Due to the demeanour and tone adopted by Ms Halford, Brenden got the feeling that she was not at all pleased about the fact that this particular form was the one that had been selected for him. However, whatever reasons the ghost had for her disapproval, she kept them to herself. Indeed, she made no further comment and merely indicated with her bluish, transparent hand that Brenden should knock. After a few raps from the boy, the door swung back to reveal a giant figure of a man whose face was hidden in shadow due to the bright fluorescent lights of the classroom behind him.
“Ah, you must be Brenden,” said the figure. “I’m glad that you’re finally here. Let me introduce myself; my name is Adam and I am to be your form tutor. Of course, you will have other teachers at the school, but I hope that I can be more than that and fulfil my given role as a mentor.”
Without stepping back to reveal his features, Adam turned his attention to Ms Halford.
“Thank you, Matilda, for bringing our new student to my class.”
“You’re most welcome Adam,” said Ms Halford in a positive tone that came across as more than a little forced. “I know you’ll be able to pass on your wisdom to our young man here. Well, I best be getting along then.”
With his enormous hands, Adam gently ushered Brenden into the classroom without giving him the chance to say farewell to Ms Halford. At another time, Brenden probably would have thought more about this, but he was too concerned with both having to face his new class and come to terms with the gigantic figure of his teacher. Adam continued to guide the young vampire forward until they were standing opposite a line of old wooden tables, behind which sat what looked like three generally well-preserved corpses and someone who Brenden assumed was a vampire, just like himself. Brenden regarded his teacher and was able to see the man’s face clearly for the first time. Brenden instinctively attempted to lurch backwards, but the strength of Adam’s hand, still placed in the middle of the boy’s back prevented him from moving at all. Though Brenden knew that he was in a school for the undead, he was unprepared for the sight of Adam, with his taut yellow skin, cloudy yellow eyes and prominent, pearly white teeth. The boy froze and for a moment did not take in a word Adam said. All he managed to perceive was that as his teacher spoke, he could see all the muscles of the man’s face moving below his thin skin.
Adam gave Brenden a squeeze on the shoulder, enabling the boy to compose himself once more and turn away from the disturbing visage of his teacher. So horrified was the boy that for the rest of the time he was in the class that day, he tried to make sure that he did not catch a glimpse again of the teacher, partly as he was concerned that he could offend the man, but also because he was concerned that he would find the sight of the man’s face as disturbing as he thought it had been.
“Well, my friends, we have our new student. This young man here is Brenden and fate has led him to our school, enabling him to avoid the fate of suffering the prejudice of the living against that which they do not even try to understand.”
Adam stopped himself from continuing on the topic and gave himself a moment for the words that were at the forefront of his mind to cease their clambering calls to be spoken out loud. He gave Brenden’s shoulder another squeeze and then returned to the boy’s introduction to the class.
“David, perhaps you would like to start by telling us a little about yourself.”
At this, the 40-odd-year-old looking man that Brenden presumed to be a vampire stood up; straightened the slightly worn, dark blue suit that he was wearing; brushed back his thin, blonde hair and cleared his throat as if he were about to give a lengthy presentation.
“Thanks, Adam. Hi Brenden, my name is David Forch. Welcome to the gang. From the looks of things, we’re also already in the same band: I also happen to be a vampire. Not sure how much of a back story were supposed to give here, but let me give you a brief rundown as it’ll come out sooner or later. I don’t know how you came to be here, but I’ve found out that my situation is a bit different from some of the others here.”
“David,” interrupted Adam gently, “perhaps you can tell Brenden about this later.”
“Now, come on Adam, might as well get this out the way. Not as if the others have much to say anyway.”
Though Brenden did not see how Adam reacted to what David had said, he assumed by the way the vampire’s face fell that the teacher had not taken it well. However, Adam relented and waved one of his large pale yellow hands to indicate to David that he should continue.
“Er, right. Where was I?” said David in what Brenden would come to learn was an unusual moment of discomposure for the man. “Yes, unlike some of the other members of this illustrious establishment, I decided of my own free will to join the community of the undead. Yes, that’s right, I decided to come here
