Anyone got that poem written from the perspective of an English teacher where they know deeply personal things about their now adult students because of the essays they wrote
In your town, former students
sling your drinks, snap your x-rays, and report your news on TV.
You hold their secrets because
you remember their essays.
One returns from combat, homecoming party at the airport, and
you know he only joined up because
his mom was ashamed of him.
You remember the essay.
One dies from an opioid OD and
you know about the man who groped her at work
and how she told his wife.
You remember the essay.
One smiles and wins an award and
you know her drunk dad pushed
her mom into a wall.
You remember the essay.
One closes her eyes halfway in the mugshot and
you know she worked in assisted living and
once brushed a dying woman's hair.
You remember the essay.
- Jessie Lovett Allen
(c) 2020 by Jessie Lovett Allen
Jessie Lovett Allen teaches reading, writing, and literature at North Platte Community College in western Nebraska. She holds a doctorate in Literary Education from the Univerity of Wyoming. She can be reached at Jessie.lovett.allen @ gmail. com or @ jesslovettallen
Summary: One day, an eerie student shows up at Night Raven College.
The students at NRC were shocked at your appearance during the opening ceremony. You merely opened the casket without fanfare or anyone’s approval.
Wearing the traditional robes of the school, when the Headmaster questioned you. You merely stared at him with a blank expression.
When questioned further by the dorm leader of Heartslabyul, you sighed.
Then the dire beast broke through the ceiling, causing a fire in his wake.
And you?
You simply walked away.
"Ace Trappola, don't you have better things to do than to tease a cat?"
"How did you know my name?!"
"My~ Did you not tell me your name yet? Must be unnerving to know things others don't~ Wouldn't you say?"
Ace Trappola didn't know how to react to you.
Later on, the dorm leaders were notified that you would be the new prefect of the old, worn-down dorm.
Deuce Spade recalls after Riddle’s overblot something you had mumbled a few days ago.
"What a waste of a chestnut pie."
At the time, he was too frazzled about the newly learned knowledge about eggs to pay attention.
He must have heard wrong.
There was no way you would know about the rules of Heartslabyul. You weren't part of their dorm, let alone their world.
"Those are my donuts, Ruggie Bucchi."
Ruggie yelped before turning around.
He got caught!
How?!
You looked at him with a smile. It caused a shiver to travel down his spine.
"Careful, you know what they do to people who get caught stealing."
Everything in Ruggie screamed to run.
He fled, clutching at his left arm.
The one you kept looking at.
Jade Leech heard something interesting.
"All this over a picture."
He eyed the figure.
The new student of Ramshackle Dorm.
You looked at the students popping anemones on their heads with a bored expression before shrugging and leaving.
He would have gone after you if Azul hadn't called him over.
Jamil gritted his teeth as Azul kept gloating over his plan.
Speaking about how easy it was to infiltrate Scarabia and to take down his dorm.
"How unfortunate that one of your own betrayed you, Jamil."
What?
Jamil whirled in shock towards Azul.
Azul seemed to take his reaction happily, "Oh? Don't you know? We got a letter at the beginning of winter break promising us a grand show. Truly, to know you can't trust your own dormates, how unfortunate you are."
No one would betray him!
He made sure of it!
How?!
….wait
He turned towards the corner.
Kalim pours a drink and hands it over.
You looked up at Jamil and smiled.
"Jealousy is an ugly look, Vil Schoenheit."
Vil paused in his stretching to look at you.
You were awake before anyone else.
He had been getting ready for his morning jog.
"What are you talking about?"
You yawned before turning to head back to your room, "Maybe you should do your research before you judge anyone."
The Styx Headquarters received an invoice for property damages and mental stress.
It was silently paid after the end of the world was prevented.
The Shroud parents also followed the post-invoice note:
"Cut his merch money in half."
"You should tell them the truth."
Lilia Vanrouge felt a spiking threat in the air.
He turned towards you.
How did you come behind him without his knowing?
His magic waned, but not his skills—
"Tell them, or you'll regret it."
Before he could question you further, you disappeared, humming.
His blood runs cold.
You were humming Meleanor's lullaby.
Glass crunched under your feet.
You picked up a piece, paying no mind to the sharp edges or the blood running down your hands.
The students will be preparing tomorrow for the tournament between schools.
You threw the shard to the floor.
It didn't matter to you.
The broken mirror in your room reflected your image on all the cracked facets.
Why should you care?
This was your ninth time going through this, anyways.
…You know I just realized it’s White Day? So happy White Day to everyone 🥳💞💚💚
This idea came to me last night and wouldn’t let me sleep. So I had to write and post it 🫡
Some notes:
The number nine/nine lives is used on purpose. In Japan, the common number for death is “four” but I think even going through this 4 time. You would still care and have some sanity. But nine times?? Now that’s when you’re done with their shit.
The number 9 in Japan means unlucky/ominous because the kanji pronunciation is the same as the ones that mean suffering/pain.
This could be seen as an isekai/time loop or both. The constant changes in perspective was done on purpose. Give the mystery and dread feeling.
I tried to include a bit of every book moments in this that gave away you knowing the events and you living multiple lives:
Prologue and book 1: the opening ceremony, ace and grim statue event, and deuce with the tart.
Book 2: the donuts was done on purpose, but so was the left hand being emphasized. Because that’s the hand that Leona cracks in his OB.
Book 3: allusions to the frame
Book 4: azul and co getting the invite and stopping Jamil’s plan.
Book 5: Vil and his jealousy and judging neige Blanche
Book 6: the payment to fix ramshackle dorm and then some. Also would be funny to take away idias merch money.
Book 7: Lilia Vanrouge and his secrets. If he told silver and malleus then he could have stopped it. Also, love the haunting potential and expression of the lullaby that no one but a select few should know being heard by you. Someone who shouldn’t know it at all.
Book 8: the broken mirror that we use to talk to Mickey with. One of the main focuses of this book and possible reasons grim might Ob
All this to kind of give the feeling that no matter what you do or the inactions, the events still happen.
Also I like the idea of Yuu being a bit eerie, creepy, and/or just fed up. Make them feel the uncertainties they had to feel.
If you come across anyone who starts off with "Scientists don't want you to know..." you need to understand that they're lying. They're completely full of shit and working a grift.
Because they've never met or spoke with a scientist.
Scientists WANT YOU TO KNOW. Scientists want you to know SO MUCH. Scientists would be THRILLED to teach you EVERYTHING they know in EXPLICIT DETAIL. Scientists LOVE to share information and their findings and their theories. They don't want to hide anything, ever. They are SO HAPPY to share.
a moment of silence for my roommate who has to endure me doing linguistics homework. out loud. making sounds with parts of my mouth and throat I didn’t even realise I could use to make sounds. repeatedly and with passion
"You see, magic is complicated, it would require you years of study just to let you get the right mindset to start learning the basics." "You have no idea how to teach me, do you?" "I have been doing it for so long that at this point is pure muscle memory and I have forgotten all the theory.
one of the few times I decide I will draw fanart and it is for Hades because of course it will be. Artemis, inspired by a Paul Manship bronze sculpture I saw 1000000 years ago that I never stopped thinking about (picture from the Smithsonian Art Museum below)
theartofmadeline
snowghoul
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vaporwave
