Crap, CRAP, CRAP! Gotta get this done, gotta get this done! Maylon’s thoughts in the last five minutes of the test. What went wrong? You thought you had this. Maylon is panicking, and his work isn’t as good when he panics. What will he do?

Let’s go back. Back to his long night of rest. Maylon got about nine hours of sleep. He was warm and snug like a bug. Who believes that? He is always restless, sheets flying from his bed, sometimes Larry, -his large penguin stuffed animal- and occasionally all that is left is a mattress. His dreams are of crazy students that come out of testing with smoke coming out of their ears and a dead look on their face. Then, Maylon went into the testing room and saw the Wicked Witch of the West, and a creepy deformed assistant. Maylon was thrown into the testing chair, and a snake tied him up. The snake coiled around his legs, torso, and arms; then it bit Maylon in the neck. Maylon started falling into an endless black void. He was being hit with questions, they were flying in from all directions, each one faster than the last. The questions were attacking faster and faster until Maylon was covered in questions.

Macrae, Maylon’s brother, tries to wake him up. Ha, that never works. Finally, Maylon wakes up, gets dressed, brushes his teeth, and then eats breakfast. Maylon rides to school with Macrae and gets dropped off at Middle School (the prison for the not so bright).

“Attention! A.M. testing group report to the library.” Mrs. Brown screams into the intercom. Every word makes Maylon shiver and grow more and more deaf. “Well let’s start the test of misery, or rather, the test that will end my life.” Maylon jokes with Hyden, a friend of his. Maylon gets ready. You can do this. This is no problem. Knock it out cold, as cold as cold cuts. Mmm, cold cuts sound good.

“You are now ready to take the English Literature Analysis test… You may begin.” Mrs. Brown explains. You’re good, take your time. Deep breath, in, and out, aaaaannnd…go! Maylon mentally reassures himself. Maylon worked hard and fast for him, the same speed as a turtle. These questions are easy, you can do this. Maylon is confident in his answers. Man I thought this would be harder.

Then came the essay. So this is why the questions were so easy. Maylon started typing. Continued typing. Everlasting typing. “Five minute warning.” says Mrs. Brown. Maylon thinks, okay you’re still good, just start to end the essay. A minute passes. Just end the essay. Another minute gone. Just stop. Just STOP! Down to two minutes. At this point, Maylon is typing with so much intensity it could kill someone. Yes I finished, now to check my work. “Stop typing, your time is up.” Mrs. Brown said.

Maylon finished, but he’s not confident. His hands are shaking, and his brain is fried. Lucky for him he gets more schoolwork! (That was sarcasm at its finest). Maylon used so much of his brain that the rest of the day he couldn’t do anything. He was so overworked that people had to ask him a question five times before he even heard it. Why is it acceptable for schools to give ridiculous tests and then work those kids like they just took a power nap?

So now Maylon is writing this story. This is part of a project for his English class, a 700 word story. But the true trick is that there’s another assignment due the same day. An essay comparing three different stories. There’s also a project in his Digital Graphics class that he’s worried about, he’s finishing his birdhouse design for his Ag class, and in his French class he’s supposed to be making a book entirely in French. On top of that the day the assignments are due, and the day before the assignments are due, Maylon is away at FFA State Convention. For this Maylon leaves as soon as school starts and comes back between 9:30 and 10:00.

Between all of these big projects there’s also Math, and World History homework, a choir concert coming up, and right after that is a band concert. But those are just Maylon’s school responsibilities, Maylon also has a piano recital coming up, he being pushed to start his 4-H project, and he helps out at the barn every so often.
All of these activities and projects are causing Maylon to go crazy and even start talking in third person. Maylon is completely stressed and the stupid standardized tests just add more stress and take up too much brain power. Maylon is regretting his decisions right now.