Insanity

1

I gulped the fresh winter air as I stepped out of my home for the first time in two days. Let’s just say I can be a hermit when it comes to the weekend. I smiled lightly as I skipped down the street while humming skip to my Lou.

Skip, skip, and skip to my Lou. Skip, skip, and skip to my Lou. Skip, skip, and skip to my Lou. Skip to my Lou, my darling.

Yes, I know. A 13 year old skipping and humming like a little kid, but hey! Don’t knock it till you try it! It was actually my birthday a few months ago in November and I was one of the young kids in my classes. Not the youngest but certainly not the oldest. I hated being 13 because it meant I was growing up and growing up was not the most fun thing but for some reason I'm one of the most mature kids it my age group. I know how to take care of myself and everything but I just don't really want to yet.

I felt a weird sensation in my stomach but I brushed them off because I haven't eaten yet. I went to the store and bought myself a sandwich that had extra turkey. I don't eat too much and it's not because I'm anorexic, yuck, the very thought insults me. It’s because I get full really easily, unless its junk food, I can always make room for those, but when I do eat, I eat. I stopped skipping for a few minutes and sang the song no rain by blind melon softly to myself as I walked down the street to school. I had my messenger bag over my shoulder and my big folder in my hands as I whistled to myself. My fingers lifted to the necklace that dangled on my neck in the shape of a heart but with hidden letters spelling out aloha. I smiled softly as I thought of my mother whom bought it for me when she went to Hawaii and brought it back. I took a deep breath and released it as the light to walk turned on and I crossed the street. I had gone through this street so many times that I feel comfortable walking down the familiar streets. My gray coat pressed against my tightly as I pulled the hood over my head and pulled my two pig tails to rest comfortably on either side of my neck. I was in front of the school when the bell rang and I walked inside, watching as kids scrambled to get to class or were just hanging back with friends not caring if they were late. I never understood why they do that. Do they take pride in knowing they might not graduate and think their cool because they get F's in their classes and U's in work habits and cooperation? I think that's pretty shameful because they don't realize it now but when they realize they aren't getting anywhere in life, it will slap them and it will slap them hard, hard enough that it will slap them into next week. I walked towards my class and walked into homeroom where there were people laughing and talking. I sat in the front because no one else sat there and I pulled out a book before pushing my hood back and getting lost into My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. I loved the book and its plot, definitely a must read.

In case you didn't know, I'm in 8th grade and just about to get out of middle school, like really, its June 6th today and the last day of school. I yawned and looked at the clock before I turned back to my book but was distracted by the sound of clashing tables from behind me. I looked back and saw a group of kids pushing each other and my homeroom teacher shaking his head before waving his hand and telling them to stop before turning back to his work. It’s always been like this. I have to say he was my favorite teacher because in both classes that I have him for, he is a pretty laid back guy. Mr. Dallas is about middle aged with gray hairs already showing, probably from all the stress of having to handle noisy kids like the ones in the back, and he likes to play music while we work on our class work. I like his taste in music but I don't talk much in class so I don't really compliment him on his taste. I’m usually the last one to leave his class because I don't rush like the other kids and I always say good bye before leaving, it’s just basic manners. I read for most of my period before the bell rang. The bell is an annoying beeping sound that is really loud but after a while you just learn to deal with it and it doesn't bug you that much anymore, but occasionally, when it's really quite and you're concentrating on something, it takes you by surprise and scares the holy moly out of you.

I heard the class zip out of the classroom before I even had a chance to stand up and I put my book back into my bag before I said good bye to Mr. Dallas and made my way to first period. The day went mostly like that for P.E., geometry, history, drama, English, and science and finally the bell rang for us to go home. I live in a small town that has a few stores in it for everything you need but not everything you want. The city is only a few miles away and most students ride the bus to the city to go home but I live in the neighborhood and I'm the only one, evidently. I walked with my hands shoved in my pockets but stopped in the middle of the side walk as I got a weird feeling in my stomach. I shook it off as hunger as I hadn't eaten since I ate that turkey sandwich in the morning and started off again but I only took a few steps before it came back harder and more painful. I felt sick for a minute but I held it in as I took a granola bar from my side pouch before taking a huge chunk out of it. I leaned against the nearest wall to me, which happened to be Mr. Baron’s house, the grumpy old man whom often stayed inside but had a strange liking to me; I guess I just appealed to him. Anyway, I could feel the granola settle inside my stomach and I decided to take the short cut to my house... which happens to be a little away from town in the woods. Such clique. I tripped over my own feet before I stood up straight and took long strides to the cut off road to my house.

I had been walking for a while and I could feel the day getting later before I leaned against a big tree with my breaths coming out in short pants. I could feel sweat lining my brows and my stomach was queasy, like when you're playing hide-and-go-seek and the person seeking is near you're hiding place and you get that strange feeling in your stomach for the excitement and nervousness that is somewhat uncomfortable. I could feel a chill going down my spine as I got goose bumps and I wasn't sure what was happening. I felt tense and the sun was beginning to go down and it was getting colder by the minute. My jacket didn't seem to do much for me even though it was really thick and my pig tails were now braids to keep the hair out of my face. So I took my jacket off and slung it over my backpack. I was determined to keep moving as I took a step forward, only to have my knee give out and drop me to the floor. I could literally feel my knees tremble but it wasn't from fear, more like from running and then you stop and your muscles feel like liquid because you've exhausted them, but yes I was a bit afraid. I slowly lowered myself to the ground so I wouldn't fall and hurt myself like the klutz I know I am. You can’t fall if you’re already on the ground. I put my head in between my knees and took deep breaths.

I sat down and leaned against a root that poked high off the ground but the feeling in my stomach was getting more uncomfortable and I couldn't stop moving to get comfortable. I got a bad taste in my mouth, kind of like that morning breath taste you get when you wake up. I pulled a stick of gum from my back pocket and chewed on it feverishly as I hate the taste of morning breath. I suddenly yelped as I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. Ouch, that hurt. I grabbed my stomach and rolled onto a fetal position. Man, this is uncomfortable. I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut but suddenly I stretched out and felt my back arch. I opened my mouth but I couldn't scream through the pain I felt shooting through my brain, I could only groan and complain. I banged my head against the dirt floor as I got on my knees and pressed my forehead to the cold dirt. I clenched my hands tightly and dug my toes into the dirt. I thrashed as I felt my body begin to twist. I felt so uncomfortable and I could only move and twist to get comfortable. I don't know what happened after that but I only know that I was in a lot of pain and by the time I opened my eyes, it was sunrise. I stood up but froze as I looked around me and then at myself.

I swear I was dreaming… that or there was something in that granola bar…