Screw Pile Developments

Veldmeer High School — First Day of Term

The week following the Harvest Dinner, the first day of the new school term was rapidly approaching. It had been three years since any of the boys had attended school. Some of the boys could not wait to return to school, while others were a bit more apprehensive about the whole idea. Rupert’s biggest concern had been whether the school uniform pants had tail holes in them or not. Grandma Bella had been able to reassure him, that the school had arranged for a bespoke set of pants to be made to suit human specifications. No tail holes. Rupert had been visibly relieved at the news.

Before the new school term had been due to start, all the boys had visited the school to take a look around, and meet some of the teachers. They had also taken the KERN assessment test, so that the school would have a good idea of where each of the boys sat academically. As it turned out, most were not that far behind, with only one or two in need of some extra catch up tutoring. The thirteen and fourteen year olds were assigned the upper class and the twelve year olds the lower class, along with the town’s other eleven and twelve year old students. The exception was Lewis. As he had achieved perfect marks on his KERN, it was decided to put him into the upper class with Seb and Raven. Lewis was both relieved and pleased at this decision.

The Veldmeer inhabitants had known about the boys since their arrival. They had even spotted them a few times when the boys had been in town. However, for many of the town’s younger generation, the first day of school would be the first time that many of them would have had the chance to meet the boys, up close. And for some, a little too close.

Just before the morning bell was about to ring, Principal Brant escorted the boys to their new class rooms.

The room was filled with the usual sounds of chairs being scraped, bags dropping, and general chatter, as the class arrived.

A voice rang out from clear across the other side of the room.

The “they” that Timo was referring to of course, were the human boys who had just been deposited in the class by Principal Brant. He bounced his way enthusiastically across the room, his nose and tail quivering. His first target was Seb. He pranced around Seb, giving him a thorough sniffing all over, and by all over that included…

Timo had just stuck his nose right up between Seb’s legs and given his butt a good sniff.

Seb instinctively put his hands behind him in protective protest, however Timo, completely undeterred, proceeded around to Seb’s front side and was just about to continue his olfactory interrogation, when Seb decided that enough was enough and firmly moved his hands to protect his boy bits.

Timo then spotted Lewis, who as usual had Dogger tucked firmly under his arm.

Timo who clearly was not familiar with the concept of stuffed plush dogs cocked his head to one side looking confused.

The bell rang.

The room slowly settled.

Then a paw went up.

He was looking directly at the back of Lewis’ head.

Timo’s ears immediately deflated, and a blue heeler sitting next to him, swacked the back of his head with his notebook.

With Lewis’ presence in the class settled, the first period was able to proceed. Science, and today’s subject — stellar geography and hyperspace currents.

Lewis, sat up a little straighter. Maybe he was going to like this school after-all.

There was a few moments of silence in the class, and no one put up their hand.

Lewis was momentarily taken aback at being addressed by the teacher, but Raven who was sitting next to him gave him a purposeful nudge.

Lewis took a breath in.

At the mention of Earth a certain Jack Russell, blurted out the first thing that came into his head.

Another swack on the back of the head with the notebook.

At the mention of Earth, and the collapse, Seb shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He really had been trying to concentrate during class, but the truth was he was having trouble sitting still, doing nothing but listening to the teacher. His hands were constantly moving, from flat on the desk to holding his elbows. Then he would run a hand through his hair or place his hands together on the desk rolling his thumbs one over the other.

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Lunch

Lunchtime, and Seb, Raven, and Lewis had managed to find their way to the school dining hall, navigate the food line and manoeuvre their trays to a table without any further incidents of intra-gluteal interrogation.

Just as they were sitting down, a very tall, lanky greyhound came and sat by Lewis. There was no preamble or ‘is this seat taken’, just the clearly practised folding of his entire body into the seat. His shirt was properly buttoned at the neck, and his tie was correctly fastened in place. The height difference between them was unmissable. He glanced down at Lewis, with Dogger sitting on his lap. Then he simply extended his paw.

Lewis took Hans’ paw and shook it. No sniff, a proper hand/paw shake.

Hans then extended his paw to both Seb and Raven. It was hand/paw shakes all round.

Lewis was surprised that his telescope was common knowledge, well at least to Hans.

Lewis and Hans then descended into a deep dive discussion on the differences in viewing vectors of Orion from Earth and viewing from Hundeerde.

Seb and Raven exchanged glances and went back to their burgers and fries.

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Afternoon Class

The afternoon class wore on. Seb’s fidgeting was not better, it was worse. He just did not know what to do with himself when he was supposed to be sitting still in class. Hands, desk, elbows, hair, thumbs, he did them all.

At last the bell sounded signalling the end of the day. The sound of chairs and bags being zipped, along with the general chatter of the class departing.

As Seb was passing the teachers desk she called his name.

Timo on the way past, gave a low almost inaudible whistle.

Miss Vera waited until Timo had left the class. Seb waited patiently next to her desk.

Miss Vera handed Seb a spiral notebook.

Seb accepted the notebook, and not knowing quite what to say he simply nodded, and left the class.

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The Ride Home

The two Hundeerwagons rumbled their way back up the valley road as the afternoon sun washed up the valley behind them.

The butt sniff tally comparison was well underway.

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