Chapter 3: Trouble

      The first day of school for any ten year-old is tough. But Mist was facing something altogether different. Agnes had woken him up with just enough time to throw on his clothes and run to school. ChaiTea doesn’t like waking up before 8:00 am. But Mist had to be to school by then, so Agnes risked the wrath of ChaiTea and got Mist out the door anyway. Agnes didn’t have time to put ChaiTea in her carrier, so instead she gave rough directions on how to get to school. Wind down the hill. Pass the library and go all the way to River Street. Walk past the butcher and turn back up the hill. The school will be on the right.

Mist threw his wool coat on and pulled his hat over his ears as he ran out of the house.  Not only was he the new kid at the end of the school year, but he was late too.  Mists boots banged down the road as his mind spun with the thoughts of his new school.  Would he find any friends?  Would they like him at all?  What was the teacher like? 

Following Agnes’ instructions Mist arrived at the school.  It was a single room school with a tall square façade on the front.  The outside was painted white with red lettering over the door; The Astoria School.  Mist could hear the teacher’s voice inside.  It was a woman’s voice and it sounded almost melodic as she gave instructions.  Mist took a deep breath and opened the door.  Simultaneously, 20 heads spun around to see who was coming in.  Mist stepped through the door and mumbled, “Excuse me… I’m Mist Terry.  I’m new here.”

The older boys in the back row seemed to be sizing up the new kid.  He didn’t look too tough.  Mist glanced around nervously as the teacher approached.

“Hi there.  I’m Miss Barndt .  I’ll be your teacher.”

Her face was kind and gentle.  Her red hair fell in looping curls over her shoulders.  Somehow, there was an air of comfort that flowed from Miss Barndt.  The teacher led Mist to his desk.  He passed the older boys who were sitting in the back row.  He could hear them murmuring about his pants, his coat, his hair, his walk.  Every step was under scrutiny. 

The first school day became a blur of new names, faces, assignments and reading.  There was one name that stuck in Mist’s head; Stu.  Stu was the oldest kid in the class.  At 14, Stu already sported a wispy mustache, a dim wit, and sour attitude.  Stu was the self-proclaimed leader of the schoolyard.  If you wanted anything to happen at recess, the orders went through Stu.   And Stu had been glaring a hole into the back of Mist’s head since he entered the classroom.  Mist’s seat was right next to Natalie Sellers.  She was the most beautiful girl in the school.  She was 13 years old and her hair was pulled back high and tight on her head and then formed perfect blonde curls.  Her pouty lips never seemed to crack a smile as she barely acknowledged that Mist had moved in next to her.

Mist’s hands were sweaty with the nerves that come from being the new kid.  Finally, Miss Barndt released the students and Mist was out the door.  Before he could reach the bottom of the steps leading out of the school, he heard a booming voice, “Hey new kid, got any money?  I’m hungry for candy, but I ain’t got no money.  I figure you should buy some for me.”

Mist patted his pockets and without making much eye contact said, “Sorry, I don’t have any money.”  In his pocket he could feel the gold and silver coin that had been given to him on the train.  But that wasn’t real money, it was more like a token.  “I do have this cool token that I found on the train, would you like to see it?”

Stu’s eyes narrowed a bit as he stepped closer to the much smaller Mist.

“Show me what you got.  Seems like it might be money to me.”

Mist pulled out the coin.  Maybe showing Stu the coin would earn him the start of a friendship.  Maybe then he could get other friends.  Maybe they could run around and have adventures together.  Maybe.  Mist slipped it out of his pocket and held it out on his palm.

“That is so money, give it to me.”  And with one swipe, Stu nabbed the coin from right off of Mist’s hand.  He held it up close to his eyes, checking it out.

“Hey give that back!  That is my coin!  It was given to me!”

“I thought you said it wasn’t no coin.  And I thought you said you found it.  Now you’re telling me it was given to you.  What next, you going to tell me it’s magic or something?”

Mist had no idea whether it was magic or not, he suspected that it was not.  But he could feel his temper rising.  And all of a sudden, Mist looked Stu in the eye and the hauled back and kicked him right in the shin!  Stu doubled over grabbing his leg and dropped the coin into the mud.  Quick as a flash, Mist swooped down, grabbed the coin in a handful of mud and took off running.  Stu finished hopping around on one leg, looked to his pack of three friends and yelled “Get him!” 

So much for being friends.

Mist ran like he had never run before!  The problem was, he had no idea where to go.  He barreled down toward River Street and took a hard left beside the butcher shop.  He couldn’t help but think of the dead meat hanging in the store as he heard the boots and shouts of the boys closing in behind him.  His eyes searched frantically for some place to go.  Just as he decided to turn up the alley, he heard the boys turn the corner.  They had probably seen him.  He darted up the alley anyway.  Maybe there would be some place to hide.  Boxes and crates lined the alley and Mist frantically tried to size each one up.  Would he be able to fit in one of those?  The voices of Stu and his buddies were getting louder.  As Mist darted around a stack of crates, his worst nightmare came true; a dead end.  There has nowhere to go.  And judging from the smell of the place, he was just behind the fish cannery.  The smell of the rotting fish made his eyes water.  Just as he slowed down, he came around one final chimney stack.  There on the right, was  a door.  And above the door was a sign reading “Toys etc.”  A toy store in the alley?  That is odd.  But the voices behind him sounded angry and close.  He opened the door and stepped into the dark room.

Mist blinked, trying to help his eyes adjust to the dim lighting.  It was a tiny room.  There was a single glass counter along the back wall with a narrow doorway leading into the back.  A dark blue curtain covered the door with dust collecting all along the top.  Should I run through there?  Just as the thought entered his mind, the curtain moved and a figure filled the doorway.  Mist spun around as he heard Stu’s voice, “He couldn’t have gone far.”

Mist backed up against the wall, bumping into a shelf full of wind-up tin toys.  Many of the toys tipped over, sending a clatter of noise as clowns and monkeys with cymbals crashed to the floor.  Mist held his breath as he saw Stu’s shadow move over the window to the store.

“What’s going on out here?” boomed the voice of the shop owner.

Mist closed his eyes.  He was trapped.