The last place I thought I would be was a uniform school. But my parents still seemed to scrounge up the money to send me there. The first day I dragged around in my monkey suit, staring at everything with disgust. I didn’t speak at all. The second day was the same. And the third. Every day of that week was a broken record, but much more antagonizing. Today is Tuesday: the next week, and the day I escape my prison.

I woke up to my alarm, as usual. I threw on my monkey suit and slumped out the door. Today will be different- but I cannot let on to anyone as to what I plan to do. So I continued my usual look of dread. Both the public and private school teens took the same bus, so when I found myself watching the bus turn around the corner, the other riders appeared behind me, like I was the leader of a small army. Once on the bus, I took a long look at the interior. We were the last stop, so all of us headed towards the high schools. Public, then private. All around me, girls gossiped about their first week, guys joking and talking, some loners and sleepers sitting here and there. And then there was me; the ugly monkey in a batch of beauty.

As I slowly became the last one on the bus, I was tempted to run off the bus and away from this hell altogether. No… it must be done one way and one way only. I walked away from the bus, through the gates of hell, and let my soul be guided to my first class. I dreamed through the whole class, barely even noticing anything until it was time to go to the next one. This was it. Right here, As soon as the teacher came in and the bell rung. Staring at the wall next to me, which was completely made of glass, I felt my sweat running down my face. All my planning had come down to this.

The teacher walked in. old and wrinkled, and completely incapable of kindness. She was Satan in this hell. Not the principal, but hated just as much. All the others, in their perfect little monkey suits, sat down in their seats. I stayed standing.

“Sit down, sir, and we can start the day.” She ordered. My mind flashed back to all the time I spent practicing this moment over the previous weekend. A hidden blade on a chain, concealed in my sleeve, struck like a viper at the dummy I had placed in my backyard. A scream woke me from my mind. The teacher lay on the ground, a gash across her neck gushing blood. She writhed in pain, trying to grip her throat. Another student came up to her, trying to help her, but she was dying. Satan has been slain. I thought to myself. But there was no time to gloat. Her minions would be upon me any moment, and I must make my escape. I picked up my chair and through it at the glass wall that faced the river. It shattered, paralyzing the class and a jogger two stories below. I jumped with all my might, and as I left hell for the last time, I took a long look at the beautiful scene before me. The glistening river, perfect sunrise, it almost wanted me to stay. Almost.

“Oof!” I hit the well-placed mattress hard, but without injury. A man walked casually over, pulling a cigarette out of his mouth.

“You sure you want to do this, kid?” the man asked, scratching the bristle across his face.

“I already have.” I replied.

“Awright then.” He got into the truck that mounted the mattress, and I climbed into the passenger. We drove away, victory in our eyes, for we had conquered the devil herself, and escaped hell.