School Shutdown

The Headmistress was accustomed to giving daily speeches usually of the inspiring type to the students and staff before allowing them to chow down on their dinner, but today was different. Instead of gently smiling upon the crowd in her wise and just manner, the Headmistress wore a more sober look. Her message today was one that would be most likely frightening to many.

"Rough times come to desperate measures and I am sure while many of you are focused upon your own lives, your noses buried in books and dedicated to work, many have failed to realize such an urgent matter has misfortuned the school," The wise Headmistress started, her tone steady as she spoke. The fault was not on anyone to have not noticed, for even she had failed to do so. Matters weren't as simple as she would've liked them to have been.

"There has been a vampire on the lose for some time, but it has come to my attention that the vampire has infiltrated the walls of our academy. For this reason, the school is on shutdown and will remain so until the vampire is found and removed from premises. This means that going outside is strictly forbidden for anyone, students and teachers. Also, gentlefolk be aware that vampires look nearly identical to humans, so please be wary around unfamiliar people. It would be a most traumatizing event for anyone to get bitten." She broke to make eye contact with the crowd. "Please be wary and safe." She then took a seat and allowed for dinner to start, already feeling the change in the mood of the Grand Hall.

Linette was more than ready to eat but with the way the headmistress was looking down at the school she began to wonder if people were about to lose their appetites. She certainly looked much more serious than she normally did before dinner. The sixth year normally loved the words of wisdom of Madam Leblanc. It was like hearing her well worn copy a book of wisdom sayings.

Today though she heard something completely different. A warning which now gave the witch cause for concern. She looked over the younger students and wondered how many of them would start throwing accusations out willy nilly. That potentially meant extra work for the prefect. She took in the words of warning and glanced around the room at anyone who may be new that year and not a first year. Now there was a problem. If this vampire was smart it would disguise itself as a first year. The only problem was Linette couldn't be certain that a vampire could change their appearance. Wouldn't they have had to be eleven or twelve when they became one?

Dinner was served and now Linette felt an obligation to act as normally as possible. She nudged the person next to her and asked,"could you pass me the dressing please?" They were trapped within the walls of the palace with a vampire and Linette was treating this dinner as though nothing out of the ordinary had been announced. She should forget journalism and go into acting.

August sat beside Cassie like he always did since they became friends. He was ready to dig into the foods bit stopped himself whenever the word 'vampire' came from the head mistress's mouth. A vampire? In the school? August's eyes widened and he threw his arms around his older friend. "What if we all die?" He said to the table, his voice was shaking and he was obliviously scared.

Older years tried to calm him down but this was a scary situation. Actual vampires, not those stupid people that dressed like the creatures for Halloween. Someone could get seriously hurt or could die. "We're gonna die."