APRIL 29, 2014
SECONDARY STUDENT MAGAZINE
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In the woods sat Colin, deep
in thought, deep in the
thicket, right in the centre,
where the rhododendron
branches were large and
widely spaced enough to
provide a sort of seating
area, a hang out – usually
for kids far cooler than he
was.
Sam Mountford.
George Kinley.
Tom
Wright.
And various
admirers.
But at the
moment, Colin Jameson,
aged 13, sat alone, a fugitive
from the law, deep in the
wilderness of Highgate
Country Park, and pondered his fate. The future, Colin decided was water, and the present was 0
degrees, freezing point. The infinite possibilities of infinite futures flowed freely; the present and
the actions you took in it froze the myriad futures into one solid form that became in turn your
present, set to solidify the following futures into shape. He was pleased with this analogy and
smiled slightly. Not bad for a middle set Year Eight.
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Freezing
Point
He traced back over the presents that had delivered him to this current present, rather than the
French lesson he was supposed to be attending. The early waking, the choice to get up at at dim,
midsummer dawn and do his paper round early, the self-indulgent, opportunistic, gardenhopping route home, enjoying the freedom of others’ gardens before they were fully awake, the
reckless fence traverse, the slip, the fall from grace, the smashing of Mrs Horton’s greenhouse
roof, the dog. The damn and buggary dog. Tiddler was its name, presumably because Mrs
Horton thought it was such a cute wee thing. It was certainly wily, and certainly recognised him,
and would certainly find some doggish way to drop him in it, Colin had no doubt.
Which was why Colin had frozen his current present in the woods, by deciding against school at
8.45 am and in favour of an hour or so of reflection in the woods, and contemplation of his
possible futures.
Future 1: Remain a Fugitive
Thickset, dark-haired and fair-skinned, he was not, he decided, an especially noticeable fugitive.
A slightly girlish mouth, the lips a little too full, a little too rosy – this was the only really out of
the ordinary feature he had. He would not stand out in a crowd of school children. But a 13 year
old could hardly disappear in such a rural community. He’d have to run away to some hideously
seedy city, and endure the awful life experiences that would surely ensue.
No, he decided, there must be some other, less dreadful, future available.
Future 2: Eliminate the Witness
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WWW.STANDREWSGREENVALLEY.COM
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