The Other Self (Playground Kids 2)

I wrote a poem like 9 months ago, "The Play Ground Kids". This story has the same idea just with the introduction of Characters. HAHA, I`m lame.

The Other Self


The mild breeze of spring had settled in. Everything appeared more cheerful, It had been a very cold winter and the people of “Balamory” had done well to get through the coldest of winters. Bright sunshine emerged as the people of this small town were getting ready to start there day. Meanwhile, a sixteen-year old “Chris Allen” was getting ready for his day too. This day i.e 1st March had been pinned down on his calendar as this was the day his high school annual results came out. His family had great expectations of him and they knew that Chris was going to make them proud. Chris had worked hard on those exams too.

On the other side of town, A group of nineteen year olds had beaten down a kid in the street while bullying him and taking the poor child’s money. The tallest of them was “Mark Donald” who appeared to be the leader of the gang and had that commanding authority to his personality. While they ran away, Mark with no care in the world, lighted a cigarette and laughed at the little boy. This was not the first time this particular gang had assaulted a person, there had been several other occasions when this rugged group of three had beaten down people and ran away with their belongings, this appeared to be another regular activity for Mark and his friends as if part of their lives but life had not been always like this for Mark, he was once the “good kid” but not anymore.

Three years ago, Mark just like Chris had high expectations for his annual high school exam results. Being raised in the town Orphanage Mark had always despised other kids with families, he wanted a family too and these exams were the perfect opportunity for Mark to make the other kids jealous with his grades. Although his wise personality often got the best of him but he believed it to the best part about him but one week before the annual exams Mark had a major argument with the principal, who had summoned Mark to his office to discuss future college applications but Mark wanted to consider his decision and take time with this particular decision because he believed that “If you are not sure, take time and do what ever you wish to do” but the principal “Mr. Alex Turner” had other ideas, because he wanted to get Mark into college with his influence, so he (Alex Turner) could take credit for teaching and nourishing a bright student but Mark thought otherwise because he did not want to get into college by sympathy as being a orphan, he did not want to be considered a charity case. He wanted to get there by his own hard work. This lead to an argument between Alex Turner and Mark Donald and they were not on speaking terms anymore.

A week after the meeting at the Principals Office, Marks annual results came out. He was in a state of shock, from being a good graded student, Mark had failed. His whole world had turned upside down. Alex Turner with his influence over the Examination Control Authority had made sure the Mark fails in his exams so that he cannot pursue college education.

Mark was devastated with his results, he had lost all hope and he knew this was the result of the argument he had with the principal. He had lost hope in the educational system, having lived a life with little expectations; his dream had been crushed by the controlling authority. This lead to life changing decisions for Mark, he stopped coming to school, started taking drugs and at one point even considered committing suicide but his natural wits had stopped him from doing that.
Chris had a jumpstart of a day, getting the “best of lucks” from his family, Chris decided to spent the few hours he had left before the result in the park at the outskirts of the town. Steady steps towards his destination. As he entered the park, he saw two boys bullying little kids and a third guy standing just a few yards away, with a hint of swagger smoking a cigarette as if he was in control of everything, He probably was the leader of this gang.

As thoughts like “Why is he considered cool” “Is he worth to be followed”. Chris’s cell phone rang with a beep, it was a text message probably from some friend, letting him know his result and congratulating him, time had flown by as he was lost in thoughts sitting on the park bench.

As he read the message, his torso had an out of body experience; his whole world shook as if somebody had pulled the ground from beneath his feet. He was in a trauma, he had failed his exams, he had failed his parents, and he had failed his parents. This brutal reality was very hard to gulp down for little Chris Allen. Thoughts like “What would happen now?” “Should I run away”, “Am I a failure?” crossed his mind. Tears had started to come down from his eyes; he had no control over them as his mind went further into the realms of this brutal reality.
He was panicking, he had decided that he will walk to the outskirt cliffs of the town and commit suicide, Among all of the bullying, the panic, bad news, Mark had noticed little Chris Allen walk out of the park, crying, he knew Chris had his result today and assumed that he probably had failed too. But Mark knew Chris Allen, he was a good kid with a lot of potential and he was just like him (Mark Donald) so it was probably not expected that he failed. So he decided to follow Chris.

The wind blowing into Chris’s face, as he stood on the edge of the cliff thinking about his decision, his mind shaking with thoughts of the consequences, bad news, people he had let down. He was ready, as he closed his eyes, took a long breath getting ready to jump. He was pulled back by Mark into the world. With commanding force he had pulled back and thrown back on the ground,

Chris screamed “Leave me, Alone, I want to die”
Mark: “No, You don’t”
Chris: “Yes I do”
As he runs forward to jump, Mark holds him back, pushing him back to the ground
Mark: “I won’t let you quit this easy”
Chris: “Why?”
Mark:”Calm down and I`ll explain”
Chris, calms down and thinks “Why does he want to save me”, “Is he a good person”
Mark:” I know you Chris, you don’t need to quit, You have a lot of potential”
Chris: “But I`ve let my family down, I’ve failed”
Mark: “So what? There’s always next time”
Chris: “But Why? Do you want to save me?”
Mark:”I was once like you and I see myself in you”

Chris’s mind was about the explode with thoughts of this encounter, Mark waited for Chris to calm down and then started walking with him back towards the town, telling him about how he failed the exams and took the wrong decisions and would now want to see you (Chris) waste your life like he did. Chris was confused but he knew that his decision was stupid and was thankful to Mark for saving his life who he considered a bad influence but this conversation had changed Chris’s mind, he would go back to school, to his life and face the consequences of him failing. Lost in his own thoughts, Mark called out his name and told him that it was time for him to go home, the thought of admiration for Mark crossed his mind “His Other Self”.