Post by Eli Ackerman on Jan 6, 2010 16:14:46 GMT -6
WAVING FROM SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS.
"Come down now," they'll say.
Patter, patter, patter, patter. There went Eli, having missed his after-school run for his homework. He had decided to test the theory: do your homework right after school, and get to bed on time, ergo, stay awake in class! As a, out of lack of better term, ‘social butterfly’ (which Eli would highly disapprove of), the boy often took the afternoons off and followed the majority of the student body to the local coffee shops and businesses (and therefore ‘spreading his wings’, also disapproved of). And so, he had passed on the coffee and the hanging out to chill at the house with his English papers and math problems. In all honesty, the people and the coffee were much better company. He agonized through the afternoon with hope that there would be someone, anyone who had made the mistake he did and began their homework at the sound of the final bell… But the night held nothing but cool weather and mystery. Though not even Eli’s curiosity was powerful enough to overcome the shadow that was his unmotivation at the moment. He had given up his search on this late night run: there was no one to satisfy his social craving. Yet, then again, he wasn’t looking incredibly hard.
Mainly, he had looked at the four corners of the gym. Over and over and over and over and over again. It was a crisp, cold night, and if he were to venture outdoors during his run, surely he would need a sweatshirt. But, half the run would be awkward steps to keep him from stumbling while he put on and took off the sweatshirt a hundred times. There was a specific temperature needed when running, it was a delicate balance that could be achieved in the daytime, but not always in the night. Besides, the problem had arisen: if indeed he got too warm, where would he put the sweater? No way in hell was he going to be one of those people with the arms of the sweatshirt hugging their waist. Eli loved the night, he did. The stars inspired him and the general atmosphere of the dark could be either calming or wild, he liked that variety. But it caused too many problems on a school night, the most dire of which he had found out his freshman year back in the city: a particularly warm spring night he ventured out for a second run, only for Dan to lock his house… No, the gym was just easier.
But it was so much more boring. Ten miles was the limit for Eli. As in minimal limit. He didn’t miss a day of running if he could help it. Last year he had bundled up and took to the sidewalks on Christmas. Gym or not, today would not be his exception. If twenty-three times around the gym was a mile, then he would have to run two-hundred and thirty laps, counting each one, and seeing the same walls of the same gym with the same motivational posters every single lap. Twice he had lost count and estimated where to pick up again, and by seventy eight Eli was feeling both socially deprived and claustrophobic. Soon those motivational posters were mocking him, as if he would die upon failure. The most annoying one was the biggest, clinging to the north wall with four pathetic pieces of tape. ‘The only time you’ll find success before work is in the dictionary!’ By lap one-oh-one the boy had taken one side of the poster and tugged gently, releasing it from the wall and letting his feet trample it every continuous lap.
Eventually, Eli decided to run the hallways, and estimate when ten miles was. A change of scenery would be good for him, and great for the motivational posters… And so, he released himself into the building, his feet patter, patter, pattering on the floor. He had run through his limit of ten miles, nearly eleven, when he finally decided to call it quits. Checking his watch, he saw it was just past seven o'clock. No wonder he didn't see anyone. He was surprised school was still open. No... Eli's stubborn mind was convinced. There's gotta be someone, a study group, late sports practice, janitors, anyone! The new kid had very few perks, infact, Eli had only found bad things about it. For example: he didn't know the way things worked around the school.
Letting out a sigh, the boy turned a sharp corner with a brisk step, only to collide with the social contact he had been awaiting. He just hoped it wasn't a janitor...
EVERYTHING LOOKS PERFECT FROM FAR AWAY.
"Come down now," but we'll stay.[/font]
STATUS; complete.[/size]
WORDCOUNT; 785.[/size]
TAGGED; open.[/size]
JAMS; indie rokkers -- mgmt.[/size]
NOTES; i just realized that this thread will probably be hard to reply to due to the circumstances, but the school looked so empty![/size][/center]
