Meltdown
Iโm administering a Level I Vocational Assessment to Ana, when Julian bursts into the room,
He throws something that misses Myru and hits the metal cabinet housing our classโ books and folders. He drops into a worn desk. His fists repeatedly pound the surface, before opening and clasping the back of his head.
Then he howls.
I rush to his side and take a knee. Coax him to breathe. Victor A.–our AP of security–appears just behind him and asks if heโs all right.
I get Julian up and outside. “Weโre good,” I reply to Victor.
We walk a lap around the school, and Julian explains his outburst. Heโs failing Algebra. Heโs terrified of what his mom will say.
He canโt stand it, but he wonโt let it go.
afternoon sunlight
in his counselorโs office
rapid eye movement
Photo by Cel Lisboa on Unsplash
first published in Image Curve, November 9, 2017
Update! for dVerse Poets’ Haibun Monday–Compassion, guest-pubtended by Xenia Trans
With Real Toads’ Tuesday Platform~ Running On… , imagined by Pat
Frank J. Tassone 
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