Mayfair School for Girls.

Ida fiddled with the starched collar of her uniform, wishing vaguely that she could undo just one of the buttons so that the fabric was not pulled quite as tightly around her throat. But the Mayfair Prospectus Handbook had been very specific about things of this nature. All skirts must be pleated and fall just below the knee; anything shorter would not suffice. Hair must be pulled back, either in plaits or a chignon-- messy buns or loose tendrils were for outside of class. Stockings or tights were non-negotiable, and ties must be fastened neatly around the collar, not left untied. Blazers should be freshly creased, and so on.

“Stop fidgeting, love,” her mother murmured in an annoyed undertone, “Please try to at least look ladylike. This is an amazing opportunity you’ve been given. We wouldn’t want you to cock it up on your first day.” Ida nodded mutely, her mouth dry.

Girls and their parents parted like a sea of fish around them, making their way towards dormitories or classrooms. The clatter of footsteps and calls of laughter and recognition made the hallways clamor. Ida bit her lip, and clutched her schedule close to her chest. Soon enough, her mother would return to the dock with the other parents, assured that her daughter was settled in. And then they would leave by boat, which was the only way to access the island, and therefore the school, and Ida would be utterly alone in this brave new world.

* * *

Mayfair stood on a thin strip of rock off the coast of Ireland, perched tenuously over the turf as though about to fall into the sea at any moment. The air was cold and damp and wind shrieked devilishly through the ancient gothic towers of the dormitories. Frigid, Ida’s mother would call it, bracing.

In truth, Ida could not understand why anyone would have wanted to build a school here, especially a school as posh as this one. The list of notable alumni stretched on for pages, and the current students were the daughters of Prime Ministers and billionaires. Although the accommodations were distinctly gothic-- the buildings dated back to the 1700s and were decked out in the Baroque style, all gargoyles and flying buttresses-- the insides were neatly furnished. The classrooms were complete with all manner of electronic gadgets for research, and the kitchens and boarding rooms were modern and opulently adorned. There was no way Ida would have ever been able to attend on her mum’s salary, if not for the scholarship that she had won, serendipitously, seemingly out of nowhere.

A call had come, one evening at a strangely odd hour, offering her a place all expenses paid for the fall semester, and that was that. Something about the entire situation made Ida’s hair stand on end. She got good marks in school, and was reasonable at swimming, but that could hardly have won her a place at one of the most elite boarding schools in Europe. She had tried explaining this to her mother, to no avail. It did not matter that Ida was happy at her public school, with her normal friends, because Mayfair was simply too good of an opportunity to scoff at.

“Once you get to the island, you’re going to love it. You’re going to forget you ever had any worries!” her mother soothed as they had packed her daughter’s trunk together.

“We don’t even know anything about the place,” Ida returned warily, her voice shaking. Not that it had made a difference.

* * *

“You’re prettier than I expected, but rather small” a voice called out across the bedroom. Ida had just finished unpacking her trunk, and was busy organising her school books on an empty shelf. She had not noticed that another girl was hovering in the doorway.

“I’m called Cali,” the girl smirked, her long blonde hair falling across her face in a cascade as she extended her hand for Ida to shake, “Your new roommate.”

Ida introduced herself, flustered. Cali was tall and blonde and had perfect teeth and a smooth American accent. Even though she was clothed in the exact same uniform as she was, it seemed to hang upon her differently, more fashionably.

“Oh, I know who you are”, Cali returned vaguely as Ida made her introductions, her eyes turning to survey the room, “I’ve heard all about you. I requested you, actually.” She flashed the shorter girl a queer smile that did not quite meet her eyes, and chuckled, as though she were in on some inside joke, and then darted out of the room.

* * *

The dining hall was luxurious, complete with long chestnut tables laden with all manner of foods, and comfortable benches to sit on. Ida took an uncertain seat at the empty end of one table, her heart pounding. From across the hall, she noticed Cali laughing with a group of other girls, who looked about their age, maybe fourteen. Without paying much attention to the taste, she shoved a pear into her mouth, and placed an almond croissant on her plate. At least the food was good, she thought to herself vaguely, as she surveyed the other girls.

There was something odd about the makeup of the dining hall she decided as she glanced around. Half of the girls resembled her, which was to say that they looked like normal teenagers, with spots and untidy hair and long, gangly limbs they were not entirely sure what to do with. The other half were almost supernaturally beautiful, with elegant, angular faces and cold, imperious gazes.

Cali caught Ida staring at her and flashed her that queer, wolfish smile again. Ida looked away, her heart pounding. How odd a place this was. Attempting to quiet the unease in her stomach, she helped herself to a thick slice of chocolate cake that was oozing fudge in the center of the table. Outside it began to rain.

* * *

“Louis XIV, also known as the “sun king” was an absolute monarch who ruled by divine right. Can anyone tell me what this means? Ida, what about you?” droned the history professor, looking annoyed. Outside the wind howled, and pine boughs tapped menacingly on the stained glass windows of the classroom.

Ida’s eyes snapped away from the back of Cali’s skull, which she had been watching with thinly veiled fascination for the past five minutes.

“Um--” she began, breaking off, “Could you say that again?”

From beside her another girl, one of the perfect ones, broke in, “That simply means that he was believed to have received his power in accordance with the will of god. It made his rule theoretically infallible.” She smirked and rolled her piercing blue eyes.

“Very good Mathilde.”

The other girls laughed behind their hands, and Ida shifted uncomfortably. It was as though all of the beautiful girls moved and acted as a unit, and she could not figure out how. Even more oddly, certain girls had stopped showing up for lessons. The numbers seemed to dwindle by the day. And it was always the rather plain looking girls who missed their lectures. Each time Ida’s eyes caught on an empty desk, something cold would echo around inside of her, tightening in her chest.

In the evenings, Cali would return to their shared dormitory late after curfew, saying nothing, and slipping soundlessly into bed. That was the most social interaction that Ida had in the first few weeks, and it was beginning to wear through her.

* * *

One evening, Ida decided to take a walk along the bluffs overlooking the sea. The girls were allowed to explore the island so long as it was during their free periods or off time. The water tumbled in slate grey waves below, crashing against the rocky cliffs. Ida shivered, pulling her cardigan more tightly around her. School had been in session for a few months, and now it seemed as though only half of the girls remained. She had tried asking the matrons about it, or even the professors, but they had brushed her off.

“Cold going around,” they expounded noncommittally. Ida did not believe it, but who could she tell? Her mother was still merely overjoyed that her daughter had secured a place at Mayfair to begin with. She refused to hear any slander against the place. And Ida had not made any friends, which was odd because generally she was fairly well-liked by her peers. But the beautiful, terrifying girls that roamed these halls looked at her oddly, as though she were hardly even there.

A hand landed on her shoulder, and she jumped. She had been so consumed by the view of the ocean below, and by the anxiety of her own merciless thoughts, that she had not noticed the approach of one of her english professors.

“Headmaster wants to see you, Miss James,” she shouted over the roar of the wind. Ida nodded, and followed her back through the towering arches of the entryway. Above her the gargoyles watched her impassively, their mouths open in a grotesque scream.

* * *

She walked haltingly into the headmaster’s office, her joints stiff with cold and damp. To her surprise, she noticed Cali lounging by the window, examining her fingernails. Behind her the door slammed shut and locked. The english professor was gone. Ida felt chills erupt on the back of her neck.

“Where’s the headmaster?” she asked, voice low and shaky.

Cali giggled. It was a high-pitched unnatural sound, like something a hyena might make.

“Oh, there isn’t one most of the year. We just hire one for photopps and parent’s days,” she offered serenely, her eyes scanning Ida’s face with sadistic interest.

“Sorry?” Ida was confused, and her fingers were numb and hard with cold. Perhaps she was dreaming.

“God, you’re not that thick, are you sweetie?” Cali crooned, taking a step closer to the other girl, smiling that terrible wolfish grin, “Surely you’ve figured out what’s been going on by now? You’re not a real student. You’re just here to feed the real students.”

There was something different about her teeth, Ida noticed. They were still gleaming white and perfectly straight, but they seemed sharper somehow. The girl’s eyes shone too with an unnatural fire. Their whites were almost entirely eclipsed by a wide yellow iris.

Ida’s mouth opened and closed in a silent scream, as Cali moved ever closer.

“Feed?” Ida choked, frozen to the spot.

“Yes, of course silly”, Cali murmured, suddenly lunging forwards. Ida felt the white hot flash of fangs against her neck, and the rush of blood down her blouse.

Outside, the wind shrieked through the towers, and the branches banged upon the window panes.