The Library Stairs, Chapter Five

Next, came war.

This was solemnly explained to Joe as the procession made its way up the staircase. Casting about him, our hero marvelled at prints of spaceships and battle-droids and a monstrous something made of what might have been plant-tendrils. None of the three girls could imagine what it was to have been forged in such a crucible. Yet the Headmistress had taught them too that she would not be all she was now, had she not allowed it to shape and temper her.

They reached the last photograph in the sequence as they came to a landing. It had been taken in the aftermath of the war, and Joe’s intuition was proved correct. There she was, on her own this time, sitting at a table in some ramshackle public lounge. Faint and slight she may have appeared, but only if you paid no attention to her smile.

Again, the six girls were gazing at Joe in the peculiar manner he’d marked on the bus.

From here the steps continued without a bend to their summit on the dusty sunless side of the building. Further pictures ascended along the walls on either side of the staircase, and in reference to these it was announced that although there was plenty more of the story to come, the Headmistress had said she’d rather talk Joe through those chapters herself.

Our hero glanced again at the remainder of the gallery. “Then, would you have me keep my eyes shut as we proceed?” he ventured.

At once the same speaker hastened to assure him that at the top of the stairs was the library, not the Headmistress’s study.

Another then added there were also some little rooms just off from the library.

Yes, that was true, they were sort of like revision-rooms. And on the other side was a big room they were going to do something specific with, but which wasn’t really anything yet.

The easiest thing however was probably just to call these the library stairs.

Joe was patient, but couldn’t help feeling at something of a loose end. Quietly one of the six slipped by him.

It would surely have been undetectable had she not pointed it out. In the corner formed between the landing wall and the exterior face of the school was a gap which could not with any seriousness be referred to as a passage, within which you might expect to see nothing of greater girth than the janitor’s spare mop and broom. Instead of these, however, was a most unassuming door.

The Headmistress had chosen it because it was out of the way.

So here they were. It had been a long time since Joe was last taken to see a Principal of any kind, but apparently the feeling never changed. He took a deep breath and drew himself up. Then thanking his guides our hero strode unto the modest breach, knocked once, then entered and closed the door behind them.

The girls looked to each other on the landing, each profoundly moved by their short encounter with so significant a personage.

Well, what a morning.

Looked like no matter who the visitor was, the Headmistress’s study came as a surprise.

What had he been expecting? The big room? After they’d already told him about the specific plans for it?

There were giggles at this.

He would see, it was then concluded. Because that was really the whole point of it. Everything had to start somewhere.

Joe wasn't the only one wrestling with anxiety-issues on his first day. Mini-Flash Robin's underpants hadn't once sat right since lunchtime, when the trio of girls charged with showing himself and Mini-Flash Juniper around had expressed to them their deep regret that if rumours were to be believed, one of their classmates was shaming the school through the worst sort of welcome for the newcomers.

Nanine. The name issued in grave murmurs over the lunch-bench.

That one, it appeared, saw what had happened at registration as a score to settle.

Which was why she'd already given one of them a hard time.

Robin had flushed at this. "Chap's not sure it was that hard a time!" he protested feebly.

Practice had only been the beginning though, the three girls went on. A mere warning. In the afternoon they were going to play a proper match, and...

Their limpid fearful eyes flicked to Mini-Flash Juniper.

Revenge. Of all the things to be so much as spoken of at their school. Truly, it was a sad hour.

Mini-Flash Juniper however was undaunted. "This Nanine had better know her netball if it's that kind of revenge," she declared briskly, finishing her milk.

Robin however was frightened for her, and more so now as the afternoon match neared. He hadn't even given much thought to his own role at this big event, except to consider that with things being as they were, it was totes going to be a struggle for him to muster any sort of good cheer.

Chap was going to have try, though

For Juniper.

END OF CHAPTER FIVE