25 Feb 06 – The Valley (Day School Exercise)

The first rays of the sun lit the hills with a dim light. Ahead, Clare could glimpse the valley cutting into them. She stopped, dug her flask out of her bag, and unscrewed the cap. The smell of strong, fragrant coffee felt like a hug – warm and friendly. It helped her feel less scared – less like an outsider. The memory of those desks, hundreds of grey desks, started to recede. She took a gulp of the strong coffee, then popped an M&M into her mouth. The hills were absolutely silent, but she had a sense of some hubbub of activity as if muffled by a blanket. The sun popped up over the hill, its bright orange light turning the valley to an electric blue. Somewhere she heard laughter, and then a strange chaotic sound, like an orchestra tuning up. She stood up and walked into the valley, moving towards the sound.