Alice Abbott

As the conductor left the cabin, I was left alone with the talking chair. I tried to reason with it, but it seemed to have a mind of its own, refusing to release me from its grip. Panic began to set in as I realized that I might be stuck in the chair for the rest of the journey.

Suddenly, the door to my cabin burst open, and a man dressed in black robes walked in. He had an air of authority and power that immediately commanded respect, and I could sense that he was not to be trifled with. With a tall and imposing figure with a mask, he approached me.

"What seems to be the problem here?" he asked in a deep voice that sounded super familiar.

"I'm stuck on this chair," I replied, gesturing to the talking chair.

The man studied the chair for a moment before kneeling infront of me and muttering an incantation under his breath. The chair suddenly went still, and I was free from its grasp.

"Thank you," I breathed a sigh of relief.

"You are indeed trouble, aren't you?" he shook his head.

"Sorry, do I know you sir?"

"No, but I know you. I will be your protector within the mad academy, baby girl," The man nodded curtly before turning to leave the cabin.

As he left, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Who were these people, and why were they on the train? And most importantly, what did they know about the academy I was headed to? My journey had taken a dark turn, and I couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get much worse before they got better.

As the train pulled into the station, my heart began to race with excitement and anticipation. The academy loomed in the distance, its tall spires and grand archways filling me with a sense of wonder and awe.

As I disembarked from the train, I couldn't help but notice the strange looks and whispers from the other passengers. It was as if they knew something I didn't, and the unease I had felt on the train began to resurface.

I made my way to the entrance of the academy, my nerves and excitement growing with each step. As I approached the grand doors, they suddenly swung open, revealing a figure dressed in a long black cloak.

"Welcome to Madland," the figure said in a deep, ominous voice. "You have been chosen to join our ranks."

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to make of the figure's words, but something inside me urged me to proceed. With a deep breath, I stepped through the doors and into the academy, holding my teddy bear tight.

The inside was even more magnificent than the outside, with towering walls covered in ancient symbols and a massive atrium filled with students. I sighed in comfort seeing that they all looked human.

As I made my way through the crowds, I couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehension. What had I gotten myself into? And why had I been chosen to attend this mysterious academy?

My questions were soon answered as a woman in white approached me, her bright green eyes shining with an otherworldly glow.

"Welcome to Madland, where your destiny awaits. Please, give me your name and allow me to show you the dorms.”

“Ammm… my name is… Alice.”

“Alice what?”

“Alice Abbott.”

“Alright. Follow me please.”

I followed the woman, still feeling a bit uneasy about everything. She led me to the dorms and showed me to my room, which was cozy and decorated in shades of green and white. I was relieved to have a place to rest and collect my thoughts.

After settling in, I made my way to the dining hall for lunch. The food was surprisingly good, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The other students seemed to be whispering and glancing at me, but whenever I looked their way, they quickly looked away.

As I was finishing my meal, one of the students suddenly stood up, his eyes rolling back into his head as he began to convulse violently. No one rushed to his aid. Except me.

“We need help here!” I cried for help as I hurried to him.

The other students just stared at me as if I was crazy. It was then that I noticed something strange about the food. It seemed to be pulsing and shifting on my plate, as if alive. I felt my stomach churn in disgust and horror, "Gosh!"

As I knelt down beside the student, I could see that his skin had turned a sickly shade of green, and his eyes had rolled back so far that only the whites were visible. I tried to steady him, but his body was thrashing wildly, making it difficult to get a hold of him.

Just then, a group of people in black rushed into the dining hall, their wands at the ready. They quickly surrounded the student, muttering incantations and performing complex wand movements.

After a few tense moments, the student's body went limp, and his eyes fluttered open. He looked around, dazed and confused, before his gaze finally settled on me.

"Thank you," he whispered weakly, before he was helped to his feet.

"Do you knwo what happened to you?" I asked him worried.

"It's THERE doing" A man in black answered in hiw place "Take him away to rest. And you, young lady, thank you."

As the commotion died down, I excused myself from the dining hall and made my way back to my dorm room. I needed to figure out what was going on and why the other students seemed so indifferent to the boy's convulsions. As I was lost in thought, I suddenly heard a knock on my door.

I opened it to find the woman who had shown me to my dorm earlier, her expression grave.

"You need to come with me," she said. 

I followed her and I stumbled upon a group of students whispering in hushed tones in a secluded corner of the hallway. I crept closer, trying to hear what they were saying.

"...I saw her with the teddy bear," one of the students was saying. "She must be the one."

"The one?" another student replied. "What are you talking about?"

"The one with the gift," the first student said. "The one who can save us."

We walked in silence until we reached a door marked "Restricted Area." The woman turned to me with a serious look and said, "I need you to trust me."

With that, she opened the door and led me inside. My eyes widened as I took in the sight before me. The room was filled with strange, glowing objects, and there were people in white coats bustling around, examining them. One of the objects caught my eye; it was a shimmering orb that seemed to be pulsating with energy.

"What is all of this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"This is where we study and experiment with the gifts that we possess," the woman explained. "We believe that these gifts are not just for our own benefit but can be used to help the world."

"But what about the boy in the dining hall?" I asked, still shaken by what I had witnessed.

"He was a sacrifice," the woman said bluntly. "One of the prices we pay for our abilities."

I felt a chill run down my spine at her words. What kind of place was this?!

“We know you want to break a curse?” she added “In that case, you shall join our group. We are the club of white wizards. We are composed of professors and talented students that aims to study magic to help others—”

They were so proud of themselves the crazy b*stards!

“I do not see you’re helping anyone.” I cut her parole short, “And now excuse me I’m going to sleep.”

And I just walk out, like that!

As I stumbled back to my dorm room, I was completely shaken by what I had just witnessed. The image of the pulsating, shifting food on my plate was burned into my mind, and I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled deep in my stomach. As I lay on my bed, I couldn't help but wonder what other secrets this academy held, and whether I was truly safe here. The thought of staying in this place for any longer made my skin crawl. I needed to figure out a way to protect myself, and fast.