Schools Out

“Edyth! Get up girl or you’re gonna be late!”

Mother’s voice penetrated my brain dislodging me from the warm dark haze I didn’t want to leave. I opened one eye to see what she was doing in my room.

“Edyth, if you don’t get moving I’m gonna yank those covers off you.”

“I don’t wanna.”

“I don’t care what you want.”

“Mm, do I have to?” I closed my eyes and dug myself deeper under the covers.

“Edyth, I swear!”

The nest I snuggled in flew away as Mother stripped the sheets back, exposing me and my pink pajamas to the light of day.

“Mother!” I heard myself screech.

“Get up. You’re not going back to sleep.”

“Why do I have to go? It’s the last day of school.”

“No arguing. Get up. Get dressed. Make your bed and get downstairs for breakfast.”

I groaned as I swung my feet to the floor. School clothes lay on the chair next to my bed. Mother had put them there. She stood in the doorway, determining if I was awake.

“I’m up.” I assured her.

Mother gave me a hard look, daring me to go back to sleep. I was awake, and I glared at her until she left. Ack, I couldn’t understand why I had to go to school today. The only thing happening was silly teachers telling us to enjoy our summer and making sure we had all our papers. I’d rather start summer break right now. I guess it was only one more day. But it was gonna be torture.

Dressed, my bed made, I headed downstairs for breakfast. I chased colored loops of cold cereal around in the bowl of milk until the milk turned a sickly gray color. Mother grabbed it out of my hands and shooed me out the door. The walk to school took forever, but at last I sat at my desk and watched the minute hand on the clock behind my teacher. It jumped and stuttered before creeping ahead.

She droned on and on and the clock stopped for long minutes before the hand clicked forward. One minute closer to my release. I counted every second until the hand moved again. I gazed out the window at the blue sky and green trees. A soft wind tickled through their leaves. Birds sang, and a squirrel tiptoed across the power lines. They got to go exploring. They didn’t go to boring old school like I did. I squirmed in my seat wishing I could go climb a tree like the squirrel.

My friends were getting anxious too. Bobby was thumb wrestling with Joe while the girls whispered about Sally’s sleep over birthday party in a few days. The teacher kept shushing us. I kept monitoring the clock. The bell was gonna ring. I eased my bag out from under my desk and slipped it over my shoulder. Five, four, three, two, one. The buzzer sounded and I raced to the door. Free! It would be ages before school started again.

“Yippee!”

“No more school.” My friends and I chanted and sang as we spilled through the doors to the promise of great adventures.

I skipped, I danced, I twirled. Summer break was here!

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer