Monachopsis
"Quickly!" A suddon wave of counciousness hit me "Everyone write down your contact information right now, while you can! In years to come, we'll never be able to see each other again." I cried "I won't remember your names, certainly not your last names and your phone numbers will be invalid".
With a sudden awareness, all eyes turned to stare at me while they sat there cross legged with their backs straight. My chest feelt heavy and the room filled with inquisitiveness from my sudden outburst.
Over at the back of the room furthest away from the teachers gaze, I saw Stephen and a rush of memories ran through me in a vague culmination of feelings that were almost indescribable. His slightly clumsy but innocent smile, his tie neatly positioned at the correct length, clearly not his doing.
"Stephen" I grabbed at his shoulders shaking him desperately wanting him to remember but confusion covered his face.
The teacher grabed me firmly, I knew she would tell me off. "What has gotten into you Freddy" I could see the concern in her eyes. "I'm not from this place" my voice shakes, as I tried to stand up tall and clenched my fists, but confusion crosses my mind. Why now could I tell she was concerned, I thought teachers were just angry?
She kneeled to my level, her hands softly pressed against my arms. She was speechless, but without her muttering a word I knew she didn't believe me one bit. "In years to come my dad will be dead and I'll be all alone in the middle of nowhere!" I bursted into tears. Without the teacher saying a word, I knew she couldn't believe a kid would say such a thing.
Stephen passed me a slip of paper with his contact information on it and I tried very hard to see what was written on it, but when I looked, it was blank...
"First one to get through the gate is the ultimate ninja!". Stephens face turned to surprise as I out paced him and he stumbled to catch up. With one hand in front I casted an enchantment as the other fluttered behind to give me super speed, just like in the video games.
I jumped and reached with my hand to slap the top of the gate on the way in, its heat almost burned me. Laughter filled the air while sounds of Hula Hoops scratched across the floor. Heavy thuds of deflated footballs were pelted across the pitch and crashed as they hit the monolithic metal fences that encaged us.
There were groups like tribes scattered along the tarmac, each seemingly on their own rich adventure. I turned to Stephen, he was panting. I did our secret piece sign, his eyes glaze over for a second but then he returned the favour and without a word being said we both knew this meant we would have the coolest adventure out of everyone.
"You're my best friend" I blurted, possibly feeling a little embarrassed. After a moments silence "we're the coolest best friends there are" Stephen replied with a chuffed expression.
I suddenly drift, feeling an awareness of my emotions and now understand this as that of feeling invincible. I get a strong awareness of the fleeting nature of time and deep sense that I need to express something very important, but then it slips my mind...
Many adults stood together outside of the school, showing politeness to one another. Nodding with the occasional handshake ensued.
"You can go now" said the teacher as if giving us a gift.
We all started running with bountiful energy as if somehow showing off our alternate lives at home to one another. I felt an anxiety in me because I believed that my parents might have abandoned me here to be stuck forever while I snuck through the crowd.
To my relief I saw a tall pot bellied bear like figure with long hair and a beard chatting to one of the other students parents.
"Hi dad" I said trying to hide my excitement. "Oh there you are" he smiled and laughed. His sweaty hand held mine as a million and one things I wanted to tell him poped into my head.
A couple fellow classmates came over to meet my parents while they twiddled their thumbs between their fingers.
"So you are really a championship wrestler?" one of them exclaimed with amazement.
With shock I quickly turned and stared sharply at my dad, his gaze turned to meet mine, he paused; quickly and realised the fanciful ruse I had made up to enchant my friends.
"That's right I've been all round the world beating every opponent that comes my way" he said something like, with his theatre skills kicking in.
The classmates eyes lit up, "but hang on you don't have black hair or a burnt face?" one of the bravest of the bunch exclaimed.
"Oh! The black hair is part of the mask, look how strong my arms are" dad tensed to show off his strong fat arms.
Dad came over arms wide open with a smile in a rare moment of expressed love, he wrapped his arms around me. "Get off me!" I said while elbowing him a bit too hard because I was too embarrassed Infront of my school friends. Dad holded his chest and I see for a moment he actually looked sad.
Consciousness overcame me again. "Dad" I said compassionately but with a sense that I wanted to talk seriously now, trying to remember why I felt this way. He looks at me as if the fourth wall had been broken and time stood still. Although I struggled so hard to say what I wanted to express, no words came to my mind.
"I miss you dad"...
"Please don't go" Stephen said bursting into tears, "I don't want you to go". "Ohh don't be silly" said my mum, she chuckled and rested her arm on his shoulder. My excitement for leaving the city to the countryside that had been described like a dream land, turned into guilt. "Freddy will see you again, you'll be in contact I'm certain of it", Stephen wiped his eyes and calmed down.
Gasp! I awake trying to gather my bearings on where I am and who I am. An alarm screams as I subconsciously speed to turn it off to not wake the neighbors.
My soul sinks as I remember that I have another day of work today and the ongoing pain in my neck shoots through me. The thought of work fills me with dread and makes me sweat slightly.
I finally muster the energy to prop myself up and pull back the curtain to reveal the weather outside. Scenic views of rolling hills and dirt tracks as far as the eye can see face me, but it's clouded by an aching inside.
Wait! there was something very important I'm missing, something I needed to remember? The powerful feeling fades away and with that I dismiss the idea and remember that I need to clean the dishes and write a reminder for my tax returns before I go.
It would be bad if I forget to do that.
