9TH GRADE
Her name was
Nora.
She was a
student in 9th grade and was
perfect in every aspect.
She was a good
daughter who helped her mother with the house chores, so she could rest after work.
She made breakfast for his father for him to sleep a little bit more before
going to work. She always asked how they were, how was work, etc. She genuinely
worried about them and never asked for anything in return.
She was a good
student. All of her teachers loved her. She was smart and responsible. She
delivered all her works on time. Paid attention in classes, participated.
Besides, she was kind to her teachers and more than a student, she was like a
daughter to them.
She was a good
friend and nice to everyone, absolutely no one hated her. No one could
hate someone so gentle. She helped the rest with their classes, helped them to
prepare for exams and always found time to hang out with them.
Everyone was
astonished when she died.
One day, Nora
was walking to school. She was quite late, so she didn't pay attention when she
crossed the street.
And then
everything was done for her.
Everyone was
devastated about her death, they went to the funeral. They cried until they
lost forces to continue crying. They
even canceled classes so they could grieve in peace.
But life
needed to go on. So a week later, they went back to school. They looked at her
empty chair, about to cry for the thousand times. And then, someone at the back
of the classroom said.
Nora is there
The only way
they found to support her death, was to believe it didn't happen. So they
talked to the empty chair, they played with her, went home together, hanged out
together, they lived as if she was still there. Even her parents and teachers
believed it. It was less painful to believe in a beautiful life than belief in
a painful truth.
Two years
later, their graduation arrived.
This illusion
was still going on, they pretended that she was still there with them.
But their
graduation day was different.
Because that
day they didn't have to pretend
She was there.
And someone
died. Just after graduation.
Since that day
every year, one person in 9th grade dies.
By Manuela Orozco, Step 9
