The Test

I stared at the paper before me, glared at problem one and my mind is stuck at the twilight zone. I clutched my hand, ready to write but nothing came out. As time slowly passes, I felt myself slipping away into madness and creating excuses for my frustration: “Why does this problem exists?!” I twist my utensil as I continue wondering the empty and dark abyss. Time is withering, minutes is drowning and my throat tighten in pain. I glance away from the paper and saw everyone else smiled with confidence as they write their answers. The professor sat on his chair comfortably, his legs stacked on the table and reading The Time Magazine. The clock shows that it's after midnight and the silent night became eerie awhile ago. Returning back to the test, I skipped problem one and moved forward, to problem two.

Two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes and a hour was wasted on the second problem. As I was feeling drowsy and faint, my mind begin to formulate problems while forming a solution, suddenly the professor's voice ringed in my head: “Time's up!” It echoed through my brain and I froze in place meanwhile the professor started to approach each table to collect the exam. My head was in a state of panic, my hand scribbled rapidly without my awareness and then, the professor stand in front of me. He looked down, there stood his hand and I simply stared at it. My exam flew to him, remembering that this paper will never be seen again and I notice the strings of lines were filled with my writing. How am I able to write under this circumstance, filled my unconsciousness.

I sat at my chair and continue to ponder, reassuring myself that things will return to normal. Students clatter noisily as they exit the room, their rustling steps and opaque murmurs flow inside my ear. The professor prepared his documents as he left his seat then he saw me: “Is everything alright?”. Caught off guard, I replied: “Yes, I'll be fine.” He took another second look: “Don't worry, you've clearly tried during this exam.” He opened the door. “Whether you'll pass is up to you, Johnson.” The door clanked shut. My eyes became watery, nose felt wet and a sense of dizziness appeared. I shove my books into my backpack and stood up, then pushed the chair toward the table. “I'd guess all these time studying is all for naught.” I thought to myself when I walked down the silent hallway. I chuckled and smirk in disbelief. I pushed the entrance door open and continue walking into the lonesome sky, stars twinkle in the darkness. Cold air rush through me, the wind brush my hair and my step paced faster. “What a joke.” I exclaimed in my last breath then the swift night glide itself into oblivion.

The next morning, in the administration office, exams were marked and rows of people review the paper as it passed for official examination. Mountains of sheets were neatly piled and one of them states my name. As the officials looked at the problems, their keen eyes darting throughout the paper to seek any errors and their markers will be the judge. Then a list of scores with student's names were made and it's posted near the professor's door. A crowd of students huddled around the paper posted on the wall. It was organized by the highest score and a student named “Johnson” was printed at the top. I wasn't there to look at the final results, instead I disappeared and forever missing.