#1 The Encounter

The tallest of them must have been about 3’ off the ground. He smiled but she’d been warned against their seemingly innocent faces.  They sat in front of her with an impatience she sensed was growing.

35 pairs of eyes looked at her expectantly, hands fidgeting, legs twitching, like they were sitting time bombs.

Even the one with the pigtails had shifted her attention from the beetle on the window to her.

It could be delayed no longer.

She took a deep breath and began, “Good morning children, my name is Rachel and I will be your teacher from today.”