The morning of the New Zealand visit arrived bright but windy. After breakfast the teenagers queued up in front of Natasha, the coordinator of the trip who matched their names to the long list of students who had permission from their parents or guardian to visit the village. Sucre remembered that if it hadn't been for John, his godfather he would not have been going at all. When Sucre reached Natasha she gave a short nod and he walked on, out on to the stone steps and the cold, sunlit day.
Sucre had waited a long time for that day, especially because he had set up a meeting with his friends -- Doyle, Paris and a couple more -- at a pub.
They walked down the main street past Zonko's Joke Shop and turned up a side-street at the top of which stood a small inn. A battered wooden sign hung over the door. The sign creaked in the wind as they approached. All hesitated outside the door. Sucre remembered hearing the caretaker, Jacob, mentioning this pub in his first year of high school.
" I don't know about this Paris" Sucre muttered as they crossed the bar. " Has it ever occurred to you a professor's face may be under that?"
Paris cast an appraising eye over the veiled figure.
"Don't worry. Everything is going to go as planned. We will order hot cocoa and wait for our classmates to show up.
First came Philip with Anthony and Alicia. And with them another dozen. Sucre started feeling butterflies in his stomach as he began to say the reason they were there :
" We had gathered here today to start our secret reading club. Now, I have been thinking about a name and a password. It seemed only fair that we all decide upon the name together today. The password is the most incredible, unique and meaningful one you will ever hear. Does anyone know what does IN OMNIA PARATUS means....? It means" Sucre continued " READY FOR ANYTHING. Well? What do you think?"
Everyone's looking suddenly filled with excitement. Everyone suddenly looked excited. Their minds were already flying, dreaming about the first time they were going to use this amazing password. They picked a name just as quickly: THE SHREWD ARMY.
And this was just the beginning of the many meetings of this group, which was then looking enquiringly / which looked enquiring

Last edited by othellos78 (2019-03-16 11:22:37)