Scribe 2021

Scribe 2021

Scribe 2021 Contents 2 I love it when I see the sun 4 The First Day of Covid 5 Ever After Happily 8 Seward Park 8 Tell me the future 9 We Still Hold On 9 Free 10 The Plague Doctor Mask 13 Blurry Eyes 14 Castle Combe 17 The Package 18 Dream Garden

19 Waiting is the worst part 19 Dream Poem 20 Reality 24 Escape 24 Built With Dreams 25 The Lost Girl 29 My Dreams 30 My Life in the Pandemic 31 Down Under 31 Untitled 35 Jerry 38 An old desert complete with 13

grains of sand

Cecily P Class of 2025 Cover artwork by Matisse I A-R Class of 2025 1

I love it when I see the sun A poem by BFS 5th and 6th Graders, written in collaboration with Writopia I hated it when they sent me away / and how I cried when they pulled me back in / I found scraps to eat in the back of the house / yet still was shamed by the elders for my basic needs.

I hate it when people think they’re cool and call me a ‘child,’ even though they’re literally in 6th grade.

I hate people.

I hate my everything.

I hate it when people assume who I am or what I’m feeling.

I hate it when the sun is red.

I hate it when I have to wake up in the morning.

I hate it when I wake up on a Monday.

I hate it when I wake up on a school day and can’t go back to sleep just to realize it was a dream.

I hate it when people stare.

I hate it when they don’t care.

I hate it when my dog wakes me up on the weekend.

2

I hate it when people keep asking if I’m ok.

I hate it when adults pat me on the head.

I hate it when people ignore me.

I cried when they purposely don’t listen.

I cried when darkness overcame the light.

I cried when day was vanquished by night.

I cried when there was no food.

I cried when I got glasses today.

I cried when someone got mad at me for a simple mistake.

I cried when I had to go back to Brooklyn, away from my family.

I cried when I saw my family after a year in quarantine.

I rolled my eyes when people thought everybody was the same; we’re not.

I roll my eyes when they listen and understand but they don’t care.

I rolled my eyes when I got a ton of new clothes and my friend told me what was wrong with every single piece.

I rolled my eyes when I couldn’t get an RTX3090 intel i9 120498fps laptop.

I rolled my eyes when the fly with the dry eye said “why?”

I rolled my eyes when people thought that the Heat would win the NBA championship.

I rolled my eyes when my mom said not to talk back to her even though that’s kind of how conversations work.

I slammed my door when people said, No one’s independent, we all must be led.

I slam my door when they won’t care about something that doesn’t involve them.

I slammed my door because they didn’t wave back.

I slammed the door when Sophia was angry.

I slam my door when I have a strong arm.

I slammed my door when I didn’t wanna do homework.

I slammed the door when I saw the sunset.

I slammed my door because I was scared of life, because LIFE IS SCARY. But that’s ok. That’s life.

I love it when I can be with my cousin Ben. I love Elton John.

I love it when we get a visit from the turkeys.

I love it when the sun turns blue so I have to do the school day over again.

I love it when people read.

I love it when people read the poems I write, and know they must heed the warnings I say, but also know the joyful life they must lead.

I love it when you listen and care and speak up.

I love it when I see the sun.

Artwork by (clockwise from top left) Grady B, Veronica A, Alex S, and Jordana R Class of 2025 3

The First Day of Covid Catalina S, Class of 2028 I come down stairs and everything has changed. From the look on my parents' faces to the odd silence outside.

My mom is on the phone with my grandma arranging plans for her to come. Why arent we going there? The doorbell rings but it's groceries not my friend. Again, it rings. It’s a package but it's not my birthday present; it’s masks. What is going on? Why are the busy streets so quiet? My brother comes down and asks when we are leaving for California. We are not going. “Why?” my brother asks, but I stand there. I know why. Covid finally reached New York.

It all makes sense now. Why my teachers said “see you in April” when spring break was not for two weeks.

Why my grandma has to quarantine to come visit. Why my dad looks so worried. Why my mom's eyes are red. I go upstairs and see that no one is out in New York. I try to relax but my friends are asking me what is happening. My brother comes in and asks “what will happen next?” Now I am wondering the same.

Will I go to school and see my friends or even go outside? My dog comes in but I know I can't walk her.

I come downstairs to eat, my brother behind me, my dog at my heels. We eat some cereal and then watch TV. My

mom doesn't even care that my dog is on the couch. I ask her if I will go back to school on Monday and she does not know. I try to talk to my friends but all they talk about is Covid. I hear a clatter. My parents bought a freezer.

“Why do we have a fridge?” I ask. They say we will not be able to go to the supermarket. I have always overlooked the supermarket, but not going sounds crazy.

There is a bing at the door. Finally, a friend. But it is no one, just the empty streets. Soon my mom knocks on my door. I am scrolling through pictures of me and my friends and what it was like before. She asks me if I am alright and I do not answer. She brings me to a store for the last time to pick out a final present. I go home and snuggle Jagie and W.Poo, my oldest friends. I wonder if we will ever have a stuffy meeting with Bear, Ducky, and Cheetah. My iPad rings. It’s my friend Emma trying to call me. I come downstairs and see my family all together..

It is 7:00. I hear a tiny roar. Soon it grows and grows. People are cheering for healthcare workers. My whole family goes out to cheer. I know people will stop thinking of New York but we New Yorkers never will. We hear music.

We dance and cheer. Now I know quarantine will not be nearly as bad.

4

Ever After Happily Devra G, Class of 2025 you could certainly take much interest in exploring each corridor, and picnic at night with your lover in the shade of the handsome, blossoming tree out back. And it was a fine place to live at first when all you could focus on was the fact that you were there, and you had married the prince, and all of your troubles were over. But once the novelty began to wear off, the palace was still there, and it was huge, and cold, and impersonal, and nothing at all like a home truly should be.

The prince was like that, too. He was wonderful to spend a day with– charming, gallant, and a tad witty, although his jokes were never as funny as he made them out to be. And he was handsome, of course, with his dark hair, muscular build, and regal chin.

His greatest skill, though, was making a girl feel special. Feel wanted. He’d kiss her, with passion, and sometimes on the neck, which always made her gasp.

At first, that was all she thought she needed.

But he was reckless, and he drank too much, and he was lazy. For so many years, Cinderella had tried to convince herself that she was being picky. It was only sitting there, in the shade of the tree, that she realized how absolutely peaceful it was with the prince away.

Oh, he’d be back from his business trip soon enough—he always was. Still, the lack of him gave the air an intangible sort of relief to it, like the whole world was exhaling. It was maybe a little bit of a terrible thing to think, but she thought it nonetheless.

“I made a mistake.” Cinderella opened her mouth and continued:

“Dear child,” said a voice from right nearby, “what is troubling you?”

Cinderella blinked her eyes open from where she’d closed them, sitting under the blossoming cherry tree. It took a moment for the image before her to register; it was her fairy godmother, who she remembered as though from another life when she was young and naïve and her problems so small. But this woman was just the same: short, and old and plump, with lavender robes and white hair. In her hand, she held a long white wand. Her eyes were kind.

“What is troubling you?”

Cinderella took a deep breath, trying to clear her head of the restlessness that had so recently taken up residence there. “I made a mistake,” she said aloud. Her voice was dull and dry, so it hurt to speak. She was not a child anymore, not even a young woman. It was funny how it happened like that, days soaking into nights and nights bleeding into days. The kind of funny that wasn’t funny at all.

Her fairy godmother looked at her, gaze unreadable. She didn’t speak, waiting instead for Cinderella to elaborate.

Cinderella glanced away from her godmother’s poring gaze, eyes flickering towards the palace instead. She’d been trying to avoid glancing at it, instead focusing on the sweet petals swirling around her.

The palace was deceptive, just like most things in her life now. It was attention-grabbing, large, and full of turrets and peaks. It would have been a fine place to spend a day perhaps, as 5

“Years and years ago when I wished to go to the ball. I shouldn’t have done that. I should have waited it out; I was almost grown, really, and then I could have married a nice poor baker’s boy or someone like that and lived alright.

I thought I was being enslaved, but it was nothing compared to this. This is my life being sucked away, my soul being drained from me, every second of every day.”

Maybe she’d be able to tolerate it if she didn’t see that his eyes were always roaming. Even when he was sitting next to her at dinner, servants rushing to chop their steak and fill their glasses and tend to their every need, he would let his eyes feast over the young maids.

She’d cry, late in the night. Usually, he wasn’t even there.

Her godmother nodded, and she looked to be thoughtful. “Choices are our downfall,” she said softly, and then she let out a long sigh. “I thought it was the wrong choice, Cinderella, I did.

When you wished to go to the ball, I thought it wouldn’t come to anything good.”

Cinderella began to cry, quietly.

All the years—passing faster than the blink of an eye. Her soft blonde hair getting coarser, her skin less smooth. The prince cursing at her, calling her worthless because a son wouldn’t come. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked. “You should have told me.”

“Oh, Cinderella,” her godmother sighed. She shook her head mournfully.

“You were young and hopeful, and so I let you go. ‘What harm could it do?’ I told myself.”

“So much,” Cinderella said, and her voice was choked with tears.

“Godmother, I want to go back. I want to stay at home and let my stepsisters

laugh at me, let them be cruel so that I can get myself to be mine again. I want to be normal, not some princess in a palace. Is that… can you do that?”

Her godmother let out a long sigh, and she clutched her white wand tightly. She’d always had it, and she realized with a shock that she truly hated it. She eased her grip on it and it slid out of her fingers. It fluttered in the breeze a little and then it flew away.

She let it go.

“I can erase this,” she said finally.

“I can erase everything that’s happened since the night at the ball. I can never reveal myself to you, and you can miss the ball. And you won’t remember any of this. You won’t remember the servants or the prince or the palace or… me.”

And Cinderella leaped up, and her tears were joyful now. The thought of escape. The thought of escape, after resigning herself, deep inside, to stay in this life forever. “Really? You can do that?”

Her godmother looked at her. “I can.” She let out a long breath. “You can find another ending. I cannot guarantee that you’ll be happy. Maybe I will see you again, crying because your baker is dead, and you’re poor, forlorn and you think you have made the wrong choice, so you decide to go to the ball and live this life. Maybe this will happen another ten times over, and maybe it already has. You’ll never know, Cinderella. I’m the only one who will.”

But Cinderella didn’t hear her. She never did, and she never would. All she heard were the first two words: “I can,” and her heart was leaping in her chest and she wanted to sing. “Thank you!” she said, and she was laughing and crying. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

6

Her godmother’s white wand tumbled back into her hand. It always did, and it always would. She closed her eyes and she wished with all her heart that this time, this time it would work.

Cinderella stood. Her hair flowed back behind her head, blonde and gleaming, and she was young again, and changing, and moving, and going.

Cinderella married the prince and lived happily ever after, happily ever after, happily ever— Once upon a time, a girl named Cinderella lived with her wicked stepmother and stepsisters in a little house where they forced her to do all of the work.

Not even she knew where she would go from there.

Kaleo A Class of 2025

7

Seward Park Izabel R, Class of 2026 My childhood strays from normal.

I wasn’t raised like some. Picket fences.

Staircases.

I lived in a place with small dangers around and a community was formed.

A co-op. Built on cooperation.

Our Sabbath elevator. Sacred space.

Small elevators. Moving like the subway. Always full of life.

Playgrounds like castles. Colorful.

Sprinklers like a moat.

Picnics or tag or lounging around.

Separate. Together.

A light was formed and then there were friends, and someone new for me and you.

Without these things, we wouldn’t be SP. We wouldn’t be Seward Park.

We wouldn’t be in this Special Place.

Seward Park makes this place special.

Walking the dimly lit stairs from fourteen to seven to borrow The Joy Luck Club.

It smelled like a new book even though it was old.

On your way you might see a friend with straight grey hair from floor ten.

Tell me the future Sabine C, Class of 2027

The laundry room smell was always the same—detergent, soap, and must.

The soft sound from each machine whirring, relaxing.

Don’t touch others’ belongings.

If you were late, damp laundry would stay, and people would respect your busy day.

Hallways clean and calm. Floors gleaming, slippery with wax.

Inside your home, your stuff. Outside your home, everything shared.

Working together to save our earth.

Recycling. Composting. Keeping our home clean. Keeping our earth clean.

Nurtured. Tough. Co-operative.

We stuck with the past and what we knew best.

Magic mirrored wall Crystal ball Tell me the future Do you know?

Petaled flower Fortune teller Tell me the future Do you know?

A long loving life?

Or, do I become A short selfish sight?

Fortune cookie Lines across my hand.

Tell me the future Do you know?

8

We Still Hold On Owen S, Class of 2027 The laughter of the children and the songs of the chorus.

In these times of everlasting pain I remember the days of gatherings and worships of the sharing of conversations.

I remember so long ago.

In the Brooklyn church people come and go and we wait, wait, for church to begin.

In the days of bliss we were carefree.

A simple world.

Then the virus came like a hurricane, whipping up the very structure of life.

Turning, turning life into what it is today, always. Cautioned of what we do and who is around us.

Of the congregation the light from the windows extending as though it were a hand from god the smell of wood in the morning from the rafters.

But we still try to go back and remember those times.

The congregation praying to god and reading stories from the bible standing against oppression, violence.

Willa B Class of 2027 9

Hannah S-D Class of 2025

The Plague Doctor Mask Hannah A, Class of 2026

“Yes, Lizzy?”

“Why couldn’t the horse sing a lullaby?”

“I don’t know, why?”

“Because she was a little horse.”

“Hahaha,” her parents laughed.

Even if the joke was corny they just wanted her to be very happy. Especially when they knew something was wrong.

“Ok mommy your turn!”

“Um Marie, somethings wrong,” her dad whispered.

“Shh, it’s fine.”

“Ok, um… Lizzy, why are ghosts bad liars?” she asked.

“Hmmmmm, I don't know mommy?” she replied, looking behind her.

Silence.

She turned and looked in front of

Elizabeth, seven years old, and her parents were walking down a dark road and they were taking turns making jokes. There was nothing around but the spotlights and the trees.

“Lizzy, I don't trust those trees over there,” her dad said.

“Why not dad?” she replied.

“Because they look shaaady!”

“HAHAHA!!” she laughed.

The family revolves around Elizabeth. They love her very much.

They laugh at her jokes no matter how funny they are. They always want the best for her and would keep her safe no matter what they would have to do.

“That was a good one, Abdalla,” her mom replied.

“Thank you,” he said proudly.

“Ok, my turn. Mommy?”

10

her and saw her parents lying on the ground.

“Mommy?!?..MOMMY?!!?..

DADDY?!!!?”

After calling out her parent’s names a couple of times, Elizabeth knelt to shake them to see if it was just a joke, but only blood came every time she shook them. Knowing she couldn’t do anything to solve this, she looked up for help, only to see a person in a plague doctor mask. Petrified, she screamed at the top of her lungs, “HELP!!!!!! MY PARENTS ARE DYING!!!!!PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!”

Elizabeth, 14 years old, was awoken by her adoptive parents.

“Elizabeth, honey are you ok?” her Dad asked. It was very unlikely for her to wake up screaming like this and he was hoping that her dream wasn’t so bad that she would physically suffer from it.

“Elizabeth, did you have another nightmare?” her mom asked.

“Yea, um. Sorry about that,” she replied, rubbing her head. Looking around, realizing she was in her room, she saw her two wolves looking very sad and saw that it was bright outside.

“No, no, no need to apologize.

It's something from your past and it was so scary that you're having these terrible nightmares,” her father said, understanding her pain.

“Since I’m awake I should get ready for school, right?” she asked.

“Um, sure honey.” He was hoping she would want to talk about her dream, but she didn’t want to.

“Ok, but could you please get out of my room so I could get ready?”

Elizabeth said with a slight smirk on her face.

After her parents left she got up from her bed, walked over to her large dresser, and picked out a white shirt

with the words Agent Smith printed on it. She put it under a black jacket with some straight jeans. She said hello to her wolves, the only things remaining from her original family, took her backpack and went out the door. She walked to her school where she found her best friend Zoe, the one who she tells everything to.

“I had another nightmare.”

“Oh no! Is it the same as the other ones?” She had always been afraid that something would happen in Elizabeth's dreams that would make her heart stop.

“No, actually this one was about the death of my parents.”

“Well, that's different.”

Before Zoe could say anything else, Elizabeth pulled out a plague doctor mask.

“Woah. What?!'’” Zoe looked at the mask and knew this was something more than just a costume from the house.

“Yeah, this mask was on the person who was above, looking down at me when my parents had died.”

“Woah. Kinda sus if I do say so myself.”

“Yes, super sus.” Elizabeth knew exactly what Zoe was thinking. I need to make Liz feel better.

What Zoe didn’t know, and why her empathetic thoughts meant almost nothing, was that Elizabeth had been trained to kill from a young age by her adoptive father Chris Auditore da Firenze. Her adoptive parents run an extremely “legal” organization for assassins and trained her personally after they adopted her. She was trained in every art known to humans but was extremely good at martial arts and knives in general.

After school, when Elizabeth was going home, she felt like someone was 11

following her so she quickly ran to her parent’s property so that innocent bystanders wouldn’t get involved.

Elizabeth saw the person wearing a plague mask. She knew what was happening.

After running all the way to her property in the woods she elevated herself into the tree, making sure no ground animals would be hurt by this assassins’ clumsiness. While trying to guide them to an isolated spot, she lost sight of the assassin. Elizabeth was hoping the mask on the person’s face had been a delusion. She fled for home to tell her dad.

“DAD!” She yelled.

“Yes?” “There are assassins coming for me!”

“WHAT?!”

“Yea, is it still safe to stay here?”

“No. We have to go. Do you remember any piece of the person's clothing that could be useful?”

“Yea they had those scary masks that I see in my dreams,” she said, hoping he would reveal more information about the assassins.

“Well, what happened to the assassin?”

“Um, I don't know.”

“I don't think we should stay here.

Just go wait for me outside and I'll bring all the necessary things we need.”

“Ok, but what about mom?” she asked naturally, but was actually trying to be sure the assassin wasn’t mom herself.

“Mom’s not here. Don't worry, your safety is our top priority right now” “Ok,” she says, being very careful not to reveal that she knows everything.

“Go and wait outside for me, won’t ya Elizabeth?”

“Oh, yeah!”

Elizabeth was walking out of the house and was standing there for about five minutes when her dad came out.

Then they ran for two hours into the woods.

“Wait right here, I'll bring us some food.”

After three and a half hours her dad had not come back. She assumed he wanted to leave her there and that this was a deliberate trap to make the assassins' jobs easier, so she kept on running. After about 15 minutes she spotted a figure with a weird beak. She stopped to find out more, elevating herself on top of the trees to see if her guess is correct, if this was in fact a plague doctor mask. She jumped from tree to tree extremely quietly and moved closer and closer to the figure though she only ever found a mannequin. Scared, she looked around to find nothing more.

She kept on running, far into the open space, waiting for the assassin to reveal their spot by the angle of their weapon. After arriving in the openness, she spotted a thin thing flying at her and launched herself backward. The knife flew down and hit the ground.

She saw that it was a stiletto. Her least favorite, the shape like a thick line that gets bigger at the handle. She threw back in the direction where the assassin would be, assuming from the angle that the target was in an elevated, but not extremely high place. She smelled blood and she guessed she hit the jackpot. Knowing her opponent was not so intelligent, she opened herself up to a position where she would be hit easily. They would fall for it. Elizabeth changed her gloves and dodged another poisoned stiletto. She took it and threw it at the assassin's newly assumed 12

position. This happened for a while until Elizabeth broke the cycle.

“You're an idiot you know right,” she called. The assassin by then should have known that moving through the openness was a way to find their position and counterattack.

“What do you mean?”

“You have seven open wounds, some with poison some with none” She replied, disappointed that she had to point to the obvious. “It annoys me that my parents would not even send a worthy opponent, or maybe you are extremely good at hiding your abilities?

I think this is a boring fight and you should show your hidden talent if you have any of it. Many people have trained their whole life to get their first mission. But you, a rookie, just playing around like it is a joke. WAKE UP! You are taking someone's life while risking your own. Be logical.” She threw a piece of wood to knock the assassin down, hoping this would lead to a good fight.

“You little brat!!”

“This brat just beat your grown-a**.”

The assassin, pissed, threw a poison smoke bomb and launched himself toward her. Surprised when she sees a silhouette approaching her, she hit three points to slow down the reaction time. Taking out the ax, she cut his head off, took his clothes, and went to the base.

“Damn, I'm so happy that I became poison resistant.”

After two hours she arrived at their base. She placed three bombs and got out of there fast. The building blew up. She cried because she felt that her parents were avenged.

On her way back toward her friend Zoe’s house, two tall people knocked her down and ran out of sight.

Alice H Class of 2027

Blurry Eyed Kenzie L, Class of 2026 We are running but not stopping moving so fast we cannot see.

A blur not clear but not invisible present always but seen not always.

The world keeps moving keeps changing and so do I. We learn we listen but we do not always understand.

The world constantly moving constantly changing changes us.

13

Castle Combe Mia G, Class of 2026 “I’m not taking you because they are coming into town.”

“What? They haven’t come in eight years. What could they possibly fancy about this town that wasn’t here all the other times we invited them?”

“I’m not sure actually. But that is beside the matter. I must get packing go along.”

“Fine,” I said. I slid down the banister on the stairs and stopped at the second floor, then went into my bedroom. My room had many big, old windows that opened to a balcony with vines hanging down the side. I had an old fireplace that hadn’t worked in 200 years and a grand gold bed. I climbed through one of the windows and jumped out onto the balcony. I picked a few roses from the vine and spent the next hour in my room potting flowers into vases.

“Darling, Elizabeth darling are you okay?”

“What. Oh yeah, I’m fine Ms. Vass, is there something you need?”

“Your mother is leaving and would fancy a goodbye.”

“No.” “No?” “No, I will not come to say goodbye.”

“Whatever you wish,” she sighed, rolling her eyes.

I didn’t leave my room until I stopped hearing Ms. Vass’s feet shuffle along the floor, then I opened my door and ran down the stairs as fast as I could. I ran to the foyer and sat on the bench underneath the window and watched the driveway, waiting for my brother's carriage to arrive. When

“Thank you, Mr. Picher,” I said, as my feet hit the manicured lawn. I picked a mint leaf and chewed on it as I ran across the driveway and inside.

“Elizabeth is that you?” Ms. Vass yelled almost in sync with the giant front door slamming shut.

“Yes, what is it?” I took off my coat and hung it on the large gold hanger.

“It is your mother. She would like to speak to you, and how many times have I told you not to leave your shoes in the corridor?”

“What about?”

“I don't know, she is in her office waiting for you.”

“Ok,” I said, starting up the stairs.

The stairs were long and wide and seemed to go on forever. When I got to the top floor where my mum’s office sat I stopped. I dreaded talking to her but kept walking.

“Mother, did you request me?” I whispered.

“Yes, come on in.”

“What’s the matter?'' I said. I sat down in one of her brown flocculent chairs. The room had all sorts of books and papers and even some sports equipment. My mother was never like other mothers in our town and I don't think other families like us for that.

“It’s about the trip.”

“I knew it!” I burst out.

“I’m afraid you won’t be coming anymore, plans have changed and I don't feel it is the right thing to do anymore.” Her words felt like knives cutting into me, how could she do this!

“Why? It is not fair, you always used to take Oliver and Adger,” I halfyelled.

14

I heard the sound of gravel crunching below I sprang off the bench. The book that Ms. Vass had gotten me was a bore so I didn’t even flinch when it flew off my lap and landed with a hollow thud on the floor. I ran to the entrance and pulled repeatedly, trying to open the door. About 30 seconds later Ms. Vass arrived home from shopping in the market.

“A parcel arrived for you, dear.”

She dropped it into my hands.

I threw it onto the floor and ran outside. The dewy wet grass stuck to my bare feet as I ran towards the road. I didn’t even hesitate when I felt the sharp rocks stabbing my feet; I was used to it. The carriage appeared just before Elona Sallows house and I jumped onto the backbench as it went by. When we pulled up to my house I was practically screaming on the inside.

I jumped off just as the wooden door swung open. I stood there staring at them for a good minute before they introduced themselves.

“I’m Oliver and this is Adger,” Oliver said. He was tall and had brown curly hair that went to his ears. I just kept staring.

“Well if you don't intend on talking save us the trip of asking and show us inside,” a shorter man with short black curly hair in a Dark brown tuxedo said. I assumed he was Adger.

“I'm Elizabeth.”

I gave them a tour of the house and they were pretty silent the whole time. After that, they went to their rooms so I went to mine.

I was outside feeding the chickens when I heard the bells. Ms. Vass rang the bells whenever she needed us for something. I brushed the dirt off my dress as I ran inside. The French glass doors welcomed me as I sat down at the

candlelit dining table. Oliver and Adger were chatting up with Ms. Vass when I got there, but they all fell silent as soon as they saw me. Ms. Vass had also been Oliver’s nanny when he was a boy so she must have been happy to see him.

“So, what have you both been doing lately?” I said, trying my best to break the ice.

“I have been overseeing markets all around the world for my company.

I presume you’ve heard of it–Beau Monde.”

“Don't flatter yourself, Adger.

I’m sure she doesn’t fancy world markets half as much as you,” Oliver interrupted. I grinned.

“Oliver, why don't we tell her our big news,” Adger said with a promising look on his face.

“What big news?” I said.

“We have decided that you aren't being raised the way a proper young lady should be,” Adger said.

“You will be staying with a good friend in Paris. She will help you get back on track.”

“WHAT do you mean? I am a perfectly good young lady or whatever, and I am not going to go stay in Paris with some strangers,” I said, storming off.

When I got upstairs all of my stuff was packed up in trunks and bags.

I threw myself onto my empty bed and grabbed the parcel Ms. Vass had handed me earlier. Inside there was a letter.

“Bonjour Elizabeth, I hope you are getting this letter on time. I am Aurelie, the woman whom you will be staying with in Paris. I am beyond excited to meet you and from what I have heard about you from your brothers...”

I stopped reading the letter there and threw it out the window, hoping it 15

would get blown away with the leaves.

When I woke up in the morning the sun was shining in my eyes and my room was a mess. I waded through the piles of clothes into my bathroom. I was brushing my teeth when I saw the reflection of the window in my mirror.

I stormed down the hallway and stairs until I got to the front door. I pulled the door open and stepped outside. It was a brisk August and the wind was blowing all around. I marched across the lawn and up to the carriage being loaded with my things.

“What do you think you are doing Oliver?” I said, in the most powerful voice I could muster.

“I am loading the carriage. Go get Adger, he is in the other carriage.”

I walked over to the driveway where Adger and the other carriage were waiting and jumped in to ask him if we could leave tomorrow morning.

Before I could say anything the carriage drove off.

Nobody made a word the entire drive. I was busy making a plan in my head on how to escape.

When we got to the train station Adger and Oliver got out of the carriage so I followed them. They stopped at the ticket booth and that was when I ran. Oliver saw me and started chasing after me, but he was wearing his nice loafers so he wasn’t half as fast as me. I kept running to the carriage and jumped in it.

“Go go,” I yelled at the driver. He started driving before he realized he didn’t know where to go.

“Where to, Ms. Dankworth?”

“The Sallows.”

When I entered Elona’s house my mum and her mum were sitting at the dining table talking quietly.

“Mum?”

“Oh hunny, hi. I was looking all over for you. You weren’t home when I got here so I came over and Ms. Sallow was ever so kind.”

I sat down next to mom and told her everything that had happened. She was furious and said that she would tell off my brothers the second they got home.

A few hours later I was in the library looking for a book when I heard the door open. There was a series of yells and I heard the door slam shut.

Mother came up to my room and said that they were going to shorten their visit and we’re leaving tonight.

“Hunny, I am afraid you might not be seeing your brothers for a while.”

And nothing else happened for a while after that.

Theo L Class of 2025 16

The Package Will J, Class of 2026 could remember a gas station he had passed a few miles back but it was fairly far. He would have to walk back, abandon the package, and get gas.

He felt he couldn’t leave the package alone. People were searching all the exits of the state for the package and he happened to be on one of them.

Figuring he had to take it with him, he opened the trunk. In it was in some kind of chest strapped firmly into the car. He couldn’t bring the whole chest.

It was too big and obvious. He had to take the package out of the chest.

He tried opening the chest, thinking it would be locked, but it was easily unlatched. He immediately closed his eyes and looked away in fear of what it might be. Nothing happened.

He slowly turned his head back.

Inside the chest was another chest, not the package. This one was significantly smaller. It was about the size of a jackin-the-box. This he could bring. He was happy, but also somewhat disappointed that he didn’t see the package. He grabbed his backpack which he had in the back seat of his car and stuffed the small chest inside of it. He then started walking at a fast pace towards the gas station.

About an hour later he arrived. He bought an iPhone charger and a can of gas. He went to go pull out his wallet when a man in a hood barged into the store with what looked like a gun in his hand.

“Everyone down or you’re a goner,” the man in the hood yelled.

Jack, as well as everyone in the store, immediately dropped to the ground and buried their faces.

Jack’s eyes slid open knowing it was time to get up. He always managed to wake up around five minutes before his alarm sounded. However, when he didn’t set it, he would sleep in. Unlike usual, he didn’t have to go to work.

He had found a different job which he preferred, at least at the time. He needed to deliver a package two states over. Unfortunately for him, his client wasn’t the only person who wanted it.

He was expected to leave at night; to throw people off he left during the day. He got in his 2013 Outback and started to drive. It was early and the streets seemed hollow and empty. It would be about a nine-hour drive. The mystery of the package distracted him from his other concerns. He hadn’t been told what it was, just not to be curious. It wasn’t drugs or anything like that. It was much more important. It could just be cash or maybe some kind of artifact. Either way, he wasn’t going to open the package. He was getting paid far too much to worry about curiosity.

He was about three hours into the ride when all of a sudden his car started to slow down. Maybe the car had been sabotaged. He glanced over at the gas meter and realized his mistake. The simple task had ruined his mood and maybe even the job. He would have to call someone for help. He sighed, pulled out his phone, and it wouldn’t turn on. It appeared to be out of battery. This is when he took a moment to check his surroundings.

He was on a dirt road with no houses and no stores and between two states in the middle of nowhere. He 17

“Put the money in the bag,” the man yelled at the cashier. “And you,” the man spun around to look at Jack, “What’s in the bag!?”

The moment the man spoke Jack could feel his heart drop. He didn’t say anything in hopes that the man wasn’t talking to him. He didn’t dare to make a noise.

“Hey you, you deaf?”

Jack felt a sharp kick pierce the left side of his stomach. The man grabbed the backpack and then continued to put it on his back. He took the bag full of money from the cash register and ran.

At first, Jack was just happy to be alive, but then soon after he realized that the package was in the bag. He thought it was weird the man had chosen to rob him and no one else.

There were plenty of other people with bags in the store. Maybe he was the closest. Maybe he wasn’t even there to rob the store. He considered chasing after him but figured he had a gun and it would be pointless. He headed back to his car realizing that he didn’t have a job and never would know what was in the chest. Once he got to the car he plugged in his phone. When it was finally charged he called to inform his boss of the news.

“Great work,” his boss said in a surprisingly delighted manner. “My client says he received the item.”

Jack was shocked and not wanting to question his luck, played along. “Yeah I arrived before expected,” he said.

His boss paused for a second.

“That is weird how little time it took.

Also, I looked at the cams and the man came on foot. You’re in a car right?”

Jack didn’t want to lie. He wasn’t very good at it anyway.

“Look, I got robbed and someone took the package. I don’t know how it got delivered but it wasn’t me.” There was an awkward silence for a few seconds. Jack felt more scared than he had in his whole life.

“Well, as long as his phone got delivered,” said his boss. “Thanks for working at Amazon!” His boss hung up. This shocked Jack. He had been working at Amazon this whole time. He must have been fooled or something.

On his drive home, he contemplated what had happened.

Was he really working for Amazon? Or was it just to cover up the identity of the package. Either way, Jack was still getting paid more than before, and this job was a lot less boring. Feeling a strange sense of contentment, Jack decided he was happy to have his job, no matter what it was.

Dream Garden Hannah H, Class of 2027 Scattered thoughts like drops of dew On a leaf, a rich green tint Dreams, they stir, gold in the sunlight Ivy-colored gardens soaked in wishes Only then will it stay colorful But the lifeless empty sky draws near Bottled-up evil sets wishes apart Dreams, they dry up, grey in the darkness Plants shrivel, wrinkle, crisp, and parch Only now has color left 18

Waiting is the worst part Anonymous, Class of 2026

Dream Poem John M, Class of 2027

The wind hacks at you and the only thing you lack is the ability to fight back.

You stand in the cold freezing the warm air inside the building teasing.

You shove your hands into your pockets, deep down redness on your nose and ears glowing as brightly as a crown.

You really, really, really want to go inside, but you have to abide by the guidelines and you have to confide in the doctors so you wait outside against the tide of rain and snow and wait to be let in to Lawrence Streets’ home

I dream of a world with kindness I dream of a world that is healthy and clean I dream of a world that is not polluted I dream of a world with streets as clean as the blood flowing through our bodies I dream of a world with water as clear as crystal I dream of a world with no fossil fuels Just peace Just clean This problem is affecting the world It is affecting the next generations We must stand and not sit We must speak up and not wait We have to take charge before it’s too late We must protect our planet It is our only home EARTH

Priya N Class of 2025 19

Reality Marjorie H, Class of 2026 It was Chelby. Of course! She’s gotten bored of bragging about the A she’s gonna get and has come to torment me.

“What do you want?” I groaned.

“I asked you a question. Are you deaf?” She questioned. More laughter.

“I’m just tired, what’s it to you!”

I replied, not noticing how loud my voice was getting.

“Quiet! I can’t grade tests with you all yacking like that,” Ms. Adair yelled.

“Sorry,” chimed a bunch of students. Chelby continued to annoy me until I snapped at her. “I don’t care!

Stop being annoying” I faced forward, my eyes half-closed and my legs crossed under my desk.

“Alex, you could’ve done better.”

Ms. Adair’s silhouette came into focus, hovering over me. I sat up. Behind her, I saw a glimpse of Chelby with a smirk on her face and a gleaming A written on her test in red marker. I groaned.

“Ten!” My pencil furiously scribbled on the paper.

“Nine!” My mind started to drift away. No, I needed to finish this.

“Eight!” My hand was cramping. It hurt. Badly.

“Seven! Six!” Ms. Adair’s yelling rang in my ears.

“Five! Four! Three!” I finished the last question and placed my test face down.

“Two! One! Zero,” Ms. Adair finished. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding in. Why was that so stressful, and why did I take so long?! I thought. It was probably because I got no sleep last night. Our teacher announced she was going to grade immediately, so I laid down over my desk.

“Alex! What’s wrong with you today,” I heard from behind me, followed by laughter. I sat up and turned around.

Ella S Class of 2025 20

Time to wipe that smirk off her face when she sees what I got.

“I’m disappointed in you.” A test was placed on my desk, and I hurriedly checked it.

C-.

I got a C-.

My happy thoughts from earlier became clouded with thoughts of my grade. My dad will be disappointed in me. I wanted to make him proud. I can’t one-up Chelby.

The sadness inside me turned into anger, flowing up from the pit of my stomach. Without meaning to, I stood up.

“Alex, what are you doing?” Ms. Adair started.

“No, this isn’t real. I did well, I know I did!” I said, my voice rising.

“I’m sorry, Alex.”

“No. No! NO!” I yelled, anger bursting out of me.

“Someone make her calm down!”

Chelby yelled, smirking.

“SHUT UP!” I shouted, much louder. I’m not a her, I’m non-binary.

Nobody knows yet but I hate it when people use she/her pronouns for me.

“Alex! Detention! Control your anger,” Ms. Adair yelled, silencing everyone.

The room was silent, but even the silence felt loud. Furious, I shoved my test into my backpack and stormed out of my math class.

I opened the brown door forcibly, still calming down from the scene five minutes ago. The school decided to use this room for detention, seeing as no teacher was using it for class. Four others looked up at me as I walked to an empty desk and sat down.

Ms. Adair had forgotten to tell me how long my detention time was, so the detention teacher gave me one hour.

“Now everyone,” she said, “I have to drop something off at a teacher’s office. Remember, not too much talking! You’re supposed to be punished here,” she added. She picked up a large blue folder, adjusted her glasses, and left.

I didn’t know what to do so I sneaked a glance at the other students.

A shy-looking girl sitting in the seat behind me looked up and smiled at me.

She was really pretty. Her dirty blonde hair was tied up in a bun and her eyes were a chocolate brown. She had a small nose and mouth, but she looked mature for her age nevertheless.

“What book are you reading?” I asked, trying to start a conversation.

She picked up her book and flashed the cover to me.

“Harry Potter! I love Harry Potter!

And the fifth book is my favorite,” I said, laughing. She started laughing as well, a higher-pitched noise than mine.

“What’s your name?” she asked, sounding less shy now that we had something in common.

“Alexandria, but I go by Alex.

What about you?” I replied.

She grinned and said,” Sonya.

Nice to meet you.” She held out a hand and I reached over my chair to grab it. Unfortunately, I had leaned over too much on my chair and my hand slipped from hers as I fell, the chair sliding out from underneath me as I hit the floor. Lying on my back, I stared at her and she stared back from behind her desk. Silence. Then, we started laughing.

She giggled as I covered my face with my hands in fake embarrassment. We laughed for a solid minute until my stomach started to hurt too much and I rolled over and sat up.

21

“Welp, that hurt,” I said as I got back into my chair. She asked if I was okay and I didn’t want to worry her, so I said yes.

“Can you girls keep it down?”

One boy yelled from across the room.

The anger came back, and before I could control myself I yelled back: “I’m not a girl!”

Silence. Shoot, why did I say that, what’s wrong with me.

“I’m non-binary. They/them.”

“Oh. Sorry.” He said embarrassed and turned back to his desk. I sighed and looked at Sonya. She looked at me for a second and I was anxious before she said, “Cool!” And smiled. “What, did you think I would be against it?”

I chuckled again. “You seem cool and I don’t have many friends. Could I maybe get your number and we could hang out sometime?”She pulled out her phone and handed it to me immediately.

“Of course, I don’t have many friends either. I mostly stay to myself.”

Yeah, I can kinda tell, I thought.

“Thanks,” I said smiling, and I typed my number into her phone. I texted myself and my pocket dinged.

“We should be quiet again though before the teacher gets back,” she suggested.

“Good then, I'll talk to you later?” I asked. She nodded. Satisfied, I turned back around and pulled out my computer to do some homework.

After the teacher came back, time went very slow. I turned around and looked at Sonya. She glanced at me, smiling a soft smile. Today, I made a friend. That’s better than nothing, I thought. Now to just wait.

Finally, the time ran out. The teacher dismissed me, and I waved goodbye to Sonya as I left. It was

30-minutes if I took shortcuts. I was going to take the public bus home but decided against it since I felt the need to get some fresh air and alone time. As I started my walk home, dark thoughts clouded my head. What’s dad gonna say about my test grade, and worse still, what about my mother.

My parents are divorced. Well, not divorced yet, but in the process. My mother has been living with dad since they agreed to separate, but we’re tight on money at the moment and don’t have enough to move my mother out. I love my dad. He cheers me up when the dark thoughts circle around my brain, clouding the good things in life and bringing on only the bad. He assumes it’s just normal teenager life, but I’ve yet to tell him that I think it’s more. I also have my grandma, who I love with all my heart. She knows everything about me. She is my only family member to know that I’m non-binary, and she supports me.

After taking shortcuts, weaving in and out of streets and roads with the thought of the weekend guiding me, I arrived home. I climbed the stone steps and entered. Our little apartment wasn't much, but it was my happy place.

“What do you even want out of your life?!” My mother’s voice said.

Luckily, with all the shouting they didn’t hear me so I crept into the kitchen and peeked my head out from the doorway to look into the living room. Shoot. It’s my parents fighting again. I thought this day couldn’t get any worse.

“You are raising a child with me!

How are you going to get any money to pay for things if you are unemployed!”

Unemployed? Dad must’ve gotten fired.

I accidentally let out a breath too loud and Mother looked at me from behind Dad. 22

“Alex, sweetie...” she started, and Dad turned around to see me too. Hot tears had started to drip down my face, I didn’t realize I was crying until now. I pulled out my test with the C- on it and dropped it on the table.

“I failed my test,” I said. Then I ran upstairs. My parent’s footsteps echoed behind me.

“Alex, just talk with us,” they pleaded. I slammed my bedroom door and locked it, then ran into the secret door under my desk. It was a hideaway I found over a year ago that no one else knew about. Even from that room I heard my dad knocking on the door.

Eventually, he gave up.

I was full-on sobbing at that point.

My hands were shaking. It felt like I couldn’t breathe. Was I dying? I reached for my teddy bear, Jackson, and pulled him close to my heart as I curled up under heaps of blankets. Okay, you’ve had panic attacks before. Breathe. In through your nose, out through your mouth. In, out. In, out. My breathing started to steady, and so did my body.

Still trembling a little, I reached inside my pocket for my phone and dialed Sonya’s number.

“Alex, hi!” I heard Sonya’s voice on the other end of the call. “Wait… what’s wrong? You sound like you’re crying!”

Her voice filled with worry.

“Sonya, I know we don’t know each other very well, but–” My voice cracked, but I carried on, “–something happened.

Can you come to my house? It’s 847 Roster Lane.”

“Sure, that’s close to where I am.

I’ll be there soon, stay calm okay?” I needed someone to talk to, someone that wasn’t my parents.

“Thanks, see you soon,” I stated, hanging up. Then, I came out of my hideaway.

Opening my window, I crawled out onto my secret spot. It was the skinny fire escape on the front of my house, leading down two stories before ending with a ladder. I didn’t want to leave my room, so I figured I’d see Sonya when she arrived and she’d come up.

After five minutes of waiting, I saw Sonya. “I’m up here!” I yelled. She looked up and gave me a thumbs-up as she started to climb the ladder. When she got up, she saw my tear-stained face and sat down, frowning.

“My parents fight. A lot,” I started, “And they were fighting when I came home. I failed my test. My dad got fired.

I don’t know how much more I can take, I–” I choked on my words, and she placed a hand on my back. The wind blew in our faces as we leaned against my cracked window.

She took my hand in hers and squeezed gently. “Life will get better, Alex. The universe is testing you, you just gotta wait it out. And besides, you have me now.” And with that, we sat in silence, watching the sun disappear behind the buildings.

23

Escape Julia B, Class of 2027

Built With Dreams Penny Z, Class of 2027

Sometimes I like to escape.

Doing the things I love, not thinking about problems or their solutions, going on beyond the world around me.

A world of imagination and creativity where all my problems will disappear But it is only temporary.

When I come back I will have to return to my responsibilities But the feeling you get when you escape is surreal.

Not those fake promises that give you a fake comfort.

All they do is create more problems than you've ever had before.

No The true feeling is of knowing that it will not last.

You will know in your heart that when you escape, you can always come back to the real world, no matter how hard that may be.

When you need an escape, then go.

But I know you will always come back to me Because as wondrous as the feeling may be, it is only temporary.

The world I wish for Is not built with bricks Not with metal Not with sticks I hope for a world That towers to the sky Built with dreams Many stories high I long for a world Where everyone Is allowed to dream No matter how they look or seem Let’s find this world together A beautiful world Built with dreams

Emma L Class of 2025 24

The Lost Girl Nina H, Class of 2026

The staircase has a weird smell, like sweat and chlorine; it smells like a pool.

The stairs are made of cement and have a thin strip of sandpaper so that people don't trip and fall. Unfortunately, that doesn't help me. As I fly down the stairs four at-a-time, I trip and fall.

Luckily, I catch myself with my arm and just get a slight cut. I keep moving because I still need to get on the subway to get to school. Once I’m on the subway, I can relax and see if I have a bandage in my backpack.

As I run into the lobby, I see Lucky, the doorman of our building speaking to an older lady. “Good morning!” he says to her, as he notices me running through the lobby.

“HURRY UP IVY, YOU'RE GONNA BE LATE!’’ “Got it,’’ I scream back as I run outside.

The subway station is usually a ten-minute walk, but I get there in four minutes, sprinting the entire way. I sit down on the bench and wait for the train. I know that it will at least take 12 minutes even though it says 10. The train station before our stop is very old and has a lot of problems so the trains always get delayed. I dig around to find my AirPods. I never have an organized backpack. I clean it out on Fridays but I always know that the next week it will be a mess all over again. I finally find my AirPods next to some pretzels.

I pop one in my ear and play my calmdown mix. Luckily, the train ride is as quick as I need it to be today and I dash towards the school building.

Once we get off of our lunch break we have two periods left, History

“IVY WAKE UP!!! YOU’RE GOING TO BE LATE!!!!!,’’ my dad screams. As I wake up, I can hear him moving around in the kitchen. This is my typical morning.

I'm going to be late for school again; I bet that Rita is so sick of seeing me. Rita is the lady who works at the administration office. I see her almost every morning so she's used to me by now. I have to check in with her when I’m late to get a tardy pass before going to first period.

I jump out of bed and quickly pick an everyday outfit. A pair of black ripped jeans, a white cropped tank top, and a baggy, dark green Patagonia. I run into the bathroom, wash my face and brush my teeth. My phone starts to ring.

“DUDE WHERE ARE YOU!?’’ I hear after picking up my phone. That’s my best friend Tash.

“You better be on the subway girl, Miss Frances has already done roll call.”

“I’ll be there soon,’’ I tell her, then hang up. I grab my backpack and throw it over my shoulder. I hear butter sizzling on the pan from the kitchen as my dad fries eggs.

“Smells amazing dad, but I have to skip the professional chef breakfast today. I'm already late!’’ I grab a granola bar and push my feet through the back of my Air Force sneakers. Me and Tash had already had a sleepover once and beaded the same pony beads through our Air Force laces Mine are ripped and covered in mud, while hers are nicely kept and barely had any dirt– the exact opposite of mine. I run out the door and dash down the stairs.

25

and Advisory; I'm already late for History because I had to go and pick up our textbook from my locker.

We’re learning about slavery and the Underground Railroad. I sit down at my desk which is in the second-to-last row, right next to the windows. It is one of the best seats in the classroom, but the bottom of my desk is covered in gum and Tash is across the room so we can't pass notes to each other. Ten minutes into class I get a note passed to me from Leslie, the girl who sits right in front of me.

“Who is this from?’’ I whisper, confused.

“I don't know. Chloe passed it to me and someone passed it to her. We have no clue,’’ she shrugs. But she does know who it is from and so does almost everyone in the class. I sit back in my seat and unfold the note.

Hey, it’s Kev, what are you doing after school? If you can meet up with me to hang out, meet me at the Burger King that's 5 mins away from school.

Check yes or no at the bottom.

I can’t believe this! I can feel my cheeks turning red and my lips smile.

I look down and notice that he even added two checkboxes at the bottom of the note! I check the yes box and then pass the note back to Leslie.

“Pass it back please,’’ I say slowly and quietly.

“Sure thing,” she whispers back, giggling while taking the note.

I suddenly realize that the entire class is waiting to see what Kev’s reaction will be. Once he unfolds the note, his eyes light up and relief crosses his face as he exhales loudly. I giggle quietly and try to focus my attention back on my work, smiling to myself.

Once school finishes, I stay behind because I need to meet with

Mr. Sanders, my math teacher. After the meeting, I walk to Burger King to meet Kev. I spot him standing across the street. He looks cute, leaning against the corner of the restaurant with his brown hair falling a little to the side. He doesn’t notice me as he is looking at something on his phone. As I cross the street, Kev looks up, notices me, and waves.

“Hey!” he says quietly.

“Hi. What were you looking at?’’ I ask, pointing to his phone.

“My dad just sent me this video of really cute panda bears playing in the snow. It’s so cute.” He shows me the video and it really is adorable. We watch it together, laughing as the pandas in the video slide around in the snow. We walk over to the bodega. I buy Cheetos, a ginger ale, and my favorite candy, watermelon Sour Patch Kids. We sit down in the park on a bench and spend the next hour talking, losing track of time.

I look up and notice that it is getting dark and cold. I zip up my puffer coat.

“Hey, I have to get going because it's already getting dark and I'm starting to get cold.”

“Sure, let's go. I'll take the subway with you because I take the same train.”

As we walk out of the park to the subway, we throw out our trash and start to talk about the upcoming project about Harriet Tubman in Ms. Yang’s History class. Once we get to the subway platform we sit down on a bench to wait for the train.

“Ivy, are you feeling ok?” he says, looking a little worried.

“Yes, fine, why?” I say hesitantly.

“Nothing, you just look a little pale.

But don't worry about it if you feel fine.

Just lay down once you get home, ok?”

I feel a little dizzy, but I'm fine.

26

I had a headache during History, but I don't tell him this because I know it would make him even more worried.

Luckily, we find two seats right next to each other so we sit down and I lean my head on his shoulder and I rest my head.

“Ivy, wake up, we have to get off at the next stop.” I wake up and jump up.

“I’m so sorry, but it seems you have a comfortable shoulder,” I say shyly.

We walk out of the subway station and I spot a girl crying alone on the street without an adult nearby and I walk up to her.

“Are you ok?” I ask. The little girl doesn’t look like she can be any older than seven. She has pigtails with purple bows and is wearing a Mickey Mouse backpack.

“NOOoooo!” she cries, bawling her eyes out.

“Where are your parents? Are you with them right now?” Kev asks, trying to calm down the girl.

“I was with my mom and sister but

then this big crowd came and now I don't know where they are.”

“Don’t worry. We’re going to help you find them,” I say as I take her hand and try to calm her down.

It’s rush hour and I can’t see anything because I'm not that tall. We walk to the corner of the street in order to be able to get a better view of both streets. All of the sudden the girl spots a woman and a girl across the street.

“HEEEYYYY THAT’S MY MOM!” she says excitedly and relieved.

She starts to run across the street.

“STOP!!!” Kev and I scream at the same time.

The light had just turned green and cars are rushing towards the girl. I run as fast as I possibly can and push the girl out of the way. I’m about to get out of the way but I get really dizzy.

I trip on the manhole in the street. I fall and land on my side and I hit my head really hard against the sidewalk.

My head starts spinning, I start seeing

Miranda F Class of 2025 27

triple and everything becomes fuzzy.

I can hear the motor of a big car right in front of me. Kev is screaming my name and people are panicking. I hear someone scream 911, then everything goes black.

“WE NEED HER IN SURGERY NOW!” I'm still drowsy and my head feels like it's going to explode. I'm on an oxygen tank but I feel like I'm suffocating.

“THAT'S MY DAUGHTER!” I can hear my dad screaming and crying at the same time. It smells like chlorine and alcohol. I can tell I'm being pushed on a stretcher. They’re all focused up ahead trying to get me to the operation room. I pass out again.

The next thing is a shooting pain in my head and I'm still drowsy.

Where am I? What happened?

Why am I in the hospital? Am I dead?

Is the little girl OK? It all comes rushing back; the lost girl, the street, the dizziness, the car, and the ambulance. At least I'm not on an oxygen tank anymore. I can feel my dad's head on my legs, where he fell asleep. Kev is sitting outside the room.

I can see him through the glass door, his head between his knees. I can tell he is blaming himself and that he has been crying a lot. I feel really bad so I look around and notice my phone’s with my dad. I slowly pulled it out from under his arms so he won't wake up. I unlock my phone and call Kev. “Hello?” he answers, thinking that some stranger has picked up my phone from the street, not understanding that it is me on the phone.

“Hey, I'm really sorry that you had to see this happen. And please don't blame yourself because I ran without thinking. Is the little girl OK? Was that

her mom?'' He turns around once he realizes it is actually me calling from the room and quickly walks over. I put my finger to my mouth, motioning for him to keep quiet.

“Don't wake him up,” I say, pointing to my dad. He is so happy that he starts to cry silently and hugs me carefully. We look so cute.

“I should've stopped you! I'm so sorry! I'm just so happy you woke up and are ok.”

“It's not your fault! Please don't blame yourself. Is the little girl OK and did she find her mom?” I ask.

“Yes! She is fine. We have all been so worried and didn’t think you’d wake up tonight so quickly! How are you feeling? We should probably wake up your dad. He was so worried and he will be so happy to see you!” He says.

“Honestly, your dad was really freaking out!”

“Yes, of course!” I say as I gently shake my dad's arm to wake him up.

“My baby girl is OK!” He is so happy to see me and hugs me tight and I can barely breathe.

My dad calls a nurse and she adds something to my blood and gives me jello. Then the doctor walks in and says, “My, My, young lady- you really gave us all a big scare! You should have told your dad or your friend when you were feeling dizzy,” he sighs. You had a contusion, a bruise on the brain, so it was swelling and caused a little bit of internal bleeding, but we were able to stop it. From the car accident, you have a sprained ankle and a fractured wrist, plus a concussion.”

“Well, this has been that longest day ever!” My dad exclaims.

LE FIN. 28

My Dreams Ralph R, Class of 2027 That is my Dream My Dream is to not have to work under a racist white man who treats us different, makes fun of us and gets away with it, pays us less, And then when we say stop we have to go to jail.

My Dream is for the day that we don’t get on the news for being shot but for being free I don’t want to be in fear every time I go down South That is my Dream

Hopefully, These won’t be my great grand children’s Dreams.

My Dream is that I don’t get looked at funny when I go to a white neighborhood I don’t want to see Black people be treated differently every time they go to a red state.

That is my Dream My Dream is to be able to rely on the police not be afraid to ask for help from them I don’t want to see Black people getting hurt or dead or still dying from what a white man did and he doesn’t go to jail for

Maeve L Class of 2027 29

My Life in the Pandemic Eloise B-R, Class of 2028 never before. We couldn’t meet up, but we got on Zoom, and we played video games.

Then the summer began. I went to my friend’s house a lot. We spent loads of time together. I went swimming and jumped on my trampoline. But there was a huge lump in my stomach.

Loneliness. My school friends and I were drifting apart. I was becoming more and more anxious and sensitive.

I got hurt easily. And if that wasn’t enough, I was about to start at a new school.

I thought this would be horrible for my mental health, but I was very wrong. By the second day, I had become friends with all the girls in my advisory, and with my attached class.

After two weeks of orientation, we once again went remote, and I could feel myself getting lonely again. And I suddenly had so much homework!

I just started 5th grade, which was middle school at my school. I had trouble understanding my classes, and even more trouble making friends. I was only friends with kids in my class, and I wanted to branch out a bit.

When we went back in-person, I was much happier and felt like a whole new person. I was making new friends, and getting better in all my classes. Things finally started to feel normal.

My life in the pandemic started great. We had just adopted a dog, and my parents said that if they did not close school the week of March 15th, 2020, they would keep me home. I thought that sounded nice!

However, an hour later, my school shut down, and everyone was told to start quarantining. So we stayed at home. At first it was nice, being able to wake at 9:00, and only having a few assignments a week. But then it went downhill. My days started to become the same. There was nothing new happening. Do my work, talk to my friends about how close Easter was, take my dog to the backyard, and go to Greenwood Cemetery. For some reason, I thought that we would just go back to school once Easter passed, and we would just go back to normal.

But we didn’t. It just got worse.

Spring break was canceled. That same week, they announced that school was going remote for the rest of the year.

We decided to go upstate, and away from the city. There, I had even less to do. All I did was play video games and do school work. It rained so much, I rarely even went outside. Life was never worse. The news was becoming harder and harder to hear. So many deaths. Eventually, school was over, and my closest friends and I celebrated like

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Rosa G Class of 2025

Down Under Ava M, Class of 2026

“No, I swear, sauerkraut is good!” my dad says in hopes of convincing my older cousin to try it.

“It’s like the future of our, and literally everyone else’s democracy is in the hands of people who don’t know left from right. Figuratively and literally,” Lola, my oldest cousin, exclaims.

“It was technically due two weeks ago, but the team probably doesn’t need it till Friday. I need to turn in something accurate, something relevant to 1900, but also 2100. But also relevant now, because this is when the riot happened. There's a lot of turmoil around that part though,” my uncle throws into the air.

I bob and weave through the conversations, suddenly noticing an argument about baseball has been picked up, and people are betting the Mets will lose. The way I float

I’m laying in my bed, waiting for everyone to be ready to go to dinner.

Mom walks by my room twice, and I know she can sense something is off.

Honestly, I know something is off, I just can’t tell what it is. I have a bad feeling about going. I hope that today’s not like some other days.

The commotion downstairs is loud, yet peaceful. It’s like my own little bubble of chaos, so I still have some sense of control. Amelia’s feed pops up on my screen, a gentle alert of what I’m missing out on. It’s a photo of her and her friends Jaden, Veronica, and Mylee. More people who are new in her life but rule it more than I ever have.

After what seems like forever, we leave to go to a restaurant underneath the Manhattan Bridge. Conversation floats in the air, swirling and flowing faster than running water.

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around the conversations makes me feel the same as how I weave between friendships.

My phone buzzes, another notification from Amelia, this time telling me that she’s within a 1000 foot radius of me. Another photo pops up, with the same people.

I finally get roped into a conversation.

“Shy, oops, I mean Shay!” My cousin Lola jabs at me, making yet another corny joke.

I fake laugh and don’t let myself overthink it.

“How’s school? Any cute boys?”

“Heh, it’s good! Lots of schoolwork and friend drama. At least summer vacation’s soon, though!”

“High school has a lot of drama. I get it! What type of drama do you have nowadays?”

My mind flashes with so many possible answers. I honestly just wish that the drama now was like when Lola was in high school: crushes, homework, drinking, smaller issues. Now it seems like there are so many more reasons to lose friends: people’s personal preference (their type), wanting to smoke, shopping from different brands. It can make or break any given relationship.

“Eh. It's all over the place, I guess.”

My voice shakes with nervousness.

Why have I been like this lately?

Finally, my dad comes in and saves me. He gets me like that. I have to say nothing, but he knows everything. It’s almost like our minds are intertwined, in a peaceful chaos, like my family chaos, just different.

After what seems like an eternity of conversations and way too much walking, we get to the restaurant.

The weird feeling in me starts to

bubble up. We order our food, and the conversations start again, this time not as random.

The feeling grows even larger. The food comes. And then I see her.

All of a sudden, my stomach turns, as if a wrench got jabbed into me.

Amelia’s out with her friends, and I notice her before she notices me.

They’re laughing with her at someone’s phone, and I feel bad for whoever is in the picture. They go hard on people they don’t even know.

Then she makes eye contact with me. Not the eye contact that’s like “I see you,” the eye contact that’s like, “I’m full of myself and think I’m better than you even though I’m not and we’re supposed to be friends.” She gives me a nasty look. So disturbing. I look back at her, with an equally rude face, but not as mean. I’m so confused. All of my thoughts suddenly rush to my head, clouding my mind with gross feelings.

The nervousness I should’ve had before she noticed me comes flowing through my brain, swiftly reaching every part of my body- my stomach, my knees, my chest. It leaves most places, but stays in my stomach.

As if the present moment had frozen in time, it all comes back to me.

The people at the table, the pizza that I took one bite out of, the soda. I notice that everyone at the table is looking at me.

“Heh, sorry, I kinda zoned out there?”

Everyone’s so confused. And it’s almost like–wait. My stomach gets a sharp pain. It moves up into my chest.

Now it’s in my throat. Another one of my fears coming to life. Great.

“May I excuse myself? From the table?” I sputter out.

“Sure,” Mom and Grandma say in unison.

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“Oh, uh okay,” my dad and uncle say almost perfectly in sync.

Everyone else has moved on.

I rush to the bathroom and make it just in time for all of my emotions that have been bottled up deep inside of me, somewhere I had no clue that they were, to come out of my mouth, rushing through my body, flowing into the toilet bowl. I feel as though all of my trouble has been released, like all the issues with my friends just left my body.

Piiiiiing! My phone beeps, and I naturally check it. Kaytlyn texted me.

This might be a stretch, but are you noticing anything off about amelia? she's been acting so weird lately. maybe it's personal or in my head, but she’s acting off. i feel like everything’s changing. she's getting swept up by the crowd of weird rebellious teens who are trying to find themself but really just ruining their future? or do i sound like a grandma when i say that. idk, she's just been weird, ykwim?

This text is so relieving, like my little lonely bubble has collided with another maybe not-so-lonely bubble.

I start to immediately feel better, and realize, maybe it’s not just me who feels like they’re losing someone they thought they would always have.

Once we’re home and I’ve convinced everyone that no, it’s fine, I’m okay, I just had a hard school day and I zoned out, I have time to myself, to relax. I look at the text that Kaytlyn sent again and decide to respond.

No, it’s not just you, but i don't

know. maybe she's just going through something personal and it’s best to let her figure out herself first, and not trail after her like a lost puppy. she needs to be able to know we’re here for her but not waiting for her like her bonus friends for whenever she's upset.

We go on texting for a while until I decide I need to shower and get ready for bed.

As I’m showering, I find myself falling into the comparison trap. My brain isn’t letting me let go of it. The words in my head pound their way through my brain: ‘You know how young they were when they had social media?’

‘You know how many friends they have?’

‘You know how many people spend their weekends with their big families and friends?’

‘You know how late you are to every trend, every stage in life, every element?

My thoughts pop up one-by-one in my brain, staying with me for the rest of the night until my body starts shutting down and I make myself push all the negativity out of my head. So much for a normal and smooth day. I get in bed and lay in silence.

The comparisons keep popping up in my head, and I get more and more tired by the second. Finally, all the thoughts spinning around slow down and swirl into another part of my brain, an area where they aren’t always conscious, slowly falling into sleep with me.

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Untitled Ella S, Class of 2027 Dec. 9, 2014 Hey, it’s been a while. Still wishing you were here.

-Lili

This is the story of Lili and Jenna, two girls separated at the age of 14.

Dec. 9, 2013 I remember the day when your hand slipped away. My fingers are still cold as ice. My heart is still frozen in time; to the day when I lost my best friend.

-Lili

Dec. 14, 2013 Remember the way we used to swing our arms while walking to 7-11 each summer day? The way we would run inside and let our toes cool down, relieved to be off of the burning pavement. Old summer days.

-Lili

Feb. 2, 2015 A long time has passed now. Two years, at least. I don’t know when I’ll see you again. Hold on to me a bit longer, will you? Because I’ve got you right in place.

-Lili Jan. 7, 2019 Of course I remember you, and all those good times. Of course I came back. But looking at your grave, will you come back for me?

-Jenna

Feb. 23, 2014 You left three months ago. Where are you now? Are you traveling the world like you said you would?

-Lili June 2, 2014 It’s my birthday now. I wish you were here. Remember the time you slipped and fell onto my cake? Years ago, we would be dreading this day. My first birthday without you. I don’t know how I’ll manage. But I always do.

-Lili June 19, 2014 When will you come back? It’s been over half a year. I got a new cat. I named her after you.

-Lili

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Caleb P Class of 2027

Jerry Theo L, Class of 2026

Jerry had gone to Blobfish Man’s high school, and all he had done was make fun of him. It had a massive influence on Blobfish Man. “You’re so fat! You’re a freak, Blobfish Man!” When Blobfish Man was in high school, he had to hear this every day.

While he had never seen him again, he remembered everything Jerry said.

Blobfish Man was on his way home, listening to his favorite motivational song, "The Monkees” theme, when he heard someone yelling, "Blobfish man! Blobfish man!

I need your help!” He then started to realize, this could be his chance to take a risk! He quickly ran toward the old lady.

"Oh, thank God you're here!

“...and it looks like Superman has saved the day again!" The TV shouted at Blobfish Man as he walked through the frozen aisle at the grocery store. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he was extremely jealous of Superman and how he could fix everything in his path.

He wanted to be just like him. Blobfish Man did have super strength, but he wanted to have good looks. He wanted laser eyes. He wanted to overcome his fear of flying, even though he had the capability. He thought to himself that maybe he should take more risks.

Maybe then he could have good looks.

Maybe then he could have laser eyes.

After some deep thinking, he walked out of the grocery store feeling more confident than ever.

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Some young hooligans stole my cat and headed that way!” As she pointed toward a treehouse, which was a block away, he realized, the only way to get there quickly enough was to fly.

“Ok ma’am, I can do it, I just need to concentrate. I haven’t flown in a while.” She nodded her head. He then started to clear his mind. “I can do this.

I don’t have a fear of heights at all.”

He took a long, deep breath. His heart was racing faster and faster. Finally, he leaped into the air almost as if he was moving in slow motion. He didn’t fall, which was a first. He opened his eyes, and grasped the fact that he was actually flying! He was right. He could do anything he set his mind to.

He saw the treehouse. It was getting closer and closer to him. Then he noticed he was falling. “Oh boy, we’ve still got some work to do,” he said.

Suddenly, he fell right into a backyard– with a treehouse! He was finally there!

He started to climb up the treehouse, still scared with every step.

When he got to the top, he saw two kids and a cat. “Wait! That’s the cat!” he screamed with joy. His mission was almost done. The kids started laughing at him for some reason. All of a sudden, he heard a familiar voice.

“Hey, Blobby Bobby!” the voice shouted. He looked down and saw a man flipping burgers. He was in his 40s and looked pretty friendly. But Blobfish Man was wrong about that. “Lookin’ pretty fat over there, buddy! Did you gain some weight?” Then he realized. It was Jerry’s backyard.

“Jerry? From high school?” Blobfish Man exclaimed.

“Yeah, it’s me! Now get down from my kid’s treehouse and come give me a hug, you big jerk! It’s so great to see you.” Blobfish Man did not want to give him a hug. He didn’t want to go near him. “Come down here! I want to see you!” he insisted. Finally, Blobfish Man stepped down from the treehouse, walking cautiously towards Jerry.

“Bring it in, you freak!” He leaned in for a sweaty, gross hug. Blobfish Man started to remember how Jerry had treated him. How it affected him.

Blobfish Man made the hug tighter and tighter, almost as if it hurt. In pain, Jerry mumbled, “Maybe not that tight.” Jerry fell to the floor. His heartbeat started to slow down, while Blobfish Man’s sped up.

“Good Riddance,” Blobfish Man said.

15 YEARS LATER “It really is amazing how you manage to sing, write, produce and perform, especially while your dad unfortunately passed away!” the interviewer exclaimed.

The crowd gasped in shock.

“Thank you so much! To be honest, it really messed me up. “Life without a dad is, well, hard! I guess I find ways to cope,” Chris responded, with his eyes tearing up. The crowd started cheering.

“We’ll be right back with Chris, playing a game of “Name That Celebrity!” Blobfish Man turned off the television in disgust.

“All right, everyone go to sleep!” the jail guard yelled. Blobfish Man curled up in his cold and hard bed, feeling regretful and lonely.

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BLM Community Project Class of 2027 37

An old desert wind complete with 13 grains of sand A Poem by BFS 7th and 8th Graders, written in collaboration with Writopia The fresh country air feel so good, especially in summer One day I will learn to fly, like the birds I watch by/ my window.

I forgave them when they cried I roll my eyes when someone tells me they don’t like

Steph Curry...

I cried when I saw my project partner I hate it when you lie,

I hate it when you go and die, I hate it when you disappear, I hate it when/ I hate it when things happen that I don’t expect,

it always happens, but nothing good ever happens after I hate it when you leer at me, because the only thing I can see is you leaving me.

I lick my lips when I saw my favorite food dish I licked my lips when they were chapped I hate it when I get bad grades I hate it when my mom tells me that every one of my problems is because of my phone I cried when my cats died I cry when I can’t solve issues that I am dealing with I love it when I’m with my family I love it when it’s the last day of school I hate it when people are ignorant I slammed the door when evangelicals said I was going to hell

Buy a film camera, read 100 books, plant a garden, find a stray cat, travel to the past.

However, a recipe for me includes: a dash of yellow, a splatter of red, a drop of pink and light blue.

I love it when I’m with my family

An old desert wind complete with 13 grains of sand, and blue pawn tree leaf, a blue half bottle of nailpolish, and a polar bear trapped in a world of snow and glass

I love it when the fog covers the tops of buildings I love it when I lick my hands and groom myself like a cat.

A yellow wallpaper, 3 of the saddest words you will ever hear, 7 tears from crying in the mirror.

I licked my lips when cotton candy got stuck and I couldn't pull it off.

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Sasha L Class of 2027

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BROOKLYN FRIENDS MIDDLE SCHOOL 2021