Page 222 - Demo

222 THE CLARENCIAN 2024-2025I follow their gaze down to my hands%u2014covered in blood. My clothes, the floor%u2014everything is soaked with her scarlet bloodAnd then I see it. The knife.It's in my hand.How? I drop it, recoiling in horror, my mind spinning. But the look on their faces%u2014it's too late. They%u2019ve already decided.I stand up, backing away from the lifeless body. My breath quickens, and a cold chill runs down my spine. They think I did this.%u201cNo,\this?\again.Silence. No one answers. Just wide, accusing eyes. The room feels like it's closing in on me, the air too thick to breathe. I feel trapped, like I'm in a nightmare I can't wake up from.The girl%u2019s blood is still warm on my hands. But my skin has gone ice cold%u2026.Sara Mary PothanClass 8C110 Years of Aspiring, Adapting and Altering LivesIn fact, everything from the first teddy bear to the first iPad was invented in the span of 110 years. Something else that happened during that period of time is the passage of thousands of students through the portals of a certain institution. So, in the grand scheme of things, here is the story of just one:My first day in Clarence was an absolute nightmare. I joined Clarence when I was six years old and I was petrified. Having come from a sheltered environment, entering the gates of this intimidating school was not something I was keenly looking forward to. I went through my first day in Prep A with few familiar faces around me and a completely different environment than what I was used to. I remember running back into my parents%u2019 arms at the end of the day. But, as the days and ultimately years went by, I grew fond of the institution. From the wild cheering on Sports Day to the thrill of competition results to the suspense and, at times, dread on the day that report cards were given out, I went through the experiences of what hundreds of students before me had gone through and hundreds of students in the future will. Along the way, I made some of my fondest memories and picked up some of my best friends.However, amid all the joyful moments, it wasn%u2019t all cupcakes and rainbows. All this good stuff happened in between me panicking about whatever exam, test or submission was around the corner. In those moments of stress, I learned to cherish the simple joys, like a lunch break where you don%u2019t have to meet someone or do something %u2014 a truly rare blessing.Class 9110 years ago, the Band-Aid had not been invented yet. If you think about it, 110 years is a very long time.