School Days

A young boy, aged twelve, named David, lived with his parents, a father who worked in finance, and a mother who worked as a chef. David had just passed his sixth year of school,and had moved on to year seven. He had just moved to his new, senior school. First few weeks went well. Teachers introduced, children making new friends, all seemed well. That is, until that one day.

David had overheard a bunch of his classmates whisper to themselves about a plan on how to make David himself the most embarrassing creature in the school. David was on full alert that day, but unfortunately, he wasn’t alert enough.

Down went the bucket, full of boiling hot water, and splash went the water onto David. David leapt out a huge scream that echoed throughout the entire school hall. He was wet, burning, hurt, but what did the children care. Nothing but laughter had been heard from the audience. Embarrassed, ruined reputation, teachers ran to the source of the scream that was David, not to help, but to punish.

David, sent to an after school detention, framed for something that was entirely not his fault. As it was home-time, David noticed, whilst sitting in his desk, the same boys who ruined David’s reputation- A grin was let out by, who seemed to be the leader. David was depressed, sorrowful, heartbroken, felt responsible for all of this. This would be a day that would haunt David throughout his first term.

Two hours of meaningless detention passed. David packed his bags, full of sorrow, and walked the very same path he had taken to get to school. Worried about what he would say if his parents were to ask what happened today. He approached his front door, ready to confess but to defend as well. The door swung open, but what David saw…would scar him for ever.

Father…lying, coughing on the ground. Mother…in the living room, crying for help over the phone. A word that David had never come across before: ambulance.

“Help, please!” David heard from his mothers voice “Please send an ambulance!” there was that word again.

David was crying. Water dripping from his right eye, and moments later, his left eye.

Seconds later, ran in strange men carrying a bed of some sort. A bed they could lift. They placed David’s father onto the bed, but David knew. David knew it was too late. His father had given up breathing long before. His mother slapped him away and ran after the men. David was alone.

Had hope been lost? Was there even a point to continue? These questions spun around David’s head. He bent down, elbow to floor, and remained in that position for a few seconds.

Standing back up, he shuffled to the basement. It was dark, but lights were turned on. He walked to a wall, and stood on a carpet. A hole in the wall. David reached into the hole and pulled out a box. It was a small box, accompanied with a small lock. David searched underneath the carpet and found a small key to accompany the small lock on the small box.

The key fit perfectly. David slowly, but gently opened the small box. Inside a small red pill.

“This is the day…the day you are put to use my little escape route.” whispered David to himself. This was his escape from all this. No more.

“No more.” were David’s final words.

Mother returned home, crying. The only thing she thought that could cheer her, even the slightest bit, up was apologizing to David.

“David! I’m sorry!”

She waited…silence.

Stefuse Olsson, 15, Berlin British School, Germany