Mirror Lake Finishing School

[Ezuriel the Moth]

Mirror Lake Finishing School was the place where nobles sent their children to learn things like manners and the arts. It was a lovely mansion, in the middle of the lake, and on days like this, when students were on break from classes for the rest of the lovely Friday afternoon.

The grounds were beautiful. You were alone by the lake. The lake was always so still, earning its name, like a mirror, but today the surface was broken with serene swirling ripples as a single white goose swam up close, little gentle honks in the air. Even the goose was calm.

The goose was uncharacteristically calm. It was coming right at you, but not in any aggressive way. It stopped a couple feet from you and honked a little louder. It was strange for a goose to do, but it was maintaining eye contact and was seeming… expectant. It came right up to you and bit your uniform sleeve, trying to pull you. Then it waddled back into the water. When you didn't follow it the first time, it repeated the action.

It took three times before you noticed something glinting in the water where the goose was trying to lead you. It was a gold fountain pen, with a diamond inset in the top.

Gripped with curiosity, and wondering why anyone would throw such a thing in the lake, you put down your book and followed the goose. You took off your shoes and stockings and waded in, plucking the pen from the rocks.

“Can you hear me?” A girl’s voice came from about knee height. “Please, tell me you can hear me, now!”

You looked around, surprised. Only you and the goose were on the shore this far from the school.