014' competition

My remarkable exposition was placed neatly on Lord Albury's desk along with his other piles of sheets and documents. The expression on his face was a mixture of affliction and sereneness. I was not sure whether he liked it or not. His fancy suit shimmering in the dim light made him look even more like he was about to jump out of his seat, and consume me entirely. For one I didn’t even know why I was here, all I did was walk up and place my paper on the top of the pile associated to children’s finished work on lady Blue’s desk. Then all of a sudden I was told to bring my paper to the headmaster’s desk and wait. So here I am sitting in this monumental room, waiting to most likely be disposed of. The dead silence is broken by Lord Albury’s booming voice.” come forward child, “I cautiously move towards lord Albury's gaping red velvet chair. He starts to sort out the files and documents scattered all over his desk. Finally he looks at me from underneath his spectacles. ’’I have taken it upon myself, to keep a close eye on the students at this fine school for boys. “Pausing he takes a long breath before he continues. And I can tell that what he was going to say next wasn't good. “This school provides great knowledge to our lucky people that can afford to pay for it, and our carers expect that you as students will do everything to learn the basic things that you as a child must learn.”He pauses again, and gives me a stern glare.”And most of our students behave and do learn things properly. You on the other hand have not been participating in many activities. You have been falling asleep in the middle of the lesson and have been looking in the forbidden areas of the school. Here is the key to the library, you must study all the books in there I hope that you complete the entire contents of what is inside of them or you shall be expelled. That will be all thank you.”I take the key without complaint and walk away briskly,I don’t turn back.

That night I could only think about what he meant about me roaming around the school’s forbidden areas and also at the image of me getting expelled. At the thought of this I hop out of bed and creep over to the door, open it and see if the coast is clear. Quietly slipping out from behind the door and step across the wooden floor boards, trying desperately to not stepping on a plank of wood that would make a noise. I sneak over to the library door and pull out the brass key Lord Albury gave me. I turn the key and the door opens revealing mountains of glorious books. This is going to be a long night, I thought.