Peacock

It is now one minute since I joined the line of chattering voices.  The room is locked.  She is late.  The cool draft in the corridor sends shivers through my spine and I feel the butterflies rise in my stomach.  There are around fifty-nine species of butterflies and I have a large poster on my bedroom wall displaying most of them.  They are all beautiful but my favourite is the Peacock.

It is now two minutes since I joined the line which means that there is now only forty-three minutes left before the bell rings and the lesson will end.  The chattering subsides as Miss Mathias unlocks the classroom door.  I wish I had chosen a desk nearer the back.  The clock on the wall is two minutes fast.  I do not make eye contact.  Miss Mathias wants to discuss our homework.  There is a sudden eruption and she throws a large piece of chalk to towards the back of the room.  I cannot understand any logic or reasoning.  I can only understand fear.  ‘GET OUT’.  Trembling instinct tells me I am next.  I am unable to concentrate and all I can hear is fury.  ‘RUBBISH’, ‘THINK’.  I am unable to think.  I am only able to feel the multiple butterflies in my stomach.  The bell rings for our break and there is a hastening bustle of departure.  I walk out of the building and take a huge breath out towards the sky and watch the Peacock fly away.  There are seventy-two hours before the next lesson.