By Simona
I wake up and see the bright light coming out the window, even when my eyes are closed. I try to fall asleep again, because my dream was too good to be true, shortly after my mom walks in and tells me to wake up, I sigh because I never fell asleep again, I say to my mom “ I’m still tired 5 more minutes” she sighs and walks out. As I close my eyes, the bright light gets bigger and absorbs the black, as I start seeing the dream slowly appear, the clouds so bright the sky so blue but then I open my eyes without control to see my mom in my room. “wake up Simona you will be late! “ I nod and count to 3, when I say 3 I have to get up. 1…2…2 and a half… and 3! I get up and check the time, when I check the time on my phone I see that my friend texted me, I smile as I see more text messages from my friend appear, I quickly check them and see that my friend asked to hang out after school. I replied and said “sure!!💕 “ I leave my room to go to the bathroom. I brush my teeth, and nearly forget to get my clothes on I grab all the clothes I want to wear, and head to the bathroom again, I put on a crop top sweater, jeans, and a black belt. I see myself in the mirror and notice I’m feeling myself, and I’m going to have a good day. I open the only cabinet in the bathroom, and pick out the perfume I would like. I choose my favourite one, peach bouquet. I Smell the perfume as I spray it on. I brush my hair, and go into the kitchen and pack my lunch, I notice the time on the microwave and see that its 8:25 and I’ll be right on time for school. I put on my fluffy coat, put my school bag on my back, and head out the door, as my mom hugs me goodbye she says “ did you take your keys? “ I put my hand in my pocket and notice I forgot to take my keys with me. I walk over to my keys and grab them from the kitchen table. And I’m off. My mom waves me goodbye as I open the door to get out the apartment. I step outside and take a second to zip up my coat. As I’m walking I bump into one of my classmates on the way to school and say hello, as I reach the road, I wait for the green light and walk over to the gate to enter the school, I walk into my class and sprits my hands with hand sanitiser. As I walk into the door I look to see who came in and what not. And I sit down.
“The attention to detail this author uses to describe even the minor details of preparing for and making their way to school calls to mind the Calypso episode in Ulysses. Really liked how the final act of “spritsing” with “hand sanitiser” sets this story firmly in 2021.”
— Dr Matthew Fogarty, University College Dublin, Ireland