6 march 2023

this was an english assignment in 9th grade. concise and a very real experience for me. it meant a lot to me when I wrote it, so i'm sharing it even though I don't find it particularly interesting

I spent my teenage years in a dull industrial town. It was never much fun - the sky was grey all the time, the houses were all the same, and the air was heavy with the smells from all the factories around.
At one point, I found a somewhat curious place - a not-so-tall bridge, on top of which passed a railway. To get there you had to climb a small hill, through stiff grass and lifeless plants. Right next to the tracks was a weeping cherry tree with cute little white flowers. The place wasn't much, really, but it was quiet and calm - except, of course, for the occasional trains that passed by. When a train came, you just had to walk down the hill.
One day, I was sitting by myself next to the cherry tree, blasting music in my headphones and unaware of all dangers. I did not realise that a train was speeding towards me until it was almost too late. The screeching of the train tracks and the deafening horn - which were dangerously close to me - finally made me aware of my surroundings. My heart stopped when I saw the train and I nearly jumped off the hill. I quickly got down, with my heart racing and my breath short. I couldn't stop shaking for a long time.
It was an awful experience, but, in the end, it really did make me realise that I shouldn't take life for granted, since it could end so easily simply because I had a moment of carelessness.