New School

• Lochlan Degenhardt, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2016

I walked into the classroom and everyone stared at me like I was a Martian. I looked down at my feet. I didn’t look like a Martian. Maybe I should have had a second look in the mirror before I left home. Maybe, I’d turned into a Martian overnight. I stood at the front with at first what I thought was a large, fat troll, but then turned out to be the teacher. I retreated to my seat. This was the first time I’d moved school. Well, second, but my last school didn’t really count, seeing as it was more of a zoo than a school. I wasn’t the best behaved kid I knew. It wasn’t really my fault; I didn’t go looking for trouble, trouble just seemed to find me. But here I was, in a new school. Looked like the strictest one yet. The kids here looked like action figures, lifeless, straight backed, action figures. We had to wear ties. Ties! I hated the ties; they were itchy and tight around my neck. Still, I had to give this place a chance. Dad said he’d buy me a bike if I lasted two years here- Mum said she’d do no such thing and I should learn to be better behaved. The troll gave me a book with squares printed onto the pages. While the others did maths, I coloured the squares in different colours and made a pretty cool pattern. The troll came and collected in my book, and sighed at me when she saw the squares. I sighed back. Well, behind her back. I wasn’t doing maths any time soon, whatever she thought of me. A high pitched wail sounded, and while the others neatly put away their books, and neatly tucked in their chairs, I ran out of the classroom screaming like a banshee. It wasn’t long before my tie was tied around my head and I was running around the playground, arms stretched like an airplane. I was an airplane. Flying at 500 miles per hour, up, down, manoeuvring in-between buildings, faster than anyone ever flew before. People, screaming my name below me. People, screaming my name…at the top of the playground. Engines down. I walked over to the teacher, who had a stern face, getting ever sterner the closer I got to her. Her mouth opened and she started to speak. “You boy. You, you’re wanted in the Head’s office.”
I walked across the playground to the front entrance, whilst everyone stared at me. The walk of shame, all too well known to me. I dragged my feet as I walked towards the office, and knocked twice slowly on the door. “In,” I heard a voice say. I walked in and my eyes met the Head’s. “I brought you here today to say…” I winced. No bike it seemed. “Welcome,” he said, “Welcome to the school. I hope you have a productive time here.” This was a shock. I wasn’t in trouble.
“Thank you.”