Screw Pile Developments

Morning — Headwall

Organised chaos.

Twelve boys, and three pups all getting ready for the first day of the new school term. Fifteen uniforms, fifteen backpacks and thirty individual shoes, needing to be matched with their mate to form a pair. There had been more than one cry of — “I can’t find my—” to which the answer was invariably, “it’s where you left it!”

—And in the case of two of the pups, first day nerves. Fergus and Hamish were moving from kinder class to the ‘big school’ at Veldmeer Primary. New uniforms, shirts, ties and jumpers; and pant legs folded up three times.

Angus, who had been up since before dawn, was in full authority mode, regaling both Fergus and Hamish with colourful stories of all the things they had to remember to do or not to do, and all the rules of — big school.

Fergus was attempting, at least outwardly, to put on a brave face, but inwardly he was terrified, and unconsciously checked again for the tenth time that his shirt was properly tucked in. Hamish, however, listened carefully to all of Angus’ many similar missives and was busy filing and filtering those against which were likely to be true and those that had been Angusified.

Finally, everyone was ready, more or less, to pile into the Hundeerwagons waiting out in the yard. As usual, both Grandpa Jake and Grandma Bella were there to see them off. Grandma had a quiet word with Fergus and Hamish.

Grandma Bella cut Hamish off, expecting a more teenage level word to come out.

Hamish smiled innocently at Grandma Bella.

With the Hundeerwagons loaded, they all set off down the valley road, with Angus still in full flight delivering his rules briefing.

Hamish just looked out the window, as the river, the autumn trees and the valley flashed by.

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Veldmeer Primary School

At the primary school drop-off, Angus proudly gathered his younger brothers and escorted them to their new class.

Hamish privately wondered how many times Angus had been sent to the naughty corner in Mrs Thompson’s class for not putting up his paw.

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Veldmeer High School

Following drop-off at the high school, the boys joined the general first-day bustle and noise of students trying to find their first class. Charlie, Samson, Harry and Rupert, all in one class lower than the older boys, were busy examining their new timetables. There was more elective choice this year, with Charlie taking Food Science & Technology, Samson and Rupert, Materials and Design Technology, and Harry, Agricultural and Horticultural Science.

In the upper class, timetables for the year were also being handed out. Lewis had received his timetable, and was surprised to see most of it had been left blank, and in particular there was no mention of science, one of Lewis’ favourite subjects. He sat there for a moment, and then nudged Hans sitting next to him.

Hans looked over, and they compared each other’s timetables. Hans had a full regular looking schedule, but there were clearly significant gaps on Lewis’. Lewis put his hand up, to attract Miss Vera’s attention, who was still handing out the last of the timetables. Once she had finished, she saw Lewis and came over to him.

Once Miss Vera was out of earshot, Timo, sitting nearby and who had overheard the conversation, gave a low whistle.

While it had never been officially confirmed, the great staff room fire foam suppression nozzle incident of last year had been widely attributed to Timo.

Timo just sat back and smirked.

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Veldmeer High School — Principal Brandt’s Office

Miss Vera led Lewis, complete with Dogger tucked under his arm, to the administration wing, stopping outside Principal Brandt’s office door. She knocked, and a slightly wheezy voice sounded within.

As they entered, Brandt rose to his feet with a slight wheeze, a huff, and then a puff, and came around his desk to greet them. Polite sniffs between Brandt and Miss Vera, and a hand-paw shake for Lewis.

Brandt motioned with his paw towards two chairs on the other side of his desk. Then, with another huff and another small wheeze, he returned to his own chair. By now, even though Lewis didn’t know exactly what the meeting was about, he had assessed that the purpose couldn’t be too bad, as he didn’t think the Principal would get up and greet them warmly if he was in trouble.

On Brandt’s desk there was a single tablet. Once everyone was seated comfortably — Lewis with Dogger on his lap — Brandt picked up the tablet, giving it a couple of taps and a scroll with his paw.

The Principal’s mood was warm and affable.

Lewis nodded in agreement.

Lewis just sat and nodded a few times at what seemed like appropriate moments during Brandt’s address.

Brandt leaned back in his chair and looked at Lewis benevolently. Lewis looked back at him, not quite believing what he was hearing. Every one of the subjects that Brandt mentioned to him immediately made something click within his brain, which then started firing off all sorts of thoughts and ideas. His mind was momentarily lost in a pleasant daydream of scientific data points and star plot formations.

Brandt quickly brought him back to the present reality.

Principal Brandt, with another wheeze and snuffle, stood and again offered Lewis his paw. Lewis also stood and offered his hand.

The two exchanged another hand-paw shake, and the meeting, the outcome entirely pleasing to Lewis, was over.

Returning to class, Timo couldn’t help himself.

Lewis couldn’t help but give a little smile.

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Lunch — Veldmeer High School Canteen

The canteen queue crush was in full swing, with students lining up to collect their lunches, today offering lasagne. Seb was in the queue with Toby and Timo not too far behind, his tie as usual, in a state of suggestion of being tied rather than being tied properly.

Seb grabbed a tray and swung around to pass it to Toby, and in the process he bumped the arm of a girl in front of him, a white Swiss Shepherd, with a fringed white tail.

She turned and snuffled slightly.

With that, she turned again and moved on down the line with her friends. Back at their table the boys started in on their lasagne. Seb had not started his lunch, but instead was looking across the room to where the Swiss Shepherd was sitting with her friends. Toby, following his gaze, gave Seb a dig in the ribs, jolting Seb back to their present location. Seb looked at Toby.

Timo, who had been listening to all this, decided to offer an opinion on the situation.

SWACK!

Stars. That landed on Seb for just a moment, but it soon passed and he picked up his fork and started eating.

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Afternoon Class

That afternoon back in class, Lewis, sitting next to Hans, had his tablet out. He tapped on his timetable and this time it populated fully with his new schedule: Astrophysics, Stellar Cartography and Systems Analysis, Communication and Data Modelling, all now included. He tapped on Astrophysics and the screen changed to display the Theden University crest.

Hans leaned over and looked at the crest thoughtfully.