Jonathan Slimovitch

The Test

By Jonathan Slimovitch
Williston Central School, Grade 8

I walked into the half filled classroom, passing under the teacher’s scrutinizing glare that seemed to stare straight into my soul. I blinked, reminding myself of the long ordeal ahead. There would be no time for hesitation or panic.
The classroom in front of me was filled with desks. Each desk was empty save for a yellow number 2 pencil and a thick packet of creamy, white paper. There were two large groups of shiny wooden desks, with a thin open space that ran down the middle. Most of the desks on the right side had already been taken by students. I strode confidently towards the group of desks on the left, determined not to let others see my fear. I finally chose a desk near the front of the room. A girl sat down in the seat next to me. She flashed me a nervous smile as her eyes darted to the clock above the blackboard. We were all nervous.
The door slammed shut, making each of us jump. The teacher walked carefully to the front of the room, her cold piercing stare making those who made eye contact shudder in their seats. She stopped at the front of the room, turning to face us. Her words rang strong and clear in the otherwise silent room.
“You may begin.”
I quickly flipped over my test, ignoring the big black letters S-A-T on the top of the packet. I signed my name quickly with the number 2 pencil in the space provided, my eyes already darting down to the first question.
‘Name 4 of the main themes involved in Mark Twain’s book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.’ The question gave four possible answers; a, b, c, or d. I circled a, and moved onto the next problem. I moved through the first 10 pages of the test relatively easily, struggling slightly on the essay questions. We worked in silence for over an hour, scribbling away at our test packets under the teacher’s baleful glare.