Silence During Rush Hour Everything Stopped

You shoot up from your warm bed. You rub the sleep from your eyes and glance at the clock, which strikes 6:10. It seems as though your heart skips a beat. The cozy blankets try to keep you enthralled in their warm grasp as you jump from their reach. The bus to Buffalo leaves in twenty minutes and you should’ve woken up an hour ago. You frantically toss on your oversized sweatshirt and leggings and race to the kitchen, in hope that you have time to sneak a quick bite to eat. As you run in, you see that your mother has made you two slices of toast, crisp and crunchy, spread with a thick layer of creamy, melted butter. While running around the house, munching on the perfectly toasted bread, you quick grab your swimsuit and bag, which

I could feel the breeze skim through my hair as my loose shirt caught the brisk air behind me. This was my sanctuary, the feeling was bliss. I made my way home, bracing myself for the approaching argument I was about to have with my mother. That feeling of pleasure left my body as quickly as it arrived. I stepped into the front door, and closed it behind me as quietly as I could, maybe she wouldn't notice I was late home. But before I could even take the first few steps inside, I heard mum coming from the kitchen,

I woke up and rustled all my things together and jetted down stairs. I see my mom across the room eating her favorite cereal, Lucky Charms. I slugged around the kitchen still half-awake trying to find a bowl, cereal, and milk. Then I heard a whistle and realized she had my breakfast ready on the table. I sat across from her on the table. The scent of perfume hit my nose, it smelled fruity. Her hair was combed back into a sleek bun. She was wearing a formal white shirt and a black skirt and some heels. I slurped the last of the milk as she was almost out the door. I walked outside and ran to the car. I opened the door and got inside. It was 7:59 am.

I rolled the cheap rental fabric of the sleeve between my fingers before walking to my dresser and pulling out my underwear. I grabbed a pair of plain boxers from the front and looked down at the boring pattern. "Might as well be a little different" I muttered, as i pulled the old drawer all the way out, feeling around for the pair of fitted boxer briefs I had secretly gotten for myself. The pale blue went well with my pale skin, the spunky girl at the store said so herself. It was one of the few acts of rebellion I had done up to that point. I still remembered how nervous I was going into the alternative store in the local mall, I shook as I looked at all the crude jokes and sexual things inside. She came up out of nowhere and asked if I needed any help. I stammered out "No, I-I'm alright thanks." She must have known I was nervous because she just smirked and said "Here let's find you a souvenir." I only nodded and followed her around the store as she asked me about what I liked, what I was into, etc. I couldn't help but stair at her amazingly colored hair, it shimmered in the dim light like a peacocks feathers; radiating out from a vibrant green, to blue, and purple. As we passed by the "sexy" underwear section of the story, my eyes landed on the pair of underwear. Right away she noticed and said "Great choice! I bet he'll love them" with a wink. I clammed up as soon as she said 'he', and of

Awaking with the knowledge that the room I had slept in for the past six years would not be the same room that I would rest my head that evening or for six more years was a hard idea to consume. After taking the final morning stretch and dressing for the day, I awaited the moving truck to make its presence known in front of our big yellow apartment building surrounded by a white picket fence. While waiting said truck we began to finish packing our left over dishes and clothing. During that time, I returned to my room I began to take down my posters, plastic ceiling stars that I would stare at every night and ponder the future over and pack them into a nearby crate. I was thirteen at the time of the move and a recent graduate of elementary school, I remember feeling like such an elder, but I assumed that I would graduate elementary school, go to one of the best high schools in my area, and then go to college in New York so that I was not too far from home but finally had the opportunity to fulfill that need for difference I always thirsted for as a child. It was when the back of our moving van was opened that I realized that I would not get to obtain any of those goals and that it was best to move forward and begin to accept the new

It was a typical Wednesday morning. I was getting ready for school and I was going to be wearing my very authentic shoes that I bought from Nordstrom. Today was going to be an amazing day because my family said we could go hiking after school. So I got ready and head downstairs to eat my breakfast. Today I had pancakes with some strawberries on the side. I ate my breakfast with delicacy because I just got my braces but I was so hungry, I basically devoured all my food. Then the time 7:45 am beeped on my watch which meant it was time for me to head to school. I picked up my backpack and catched the bus.

It was 6:25 AM and I was beginning to wake up. I was on my top bunk of our bunk bed and I said to myself I feel like doing something to get me in trouble. I crawled out of my sheets trying not to hit my head on the ceiling fan. I jumped off the stairs of the bunk bed onto the old wooden floor. On impact I heard my sister say i’m hungry from her little princess bed. My sister Izzy and I walked in to the kitten for a meal. She got a tortilla, cold hotdog, and a dill pickle. I went for a peanut and butter jelly sandwich. After breakfast, I went outside to feed the 4 dogs we had. But be for I did I got my sandals. I opened the back door leading to the fresh morning air. I hoped down from the cement stairs onto the cold moist grass. With every step

Opening my eyes, I look over to my paper thin tv for the time, noticing that I still have 30 mins till I have to get up I doze off into a soft sleep. Awaking from the blaring noise of my alarm I get up to brush my teeth. As I walk over to the wash bowl, where we wash our hands and brush our teeth, I reach over to grab my toothbrush off it's charger. As I was brushing my teeth, I noticed that it was almost time for me to leave for school. I searched around my closet for a shirt and some jeggings, my usual wardrobe for school, I head towards my broke in tennis shoes. Heading downstairs, I grab my computer holder and my headphones and head for school.

On Monday October 29,2017 I woke up in Haverhill, Massachusetts at 7 in the morning, but that morning didn't feel like I was in Haverhill. I woke up in a daze,my mother on the other side of the door, “ Babez wake up it’s 7 now”. The daze could have been from the fact that I got an extra hour of sleep and I was too comfortable to get up, however it wasn't the first time I had slept in. While getting ready time seemed to be standing still, Completing my hair and makeup perfectly(...well to me) in under twenty minutes and I looked presentable,but I wasn't mentally there. Something was still off and I couldn't figure it out. Dismissing it I go downstairs to wait for my mom, we all know twenty minutes isn't enough for the majesty herself. I decided it would be a good idea to warm up the car and scarf down some waffles at the

Waking up to my father's footsteps outside my room. The time reads a hazy 8:30 am on a January Saturday. My father walked into my room and said: “ Time to get ready to go to Washington D.C.” I look up at him confused, I tiredly ask, “ Why are we going to Washington D.C today.” He explains that we were going to pick out a get my silver Trumpet. We all pack up the car for the trip and left. The drive down seems to be minutes when I fall asleep in the car. When we made into Washington D.C, the sky was a mirky grey. We stop to grab a bite to eat before arriving at the shop. When we arrived at the shop, we all got out. The cold air hit me when I crack the door. The music shop was on a steep hill, walking down was easy. My mother open the door

Before I knew it, it was late at night and almost my bedtime. I made my way, up the stairs to the loft, slowly dragging my feet up each huge log stair from being so tired. I finally made my way up to the loft although the only light source was coming from one-single lit candle downstairs on the kitchen table. As I pulled the covers off the tiny twin bed, it was extremely hot, so I decided

It starts in bed. I’m in my clothes, different clothes than the ones I wore to school. I can’t recall what color shirt I wore or what color of pants if I had worn pants. The day after though, I can remember it all. It starts in bed. The memory feels warm, cozy. I can’t recall if my electric blanket was on, or if I was merely warm. I remember what I was wearing except if I had socks on, or not. It’s incredibly doubtful. I was in my anti-sock period. I had black leggings on, I know the exact pair too. I still have them. The waistband is twisted inside the fabric in addition, they’re too short at the ankle. They make me feel fat. I had a gray sweatshirt on it from my favorite Youtuber at the time, Connor Franta. The sweater says “Frantastic Mondays” on it. I never wear it anymore, it has holes in it. I was in love with him. He lived in California, he was 19, and he took exquisitely beautiful photos. I had a blue cat case on my phone. It’s actually turquoise I suppose. It has yellow eyes if I remember correctly. I threw it away a few months ago. It was fitted for an iPhone 4 which I don’t have anymore. Isabella wrote my name on the white tummy of the cat in pencil. It would never come off, only fade. I had my earbuds in, which ones I’m not sure. Probably white apple buds.

When I was a young child I would love to hear my parents tell me that we were going on a trip. I would be full of excitement, because I knew that we would be going to a place that I had never seen before. My parents, my brother, and I would pack our luggage and venture out in our small gray minivan. Three of my most cherished memories in our minivan are when we went to Disney World, the beach, and the mountains.

Saturday and Sunday went by fast. Vowing that God had cut off at least twelve hours off my weekend, Monday morning arrived. I had to be at the coliseum at nine a.m. I woke up at eight thirty on the dot. With no essential worries and not a care in the world what I looked like, I merely jumped out of bed and put my graduation dress, cap, and gown on. In six minutes flat I was ready to go. I made it out my room and past the mirror wall right before I was about to leave. Looking at myself I knew I looked unacceptable, but my mind could not lead me to care. Right before I could make it out the door my mom vented her words of refutation. “Where do you think you are going? You did not bother to brush your hair, wash your face nor take a shower.” Thinking quickly, I managed to use time as my excuse and scampered out the door to avoid any more questions.

I chose to take a day of silence from 2:00 pm to 10:30 pm. This day of silence was done on my way home for Thanksgiving. I spent 2 hours in the car in complete silence, without music or any other imported noise, breaking every 30-45 minutes to stop and take a short walk as suggested by the instructions. The final hour in the car I played light classical music and hymns, to combat drowsiness. Then, after getting into the airport, I sat at my gate with noise canceling headphones in and read. I read from the Bible (both Ruth and Luke in their entirety) prior to my plane ride, Parker Palmer, and a novel called “Me Before You” that examines the life of a paralyzed man who wishes to commit doctor assisted suicide. My day of silence was completed exactly 30 minutes prior to landing in Albuquerque, New Mexico for Thanksgiving.