The Terrible Demise of Tortuga

Chapter nineteen.

The next morning they slept in do the whole morning the Petersons were all rushing. “Gay done with breakfast son!” Aragorn told Jack hurriedly. “Where is my hairbrush?! Josephina?! Do you know where my hairbrush is?!” Emma called to her sister. “Where’s my coffee?” Aragorn asked his wife. Finally they got out the door. Emma, Jack and Jay came in late to their class. Unfortunately their teacher was already there. “Hmm…Petersons, you’re late! Sit down, and once class is over I will find a suitable punishment.” Mizz Hawkthorne spat venomously. They carefully did so. “Now, where was I before we were rudely interrupted? Ah yes, do y’all know how islands are formed?” Aaron jr’s hand shot up so quickly and suddenly that the Flash would have been embarrassed. However Mizz Hawkthorne ignored him. “Nobody? Tsk, tsk. Islands are formed mostly from volcanic eruptions. Now there was a volcano called “el elemento or the element. This volcano had been made during the arks. Instead of lava it had melted element bc element had been put in the lave and fused together to make…melted element.” “One day this volcano erupted and…….” She continued talking about how the volcano had formed Tortuga. On and on she talked until finally… “Okay class. Before y’all go just so y’all know the maggots…I mean- the mayors are hosting a ball at their manor. Please tell your families. Everyone needs to be there, unless you are sick. Find a dance partner or just watch.” Mizz Hawkthorne said. “Now class dismissed. File out in a neat line.” The class began to, the Petersons were in the front hoping(in vain) that their teacher would forget about their punishment. She did not. “Wait! It is time for y’all three’s punishments. Hold out your right hand please.” Jay who was in the front did so. Mizz Hawkthorne pulled out a long ruler with sharp jagged edges. She quickly brung it down on Jay’s hand. He bit his lip to keep himself from crying out in pain. That would only make her happier. Next she did Jack. Then it was Emma’s turn. Mizz Hawkthorne hit Emma’s hand once, then twice then one last time. She had hit Emma’s hand two more times than the boys. Emma blinked to hold tears back. She felt like she was going to black out and her knees felt weak. Emma grasped around with her uninjured hand and grasped someone’s arm to steady herself. *Flash!* Emma’s world flashed before her eyes (no she didn’t die). Suddenly she was in another school room. There was a teacher in the front lecturing his students. Just then the door banged open and a younger child version of Mizz Hawkthorne ran in. Mizz Hawkthorne’s teacher frowned. “You are late. You must be punished.” The teacher said. The young Mizz Hawkthorne’s eyes swam with tears. “P-please n-no I was helping my mum.” She protested. The teacher pulled out a ruler with jagged edges. “Hold put your hand.” He demanded. She held out a trembling hand. Just as the teacher brought the ruler down and was about to strike her hand everything flashed again and Emma was back in the schoolroom in Tortuga. She was grasping Mizz Hawkthorne’s arm. Her teacher glared at her. Emma let go. “Sorry.” She mumbled. “Move along. And may this teach you all a lesson.” Mizz Hawkthorne said.

“Are you okay?” Andrew asked Emma. He and Emilia were checking on Emma. Despite Emma’s best efforts tears began to drip down her cheeks. She shook her head at Andrew. “Here let me see it.” Emilia said. Emma held out her hand. Emilia gently took it into her own hands. She grimaced at the sight. Emma’s hand had a deep cut in it and was bleeding terribly. Andrew yanked at his shirt sleeve and tore of a chunk. He gently but firmly tied it around Emma’s hand. “Here I know what to do. My dad is a doctor. I’m gonna take you to your house and we’ll bandage it up. Ok?” Andrew asked Emma. Emma nodded. “Thank you.” She whispered.

-SunnyFox57.