Chapter 16 The Second Control

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Usually, Miss Oven and Miss Leek announced their visit at every single educational point within their district. It gave the directors of these places time to collect the proper documentation, to make sure that all the equipment met safety requirements. It was also Miss Oven’s way to let these institutions welcome them as they would like to be welcomed. Miss Oven was round as a pumpkin, she was in her fifties, experienced and tested in all fields of life. Miss Leek, on the other hand, was tall and slim, in her thirties and still naive about the way things looked at work. For a couple of years, they cooperated well with each other, could count on each other and be sure that there were many years to come in their future undertakings, as their company was honestly mutually enjoyed.

This time they both agreed that one kindergarten required an unexpected visit. Usually, it went smoothly. Ladies were qualified and pleasant, children on average well-behaved, some even exceptionally developed and talented. It was one of the best-managed kindergartens in the area. It was one of the top.

But now things changed and Miss Oven started to be worried. No calls to the place were answered, no correspondence was provided by the postman. It looked as if the place had been closed, despite the fact that children were still seen in the kindergarten’s playground. Miss Oven started searching for the names of the children to get in touch with their parents, but parents happened to live in different cities, they didn’t have a phone number or, when she finally reached them, it turned out that they didn’t have children at all. It all seemed to be a joke. As if someone gave her fake documentation with fake names, addresses and personal details. It was as if... no Miss Oven couldn’t admit what her instinct wanted her to suggest... It was as if there were no parents and children at all. She also checked personal data of some of the teachers. She called universities to confirm their education and she was assured by the secretariat of these places that indeed the teachers obtained this and that diploma, but when she wanted to find these teachers in the city registration books, they were nowhere to be seen.

‘Miss Leek, I’m afraid we have no choice, we have to go!’

Miss Leek agreed with Miss Oven, they both were suspecting the worst. They could swear that the kindergarten violated some serious regulations and was illegal. They suspected that it was created to wash dirty money of unsuspecting parents and give children inappropriate example, education and care not according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Education.

They entered the gate, no children were seen in the playground. They came closer to the entrance of the building. Everything looked very dilapidated. The grass wasn’t mowed for a long time. Parts of the concrete started falling from the building.

They knocked at the door.

‘Yes?’

A very strange-looking child opened the door. He was muscular and weirdly... no Miss Oven couldn’t tell for sure. That was impossible! The child was strangely bearded!

‘What’s your name, boy?’

‘Derek Potato, what do you want here?’

‘We came here to check a couple of things. Can you ask your teacher to come here?’

‘Listen, woman, I’ve hadn’t had a teacher for over two hundred years. I’m not sure that Georgy would be pleased to see you here. He’s not really fond of humans.’

‘Take me to your teacher boy and stop mumbling these silly things!’, Miss Oven grabbed Derek Potato’s arm and pulled him inside.

That was apparently a mistake because Derek Potato cut the air with a terrifying scream which made at least a dozen of similarly looking children appear out of nowhere. Now Miss Oven was sure that something was wrong with these children. They had hairy arms and legs, very protruding bellies and indeed bearded chins. Miss Leek screamed, which didn’t help matters.

Miss Oven would have never expected that she would be held by twelve little boys into the cellar and later on into a labyrinth of mines. She would have never expected that she would be placed under the gallows among the cries and screams of poor Miss Leek, who was about to share the same fate. And she would never have thought of finishing her life just as she lived, within the gates of an educational center for the future citizens, innocent creatures, and young bright minds. She would have never expected to be murdered in the kindergarten by children, whom she devoted her life to.