Remember When #featured #AllStars

Chapter 34

DEFENDING YOUR LIFE

I found myself back at my old locker at St. Norman's.

There was a padlock on the handle, which was weird, because those things had been banned the year before. The school was trying out a new honor system, under the misguided fantasy that good little Catholic students like us didn't have any need to lock up our belongings from all the other good little Catholic students. I'd had a leather jacket, numerous writing implements and my senior yearbook stolen over the course of the year, so... I guess it was a pretty good system. Not. Thankfully, I was able to replace the yearbook, but I never did see that jacket again.

When I saw that the lock had my initials carved into it, I realized it was mine, the one I'd had ever since junior high. I'd left it in my locker all year, hoping for a reversal in the new rule. I must have unconsciously slapped the thing on there on the last day of school. I tried out my old combination: 0-6-16, and it popped right open.

I was expecting to find an empty space, but instead, there was a single, white rose. My heart starting beating faster, wondering if Trip had left it for me. The more I looked at it, the more I saw that it wasn't in the best of shape, wilting and browning around the edges, obviously due to inattention. The thing had probably been in there since grad night. I'd never had the greenest thumb, but I'm sure I could have managed to keep a single flower alive, at least for a little while, had I only known it was in there. I figured the best I could do at that point was to try and dry it out and keep it as a memento.

I went to grab it, intending to press it into my yearbook, when I noticed it was making some sort of noise.

Like a ticking.

And then I saw some strange wires protruding from it.

I looked at the floor of my locker and saw a brick of explosive material- what was that stuff called again?- and wondered who would have left a boobytrap for me. Why is it called a boobytrap?

But then I realized I shouldn't care about such details when all I really needed to concentrate on was getting out of there. Quick.

I tried to run, but it was like I couldn't get my legs to move properly, practically in cartoon mode, my arms pumping and my legs in a Roadrunner blur, but it wasn't getting me anywhere. I knew I only had seconds- for some reason, I was able to see the digital readout on the bomb, counting down in boxy, red numerals, even though I'd slammed the locker door shut before trying to run away.

I somehow made it down the hallway and could see the light from the front doors just steps away. But every step I took toward the exit, the further it moved away from me, until finally- tick, tick, tick, three, two, one- there was a huge BOOM! behind me!

The walls shook, the windows shattered, the floor rippled. I could feel the heat from the blast, lifting me off my feet, hurtling me airborne, my body flying across the foyer and out the door, the concrete stairs coming to meet me at a rapid pace. Falling, falling...

Falling out of my bed and landing on the floor.

I shook my head awake and untangled my sweaty self from the sheets, realizing I was safe and sound in my very own room. God. What a weirdo. That's the last time I fall asleep watching Die Hard.

I peeked out the window and saw that it was another sunny, summer day outside, so I grabbed the one-piece off my doorknob and got dressed to go swimming. The pool was almost too warm that time of year, having been steadily heated from the sun all summer long. But in the cool early morning, I knew it would feel just perfect. I didn't bother testing the temperature with my toes before diving right in, the oasis enveloping me with a watery calm.