The devil's light - romanticism short story creation

Another article out off topic of exchange but I wrote this to English because I had to and I pretty like it! Enjoy! (inspired by romanticism authors such as E.A.Poe, Washington Erving,...)

THE DEVIL'S LIGHT

I was 25 and my life seemed to be successful so far. I finished school in the beautiful city of Brno where I lived. I had my own flat in quiet and safe part of the town and even more I possessed a car. I could not say anything against my circumstances. Also in this age to be a gregarious is nothing special so neither I wasn’t an exception. I loved my very normal life.

One very normal Friday when I was living my ordinary routine I decided to do something different today. At my new boring work I searched for a diversification of my evening. When I found what I had looked for I called to my best friend Mark about this event which appeared at first sight like a lot of fun. When he agreed with this idea I was contented only because I hadn’t known my future destiny.

The party was at countryside near to Brno but not so far from my apartment. It was too far for range of public transport so me Mark took my car and drove through narrow roads in eerie forest which is especially in the night dark, labyrinthine and dangerous. In this daytime your purpose is not to stay in this forest for an extra-long time so when we passed this place and arrived to the club we were happy that the party could began.

After while at the club I saw my crush. I had known her since childhood but she never had ever reciprocated the feelings that I had for her. Then the amazing moment came. As I talked with Mark the beautiful lady walked straight to me. When she stopped at our table I started to pay attention to her instead of my best friend. We had a little argument and in consequence he left. I was a little bit frustrated but the thought was fleeting as I had the opportunity to talk with my crush. She suggested that we should move from table to the bar for a better night. I was hesitant for I driven there, thus I couldn’t drink much but when I heard her tempting voice which sounded like a sirens I wasn’t able to say no. After midnight in the moon light I saw her sparking eyes which told me let’s go somewhere private. I was so captivated, so we used my car to drive her place. As I was driving her beautiful voice told me stories, capturing all thoughts and ideas, and then I saw it - I saw the devil in front of my car. He shined the light of the fiery pits of hell into my eyes blinding me.   In an effort to not crash into these two devils lights I turned the wheel hoping not to hit what was in front of me. As I Swerved into the forest the terrible light followed but before I could get away BOOM we smashed into a tree. I survived. I survived but my childhood sweetheart, entangled into the broken glass and twisted metal of the car, next to me was lifeless. The tears were streaming down my face they blurred my eyes but my hearing was good the noisy sirens of the police cars coming near.  My survival instincts kicked in and I sprinted in any direction I could, I climbed through the brush and trees of the forest searching for the familiar light of my flat.

As I slammed into the door, my normal flat and its familiar walls reminded me of the life that I knew that I would never know again. I frantically called my best friend but he didn’t pick up the phone. My hopelessness couldn’t be described. I called him again and again but he didn’t reply. My mind had created a discussion between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Jekyll showed way out but unfortunately this way showed jail and lost life because there was no way that they would not go looking for me because the alcohol on my breath was a dead giveaway. Mr. Hyde showed the light. Showed the same devil light how I saw before again and again it was the persuasive light of sin and evil.

Very next morning my best friend seeing my very normal flat with its very normal walls and very normal cat and very normal me hanging from the very normal ceiling fan.

Essay

This is a little bit off topic but I wrote an essay and I won 2nd place in competition within the USA and EU conference (which was in Czech 1 day ago). So I want to share this essay with you, because I'm proud of this success. 

What Can We Learn From Other Educational Systems? Are We a Good Example?

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

Every single day we are taught by life and the mistakes we make. The main institution which is part of our lives for 13-19 years and which gives us the knowledge important for future success is a school. If we want to create more opportunities, we must work harder and study smarter than anyone else. This thought helped me make a decision to get out from my comfort zone and experience education in America. This opportunity gives me a chance to compare school systems. The Czech system is sophisticated and our schools are exemplary! American schools offer a wide range of educational opportunities where all students are required to participate. Comparing the two systems allows me to evaluate the positive aspects of two very different approaches to education.

The Czech education system is such a good example for other countries. The key to success is a strong foundation of fundamental knowledge. Generally, I find Czech school harder than US school. We are required to learn a lot of subjects and certainly we don’t like all of them. Someone interested in social studies must also study science which isn’t as interesting. But this situation has a bright side which is often overlooked by students. We learn how to learn. The Czech curriculum exposes students to a wide range of subjects. We understand how to intelligently talk to people with totally different hobbies, jobs, interests, and backgrounds.

The second reason why the Czech education system is respected is that the classroom environment creates good psychological effects on students. We enjoy our class time together. We create strong friendships and contacts with classmates and these relationships will remain for the rest of our lives. The smaller student to teacher ratio allows us to get special attention and to feel more like a family. When we pass graduation exams we are filled with unforgettable memories of our alma mater, the bonds we form with teachers, and our friends from class.

US schools offer a different approach to education. US students have more opportunities to choose classes to shape their career path. For students in grammar schools in Czech there are not enough opportunities to focus on subjects they like. We should be proud of the emphasis on general knowledge in Czech, but could benefit from the US school system which allows more specialization of class choices. For example, in 12th grade I get to choose 2 seminars in areas I want to pursue in college but I am required to take 12 other general classes which fragment my focus. Revising the basic requirements to give more time for upper level seminar work would help students.

The Czech system could also improve by encouraging better cooperation between specialized schools. In the US there are all kinds of specializations in one building. For example, student athletes get medical support and treatment from student sports trainers. This system is an advantage for all participants. Czech schools could integrate skills and talents to create a symbiotic relationship.

The last improvement could be in providing better school facilities and supplies. Czech schools look really poor against schools in the Western part of the world. Schools deserve more money from the government. It is inessential rebuild facilities like gyms, pools, and sports fields. If the government invested more money to make education more interactive, students would be more engaged with current technology. Smartboards, updated equipment for science labs, and tech savvy teachers would make school more engaging and Czech students would also be more internationally competitive. The bill for improving

schools would be expensive but investment in education is never a waste of money.

I have been a grammar school student in Brno and I am currently enrolled in a US high school. My opinions are influenced by this situation. I believe the fundamental ideas of the Czech school system are better than in the US, but there are also things which could be and should be added to make it even better. Asking for input and ideas for improvement is a great way to start effective discussion. Until we are willing to make improvement we will not be able to say that our education is the best on the world. „The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change.“ – Carl Rogers