#anywhere

The teenagers stay at the school. Grim faced, dead eyed.

"You're lucky to have a real school aren't you?" the woman says

"Very Lucky, Miss Hollow" The teenagers say in unison

"You're grateful, for this chance, aren't you?" the woman is sharp, cold. Something went wrong,w ent twisted, but that's not how she sees it. Now how she knows it. She's saving these children from wildness. these youth will not fall to the enemy. Oh no

"Very Grateful, Miss Hollow" the teenagers say, not allowed to mumble it, not allowed to shuffle through it, so they push to summon energy they do not feel

"You should be. It's a sick world, young ladies and sir. Sick sick sick. Nonsense and balderdash" Miss Hollow says "And yet, some of you seem to want to get out to the world. to get sick. Sick in the head. Wild in the mind"

The teenagers realize one of their number is missing.

And then he's brought forward

"Meshach here tried to go talking to finding a nonsense place" She says pushing the boy forward, "He tried talking to outsiders when there's to be no talking unless I say there's talking. Isn't that right, Meshach? "

The boy nods, for he has no mouth, not anymore. She took it away

"Those things which are wasted in nonsense will be taken" Miss Hollow tuts "Taken until you earn them again." She holds up a drawing "Now, this was in his hands? He says HE Drew it, but I don't believe him. I think one of you is drawing. Drawing is a waste of time. It is a waste of mind. "

The girls and boys hold still , eying the drawing. Vivid colors...

a magic place, a green flame?

"Which one of you drew this? And put nonsense in Meshach's head?"

She eyes them, her eyes lingering on one girl "It's better to punish just those guilty than all of you. But if you force me too. I will"

They squirm, but no one speaks. Either they do not know, or they are lying to her.

"Well, let me explain about this...to show how wrong it is. There are no birds made of fire. there are certainly no fires in fireplaces that are emerald of hue. There are no giant women come to rescue you with a silly hammer, and no little girls wearing a purple star. " And she rips the paper up "There is only what is real. You will all lose your eyes for the next hour. This is the fault of who ever of you is doing. .ART and not coming forward. I HATE to do this to you, but if you insist on seeing nonsense.. I will show you, your senses are not a right, but a priviliege. Focus on what's real."

The teens gasp as their eyes vanish, wiped like play dough being streaked over by a hard thumb

"And what is real?" Miss Hollow says

"Whatever you say is real, Miss Hollow" One sputters trying to hide the fear and faling.

The others join in "Whatever you say is real, Miss Hollow"

"VERY good." She turns "AN hour.. it will pass quickly. Meshach, well, I'll think of whether you get your mouth back tonight. A fast might build character"

and the pieces of paper that show a nonsense place that never could be fall to the floor

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