People Are Strange

Short Story by: hullabaloo22

Reads: 368 | Likes: 4 | Shelves: 0 | Comments: 7

People Are Strange.

Have you ever found yourself thrust in to a room full of strangers. Well, they are not strangers to each other, most have known each other for years. But you, you don’t know any of them and none of them know you.

Pushing your way through the door, you try not to attract anyone’s attention. Maybe, just for once in your life you could actually become invisible? There’s no harm in hoping, but judging by the number of faces turned in your direction you’ve not succeeded.

Why can’t there be an empty desk at the back of the classroom? One that you could slip in to, and make an effort to become a part of? You can see an empty desk alright, but you are going to have to walk most of the way past rows of desks on both sides of you.

Oh, that two-left feet, shoe-laces tied together feeling. With each step you take you have the feeling that you will trip, fall, land on your face or, even worse, on someone’s lap. Those footsteps thump and thud right up to the top of your head.

Some of them are out-right staring at you. Some seem to find you an immensely entertaining sight, while some look at you like you’ve crawled out from beneath some rock. Others are a bit more subtle with their observations, looking up as you walk past, peering at you from the corner of their eyes.

Does everyone’s chair make such a scraping sound? You take a quick peek, just to make sure that nothing has been put on your chair. Too many times of seeing new class-mates arrive in the past has made you wary of the tricks that can be played. You just sit down in the seat and find your name being called.

Is it necessary to go through the introductions in front of a whole room of staring strangers? Their faces seem to warp and twist, making them look like some kind of aliens. ‘Get it over with,’ you think, while trying to answer in a reasonably polite way. Maybe now would be a good time for the world to end – at least it would put you out of your misery.

Finally, back in your seat you surreptitiously wipe at the sweat that seems to have appeared on your brow. Watching the clock, all you can hope is that your fellow students don’t seem quite so strange tomorrow..

Submitted: August 01, 2018

Flash Fiction people stranger outsider classroom

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Comments

A.D. Ware

I've wanted to feel invisible in classroom of people before, especially on the first day or if I'm a new student somewhere. Great read, and great writing :)

Wed, August 1st, 2018 5:53pm

Author
Reply

Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it!

Wed, August 1st, 2018 10:55am

Mike S.

God, do I remember getting to class late, and having every eye on me--I hated it, excellent, Hull!

Wed, August 1st, 2018 6:29pm

Author
Reply

Yeah, I used to feel just the same -- floor, please open up and swallow me moment!
Thanks for giving it a read.

Wed, August 1st, 2018 11:30am

Jeff Bezaire

This takes me back to the first days of a new class in high school. Even if I knew someone in class, they were usually talking to someone else and there weren't any seats available near them, so I was stuck sitting with people I didn't know on the other side of the room. I preferred sitting at the back, though, where few people could see me. It felt more private back there.
A solid write, Hully! Makes me feel happy I don't have to live through that anymore.

Wed, August 1st, 2018 6:48pm

Author
Reply

Me, too. The nearest that I come to it now is the very rare occasion where I have to walk in to somewhere public, like a waiting room, and everyone looks up to see who's just come through the door.
Thanks so much for reading it, and it was inspired by that track by The Doors.

Wed, August 1st, 2018 11:51am

D. Thurmond aka JEF

So true and well put. --- Luckily, for some people old age comes a gift.

Wed, August 1st, 2018 7:40pm

Author
Reply

Thanks, JE!

Wed, August 1st, 2018 1:52pm

Sue Harris

I remember when I was nine years old, we moved house, from an urban to a rural environment. My new school had just three classrooms, and three very weird teachers. I remember feeling like a fish out of water... that I didn't fit in. just recalling it makes me shudder. A great piece, Hully, one that I reckon most people can relate to!

Wed, August 1st, 2018 8:21pm

Author
Reply

Yeah, I guess we've all had those moments -- apart from the most confident. Thanks so much for giving this a read, Sue.

Wed, August 1st, 2018 1:53pm