Dragged to my knees

Chapter 15

My feet hurt as though I have been walking for days. Pausing for breath, I skim my eyes over the surrounding area.

The place is arid as far as the eye can see. Every few steps, I spot rocks that look like they could be pumice. The parched path on which I tread has been heated by the scorching sun and burns my feet.

I feel a constant sting in my eyes from both the glare of the sun and the constant running of my sweat into them. I feel drained, abandoned, but still I walk on.

A few feet in front of me, lays a cluster of plants with yellow flowers. Dragging my heavy laden feet, I inspect the flowers.

It feels like I know this plant and yet I am certain that I have never encountered it. The word 'mad' floats around in my memory and I struggle to grasp a name which seems to be just at my fingertips.

Plucking one of the flowers, I feel the petals tenderly between my thumb and forefinger. 'Madwort.' Yes that must be its name. I must have encountered it in some book or something

Suddenly, the intensity of the sun's rays spirals rapidly to a peak and I fall on my knees, dehydrated and dying. I pant as my tongue hangs loosely from my cracked lips.

A snake slithers by and I know for sure that my end has come. Slowly, it approaches and begins to wrap itself snugly around my arm. Its skin reflects the sun's rays and I can feel myself slipping into oblivion as though my blood has been infused with ether...

Thwack! The sound literally ricochets off the walls of the silent library as a book connects with the side of my face. I jump up with a start; feeling disoriented and barely avoid bumping my head with the side of the desk that has been partitioned off for privacy.

"What the..." I begin, rubbing my throbbing cheek.

"Oh good, he's finally awake." I hear Alex saying.

Although I still feel a bit out of it, my vision clears and with it comes my sense of direction. I'm still seated in the library, right where I fell asleep but now, the twins, Mary, Alex and the librarian all stand hovering over me like vultures.

"You missed math class." Says Alex.

"And ICT. He let us out early though; not that it matters" Mary chimes in

My eyes widen in shock. How on earth did I sleep for that long? With what they're saying I've missed all my classes before the end of school.

I take a quick glance at my watch and sure enough the numbers 14:45 glare back at me in their harsh red colour.

"We thought you passed out or something,"

"I have no idea how that happened." I reply. "I was just going to take a little nap but I guess I was more tired than I realized."

"Well, we can see that." Replies Davina.

"What'd you do last night? Rob a bank?" her sister jokes and everyone laughs.

"It's complicated." I reply nervously as I begin gathering up my stuff.

"Are you okay?"

"Did something happen?"

I look up to see that they're all peering at me waiting for some sort of explanation.

"All good." I reply off-handedly. "Let's go."

Everyone looks like they would like to say something else, but I cast them a pleading look that warns them to drop the subject and they hold their tongues. I start walking away and they hesitantly follow suit.