COLLEGE CHANGES RUBY'S LIFE: SDTContest

7711 characters, 1365 words. Readability level: 11-12th grade student.

Her head ached, muscles tense and tied in knots, and she was shaking because the weather was dreary, wet, and cold. Ruby, a first-year college student ran across campus clinching her raincoat as close as possible to her freezing and haggard body unsuccessfully thwarting the symptoms of this horrible weather. Her mind whirling, seizing with anger, frustration almost boiling over, and steaming over her inability to keep track of the time groaned to herself. Barely noticing heart pounding at warp speed and almost bursting she hoped her friends wouldn’t notice her sad state. Maybe I could become invisible, maybe…but no of course not and other thoughts crashed into her mind. She startled at her thought of "invisible wouldn’t happen", knowing she would have to greet her friends even though she wanted to do nothing more than go to her dorm as quickly as a rabbit on steroids hoping frantically to get to a safe, warm, and secure place.

Panting and using a sharp tongue, {c"red}she greeted her friends, then immediately begged off their invitation to a party that she wasn’t about to attend under any circumstances, Gaining speed she swiftly shouted “see you later.” Ruby accelerated into a run and madly raced the rest of the way to her dorm. Clenching her fists and her jaw, she imagined being able to throw daggers from her eyes or blow someone into next week when she exhaled. This only added more fire to her fury and adrenalin to her efforts to get inside her dorm room and slam the door so she could be left alone. Alone would be wonderful, reassuring, and peaceful. Alone is exactly what she wanted for the rest of her life as if she were dead. Alone would be a blessing because she no longer would have to endure smiling when she was sad, laughing even though she hurt, and the many other things she needed to hide. She knew that if she allowed her real self to emerge no one would want to be in the same sate with her much less on-campus…not even in the same room.

Climbing the stairs lifting her heavy legs one then another and focusing on the exhausting effort, Ruby thought about all the why’s and the what if’s. Of course what else would she expect, the elevator was broken, it had to be because of her, it had to be because she what…it certainly wasn’t her fault that the elevator was broken…but that’s what people would think. Thumping up the last few steps Ruby almost fell over her own feet because her body was fatigued and her relentless thinking drained her any rational thinking. Running across campus was no simple feat and staying up last night trying to retain the entire semester of information so that she could pass the exam didn’t help severely hindering her efforts and her thoughts which were a mishmash of blurred thinking and were as mixed-up as scrambled egg omelet that seemed unpalatable even if she were starving for information.

Ruby finally arrived at the end of the hall facing her dorm door. Gasping and heaving into her lungs every particle of air possible she felt like a refugee. Almost sliding to the floor and still needing to find her door key she leaned against the wall and stiffened herself. Fumbling and frantically shoving things around in her backpack the keys were elusive, decidedly not where she thought they should be rage began to smolder. Because she was absolutely certain that they were where she had put them she repeated this activity and still, the keys were not there. Slamming the backpack on the floor, gritting her teeth, and putting her hand over her mouth to muffle her scream building up and escaping out of her throat she voiced her great displeasure in a way that shouldn’t be explained.

The dorm was quiet which Ruby preferred. Stomping her feet, then dropping to the floor she started rummaging through every place available, thrusting, shoving, and tossing stuff through her entire backpack. After a minute she relaxed and inhaled deeply, and with questions dancing in her eyes, she found her keys in the bottom of the large compartment. Rage gripped her as she fought the desire to kick herself for being so careless, hasty, and forgetting what she did with her keys. Did she actually forget…or was this something else? With her mind processing fragmented ideas to figure out the what and why this happened, she scrambled to her feet thrust the key into the lock turned the key, and the kay broke.

Releasing a slow exhale as the door opened and allowed her to enter, she slammed the door closed behind her and slumped to the floor. With eyes wide, mouth gaping, and shivers crawling and racing all over her she froze as if she were rusted in one position. Her mouth dry and gaping, she went limp and unable to react, this was not at all what she wanted, not what she expected, and definitely something she thought would never happen to her. Thoughts hovered, "How could this be…what is this...why me? I’ve got to get out of here." More thoughts started invaded uncontrollably through her mind and still even though she tried vigorously and with all the strength she could gather, Ruby remained frozen to the spot. This was the end this was her fate, this was, this was…

With blurry eyes, Ruby saw the shape of what looked like a huge and tall personage, bright and iridescent, glowing and emitting soft light, and calm emotion from this figure or was she deceived. The clock ticked, more ticks, and then the awareness of more and more, time became motionless, nothing perceptible happened. Deliberately focusing her vision began to clear, her thoughts stopped racing, she began to feel as if her legs might work and also that perhaps she could creep away and get free from what was looming in front of her. Gathering all the strength, determination, and courage she could find, Ruby heaved and pushed, and remained rooted to the floor.

“My child why do you fight and fume when I am always with you?” More thoughts roamed again, "What was this? Who was this? What could this mean? I’ve got to get out of here, out of here." The fright and fear rampaged through her driving her to opt again to struggle and fight to remove herself from where she was firmly rooted.

The personage did not move. More words came forth. Was she hearing things? “I must be going crazy.”

“My dear child I have a message from your father. Listen closely, hear my words. You are never alone, He is always with you to guide you and take care of you. Embrace His love for you, follow His ways, and do not depart from them.”

It was dark when Ruby woke, she had been asleep for a few hours. feeling strange, even light-headed, and slightly disoriented she also felt secure and comforted. These strange feelings propelled her into complete consciousness. Her thoughts were calm and coherent. Who was she, where was she? Blinking and looking around her dorm room seemed undisturbed, and normal. Puzzled and curious she tried to remember why she was on the floor. Slowly gingerly and with unsteady legs, she clambered to her feet, staggered slightly then got her feet under herself. Swaying and cautious she made her way to a chair and sat on the edge.

Pondering the entire day Ruby remembered being in the library and then waking up on the floor in her dorm room. Had she dreamed and not remembered it? Why did I wake up on the floor? A strange warm feeling again slowly and calmly covered her every being, she was for the first time in many years free of those awful thoughts and reactions. Sliding back into the chair she was content to sit and enjoy this feeling. Her head felt like it on longer was cramped with controversial and unfriendly thoughts, rage seemed to have changed to calm. things were wonderfully different. Ruby felt alive again.

7711 characters, 1365 words. Readability level: 11-12th grade student.