Balance

• Caleb Hughes, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2017

A lifeless lone book sitting on the edge of the window sill adored by many of the youthful faces that had passed through those corridors, each one of those children had personally read that book and had their own outcomes afterwards; a good book leaves a huge impression on that person, this such relates to a good human, they are a rare object in this stone age and once you find one you'll know. You can relate to them. You can go to them for advice. You can see yourself being with them for years to come. Everyone has their flaws and misjudgments and I beg of you not to portray a person as they are perceived, as deep down everyone has a chance to be a good person. Truly.

As my misunderstood self-wondered through the empty dull halls of the immense building I stood in, thoughts race through my head constantly and all come clear when I see it - I draw my eyes over to the frosty window ledge and pick up the neglected book whilst blowing the dust off of it, it revealed the cover and I knew this is the book for me, to keep in my clutches and never let go. I slip the book into my raggedy bag before the halls flooded with new faces and horrible predictions that would determine the year.

All the walls had apparently been vandalised over the break and were unable to be used by anyone due to the 'cleaning' process and we all had to lug around our book heavy bags to every class which was not ideal for most of us; the brawn of the school had no problem with this as they were guaranteed the sport lockers every year, and the 'popular' girls could just wheeze their way into those lockers anyway.

Reaching into my torn bag I pull the sacred book everyone had adored at least once; to what this book is to you, I have no idea? All I know is that it will change my life to come, change it for the good. Or the evil. Like it changed the brawn, the 'it' girls, the nerds or that weird group that hang out near the dumpster, everything is at balance and everything is well.