“First Step”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

The bell rings, jolting me from my thoughts.

This is real. I’m actually here.

I’m about to take my first step onto the campus of my new school.

I watch as the other children rush into the building, being corralled in by the teachers.

I take a deep breath. I can do this.

Slowly, I lift my foot. Tentatively, I place it down on the other side of the gate.

The ground burns my foot. I jump back, staring down in shock at my smoking shoe. The smell of burning rubber invades my nostrils and I wrinkle my nose.

That wasn’t supposed to happen.

I stare at the school. The last of the students are entering. The doors are about to close.

I need to get inside. Because I want to be a student here. I want to get an education, to learn everything that the school has to offer.

I need to make it past this burning schoolyard.

I take another deep breath as I pull out my headphones. This will be easy. I just need to use a bit of magic.

As I flip through my music, I try to steady my breathing. For this to work, I need to be completely focused and calm.

Finally, I find the right song. Perfect.

I blast it at full volume as I close my eyes. Slowly, an image forms in my mind.

The fire dissipates, sizzling out until nothing but ashes remain. Then, slowly but surely, blades of grass begin poking through the blackened earth. Soon, the ground in front of me is covered in lush grass. Colourful flowers dot the landscape, changing from red to blue to yellow to orange and back to red. Rainbows fill the sky, reflecting onto me as I hand out my hand to look.

This place is beautiful.

And, just on the other side of this field, there’s a magnificent castle. It’s in that castle where I’ll learn all the secrets of the universe.

A smile sneaks onto my face.

I’m ready.

I lift my foot. And I take my first step into my magical landscape.

Final Comments: I think I need to find another way to start my sentences other than just using ‘I’ all the time…

Overall Rating: 🤔