PSLE: Late!

The sun shone through the window panes and washed the bedroom with its brilliance. The day curtains swayed slightly in the morning breeze. Rael was in deep slumber. Just then, the penetrating sound of the annoying alarm clock shook him out of his very sweet dream. However, he ignored it and continued sleeping soundly by muffling his ears with his thick, fluffy pillow to block the noise.

“Rael, you are late for school!” Mum bellowed in her high-pitched nasal voice. She stomped into the bedroom and whipped off the warm blanket. “Wake up, now!” Mum shouted as she smacked his round, fleshy buttocks. “Two more minutes,” Rael mumbled under his breath. “No way! You are really late!” Mum insisted.

Rael sat up and wiped the sleepiness from his bleary eyes. He took a quick glimpse at the alarm clock and realised to his horror that it was already seven in the morning. He was going to miss his bus if he did not hurry up. Swiftly, he zoomed to the toilet and changed into his school uniform. He did not even brush his teeth!

“Remember to take your umbrella!” Mum nagged. He turned a deaf ear and rushed out of the house. As he made a mad dash, perspiration drenched his back. He prayed that the bus would wait for him. Fat hope! Even before he reached the bus-stop, it had left and a downpour started. 

The raindrops were pelting down in torrents. He was drenched from head to toe, looking like a soaked duck. He was shivering like a leaf in the freezing cold. His shoes went squishy-squashy as he ran. A car whizzed past him and splashed a puddle of muddy water onto his white uniform. He ended up looking very much like a mud pie. What a way to start the day!

In a distance, the next bus came rumbling into sight. He waved frantically and boarded the bus, praying that that the bus driver would drive him to school in a jiffy. Within minutes, he reached his destination. Rael made another mad dash to the school gate. The school gate was locked! There was no one in school. He realised that it was a school holiday and he had forgotten to inform his mother about it! Sadly, he trudged back to the bus-stop to wait for another bus to send him home. Oh, what a day!