Unexpected

• Snehin Talusani, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2018

One ordinary day, in an ordinary school, an ordinary boy put his first step into a new school. He was shy as well at the same time he was also excited. As he walked down the corridor in the school, the trees beside him burst into flames. The sky started to turn dark. Lightning bolts struck the ground. Thunder crashed. Everything went wild as James walked into the school for his very first time. James was fearless and brave. He did not care about the rain, lightning, thunder, fire and the other things. In fact, he was not scared of anything. A lightning bolt flared into James’s shirt. He did not say anything, for James it did not even hurt. James continued walking until he reached the Principal’s office. When he got there, he was surprised to see fifty kids line up in front of the principal’s office. James fell straight to the ground, he did not want to wait for a year and half until it was his turn to see the principal. He managed to shove and push through twenty-six of them, but the rest were too tough for him. Now at least he only had to wait for less than a year instead of a year and half. James waited and waited until he got so bored that he left and when to the toilet. By the time James got back the line was longer even longer than an anaconda. Maybe now he had to stay in line for three and a half years. Suddenly, a big lightning bolt struck the ground right outside the principal’s office. Everyone in the office were scared and ran all around the place. In this time James was thinking smart and pushed in, to the front of the line. The principal called out, "Next," and then the boy in front of James went in to the principal's office. He was fat and he had a half drunken bottle of lemonade stuffed in the side pouch of his bag, a quarter eaten burger half sticking out of his bag and crumbs spread across his face. After several minutes, the fat looking boy came out and again the principal called out next but this time a bit louder. James stepped forward and then because he was too slow, the boy behind him pushed him. James fell to the ground and scrapped both his knees and cheeks, but little James didn't feel a thing. He grabbed a tissue he saw of the floor, wiped the blood off and stood up. The principal once again called out next and James slowly walked forward. James walked to the entrance of the office. He was too scared. The principal sounded scary by both name and voice.