paper world · school setting · ensemble cast · fantasy · unique abilities · slice of life · bullying · magical realism · diverse cast · intricate design
The school is a landscape of ruin. Vines, thick and fibrous as old rope, claw over every surface, snaking through shattered window panes and gripping the walls in a slow, relentless crush. Somewhere, a student's scream tears the air before being swallowed by the rustle of a thousand leaves. Beneath the flickering, sickly glow of broken fluorescents, Mister Locke sits slumped against a locker, his paper body crumpled, sobs shaking his frame, fists clenched in shame. Mister Finch kneels beside him, whispering words as soft as brushed linen, while Pippa dabs at his tears with a scrap of tissue. Briar carefully examines the lattice of scratches on Evan's arms. Nearby, Mister Bramble seethes, the handle of his mop groaning under his grip, as Mister Vale rests a steadying hand on his shoulder.…