Mud Girl

God is not real

Mud girl? Really? How original. It's the first day and it hasn't even been 3 hours and I've already messed up. I'm not just going to be smelling like mud for the rest of the day and my mom is probably going to kill me, but I also already have a nickname, which means I might be a victim for the rest of the year. My knee hurts a lot, but I must admit that I enjoy the mud and the rain, you don't know when it's going to start and when it's going to end, well that's if you don't watch the weather news.

I am currently sitting behind a tree, avoiding the laughter of the other students. Maybe I'm overreacting and this is a one-time thing, and they'll forget I exist. I really hope so.

The bell rings and everyone is running to their classes. Georgia stands up and walks to her classroom, feeling a tummy ache as she goes, maybe it's nerves. She watches the yard slowly getting empty. She arrives at her classroom and sees "religion class" written on the board. She looks surprised to see this, but immediately changes to a serious face, and goes to take a seat.

I totally forgot that this school is Catholic. My whole family is, and they think I am too. In fact, for a person with a lot of imagination, I don't believe in these things.

"Okay, students, get ready to start with prayer." Said the teacher.

They all put their hands together and put them in front of their mouth. They started praying, except Georgia. Some students noticed and looked at her strangely, was it so bad not to believe? When they finished, the teacher wrote "God" on the board.

"It is a little strange that the general term for a superior being in a religion is 'God' and that the name of the God of the Catholic religion is also 'God', what does it mean? Is it superior to all other religions?" Georgia thought.

"Well kids, what does 'God' mean to you?" Asked the teacher to the whole class.

Many raised their hands and started saying answers such as "For me, God is love", "God is everything", "God is a superior being", "God is our salvation", "God is our creator", "God is our father". While everyone seemed to appreciate him, Georgia slowly raised her hand.

"You" Said the teacher, directing Georgia to say her answer.

Georgia stood next to her seat, a few people started to giggle at her stained uniform.

"For me, God does not exist." Georgia said in a loud and clear voice.

Everyone stopped laughing and looked confused, especially the teacher. "Excuse me?" She said to confirm what she had heard.

"I said, God is not real." she said in an even louder voice.

"Well young lady, why do you think God is not real?" asked the teacher.

"I just don't" Georgia replied.

The teacher sighed and looked away.

"Well, maybe it's because there is no proof that he is real, in my opinion science makes more sense, otherwise the world wouldn't be as bad as it is now, right?" Georgia replied to her question.

"There is plenty of evidence that he exists" Said a student as she quickly stood up from her seat.

"Oh really? Like what? The bible? How do you know it wasn't really written by a drunk old man? Or by a schizophrenic?" Georgia replied to the girl's comment.

"All right girls, calm down" The teacher tried to reassure the two girls.

"No, let me give you a suggestion, don't teach only one religion, there are people who don't believe and feel uncomfortable listening to your nonsense! God is everything? So God is the tortures, the deaths, the kidnappings, the rapes, the-"

"ENOUGH" The teacher screamed and began to write in a note quickly, then went straight to Georgia, put the note in her hand and pulled her tightly by the arm.

"Ouch! Let go!" Georgia whined as the teacher pulled her to the door and pushed her out of the room.

"Go to the principal's office, NOW!" The teacher ordered Georgia.

Georgia was frightened and her eyes became watery. The teacher slammed the door, leaving Georgia on the floor. Apparently in this school they punished students with beatings and physical abuse.

"Great, now two teachers already hate me. Wait... What happened? Why did I suddenly start complaining about something that had nothing wrong? Why did I suddenly become so mad?" Georgia thought. She was very confused. She stood up and started walking down the halls, she didn't know where the principal's office was. She started pacing, reanalyzing the details she had seen earlier. After some time, She arrived at the office. She was so scared, what was she going to say? 'I just insulted the whole school's religion'?... Finally, she decided to go inside.

"Didn't your parents teach you any manners? Try again and knock the door" Said a man sitting at his desk, apparently he was the principal.

Georgia closed the door, took a breath, and knocked.

"You can come in" Said the man from inside.

Georgia slowly opened the door and sat down in the chairs in front of the desk.

"So...? What can I do for you?" Asked the director while curiously looking at her muddy clothes.

Georgia noticed and covered her clothes with her arms. "Uhh..." Georgia sighed. "I fell asleep in my first class and insulted the Catholic religion."

The man was surprised. "Excuse me?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah, that's why the teacher sent me here." She said as she slammed her hand on the table to leave the note that the teacher had previously given her. The man put on his glasses and got away from the paper to get a better look, she had indeed insulted the beliefs of her classmates.

"Well... then I'll have to call your parents." Said the principal

"What?" Said Georgia in a panic. "No! You can't call them, they're busy at... uhh... working!"

The man ignored her and began to look through some papers.

"Hey? Are you listening to me?" Georgia insisted, but the man continued to ignore her. She gave up and lay back in the chair. Now she had really messed up.