A Mouse, a Toilet, and a Party in the Woods
Hey again. It’s Ember.
I promised in the last post I’d share what we found before school. Spoiler: the trees are still standing (for now), but something is definitely happening. Also, our school has officially entered what Sami calls “the great Mousegate propaganda war.”
The “Terrible” Old School?
Let me back up. This week, there’s been a lot of loud talk from a group of parents who are super into the new school plan. Like:
- “The old school is falling apart!”
- “There’s exposed rebar just sitting there!”
- “We have a rat infestation!”
- “The bathrooms barely work!”
So. Let’s fact check:
- Exposed rebar? Yes, there is one spot by the gym where a tiny strip is visible. It’s roped off with a cone and tape and has been for, like, a year. I once tripped over the cone. The rebar is not the danger here.
- Rat infestation? LOL. There was a mouse. One mouse. It stole half a granola bar from the lost-and-found. We named it Melvin.
- Broken toilets? There was one incident. A kid named Jeff tried to flush a note home so his mom wouldn’t see it. The toilet lost. It was fixed the next day. The note was not.
Meanwhile, the parents keep saying the new building will be “state-of-the-art” and “a space for 21st century learners.” I just want to see a chickadee while I eat my sandwich.
Our Early Morning Recon
Sami, Eva, and I met up before school Wednesday with flashlights and binoculars. We snuck behind the fence (okay, “snuck” is dramatic—it was literally open) to check the future staging area for construction.
Weird things we noticed:
- A bunch of tree trunks were marked with orange ribbons, like they were tagged to be removed.
- There were bird feathers in a perfect circle near the path. Not blood. Not bones. Just feathers.
- Eva swears she saw a shadow duck behind the old compost shed. We checked. No one there.
Also, there was a sound. Like a low rustling, but… rhythmic. Not wind. Not squirrel. Almost breathing.
We got spooked and left. But I’ll be honest—I wanted to stay.
Halloween in the Nature Center?
Today we got a flyer in our backpacks:
🎃 Thurston Family Spooktacular! 🎃
Next Friday, in the Nature Center
Candy! Games! Costume Parade at Dusk!
Ummm… the Nature Center? At night?
I mean, yeah, that sounds fun. But:
- Why did we move it from the gym?
- Why is the flyer printed in black and green instead of orange?
- Why does the little ghost in the corner have feathers?
(Seriously. It has bird wings. Who drew this?)
What I’m Wondering
- Is the Nature Center trying to send a message?
- Is the ghost inviting us to something? Or warning us not to come?
Next post, I’ll go back after dark. Not alone. Maybe we’ll find more clues. Or maybe we’ll become them. 😬
Stay curious. Stay skeptical. Stay in groups.
✌️ Ember