The Projects

I walk down to Christie subway station after school. The station is packed with people but I manage to squeeze past everyone and get onto the subway. While I'm on the subway I think about the creative writing project that Sarah handed out in class today and think about the good ideas that she gave us for our stories. I sit beside an old man with a white beard. I could write about him in my book. I take out my sketchbook and do a quick drawing. I also write down what he looks like.

-Old man around his 80s

-White hair and beard (looks like Santa)

-Clothes make him look like he lives in the woods

-Could be a wizard in book

When I look up from my sketchbook I see a woman reading the newspaper. She is young, looks around 25. Maybe 30? She's wearing a long coat made out of cotton and tall leather boots and black leggings. Her hair is up in a bun and she's wearing bright red lipstick. She could be a spy, a weather woman, a prostitute, all kinds of crazy things. I write my impetrations in my sketchbook. I look at her, trying to figure out a name that would fit her. Jane? As I'm writing these things down, she looks at me, right in the eyes. She must think I'm crazy or something because she gets off at the next stop, Bathurst.

When Jamie looks up from her newspaper and looks outside from the subway, she was passing Christie Station. She takes a glimpse at her watch. Its half past three. "Shit I'm going to be late, but the only thing I can do is wait for my stop." She looks around the subway to see if she's being followed. There's a teenage girl across from her. The girl is looking back and forth from a sketchbook and to Jamie. What is she writing? Is she a spy? She looks at her trying to figure her out. Jamie thinks she notices her looking at her because the girl stops writing. As soon as Jamie gets to the next stop she gets off. Thinking, I can't afford to lose my cover.

As soon as the woman walks out of the subway doors I pack up my pencil and sketchbook and follow her out. I get stuck in a huge crowd of people pushing to get into the subway. "Damn it, I lost her. She was supposed to get me an A."

Jamie pushes through the crowed as fast as she could. She needed to get away. When she got outside it was cold. Snow was still falling. Jamie walked across the sidewalk to the curb and got a cab. No more subways. She looks down at my watch. "It's too late. I lost my chance. I've blown my assignment."

When I open my eyes the sun is bright. I turn over to look at my clock. 8:20. "No, no, no I can't be late for school again Sarah's going to kill me!" I leap out of bed and get dressed as fast as I can. I run over to the washroom to brush my teeth and hair. "John! I'm going to be late for school let me in!" "I don't care Maisy I'm having a shower go down stairs!" "That little bugger annoys me so much."

Jamie woke up at the crack of dawn, just in time to catch the street car. When she got off the street car she walked over to a bench outside an enormous building. She sat down and reached her hand under the bench. She can feel it there. She took her hand out from under the bench holding a brown envelop, she opens it. It's the next assignment.

I run to school as fast as I can. I can feel the snowflakes hit my skin. My face stings as the coldness touches it. All I think about is that, I'm going to be late. I'm going to fail and I'm not going to get into high school.

Jamie walks down to a school, Delta Alternative. She walks into the school and down the hall to the principal's office. "I'm the substitute teacher for Sarah today. Where is her class?" "On the third floor at the end of the hall Miss." "Thank you."

I run up stairs as fast as my lags can carry me. I run down the hall into Sarah's room. Everyone is talking and on their phones. "Where's Sarah Maia?" "She's sick, we have a sub. Let's pretend we have different names!" I turn around and look down the hall. It's her. It's the woman that was on the subway.