Will This Nightmare Ever End?

I enter the hall and look around nervously. We are told not to look at or speak to anyone else, and our eyes must be on the test, not on anyone else.

We are told, "You have 1 minute to answer the test paper in full," and the clock starts ticking.

60 Seconds

The test starts, but I am already stuck on the first question.

"Shit! I revised for this test I should know the answer. Should I scribble any old answer down? No, better not...if I want to pass."

I look at the clock; we are already in the next second. My pulse is racing, and my hands are shaking, but I think I know the answer.

I write down the number 15. I don't even know if it's correct. I was never good at division anyway. I stop for a second and ponder whether I should change it, but time is ticking, so I leave it, hoping I don't fail.

59 Seconds

The next question is multiple-division

"What is 59 x 10?"

I kick the table in frustration and almost get sent out of the room. I only have a minute to answer these questions!

"Are you kidding me?"

The answer is stuck in my brain, but I cannot leave it blank.

"I can't wait to get the hell out of here!" I scream at myself.

I try to answer the question.

"60...? 100...? 70...?"

I write them down anyway, but oh shit!

I wrote the wrong answer, 70. I only realized the answer was 590 when it was too late!

I feel a storm brewing inside my head, and I am tearing my hair out.

I am bursting for the toilet, but I have no time to get mad or time to pee!

58 Seconds

The next question asks me to write a short story about school. I know I am going to fail this test anyway, so out of annoyance, I write,

"School is boring, and tests are shit!"

I am annoyed and frustrated, so I write the first thing that comes to mind.

I am bored, fed up, and steaming, and I have been sitting here less than a minute.

"Which crazy person devised this test anyway? It's totally ridiculous!"

57 Seconds

I am biting my nails now.

I have been biting them for the last few seconds of the test without realizing it, and the tops of my fingers are bleeding. I don't have time to stop the blood, so I ignore them and carry on writing despite covering the top of my pen in blood.

"Who wrote "Great Expectations?"

"Finally, a question I can answer," I almost scream, but decide that is a bad idea. Mrs. Snooty won't appreciate it, and she will send me to the detention room from hell tonight if I try it.

Feeling victorious, I write my answer down faster than a bullet. I write the following,

"Jane Austen."

Oh crap!

Here we go, writing the wrong answer again!

I knew the answer was Charles Dickens.

I have read this book so many times. It is one of my favourites.

Feeling like my cheeks are on fire, I almost throw the paper across the room and give in.

56 Seconds

Oh heck!

"Where is the time going?"

I can't answer the following question.

I can barely read it, let alone answer it.

My head is spinning, and I feel sick.

"What is the French word for bread?"

I know this, but I can't spell it.

"Pan...??? Pane??? Du Pan???

I scratch my head but settle for the last sentence because it makes sense.

Fingers crossed...I may have gotten it right (or not!).

55 Seconds

I can't breathe. I feel like I've been sitting in this hot hall for hours, though I have been sitting here less than a minute.

I start to doodle but soon get down to work when I get caught!

I manage to look like I am working, and nobody notices.

"Write a poem."

I am instructed.

I am frustrated enough, so I bypass it and write the words

"Sorry lolly, dolly, wolly!"

instead,

nobody will notice, anyway!

54 Seconds

I give up time to stop!

53 Seconds

And another nightmare begins!

My pen runs out in the middle of answering a question. I find another one, but I drop it on the floor, and it makes an oh, so silent clatter as it hits the floor.

Mrs. Snooty shoots me one stern look.

I smile politely, then grimace into my test paper.

52 Seconds

Yet another dumb question!

"What happens if you mix green and blue paint?"

I shake my head and jot down the answer fast!

"Cyan."

I'm sure I have written the correct answer, but who knows? It's written now!

51 Seconds

I can't concentrate anymore.

I'm dying for the loo!

"Do people still call it that?"

49 Seconds

The next question is,

"Do we call lunchtime, lunch or dinner?"

I think that this is a dumb question!

I write,

"You tell me?"

I don't know what else to write, and I'm bored!

48 Seconds

"Is it home time yet? I've failed the test anyway!"

I ponder while chewing my nails because I'm still bored!

47 Seconds

"Get your eyes on the paper!" Mrs.Snooty tells me.

I put my head down, but I am done with this test!

46 Seconds

I will answer one more question.

"What evolves around the sun?"

I write

"My home!"

Well, I'm sure it does!

45 Seconds

I have done my best, and I finished answering the questions early!

All I need to do now is wait so I can go home!

44 Seconds

I silently tap my feet.

"Not long to go now!"

43 Seconds

I yawn, hoping not to be caught!

42 Seconds

Waiting is boring!

41 Seconds

I'm chewing my fingers again!

39 Seconds

I check my answers. I can get away with some dumb ones; I'm only ten!

38 Seconds!

I decide "supper" is the correct answer to the question about "dinnertime."

37 Seconds

All my answers are correct, I think!

36 Seconds

I'm sweating my trousers off!

35 Seconds

Rechecked my answers.

34 Seconds

" Am I still here?"

33 Seconds

I'm bored of writing now!

32 Seconds

Still sat here.

"Not sure why I finished early!"

31 Seconds

"Did I cheat?"

I'm not sorry!

29 Seconds

Time to pack up.

Everyone's put their pens down.

28 Seconds

"Are we leaving yet!?"

27 Seconds

" I have cheated!"

26 Seconds

"Will this nightmare ever end? I'm out of things to write about!"

25 Seconds

"You're killing me!"

24 Seconds

My feet smell, so I take off my shoes.

Mrs. Snooty won't notice!

23 Seconds

"This is too much hard work!"

22 Seconds

I missed a question!

It's too late now.

21 Seconds

I scribbled "missed" underneath the missed question.

20 Seconds

"I could have done better."

19 Seconds

I check my watch.

18 Seconds

My eyes are closed, and I'm snoring.

17 Seconds

"Is it time to leave yet?"

16 Seconds

My heart is racing.

"I know I've failed!"

15 Seconds

"One more question to correct, but I don't think I'll bother."

14 Seconds

"Almost time to go!"

13 Seconds

Pondering...

12 Seconds

Still pondering...

11 Seconds

"Did I really write that?"

10 Seconds

Trying to pack up

09 Seconds

Mrs. Snooty tells us to pack up, but I have answered a question incorrectly!

"I will fail now!"

08 Seconds

"Where is my ruler?"

07 Seconds

"It's here somewhere, damn it!"

06 Seconds

I franticly look for my ruler. Anyone would think it was money!

05 Seconds

"Everyone can leave soon, apart from Tom," Mrs. Snooty announces.

04 Seconds

"Me? What have I done?"

03 Seconds

Planning my exit, fast!

02 Seconds

Everything is packed. No waiting for Snooty to yell at me!

01 Seconds

"I know, I've failed!"

I bolt out of the door before Mrs. Snooty calls me.

There is no way I am staying behind tonight, not when football is on the television!

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