Lonely Oak Chapter 116 - Meeting Of The Minds
The soft tic and tock of the clock counted the seconds within the small room. Beyond the frosted plastic _shoji_, the soft tinkling of wind-chimes broke up the motronomic march of the red hand. Blurry, mottled shadows swayed back and forth across the...
Lonely Oak Chapter 115 - Elective Selective
"The school time is seven thirty-nine. Have a great day!" There was a slight pause, where normally the muffled clatter of the microphone getting put back would signal the end of the announcements. But, after a half-pause more, it didn't come. "Oh, I...
Lonely Oak Chapter 126 - The Meadows
There was once a place at Lonely Oak Elementary, in the school's courtyard, different from any other place in the world. There is an iron fence, that has no gate; just an open mouth. The fence surrounds a modest square of land, nestled in the corner...
Lonely Oak Chapter 125 - The Golden Leaf Award
Finally, it had arrived: the Last Day at Lonely Oak Elementary. Kinders, firsts, seconds, thirds, and fourths, all came through the doors with anticipation of summer and fun. Of no more school food; rubbery pizza, flimsy salads, watered-down...
Lonely Oak Chapter 124 - The Treasure Of Lonely Oak
"It's so muggy out! Feels worse than the Amazon." "Yeah right, you never been to the Amazon." Nevertheless, it was very humid. As soon as the kids set foot outside, they regretted it; water almost began condensing on their fur and whiskers. It was...
Lonely Oak Chapter 123 - Principal Versus Principle
Ket felt like he was dragged through his dream out of his sleep. The alarm blared in his ear with what sounded like the decibels of a thousand air-horns. He pushed up, his arms tingling from pins and needles. He glanced at the clock even as it...
Lonely Oak Chapter 122 - Round Two
In each classroom, the kids spent the rest of the remaining nearly-two-hours of the school-day cleaning up the classrooms, packing their things away, and returning the desks to their groups or rows. Ket was relegated to a back-corner of the room,...
Lonely Oak Chapter 121 - By Whom History Is Written
Emeral sat in the uncomfortable chair within the main office. The chair was plastic and had no arm-rests, just like the ones at their desks. Comfort was not a luxury a student would have in the main office. It was meant to be uncomfortable; if you were...
Lonely Oak Chapter 120 - How Bazaar
"Pledge. Pledge! Hey-hey! Pledge. _Hey!_" The classroom suddenly went silent. "...To the Republic, for which it stands," the students chanted, snapping into the patriotic pose. As soon as they were done, the announcements began, but amidst the...
4X+Y Chapter 01 - I'm Sorry (Part 1)
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls," the DJ's voice came through the speakers that hung from several points around the room; "I apologize, but _The Frog and Her Five Princes_ were unable to make it tonight." The audience murmured, some letting out...
Lonely Oak Chapter 108 - Zoological
The turnstiles ratcheted and clicked as each of the kids passed through, excitedly reforming into their groups on the other side to begin looking at the animals. As the group of four passed through, they were handed a pamphlet with a map of the...
Lonely Oak Chapter 107 - Frienemies
Though her ears were swiveled back and she had her head pressed against the back of the big, blue seat, there was little Lyza could do to muffle the noise. She hadn't ridden the bus since the middle of fourth grade, when her brother started taking her...