Mood Practice 3

Janet looked at the rickety rope bridge as it swayed in the wind. The small planks on the floor of the bridge were spaced about a foot apart. They looked like they had been made from driftwood or wine corks. Janet looked down into the canyon below the rope bridge. It was wide and deep. She could barely make out what was at the bottom. She inched onto the first plank. It creaked loudly. Then she put her weight onto the weathered plank, clinging tightly to the ropes. The wind had a ghostly whistle.

This test meant everything to Deshaun. If he passed, he'd be able to take the scholarship. If he failed, he'd be held back and his future would be choked. He stayed up all night studying until the words blurred into meaningless letters. He worked with tutors. His girlfriend helped him study. He did all that he could. But the pressure was so intense. Now was the time to test. His palms were sweaty. His mind was racing. If only he could slow it down. His senses sharpened. He heard the clock ticking slowly but steadily. It was test time.

Gary's hands were calloused. They weren't soft like his brother's hands. His brother was an accountant. Gary labored. He mixed heavy bags of cement. He carried shingles onto roofs. He swung pickaxes and hammers. The work wasn't easy, but Gary made an honest living. He brought his check home and provided for his family. He didn't have a hard time sleeping at night. Though he came home tired, his family was always happy to see him, and they softened his landing spot.

Katie used the blow dryer to add volume to her hair. Then she curled it. She used eyeliner and makeup. She chose the perfect outfit, and then threw it on the floor and chose another perfect outfit. Then she put on the other perfect outfit that she had thrown on the floor. She looked at the time on her phone. Jacob would be here any minute. Her pulse quickened. Her stomach felt uneasy. She was about to change her outfit again when the doorbell rang.

Kwami had been called short his whole life. When he told others that he was going to play basketball, they laughed at him. Kwami never laughed back. He just kept practicing. He ran through drills. He focused on his skills. He couldn't throw the hatchet block on the tall guys, but he sure could get around them. Now Kwami was going to try out for his high school team. The coach didn't seem too interested in Kwami when he arrived. Then Kwami started dribbling and the coach's jaw dropped. Kwami smiled.

Derrick was never much of a student. He always felt like teachers were out to get him. But Ms. Robinson made learning feel different. Ms. Robinson made Derrick feel like he was a part of something nice. She made Derrick feel like he belonged. She walked into the classroom with more than learning objectives. She had a heart. She could feel what Derrick was going through. She helped him. Derrick respected Ms. Robinson more than he would ever show, but she knew it, because she knew him.

Doug walked into the arcade and his eyes lit up. He had never seen such an impressive array of games. There was ski ball, pinball, and arcade style basketball. There were driving games, shooting games, fighting games, and puzzle games. Doug's stomach jumped. The scent of crispy cheese pizza drew him in. He didn't know where to start, but he knew that he had found the place of his dreams.