Thursday, 30 August 2018

The Court by Zahan Srinivasan Chinnadorai


The Court

I was sitting on a hard hunk of plastic that was the school chair, head turned towards the window, looking out at something greater, that was at the time more important than what was being taught in class.
If felt like I was held captive, like a prisoner looking beyond bars, wishing to be free again.
And just like that I was in such deep thought that I was completely unaware, that I was in class anymore.
“Edd! Wake up”, my teacher shouted.
I shot up from my state of nonchalance and I was quite embarrassed, but I found my mind not agreeing with me.
It wasn’t me feeling the embarrassment, it was my head telling me it was a big deal.
But at the time, I did not understand this feeling.
I woke up the next day more tired than ever.
I was in my own world, so much so I didn’t do my hair or wash my face.
I got on the bus and as I walked in, I felt like everyone had their eyes on me, but they didn’t even notice me, yet this feeling resonated in me for a while.
As I was sitting in the bus, I kept stroking my hair to make sure it was ok.
I look outside and again the feeling engulfs my thoughts, telling me that everyone outside the bus was, well, judging me.
I tried to just shake it off, but I ended up falling asleep on the bus.
I got off and tried to keep my head down as I walked towards the school gates.
I was toying with my thumb and I felt a twitch in my neck.
I found an urgency to get out of the crowd of people. I could barely stand it.
As I walked into class, I felt this instant relief, I was finally alone.
I was confused and quite shocked. I didn’t understand these changes. I never was like this,     but that was not the end.
I did what I had to in school, but the feeling lingered and never let go.
I sat down on my couch numb, home was where I could finally set myself free.
It was relief, it was freedom.


Later that day, I looked into a mirror, but what I usually saw was now different.
All I saw was a frail nerd, with the body of a stick.
I was losing control, but I kept telling myself it was okay and this is all going to work out at the end, even though I knew I couldn’t fight it.

I couldn’t sleep that one night, whatever I did that day, every moment was regretted.

It wasn’t any better when I realized that I was awkward and nowhere close to how talkative I was.
My friends were concerned, but in my mind they were putting up an act, they didn’t actually like me, just pitied me. I was part of a puppet show and I was the puppet, at least in my mind.
This went on for so long that, my eyes started to look dull, sad, and not willing to look around and embrace what was around me. For me, it didn’t matter.
My biggest concern was that all in all, I’m not “me” anymore, I wanted life to be the same again.

I went back home not realizing what had happened to me, and just accepted the fact that I would have to deal with this pain and put on a mask to hide it, I finally gave in and stopped the struggle.
I didn’t move on from that day on.


And there I was, in the middle of the night, with my hands wrapped around my knees, on the cold floor.
My mind didn’t let me move a muscle, my eyes were so sore and my body was trembling.
I looked into the mirror, hating the reflection I saw.
My mind kept telling me that I’m the only one responsible and no one else.
I couldn’t comprehend what was happening, was it right or was it wrong.
At this point I gave up any hopes of piecing together my brain.

But, I tried to think about the great times I’ve had in my life, and how I’ve been of some help, even that put a smile on my face.
My family really cared about me and my friends too, and even though this didn’t solve my problem. It made me feel the comfort I was looking for.
There was a sense of courage and a feeling of freedom that resonated deep within, and I had managed to find it, just a fragment of it, but either ways it helped.
I looked into the mirror again and smiled.
I didn’t see the nerd anymore, I saw Edd.


The judge was gone and the defendant took his stance.

The court was at ease…





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