Sandstorm    by Patricia Fortin
                         

    Riding in the back of the car to the music contest, the twelve-year-old, raven-haired,
amber-eyed girl waited for probably the most humiliation of her life, but at least she wouldn’t
have to sing to a song that was already made up so there was a certain key she had to hit.
    "Sandy, we’re here," her Uncle Robby called out to her from the front seat. Sandy lived with her
uncle, because her parents were off in Brazil. Sandstorm also hoped that none of her past injuries would
bother her, like the one that took her voice away for 3 months at a time. She got that two times before,
and hoped that it wouldn’t happen again while she was performing.
    "Bye. See you at two," Sandy called back to her blond-haired, raven-eyed uncle.
    Walking toward the door, Sandy started feeling like there were butterflies in her stomach. While reviewing
her song, The Leopard, she saw her two friends, Kristin and Sam.
    "You guys ready?" she asked the two blondes.
    "Yeah. You?" the twins said in unison. Sandstorm nodded.
    "I wish my family was here!" A lady with a microphone pushed them along to the girls’ changing rooms, and
left them to get changed.
    When they were ready, the woman barged in, shouting out the names of the girls. "Kristin and Sam, next! Sandy, you’re after Kimmy who’s after the twins! You might wanna practice and warm up, ‘cause the show starts in 6 minutes. Good luck!" and with those words, the woman scurried off to the next people.
    "So, you guys all warmed up?"
    "Yup."
    "Well, don’t mind me!" Sandstorm raced up the scale, trying to make sure that her voice was perfect.

***

    Before she knew it, it was her time to go onstage. Walking up to the center of the stage, the Indian girl dressed in a black-leather skirt, a clack shirt that said "Leopard", and black leather boots started belting out The Leopard and feeling like everyone liked her, which they didn’t. Most people didn’t like her because she was a rebel. Others didn’t like her just because she was weird, and she hoped to change all that.

***

    Waiting for the results, she sat in the dressing room with Kristin and Sam, watching TV. Again the woman barged in. "Time to get on stage!"
    The three friends bolted onto the stage. "The runner-up with her own original song is… Sandy Randallis!" She ran up to collect her $5,000.00 check. "And the winner is… Kristin and Samantha Pierre with Crazy Fool! The two ran up to get their $10,000.00.
    "You were awesome!" Sandy complimented her friends.

          Email the author / back to top                      

main / photos / jokes / stories / health / books / opinion / submissions / links / awards / e-mail to editor