Nerve-racking Intensity

• Elijah Barnes, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2017

Today was the day. I sat at a spotless desk in my science classroom. The desks were assorted into four rows and two columns with three or four students seated at each desk. I sat at the end of my desk and was the nearest one to the window. Class had just began and sir was already handing out our exam results for the assessment piece we had completed virtually a week ago. It was the final class for the day and I was enthusiastic to get back home, however, my attention was yanked towards what my result would be. This year so far, I had received nothing but A’s and I want it to stay that way. I couldn’t go back and redo it, modify it or fix it. All I could do was perch there, at the desk, extremely tense. Although I had a good idea that I will receive an A, it was nevertheless nerve-racking. Sir soon arrived at other end of my desk, slowly striding towards me with his long, beardy face staring down at the exam papers. Eventually, he had landed in front of me and handed over my exam papers, only stating my name as he was handing it over, not saying “well done” like he did when he gave me my technology exam back. For that exam, I had received full marks and an A+. This was a sign that I may not have achieved what I hoped. I gently took it from his hand with a thankyou after handing it to me. I looked down on my results. For knowledge, I got an A- (good so far). For communicating, another A-. If I got an A- for investigating, that would still be really good and I would feel proud of myself. But for investigating, I received a C+ and the overall mark was a B. was this it? Was this the mark that would bring me down from my A streak? Yes! I was disappointed in myself for this was a horrible mark compared to all the other results I have received. To make myself feel better, I tried to calm myself by stating “it’s not the end of the world...” Or was it? The core of the world started to destabilize causing the crusts to sink in and melt from the blazing molten lava. It was horrific. All life on Earth was gone within seconds and there was nothing they could do about it. Even the international space station and the moon were pulled in by a purge of gravity. That is why receiving anything less than an A- in assessment is an international concern.