A Day Gone Bad

Clap!Clap!Clap!

The class gave me a round of applause as the teacher gave the exam results.

I got first place, again for the nth time.

I used to feel it everytime, the euphoria I got when the class praised me for being first. It felt good.

The elation I felt the first time when people cheered me kept me going to do better than the rest.

So I tried to always outperform my peers in almost every activity even if it meant sacrificing some other things I deemed not important.

Academic, I always ranked first in every exam. How? I make no mistakes.

Music, I play the violin better than anyone at school. But I didn't attend any events to show this talent of mine except in music classes.

Art, I am so good at art that the art teacher doesn't even teach me anything.

Sports, I got a place in my room dedicated to the awards and medals I won at swimming, diving, running, cycling and fencing. How? I prepared for the events like an animal even as people discouraged me against it. Thinking that I was pushing myself too hard.

And that was what I wanted, to overexert myself, to push beyond my physical capabilities.

As I pushed myself harder and harder I found my physical capabilities increasing everytime. Ofcourse I broke down often but I never gave up, I never stopped.

But something changed in the summer. Ever since senior year started I no longer craved for the praise that I always yearned for. I no longer felt the drive to do better. And I didn't feel the elation I felt when being applauded.

I felt nothing. It was like I was lost in a place with no purpose.

College starts next year and I don't know what I should do.

My Parents, family, friends, and teachers all gave me advice on what I should choose next.

But ever since last summer I don't feel like going to college let alone choose a college and course that matches the expectations of everyone.

The bell rang as the class ended and everyone started to rush to the cafeteria to have lunch.

I didn't feel like staying at school anymore so I took my bag and was ready to skip when I was stopped by one of my classmate, Tom who is in the swim team.

He noticed the bag and asked "Where are you going?"

"I am skipping the rest of the classes today?", I replied back.

"Why?What about the swim meet in the evening."

"Don't worry I will be there in time."

"What should I tell the coach?"

"Tell him that I will be there in time."

"You still didn't tell me where you are going."

I left the classroom not waiting for him to catch up with me. He didn't need to know about where I am going because I don't know where I am going either.

I took the back exit of the high school, it is one of the places where no on really pays attention to.

The town was surrounded by mountains with only a single road leading out of the town which lead to a bridge out of town that crossed a river

The high school is located at the edge of the town with the tree covered mountains in its backyard, with only a fence separating the wilderness.

I jumped the fence and I walked until I reached the place where I parked my ride. A dirt bike that I bought last summer to spicen things up a little.

Ever since the start of senior year I rode my bike off-road from my home which was situated at the edge of the other side of the town.

I always took the long way, following old trails that once used to be popular in the mountains, exploring a new forgotten trail everyday.

No one knew about it not even my parents. I didn't want anyone to know that I was riding a motorcycle in the mountains on old trails carelessly.

Ofcourse I faced some life or death situations where if I hadn't pressed the breaks in time I would have driven off the cliff.

The first time it happened I was scared, not during but after it happened, with my hands shaking with the adrenaline as I stopped at home or at school.

But that feeling I felt when I was placed in an uncertain situation where I didn't know the path I was going to take or where it led to made me feel the elation I used to get when others praised me.

So ever since then I rode my motorcycle everyday to school, taking a new path everyday even if it was long and took time.

I put on the helmet and started the bike. Closing my eyes I breathed in and out as I kept revving the bike.

As I opened my eyes I let go of the clutch and the bike took off on one of the trails I had already ridden at full acceleration.

For some reason today I didn't feel like slowing down at all.

The trees are flashing by me as I try to maintain the high speed with all the bumping around I get with the small rocks on the trail.

I took this trail because it was one of the smoothest trails but it was a bit dangerous because the trail was near some cliffs and led to dangerous heights in the mountains.

Vroom!!!

Another dirt bike swerved into my trail out of nowhere from the left, I had to dodge to the right to avoid hitting the bike almost crashing into the trees but I didn't slow down one bit.

I looked at the rider to see who it was but the helmet made it difficult to see. He turned his head to look at me for a second

" ...an go now. " the teacher said with a sigh. I just turned around and left the staff room without a reply. Most of the students had already left the school in a hurry when the bell rang but I had been called to the staff room by my teacher who keeps my report, who kept berating me for the past 15 minutes until his throat started to itch.

I started walking from the dormant school with my head down without any regard for the direction I am going in until I came across a small bridge.

I just realised that I had just walked out of the town I live in and currently on the road which leads to a nearby town called Maple town.

Looking at the sun setting and the desolate bridge, which was almost covered in green with the invasion of the plants from the nearby area, I didn't feel like going anywhere but just stand there and stare at the sun.

After 10 minutes, nothing changed and I had no desire to go back anytime soon, so I sat on the ledge of the bridge.

Looking down at my legs which were hanging freely without any support, with my hands on the railing for support. I look at the stream of river flowing under the bridge, which for some reason is glowing in a bright blue colour deep in the river.

Ignoring it I just close my eyes listening to the sounds of the nearby trees, the flowing river under me and the wind blowing in the air.... HONK!!!!!!

Opening my eyes I came to the realisation that I AM FALLING!!!!

SHIT.

I closed my eyes as I fell into the river gasping for breath but as I felt that I am just taking in a lot of water and no air. I opened my eyes to see myself underwater and sinking to the bottom of the river. Even as I keep moving my legs and arms to swim to the surface it seems to have no effect.

So I just stopped struggling against the river and let the flow drag me deeper in the river as my eyes stares at the strange glowing water . I close my eyes just as my back hit the river bed.

I open my eyes in hopes of seeing someone jumping in the river to save me, but all I see is the flowing river as my vision gets darker until all I see is the glowing blue light reaching my eyes.