Higher Learning By Ella713 Rated PG

[Ella713]

Mila suffers the pains of being in pre school!

Moonlight Fanfiction
Higher Learning
By Ella713
Rated PG

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Milagra Katherine Ferguson age 4 looked at all the other children in the classroom. Most were simply running because they knew of nothing else worthwhile to do. Others were causing trouble because even in their feeble minds they knew they would get the attention the craved. Milagra, Mila to her family, was content to soak up the atmosphere around her and study the very childish book the teacher had placed in front of her.

“Milla. Do you like that book?” The teacher asked in her quiet voice.
Mila simply nodded her head. Brian had told her that she should try and keep her answer short and to the point, but Mila hated knowing so much and not being able to share it. Brian always said that genius had one fatal flaw. It always had to have an audience.

“Would you like to look at this one?” Her teacher asked placing a book titled “All The Round Things” and showed pictures of everyday objects that were circular. Mila almost laughed when she read the title but held it in. She nodded her head, and the teacher smiled and walked away.

Later that evening it was time for her weekly visit to Brian and Nicole’s apartment.

“Hello Mila. Would you like something to drink?” Nicole said to her. Nicole never talked in that annoying baby talk voice that most adults used when speaking to children. She spoke to her as she would speak to Brian, or Zoe or her parents.
“Yes. May I have some apple juice please” Mila said sitting down on the sofa. Nicole brought out a glass of juice.
“What’s wrong M? You look upset.” Nicole said handing her the glass. Mila said nothing but Nicole knew. “It’s hard being the smartest kid in the room. Huh?’
Mila nodded her head. Nicole sat down next to her.
“You know who also had that problem? Your Uncle Brian. I imagine that it is a lonely way to grow up knowing more than even adults around you. But hang in there M. It all works out in the end.”
Mila drank her juice and felt a little better. She grinned brightly when the door opened and Brian walked in. She jumped off the sofa and ran into his arms.
“Mila! How are you? How was school?” He asked sitting his briefcase down the on the table. Mila rolled her eyes and went to pick up the book that the teacher had given her. Brian looked at the title and did something he rarely ever did. He started to laugh out loud.
“All The Round Things! Isn’t that cute?’ Brian said still laughing.
“Well I think I can do better than that. He reached up to his bookcase and pulled out The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. “What do you say we take a stab at this?”
“Yes, yes!” Mila squealed as they went to sit on the sofa.

Brian hated to see Mila go through what he had gone through in school. It was so hard trying to appear that you were just like every other kid. When he thought about all the times a teacher had gotten some obvious fact wrong and how much he wanted to correct them. But he had learned the hard way that where adults were concerned, it was best to keep your mouth shut. Brian recalled sitting at the kitchen table watching his father file his taxes and noticed he hadn’t claimed the earned income tax credit that would insure him more money on his return. When Brian pointed out this error, he came very close to being backhanded. Of course his dad found out from a friend that he had done his taxes wrong, and after that, it was like his dad was afraid of him.

[francis]

Poor Mila, and poor Brian too. His memories aren't good but it's nice that he gets to help Mila find her way.

[Ella713]

Brian dropped Mila off at home.
“So how is my little genius doing?” Ted said picking her up and kissing her.
“She’s heavily involved in Macbeth” Brian said with smile.
“That my girl” Ted said sitting her down. “Go find your mom. Brian I don’t know how to thank you for this” He began to say.
“It’s no imposition. Nicole and I love having Mila over….I wanted to mention something to you. Mila is becoming extremely despondent with pre school. You and Amy might want to look into some sort of gifted child program. I think that if she’s surrounded by kids who don’t spend the whole of day eating crayons, her mood might be lifted.” Brian explained. “I can look up some reputable organizations for you if you like”
“You really think it will make a difference?” Ted asked.
“Her teacher gave her a book titled “All The Round Things” Brian said.
“Oh boy!” Ted laughed. “I’m sure that didn’t go over well”
“Indeed” Brian said shaking Ted’s hand and walking away.

The Mirman School for Gifted Children opened it’s illustrious doors in 1962. They boast an aggressive program in languages, art, math and music. Amy and Ted sat in their chairs waiting for the director to come out with the results of Mila’s test.

“Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson. I’m Lawrence Handly, Chief Admissions Rep” He said shaking both of their hands before sitting down. “We have gone over Milagra’s test results and I must say, we are utterly amazed. Her cognitive skills in Mental Construct, Concrete-Abstract Concepts, and Concepts and Words were off the charts!” he said with a huge grin thinking of all the awards that would come the schools way because of this little girl.
“Well your program came highly recommended and Mila was becoming bored in regular preschool” Amy explained.
“Undoubtedly. I am quite sure that Milagra will find herself challenged at the Mirman School and we can accept her as soon as next week, the beginning of the 2nd quarter.”

Amy and Ted signed the forms and sighed with relief. Mila would be surrounded by children exactly like her. This would be all for the best.

[francis]

I hope they are really like her and there is no teacher getting too nosy about her because she's more gifted than any other.

[Ella713]

Well Francis, you know in the Moonlight Universe even normal things have some kind of catch!


Mila woke up feeling happy. Truly happy. She wouldn’t have to pretend anymore. She literally felt exhausted all the time just from pretending. Amy drove her to school and walked her to class. Mila looked around quickly surveying the students. No one was running around. No one was hitting anyone. Everyone was sitting calmly in their seats waiting for the others to arrive.

Mrs. Ferguson, Good Morning! I’m Elsa Handly. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. My husband was quite impressed with little Milagra.” She said
“Thank you” Amy said
“Alright Milagra…” Elsa started to say.
“Mila” Amy said.
“Okay. Mila, sit wherever you feel comfortable”
Mila looked around and saw a spot next to the window, walked towards it and sat down quietly.
“Don’t worry Mrs. Ferguson. She will be perfectly fine”

Amy drove away from the school and wondered why she had a bad feeling about that school. Everything was a little too perfect.

Amy sat having the rare cup of coffee with Zoe.
“Have you heard of the Mirman School for the Gifted?” Amy asked after sitting her cup down.
“Isn’t that a school for uber geniuses?’
“Yes. Ted and I enrolled Mila in their program”
“That’s good right?”
“Remember when we were in High School and whenever you got a bad feeling about something you said your stomach would give you the “chomp of doom?”
“Oh oh” Zoe said.
“Yeah. But I don’t really have a reason for it. The administration was nice. The facility was immaculate. The students were perfect….maybe I’m imagining it all” Amy said finally.
“Well if your stomach is giving you the chomp of doom, listen to it!” Zoe said. “Let me talk to Julian about it”
“Thanks Zoe!”

Mila loved her class. They actually studied math and science and practiced French which Mila loved. Never once did she feel bored or restless.

At lunch time all the kids walked to the lunchroom in perfect formation.
They all sat down and waited to be served. Two rather severe looking lunch ladies pushed large carts carrying trays of food.
“Alright students!” Elsa called out to them. “Eat quickly and we will have our hour of playtime”
“All the students began to eat at once as if on cue. Mila looked at everyone. On her tray was a warm serving of whole wheat pita bread with humus, olive tapenade and grilled chicken breast. Fresh pears cut up into petite slices and a container of milk. Mila poked a finger at the food and began to frown. Something was wrong with the food.

[jen]

That old saying that 'if something seems to good to be true, it probably is' got to be an old saying because it's generally true. I'd never heard that expression, 'the chomp of doom' but we all know the feeling well and its right far more often than its wrong!

The motivations for identifying and controlling highly intelligent individuals very early are many, as I'm sure they will soon find out. The thing most in their favor at this point may be Mila herself. She is sufficiently bright to recognize a box when she is being put in one and find the easiest and quickest exit.

A little surprised that Brian gave her the complete works of Shakespear, with the complex personal interplay and emotional context. While it will present a challenge to her mind, which is really crying out for a challenge right about now, it will take time for her to develop the interpretive skills in life to truly fathom lots of Shakespear's works, don't you think? I'm surprised that they didn't gear her education more toward math and sciences at this stage, as there is less of an emotional context to confuse her, and is well within her capabilities.

Really glad Julian is being involved. That might be the best direction to proceed in for her education, anyway!

Thank you!

Jenna

[Ella713]

Elsa walked up behind her.
“Why aren’t you eating Milagra?” she asked in a sweet voice.
Mila looked up at the woman.
“I am not hungry” she said simply.
“I’m afraid you will have to eat or there will be no playtime for you”
Mila looked Elsa straight in the eye.
“Fine” she said and pushed the tray away from her. Elsa moved the tray back in place.
“You will eat everything that is on this plate! Do you hear me?” Elsa said forcefully. “Why are you being difficult Milagra? Can’t you see how the other children are behaving?” Elsa said cutting up the chicken into small pieces. “Now open your mouth and just take a taste” she said moving the fork towards her. Mila knocked the fork out of her hand and onto the floor.
“Alright! I will make you eat!” Elsa said grabbing Mila hard by the arm pulling her away from the table. “Annabelle! Take her to the infirmary!” She called out to one of the lunch ladies.
Mila looked at the other children. Were they not even paying attention? But the children continued to eat as if they were not aware of anything else.

Brian suddenly stood up in the shareholders meeting then turned and ran out the door.

Annabelle placed Mila into the infirmary and sat her down on the table. She bent down towards Mila’s ear.
“You have to do what she says. Understand?” She said in a scared and shaky voice. Mila looked at the woman and said nothing. “She will force feed you if don’t eat. I don’t want to do that to you” Annabelle pleaded.
Mila folded her arms and still said nothing. Annabelle started to quietly cry. “I don’t want to see another child die” she sobbed.
Mila sat mute. While she felt sorry for this woman, she had no intention of eating that food and she wouldn’t let anyone force her to eat.

[francis]

Another child? Someone died already? Brian is on his way.

[jen]

So they are drugging the children, I assume to make them complaint with...something and drugging them is a critical part of the process. I would think that killing a child would bring so much scrutiny that they would find another way to introduce the drug.

Eagerly awaiting to see how this plays out!

Thank you!

Jenna

[Ella713]

Brian was standing out in front of the school. His mind roaming the interior.
He located Mila in the infirmary with another school employee, but Mila wasn’t afraid of the woman she was with. There was something else that had spooked her. Brian dissolved into mist and wandered the halls.

Elsa walked angrily into the infirmary slamming the door behind her.
“Well?” She said to Annabelle who slowly shook her head. “Get her ready” she ordered and left the room.

Brian looked at the children on the playground. They weren’t playing like children their age should. Every last child was studying a book and simply staring out into space as if they had been drugged.
Annabelle with tears in her eyes looked down at Mila.
“I’m sorry” she whispered as her hand grabbed the straps that would hold Mila down. She tried to lightly push Mila down on the table but Mila pushed her away. Not knowing her own strength Annabelle hit the wall and slowly slid to the ground. Mila jumped down from the table, opened the door and furtively looked both ways, making sure Elsa was no where in sight.

Brian quickly made his way to Mila and scooped her up into his arms.

Elsa went back to the infirmary to make sure Annabelle had the child strapped down. She opened the door and saw that Mila was gone! She couldn’t believe that Annabelle had betrayed her! How dare she, that ungrateful cow! She slammed the door and immediately began to search for the child, never knowing that Annabelle was lying in a heap behind the door, slowly bleeding to death.

[jen]

Annabel seemed to regret what she was involved in, and while Mila forcefully secured her own escape, possibly fatally injuring Annabel in the process she was involved with this scheme of drugging gifted children for some unknown purpose.

Looking forward to mre.

Thank you!

Jenna

[Ella713]

Brian took Mila home.
“Amy something is really wrong at the Mirman School.” He began to say
“What? What’s wrong?” Amy asked
“The children are being drugged. For what reason I don’t know, but they were in the process of drugging Mila”
Amy looked down at her daughter.
“Its true momma” she said nodding her head.
“We have to call the police” Amy said suddenly.

Elsa had the school on lockdown and searched everywhere but could find no trace of Mila or Annabelle.
“How could you lose a child?!” Her husband yelled. “Do you have any idea what kind of attention will be drawn here?”
“I was only gone for a few minutes! She couldn’t have gone far!”
“We’ll look again. You take the east wing and I’ll take the west. And God help us all if she walked out of building”

Lawrence was livid when he thought of all he had to lose. Mirman had the highest test scores in the nation. So what if the children needed a little motivation to achieve those scores. The parents were so grateful afterwards that they gave generously to the school and to him. The Mayor had given him the medal of excellence in education. Now all of that hung in the balance because of one rebellious child! Lawrence had high hopes for Milagra Ferguson. Her test scores were the highest he had seen in his 20 years of teaching. She was to be his prized pupil. He envisioned taking her to the Mentiqa School in Denmark and pitting her against the brightest children in the world!

He opened the door to the infirmary and saw Annabelle.
“Oh God!” he yelled and ran to her side to feel for a pulse. She was alive just barely. He reached into his jacket to pull out his cell phone, but heard sirens in the distance. He slowly got up and walked out to greet them.

Annabelle Hanford told her story to the world. She told of Lizzie Marks who had died of respiratory failure after injesting the drug. She told them of the money some millions of dollars they had collected from the families and from the state. She told the story and world listened. But what she kept to herself was how a 4 year old had pushed her into a wall. That story she would never tell.

Mila went back to regular preschool and tried to learn how to downplay her many strengths. But she also found that just being a child could be fun.
Brian looked at Mila running in her backyard with a neighbor boy.
“Why are they running?” Brian asked Amy.
“Because they’re children!” Amy laughed “That’s what children do”
“Of course” Brian replied.







The End

[francis]

What a great story about what childhood should be about. Thank you!

[jen]

In the long term, I think that is the best thing for Mila. If she is separated from children her own age now, separation may seem logical. Intellectually, she is far above children her own age, but we also develop socially and emotionally. Mila has loving parents and a happy home life, but she the needs lessons that will come from interaction with peers, too.

Annabele interests me. She is intelligent, sympathetic, in possession of some very interesting information and I am anxious to see if, or how, she chooses to use it.

I hope to see her again!

Thank you!

Jenna

[Ella713]

Thanks Everyone for reading this story! I was really struggling with this one because I was so sick. Everytime I thought I was getting better, turns out I wasn't! I can not stress the importantance of flu shots. I will never skip one again!