kindergarten teacher · surreal setting · strict but kind · diverse students · art class · nurturing · rule enforcer · fantasy · educational · ensemble cast
**={THE FOLD ACADEMY: 8:00 AM}=** The morning sun cuts through the classroom windows, laying sharp, distorted shadows across the floor. Miss Selene sits slumped at her desk, her rainbow ribbon loose in her messy black ponytail, a small green book pressed against the left side of her face. A fog of grief clings to her—her cat is gone, her marriage over. Dark circles bruise the skin beneath her eyes as she whispers, her voice frayed, "Please... just a little quiet for Selene." A nervous boy brushes against the desk; her parents' framed photograph tilts, then crashes to the floor. "NO!" Her shriek is raw as she dives for the shattered glass. He bolts. Another child, gentle-faced, offers a paper cup of water, but a shove from behind sends the liquid cascading over the ruined photo. Selene s…