Hurrying to class, I couldn’t shake the rest of the feeling of unease that seemed to have made its home in the pit of my stomach. Opening the door, I saw Georgie motioning for me to come and sit next to her, so I made my way to my desk and sat down, setting up my Math books on the desk ready to go. Our teacher, Mrs Newman, walked in and the noise level in the class reduced. She went to her desk and put her bag down.

Mrs Newman was in her fifties and led with a vibrant presence in the classroom. With her warm smile that instantly put her students at ease, her passion for Math was infectious. She had a way of turning complex concepts into truly engaging stories, often using her own worldly life experiences in examples that made the subject come alive.

With her tousled hair and quirky black rimmed glasses that lived perched on her nose, she moved around the room energetically, encouraging students to explore their problem solving ideas and ask questions without hesitation.

Her laughter would fill the air whenever a student made a clever remark or solved a challenging problem, fostering an environment where curiosity thrived. Mrs. Newman believed that every student had the potential to excel and her unwavering support helped us embrace our abilities with confidence and enthusiasm.

“Good morning class! Are we ready for a day of learning?!” Mrs Newman said as she looked up at us while shuffling her papers.

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She was answered with silence.

“I see. We better get our brains warmed up then huh?” She laughed. “Let’s start with some algebra, I’ll just grab my whiteboard marker…” She stopped and looked around searching her desk and ledge of the whiteboard for it.

“Looks like I'm missing some markers. Who would like to go down to the basement to the supply room and get me some more?"

Nobody in the class put up their hands.

The basement of the school was a spooky place. We’d been told so many eerie stories about students going missing down there that everyone was apprehensive about volunteering. Of course we all knew that they were just stories because no one actually knew of any student personally that had disappeared. But if you’re told the sky is green a thousand times there’s a part of you that begins to believe it.

Mrs Newman’s cheery smile started to fade and the people pleaser side of my personality started to feel uncomfortable, so I raised my hand.

“I'll do it, I'll go down to the supply room.” I said, my voice shaking slightly as everyone turned and looked at me. “What colours do you need?”

“Thanks so much Ariah, I really appreciate it.” Mrs Newman’s smile returned, and I felt happy for making her happy. “I need a green, a red and a couple of black markers.”

“Okay, can I take a friend with me?” I stood up and looked around the classroom.

Georgie caught my eye, then quickly raised her hand.

“I’ll go with her.” Georgie said.

“Great, yes Georgie you can go.” Mrs Newman smiled and Georgie enthusiastically stood up and followed me out of the classroom.

“See you in a bit.” Mrs Newman called after us as we walked out the door.