"Today is my birthday. What will my parents give me?" I wondered when I was on the way home. When I came home, I couldn't see my parents at home. I saw a piece of paper with the lines: ' The food is on the fridge, heat it up and the milk is on the cupboard. Today we go to the cinema.' I was very sad. Without eating, I went up my room and watching films. While I was watching films, there were a strange noise downstairs. I ran down and saw my parents with my best friends. They gave me a lot of presents. My parents gave me a kitten. Can you imagine how I felt then?
Of all my past experiences, the one that stands out most in my memory is a day of bitter sorrow and remorse. Although at the end of the day, a ray of happiness shone through the dark clouds, the mental anguish I underwent may never be equalled.
The day was a Saturday. Everyone was busy. My mother had asked me to stay at home knowing how clumsy I was. Being a grown up girl, I naturally felt resentful and I had the urge to go out. Eventually, I came out of my house without her knowledge and ran joyfully to join my brother and other friends.
We played a game of poker and then sat down under the shade of a large tree. While we were chatting, one of the boys said, “I bet none of you girls can ride a bicycle to town.” The other girls looked at each other then the bicycle fearfully, but I was full of courage. Being provoked by the challenge and we agreed that if I rode first, he would give each and everyone there 1 dollar and write an essay about how girls are as brave as guys.
My eldest brother was worried for if anything untoward happened to me, he would get the worst of it. But the boy dispelled all his fears. I had a feeling that something would go wrong when I began to ride a bicycle. My pride, nevertheless, got the better of me and I rode faster. On taking a bend, I had a sickening feeling. At that time I heard a loud noise “BANG!” and my friends shouting, “LINDA… LINDA!!”. Then I fell and my mind became blank.
On beginning to regain consciousness, I could hear voices around me. Again I began to sink deeply into a dreamless sleep. When I open my eyes, I found myself in a white room on a bed and my mother sitting beside me weeping. “What has happened?” I asked feebly. She wiped her tears and force a smile across her face and told me not to worry. I knew something was wrong.
A doctor then came in, examined me, he shook his head and went out to speak to my parents. Judging by the expression of the doctor and the way my mom cried, I knew it was no good news. Imagine the shock I underwent when I overheard the doctor saying that I would never walk again. Mixed feelings of remorse, regret and indescribable terror came over me. Why? Why? Oh why was I such a stubborn child. I shivered and suddenly felt very sick. I wanted to cry, I felt it in my throat, but the pain was too great and the tears refused to fall.
How I lived through that day of misery, it remains a question mark. It seemed to me to be the end of the world. My parents tried to pretend that my wounds were not serious. Little did they know, I knew the truth. In my thoughts, the doctor’s prediction remained. I felt completely miserable and when my mother smiled at me, telling me that I would recover soon, the irony of words cut through my heart like a sword.
Although the doctor’s prediction did not come true – thankfully, I will never forget the horror and misery it brought about it. As for the challenge, it was called off. No one lost nor did anyone won
