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No One Will Ever Find Out
by E.A. Young
I dreaded my first day of summer school.
I had already listened to classmates discuss with each other their
summer plans and I would feel the fresh warm air blow in through
the opened classroom windows as I pictured in my head the places
they talked about.
All those exciting events were waiting for them outside that classroom
door while I would be stuck behind a desk.
It wasn’t until much later that I had learned there were methods
to studying that could help block out and end the confusion and
doubt that I had from not being prepared. And seeing how others
sometimes got lost in situations helped control my anxiety in trying
to keep up with everyone else.
Then, my curiosity got the better of me. Searching for answers to
interesting questions that popped up during my school days broadened
my thoughts about the world and beyond. If anything, some of the
lessons I had learned left me hungry for more. I started to explore
the world, finding a lot of surprises, including new ways to play
and have fun.
Anxious for school to end and summer to begin, Justine Collins
occupies her mind with the promise of warm days spent splashing
at the beach, enjoying barbecues on picnics, screaming on roller
coasters, and relishing special moments with her family.
But doubt lingers.
Justine’s dreams of freedom change as the fear of things hidden
away becoming known penetrate her thoughts. Personal matters that
she thought would remain buried away find new ways of surfacing,
turning her world upside down. Only when Justin confronts and deals
with her situation does she realize that she is not the only one
who gets confused or feels distant from others.
“I leaned against the backseat window and looked up. It was
dark and gloomy out there; the sun’s glow was fading behind
the distant trees and houses. The cool night winds wailed all around,
making the tip of my ears sting.
Everything the nuns had said was true: There was a hell, and I
was heading directly toward it.”
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