FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!

Ok, so we had to write a story based on a picture from Mr. Lilly’s picture-site (http://www.panoramio.com/user/461591) and I (finally) did the assignment:

My eyes were shut so tight tears were leaking out of the corners faster than a dripping faucet. The speed of the train speeding down the track was jostling me around so hard I was bumping into Sadie and Nate and, with my hands clasped together over my mouth trying to hold the air in, I simply went where the train threw me.

I knew I was going to die. The tunnel seemed so long, too long to hold your breath through, especially with ten year old lungs. But I knew, I knew, if I didn’t not only would I not have my wish come true but I would be called a baby by Nate and Sadie for the rest of the summer. It was only June.

The air began escaping, twisting between my fingers and flowing out in little puffs no matter how hard I tried to keep it under control. I could hear their patronizing voices in my head (‘You’re such a baaaby! You couldn’t even hold your breath all the way through the tunnelll!!) and I knew I had to keep a cool head and get through it.

I clenched my teeth, shut my eyes even tighter and calmed down. I breathed deeply, my head against the cool window, and almost as soon as I got my lack of breathing under control I felt my eyelids grow warm  and I opened them, discovering the tunnel about a hundred feet behind us.

My eyes grew wide, and I opened my mouth, while jumping out of my seat. “I did it! I did it! I held my breath all the way through the tunnel!!” I danced around the compartment my family had reserved, turning in the largest circle the cramped thing allowed.

Aunt Debbie turned and looked at me, a smile spreading slowly on her face. She loved her kids, but if she knew they were wrong, she made sure they knew they were wrong, too. “Good for you, sweetie. Not even Nathanial and Sadie here could hold their breaths the entire way through.”

I couldn’t help but lord it over them the entire summer.