HPA and GSMS Grade Eight LA

 

Snapshot Exemplar 4

 

            There had been butterflies in the core of my stomach since the moment my eyes flickered in the morning sunlight. I knew that today was the day that would either make me or break me. I got to school and every minute that went by seemed like an hour. “Students, get out your paper and continue to make your map.” The only thing I wanted to make was the team. The drive home could not have come faster. The moment I got home I threw my bags in my bedroom and I sat by the phone and waited, tapping my foot on the hard wood floor. That’s all I could do; my brain that day would not focus on one thing for more than 30 seconds. I would pay 100$ to get my hands on the answer of the question drifting in and out of my mind. I flinched every time the phone rang and when I saw M. Gillingham’s name on that phone my hand grabbed the receiver faster than my brain thought to say anything. My mouth woke up and I said “Hello?” in a nervous tone. The first words I heard were, “I’ve got some bad news,” and then all the weight lifted off of my shoulders and landed right in my stomach. The call went on for about five minutes which was a really long time if you think about to say you didn’t make it. Had it lasted 10 more seconds I would have blasted myself with sobs. I slammed down the phone with my last idiotic words of “sounds good!” trying with all of my might to sound happy that I didn’t make the Boys Bantam AAA hockey team. I was still affiliated but it wasn’t what I was aiming for. I broke down on the kitchen island with my eyes buried in my hands. At the time I almost wished my determination wasn’t as big as it was but now I realize that this was a good thing. I could practice with them whenever I wanted to, condition with them, and I was getting my both ice times of AA and AAA. The more I think about it, the happier I am with the decision.

 

 

 

Snapshot Exemplar 5

 

            I carefully studied the red, shiny figure in my hands. The small glass ladybug was cold to the touch. Without realizing what I was doing, it slowly made its way to my mouth and disappeared from sight. It felt smooth yet bumpy as I ran my tongue over it. As it glided toward the back of my throat, a metallic taste filled my mouth and the temptation of swallowing it finally became a reality.

 

            I ran wide eyed around the house, trying to by-pass my mother who finally realized what was going on. Her frantic yelling made my heart pound and my little legs run faster than they already were. All I could think of was ‘What’s going to happen to me?’ It was lodged in ym throat but I didn’t want my fears to become a reality. I cowered in my bedroom as my parents tried to reach me. My mother threw her arms around me and pushed hard against my gut. I felt the air leave my stomach. The figurine shot up slightly, hit the back of my throat and … slid back down. That’s when I went to the hospital.