Our freedom licenses had been painfully revoked. It was a sunny, cloudless day for the first day of school. But for the students at Garlandton High, the sunshine could not break through the dark clouds of depression that loomed over the faces of students. Even the teachers appeared crestfallen, wishing they had more time to recuperate before having to teach a bunch of bored, listless teens. No more staying out till dawn and sleeping till dusk. Only school, work, studying, then back to school, and so on and so forth. At least in my case I was a senior, which eased the pain a little, helping me along the path to sucking it up and getting it done. Graduation day would come and I, like lightening, would bolt to the county line, never looking back. I could say that I loved everything about this town, but that would make me a liar. Scanning the small school parking lot I easily found a spot against the fence. The parking places closest to the school were reserved for seniors, the administrators letting us know just how important we were.
