Newsletter MARCH 2025 | Page 30

"A Separate Peace" Finny's Conflict POV

 

  “They’re only worried for me,” I soothed her, “they don’t mean any harm by it.” “They only ever worry, because that’ll fix everything,” she said in a sarcastic way that reminded me of Gene and it hit me with a wave of homesickness for Devon. It reminded me of blitzball and escaping to the beach, with no worry of whether my body can hold up. Compared to now, where my water cup can’t be placed too far away from me or else I have to call someone to help, it's soul crushing. The heavy weight of my cast sinks further into my mattress, Ms. Louise must have realized that she had overstepped her boundaries because she started backtracking. “Not that there’s anything wrong with worrying, because it’s completely normal for a mother to be worried about her child, it was just-”

“It’s alright Ms. Louise,” I cut her off. “I think my mother worries too much also.”

She sighed with relief, “I’m glad you didn’t misunderstand what I was saying.

I point out at the tree, “She used to get so upset with me when I would climb that, and there is very little I wouldn’t do to be able to again.”

“Pardon me if this is rude, but didn’t you break your leg on a tree? Why would you want to climb one?”

We used to have competitions in the neighborhood about who could climb the best, if you remember, and I would always win because I was the most athletic. It was what I was known for. And now,” my voice wavers, “I will never climb a tree again."

“Oh,” so much realization saturated her voice that it dripped sadly between us. I gave her a little smile and she took this as her que to leave. This ended up hurting me so deeply that she was the first and only person I admitted this to.

 

TOP Karina Eide Young Writers Awards

TOP Karina Eide Young Writers Awards

ALICE, 15

Texas

St Michael's Prep

I would like to thank Kathleen Dohill for introducing me to John Knowles "A Separate Peace"

UNDERSTANDING

TOP Karina Eide Young Writers Awards