Surviving my Scholarship

The Last Word

                Scrape. Grumble, grumble. Why is this so heavy?

                Scrape. Pant, pant. You would think this would be more portable.

                Scrape. Thunk. "Yes," I called out putting a fist in the air. I'm guessing the noise caused Pierce to peer into the hallway. There he was a doorway ahead of me with his eyebrow cocked upward and his blue eyes screaming "What are you doing?"

                "Mrs. Galloway and I are going ice skating," I told him before he could actually ask. He glanced down at the large metal contraption at my feet and smirked with a shake of his head. That's right! I'm back!

                It took me half my available time this morning to get the miniature ice maker out of the storage closet and down this ridiculously long hallway. Finally, after I soaked through one of my white button up shirts, I had managed to get it onto a small throw carpet and figured I could drag it the rest of the way on that easier. Needless to say, it was heavy.

                He went back into the room and the door slid shut. I glanced over at it. Really? He just saw me struggling and now he just ditches me here pulling this thing? I take the two corners of the rug in each hand and plant my feet. I pull with a slight grunt and it moves slightly. I get excited and pull again only to realize I should have moved my feet.

                Bang. I fell hard onto my bottom. I stared at the thing as if it was its fault. Yeah you did this machine. You made me sweat and get all red. Now look! My poor bottom hurts. I stand up rubbing it slightly and kick the side of the machine. A soft murmur starts and then it sounds like it is grinding rocks. I cover my ears as I stare down at the thing.

                "I didn't mean it," I scream. "I'm sorry." Jon comes running down the stairs. Sure. He doesn't mind all the scraping on the floor only a loud motorized grinding gets him in action. He stares at me and says something but I can't hear him. He bends down and pushes a big blue light on the side and it stops.

                "There is no ice skating in the hallways," Jon grumbled at me and I look down at my feet. "Not since, Pierce did that prank when he was a toddler." He looked at the machine and then back at me. "Well?"

                "I was trying to get it to the pool," I sheepishly admit as I stare down still. "Mrs. Galloway said she hasn't skated in so long and I wanted to learn." I move my black boot slightly tracing an imaginary pattern on the floor. Jon sighs as he glances at me and then the machine.

                "Why didn't you activate the hover board," he chuckled and pushed a giant, and I mean the size of my head, button and the thing hovers nicely off the ground.

                "Are you kidding me," I nearly fall down in the shock. "It was so heavy!"

                Jon shakes his head as he starts guiding it down the hallway. "Come on Hercules."

              I follow behind excited to see it moving so nicely. When, we pass the kitchen, the chef peeks out and a huge wicked smile curves her face almost reaching her eyes. I look at her in concern and she walks back in pulling out new items from the pantry with a renewed force. I stare for so long, I bump into the machine in front of me skidding it slightly ahead.

                "It needs ice," Jon calls out from the freezer. He comes out with a chunk and places it within the machine before opening the door and signaling for me to follow. "You say you have never skated before? Didn't you live on Earth? It is huge there."