So close
Locked out of class
Goodbye attendance streak
“Perfection all gone.”
Senior year too
Why the sudden change
Pound,
Keep pounding away
I still have time

“Hey, come on!”
My tight grasp cries out
True fear within
Door knob slipping
Under heated tears
“Not today!”
I am usually better
I am not behaviorally juvenile
But flowing through glass faded
His voice shouts,
“Go get a pass!”

Tears pause in mid-air
Earth suddenly falls silent
For length I can count off my hand
Then back to reality

Faint
Fall dead
Smack my head
Concussion bound
Upon cold, bitter floor
Life’s entirely has reached its peak
Yet my own heart rhythm begins to slow down…
“Dude, arise or you’re going to be late,”
Wait, wait a precious second
Could it be?
All simply nightmare
“I have been released free of the tardy!”
Then the school’s tardy bell echoed
Around and around
As I slipped back into fear
I snatch my textbooks
And sprint towards class