The Storybook of Uncle Mech

Reggie's troublesome morning

The alarm breaks the silence of the attic with it's terrifying sound. Well... usually it sounds annoying, but today, today it has a reason to sound scary, at least for me.

I knew this day would come, sooner or later. I stop the screams of the damn clock and get out of the comfort and safety of my bed. Unwillingly, I stand up. Facing towards the door, I start to march. The calendar hanged on the door greets me, I examine it. 'Maybe I was wrong? Maybe it's not today' I think to myself, yet I am not that lucky... I leave the room

After a quick and cold shower, I dry myself. While looking at the mirror, a pale figure appears. It has no light in its eyes. As if all of the joy and happiness left and the withered corpse was standing there showing no signs of life. It didn't take too long for me to realize that it was my reflection... 'It's horrible... what have I became?' these were the only words that I could say at the moment.

I gathered all my might inside of my left palm. Breathe in; out... A loud scream... no, more like battle cry aggressively occupied the house. After few short moments a loud smack stopped the noise and led to a dead silence. The figure that was in front of me, the reflection that looked like a decaying corpse turned into a man with full of life, anger and thirst for blood. 

"I can do it! I will be victorious! It doesn't matter if thousands will stand on my way, It doesn't matter that I am not ready for this, it doesn't matter if will be gone after this! I shall take on this fight and I will do my best, even if the route I will take won't be just or noble!"

Motivated and full of strength I go back to my attic. I put on my battle gear consisting of a white long sleeve shirt, khaki chino pants, light blue tie, dark brown moccasins and a belt. For the last time, I fill my lungs with the sweet scent of dust and deodorant that my room has. With a few pens in my hand leave my room.

Going down the stairs I briefly look over the paintings and old family pictures. Those beautiful sights and the happy smiles make me wish to go into the frame and disappear, I wish I wouldn't be here. Going back to good moments of past for just a second or two warms my heart and puts a smile on my face. I slowly continue to go down. As I reach the ground floor and touch the handle of the entrance door, my mom loudly calls me "Reggie! Come here have some omelet". 

"I'm in a hurry, I'll get something outside don't worry".

 "Take care of yourself." She screams.

 Putting my pens in my pocket I open the door. With a stoic figure, and a fake smile I leave.

Cold wind caresses my face. As I walk near to the bus stop, I see the other people who will participate in the upcoming battle. Some are confident, full of energy and optimism; some are nervous but trying to find comfort in silly conversations with others, the rest are reading books, checking their notes or preparing cheat sheets. Reaching the bus stop I realize that I left my bag, meaning I won't be able to look up and repeat the material nor prepare something.

I quickly check my wallet to see if something in it could help, but there was nothing that would be useful for exam. It's filled with 13 dollars and a quarter and a piece thorn of paper with writings on it. As I read the content of it I start to feel bit warmer.

... soon enough. Reggie don't you worry about upsetting things, let them go and you will feel better I promise.

Love you Mae

Again, I go away from the reality and forget about my problems. I remember 7th grade. "Back then I used to be one of the best students in my class..."

 As I get into the school bus, I slowly bury myself in memories and how easy my life was. All of the sudden a strong push snaps me out of it.

"Dude you must be prepared for the upcoming exam, right?"

 "What?" I say with confused tone. 

"You were so happily smiling that I thought you will become one of the honor students this year... so was I right?" asked my friend Aaron, returning me to reality and destroying my mood.

 "Nah dude, I'm so screwed, I didn't even open my books for last month."

 "Whoa... I hope you know that if you won't pass today's exam you will be forced to stay after school for weeks for extra classes? And the makeup exam will be held just before the finals so you will need to know all the material, at least partially."

 After he said those words my ruined mood turned in to panic. "Are you ready?" I asked with nervous tone.

 "Dude I am always ready to get at least a C and if everything goes well even a B." He said with proud expression.

 My envy caused my fists to itch and a certain desire to leave my mark on his face rose. Somehow I calmed myself just before we arrived to school. "Aaron, would you mind if I sit with you?"

 "Yes, sure... lunch is on you then?"

"Ok just get me through this"

We got off the bus. Today our school seems especially crowded since every student with no exceptions must attend. It could be said that teachers won't be bothered if you miss classes yet if a student misses exam or a quiz there will be problems. However I couldn't care less about those who will miss school today, I was getting stressed over how I will get out of the classroom with a better grade.

Aaron disappears in the crowd while we walk towards the entrance. Even though I know that we will be in the same class, losing the only person who could be of any help out of sight makes me feel desperate.

I notice a weird trend. While I try to cheer myself up by attempting to mentally leave the reality and change the setting the surroundings won't let me go. As if they are aiming to set my mood in a way that I will feel suicidal. Every bit of courage that I gathered today by motivating myself in front of the mirror, looking at pictures of my happy childhood and reading an old letter that my long gone sister wrote me just faded as people around kept me reminding of what's coming.

I realize that it was my fault in a first place. I should have studied or at least skimmed the topics; still why you people set an aura makes air feel so rough and the upcoming examination feel like a massacre that can't be avoided. With those conclusions I enter my class.

What was unexpectedly tragic for me the moment enter the class is that there was a list with names. I found mine with ease but other names weren't that familiar. The population of the class was different too. Some upperclassmen were sitting in back of the class.

 "Damn! Why we need to be in this class?" says one of them. I realize that the teachers changed the classes to avoid people cheating.

While I curse everything that exists, the teacher comes in with a bunch of papers. Sadly the moment has come. I put my pens on the desk. Teacher announces the rules. The papers are given. The exam begins.

After two hours I exit the room with a weird taste on my tongue. Was it that bad as I imagined? Maybe. Was it that horrible? Not really. As I leave, I feel like an idiot. It wasn't worth of all the fuss that I made. I was through it and I didn't want to talk about it. In the end I just wished that I stayed for that breakfast that mom prepared,

What happened during the exam and what I got? Well... it's another story for another day.