The prompt this week was Laughter.
Oh, sorry. I hope you weren’t coming for another episode of Hybrid. I’m afraid it’s been set aside so I can work with it the way I wanted to. This week’s prompt inspired me to start the prequel to my novel, Changing Tracks. Back before Jane was Jane…she was Clara. A young school teacher in Heber City, Utah (about 1864)…
Remember, this is a meme with many contributing authors, so make sure to click the link at the bottom of the image to take you to see more!
Anyhow, as always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors. :
Clara wound her way through the empty desks. One by one she set clean slates at each seat, and under each she left a note.
The scavenger hunt she had planned would take the whole class down by the creek, to the bottom of the crag hidden in the foothills. There she hoped they would make the same discoveries she had, if they followed her clues properly.
Outside trips like this were the reason she had so many students, not just in her district, but from the surrounding districts. The children learned a lot, and very few parents complained, however the school superintendent did.
She shuddered at the thought of him and the ‘compromise’ he’d agreed to. One she despised more with each and every visit. If Tommy ever got wind of it and what she went through, the superintendent would face a fate worse than death—and she’d be out of a job again, just like in New York.
Thankfully the war, and Tommy’s duty to the President, kept him away most of the time. Having a Pinkerton brother didn’t have many perks, but his near-constant absence was one of them.
Laughter shook her out of her reverie, the children’s rambunctious approach pulled her out of the thought process. She rushed to get the rest of the notes and slates in their places and back to the front of the room before the door opened.
While most of the children played outside until she rang the bell, a few came in early to finish work if they had it, or sometimes just to chat. She hoped none of them ventured a look under their slates before everyone could come in for the surprise.
“Good morning, Miss Young.” Annalee skipped in and set her books under her desk. The peppy little eight year old with a shock of bright red hair set her hands on her hips and scowled. “Christopher says we ain’t going to—”
“Aren’t going to.”
“Aren’t going to do our trips no more. Said the new superintendent don’t want them. Is he right?”
The chalk in Clara’s hands clattered to the floor, shattering into several pieces. She blinked and spun around. “New superintendent?”
“Yuh-huh. Papa says he’s coming today. Something about Mr. Clayton being transferred suddenly.”
Clara clenched her jaw and tilted her head. “Oh, he was, was he? Where to?”
“Somewhere far.” Annalee shrugged. “But is it true?”
“Well, we can certainly hope not. I hope our new Superintendent is just as—forgiving—of my teaching methods as Mr. Clayton was.” Clara swallowed down the bile rising in her throat and forced a smile. “Why don’t you go outside and play? We have a few minutes left before I ring the bell.”
Once Annalee raced outside, Clara sighed and leaned back against the blackboard. The whole thing reeked of Tommy and his manipulations. How had he known? She’d been very careful on his last visit to leave no clues of the ‘arrangement’ or her displeasure with it. That brother of hers could smell a lie from miles away.
If he’d done this, he’d better have found her a far more easy-going Superintendent to deal with her unique teaching style or all of his sneaky, slimy, dirty tricks would have been for naught.
Well, if the new superintendent was visiting today, she’d best get to work. No better way to meet him than teaching the children her way.
For she’d have it no other way.
No matter what she had to do to keep her school how it worked best.
She’d already proven that once, and she was prepared to prove it again if need be.
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Let`s hope the new superintendent feels as strongly about her school as she does. Great excerpt!
We’ll see what the new superintendent has to say, Vicki 😉 He’s going to walk into quite a lesson when I get to the next part. (Picture prompt doesn’t fit, so we’ll have to wait a week at least to see).
Thanks!
I’m interested in knowing more about her teaching methods. There are always adjustments to be made when someone new comes into the picture. Great excerpt.
🙂 Her teaching methods are quite unique. I look forward to you seeing them in action.
I want to know what she is having to do in order to teach as she wishes..
Great post…xx
You’ll find out eventually, Rosalind. There is a very good reason her brother stuck his nose in where she wishes he wouldn’t have. 😉
I smell a conflict brewing with the new superintendent. Or is she getting ready for a fight that won’t happen? Or is she picking a fight before it’s time? Or will she fall in love with the new super? So many questions, Sarah. Great excerpt, really pulled me into the story.
Wow…so many questions! I’m glad I left you wanting more. 🙂 We’ll see what happens when he shows up 😉 She maybe be gearing up for the wrong fight…but we’ll see…
Something is definitely going on. Love the hook you left us with
Yes, Lindsay. Something definitely is. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it.
loved your descriptions
Thank you, Kathleen!!
What a beautifully written scene. I love historical westerns and can’t wait to see where this one may lead
Thanks so much, Dawne. This is just going to be a short and sweet prequel for Changing Tracks, but I’m excitd for it. 😀 I’m glad you enjoyed it!
this is super. Lots of hooks- from the one at the end to the little ones sprinkled throughout. Great job!
Thank you, Jillian. I do like to sprinkle my hooks 😉 I’m quite a bit of a tease. lol.
This scene really pulled me in on a few levels. As a teacher, I could relate to the frustration of your heroine in trying to do what’s best for her students, and as someone who also wrote a western historical, I related to how you blended in the details of the time period. Excellent work! Look forward to reading more.
Let’s hope the new superintendent agrees more with her teaching methods … which i quite like!
Intriguing, I foresee battles ahead, but also a coming together eventually against the fiendish brother. I hope so, anyway.
I also hope the new Superintendent allows her to keep teaching the way that she does so successfully. But I have a sneaky suspicion her brother has interferred in a completely different way and sent her a superintendent she will definitely see eye-to-eye with…
I love to know what is under their slates. Great writing.