First Day Back

The first day after a long Christmas break seems to always be the worst especially since this time it's a Monday. Everyone slams down on their alarm, drags themselves out of bed, and takes a long drive to school. The last kid to pull up through the SSA carline is Francis, as usual. She grabs her checker-board book bag and slams the car door shut. Her mom quickly rolls down the window and yells,

"Don't forget your lunch money, love ya kiddo!"

She runs back to the car rolling her eyes in total embarrassment. She's wearing the stylish SSA uniform but, of course, she's not wearing her school shoes, nor did she remember to take her dirty pink lanyard to school today. As she walks into the front office knowing a detention is coming her way, she notices something different. Mrs. Maria is not at the front desk. She creeps around the teachers lounge and into the back room and begins to hear some discussion. Francis looks through the small crack in the rigid door and it appears to be a new student. One in bright pink clothes with makeup and hair fixed just for school which is something peculiar for Francis to see at SSA. She doesn't look much into it and she walks off to class without getting a detention. Tip-towing around the hallways and into Mrs. Huguet's classroom, she cracks the door open and quietly sneaks into her seat.

"Welcome back girls, please get out your Interactive Reader and turn to page 53."
As she proceeds to write all of this on the board, Francis slides past the first row and into her seat without Mrs. Huguet knowing. All of the girls begin working the fifteen problems in the English book except Francis. I wish I was sleeping right now. Maybe if I just put my head down no one will notice. Why is everyone so happy this morning? We should still be in bed right now, or opening Christmas presents with the family; not stupid English problems. What the heck is parallelism structure anyway? I forgot all of this stuff way before we left for the break. Ugh. Get me out of here.

"Francis! Francis!" Mrs. Huguet screams, "Can you please sit up and pay attention. We have ourselves a visitor."

"Yes, Mrs. Huguet," as she slowly sits upright in her desk.

"Thank you. Now, tell us a little about yourself Minnie."

It was the girl whom Francis saw in the office. Same dress, pink with white polka dots and her hair style was the same as well, smoothly brushed back in that ponytail along with the pink bow to finish off the look. Only this time something feels different bout her presence. Maybe it was just the fact that she was actually in her classroom. Whatever it is, something seems off. She begins speaking.

"Hello. My name is Minnie Mouse. Yes. Minnie Mouse. Some people love the name and others hate it, but whatever you think won't bother me. I'm from a small town nearby Orlando with very few people. I moved over during the break because of my mom's job. Hopefully I'm not here too long but I guess we'll see."

"Well, we are glad to have you here. Now come sit down, luckily we have one empty desk right here in front of Jessica."
Everyone began to stare at Minnie almost as if she had done something wrong.

"Here, you can borrow my book for today, Minnie," Jessica said.

"Thanks, but I don't need your book. I have better things to be thinking about right now, and reading a book isn't one of them."

"Oh, okay. I was just offering, but never mind. Hey, what is it that's so important to you right now anyways?"

"If you must know," Minnie murmurs, "I found this vibrant looking paper in the hallway this morning. It explains y'all's club day and how it is coming up soon. I don't know, I guess I was interested."

"Yes I have that same paper right here in my binder. Doesn't it look like fun? We have club day every year around this time. Each grade takes their turn walking around the campus looking at each club's poster board. If you want to join the club all you have to do is sign your name and email address on their paper and you're in! There's so many different types of clubs: Key Club, Foreign Language Club, Science Club, Art Club and many more. My personal favorite is the Science club. I just love being outdoors where no one can find me."

"Hmmm. Really? Well, then you're gonna like my idea of starting this new club. I think I want this club to be all about making natural facials made of oats and honey. It can take place in this treehouse nearby my new home. It's only a couple blocks down behind this abandoned restaurant. Whoever wants to join is welcome but they must let me know three days in advance before we go ."

"That's such a fun idea, Minnie! I would definitely join," Jessica said.

"I didn't mean to eaves drop on y'all's conversation, but I think that's a pretty lame idea," Francis said.

"Well then," Minnie said, "you obviously don't have to join, you freak."
The first day is surprisingly going by quickly. It is already time for lunch. Minnie is startled by the intercom speaking to the school. All she knows is that it is time to go out to the picnic tables for lunch.

"Come sit with us Minnie," Jessica says, "we have just enough room."

"Okay."

As everyone begins eating the girls start talking about club day tomorrow. Minnie decides to walk around telling people about her idea and everyone seems intrigued.

A few days go by and soon enough it's Thursday. Everyone knows what this means, it's club day! As always, everyone sets up their posters. Some are blue with gold sparkles, some with stripes and big letters. Minnie's seems to be very different from everyone else's. It's filled with earthy colors but with a hint of danger. The line for her club keeps on growing. Francis walks towards the list and sees that there are twenty people signed up. The first five are meeting tomorrow after school.

When the bell rings Friday afternoon, the girls all meet at Minnie's treehouse. They all introduce themselves and begin making the facials with Minnie's recipe. While doing so, Minnie makes a quick run back to her house. Oh what they don't know. They think they are going to relax and have a great weekend ahead of them. Well, they are wrong, I'm going to kill them. Kill them all. As they put on their facials I will add drops of poison which will then burn their skin to death. They deserve to go through the pain that I go through. If I have to keep moving locations for my 'mom' well they can too. Just far, far away.

"Now everyone lay back and begin pasting on your facials. I'll be coming around adding my special ingredient into your mixes.

What Minnie doesn't know is that Francis has been watching the entire situation go down. She sprints back across the street and reports back to the school before it closes for the weekend. The school calls the police immediately and they make their way to Minnie's hideout. They arrive at the treehouse barricading the property.

"We need to get in there quickly," the police said, "we've been tracking down this girl for quite sometime."

While Minnie is committing her crime the police surround the treehouse forcing Minnie to surrender. Apparently her family friends from home hear about the situation and call the police acting all frantic trying to make sure everything is okay. The police play the telephone call in speaker for Minnie to hear.

"What is that?" Minnie said.

"Did y'all hear that strange noise?" Jessica said.

"Sit down and shut up!"

Suddenly, all of the girls become afraid. They thought that Minnie was this sweet, preppy girl dressed in heels and fru-fru clothes, but she is turning info a terrifying monster. They panic while watching her step out onto the fragile, wooden deck. Minnie notices the policeman and can hear the obnoxious people screaming through the phone call. The girls in the treehouse begin to scream because their skin is beginning to burn.

"These people are faking," Minnie cries. "They don't care about me. They never have and they never will. Don't shoot me," Minnie screams, "I'll save you the bullets."

Everyone turns and screams at Francis.

"Wait, why are y'all yelling at me? Stop getting closer. She's running away, look, Minnie is getting away! Someone stop her, please!"

"You caused this Francis! You let her escape. Get out of here, you're useless!"

"What are y'all talking about? This isn't my fault. Stop it. Back away. Don't touch me! NOOO!"

"Seriously. It's the first day back, Francis, you can not afford another absence. Now come on downstairs, Dad and I made breakfast."

"Oh my god, okay I'm coming."

"And would you stop sleeping with that stuffed animal, you're acting like a baby."

Francis shakes her head in total shock. She pulls back her covers, chuckles for a slight moment, then throws the stupid stuffed animal to the back of her closet. Never again will she sleep with that twisted Minnie Mouse.