Odd Book 1: The Grimoire of Honorius

Chapter 2: Welcome to Bridgestone Academy

            Dawn stood at the end of a brick walkway with two men in black at her side along with Mr. Slithers.  Dawn studied the house.  It was picture perfect from the cover of a home magazine.  The flowers along the path and in front of the house were blooming and seemed to glow with the happiness only a skilled gardener could bestow on its flowers.  Even the pristine white house seemed to sparkle in the sunlight.  It was too perfect.  There had to be a catch of some sort.  Something had to be wrong with the people who lived here in order to make it look like this.  She looked to Mr. Slithers.

            “What’s wrong with this place?”  She asked but Mr. Slithers laughed.

            “Nothing at all, you’ll like it here.”  He smiled.  Dawn frowned and then looked at the two men in black at her sides. 

            “I thought you said that girl was going to protect me."

            “Agent Zero is the best in the business. She is skilled in stealth and secrecy; you won’t even know she’s around.  You can live your life normally.”  He guided her up the walkway. 

            “Nothing is normal anymore.”  Dawn muttered as he rang the doorbell.  It was immediately opened by a curly-haired woman whose height did not match the volume that she squealed at. 

            “Dawn! Oh my dear girl! I’m so happy to see you after all these years even if it is under the worst circumstances!”  Mrs. Woodland grabbed Dawn in a tight embrace.  She struggled to breathe as she was swayed quickly from side to side under Mrs. Woodland’s strong grasp.  When she was finally released Dawn turned to Mr. Slithers in anger but found he and the other guards had disappeared.  There was no time to question it as she was pulled into the house.

            “Wipe your feet and put your shoes in the bin there.”  Mrs. Woodland instructed.

            “Why do I need to wipe them if they’re going in a box?” Dawn asked.

            “To keep the box clean of course!”  Dawn stared in disbelief as Mrs. Woodland walked down the hallway.  Dawn watched her turn the corner and she could see the opening of the living room. If one thought that the outside of the house shown with a glittering brilliance then you had never seen the Woodland’s living room. Everything sparkled and smelled of floral-scented cleaning elixirs.  The walls were decorated in a white with rose-lined wallpaper.  There were beautiful paintings hung on them and shelves with little knick-knacks cluttering them.

            “Dawn! It’s so nice to you see you again!” A man’s voice called.  Dawn jumped as he clapped a hand on her shoulder.   She turned to see a tall, dark-haired man standing before her. “I’m David Woodland, you can call me David.”  He held out his hand. 

            “Again? I’m sorry, I don’t recall meeting you.”  Dawn said bashfully.

            “We’d be surprised if you did!” He chuckled as Mrs. Woodland came back from the kitchen with a tray of sweets. 

            “We haven’t seen you since you were a baby.  We were there the day you were born, you know! Cookie?”  She offered the tray to her with a bubbly smile.

            “Uh, I’m not really hungry, but thank you.”   Dawn refused but Mrs. Woodland’s lip began to tremble. 

            “You must be tired!” Mr. Woodland cut in before his wife could begin crying.  “Why don’t you show Dawn her new room?”  He suggested and Mrs. Woodland’s face lit up with joy.