Emily had been recently transferred to Grange School for girls in the hope a split from her friends and family might have a calming influence on her. Emily was capable of doing anything and she knew she could dominate anyone, looking around the hall she realised it would be a piece of cake.

‘Good morning girls!’ boomed a rather large formidable woman. The girls all chanted back their good mornings.

‘We have a new girl joining us today, Emily Strange.’ Emily guessed by the way the staff looked at her that they had been informed about her expulsion.

‘Miss Farthing you will take her under your wing today, she can remain in your classroom until we decide which form to put her in.’ Miss Farthing looked perplexed and began to visibly shake.

‘Yes, Headmistress,’ she stammered. The girls close by began to giggle.

‘That will do!’ shouted the Headmistress.

Emily followed Miss Farthing to the lower fourth classroom where she saw a number of girls lining up outside the door. As they filed into the classroom Emily stuck out her foot and one child tripped and careered into another squealing with surprise. Emily bent down and helped the sobbing girl up.

‘What on earth is going on?’ demanded the Headmistress.

‘Please miss, this girl fell over. I think she was tripped by one of the girls and I stopped to help her up,’ said Emily.

‘That’s very kind of you Emily. It’s nice to see such a caring attitude.’

The first lesson passed quickly without any further interruptions. Miss Farthing was convinced something would happen after reading the thick file on Emily. She was not to be disappointed and in many respects she could not have been prepared.

The lower fourth had a PE lesson and Miss Farthing had been instructed to keep Emily in her class, so now she was alone with the child. Miss Farthing could feel the hairs on the back of her head begin to rise. Emily started drumming her fingers on the desk in boredom.

‘Stop that Emily and fetch a reading book from the shelf.’

Emily did not move but continued to drum her fingers and stare at Miss Farthing.

‘Emily did you hear me? Get a reading book.’

Emily’s drumming increased in speed and the sound filled the room.

‘Look,’ said Miss Farthing ‘I’ll not ask you again.’

Emily sat. The sound increasing and then stopped with a deathly silence.

‘Right,’ said Miss Farthing moving towards the door.

‘Sit down!’ demanded Emily.

‘You can’t speak to me like that.’

‘Sit!’

Miss Farthing slowly lowered herself onto a chair watching the hideous contortions on Emily’s face.

‘Now you will do precisely what I want or you will end up like Miss Pritchard. Do I make myself clear?’ rasped Emily.

Miss Farthing nodded nervously and then realised she had soiled herself.

The door opened, ‘Every thing alright Miss Farthing?’ asked the Headmistress.

Miss Farthing nodded vigorously, ‘Yes Headmistress. Everything is perfect.’