Non-Fiction

CONDITION: Non-Fiction

PROMPT: Write about the day you were late for no good reason.

It was five years ago. Life had become a burden to us. We were in an unforgiving boot camp. No days off except the Sabbath. Strict diet. Strict regiment. All for the sake of our final exams. 

We didn’t even want to get into high school that badly. With each passing day, it was crystal clear that the teachers were in it for themselves. Their target was to gloat! Gloat about our success. Gloat about how they were our backbones. Gloat about how we were damned without them. 

I remember that Saturday. As if waking up wasn’t tough enough. After a while, I managed to push away the temptation to sleep in. Mum was on her marks. I slipped into my shoes and she did too.

We hopped into the car and she dumped me off soon after.

Up the stairs. To my class. Lessons started, lessons ended. The boring tutor put us to sleep. Nothing learnt, time wasted. 

Half the class dashed out of the school to get some food. I won’t be wrong to say I led the crowd. My clique decided that some variety was in order. Thirty minutes was our limit. Authorities! Did they really mean it? 

The trek commenced. We bypassed plain rice, cakes and pies. We ignored the fries, and walked past burgers. There were fruits and there were snacks yet nothing seemed to cause that spark. 

We were hungry, we were tired, but we found nothing that we liked. 

Disappointed souls. Dusty feet and weary hearts. We returned to class. Time wasted, nothing eaten, in line for a beating. Are you really asking me why?

We came back an hour after break time expired!