The Origin Stone

Chapter 2-5

“It’s time to go, Em,” mum shouts from downstairs. I mutter darkly under my breath, laying my English homework down on my bed. Ru and I have barely been back an hour.

Our school recently announced a change to their uniform, and it’s much stricter than the current one. We’d been lucky our old school had the same colours. Until now, we’ve gotten away with wearing those uniforms. Now we can’t avoid buying a whole new lot.

We received the letter a few days ago and have all Easter to get it. I told mum that Ru and I would catch a bus into town to buy it ourselves, but one of the PTA super mums phoned and told her the approved shops couldn’t handle the sudden demand and were going to bump up their prices. If we went immediately, we’d get them for the original price. Ru was supposed to come with us, but he just reminded mum the Grand Vizier was due a check-up at the vets. He escaped five minutes ago, wishing me luck and handing me strict notes on his clothing size. Dad’s still out, too. I don’t even have him for moral support.

I drag myself down to the front door, where mum’s waiting. I smirk at the flecks of paint in her hair, but she doesn’t notice. I suppose she’s done well to get out of her overalls and put on normal clothes--if normal counts as dungarees and flip flops.

“You said Ru’s printed off directions to those two shops I told you about?” she says as we step outside, fumbling with her keys to lock the door. As the dogs get a last glimpse of us, they whine, but she shushes them without sympathy.

“We’ll be back soon, don’t worry,” I croon through the letter box. Brennan’s enthusiastic tongue finds my fingertips where I’m holding it open. I pull them back, shaking the slime onto the gravel, then reach into the pocket of my jeans and pull out the map Ru gave me. I hand it to mum.

She takes it gingerly, avoiding the areas where I’ve left damp finger marks. “They’re right next to each other,” she murmurs. “And there’s an art shop across the road. Even better. I can nip in there while you get what you need.”

We hop in the car, silent as she takes us down the drive and out onto the main road. The route leads us past the school. A series of blocky, grey buildings which could easily pass for a prison with only a short stretch of imagination. No matter what it looks like or where it is, the students talk about the same things they did at our old one, and the teachers plan their lessons identically, too. I would say I miss my friends, but though I’ve never been short on them, they’re not deep friendships. A message here and there is enough to keep us going. Ru’s the only one I’ve ever had decent conversations with, and he doesn’t count.

Even if my relationship with them wasn’t like that, I still wouldn’t tell them what’s been going on here. It’s all I can do to stop myself from thinking I’m nuts. Since we got back, the blur has been the only thing on my mind. If I don’t research what it might be, I’ll be a nervous wreck for the rest of my life.