“Take a closer look.” I raised an eyebrow at him but did as I was told. The building might have been grand a century ago when it was built. It was five stories and each of them had massive windows that ran along the front and both sides. Except now most of the glass was missing or cracked. The flat red roof sagged in multiple spots. The only thing that looked like it wasn’t coming apart was the huge dark red door.
“This can’t be it,” I said again. “There’s no way this is Animage Academy.”
Mom and Dad shared a look. “This whole block in Animage Academy, Sophie. You’ll see.”
“Didn’t forget Mr. Snuggle Bunny, did you?” Simon asked as we walked toward the building. I reached out to hit him, but he danced away just in time.
“No,” I said. “He’s safely in my bag,” I muttered. I didn’t want anyone to overhear that at almost sixteen I still slept with a stuffed animal. It didn’t really matter since there was no one anywhere in sight. My parents were definitely playing a trick on me.
Dad walked up to the large red door and knocked. It opened soundlessly before him. I tried to peek inside but there was nothing but darkness. A little bronze plaque by the door read “Pearson Building.”
“Umm, dad?” I asked, pointing to the plaque.
“We give a lot of money to the academy,” Dad said.
Mom, Dad, and Simon walked through the door and disappeared into the darkness. My feet stopped at the threshold. Deep breath in, deep breath out.
“I can do this,” I said to myself before stepping into the building.
We were surrounded by darkness. I felt my family surrounding me, but I couldn’t see anything.
“Most of the students come by portal, but I wanted to give you the full effect this first time.” Dad’s voice cut through the dark. What was he talking about?
Then everything lit up around us. I gasped. This was no abandoned building. We stood in a massive lobby with bright marble floors, and walls covered in so much artwork I wasn’t sure where to look. It was like I’d stepped back in time to the Gilded Age. Even the ceiling looked like one big painting. A huge chandelier hung from it, sparkling with what looked like a thousand candles.
“Wow,” Simon said to my left.
“Wow,” I repeated.
“New student here to check in?” A lady approached us from the other side of the lobby. Her tall red heels made a tap-tap-tap sound on the marble floor. I looked past her to see another group of people standing near a door.
“Yes.” Dad’s voice echoed off the walls. I tried to shrink into the wall behind me. “My daughter is here to begin her first term.” He grabbed me by the shoulder and pushed me forward. My nerves had taken my excitement captive and my legs were lead. Trying to ignore the emotions warring within me I pushed his hand off my shoulder and smiled at the women.
“And what’s your name, dear?” the lady asked me. As she got closer, I realized her black witch’s hat was perched between two tabby cat ears.
“Sophie,” I said. “Sophie Pearson.” The lady raised her eyebrows and took a glance at my father and his scales but didn’t say anything. She flipped a few papers on her clipboard. I rubbed the mark on the back of my hand as we waited.
“Ah, yes,” she said. “Here you are. Will you show me your hand, please?” I reached my right hand out toward her. Simon was staring at me. My gaze wavered on the floor as the lady examined the silvery mark on the back. She ran her thumb over it a couple of times before she nodded. With a wave of her hand the mark disappeared. I stared at my now empty hand for a moment. I’d gotten used to the strange mark the past month. Not having it made me feel exposed.
“Welcome to the Animage Academy, Miss Sophie. I am Mrs. Winnifred, assistant to the headmistress. You can leave your luggage here by the desk. It will be taken to your room. You may say goodbye to your family here. Only students are allowed to proceed any further.
“Once you’ve finished, meet me with the other students and I will take you to the auditorium where everyone is,” she started to walk away but then paused. “Don’t forget, as your letter stated, no technology is allowed on the grounds of the academy. After ’77 and ’03, we can’t take any chances. Please excuse me, more students are arriving.” She left to greet the next group of people coming through the doors.
All her information washed over me in a rush. This was it. It was time for me to say goodbye and start my first year at Animage Academy.
“Honey, I need your phone and your watch,” my mom’s voice broke me out of my daydream.
“Oh yeah,” I said. It was short work to hand over my smart watch and my phone. Mom stuck them both in her purse. Complaining wasn’t an option. It was a stupid rule, but Simon was staring at me. Besides, I would have given up anything to be here. Mom put a soft hand under my chin and raised my head up to her.
“You’re going to do great, baby girl. Write us often and tell us how it’s going.” Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as she pulled me into a tight hug. I buried my face in her shoulder and took in her scent of forest and sunlight. When we broke apart, her eyes were glistening too. “Christmas holiday is only a couple of months away,” she said.
After Mom let me go, Dad pulled me into a quick hug. He squeezed so tight I thought my ribs might break. “Make us proud, Sophie,” he said.
“I will, Dad,” I
