The Backpack
"Hey thanks for the ride dad!" I said as I waved to my father's dirt consumed cyan truck.
"NP son, NP" God I hate it when he talks in acronyms. The wind was silently blowing on my high school campus and everything was very serene but just as I was walking to the entrance I heard an ear shattering explosion! The entire school was consumed by bright red flames. I heard screams and a loud fire alarm. I froze with fear starring at the oversized bon fire, I closed my eyes and tried to regain my courage. The crackling of the burning wood seemed to deafen until it sounded like a fizzling candle... then nothing.
I opened my eyes and saw my school. No raging flames, no screaming kids, no fire truck. Just an ordinary prison called a school. I shook it off and continued my trek into the dangers of the education system. The bell rang and I made my way to my first period, English. It was hard to concentrate in class. What's wrong with me? It must be all the stress from school.
"Now if you would turn to page 180 in your books we can continue from chapter 3" my English teacher said with about as much enthusiasm as a prisoner walking the green mile to the execution room. My eyelids were starting to feel heavy, I was up till three in the morning messing around on the computer. Maybe I should stop reading fan fictions so late at night. My teacher was talking just a little faster than a turtle can move, If that turtle was upside down, tied to rock, and dead. My eyes slowly started to close until I fell asleep.
Suddenly the fire alarm went off! I woke up with a startle.
"Everyone Evacuate immediately" My underpaid educator yelled "This is not a drill get out befo-" A red veil covered the classroom. It was an inferno in the room. The dancing flames spread with lighting speed. There was a slight creaking sound coming from above, an enormous steel beam fell through weakened ceiling and smashed right into my poor instructor. The blazing heap of metal severed her arm as it fell. There is no way someone can survive something like that, she was dead, nothing left but the final twitches of her detached roasted limb. I stared at the sight in sheer horror, all the emotion welled up inside me, and my voice forced its way out.
"NO!"
"I'm sure it's very upsetting that Romeo dies, but I would like to remind you to keep your voice down." my deceased teacher said. I blinked a few times to realize that I was no longer the witness to a death, but the witness to the entire class laughing at my outburst. My still-breathing instructor continued to read. Everyone was giving me odd glances. Am I going crazy? Why do I keep hallucinating?
The bell rang and second period came. I looked forward to second period, mainly because Heasly and I shared the same class. Her long brunette hair, her auburn glasses, she was so cute. One of these days I'm going to work up the courage to ask her out. I gazed lovingly at her insipid complexion, while day dreaming about her. Before I knew it the bell had rang once more, and it was time for lunch.
I stood in line for some precious nourishment when a pudgy kid and a short kid began chatting.
"What's that cop doing here?" the pudgy student said
"Apparently he's checking for any explosive material" the short kid responded
"Whys that?"
"Haven't you heard about the mad bomber?"
"The who?"
"You know, that guy the news has been following for like a week"
"Now that you mention I do remember hearing something about that, didn't he destroy a ton of public property and kill over a hundred people with explosives?"
"Yup that's the guy"
"I thought he lived over in North Dakota"
"Yeah, but the police force all over the country is stepping up the security so they can prevent the next attack and catch the bastard" The two boys paid for their food and made their way to a table.
When I got my own food, I sat down and started thinking about their conversation. Of course! The reason I've been having weird thoughts lately must be a combination of the lack of sleep and the fact I've been watching the news way too much recently. I felt a little relieved. When I consumed all my blain provisions Heasly caught my eye. She just got out of her chair and left laughing with her friends, then I saw something sparkle. I got a closer look to find out it was her bracelet! She had left it on her chair. If I return it to her maybe she will finally notice me!
I pocketed the trinket and walked to the door she had went through. Suddenly the entire cafeteria erupted with screams! The school was on fire yet again. No not now, of all the times I could have another hallucination why now? People were frantically running for the door but I casually made my way to the exit. One of the tables was set-afire, I decided to hold my hand in the flame.
"Ow!" I said out loud as I withdrew my singed hand. That hurt! How could I feel pain in a hallucination? The glass from the windows rained down on me. The small shards pierced my skin with stinging pain. I could smell my flesh burning. I was on fire! This time its real! I panicked and rolled in the chips of glass in a vein attempt to choke the inferno melting my skin.
"Someone help me!" I called out to the empty room "put the fire out!" something grabbed my arm and began dragging me out of the cafeteria.
"Snap out of it" a voice said, my eyes adjusted to see a police officer gripping my limb. "get up" I stood on my feet. "Taking drugs during school is not the smartest thing in the world is it?"
"What? no" I responded to the cop "I'm not on anything officer"
"Save it for later, you're coming with me" the policemen lead me down to the police station which was only a block away. The hallucination felt so real this time. I know the pain was real. What the hell is going on with me?
I entered the building and set my backpack down next to another bag that looked a lot like mine.
"This is all just a misunderstanding" I said to the police officers staring me down "I haven't taken any drugs, its just the stress from school and lack of sleep that I've been acting a little weird"
"Then you wont mind proving it" one of the policemen said "go into the bathroom and fill this up" the officer handed me a small cup. I did as he said and returned the filled cup. "I'll be right back" I waited a while in the comfort of a chair. Soon he returned with a benevolent look on his face. "Okay you were telling the truth, sorry for the trouble but everyone down here at the station is a little uppity about the recent reports of the mad bomber" I released a sigh of relief "You're free to go"
"Thank you officer" I said as I picked up my bag.
"Go straight home and get some rest, do you need a ride?"
"No sir, I live fairly close to here"
"Then take it easy kid"
Little did he know I lied, I didn't live anywhere near the station nor did I plan on going home. I had a golden ticket in my pocket and I was not going to wait till tomorrow to use it. When I made it back to the school the halls were deserted, it must have been fourth period. I could return Heasly's bracelet right after my next class.
Finally things were going my way. I started to space out a little as I walked to my locker.
"Thank you so much for returning my bracelet!" Heasly said with a smile
"Oh it was no trouble at all" I said with a cool voice
"Is there any way I can repay you?"
"You really don't have to"
"But I want to... How about, a kiss?"
"Well if you insist" I said with a tranquil voice. Our faces moved close to each other, then I tripped over my own feet and woke up from the fantasy. I suppose those kinds of hallucinations are a good change of pace. I need less daydreams of severed limps and more daydreams of kissing girls. As I laid on the ground for a moment I noticed I had twisted my ankle then I felt the pressure of my backpack on me, It felt odd and lumpy. There should only be books in there. I opened the bag and found a clock.
I inspected the clock for a moment. How did that thing make its way into my bag? I thought for a moment. Then it hit me. The police station! I must have picked up the wrong backpack. But still, who's bag is it? I took the clock out. It was large and heavy, covered in all kinds of strange colored wire. An uncomfortable sinking feeling beseeched me. And the whole world came crashing down. That thing was no clock. It was an active bomb!
Many thoughts flooded my mind all at once, what do I do with an active bomb? Is this the work of the mad bomber? Why did I have so many Hallucinations today? Then something just clicked in my brain. What if the hallucinations were real? What if it wasn't because of the lack of sleep but a warning of future events? I looked down at the bomb and my heart sank, the timer read: 00:00:10
With only ten seconds left, and a twisted ankle I knew deep down inside running would be pointless.
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There was nothing left I could do-
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I just wish I realized this all sooner-
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I felt something metallic in my pocket-
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I pulled out the bracelet-
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Bursting out in laughter I clutched it-
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I still have this thing-
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Now I can't return it to her-
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I bet Heasly will miss this bracelet.
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