* RING * 

  "Alright, alright, everyone settle down time for class to start." I walk into the room with a box of binders in my arms. "Jeremy, Harold, and Penny please come to the front and start passing out these binders to everyone in class." I set the box of binders on top of the other three boxes. Each box holds 8 binders for a total of 32. My class has 31 students so I have an extra one. "Each binder has your winter break homework in it so be sure to finish it before class resumes in 3 weeks. You will be graded on it by each of your respective teachers for each subject. Since you'll be here for another 2 hours until the Closing of the Year ceremony in the auditorium you would do well to get started on it now. But, as I know you're all excited for the winter break I won't force you to. Consider this study hall and just try to not make too much noise and upset the nearby classes."

  With that several of the students jump out of their seats and rush to their friends where they immediately start chattering. But, a few open their binders and start getting to work. A smile graces my face as I sit behind my desk and pull out my own work. Filling out the paperwork that needs to be finished before the end of the day so that I won't need to work thru the winter break. 

  As I helped one of my students with an algebra problem they were having trouble with I over heard another student, one of the young lady's in the Queen Bee clique by the name of Sophia exclaim, "OH. MY. GOD. IS THAT TRUE!" It peaked my interest and gained the attention of most of my students including the one I was talking to, so I listened in on the conversation.

  "Yea, seriously, my friend Tinea saw it. A monster appeared in Privada Town Square. Not just one either cause Tinea said they killed the first one but then another got caught by the town guard and is being held in the garrison dungeon until a Reader can be brought to town. The whole town is in an uproar about it and might even have a riot. Some want to kill the thing now and not wait till the Reader gets there to appraise it. But, even with the possibility of a riot us outsiders are flocking to the town in case this is the beginning of an event. It's completely packed. Even though it's a beginner town and meant to hold a large capacity of newbie's with half the country showing up to find out how a monster got into a Barrier protected town there's no inns left with room and half the people showing up are camping in front of the town gates. Those poor bunnies are being slaughtered for food." This from the young woman with short curly brown hair and large coffee brown eyes named Miriam.

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  "DAMMIT, I'm no where near there!" that was another student, a young man named Avery, he had that whole handsome geek look going for him. " Is there anyone near Grimwold Forest with a Teleport Scroll or Transport Stone they'll sell me?"

  This set off another round of chattering between all the students.

  "Hey, are all of you playing Eadenara?" I ask them once it starts slowing down. 

  Avery looks up at me from the desk of his friend, "Yeah, most of us even played in the Beta so we're pretty high leveled." 

  On my right my sleeve was pulled and when I looked down I saw Jodi a quiet and shy young woman who rarely speaks above a whisper. "Do you play too, Mr. Breams?" 

   "Ha ha, yeah I just started playing yesterday." 

  "Which race did you pick? I'm a High Elf. Don't you think High Elfs are the best?" Avery butts in before Jodi can say anything in response to my answer. "Hey, everybody Mr. Breams started playing the game too." Bringing the rest of the classes attention to us.

  "Really, which race did you pick?"

  "Which town are you beginning at?"

  "What stats did you choose?"

  "What's your character name?"

  As they all kept spewing more and more questions at me the announcement for the Closing Ceremony came over the intercom. "Ok, everyone collect your things and head to the auditorium."

  "But you didn't answer any of our questions."

  "Cause," I place my finger over my lips with a smile, "it's a secret."