CHAPTER 4: THE ACADEMY

Aye woke up early that morning because she's scheduled to cook. She prepared eggs and toast some bread then added some hot pancakes with syrup on top for herself. She set the table and her mother came down first. They were suppose to start eating but her father decided to join them too.

"Good morning, Wow! That looks tasty dear. Thank you." Her father commented the food.

"Why don't you give grace because we are going to be late." Shea asked her brother.

Paul prayed for the food and for the rest of the day, then they all said 'AMEN!'. They ate while discussing the school Aye planned to enrol but suddenly the doorbell rang. Paul stood and check who was there, he then came back with bunch of letters. He set it on the table and started to open the first letter while Aye and her mother look for a letter to open. Shea picked the letter from Audessus Essai University, Aye opened the water and electrical bills. While, Paul called their attention.

"We have another letter from a different school for Aye. It says here BERTRIM LUNE ACADEMY. I think I have heard it before." Paul read the envelope.

"It's inviting me to their school for free and there's no entrance exam." Aye reading the letter over her father's shoulder.

"I remember now, that is the school Mr. Bien was talking about when we were in college. He said it was a very extraordinary school and few are given privilege to enter."

"Why don't we discuss this tonight because we have to leave for work, and that means you to. Also I might be late in coming home, I have a date." Shea told them.

Both her parents left and Aye used the time to further read the letter. The envelope was in light shade of blue with her name written in silver. The paper used was translucent and empty aside from the ordinary paper along with it were the invitation was written. She looked inside the blue envelope and found a half inch bracelet. She tried it on and fitted perfectly, she decided to remove it before she cleans the table but even how much she pulls it out, it won't loosen. To stop herself stressing out from removing the bracelet she settled the paper in the table and enjoyed drinking her favourite hot tea, now warm. While sipping her tea a few drops went in the translucent paper, she tried to wipe it off. She was busy drying the paper and her bracelet changed in style, it doubled in width and a weaving like design of black and white gold colour with 2 different flowers. She look at it and surprise to see the change. Since she'll be late she just put the letter back in the envelope and left for work. She failed to notice that their were already words appearing in the paper.

Her workplace is just a 10 mins drive or 30 minutes walk, she works as a cashier in a coffee shop owned by her teacher.

"Good morning, how may I help you?" Rei asked the costumer.

"I'll have ice mocha latte and could you hold it for a minute?" The costumer asked while holding and talking to her phone.

"Hey brother, what do you want me to buy?" The girl asked the person on the other side of the phone.

"Just get me some coffee and something sweet." He replied to her.

"OK, bye. Don't forget you have to pick me up. Oh, miss please add some espresso and chocolate cake." the costumer said adding from her first order after talking to her phone.

"Hey Akira are you still there? Before you leave kindly bring my sweater. Thanks." Sera turn off her phone and faced the cashier.

"That would be 380. Would that be dine in or...?"

"No I'll have it 'take away' I'm meeting my brother. Here's an exact amount and thanks." Sera replied.

"No problem, please find a sit and i'll bring your order once ready." Rei replied to her costumer.

The customer took a sit near the window while Aye continued to take orders. The shop was so busy until 5 in the afternoon. Aye didn't notice the the time has pass by and her shift is ending. She stayed a bit longer because she has to get her payslip. She left after and went straight to the bus stop. Once inside the bus she bump-in to someone and was about to apologise.

"Miss keren? I'm sorry I bump in to you." Rei said apologetically.

"Yes dear, its me, and you must be Rei Aye Crimean. It's alright, I'm fine. Why don't we sit and lets talk?" Keren asked.

"Yes, that's a good idea. Where are you going?" Rei asked after they have seated.

"I'm actually visiting a family, whose entering the Academy I'm teaching." She replied.

"Really? And what school do you work? I didn't asked the last time."

"The school is not actually known but since you are a family friend to the owner it is: BERTRIM LUNE ACADEMY."

"Oh, Bertrim Academy, hmmm..."

"Have you heard of it? It looks like you have."

"I don't, I'm not sure, I might read it before. Oh, I remember they did sent me a letter this morning, anyway thanks Ms. Keren but I think this would be my stop. I hope to see you again."

"Of course , I hope to meet you again, bye." Ms. Keren replied to her.

Aye left the bus and started walking home but the sun has already set and getting dark. She was already halfway when she suddenly notice that it's too quiet. She tried to walk fast and was able to normally breath in air properly as she reach the house. Aye turn around and tried to lock the gate but noticed a man few feet from her and made a step back. She tried to see who it was that scared her.

"You must be the daughter of Mr. and Ms. Crimean? you are Rei Aye Crimean. I'm here to talk to your parents, are they home?". Rei couldn't speak for a while so the stranger asked her again.

"Miss Rei, are your parents home? I don't have the whole night."

"Uh____mm sorry, who are you again? I'll tell them about it." Aye asked and before the man could answer, the front door opened and here father was there.

"Aye! I knew it was you. Who are you with?" Her father asked.

"Father, this man says, he would like to talk to you."

"Okay let him in and dinner is ready."

Aye opened the gate and let the man in. Her father asked the man to eat with them and he asked the man's name.

"I'm from Bertrim lune Academy, name is Mich and I'm here to talk to you if possible without your daughter."

"Okay, why don't we eat first then before we talk." Paul suggested.

The stranger named Mich then joined them for dinner until it was time for Aye to leave. That was also the time that her mother was now home. She went directly to her room, found the letter she opened and remove it in the envelop, she now notice some markings in it. She tried to read it until she reached the end of the letter. The only thing she can pronounce were the flowers while the rest were gibberish to her. It wrote: 'Eht fern taht detaert morf chamomile dna fir.' She tried to say it out loud expecting something to happen but nothing so she left it open and listen to music. Before the next music start she heard someone knocking from her window. She look at it but saw no one. She opened her veranda to look outside, again she find and saw no one. While walking back to her room she heard someone say her name.

"Hello, Rei."

"Mr. Bien? You surprised me. Why are you here in my room? Dad is talking to someone from your school, would you like me to tell them you're here?

"I'm sorry, I actually wanted to talk to you without your parents. I send him to talk to them about the school but for you I plan on showing it if your up for it? Would you like to go tonight?" Mr. Bien asked her.

"Yes of course but now? You mean literally now?" Rei asked repeatedly.

"Yes Ms. Crimean, now. This is the only available time I have anyway. You coming?" Mr. Bien asked while walking to her veranda.

"Would we back before they check on me?" Rei asked to confirm.

"Yes! We will be done in 2 hrs max."

Finally Aye agreed and they both left through the balcony scaling it down, Aye was both nervous and excited. Nervous that she agreed to follow a person her parents only knows and a stranger to her but excited because she'll finally see the school that no one has seen. Mr. Bien drove into the largest library in the city and they both went inside the building connected to the main structure, they took the stairs going down then in the elevator going 15 ft. down then sideways until they reached the port. It was private only a yacht and a large ship is dock. They both went straight inside the ship, stayed in the view deck and they it started to sail. The fog was thick making hard to see even to breath in, it stung her nose that she keep pressing it near the bridge, then she saw the storm coming.

"How could they know were we are going? The storm is even approaching us or I mean we are approaching it." Aye asked nervously.

"Do not worry, we need the fog to mask our way in and the storm to enter it. Just watch."

"What! I thought we are going to your school not to get us killed. Are you kidding? Ah... No your actually serious? I hope your right." Aye asked while looking at him and holding on the railings tight.

"We are, the school is built and found in an island surrounded by the sea, a place where few humans have ever stayed in or even seen it, its the Bermuda triangle as others might call it."

"Now I know why you called it Bertrim, but isn't no one ever come back from there? Please could we just find another route. I still want to travel and to ________________" Aye wasn't able to finish her sentence because the storm hit them. The ship started spinning for the next 5 minutes until it tries to stay on course. It only took 5 minutes to reach the other side but Aye felt she traveled longer in that storm.

"We are here, look! Those 2 islands that are shaped into a present moon are the dorms. The larger island is where the school is built."

Once they were at shore Mr. Bien started showing her around the school campus then in the market area where she notice unusual creatures even the language were different. She tried not to stare and kept pinching herself, thinking she might be hallucinating or dreaming. She wanted to laugh but stop herself, they might think she's laughing at them. Actually she wanted to laugh about their language she describe it as 'Flowery words' literally flowery.

"Now Ms. Rei, what do you think? I know you have other universities in mind but I hope you would also consider this place. You might be surprised on those you see and learn, I'm sorry about that I always forget that you are new to this. You are a smart lady and you could do so many things in this school."

"Thank you sir, I'll consider it. I was actually surprised aside from reaching this place safe, meeting them and also hearing them speak I feel somewhat calmer after the trip."

Both walked back but the ship already left so they used the yacht going back. They still went through the storm and the experience was still heart pumping. They reached the port after 20 minutes giving Aye less than 20 minutes to go home. They retrace back their steps until they were already driving back to Aye's home.

"Good night Ms. Rei, hope to hear from you. Also I hope that your dream of traveling and others do come true." Mr. Bien said.

"Ah______hahaha. Sorry about that but thank you again and good night sir.." Rei replied embarrassed after remembering the ordeal.