Author: Borna Kufner, II. gimnazija Osijek
I woke up in my bed to the sight of a plain white ceiling and floating particles of dust revealed by sun rays piercing through my blinds. Squinting my eyes, I took a glance at the clock. It was six in the morning, too early to even think about getting ready. Do I even need to get ready for school? That’s one thing I’ve never done. I never went to school either, but I’m there almost every day. I’ve never actually stood out of bed, but I’ve never lain in it too.
I should stop thinking and get back to sleep. I close my eyes.
,,No sleeping during my class, Mr. Wade!” someone screamed.
I quickly straightened and found myself in a classroom with a teacher I’ve never seen before. I feel the looks of all my peers on my skin and hear their semi-muffled laughs.
,,I’m s-sorry it won’t happen again.” I stutter, pick up a pencil and start doodling in my notebook so it looks like I’m doing something productive. Why does this happen? I’m seventeen, maybe, but I’ve only lived a year, I think. I feel like the rest didn’t happen, but something has to lead me to these moments. Sometimes I think I suffer from amnesia, but then again the moments I do remember, I remember so vividly and the rest is like a black painted canvas.
,,So now that everybody is awake, I’d like to introduce you to our new student, Amelia.” the professor says as he brings a thin black haired girl to the classroom.
,,Hey Jack, that’s the girl who moved next door to me.” I say to the freckled boy sitting with me.
What? I don’t know his name, nor do I know who the girl is. I turn around to see her again.
She isn’t there. The whole surrounding is different. I am still at school but in a different classroom, and not even in the same place that I sat in. The sentence ”Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell” written on the board, indicates that we are in biology. For the rest of the class the teacher lectures us about the components of the cell. Everything goes on peacefuly, until… BANG.
Histerical screaming follows a short shock-induced silence. There is a shooter in the school.
,,Everybody stay calm.” the teacher encourages us ,,just follow the dr…”
BANG. BANG.
,,Just follow the drill we practiced for situations like these.” he finishes after two nearby gunshots have interrupted him. We block the entrance with a cabinet and sit in the corner of the room. I am petrified and confused. Tears are sliding down everyone’s cheeks. Pin drop silence.
BANG.
Everybody jumps but make no sound. We can hear footsteps. They become louder as they are approaching. They stop, as if the person is standing just outside our door. He grabs the knob and tries to open it. He starts kicking and punching, but the cabinet is too heavy and keeps us safe. Then, nothing. I can’t bear the silence and put both hands over my face.
BANG.
,,You can look now.” says a woman next to me.
I uncover my eyes.
,,Surprise!” many scream. I am in an unknown room with a bunch of people. One person is holding a cake with lit candles, others are popping confetti and in the centre there are two big balloons which form number eighteen. It must be my birthday.
This is getting too much to handle.
,,You guys are crazy.” I say.
One at a time, they come to me and wish me a happy birthday. I should be overwhelmed, but moments ago I was close to death and now it’s one of the most important days of my life.
Everybody is having a great time at what appears to be my birthday party. A woman comes up to me, I recall her. She is my mother.
”I’m so relieved that you are recovering from that terrible thing that happened at your school last month. And I couldn’t be more proud that my baby boy is now a grown man.” she says, hugs me and kisses me on the cheek.
,,Back off, that’s my sister.” a deep voice shouts behind me.
I make a step back and the lips that are kissing my cheek aren’t my mom’s anymore. It is a familiar black haired girl, and we aren’t standing in the same room, we are in a bar.
,,Leave him alone Henry.” says the girl to her brother. He doesn’t listen to her. He pushes me away. I try to reason with him but it is unsuccessful. He punches me in the eye and I fall to my knees. I put one leg in front to try to stand again. I look up and now I am under the blue sky, on a meadow. In front of me there is the same girl, only she looks a bit older.
,,Yes!” she says right as she starts crying.
In my hand I am holding a ring. This is a proposal.
My vision becomes blurry.
,,Thank you Mr. Wade for choosing The Plomad Corporation. The procedure we are about to perform is painless and short.” says a blurry silhouette in front of me.
As I focus my sight I can discern that it is a doctor.
,,We have a number of clients that are pleased with the outcome, but be aware of the possible temporary side effects. You might feel disoriented with no knowledge of what is going on. If that does happen we will keep you until you stabilize.”
I zone out.
I’m lying in a bed with a headache. As I am looking around the room I notice the same doctor typing on his laptop. Next to him there is a poster which reads:
,,The Plomad Corporation
Never forget.
Relive any moment.”
In the corner of it is written: „The Nobel Price in Medicine 2045 for his reaserch in memory enhancement.”
