Just a little scratch

English 1119 Paper. Write a story with the ending, thank goodness I was alright. This is one of my most unsatisfying stories. I was sort of having a block when I was writing it. Hopefully, it does not happen on exam day.  I realized that there are a lot of mistakes after I wrote the essay finish but I don't feel like correcting them. :P

Just a little scratch,

by Amy Lim Su Yen

“Hurry up Emily or we will be late” my mother urged while my toast was only half way into my mouth.  “Hurry up Alice, hurry up. You are as slow as a snail” bickered my annoying brother who behaves younger than his age. He pretended to move as slow as snail. “You are so annoying, Tom” I said to him. He showed me his tongue. I was going to say something when mother finally lost her patience and pulled me away from the dining table.  “Wait mother. I have not finished my toast yet” I pleaded. “You can bring the toast along with you but we are going to be very late” she said still pulling me away. I quickly grabbed the whole loaf of bread and chucked it into my red sling bag.

Father just peeped in from the front door. “Are you all done? The sun is rising already” he asked. “Coming dear” mother answered politely, just like she always does. Tom sat on the left side again. He knew perfectly well I always have to sit on the left side of the car and he seems to enjoy annoying me all the time. “Father, Tom is being annoying again. He knows I have to sit on the left side of the car” I said to my father who just adjusted his rear mirror. “Tom, switch with your sister and hurry up we have to get going already” he said sternly and Tom moved immediately. 

I carefully lift my left leg to the other side while Tom climbed behind me to move to the right. Next time he sits on the left I will use my walking stick to hit him. Just to teach him a lesson. “You are so troublesome, sister” he said while I put on my seat belt. Is it me or he just wants to test my patience? Anyway, I ignored his comments and plugged my ear plugs on. It is going to be a long journey to the rural area. 

The kids are playing in the field again. “They missed” I whispered to myself as the ball missed by just a feet distance from the goal. I continue to watch them as they kicked the ball to one another. All of them laughing as they played. I watched in envy. They missed again. My eyes followed the ball and it was coming in my direction. I picked the spherical object up and they shouted across the field to me, “Hey, come on. Kick the ball back” I wanted to.

I wished I could but I could not. It is so unfair. The boy, I think he was the captain ran swiftly to me. “Hey, I think that is our ball” he said pointing to the ball in my hands. I handed him the ball straight away. He took it and looked at me for a while. “You want to join us?” he asked in a friendly manner. I shook my head. “Alright then, see you around” he ran off and joined the others.

I tried to move to follow him from behind but I cannot do it. I just cannot. “Wake up Emily. Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up” I jerked. It was just another childhood memory I always seem to dream of these days. “Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up” Tom continued to chant next to my ear. “I am awake Tom so quit repeating yourself” I shoved him away from me.

He came nearer, looking at my eyes. “Is that tears?” he asked looking hard at me.  I wiped my eyes with my fingers and they were wet. Nothing can be more embarrassing than this right now. I kept quiet, not answering him and just withdraw, leaving me alone. “A nightmare, dear?” mother asked, alerted by our conversation. “Not really, just another dream” I answered quickly followed by another question to avoid being asked details. “Are we there yet?” I asked father. “Not yet, Emily we should be there in another hour or so. Should I stop at a nearby rest station before we continue?” he asked all of us.  “No father, let us get there quickly” Tom begged.

He was so excited to meet the rural area people. He even did a thorough research on them before this trip. He made sure he was well prepared to visit them. “Yes father, I need to use the washroom” I said before we missed the turning to the rest station.  Tom sighed in frustration, “Troublesome” he whispered to himself, loud enough for me to hear. 

The rest station was packed with other people. They must be on their way to some holiday destination nearby. Only we would want to go elsewhere such as the rural area on a holiday. Father parked his car next to a lorry carrying timber. I was about to say out loud that some people just does not care about the environment but I figured not to if I want to keep Tom quiet. “Wait for me Emily. I will help you out the car” my mother said to me while she opens her car door. “It is alright mother. I can manage it” I slowly lift my left leg and place it out of the side of the car then only I stepped myself out.

It is a one step at a time thing which I have learned to accustom to. “Alright, everyone do what you need to do and be back at the car in 10 minutes time” father said. “Emily, your father and I will go and get some mineral water at the store. Meet us at the car alright dear? Be careful. Do you need your brother to follow you?” she asked. I looked at him and looked back at me. “No. I will be fine without him” I replied but mother stared at Tom as though to say it was not a question but rather command.

Tom surrendered and pulled my hand, “Come on, get moving or you will take forever to get to the washroom”. He was pulling me so fast it was hard to move my walking stick as the ground was uneven. “Slow down Tom I cannot move that fast” I screamed at him. His slowed down his pace. “Sorry” he said. I kept quiet. It was an awkward moment between us both. We rarely talk to each other in a proper manner which I have no clue why.

Just as we were reaching the rest room a loud screeching noise can be heard and it was so loud that my ears hurt. It all happened so fast because I had no time to think and the next thing I know is Tom and I were on the ground. My eyes blurred from the smoke around us. My vision cleared and in front of us is a motorist thrown not far from his motorbike. 

Tom got up on his feet and immediately held me in his arms. “Are you alright? Are you hurt? Can you hear me, Emily?” he is panicking. I looked at him then at myself and I think everything is fine as I am still in confusion. Tom calmed down a little and he slowly helped me up. I noticed the blood on Tom’s legs, “Tom, your legs. It is bleeding”. I started to cry.

He must have hurt himself while trying to avoid us away from the motorbike that was approaching just now.  “I am fine, Emily. Do not cry. It is alright. Just a little scratch” he assured me. We sat down for a while and an ambulance came soon enough.

Father and mother were exasperated at what happened. They were asking the first aiders to assist to us after they had brought the motorist into the ambulance. Tom was giving a statement to the police officers. I was just watching them quietly. I cannot shift my gaze away from the motorbike. I hope the motorist is fine.  

We did not reach our destination that day. Neither did the motorist but he survive the accident. Tom had bruises on his knees but it healed quickly. I still get nightmares. However, not of my childhood memories anymore but rather the incident that happened that day. It has left quite a big impact on me and I still break a cold sweat every now and then thinking of it but at least I can tell myself, “Thank goodness I was alright”.

 1600 words.

1 hour.