CHAPTER 1: HOLIDAY GETAWAY
1112 Words
"Sydney, Jeffrey, ready up the lights!" A sweet voice shouted.
"Okay, miss Bennet!" two cute voices replied in unison, two children running towards the switches of a treehouse, wearing thick jackets, winter gloves, and cozy boots, standing by the lights switches on both corners in the front.
Elise Bennett, an elementary teacher in Cherrywood School, with dark long hair tied up like a bun. She had eyes the same as her strands, and she wore a thick dark-purple winter jacket and gloves, and furry boots. She let out a smile so wide her teeth blended with the snowflakes that fell from the sky.
"Leslie, hang the garlands! David, light up the candles!" Elise called out again.
"On it, Miss Bennett!" The children ran steadily to their tasks. Leslie hangs the garlands around the outside paneling of the treehouse, and David lighting up the candles that were placed around the treehouse, surrounding it.
"Mary, place the hats on the snowmen! Jeremy, that's enough snow angels buddy!"
Mary quickly placed top hats on two snowmen, guarding the entrance of the treehouse in the middle. Jeremy however, jolted upwards, standing up only to realize he had made dozens of snow angels scattered across the treehouse lawn.
"Oops."
"Good Job, Children!" she cheered, clapping her hands, "Now come back, it's time for the grand finale!"
All the children scurried back to her side, as she grabbed a switch on the ground attached to a wire that spanned back to the treehouse.
"Everybody! Shout Merry Christmas on the count of 1... 2..."
"3!!"
As the switch goes on, the treehouse lights up in magnificent spectacle. The christmas lights flickered in unison, changing colors as it hung from the branches and stem. Another set of lights turned on, strewn around the leaves and the wooden balcony, showing a bright yellow glow. The snowmen also lit up, a faint silver shined around its body and its eyes flickered as if it was blinking. And the entrance they guarded, was lit up by candles holding their warm flame across the path that led to the treehouse.
The Children cheered excitedly, bouncing around as they clapped vigorously at the sight of the magnificent display they had created. Elise watched as they ran towards the treehouse, exploring happily together.
She let out a soft smile as she gazed, cherishing every single laughter the children let out, along with their smirks and giggles all around.
"Be careful everyone, don't want anyone to fall off now!"
"Yes, Miss Bennet! hehe" They all nodded in unison.
Elise giggled right after, continuing to admire the joy in front of her. It was the first holiday cheer she experienced after a gruesome week. Her fiance left her in the last week of November, with nothing but a empty wardrobe and a piece of paper that said, "I wish you the best..." She burned the paper on the stove.
Yet for a moment, all was fleeting. Her eyes glued to the children's smiles and playful demeanor, her heart fluttrring joyfully at the wonderous sight. For her, it was vastly more beautiful than the Christmas treehouse.
"Ting!!"
Yet such moments are as fleeting as it came.
"... Sorry kids, the bell has rung! Time to go back to our room." Elise said sadly, waving her hand to signal the kids to climb down.
"Aweeeeee!" The children scowled in unison.
"Do we have to, Miss Bennett?" Sydney asked, lying down on the wooden floor.
"But we just finished the treehouse!" said David, pouting his cheek and lips.
"Can't we stay for a little longer, Miss Bennet, pleaseeeee," said Mary, but they all let out a united plea.
"... Hayss, okay fine." Elise surrendered.
"Yayyy!" They cheered happily.
"Yeah yeah, just be sure to be extra behaved when we go back to class okay guys? Don't want the angry Principal Shrew to see ou-"
"Elise Bennet!!" An angered shout rang across the field, catching Elise off guard as she turns her head to see where it came from. Or who.
She saw a lady walking stomping towards her direction. Short blonde hair with blue eyes under flared eyebrows. She couldn't quite see who it was because of the distance and the snowfall, but after she came closer and closer, it was finally clear.
It was Principal Shrew.
"Elise Bennet! What in the God's name is this!" She stopped after she shouted, looking at both Elise and the kids in the treehouse who were trying to hide, "I told you to stay put and teach the class, never have I once told you to put them in danger! I mean look at them!
They both turned towards the treehouse, the kids still trying to hide from Principal Shrew.
"This travesty of a tree is going to be cut in a few days and here you are placing distasteful decor on a dump, endangering this kids! Have you no sense!"
"B-but Principal Shrew, the treehouse is in a perfect stable order! I asked the new Janitor to check if it was okay t-"
"Janitor?! You mean Mr. Dean?! What does a Janitor know besides cleaning?!"
"But he k-"
"Shut it, I don't want to hear anymore of it!" She snapped her fingers loudly towards the kids, "Come now, Children! Get down from the tree this instance and go back to your classroom! We don't have all day!"
"...Yes, Principal Shrew." The children replied in a defeated tone, climbing down the treehouse before they walked sadly back to the school.
After the last kid jumped exited the treehouse, Principal Shrew turned once again back to Elise, her face still spouting fiery blaze.
"And I'll see YOU at my office, you better not make me wait or else you'll be spending next year jobless, do you understand Miss Bennet?"
"... I..." She clenched her fist, looking down towards the snow covered as if defeated, but she was, holding her chest steadily trying to stifle the fire within.
"I.... I understand, Principal Shrew... I'll be there as soon as possible."
"Hmpf, you better be, delaying won't solve this problem, or any for that matter, as you all people should know. Goodbye, Miss Bennett!
She walked back towards the school along with the children, leaving Elise behind.
She lifted her head and let out a sigh, turning her gaze to the treehouse.
"It seems joy doesn't last for me, or perhaps I'm allergic to it."
"Stop that Elise!" she told herself, "Get it together, the children need you! After talking with the Principal, go back to the class and reassure them, play a game or something..."
"Now, I'm talking with myself again... Oh well..."
"Let's do this."
- Writer
