Undergraduate /
"Finally, I made it" ; TRANSFER/ USNA to UChicago; arch-nemesis [4]
I took out the UofC reference. Here is a different version.
I suddenly awoke. Opening my eyes, I glared at a dark stone wall that stood in front of me with faint figures dancing across its face. The air was heavy and damp causing me to choke down each breath, but a faint cool breeze kissed the back of my neck. I felt drawn to it-I had often been, and every attempt to discover its source was abruptly arrested.
My neck was stiff and sore, but I slowly moved my head around to see where I was. To my left and right I saw other people, dressed in black staring at that wall, mesmerized by the fleeting dancers. Behind me I saw rags connected to stone pillars weakly fluttering in the breeze.
I walked up to them and peered around to the other side. Immediately by eyes burned as I found myself looking into a small fire. As my eyes adjusted, the fire became soothing, and I crouched beside it. Looking back beyond the pillars, I saw that that their shadows were creating those little dancers. I felt the cool breeze pierce the air, and I saw a warm light emanating around a distant corner. It made me feel dissatisfied with my fire, and I was drawn to the light. It was comforting.
I heard a loud "tap-tap-tap" and quickly ducked down, darting my head back and forth trying to find what made the noise. I did not have much time left; I always heard that noise before I was stopped, preventing me from reaching that light. "Not this time," I told myself. I was not going to let him stop me again. I stood up and quickly made my way towards the light.
I made it to a bend in the rough wall, and out of fear of what I would find, I hesitated to peer around. All I could hear was the adrenaline rushed thumping of my heart. I had never made it this far. I was going to find that light. I quickly jumped around the corner. The light enveloped me, and I could not see a thing. The air was cool and dry, and I could feel it tickling my face as it blew by. I did not know where I was yet, but I knew I belonged.
At that moment, I heard that tapping again. This time it was much louder, and this time everything went black. He had stopped me again. "Midshipman Howe," I heard in a stern voice as I opened my eyes, looking at the Captain in charge of teaching me Naval History as he knocked his ring on my desk to wake me. "Every single day..." he scolded, and I quickly shot back a rehearsed "No excuse, sir" and straightened myself in my chair.
That all-too-familiar moment had become my nemesis, always preventing me from finding that light. Looking around the room at the multitude of other Mids, dressed in our black uniforms, they sat upright as if they were shackled to their chairs, staring at the projected power point in front of them. The Captain went back to talking, and I stared too. My arms felt heavy, and my neck began to stiffen. I stared at the picture on the screen of a man galloping through the streets with a torch in hand. At that moment, I endeavored to finally defeat that nemesis and to find out what that light truly was.