The words on the blackboard are fuzzy. Why am I even coming to school if it means dealing with all this crap? I keep asking myself that, but I can’t find an answer. I cannot hear the teachers or the boys around me. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be in a boarding school.
All I want to do is disappear. I hate going to school and can’t even pay attention in class. Everything is a blur. If I want to stop, I need a good reason.
I’ve thought about telling my father but can’t bring myself to do it. How nice it would be if I could tell him everything about the boarding school and its wicked brothers. Or say nothing.
I don’t want him or my mother to know what’s happening to me — especially my father. I don’t even want to think about what would happen if he found out. All I want to do is go home and stay there, doing nothing. Stay home forever.
But dropping out isn’t an option. Everyone must finish middle school, and even if I get my father’s permission to leave, what am I supposed to do next? Go to another school? Come back to this one? I have no idea what to do with my life.
I can’t keep going back to the boarding school. I want to leave now. But if I don’t finish the GCE exam, I won’t be able to go to high school or trade school.
I don’t know how I will make it through the rest of the year. All I want to do is drop out and never come back. Nobody will know er college.
I wish I could talk to my friends about what’s going on, but I don’t even know if I can trust them. I am confused. My ears are hot. My cheeks are red and hot. I sweat everywhere. I feel that the earth would swallow me whole.
And what happens after school? Will I be safe? What if they, the ones in robes, come after me?
The school day finally ends, and I can’t sit still. As soon as my classmates get up to leave, I grab my bag and head out with them. I’m not going back there.
I walk fast to the bus stop, leaving my friends behind. My stomach is in knots, and I don’t even know if I ate lunch. All I can think about is getting home and away from all this. I don’t know what will happen next, but I can’t worry about that right now.
Reconstructed from a fifteen-year-old boy’s journal entry from 1970.
A Child of Curiosity How inherent inquisitiveness became a key driver in learning experiences. Denzil Jayasinghe · B orn in the mid-20th century, I am a product of the post-World War II era. My parents, who were teenagers when the war commenced, married in the 1950s. As a representative of the baby boomer generation, I was born under the astrological sign of Capricorn, the tenth sign of the zodiac. My birth took place at Zoysa Nursing Home, a renowned institution in Colombo, Sri Lanka, around 5 in the morning. Sri Lanka, known for its tropical climate, is a beautiful island nation south of India. This climate appealed to me, and I sought similar weather in my twenties, spending them in Dubai, where the winter resembles an Australian summer. Raised by religious parents, I held them in deep affection. However, the church teachings posed a paradox for a young mind, instructing one to love God more than one’s parents. I initially adhered to the Ten Commandments and other societal norms in ...
Demons and Devotion: A Family’s Pilgrimage Denzil Jayasinghe · “Demons and Devotion: A Pilgrimage to Tewatta” is a short story by Denzil Jayasinghe about a family’s pilgrimage to a holy site in Sri Lanka. The story follows Denzil, the eldest son, as he reluctantly accompanies his devout parents on this journey to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. Although initially sceptical, Denzil reflects on his childhood faith and his family's hardships. However, the pilgrimage turns unexpectedly when an encounter with a priest who claims a demon possesses Denzil creates tension and leaves him angry. T he air hung heavy with a solemnity that felt out of place for a silver wedding anniversary. Denzil’s father, whose pronouncements held the weight of scripture, declared, “We are going on a special trip to the holy place of Our Lady at Tewatta. This day, showing God’s blessings, will be a private event for our family.” On a recent arrival for a two-week holiday in Sri Lanka...
Shattered Innocence A story of a needle Denzil Jayasinghe · “Shattered Innocence. A Story of a Needle” by Denzil Jayasinghe is a short story told from the perspective of a lad who discovers their father injecting insulin . This discovery shatters his innocence as he grapples with the reality of his father’s diabetes and the fear and uncertainty it brings. The story explores themes of family, responsibility, and the challenges of facing difficult realities. T he pre-dawn light filtered through the window, casting a pale glow over a scene that shattered my world. We were lost in the quiet routine of getting ready — me for the apprenticeship, my siblings for school, and my father for his work. I wandered into my parents’ room, searching for the familiar black comb. What I found wasn’t the comb but a sight that froze me in my tracks. Father, stripped down to his white undies, his usually strong face creased with worry, was doing something… di...
3 min read·Feb 21
Comments
Post a Comment