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In Deep Water – A Story About Autism


Autism and the School day

I walked into the house after a school day. I then threw off my things and rushed to my bedroom. My adventure had just begun. I was plunged into the deep ocean full of smiling rocks and waving colourful coral. My eyes widened as I stared into the distance and saw something.

What was it?

Swimming over, my mind filled with joy blocking out any awful thoughts or arguments that had happened during the day.  I saw what it was, there in the distance was an orange octopus wearing a suit, tie, and a top hat embellished with bubbles. A slimy tentacle wrapped around me and showed me a mysterious archway.

My smile emerged as I curiously swam through the starfish-covered arch as I saw playful turtles swimming in a strong vast current. As seaweed danced and seahorses wrapped their tails together or on kelp, I saw the most amazing sight.

A castle of gold with seashell turrets. The turquoise doors beckoned me inside, they were as heavy as a herd of fully-grown elephants. My strength was pushed to its limits but I actually opened them and I took one step inside.  I tried to move my foot again but it was stuck in what appeared to be an unbeatable field of red anemones latching onto my feet.

There was also this ear-burning shriek in the room. Why was this hard?  What was at the end? I moved the foot behind me further forward with a hope to free myself but it didn’t. So I used my hands to pull my legs out and it worked, this laborious strategy worked all the way through. In just a short amount of time, I was all the way across the field and into the next room.

“Phew,” I thought the awful ear-splitting shriek had disappeared and I slammed the barnacle-covered door. I then turned around to see a coral room with murals of the crashing waves on the walls.

At the centre was a throne decorated with all the wonders of the sea like pearls and coral. Sitting on it was a mermaid with a bob of red hair; a turquoise tail; a seashell-covered top and a crown on her head.

Her welcoming smile lit up the whole room and her green eyes were emeralds of the deep. I swam over to her and we both introduced ourselves, she told me I could tell her all of my worries, and I did. I felt much happier now like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I was as light as a feather as a storm of bubbles lifted me back to my room.

CONCLUSION

I am a ten-year-old girl with Asperger’s a type of autism.  This is how I feel after being at school all day holding worries inside and struggling to understand the world.  The obstacles I face represent how difficult it is for me to share my worries. This is autism and the school day. 

Find out more about autism here

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