School of Goth - Chapter 1 - Intro

Welcome to Amaranth High. A boarding school which technically also has middle school and college courses. A school specifically for “outcasts”. Most of us here have been through a lot. Some had the same situation (abusive parents, wicked stepmother, etc.), other cases are just plain weird (like Buffalo Bill weird). 1

But it’s not really about what happened to each of us, it’s the fact that it did happen, and that’s what brings us together. I mean, you get your assholes every now and then (I know, I was one), but eventually someone breaks ‘em in. For the most part, we treat each other like family. And that’s what makes us different. 2

Different enough apparently that the government took notice and granted us our own school away from the rest of society. Yep, any goth, punk, emo, metalhead, and those decidedly unlabeled darker children of society end up here. 3

Now, don’t get me wrong. Just because we have our own school of pretty little freaks doesn’t mean we get off easy. Trust me, we are not exempt from ‘horrid homework’ (our own special nickname. awesome, right?). Our school is different simply because it’s filled entirely with outcasts, which, ironically enough, tends to lighten things up a bit. 4

Enough with the people for the moment. The place itself is like Dracula’s paradise. An ancient yet well-conditioned 28-story Victorian-style castle, complete with dungeons (which were turned into dorm rooms), watch towers, stone gargoyles, stain glass windows, black metal sconces, and huge staircases everywhere. There’s even a gigantic dark forest surrounding the damn thing. Like I said, Dracula’s paradise. 5

This place, in all it’s creepy wonder, has been my home for 6 years.