BHS Inkwell 2017-2018

“Part Three, Pen-and-Paper Math, will commence in a minute. Please pull out your test booklets.” I snapped out of my trance to the sudden, horrid realization that I had never completed or seen section two. I had no recollection of the proctor announcing it or of completing it. How could I have been on section three already? I felt an awful sick feeling slide up my gut as I tried to find the missing second section. “Hello, sweetie.” I jumped at the touch of a cold hand on my shoulder. “I noticed that you’ve been looking at that paper for quite a while,” the proctor cooed. “I suggest that you work.” I slowly gazed up at her glistening eyes and wide smile. My throat felt suddenly dry as I smelled the rotting stench of her perfume. “Yes, ma’am,” I croaked. “Good girl. Hurry along; you don’t have much time left,” she replied as she released her grip on my shoulder. I pulled out my pointless number two pencil and prepared my psyche for the oncoming phase. My heart pounded, pumped, and thumped inside my rib cage as the pain clawed, scraped, and howled behind my forehead. I scratched and scribbled my answers as my

brain banged around inside my skull.The problems, at the surface, seemed easy, such as solving for x in 2x+5=15, but these little demons of problems were plotting, planning, and preying on my weaknesses. I reviewed, revised, and revisited the completed problems until I was assured of their perfection. Finally, as I neared the last five functions, I heard the dreaded ding. My heart stopped and my head spun. I felt vaguely sickened, as if some horrific curse had just crept into crevices where my skin connected with the paper. “Alright, please put down your pencils and pull out your calculator! We are now on our final section. You will have 40 minutes to complete 25 problems!” The overly-enthused proctor exclaimed with a glint in her eye which would have made even the most gullible become suspicious. I stared down once more at the ugly beige paper. It laughed at my utter confusion and incompetence. My hurting head felt as if a searing silver spike had suddenly stabbed my skull. I felt defeated and dehydrated and wanted to run far away from this repulsive, putrid place. I gazed at the test booklet once more and promptly passed out.

Mary Gabbard

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