That One Moment

• Rebecca Abdel-Messih, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2010

Fear. The one emotion that brings you down. I couldn’t escape it, no matter how many times I told myself no-one is really watching. I closed my eyes as I tried to control my breathing. My heart beat fiercely as my brain detected the lie. Slowly, opening my eyes, I saw them. The sea of judging eyes. I stared down at my speech and cleared my throat unnecessarily.
“Err…Hello…” I slowly whispered into the mike.
Towards my left, backstage, I could see my teacher pointing to her mouth and then raise her hands vertically, miming speak up. I shook my head at her. Turning back to my quiet, awaiting audience, I felt a sudden wave of nerves overcome me. You can’t do it, said a loud voice within me. That’s all it took. I stepped away from the mike and strode quickly to my left, across the stage. I didn’t notice the wires on the floor. Without warning, I was tumbling towards the ground, my feet struggling to fight the pulling gravity. My nose hit the ground and I felt my eyes water from pain. Knees throbbing, I felt the release of blood, it scraped itself across the rough, wooden floorboard. Pain. I didn’t bother moving as I sobbed silently on the ground.
Fear. It brings you down.