A WASTED SECOND

     Grrrng! a noise echoed through the room as a snoozed alarm rang for the umpteenth time. Bode jerked up suddenly from his bed as if stung by a bee. The time read 8:25 am, testifying to his serious lateness. Today, he commences his first MBBS exam (a professional exam which qualifies medical students to proceed to the clinical aspect of their studies). He rushed down to bathe which he finished in no later than ten minutes. He then set to prepare for the exam which has been scheduled for 9 am in the morning taking his time to dress up neatly and smartly. He nonchalantly strapped on his wristwatch and discovered that he has about twenty minutes left to the exam time. 'There's still more time', he consoled himself before setting out into the streets.

      As he hit the asphalt, he discovered the neighborhood being silent as the grave yard with no signs of a bike coming any sooner. Reality dawned on him that he would unavoidably be late for the exam which he eventually was. He got to the exam venue twenty minutes later just to find out that the exam started about an hour ago with an hour left to go. He scrambled round in fear and confusion, fumbled with the questions and answer sheets before he was able to decipher what he was being examined upon.
     Destabilized, he penned down the remnants of all he had left in his brain knowing he was doomed for failure. He left the hall crying and lamenting on his foolishness, oblivious of the ringing phone in his pocket. The ringing had stopped by the time he picked the phone. He tried calling back which wasn't answered. It was then he found a message 'pls help me I'm dying' from his mum which had been delivered ten minutes ago. He rushed down home just to find his only mother lying prone, a hand stretched forward as if to reach the  door and eyes wide open staring into nothingness. He broke down realising that he just lost everything of value to him in just a short while.
     He was found hanging in mid air the next morning, a noose gracing his neck.
P.S: Use your time wisely, a second might be too late!

The Plain Stylus,
© KAYODE AYOMIDE 'TIMILEHIN