Mrs. Jones was having a rough time lately. It started when her son Sean, her only biological child, was involved in some kind of monster attack and fell into a coma, which medical science couldn’t explain. He appeared to be dying, until he suddenly recovered, also with no apparent cause. If that had been all, she could have eventually put aside her worry for her son. But then he’d been attacked by the monster bats at the Fall Festival, and developed a mysterious, albeit thankfully short-lived, illness. One such incident was an isolated event, and two could be a coincidence, but she was afraid there would be a third and it would become a pattern. She was worried for her son’s health and safety, and wasn’t sure if there was anything she could do about it.

Then she heard about the new school that had opened up, Romano’s Constitutional Haven. An odd name for a school, but its strict military style caught her attention. It promised a structured curriculum and school life, and required students to maintain good grades, physical ability, and behavior. The structure and careful oversight made her think it might be a safer place for her son.

So one day, she approached Sean while he was working on homework, a pamphlet for Romano’s on one hand. “Sean, can I talk to you about something?” she asked him.

Sean obediently dropped what he was doing and turned to face her with a smile. “Sure, Mom. What is it?”

Mrs. Jones fidgeted with the pamphlet as she tried to broach the subject gently. “Have you heard of the new school that opened up, Romano’s Constitutional Haven?”

Sean nodded, wondering where his mom was going with this. “Sure, some of the guys at school have talked about it, and I heard of a few people who transferred there for this year. It’s supposed to be military-style, right?”

His mom nodded back. “That’s right. Very structured, and students are required to maintain good grades and behavior. Considering what has happened to you lately…” she didn’t want to specify, because even just alluding to it was painful to her, “…I thought it might be a safer place for you to go to school, if you’re interested.”

Sean nodded at the suggestion. “Sure, sounds good,” he agreed easily.

Mrs. Jones was concerned that he son hadn’t even taken a moment to think about it. She knew he was obedient, but this was a major change. She didn’t want him to try it if it wasn’t really something he wanted. “Are you sure? I won’t force you to go if you don’t want to. It’s just a suggestion. Here, read the information to help you decide.” She offered him the pamphlet, which gave an overview of the campus, student expectations, coursework, and application process.

His mom might just have been offering a suggestion, but to Sean a suggestion was as good as an order, so he was already settled on the idea of applying. “It’s fine, Mom. I’m happy to try it if you think it’s a good idea.” He took the pamphlet and flipped through the other sections briefly before studying the one on how to apply.

It didn’t take him long to get his application together and submit it. Since his grades and school record were good, he was accepted with no fuss. He was able to transfer to Romano’s shortly after.

Mrs. Jones helped he son move into the dorms, feeling as if he was growing up fast and she was sending him off to college already. Once that was done, she had the bittersweet task of bidding him farewell. “Well, this is it,” she told him. “Study hard, be good, and come visit when you can,” she told him as she gave him a hug.

“I will, Mom,” he assured her as he hugged her back. While his mom would have loved to linger, she had to let go and head home. Sean waved goodbye, then turned his attention to settling in and getting used to his new school.