Acid Eyes: Part 1

Here is the beginning of a piece I am working on. The second part needs a few more revisions, so you'll have to wait a whole week to find out the end. Do you think it will be worth it???

The woman possessed acid eyes. They could burn right through you and leave your insides exposed and bubbling. At least, I felt that way every time she found cause to question me. One would think that after a while I would stop giving her reasons to call me into her office, but despite a penetrating gaze and enthusiasm for doling out punishment, she added excitement to my childhood fancies that I couldn’t get anywhere else.

Bored with the curriculum of our small private school, I took it upon myself to get into some mischief. I didn’t become the most popular boy for following the rules after all. And it didn’t hurt that I could somehow manage to get all the blame placed on my not insubstantial shoulders regardless of my level of participation. No one else ever accompanied me on my trips to the headmistress’s dark office. Until today.

Today, Karl somehow lucked into stepping around the corner right as I released the mechanism to splash Professor Snod’s window with a truly horrendous mixture of shaving cream and green food coloring. That also happened to be the moment that Professor Crum rounded the corner and saw us. Seeing us didn’t startle him as much as my dispenser letting out a whoosh and a pop as it exploded unexpectedly. Even that surprise did not keep him from rushing forward to grab both my collar and Karl’s.

“You boys have played your last trick on Professor Snod, I believe.” He announced proudly in his feigned British accent.

The man was no more British than I, having been born in the heart of Pennsylvania, but he believed pretending to be a foreign national washed on our shores might protect him from the cruelty of the boys he taught. He wasn’t a very good teacher, and clearly the same could be said of his thinking. His façade just made us all target him more often than we would otherwise. Unlike the other teachers, he wasn’t very remarkable. He wasn’t prone to a weak stomach like Professor Snod who had probably disgorged his lunch and rushed off to the nurse’s office by now. He wasn’t afraid of just about everything like Professor Anton who was also so tiny that we could have easily stuffed her into a locker. He wasn’t even prone to losing his train of thought and huffing and puffing into his mustache like Professor James. As I said, he wasn’t very remarkable and to a group of boys who are far from home, that made him not very fun to tease which probably accounts for why he was usually the one dragging me off to the headmistress’s office. He probably wouldn’t have bothered if he knew that I wanted to go. Though the chosen punishment might be more effective this time since an innocent scuffed along at my side. I preferred to take my lumps alone and I certainly didn’t wish to share them with someone who had nothing to do with my tricks.

“I didn’t do anything, Professor.” Karl protested his innocence.

“You think I’ve never heard the guilty claim innocence before, boy?” Professor James added a harrumph to his question as he continued to drag us along.

“Tell him, Franklin.” Karl turned his imploring gaze to me.

“It won’t do any good.” I muttered under my breath.

“He’s right. I can’t trust you boys not to take up for each other when you are playing pranks. We’ll just let Headmistress Valentine sort it out.” His hands tightened on our collars.

He doesn’t need to worry about me, but I would never tell him that. Headmistress Violet Winsome Valentine was just as beautiful as her name though most of the boys couldn’t see it. Even before we reached the hallway leading to her office, her face filled my mind. I already pictured her large dark eyes boring holes through me, as her pouty lips turn downward in a frown. I almost heard her voice admonishing me.

Reflexively, I reached up to undo my tie as we approached the heavy wooden door with “Principal” in gold letters on the opaque window. The tie hung sufficiently askew by the time we came to a halt. As Professor James rapped on the door, I glanced over at Karl who tried to sink into his uniform. His neck completely disappeared into the neat folds of his starched white collar. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his green blazer so that not even a hint of his skin remained. As the door opened, he skittered to the side, hoping to disappear into the doorframe.

Headmistress Valentine doesn’t ask any questions. She doesn’t need to. After all, my visits should be expected by now. Professor James opened his mouth to speak, but one slender arm with hand extended palm out is enough to silence him. He looked down at his toes, suddenly as nervous as Karl. She lowered her hand, reaching for my tie almost involuntarily.

“Well, Wilhelm, I almost thought you’d be late for your punishment this week.” Her voice dripped honey and jet fuel.

My head spun from the heavy aroma of her perfume, but I kept my mouth shut. I looked up at her and wait. She glanced from me to Karl and back again. Her faded blue eyes noted every detail. They finally rested on the cuff of my white shirt. My own eyes followed the trajectory of hers. Green food coloring speckled the cuff. I turned my face up toward hers and gave my best devilish grin.

“I think I see what is going on here. Professor James and Karl, you may go.”

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