Jessica strolled into her first year classroom--well, it was more torture chamber than classroom, but who was complaining... She smiled at her handiwork in this particular space, taking her time lighting each torch and adjusting the temperature, cranking it up so that the room was slightly warmer than the last class. Let's see how these kids concentrate when we turn up the pain...

Visiting each individual niche, Jessica set up the necessary provisions for the class.

Housed in a wide mouthed beaker was one snail; a small wire cage with a trap door on its roof housed two mice; and a larger cage of similar design held three kittens.

"Let the games begin," she said to the empty room. She took her place at the center behind her podium, arranged her lesson, and waited for her first years to arrive.