It was 2:20 PM, "almost" the end of my school day. I had one class left, driver's ed. Days like today I just wanted to go home and relax, but no. That wouldn't happen. At four I had a dentist appointment. Ugh. I despised the dentist. No matter what, they always found something minor that just HAD to be fixed. In other words, they haven't made enough money this week.

As I headed down the hallway to class I tried to distract myself. We were in a different room, one of the science labs, today. We were watching a movie that Mrs. Luther had warned us would be graphic. I was sure it wasn't that bad. I mean, if it was that graphic, then it wouldn't be allowed in school, right?

Once everyone was settled in the room, Mrs. Luther talked for a few minutes (not that I really paid attention) about the movie. Then, it started playing. The video was about drunk driving accidents and it took place in a shock trauma hospital unit. At first, I was okay. Mangled bodies being operated on was nothing major. About ten minutes into it, though, I started feeling sick. I was then becoming very hot as the injuries were getting worse on screen. I looked out the window until I felt calm, but, still, I heard. I could hear the doctors talking and operating, family and friends weeping, and, worse, the patient's agonized cries. Ten more minutes passed. I could make it another ten minutes. All I had to do was not pay attention. No problem.

An overwhelming urge to close my eyes suddenly overtook me. Well, it was one way to not focus, I thought. I could find my happy place...However, as soon as I closed my eyes, everything went black. Not only could I not open my eyes, but all my senses stopped working. I felt nothing. I heard nothing. I saw nothing.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally heard the soft murmurs going around the room. Apparently, someone fainted. Who was it? My eyes still wouldn't open. Less than a second later, I lifted my head. Geez, had my head always felt this heavy? Suddenly, someone's hands were on my shoulders. Finally I was able to open my eyes. The first thing I saw was the girl who had been sitting closest to me, but I was having difficulty remembering her name. Then, I heard a voice from someone else. It was Mrs. Luther, I was sure. I turned instinctively, and the next thing I knew she was following me out of the room. I stumbled a lot. When I reached the hallway, I collapsed again but didn't faint. My legs felt like jell-o, literally. I listened as Mrs. Luther suggested I leaned against the lockers. I moved, on my knees, to the lockers across from the door. I was breathing rapidly, as if I'd just run a marathon.

“Can you tell me your name?” Mrs. Luther asked me, her voice calmer that I expected. What was my name? Was it Carrie, the girl she'd been calling out for moments before? Wow, I was really out of it. I opened my mouth to answer but no sound came out. Instead, I nodded. She didn't ask me again. “What day is it?” She asked another question. Somehow, I knew what today was. How could anyone forget it was Monday, the worst day of the week? I tried to speak again, and this time I was able to answer. “When's your birthday?” Yet another stupid question. After all, who can forget their own birthday?

A girl was standing a few feet away from us now. It was the girl from class who was beside me. Her name came back to me finally when Mrs. Luther addressed her. It was Kari. Kari ran to the nurse's office for something or other. I was too spaced out to notice what was going on until Mrs. Luther turned back to me. I heard her say something about my skin being chalk white, drained of blood. I stifled a laugh as I looked at my pale hands. Well, I got my wish. I was turning into a vampire. Okay, maybe not, but a girl could dream, couldn't she?

Not long after, Kari came back. The nurse was on her bus run and no one could get into her office. Of all days! Typically, I never swore, but the list of profanities popping into my head made it difficult to focus. If not for it still being difficult to speak I'm sure some would've been said out loud.

I tried to stay positive as Kari handed me a cup of water. My hands trembled but I managed not to spill any of the contents. That's when I remembered something “important”. I started to laugh but quickly disguised it as a cough. There was no way I'd be able to make it to my dentist appointment now.