[-1-]
Something Old

I woke slowly, my eyes hazy and my vision blurred. A groan left my throat as I went to the bathroom. As I brushed my teeth, I stared at my reflection as it stared back at me. I quickly finished, going back into my room and changing. Just casual wear. The ones I almost always wore. My eyes moved to the clock.

[6:46]

It's way too early to be up. But I had agreed to meet up a friend, and wasn't about to cancel. I was quiet going out of my room, the only thing I could hear in the entire house was my own breathing. The stairs creaked as I stepped on them, each time hesitating and stopping to listen in case I had woken anyone. With my backpack slung over my shoulder, my jacket loosely wrapped around me, and my shoes simply slipped on, I walked out. The air was dry but cold, the wind gently rustling the leaves on the trees. I never really paid much attention to them, the warm browns and reds and oranges that painted the branches and floor. The crisp maple leaves crunched with every step, sometimes blowing off the ground in the breeze. The sky was a soft auburn color, the sun having been gently tugged along into the sky. In all honesty it was beautiful. I felt blessed to be able to see this everyday so long as I chose to come out this early. I continued my walk, the streets empty other than parked cars. I was the only person around. I'm sure small children who couldn't sleep would peek out their windows and see me. Then think to themsleves, 'One day I'll be old enough to go alone like that!'. I would know, seeing as I did it.

The building was just the same. The pale blue paint that had slightly chipped appearing quite pink in the glow of the sunrise. Same for the green accents and the other paints. Above the large door were words, the metallic letters reflecting the sunlight brightly.

UNDERHIGH
THE SCHOOL OF MONSTERS

I never really liked that. 'School of monsters'. I understood that we are monsters. I understood it was just our species. I understood that humans were mostly afraid of us. But I just can't help but hate it.

I didn't take the short stairwell up to the door. Instead in went to the side of the school. There was a large woods next to the building, spanning about an acre of dense trees. I wove my way through the trees, taking turns that would make me seem insane. After a short journey I was met with the large tree I had known for a year or so. I looked up and spotted the treehouse I had found with my friend. We had no idea who had built it not when. All we knew was that it was ours now. There was a certain way to climb up that would be definite that you wouldn't fall. It was so impossible, so crazy, that it worked. We had mastered it. I looped my hand onto the shortest branch, looping it onto the next. We had no ladder and that's the way we liked it. For the first twenty branches, it was easy. Just climbing up to the next branch. Then came the hard part. The next thing to do would be to catch a hanging branch that would swing over to the treehouse then land. It may seem insane. It may seem impossible. It may seem deadly. But that's why we tried it. I gripped onto the wood, jumping off and swinging. As I passed over the wooden rectangle, I let go, falling onto the roof. I landed, then jumped onto the ledge in front of the door. I looked to my friend, glued on the screen of the phone. I coughed, making them look up.

"Took you long enough."

"Sorry about that Undyne."

She shook her head, pointing to the other beanbag. I dropped my backpack next to hers before plopping onto the chair. She put away her phone, just staring at the ceiling.

"Heard there's a new kid."

"Really?"

"Yup. Wonder what kind of monster they are."

"What if they're human?"

Undyne looked to me, with a face telling 'You're more insane than I thought you were.'

"That's crazy. Humans don't go to the school of monsters."

"There's always a chance."

"You're weird."

She said, looking back up.

"That's why you're interesting,

Paperjam."