The Toxic Tea Shop

Chapter 1: A speech to the masses “And now a reading from Miss Sakamoto, from class 2B” said Mr Strauss, the whole base clapped me as I walked across the stage to the microphone. I felt so small under so many stares, I looked down at the piece of paper which was supposed to have my speech written on it, instead it had a picture of a cowboy riding a narwhal on the moon, no, I don’t know how that works either but it does so ok? I looked up from the paper, and stared at the back wall of the classroom, through the porthole positioned there and into the deep blue water beyond. I took a deep breath and began: “I am grateful. I am grateful for the food we eat and the water we drink. I am grateful for the walls which keep us safe, and dry” There was a small chuckle from the audience, “I am grateful for the friends and family I have. I am grateful for my education and the teachers who provide it. I am grateful for the life I lived and will live. But most of all, I am grateful for the ove...