The walk from my house to Jimmy Johns spans fifteen minutes, or twenty if the weather is nice. Immediately beyond my front door, the cool breeze strikes and my body tightens momentarily. I exit the shade of my house and into the sun. My body relaxes as my feet continue down the block, feeling the even ground beneath my shoes with every step. After I pass the convenience store, my feet stumble over the crumbling sidewalk below my feet. Car engines roar and the smell of gasoline from the car shop fills my lungs. I cough. And again. My stomach churns and my mouth salivates, so I pick up the pace. Today I’ll be there in seventeen minutes, or maybe eighteen. The patches of shade cool my burning neck; breaks of sunlight warm my frozen fingers. My elbow presses against the traffic light button and my feet sink painfully deeper into the soles of my shoes. My feet bound across the street and enter the Jimmy Johns.
We were all in the basement scurrying across the floor. The game was hide and go seek in the dark, my favorite. I could hear someone next to me breathing deeply, trying to stay out of the view of the seeker. Then the table began to shake and I knew the chase was on. Furniture began to tip and fall and one landed across the palm of my left hand. I let out a high pitched scream but it was cut short by the thought of it giving up my hiding spot. I slowly moved across the room to a new spot to secure my safety. The smooth carpet rubbed against my sore palm as I went. The basement was large but full of furniture containing many places that provided shelter. I leaned against the wall which was a smooth, hard surface. As the game went on the air slowly became more humid. I could barely hear anyone crawling now which meant everyone was waiting for that one suspect to be caught. I felt a rush of relief in knowing there was as slim chance in me being caught. Suddenly the seeker's hand landed on my back. I was caught.
The walk from my house to Jimmy Johns spans fifteen minutes, or twenty if the weather is nice. Immediately beyond my front door, the cool breeze strikes and my body tightens momentarily. I exit the shade of my house and into the sun. My body relaxes as my feet continue down the block, feeling the even ground beneath my shoes with every step. After I pass the convenience store, my feet stumble over the crumbling sidewalk below my feet. Car engines roar and the smell of gasoline from the car shop fills my lungs. I cough. And again. My stomach churns and my mouth salivates, so I pick up the pace. Today I’ll be there in seventeen minutes, or maybe eighteen. The patches of shade cool my burning neck; breaks of sunlight warm my frozen fingers. My elbow presses against the traffic light button and my feet sink painfully deeper into the soles of my shoes. My feet bound across the street and enter the Jimmy Johns.
ReplyDeleteWe were all in the basement scurrying across the floor. The game was hide and go seek in the dark, my favorite. I could hear someone next to me breathing deeply, trying to stay out of the view of the seeker. Then the table began to shake and I knew the chase was on. Furniture began to tip and fall and one landed across the palm of my left hand. I let out a high pitched scream but it was cut short by the thought of it giving up my hiding spot. I slowly moved across the room to a new spot to secure my safety. The smooth carpet rubbed against my sore palm as I went. The basement was large but full of furniture containing many places that provided shelter. I leaned against the wall which was a smooth, hard surface. As the game went on the air slowly became more humid. I could barely hear anyone crawling now which meant everyone was waiting for that one suspect to be caught. I felt a rush of relief in knowing there was as slim chance in me being caught. Suddenly the seeker's hand landed on my back. I was caught.
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