The Acacia Ruse

The secretary looked up at the professor with a quizzical brow, “You want to see the student files…now? Can’t you wait till the morning?“

            A tall lopsided man sighed and pushed his glasses back over the bridge of his nose, “No I must have her files now. It is of extreme importance Miss Pankerston."
 The boisterous lady seemed quite surprised at the sound of her name. “I don’t even have a name tag yet. You are a very observant man, Mr. Harold.”

Smiling she walked over to the filing cabinet and pulled out a folder overflowing with papers. “You said you wanted Tabitha K. Stanley right? Jeeze…this girl has a huge record…” Miss Pankerston hands the professor the folder then collapses into her swivel chair. “So are you doing anything tonight?” she leans over the counter.

Mr. Harold, unfazed by her obvious act of flirtation, shook his head before walking away down the hall. The secretary shocked and somewhat offended, glared at the professor’s retreating figure, “It seems I make all the good men run…”

            The halls were quiet except for the clapping of leather shoes on the polished marble floor. All the students would be in their private dorms at this hour at least that’s where they should be. Mr. Harold strolled down the empty corridors as if he knew every inch and cranny of the school.

            Exiting the main building, he walked off toward the west side of the campus where the girl’s dorms resided. He opened the janitors closet in the main hall of the girl’s dorm building, and with only a backwards glance he went in, locking the door behind him. After a couple minutes the door opens again revealing a cloaked figure that was much shorter than the professor. She left the closet and headed toward the stairs. When the hooded girl reached the third floor she quickly shuffled down the hallway to room 389, and slipped inside.

            Faint footsteps echo from outside the building. The automatic doors open and a middle aged blue-hired woman strode into the main hall pulling her mopping supplies behind her on a little cart.

            “Kids these days…even the gifted ones are a bunch of morons…ketchup and milk? Really? Gross…” The woman mumbled. She trudged toward the janitor’s closet, and opened the door, then shoved the cart inside. She paused and knelt down, picking up a tie, "What in the hell is this doing here?” Turning on the light she rummaged through the cleaning supplies in the small closet looking for anything, or even anyone, but instead she found nothing. “Hm I hope these girls are smart enough not to go foolin’ around…this is a prestigious school not a host club.” The janitor locked the closet door before leaving through the front doors, “Better take this to the office.”

            Dawn breaks over the New World campus, and a fresh day brings opportunities, excitement, and more restrictions. The students heading off to their first period core classes when the intercom breaks the pleasant morning buzz, “Good morning students,” says a cheery voice, “Due to suspicious evidence of misconduct, I am going to conduct a UDC today! Yeah!”

            Complaints and moans of annoyance spread throughout the campus. UDC otherwise known as Universal Doctoral Check-ups happens only a few times a year when something “unruly” occurs. The check-ups usually involve interrogating students for information.

            “During your normal doctoral check-ups you will be asked some important questions. These questions will not just benefit the school, but you as well so let’s just all answer them truthfully? Thank you all very much and have a happy, happy day. Ta ta!”

            The cloaked girl from the previous night before emerged from the girl’s main building dorm her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Wrapping a silk scarf around her face she goes to her first period class, AP English. Her day was normal as always, same teachers, and assignments. The only thing that was different was that there was a new student, who has been recently transferred to the New World, and her name is Tabitha K. Stanley.

            The hooded girl observed Tabitha, writing down notes about her actions— from speech patterns to common movements—and sketching her appearance down in great detail in her notebook. She continued her observations throughout the day until all her core classes were over and everyone went to see their personal doctors.

            The cloaked girl shyly walked into her doctor’s office, knocking on the door to signify that she had arrived.

            “Oh, hello dear please-please sit down.”

She sat down upon the farthest seat from the desk, her eyes transfixed on the floor. “Do want to attempt t answer the UDC questions? You are not obligated because of your well...um conditions, but…” he paused, “Alright we don’t have to. Ok, let’s get started shall we? Can you give me your left arm please?”

            Without making eye contact with the doctor she slid the glove off her left hand and stared at her palm.

            “Now try to make you hand a different shade maybe, something easy, shouldn’t be too hard.”

            She swallowed and then tensed, her eyes burning into the center of her palm unblinking. A cloudy pale pigment began to build up in the center of her palm, the pigmented change slowly started to spread across her hand like moss to a rock. Her head jerked backwards and she fell to her knees shaking violently. Dr. Kingsley ran to her side and grabbed her shoulders repeating poetry he believed that calmed the mind. After a few silent moments the girl retreated back to her chair wrapping her cloth tight around her left hand.

            “I am so sorry dear…I thought you were ready. We will start from the beginning tomorrow with some new methods of mental unity…”The doctor stopped and looked toward the door. Soft chuckling could be heard from behind the door. Dr. Kingsley stood up and strode toward the door but he was taken off guard when the door suddenly opened and almost smacked him in the face.

            “Wha-tha my mother’s a monkey’s uncle! Huh you! What are you doing here? This is a private doctor check-up and it is rude to laugh at someone else’s troubles young man.”

            “Oh, no you got it all wrong my friend. I’m wasn’t laughing at your predicament, I was amused at the…irony of the situation.” A boys voice said calmly.

            “Irony…”

            “Its quite interesting really. The facade is brilliant.”

            “Façade? What are you talking about boy?”

            “I wouldn’t expect you to know Dr. Kingsley, no offense.”
            “Excuse me but what are you trying to say?”

The hooded girl leaned in her chair trying to get a clear view of the boy but the Doctors large frame blocked her view. The sound of the boy’s voice made her feel unsettled, a wave of curiosity wafted thru her.

            The boy chuckled, “Why don’t you tell him the truth, Alida.”