Waiting - By L.B.

Waiting - By L.B.

Tick, tock, tick, tock. Eyes half closed, brain taking the day off, totally unfocussed. Glasses exactly half way down my face, heavy breathing. Bored, bored, bored. My fingers tapping out an addictive theme song. "Stop it!" Mum whispered. Lazily I cut it out. All the others in the room relaxed. "Gnrtmrfamaf" I replied. Stiffly, Mum ignored me.

"How long does it take for a boy to get his jabs?" rhetorically Dad questioned. Suddenly my eyes snapped open.

Trembling with fear I shakily whispered, "Pardon?"

"Nothing, nothing at all" Dad replied hurriedly. But I knew better. Dad has said too much. My arms prickled with fear, my lungs pumped like crazy. The butterflies in my stomach turned into elephants. Elephants partying with blue whales. Blue whales who had eaten skyscrapers made of lead. I stared daggers at Dad. If look could kill... But no time to think about that. I was dead meat... on a highway.... in london.

"Next!" droned the voice. My heart leapt into my mouth. I dragged my feet up the aisle, like a prisoner being led to execution. I was taken into a white room, with a spotless bed... my deathbed. I lay down, closed my eyes and waited for the pain. But none came as the needle wormed into my skin. I was alive! I had survived the injection... and the wait!