The Teacher

My name is Amie and I teach in a small town between two mountains. We are a quiet town and everyone knows everybody. Sometimes this can be good but believe me there are no secrets. Our town has always been quiet and self sufficient. Strangers don't stay long as we do not have much going for us.

One day a stranger came and has turned our world upside down. It will never be the same,but we are adjusting. Now you are going to ask what did he do? He built a tower. That's all,a tower. Now people are disappearing and we have no idea why or where they are going.

This tower has one set of small, narrow steps leading up to a room. We see people going up, but nevet coming down. I am tired of the worry and being over the children in the town, i feel that it is my responsibility to keep them safe. Today i am going up the tower. I am going to tie a string to the steps before i enter the room, so I can find my way back. I hope it answers all my questions so I can reassure the town it is okay.

Here I go. Ihave my string attached and i amfinallygoi g tosee what is behind all of this. As I open the door I am amazed by the beauty of the tower room. The floor is marble with a dias of gold in the center of the room. There are four gold pathways leading out from the dias to each wall in the room. Each wall has a different scene on it that is just breath taking. In each corner is a fountain with flowing water and the scents that are coming from the fountains match each wall. One wall is a forest with a spring running through the back of it. You can smell the trees and the plants that grow here. Another wall is a beautiful rose garden with every kind of rose you can imagine growing there. The fountain has a smell of roses.

I look above and i see the largest chandelier i have ever seen

It covers the whole ceiling and hangs down just beyond reach. I walk to the dias and stand on it. The railing is pure gold and is amazing to see. As i stand here looking at the walls, the dias begins to turn. I still have my string so I am a little scared but I am okay. All of a sudden the dias stops and the steps are leading to the forest wall.

I step off and walk to the wall for a better look. I get to the wall and it seems as if I can hear the water running through the spring. I hear the trees and the wind. I smell the scents of the forest. I look behind me and i am still in the room. I reach out to touch the wall and it seems to melt away. How beautiful everything is. I walk closer to see if I can touch the water and when my fingers come back wet, I am amazed. How did this happen? As I sit down by the stream of water I grow sleepy. Maybe a nap before i go back would not hurt.

Suddenly i feel something cold touching my face. I slowly open my eyes to see a deer nudging me awake. Are not animals suppose to be scared of people? Obviously this one isn't. I slowly reach out a hand and he lets me rub on his head. As I keep touching him, I start talking to him. He lays down besides me and I continue petting and talking.

I feel it us getting late and I need to get back. As soon as that thought leaves my head, the deer vanishes. Now i am getting scared. I look around and there is nothing but forest.

I panic for a few minutes but remember the string in my pocket. I pull it out and let it guide me back. As i reach the edge of the forest the room reappears. I step back into the room and run out the door.

As I get to the bottom of the stairs. My friend Jill runs towards me. "Amie, where have you been? We gave up on you coming back." I look at her puzxled and said, " I was just gone this morning. Why were you so worried?"

Jill looked at me funny and said, "No, Amie, you have been gone for two years. We had to replace you as teacher after you didn't show up on Monday. We have searched everywhere for you."

Two years? That is impossible. As I told Jill what I did we started walking back to town. She just couldn't believe what I was telling her.

As we got closer to the school I decided I wanted to meet the new teacher and check on my students. Since school was about to let out i waited by the door till the bell rang. As i looked into the class i saw the new teacher. It felt as if I knew him, but I was sure we had never met. He just seemed so familiar. As my students tushed outci was greeted with hugs and questions. After everyone left, I walked into the classroom

Those brown eyes looked at me and i felt as if i knew him. Jill left to let us talk but I didn't know where to start. Before i could think of anything to say he spoke. "Thank you for releasing me. I was trapped and had no way out. I had been selfish in my life, never caring how I treated women. One day I messed up and was cursed for my actions. I was trapped as a deer in that wall until someone could love me for what I was . You did that and it broke the spell of the wall." I was too shocked to speak.

When I did it was to ask many questions. Needless to say, i had fallen in love with the new teacher and together we built a bigger school for our community.

And the tower? It started releasing those that had gotten lost. Some came back with mates while others just came back. Now it is just a tower with beautiful walls. No magic is left there. I expect to wake up one morning and it be gone. For now, it is a reminder to treat others fairly and with love.