THE faint sound of the alarm woke me up. I grabbed my phone to check the time and realized that dawn was already breaking. Deep inside I knew that I should get up, but my body felt so heavy. I could not find the motivation to move. Wide awake, I stared at the ceiling, waiting for time to tick by until I found the inclination to start moving.
Finally out of my bedroom, I did everything needed to be done in instinctive motions: preparing my breakfast, taking a bath, fixing my things for school. It was all a routine now. As I was about to leave, I found myself remembering my first day in class. It was the end of summer break and I was filled with so much excitement. My walk to the university was so surreal; everything shone with the light of new possibilities. Now, I was only making do. I did not feel anything.
I could no longer see my surroundings or feel the breeze in the air. I found that my mind was always elsewhere. Upon reaching my class, I scanned the room to see if my classmates were just as dead inside as I was. True enough, no one was smiling.
Like a blur, the day passed by. I was walking on the bridge alongside people going in the same direction. My mind was filled with nothing but home; thoughts of today were my plans for tomorrow. F ISABELL ANDREA M. PINE
