The Sky is the Limit

I was walking up stairs from the basement. The bell had rung almost three minutes prior. Even though I am very punctua,l being late rarely ever bothered me. As I walked up the stairs I was thinking about all the stuff people had said to me today. My teachers call me the thinker, Einstein, somnambulant Morris. It's not like I mind being praised about my intellect, I just don't want to be that smart kid.

I snorted at how ridiculous that sounded.

“Hello bear.”

Just from the greeting I knew exactly who was walking with me.

“Hello Jessica, where were you all lunch hour?” I asked with a smirk.

“I had to go to orchestra to practice for ISSMA.”

My eyes went wide with worry. “Damn.” I whispered.

“What's wrong?” she asked sweetly.

I looked straight ahead “I haven't been practicing my solo at all.”

“It doesn't matter, you'll get a gold anyway.”

I chuckled a little. “How do you figure?”

“Because you're you.”

“That's a pretty vague reason.” I said blankly.

“You know what I mean, you're Reginald. You always find a way to pull it off.”

I smiled a little thinking “there goes that false praise again.” People always hold me in the highest regard. I never know why, I am human just like everyone else. I have to numerous a flaw to point out. Maybe it's modesty that ruins it for me.

We walked into our sixth period class. I looked around the room greeting my fellow classmates. It took some time before I noticed that the teacher wasn't present. I sat down in the middle of two of my most outrageous friends. They always know how to make a guy laugh, but I really wasn't in that much of a joking mood today.

“Hey Reggie, who you think is the sub today?” My old friend Jamal asked.

I looked on him with tired eyes. “To be honest I don't know and I couldn't give a care less.” As soon as those words left my lips an elderly heavyset women walked in.

“Alright everyone, settle down.” she panted. “Mrs. Rogers hasn't come back from lunch yet so I'm filling in on her behalf.”

Jamal tapped my arm and whispered “man she need to lay off them big macs boy.”

I chuckled and said back “the moment she lays off of the big macs is the moment that you grow a neck.” He smacked his lips and sat back in his seat.

“Man, got me messed up. That's why you look like Jordan from Bernie Mac.” he shot back.

“If I'm Jordan, you're the hamburglar.” I said with a laugh.

“Hey Reginald.” another one of my companions, Darian called. “Why does the substitute look that that slug lady from Monsters inc?” I buried my face in my hands in an attempt to hide my growing laughter. Darian always had a way to break my resolve whenever I try to stay professional. It Went on like that through class and on through the rest of the day.

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The end of the day to most is praise worthy, but for me it means going home and starting the cycle all over again. “I do not like to sit in one place. I never stop, I'm always on the move. Even when I was a baby I had no boundaries. If I could go wherever I want when I wanted then maybe I wouldn't feel this way.” I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't realize I stood on the frigid shores of Lake Michigan. Looking over to Chicago, I began to smile again. It wasn't the big apple of New York City or the golden coasts of California, but it was still a sight to behold.

A snowflake landed on my nose making me sneeze. I craned my neck up and saw that a small flurry began to roll through. “There was supposed to be a storm later on tonight. I'll make it home before then.” I said to no one. About fifteen minutes later the wind began to pick up along with the snow. I still sat unmoving; while most would try to get out of the cold I find it to be embracing, but not even I could take a buzzard so I grabbed my bag. Then I heard a muffled boom. “Hmph, thundersnow.” I muttered as a visible dark aquatic blue lightning bolt struck over a nearby dune.

This lightning bolt didn't seem natural. All of my common knowledge and sense screamed at me, telling me to go home before I catched my death, but something else told me to go investigate.

I slowly trecked up the dune that the lightening struck behind, battling the whipping wind and snow. There was a steaming hole up ahead obscured by the storm. I began to walk down the dune and lost my footing. I tumbled and rolled all the way to the edge of the hole, the opening mere inches from where I stopped. “Damn, that was too close.” I sighed in relief. Pulling myself to my feet, I gazed down into the ground. I scooted closer to the edge to get a better view inside. *Crack* The ground beneath me gave way.

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I woke up in a small cluster of rocks and pebbles. I wiped my brow finding that I was near dripping with sweat. There was stars where the ground had given away beneath me. I searched in panic for my phone. The screen was severely cracked, but I was still as to discern the time. It was nine o'clock at night. “I've been down here for three hours?” I  asked to the empty cavern. Just then my phone rang.

“Hello?!” I asked.

“Reggie, where are you?!” my grandmother asked urgently.

“Oh thank goodness, grandma I fell down a hole at the beach.”

“You did what?! What the hell have I told you about going down to that beach during the winter! You never know what ground is real or not!” she shouted sternly.

“Grandma I know okay, please send someone to find me!” I said with a slight whimper.

“Don't worry. I already called the police, sit tight.” I hung up the phone and collapsed to the floor. “Why is it so hot down here!” I screamed while ripping my jacket off. During the commotion I didn't notice that this cavern had perfect lighting for it to be after sunset. I darted my eyes around looking for the source of the light. There it was right in front of me. A sprite the same color as the lightning bolt that struck three hours ago. It was so enticing like it wanted me to come closer. I tried to fight it with all of the strength I had left, but it was no use.

I reached my hand to the sprite. The moment my hand made contact  with it a surge of what felt like electricity shot through me. I couldn't move at all as I watched every moment of my life flashed before my eyes before I blacked out again.