Voices Magazine by Concordian International School

Voices Concordian Arts Magazine

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VOICES Magazine

Art - Grade 6-8

More works to be found throughout magazine.

Khim Viravan G7

Prem Chinmahapipat G7

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Janin Suwichakool (Jean) G7S

Hui Hui Sae Zhang G7

(Images retrieved from gizmoto.com)

Grade 8 Art students interpreted and integrated the Fibonacci spiral as an underlying force made visible in their artwork.

Although the Fibonacci spiral is most evident in nature, students imagined and interpreted that force in other contexts such as politics, cartoon style and personal favorites. Their paintings will be exhibited in May. “The spiral is not an idea in itself, it makes your ideas possible.” undocumented video

THE FIBONACCI SEQUENCE, SPIRALS AND THE GOLDEN MEAN We find the appearance of Fibonacci numbers, and their relative ratios, in domains far removed from the logical structure of mathematics: in Nature and in Art, in classical theories of beauty and proportion. The Fibonacci numbers are Nature’s numbering system. They appear everywhere in Nature, from the leaf arrangement in plants, the spiral force of a hurricane, or the pattern of the florets of a flower.

The Art of Surrealism Here Grade 10 Visual Arts Students explore the strange world of Surrealism.

Artists such as the Spaniard Salvador Dali and Frenchman Rene Magritte inspired us to create our own illusions using the tools of these early 20th Century Artists.

In this world the objects chosen behave in a manner contrary to the properties of nature.

Scale changes, unnatural juxtapositions and a defiance of laws of gravity define images that are more interested in Freudian psychology than the literal representation of our surroundings.

Chess pieces, fish and fruit inhabit a checkerboard landscape and take us to a realm where fantasy and dreams become the new reality.

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G10 Visual Arts Mild Pichitpongchai G10

Poetry Analysis by Achinadda (Memo) Limleartpholaboon

Do you think poets believe it is important to have dreams?

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n my opinion, poets believe that it is LK Thitiphan G8 important to have dreams. In each poem, there are several language features to support this point of view. In the first poem “Dreams” by Langston Hughes, Hughes repeats the line “Hold fast to dream”(1).

This tells us that if we dream of something really important to us, we have to hold on to it before we forget it. If we forget important dreams, we can make our lives unsuccessful, and it makes us feel like we are missing something. Hughes also makes the words “Die” and “Fly” also “Go” and “Snow” rhyme.

I think the poet made it rhyme because the poet is trying to make the poem interesting.

The poet also uses descriptive words such as ‘barren’ and ‘frozen’ to describe the picture to the reader so the reader can imagine her dream. The poet is also trying to tell us that if we don’t hold fast to our dream, our lives The poem named “The Student Teacher” might become miserable and empty.

by Jane Medina is about a kid who has a dream on the wall, and her dreams came In the poem “The Dream on My Wall,” Jane true because on the last sentence she Medina repeated the sentence “ I have a said “what she wants to be when she was dream on my wall” twice because it’s the little.” The poet used many descriptive words most important sentence. It describes the in this poem. For example “Miss Moreno poem and I think the poet repeats the words beings to talk to us with a sweet chocolate because the teacher told the students to voice.” In the middle of the poem she used draw your dreams and the poet kept the repetition -- “How hungry she was to learn, how picture on the wall for many years already, hungry she was to speak, how hungry she but other kids might have already lost the was to hope” to explain how desperate she paper or forgot about it. She also was when she was young. describes her dreams by using a comparison; her dream is different from everyone After reading all three poems, the similarielse’s dream. Kids usually draw money, toys, ties were that the poets wrote about how candies, and Disneyland. But her dream is dreams are important to them. The poets different. The poet draws a class full of kids used repetition to make the words stand and a pretty brown teacher who looks just out, and to make their message strong. The like her teaching in front of the class. Her poets also made the words rhyme, used dream is to become a teacher. comparison and descriptive word choice to support the point of view about their dream.

Experience of Michael’s family I

n Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo, we are introduced to Michael’s family and his pet dog, Stella. Michael’s family loves sailing, so Michael’s dad decides to buy a yacht. The family sails every weekend.

Michael’s family works at the Brickworks factory. After the Brickworks factory closes down, the whole family decides to live on a yacht. Finally they prepare to sail around the world. This changes the family’s mood from one of sadness, depression, and confusion, to one of inspiration.

In the beginning of the book, the Brickworks factory closes down. This experience makes the family sad and depressed because they can’t find a new job. Michael’s dad decides to go to the South to find a new job, and the family gets separated. This makes the mom very sad. This can be further proven by this quotation: “a creeping misery came over the house. Sometimes I’d come home and they wouldn’t be speaking. They argue a lot about little niggly things---and they never been like that. My father stopped fixing things around the house” (5).

According to the quotation, it is clear that the Brickworks factory closing down is affecting Michael’s family in a very bad way. They don’t talk to each other, which is not normal. They also stopped sailing every weekend, like they usually do. Later, Michael’s dad moves to the South.

Muk Sanworanart G10

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Michael’s dad tells everyone in his family that they are going to the South, and they will be living in a yacht. This makes them dumbstruck and confused because they didn’t expect to live on a yacht, which is named Peggy Sue. This can be supported by a quotation in the book, “My mother frowned at me in puzzlement” (9). When Michael’s father explains his plan to sail around the world, “we sat there completely dumbstruck” (11). As you can see from the quotation, everyone in Michael’s family is really dumbstruck and puzzled.

After Michael’s dad tells his family about the plan, Michael’s family prepares to sail around the world. This affects them in a very positive way. It makes them feel excited and inspired, and brings the family closer together. This is proven by the following quotation: “We were confident we could handle just about anything the sea could hurl at us…. We lived close, all of us, cheek by jowl, and I soon discovered parents were more than just parents. My father became my friend, my shipmate” (15). They are excited about sailing around the world.

Michael’s grandma warns them about how dangerous sailing is, but they are still confident about sailing around the world.

Michael also says that his dad is now his shipmate. This means they really enjoy sailing.

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In conclusion, the experiences that Michael’s family faces affect the family in a positive way. Throughout the journey, the family changes, from being sad and depressed, dumbstruck and confused, to being excited and inspired as the family reunited.

Analysis of The Giver by Kaoklong Pichpongsa

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n Jonas’ community, the citizens use euphemism to make their lives easier and their community able to function. Euphemism prevents citizens from knowing what a word truly means and how it affects them. In the community, there is a rule that if a person makes three mistakes or has reached a certain age, they get “released”: “The rules say that if there’s a third transgression, he simply has to be released” (Lowry 11). This scene shows that in Jonas’ community “release” is a way of punishing someone.To the community, the word “release” means to send someone out of the community, but in reality it means to kill them: “He pushed the plunger very slowly, injecting the liquid into the scalp vein...until the syringe is empty… He killed it! My father killed it” (190-1). This quotation shows that “release” is actually injecting a person with a syringe to kill him or her, then throwing away the body. However, citizens do not understand release due to the use of euphemism. It is immoral that the community uses a euphemism with a happy tone, as this quote shows: “This morning we celebrated the release of Roberto,’ she told him. ‘It was wonderful’” (39). This is immoral because the old are happy about the release of Roberto, thinking that it is and honorable and great event, but as seen on pages 190-1, he is actually being injected with a substance that kills him.

“husband” or “wife.”

“Spouse” shields different meanings, preventing people from knowing what it is like to be or have a husband or wife. The precision used in Jonas’ community is immoral due to the fact that it shields people from experiencing and understanding the meaning behind words.

The mood and tone developed throughout the book identifies aspects of immorality. The mood and tone in some situations and events reflecting the rules could show how wrong the feelings are: “Needless to say, he will be released....There was an ironic tone to that final message as if the speaker found it amusing” (3). It is shown here that the rules forbid an aircraft to fly over the community.

From what happened, it can be inferred that the pilot accidentally flew over the community. The immoral part was when the speaker had an ironic tone thinking that somebody getting killed is funny. The tone was developed through the use of “release” as a euphemism, hiding what it really means: “He was thrilled. You should’ve seen the look on his face when they let him go” (40). This scene is immoral because Roberto was actually going to be injected with a substance that kills him. The mood and tone developed in these two scenes show immorality because they have an inappropriate feeling related to the truth. This is showing how the use of euphemism and precision could develop a mood or tone that is immoral.

Jonas’ community uses language to make the community function more easily. Although it helps to make their lives easier, it is immoral for the government to use precision and euphemism in such a way that it shields the truth from the citizens. The tone and mood developed by the rules’ morality depend on how the precision or euphemism is used. In conclusion, the language used in Jonas’ community develops a tone that causes the use of language to be immoral.

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Not only does Jonas’ community use euphemism but they also use precision in their language.

Precision is the substitution of words to prevent people from seeing the words’ true meaning and importance, for example: “’Do you love me?’....’you used a very generalized word, so meaningless that it’s become almost obsolete’”(Lowry 161-2). When Jonas asked his parents if they loved him, his parents told him to use precise language because the word “love” is not specific or accurate to their minds, so it is meaningless. Jonas’ parents said to use precise language to make the community function more easily because the words are more understandable. But the word “love” has its own meaning, and if the community does not understand it, then nobody would ever experience love: “’Do you enjoy me? The answer is “Yes”’....’Do you take pride in my accomplishments?’ And the answer is a wholehearted ‘Yes’” (162). The terms suggested by Jonas’ parents does not show the full meaning of “love.” Jonas’ community also uses the word “spouse” instead of the word

Annie Sreshthabutra G7

Comparative Literary Analysis by Rawisara (Fahsai) Wibuloutai

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n The Good Earth and “The Action in the Thief, Hans Hubermann shows his compassion Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942” towards the Jews when he “held his hands out and presented a piece of bread, like magic” According to Primo Levi, an Italian writer and (394). In the quotes above, it can be seen that Holocaust survivor, who stated in his book If This both texts illustrated context through symbolism. is a Man, “I am constantly amazed by man’s During World War II, most people had a little to inhumanity to man.” There is no better example eat, especially the Jews. Therefore the authors of the idea represented by these words than of the two texts symbolised “bread” that seems the tragic events of the Holocaust in the mid to be an ordinary food as an object with high 20th century. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a value. novel that refers to the historical and cultural contexts of Nazi Germany in World War II. It is In The Book Thief, Zusak states the Ghetto similar to “The Action in the Ghetto of Rohatyn, “contained several houses with lacerated March 1942” a poem written by Alexander window and broken walls” (51). In “The Kimel, a survivor of the Holocaust. Although the Action in the Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942,” two texts are written in different styles, tones and KImmel states that “the doors kicked ajar, ripped genres, the texts have a contextual feathers floating the air” (20). In The Book Thief, connection. The Book Thief and “The Action in the Zusak was trying to create an ominous tone Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942” feature the cruel by using the words “lacerated,” “broken” and treatment that the Jews were put through in the “bruised.” Zusak makes the readers feel the Ghetto during the raid and the constant state lonely and isolated mood of the abandoned of fear the Jews faced during the Holocaust by houses, which symbolise the relationship the use of literary devices including symbolism, between the Jews and Nazi at that time. When visual imagery, personification, repetition and compared to the quote from “The Action in rhetorical questions. the Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942,” the visual image expresses how the Nazis invaded the The Book Thief and “The Action in the Ghetto. The “ripped feathers floating the air” Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942” both refer to the portray how the Nazis plundered the Jews’ historical context of the Holocaust and portray houses, and pulled them from their beds in the what the Jews were put through before and after middle of the night to the street. In The Book the raid occurs. In the beginning of the poem, Kimel Thief, if Liesel had arrived in Molching sooner, stated “The peaceful ghetto, before the raid” she would have witnessed the suffering of the (2). In the beginning of The Book Thief, as Rudy owners as they were abused and forcibly taken leads Liesel to school, they walk past different from their home. areas around Molching. The final stop before arriving the school is a road that contained a several houses. The author writes, “the star of David was painted on their doors” (51). From the passage above, it can be seen that “the star of David” implies that these houses belonged to the Jews. When comparing the passage to the quotation from “The Action in the Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942,” it can be seen that the Jewish section of Molching they walked past is called the Ghetto. This refers to the historical context of the Holocaust, because the Ghetto was a place where the Jews or anyone who did not fit the Nazi ideals were taken from their home and squished into a small space of land, segregated from the rest of the city.

Furthermore in “The Action in the Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942” the poet represents the daily life of the Jews in the Ghetto: “mothers searching for a piece of bread” (4). In The Book Mimi Pipugsmoot G7

Pinn Asadathorn G8

The Book Thief and “The Action in the Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942” both portray the tragic state of life, fear and terror Jews faced during the Holocaust. In The Book Thief, Zusak states that “the sky was the color of Jews” (349).

In “The Action in the Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942,” Kimel states that “where the departed are blessed with an instant death/While the living condemned to a short wretched life/And a long tortuous journey into unnamed place/Converting Living Souls, into ashes and gas (26-29).” The quote of The Book Thief above it suggests that, normally, Death (the narrator of the story) sees colors like black, white, red and blue.

However, by stating “the sky was the color of Jews,” Zusak wants to tell readers that many Jews were murdered, that they overshadowed the blue colour of the sky as Death took their souls across the sky. Similar to Converting Living Souls, into ashes and gas. “The Action in the Ghetto of Rohatyn (1942),” by using the words like “instant death,” “short wrenched life” and the line that says “converting living souls, into ashes and gas chambers,” the author emphasizes the number of Jewish people dying dreadfully during the Holocaust. In The Book Thief, Zusak described the Jews who are walking at the concentration camp that “the suffering faces of depleted men and women reached across the, pleading not much for help- they were beyond that- but for an explanation. Just something subdue this confusion” (392). In Kimel’s poem, he states that “the compassionate moon, is showing the way” (27). It is clear from the passage of The Book Thief above, the situation of the Jews marching to Dachau is unimaginable. The Jews would never thought in their wildest dreams that they would be moved to a death camp.

Kimel use personification and symbolism to express how people who are on the streets have nowhere to go. The moon is the symbol of a solitary and lonely object. When comparing the quotes of the two quotes above, it can be seen that both Kimel and Zusak are trying to imply a helpless atmosphere where there is no chance to survival. Furthermore, Kimel states that “No. I Have to Remember and Never Let You Forget” (30). In the beginning until the end of the poem, Kimel kept repeating a rhetorical question, “Do I want to remember? (1, 7, 13, 19, 25). The passage above is not posing a question to the audience, but rather conveying a message that he has to remember the raid, although it is painful, so that others can understand what it is like. It seems as though he is cursed to remember, so the readers can sympathize with him as well as consider the experience he has been put through. Kimel finally realizes at the last line and accepted that, as a Holocaust survivor, he now bears the burden of remembering this tragic event to ensure the world never forgets.

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In conclusion, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and “The Action in the Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942” by Alexander Kimel illustrate the historical context and cultural ideologies of Nazi Germany concerning Jews in World War II that created a huge impact in that society, thus tremendously affecting the culture of the present. During the Holocaust, Hitler restricted the Jews with legislation and terror, confiscating their businesses and property as well as excluding them from society as a whole due to racism and prejudice. As seen in both texts, the Jews suffered from persecution and discrimination only because they did not fit the Nazis view of the Aryan race.

Comparative Analysis by Sanjana Gowri Shankar

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he Book Thief by Markus Zusak, exhibits elements of racism and discrimination through extraordinary techniques, displaying Hitler’s racial ideology in Nazi Germany. Zusak showcased the text through the use of imagery, irony, juxtaposition and other literary devices in order to help the readers understand more about the situation and the feeling of the characters. “The Action in the Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942” by Alexander Raiwin Sae Zhang (Hui Hui) G7H Kimel and The Book Thief contain similar context while narrating a situation that can connect with each other. Both pieces disclose historical “I hate the Fuhrer,” she said. “I hate him” context through the usage of literary devices, (115) and “Did they deserve any better, these despite the different techniques of writing. people?” (375) are some of the lines that are connected with the context of the poem.

The similarity between the both pieces is that They showcase the countless inhumane they show racial discrimination in relation to the action done by the Nazis and Hitler, including the historical context. Hitler spreads his beliefs in ghetto. The poem depicts the state of racial purity and superiority of the German race. Alexander Kimel who witnessed and experienced For Hitler, the ideal “Aryan” was blue-eyed, the horror of the action of Nazis. The connection blond and and tall. Hitler and the others Nazi between the lines “The doors kicked ajar, ripped leaders viewed the Jews not as a religious group, feathers floating the air” and “Did they deserve any but as a poisonous race which oppressed the better, these people?” (375) show a other races and weakened them. This was his conspicuous conflict in terms of historical ideology of racial discrimination and his selfish context which create significance on how Hitler’s views of the people of Nazi Germany. The poem command is being portrayed during Nazi illustrates the time of The Holocaust, where they Germany. These evidences from The Book Thief had places called ghettos, where people who and “The Action in the Ghetto of Rohatyn (1942)” did not fit the Nazi ideals were taken from their connote similar and contrasting concepts and homes and squished into a small piece of land. ideas in relation to the historical context.

So here, it was Hitler’s and the Nazi’s command that brought trouble to the author, which is Kimel and Zusak use literary devices in their mentioned in most of the lines in the poem, pieces to connect with the reader, to help them especially in “The doors kicked ajar, ripped visualize and feel the story using the concepts of feathers floating the air” (line 20). This line states tones, mood and atmosphere. Starting from the the time when the Nazis invaded the Ghettos. poem, the line “Do I want to remember?” is a They kicked people’s doors and forced them phrase that constantly repeats throughout the outside. This situation is almost similar to “The whole poem. The sentence is not actually asking Long Walk to Dachau” in The Book Thief. The a question to the audience, but rather he is trying Nazis were involved in a discussion where one to convey that he doesn’t like recollecting the of them mentions “It’s perfect weather for a dreadful scene of the ghettos as it is painful, but parade” (390). This reveals the cruel he does so that we can visualise what it was like. treatment people were put into. It also The effect on the readers would be, that they emphasises the point that the Jews were kept understand how he wishes to forget the scene suffering in concentration camps for an extreme- but cannot. This quote overall creates a descriply long time that they actually needed fresh air. tive image of the scenario. Imagery has been used throughout the poem to represent feelings, objects, ideas and to create an image relating to the context, the setting and the description

of characters. “Doors kicked ajar, ripped feathers floating the air” (line 20). This has been used as a visual imagery to describe the scene between the Nazi and the Jews when they forced them out of the ghettos. Zusak has also made use of visual imagery such as “bite marks of show on her hands and the frosty blood on her fingers” and “wirelike shins, coat hanger arms” (31). The imagery is similar to a line in the poem “show-melting blood” (line 21). The frosty blood and the bite marks of snow symbolises how harsh it was for Liesel Meminger when she arrived on the Himmel Street. It also shows how cool it was there. Here, the frosty blood connotes that the weather was so cold that the blood was even frozen and here it was her brother’s blood who had died previously. Therefore, Liesel has been through a lot of emotional trauma. This connects with the quote “snow-melting blood” (line 21) as it also symbolises the chilled weather where the blood came from people who were shot by the Nazis. Secondly “snow-melting blood” is used as a metaphor too. Metaphor are figures of speech used to directly compares blood to snow.

“Wire-like shine, coat hanger arms” also act like metaphors and they indicate how unhealthy Liesel was. The effect of these two lines would be that the audience will imagine a visual image of Liesel’s body appearance. Therefore, as shown, a similar situation has been shown through the usage of metaphors and imagery.

Next, similes have been used in both texts. A simile involves comparison of one thing to another of a different kind, and it is used to make a description more vivid. “Children shaking like leaves in the wind” (line 3) show the usage of simile. Children have been compared to leaves, as during that period, food must have been a great problem especially for the jews, therefore leaving children in hunger. “Murky snow spread out like carpet” (27) is a line containing a simile, it describes the appearance of the Himmel street when Liesel just arrived. Therefore, as demonstrated, the authors have used these lines, by which kept in comparison are certainly identical to each other.

These evidences which are stated exhibit the interconnectedness of the two sources, The Book Thief and “The Action in the Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942”. Both express Hitler’s racial ideology a n d t h e e f f e c t s o f h i s actions through different forms. In comparison, both pieces connect and contrast with each other in respect to the historical context and the usage of literary devices.

Sanjana Gowri Shankar Personification is another poetic/literary G9C device that is used, which gives human qualities to an object or an animal. An example of personification used in the poem is “while the compassionate moon is showing the way.” (line 22) This describes that the people on the street having only moonlight as source of navigation.

The author tries to convey that the moon, being a lonely object implies a helpless atmosphere.

This creates mood while the reader interprets that there is no chance of survival. “Do I want to remember, the wailing of the night?”(line 19) Here he gives “night” human like characteristics to cry. This line implies that, in the middle of the night in the ghettos, people were taken away from their families and shot. In the novel, Zusak also used personification like “Even death has a heart” (242). As the line states, he is giving death a feeling of humanity as he includes the word ‘heart’.

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BB Taureka G6

Min Lohasiriwat G10

Pastiche- Tribute By: Alisa (Lisa) Tangchalermkul

Inspiration Story: Redeployment Character: Protagonist

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his pastiche “A Soul” is based on the protagonist of the story “Redeployment,” in particular the point of view and the voice of the author, Phil Klay. This pastiche is written as a short scene to continue the story, beginning with the protagonist struggling with the body of his dead dog. The original story, “Redeployment,” is about the protagonist (whose name was not mentioned) returning from the war to live with his wife and his old dog, Vicar. The protagonist returned with PTSD; otherwise known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is a mental health disorder triggered by a terrifying occurrence (in this case, the war). Throughout the original story, the protagonist faces the challenges of adapting to a world outside of the war world that was previously his only world. When the unfortunate event happens which moves him to decide to eliminate his dog, he has the idea that he would rather have his dog die in his hands than having a stranger touch him.In this pastiche, the protagonist faces the challenges of killing his own dog and the consequences of doing so. The protagonist will relive his attentive life - like his life in the war. These scenes will allow the audience to feel guilt with and for the character, creating tension as they read. As the protagonist attempts to run away, he will experience cliches and have flashbacks from the time when he was in war.

A Soul

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He ran, you did too. You were aware of the situation, It was in your instincts. With your AR-15, you can’t miss.

If you were to hide, where would it be? A forest, a safehouse? Classic. Saw some trees, tall ones, probably a forest.

Afghanistan didn’t have those. It was near a river. You dropped your things, and sat by it.

“Peace”, I said.

Peace. I knew that there was no such thing. I left the war, but it didn’t mean that it was over. It’s still there, but you just don’t see it. You focused on the water, the shimmer, the little waves. It was breezy, I started enjoying it. The thing is, when you think everything is going well, something bad will happen. That’s right. The police. They’re watching. I didn’t see them, but I know they’re behind me. I wasn’t going to let them interrupt me. I took out my M16.

The river was shallow, a deep shade of blue, but clear. I pulled the trigger.. The bullet went through the water, it was cool.

It was loud , but calming. The police behind me freaked out, but still stood there. Except - they had their guns in their hands ready to fire it at me. Like I’m some animal, ready to be hunted down. I stood up, didn’t hesitate.

I jumped in. The water, tickled my knees.

Only if they had these rivers in Afghanistan.

The war was nasty, literally. I took showers every day now, it’s refreshing.

I wanted the water in this river to stay clear, blue. Red wouldn’t turn this river purple, it’s just going to stain it. I stared at the river for a while. I let my thoughts go wild.

The sun’s light dimmed. I see a beautiful sunset. I didn’t want my M16 to take away another soul, even if a piece of it already broke. Without hesitation, I threw it. The M16, sunk to the bottom of the river, Like a coin in the fountain.

“Another soul”, I would’ve said.

I took a last glance of the water before surrendering.

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ou are born, and you pass away. It’s a life cycle. A soul, his soul, Vicar’s soul. I’d rather do it myself than having some stranger touch him. It left the earth. So now what, what am I supposed to do with him?

The backyard? Imagine walking in the house holding the dog in your arms.

Ridiculous. Might as well dig her a grave in the playground. A grave digger.

The last time I was digging something was the dug-out. “Dug-out”, funny name, but straight forward. Hated digging, still do now. There’s not a lot of joy to get out of digging. It was a short drive to the playground. It was near my house, too near.

She said, “What are you doing?”

I turned, I said, “For god’s sake Cheryl!”

She said, “Vicar?”

I said, “will it kill you to leave me alone?”

She walked away, to a corner, leaned on a tree, water fell from her face. She turned to the other direction and I couldn’t see her.

No birds, no squirrels. A few people walked by. It was quiet, I liked the playground. Not sure if it really is one. It was quite nice, until the police showed up.

The police were in front of your house, with a doctor. A doctor? This is how you know that the world never made sense.

What would you do? You killed a dog. Even if you are the owner, you’re still guilty, and you know that well. What else to do? Run. I looked for my car, I ran to it, I went inside.

I started the car, and I was out of that place.

I would have gone back home, grab my other stuff. ..but which idiot would walk in the house with all those police waiting in front?

Why are they here, and how would they have known? Cheryl. It didn’t matter, not anymore.

Running and hiding..., I mastered that.

The war taught me well. It wouldn’t be any different here. The car, I left it. It was too big, easily visible. You took your guns, the food, and ran away from the car. A familiar looking man on the street.

“Gosh!”, I said.

He said, “Are you….”

“Hello? Cheryl? I have Mister…” He said to his phone.

You shot it. No. Not the soul, the phone.

The Purblind Girl’s Deception By: Pasidh (Prince) Vataniyapramote

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his short pastiche is a tribute to J.D. Salinger’s “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” which describes how one’s life is changed after World War II. In particular, how Muriel Glass’ life after the war was ordinary, as if nothing happened, and differs from what her husband, Seymour Glass, experienced. In fact, Seymour was a part in the war, coming home with a common mental disorder that changed his life completely. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, is a disorder familiar to those who experience traumatic events in military combat. Because of the constant awareness soldiers have on the battlefield, Seymour was at a dead end in returning to a peaceful life upon his return. Being an egoistic and careless woman, Muriel took this lightly. The pastiche depicts a scene from their trip where Seymour was relaxing on the beach, while Muriel was in her hotel room alone - speaking with a special someone she could never forget.

“Listen, I’ll call you tomorrow, maybe,” said the girl, as she crossed her legs.

“Muriel. Now listen to me.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Call me the instant he does, or says, anything at all funny - you know what I mean.

Do you hear me?”

“Mother, I’m not afraid of Seymour.”

“Muriel, I want you to promise me.”

“All right, I promise. Good bye, Mother,” said the girl. “Send my love to Daddy.”

She hung up. The blonde girl uncrossed her legs, took a deep breath, and exhaled.

She stood up, one leg at a time. An exhausted and pouty look on her face, she walked to the bed. She then elevated her fingers, stretched each one apart - and sniffed it checking if the previously accentuated nails had dried. The girl sat down on one of the made-up twin beds, five digits still up high, the others on the bed, shoring up her dainty body. She finally stopped snuffling her nails. With her two feet still stable on the ground, she pitched backwards towards the cushion just as when the telephone rang. The receiver was across the room. She ignored it.

Salvador Dali

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It was the sixth or seventh ring, the phone was picked up.

“Ay Muriel, is that you on the phone?” a deep yet irritating voice was heard. It was a man.

“Yes, this is Muriel speaking, and who may you be?”

“It’s Mark, your college - you know what -, don’t tell me you forgot ‘bout us after your lame marria-”

The girl turned the receiver slightly away from her ears. “Oh, yes. Markus. How could I ever forget you, dear?” her tone changed vastly, her pitch now higher than ever.

A chuckle was heard from the receiver.

“Now, if I may ask, what would a lady killer, like you, want to do with a bride like myself?”

“C’mon baby, tell me you haven’t forgotten about our good ole’ days,” the man said.

The girl glanced shortly towards her nails once more, smirking vigorously. She increased the angle between the receiver and her ear, and gave a little laugh, “Mark dear, I remember it al-”

“Right! Now, what about we go have some fun, ya boy’s in Florida, y’know,” said the man, as the girl moved the receiver away from her, again.

“Markus. Don’t get too excited dear, I already have another man in my eyes,” her sardonic voice replied.

“Eh, that military soldier boy right?

Don’t mind him. A man who can’t even drive properly isn’t a real man, not like myself of course.”

“My apologies dear, I just don’t think I can.”

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“Tsk tsk, how’s life.”

“Life has been beautiful. A fine husband. I’m fine. I’m hot. Florida’s hot, I would never go outside with this weather, you know.”

The man signed heavily. The girl smirked once again.

Muriel babe, the man’s crazy, your mama told me the other day that he wrecked your dad’s ca-”

“Mark dear, I’ve heard enough of this nonsense,” the girl interrupted.

“Y’know, it’s about time you finally dump him, I’m always in line for your next victim.”

“There’s nothing wrong with him, dear, and surely you already have tons of girls in line for your affection,” the girl responded, shaking her five glistening nails, once more, then grabbing the nail polish bottle lying - conveniently - beside the telephone stand. She fidgeted it as if she was fatigue.

There was a silence for a short moment.

“Oh yeah, I was just about to tell you ‘bout one of the brand named thingy you always blattered about. Want me to check it ou-”

“Wait a moment, sweetheart, the Max Factor?” she said as her pitch rose higher even more.

“Yeah so how ‘bout we do something - you know- a little fun,”

“Oh, Markus dear, you should have told me from the beginning, but I already have Seymour, you can’t expect me to -”

“C’mon now, it won’t be long. How about this, avoid him as much as possible ‘kay? Get out of sight and I’ll be waiting.”

The sounds of heavy footsteps arised, reaching closer, and closer to the girl’s hotel room. The girl was still for a second, shook her head and moved closer to the door. She leaned sideways against the wooden frame and immediately ran back to where the telephone stood.

“Okay dear, I’ll see you at five,” the girl said in a hurry pace. She hung up and placed the bottle of nail polish on the table next to the telephone.

The door opened. Not thinking straight, the girl rushed to lay down sideways on one of the twin beds and - eyes still wide opened - she slumbered.

The man carefully approached the cushion of the young lady’s, and moved close to her face. By then the girl was supposedly uncautious. The sounds of footsteps fade away. Surprisingly, he spoke.

His sounds were stiff, yet soft. They were sorrowful, yet sanguine.

“I’m going to sleep.”

Poetry Grade 6

Education is all you Need

by Eclair Sakdibhornssup Education is like a key to the world Done will be your problems and your answers will unfurl Unlike you, some people lack this Can you spread this kind of bliss?

A lesson is what and all they need To provide them is to take a lead I will take this very seriously One lesson is like a door opened with a key No, education is all they need.

Education the Light for all Candles By: Sillina Cheng (Lina) Quality education should be served to everyone.

Use your opportunities to gather and learn and spread the flames.

Always show flames of interest and passion in doing everything.

Living with knowledge is better than most things.

If you can serve knowledge, please, please, please, get up and start lighting candles.

Teachers who teach valuable knowledge, light up the world.

Young kids and adults, it’s never too late to learn.

Education, the key to success, the light for all candles.

Don’t you see we all need quality education.

Useful knowledge helping us to grow.

Can’t you see, we all have life lessons that are also learning.

An advice for you is to start gathering more knowledge and flame them.

Try to serve quality education to everyone, equally and fairly.

It is never too late to learn, so please try your best if you have an opportunity.

Oh, please! Serve good quality education to us all.

Never stop learning never stop lighting candles.

Sustainability

By Praewpailin Pantisoontorn 16 VOICES Magazine

From Beautiful Trees, Into Polluted Cities, How Did We Do This?

Poetry Grade 8 Gaping Abyss

By Esther Chung Grade 8 Language & Literature Sitting in a car, staring outside.

Watching rain hitting ground violently.

Drowned basketball court, unbreathable grasses, wet floor, cheeping sounds from tire, vertex made by soaking water drops.

Breathing in humid air.

Circular globules shading skin like dermatitis.

Staccato notes hitting a ground tapping water drops ringing like lullaby.

Deep, blue, cold deluge sucking passengers.

Opening window, inhale deeply, smelling petrichor, Driving until reaching dreary abyss.

Acid Rain

By Kamlai Surapananonchai Grade 8 Language & Literature The noise sounded static, numb, cold, echoing against my ears Looking down it seems as if the grass had turned clear. the skies have cried and those that were falling were just the tears, There seems to me there is nothing as perfect as this atmosphere.

Around trees are the birds chirping and crying Fleeing away from the fallen drops slipping and sliding, The playground seems lost, alone with no ducklings, It stared back at me with sways from the trees, hauntingly.

Specks of water danced up my ankles, Shivers jumped up all to my temples As the weather got cold I might just stand here until I grow old.

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Bam Piyabenjarad G10

Poetry Grade 8 Untitled

By Prim Adhiphandhuamphai English Language & Literature 8

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Sounds of squeaky shoes And heels clacking on wetted tiles The smell of rain on the cement The trees grow Looming above us Above a grey canvas But the flower and grass Do not They are dead Floating in the water They have drowned Not all benefit from rain Just like Not all benefit from Capitalism Only the Powerful few Grow stronger While others Wither And die

Short Fiction Grade 7

“Those Bright Green Eyes” By: Annie Sreshthabutra

“How did you do it?”

Bella’s firm hands grabbed onto Audrey’s arms. Audrey turned her head and looked up at Bella’s tan face, she had a gigantic grin on her face, as wide as the sea.

“Do what?” Audrey responded back, confused as ever.

“Don’t be dumb, the thing you did in Chemistry class. How did you make Mrs.Fishman not give us homework. You obviously did something, I saw your weird hand motion,” Bella said, trying to be quiet in the crowded school library.

“It’s called PERSUASION and BODY LANGUAGE, Bella. I didn’t do anything weird,” Audrey said.

She looked at Bella and her eyebrows furrowed, her green eyes narrowed and she had a slight smirk on her pale, freckled face. She used her well-manicured fingers to stroke the flaming locks of her auburn hair and flipped it to the back. Audrey glanced at Bella once again and her bright green gaze bored deep into Bella’s dark hazel eyes, startling her.

Bella, shaken from Audrey’s eyes, stood up from the wooden chair and walked away, through the crowd of people, and out of the school library.

As soon as she stepped outside the door of the library, she paused. She knew that Mrs. Fishman wouldn’t suddenly stop giving homework just because a student says that she has to study for her English exam. Along with the odd hand motion that looked like what you would do when you’re holding hard onto someone’s neck, it just seemed odd and unusual to Bella. Bella had never been very nice to Audrey, she thought Audrey was an odd, strange girl that was always trying to be better than her. Bella had a perfect life, she was rich, popular, and had the best things. However, she always wanted to be better than everyone at everything, even her best friend, Madelyn.

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As Bella walked down the crowded hallway of Marrix High School, she looked left to right trying to find Madelyn. Even though the hallway was filled with people talking, yelling and throwing books at each other, the staccato clicks of Bella’s silky, black, leather shoes, still echoed clearly off the marble floors and the blue metal lockers. Bella walked faster and faster as she looked for her best friend in the large crowd of high school students who were just wandering around in the school hallway, waiting for the 5th period bell to ring.

Suddenly, Bella spotted a glimpse of Madelyn’s bright auburn hair near the Girl’s Bathroom, next to Mr. Monk’s Math class. Bella tried craning her head up as far as it could go, still trying to find Madelyn. Click-clack, click-clack, went her shoes as she walked along the busy hallway.

She saw the sign of GIRL’S RESTROOM a few feet away from her. She quickly rushed to open the pink wooden door, certain that her best friend was in there. As her firm hands stretched out to turn the silver door knob, she head a deafening scream, coming from inside the bathroom. She gasped loudly and turned her head to look around. The people around her didn’t seem affected by the piercing noise at all. They were all casually talking, laughing, doing things normal high school students would do during any recess.

Even though a few screams coming from inside the girl’s bathroom were normal, and happen daily, this scream was different. It made Bella’s heart drop and her body tense.

She took a deep breath and slowly turned the silver, cold doorknob to the right. At this moment, she didn’t care about the bazillion amount of tiny little germs on that doorknob, she was more terrified of what she would find behind that wooden door. As she waited for the clicking sound from the round, silver, metal knob, a drop of sweat began to stream down her forehead, onto her cheekbone, and down to her cheeks.

As the sweat dripped down her neck, the doorknob clicked.

20

“Madelyn?” Bella said quietly in a brittle voice. She wasn’t sure if it was actually Madelyn, but the girl’s pale, fragile body and auburn hair reminded her of her best friend.

Her voice was shaking and her arms and legs were unstable.

The girl inside the stall turned her head around, her curled, silky long hair flipped over and covered half of her face.

VOICES Magazine

At this moment, Bella’s sight was blurry and all she could see was the girl’s bright green eyes and the small little freckles on her pale cheek. Then, still sitting on the bathroom floor, the girl used her hand to flip her hair She took a deep breath. Bella’s whole body over her shoulder, showing the other half of was shaking and goosebumps rose up her her face. spine as she reached her arms out forward to push the pink wooden door that stood Suddenly, Bella gasped and said “Audrey?” right in front of her slender body. She pushed the wooden door open with a small force. The girl with the reddish brown hair who was The door gave out a creaky noise, and vomitting into the toilet was not Madelyn, even though it was just slightly opened, she but it was Madelyn’s cousin, Audrey. Audrey still could see a small glimpse of the pink had tears in her eyes and her whole body bathroom stalls. Bella gave the door a was as shaky as a if an earthquake had hit harder push to make it fully open up. The her. Her eyes were filled with fear and anger. door made an even squeakier noise and Bella stepped back a few steps, out of the then slammed against the marble tiles on bathroom stall. the drywall of the bathroom. She walked into the room, slowly, step-by-step. Her “What are you doing in here?” Audrey said body was still tensed as she walked. Her with a shaky voice, tears were rolling down heels made a noise that echoed off the tile her cheeks and her face was as red as a bell walls and ended with a squeak each time pepper. she took a step. She glanced at the white Kamlai Surapananonchai G8 ceiling, then straightforward out through the tiny window on the top left corner, then down to the right, where the middle bathroom stall was closed shut. She walked over to it and as she stood in silence, right in front of the middle stall. Once again, her shaking arms rose up straight and pushed the loose door open. Her dark hazel eyes glanced through to the toilet and then to the walls, as she looked down to the floor, she saw a young teenage lady, her uniform seemed loosened and untidy. She was hovering over the toilet, her right arm was pushing the lid open and her left arm was grabbing on to the seat. The girl was vomiting into the toilet. Bella stood in front of the bathroom stall, looking at the girl anxiously as she continued to belch into the bowl.

“What, am I not allowed to use the bathroom?” Bella asked back.

Audrey’s bright green eyes once again stared deep into Bella’s dark hazel eyes. Bella was shocked and frightened. She walked back a few more steps, towards the sink.

“Get out.” Audrey whispered from the bathroom stall.

Bella not knowing what to do and still in shock, stood still with her tense muscles staring at Audrey who was sitting on the bathroom floor with tears of anger flowing down her cheeks. “ I said, GET OUT!” Audrey screamed.

Her voice was thunderous and it made the whole bathroom shake and quiver as if there was an earthquake.

Bella still stood as still as wood, her body was as cold as snow and her lips was as purple as plum. She stood there, with her shaking body, staring at Audrey in shock. Audrey’s green eyes seems brighter than ever, as if they were glowing. Suddenly, Audrey stood up from the bathroom floor and slowly, step by step, walked over to Bella, whose back was pressed against the sink and her firm arms were grabbing on to the edge of the sink tightly.

Audrey walked right over in front of Bella and said quietly in a deep voice, while a small grin appeared on her pale face “Get out right now, unless you’d want to end up like my dear cousin, Madelyn.”

Bella’s eyes widened, tears started forming in her eyes. “What did you do to her!” Bella yelled out.

“The same thing that I am going to do to you right now.” Audrey answered. She then walked closer to Bella, who was leaning against the sink with her shaking body and teary eyes. Audrey raised her pale, skinny arms up and straightened her thin, trembling fingers.

“What are you doing?” Bella asked. Her eyes were filled with fear as her trembling legs were trying to run away, but she couldn’t. She was paralyzed with terror and she felt as if her body was trapped in an ice cube, where she couldn’t move. She looked at Audrey and gazed into her bright emerald green eyes, it grew brighter and brighter every time as Audrey raised her arms up higher.

At this moment, Bella was feeling dizzy and was running out of breath. She held onto her own throat which felt like it was being choked and held very tightly until she could no longer inhale anymore air.

Suddenly, Audrey’s body collapsed onto the floor. She sat there on the bathroom floor, shaking and sobbing. Bella, frightened to death, ran out of the girl’s bathroom as fast as the speed of light. She entered the school hallway filled with students and found her own heart pounding against her chest, as if it was going to jump out. She stood there, in front of the bathroom, still traumatized from the incident that just happened to her, with tears in her eyes and her legs trembling like a compass needle struggling to point north. She breathed heavily as hundreds of questions were flying around in her mind. She wondered to herself “What has happened to Madelyn? What has Audrey done to her? What was she doing in that bathroom? And who really is Audrey?”

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Short Fiction Grade 10

All The Phonies In The World Boonyaporn (Lily) Dolritacha English Language and Literature

T

he stupidest thing is when I have to spend time with people who I don’t like. I’m not talking about the one you find annoying or when someone keeps interrupting your conversation or something, but I mean the ones who are phonies. Jeane Marcell’s a phony, the biggest phony of them all. Talking and walking and pretending that she’s humble, but none of the other boys see it. I do, though, I hate phonies. Always have and always will.

The way they act nice and say nice things to your face and crap, then turn around acting all nasty. The corny way the teachers and parents and all the other people smile and act around her, like she’s some kinduva god or something. If you want to know the truth, I used to be closer to her, we’d go to the movies and talk about life and stuff and she’d listen.

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She really did. Then she started caring about all that other stuff and being a phony. Doesn’t change the fact that she’s hot, though. She wasn’t one of those hot where you just notice it, you’d stop and stare. I mean, I’m not saying one of those take-a-look looks, you really just stop. If you don’t, then you’re probably stupid or blind or something. You’ve gotta like her, even old Mason did and boy, did he have high expectations. I mean, he got good grades and stuff but he acts all snooty, like when you ask to borrow a pen he makes it seem like you’re asking him for his mom’s designer bag or something. If they ever got to necking, they’d probably suffocate from all the snobbishness and phoniness. I don’t like her, but i’d probably neck her if I could. I don’t think anyone would, except maybe those flits. Boy, are they missing out. I don’t know why exactly, but I can’t stop thinking about her. I’m not too crazy about her personality, but I gave her a buzz earlier today, since my mom told me I had to cause she was friends with Jean’s mom and all that crap and they were coming to visit for winter break, but she didn’t pick up. I don’t really want to talk to her or anything crazy like that but I just can’t stop thinking about her. She’s probably at some boring movie she’s only watching because all her friends were watching it, with some tall guy with high cheekbones and loads of money named Reginald or something equally stupid, laughing at some corny joke. It wouldn’t be one of those real vibrating laughs where you can just feel it, the ones where you know they’re really laughing because they want to. It’d be one of those annoying laughs people do to look good, or to kiss up or get out of a parking ticket. It just annoys me, that laugh. For some reason though, I still want to neck her, even with that annoying ass laugh of hers, I really do. In fact, the reason I have to go to the principal is because of her. If I didn’t think about her, with her phony smile and phony laugh and phony friends, I’d probably had done all right in that science exam. I’m going to go and reckon her one next time I see her. I’m not sure what ,exactly, I’m going to do, but I’m going to do it. I’m pretty sure the principal knows what he’s going to do though. You would think, in a school of 1000 something students, they’d have more people to care about, or something to do. I mean, they go on and on about helping the community and global warming and all that, and instead of helping solve that or whatever, they spend time talking to people about subjects no one really cares about. Maybe my parents or the teachers or colleges or whatever care, but I don’t. I really, really don’t. My parents have a load of dough from their jobs, and my grandmother’s really old. I bet you anything, 5 years is all she has left before she croaks. Then I’d get a wad of cash and I can pay for rent and food and stuff for years.

My grandmother shouldn’t even count as alive, really. I mean sure she’s my grandmother,

Freya JeinthanuttkanontG8

“Mr. Jake, you may go in now.”

Makes it sound like I’m dying to go in, doesn’t it? The principal is one of the phoniest people in the school, he thinks he’s a helluva guy and acts as if some kids are more important than others just cause some parents help pay for a new tennis court or library or something equally useless. I mean, the library can be an empty room with zero books and people probably wouldn’t even know the difference. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone read a book from the library, except for maybe old Mason. But he only does that to look smart or to be unique or something really stupid. I walked up slowly to open the door, and really wish I hadn’t.

but I’m not even sure she knows my name.

Or my dad’s name, or anyone’s names besides her physco cat. So I don’t really feel bad, I really don’t.

“It’s a pleasure to see you too, sir. I’m here because my grades have been bad.”

I reply. It’s really not a pleasure to see him, but people, especially phony ones, want you to say things like this or else they’re gonna cause problems. I’m not scared of him, but my mom will have a fit if she finds out I was rude. Since she’s friends with the principal and all that, she always finds out. Those people who pay for all that school stuff? My parents. They’re not phony, not exactly, but they care a lot about how we look and what people think of us and stuff, don’t know. It means that they expect me to listen to all this corny crap.

“Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble. However, your scores are really important this year as colleges are looking at them. Tell me, have you ever heard of the saying “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”?” He asks, with a wide corny smile, leaning over as if my answer’s gonna be anything out of script. He was getting a big bang out of it, I can tell. I hate shooting the bull for these phony bastards.

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I didn’t have any dough, though, and my parents have this rule where they don’t give me the week’s allowance when my grades go below a c-. So I basically get no allowance, ever. That’s why I was stuck in this stupid office, with about 5 of those counter people, yabbering and gabbering into a telephone in phony voices. I don’t know what they do when they run a school, but it must be a lot since I’d been waiting here for years. It was depressing, how the walls look like they have no inspiration, ever. I don’t think the color should even be counted as a color. The sofa’s are the kind where you sink into them, but not in a good way, you know? You go into the thing like it’s water and you’re sinking, and you look like an idiot, even Jeane would look like an idiot. Some dopey kid was next to me, but I couldn’t even talk to him, since he kept staring at the clock like it was gonna eat him and jumped up every time the counter people even looked at us. I got a big bang out of it and all, at first, but after a while I got really annoyed.

I don’t even have to care about looking like an idiot, since he made me look all better just by being next to me. I am sort of hoping we’re not called in together, since I ddi’t know what that says about me. I mean, I know my grades are bad, boy, I’d be the first to admit it, but really?

“Mr.Jake, it’s a pleasure to see you. What brings you here today?” He says. He’s sitting there with a smug look on his face, as if he’s happy I got in trouble or something, hands clasped together, elbows on top of some swanky wooden table that could have probably help saved a lot of polar bears.

There’s this big poster of the school, with a bunch of smiling kids and the school’s motto in this corny script. I hate how phony he looks, how phony his office looks, as if I’m here by choice. I already know why I’m here, he knows why I’m here, now I have to repeat all this crap for this smug bastard. At least he didn’t say “how are we today” or else I would’ve killed him, I swear to god I will.

“Yes, sir. I understand that my grades are very important. Very important. I’ll improve them, really.” I say, shooting out pure bull. I’m probably going to have to call myself stupid, apologize more, talk about how I’ll improve and all that, then I’d be free. Boy, with the amount of times I have to do this, you’d think something will change. I mean, at that point, I didn’t mind these lectures all that much, really, I didn’t. I did mind being lectured by a phony principal in a phony room, where I can see all the medals and certificates and all that on the wall, as if even the wall thinks it’s better than me. Big deal. I know it impresses a lot of parents though, as if just because some kids in a school managed to get these awards, they’re kids had a shot, too.

To tell you the truth, I was pretty sure all of these awards were won by a couple of really smart kids who were probably on a scholarship or something. I’m not kidding. It was swell being at that school.

span is, it’s why my grades are so lousy.

I was so distracted by the cabbage, in fact, that I jumped a bit when I realized his hand is touching mine now. His really, really sweaty hand. I really was sorry to be called here now. I tried to take my hand away slowly, but I swear to go, his grip was steel.

He must’ve worked out a lot. This was getting really strange, now. I was really creeped out. I jumped up onto my feet, kicking the chair behind me and took a step back. I was getting outta there, my grades can jump down Everest for all I cared. I’m sure my mom can find some other friends or something.

“Sir, I just realized, I have an emergency.

I need to go.” I’m almost shouting, my words coming out very very fast. As I pulled my hand away, he pulls me forward, and boy is he stronger than he looks. I stumble forward a bit before regaining my balance.

“Now, I think it’s a little too late into the year for any improvement to make enough of a difference to get into any of the Ivy Leagues” He says, leaning really close now, smiling as if we were having an absolutely swell conversation.

Just the thought of him thinking he’s being relatable kills me. It just about kills me.“However, I do think we can make a deal”.

“Come now, Jake. Surely, you realize how beneficial this is?” He says, then without waiting for a reply, he starts to stroke my arm. I was frozen at that point. You know those movies where something happens, the hero freezes, and you get all snobby and say that won’t happen to you? I sort of understand those movies more now. When he started to lift my shirt up, I jumped. Then I ran, ran out that godda*n door, “Sir?” I say, since this was unexpected. I mean, blabbering apologies like some dope.

I was sort of thinking it’s going to be either those “bring up all your scores to an A, redo I’m out of breath by the time I get to all the assignments, and we can change the entrance. I don’t get my bag or my some of your grade” or “Get your parents to computer or any of that stuff. Luckily, I have donate more money to the school/ buy me a my wallet. I go to the side of the school, car or brand name something” kind of deals. right around the edge of the swimming I’m not one of those snobs who go around pool, a spot where there’s always a couple doing no work and giving people dough, but necking, doesn’t matter the time or day.

I didn’t think he’d like it very much if I refused. I climb up the fence, my legs shaking. I’d I really didn’t. I didn’t think my parents would admit, I don’t know how I didn’t fall, but like it very much either, especially my mom. I didn’t. Once I’m down, I hailed a cab I wasn’t going to redo work, though, since and waited a long time. I think maybe it’s you’re crazy if you think I’m spending winter because I was crying and shaking and looked break writing papers about some ancient like a whaked up dope. Eventually, though, civilization that died ages ago instead a shabby cab stops and I stumble in like I’m of necking Jeane or chewing the fat or drunk. Boy, I bet the taxi driver regretted something. picking me up.

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“Look, Mr.Jake, you and I can help each other out. You do know I’m very close friends with your mom? I’m sure she’d hate for you to disappoint me” He says, leaning in so close I can see a bit of cabbage stuck on his teeth.

I tried to pay more attention to his words, but I swear that cabbage was really distracting. It’s annoying how short my attention

“TNC Mall” I say shortly, realizing that I’d forgotten my phone and needed to use the mall ones. The driver nods, and I sag against the back seat. I feel like a complete dope.

It was a long time before I ever thought about Jeane Marcell again, but my grades never really did get better.

Creative Pastiche of Anthony Horowitz’s Sherlock Holmes Adaptations Poony Narupakorn G8

Varin (Mammoth) Adhiphandhuamphai English Language and Literature 10

T

he snow from the previous night had already begun to melt as a cab dropped me off and I made my way up the flight of stairs of 221B Baker Street, where I used to dwell until very recently, for I have married my wife Mary. Quite frankly, I missed the company of my associate Sherlock Holmes. It appears that this morning will be the beginning of what will become a very interesting case. After looking back at my records of this case, I am amazed as always, by how Holmes is able to use pure analytical deduction to solve cases that are the most perplexing, which I doubt not many men, or if any at all are able to. He has done so for this case, but this time without leaving this very room. As I write this, I miss my friend more, even though I am already engaged in marriage with a happy life to come.

“Good day, Watson. It is nice for you to have finally joined me. May I also ask, where north is your wife bound?” said Holmes. It was apparent that his voice elevated, a tone anyone rarely hears from Holmes. He sat up in his chair. Then it striked me. Holmes had not turned around, nor did anything that would reveal it was me that had just walked through his door, rather than Mrs. Hudson, or clients which he has not had much of since I left.

And how in heaven’s name has he figured out my wife was on a train heading north to Birmingham. What would happen next was very apparent, I would have no clue as to how he had deduced my coming, and then Holmes would put on a display of how he had simply deduced this, at which point it will appear very clear to me. He liked to impress an audience. I have to admit that at times it was obnoxious, but right now he deserved an audience, especially after I have neglected him.

“Indeed so, Holmes. I assume you have missed my company? And how in the world have you deduced my appearance today without even as little as a glance, let alone where my wife is bound for?”

“To the first question, that would be an overstatement, and to the latter, that is quite simple. You see, Watson, you gave it all away.

And I can tell you that it will become very apparent to you as well, after I have presented to you my deductions,” said Holmes.

“Certainly,” I answered.

“It is quite easy to figure it was you. It was not a client for sure, for if it were they would have rung the bell. This narrows it down to people who own a key, and that would be Mrs. Hudson, the Robinsons below, the business man upstairs, and yourself. It would not have been the Robinsons for sure because they live downstairs and there is no reason they would come up here. It can’t be the businessman either because I heard him leave earlier for an overseas trip.

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As I entered the ever so familiar room, I was greeted by the sight of Holmes sunk into his high armchair staring out the window. Holmes had recently repositioned it, for it used to be where he could overlook Baker Street. As little as he would like to admit it, as is with a man of his nature, he misses the sight of me walking down Baker Street. His flat appears a wreck for the time I have been away. Pass cases and newspapers scattered over the floor. His revolver was on the floor, which he recently used to unload a few shots into the wall while I was away (he has done this once before out of boredom, against Mrs. Hudson’s will).

Amidst all this, he still kept his good shape and cleanliness. It was apparent that he was bored and frustrated. This did not require a detective such as Holmes, for the normal human understands emotions quite well. It was a relief that he had not resorted to his seven percent cocaine solution which he occasionally indulged in.

This leaves you and Mrs. Hudson, but I promptly figured it could not be her. Despite you thinking I have not left this flat, I actually have and noticed on my way down that the second and third steps of the stairs have started to creek very recently. You have a habit of skipping every other step, presumably from your service, and since your knee has healed you resumed this habit.

You skip the first step and land on the second, explaining why I heard a creek before the thud of a normal wooden step. The creek could only be heard once, confirming that the stair climber indeed skipped steps. Now, if it was Mrs. Hudson who took every step, there would have been two creeks, therefore the only probable explanation is that you have decided to come see me.”

“And how have you figured out my wife was leaving London bound north?”

“What other reason is there for you to visit me, let

“Watson, the facts point to it. You have also seen them yourself.”

“But how?”

“You carry them on you. Your leather shoes suggests that you left your house in Kensington for the station at least an hour and a half ago. The snow markings on your leather shoes have already dried to a certain point, and this would have taken one to two hours, considering it is suede-leather your shoe is made of. It obviously hasn’t snowed at the station itself, or your shoes would only have had thirty minutes to dry in the cab on your way here from the station, which is clearly not enough time. So the only place where your shoes could have gotten wet were from your home, in Kensington, and the fact that they have already dried up to this point suggests that you have been at your house at least one and a half hours ago. This means you left your house at seven o’clock. It takes less than thirty minutes to go from Kensington to the station. This leaves you with at least thirty minutes to spare before the eight o’clock train. The crease mark on your coat just below your elbow shows that you were sitting arms propped on a table facing Mary, most likely at a bakery.

The stain on your on your left sleeve does not resemble that of tea, therefore you were having coffee.”

“And about our pleasant conversation?”

Kib Anuwongworavet G10

alone at this time? You have came to me twice after your marriage, on both occasions your wife was on a trip. It is currently half past eight, and the first train leaves at eight. That would be thirty minutes prior, at which time you took a cab from the station here. As for where the train was bound, that could have been read off the papers,” said he, “have a look for yourself.”

I glimpsed at the newspaper and saw that trains bound everywhere except north were temporarily closed due to heavy snow the night before. That was ridiculously simpler than I have thought. At this time, Holmes had gotten up and turned around to face me.

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“You obviously had not bought nor read the papers or else you would have known of the train lines closing or the very intriguing story on the front page. That leaves you with one activity to pass your time with your wife at the coffee table, and that is of course engaging in a conversation. You arrived here in a moderately good mood despite your wife leaving, so the only explanation is that you have just had a pleasant conversation.”

“My dear Holmes!” I exclaimed. “It always appears overly simple once you have explained your process of deduction, and I have to admit I have always been baffled.”

VOICES Magazine

“This is rather elementary. Here comes a new client who is very likely to be the man on the “Would you like some tea? I doubt it though, for cover page of the papers you have not read.” you just had coffee with your wife before she left, and also a pleasant conversation as well, Just after Holmes finished, the front bell rang.

I believe,” said Holmes.

The fact that Holmes had deduced the visitor even before his appearance remains a mystery “On the contrary, I would like tea. After you for the time being, but my dear readers, it is not explain to me how you knew I just had coffee with of significance compared to the feat Holmes is my wife” about to perform.

The Dumb Genius of Mr. Shrub Mild Pichitpongchai English Language and Literature 10 Boggis Shrub and Veraka Shrub live in Talbot town.

Mr Shrub is a large man his lips are so thick that they would pout whenever he tried to close them, which was why he was never bothered to close his mouth. He had eyebrows as thick as a bristle brush and all his clothes smelled like pickled mint candy. Mrs. Shrub had a thin face and a very sharp nose and eyes, her chin pointed out so much that it formed a perfect corner.

Boggis Shrub was a mad mechanic, or as other fellows call him “Mad Bogo”, he lived in a small hut at the corner of the town where he would spend hours and hours, day and night working on his little thingamajigs and inventing even more boorish thingamajigs. The people of Talbot Town didn’t pay much attention to Mr. Shrub as he seemed like a waggish dumb man, but what they didn’t know was that Mr. Shrub had a plan.

A plan to take over Talbot Town.

“AH! The Shrubken!!” he exclaimed maliciously, one day, as he tried to rub the shower sponge against his back.

With that thought burrowed in his head, Mr. Shrub went right to work on his amazing creation, the Shrubken.

Aside from Mr. Shrub’s bilious looks and obtuse hobby, he also loved chewing gum. He would chew the same piece of gum for months and months. He would chew gum in the shower, in his sleep and would tuck it behind his teeth during a meal. Boggis Shrub also has a huge gum collection stuck on the door of his bedroom. Slowly that collection of gum became so heavy that gums actually started slopping down the door and pile up on the floor, like a tacky, gooey malformed waterfall.

“Bogeese, the gum is disgeusting and smeells horreed! Get reed of it pleese!”. Veraka shrieked one day when gooey gum was all over the floor, walls, and even the ceiling. There were a swarm of flies circling around it like a pile of bubblegum pink poop.

That was when the star of the Shrubken was created.

“The gum! I am a genius!”

Some weeks later, there it is, the giant blooborous Shrubken. It stood high up in the sky, its rusty buttons and cranks stuck out randomly. The entire structure of the machine was as ludicrous as its creator.

Exactly at midnight when the Town of Talbot was fast asleep, Mr. Shrub loaded the Shrubken with the enormous pile of gum and pedalled the machine to start its magic. The glob of gum started expanding, growing bigger and bigger and BIGGER! Until it was as big as the Town of Talbot.

“Marvelous! Just like how I wanted it to be!” Mr. Shrub declared jumping and dancing.

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After that, Boggis removed the blown gum from the Shrubken and pushed down a crank.

Suddenly the Shrubken began to shake so vigorously that smoke started rising from it’s long crooked pipe. Then slowly the gum balloon rose higher and higher up into the air, so high that it was floating in the swirling, misty clouds of Talbot Town. The thingamajigs of Shrubken were built so precisely and cleverly that they were powerful enough to blow the gum towards Dingleburr Town.

As you see, Mr. Talbot was out of Talbot Town, doing some grown up talk with the Dingleburrs to ask for a good deal of Pumpernickel bread. The Dingleburrs made absolutely the finest and most scrumptious Pumpernickel bread in the whole wide world. Boggis knew it was perfect timing, to engulf both Mr. Talbot and Dingleburr town, therby claim all the power and tasty Pumpernickel for himself!

Once the gum balloon reached Dingleburr town, the Shrubken glowed RED. “Finally the time has come where Talbot Town will be mine!” Boggis burst into maniacal laughter, so loud it woke up Veraka.

“Bogeese, what on eerth are you doing? Pleese keep the noisee down” Veraka shouted from the second floor window.

“Come down here darling, I may just happen to conquer the world!”

Boggis pointed to the direction of the gum balloon, it hovered mid-air above Dingleburr town. He then pressed a giant red button, when suddenly...BANG! A giant spear shot across the sky and pierced the monstrous glob of gum. With loud POP! The gum burst all over Dingleburr town, covering the town like thin bed sheets. The sticky goo oozed into every nook and cranny of the town trapping everyone and everything.

The next morning, the citizen of Dingleburr town woke up, completely puzzled.

“Cripes! What on earth is this pinkish blob on my pumpkin patch?” A farmer gasped.

“Look honey, that atrocity has completely covered our new roof!” One person said to his wife.

“Daddy, my finger is stuck in it!” A child panicked.

Everyone was gazing at the substance covering their town.

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“You little dumb nits. I will solve this problem by myself, just watch!” Someone from the crowd boasted as he rushed to climb up a ladder.

When he reached the roof of the house, he tried to scrub it clean with a mop. But the gum was so tacky that the mop glued itself onto the roof.

He pulled and pulled, but it wouldn’t budge. Until, finally, he gathered all his strength and gave one last tug. Unfortunately his hand slipped off the mop handle hitting his face and shaking the ladder unsteadily.

“Oh blimey!” He thought, as he tumbled of the ladder rungs.

His arms flung up in the air, as he tried hard to gain balance; however, his arms got caught in the gum leaving him dangled loosely from the roof.

“This is despicable! Get me down right this moment!” He shrieked and kicked and wriggled, losing his temper like a baby.

The towners were even more spooked now, the whole situation was getting ballistic. People were running everywhere, shouting and screaming for help.

“Please, everyone calm down, there must be a solution to our bad fortune!” A loud, yet comforting voice spoke.

“Yes indeed, we must get rid of this wretch at once!” Another voice said.

Everyone turned their heads and watched the two men approaching the chaos.

“There they are!” somebody shouted, “It’s them!”

Mr. Talbot and Mr. Dingleburr cut through the stressed crowd.

And what dapper witty men they were!

Both men wore black top hats and tailcoats, Mr. Talbot’s was a tawny brown and Mr. Dingleburr’s was steel gray. Mr. Dingleburr wore an enormous striped blue tie while Mr. Talbot wore a silky black bowtie. Though both men are the same age, Mr. ingleburr appeared older as he wore a monocle that magnified his eye and wrinkles, so one side of his face would always look slightly sunken.

Both men turned to look up at the man swinging from above.

Mr. Talbot couldn’t believe what he was witnessing, he put on his spectacles to make sure it was real. Now the man high up in the air was clearer than ever.

“Crikey! How did he end up there?” cried Mr.Talbot “That thing grabbed him! Now he’s stuck up there forever!” A woman squealed.

Mr. Talbot examined the mysterious muck that had slided onto the ground. He was smart not to stick his fingers in the goo, so he sniffed it instead.

“There is a stale sweetness to it, pepperminty like…..” he paused for a moment. “Goodness gracious! I know what it is, IT’S GUM!”

“How old does a gum need to be to become that sticky?” asked Mr. Dingleburr, poking it with a stick.

Rene Magritte

“I wonder the same exact thing Mr. Dingleburr, but I might have a decent guess of who it is that could’ve caused this nuisance” The whole town was howling once again.

“Who is that little wackle?”

“Curse that little presumptuous squiggle!”

“Catch him! Punish him! Make sure that dimwit learns!”

Some raised their sickles, mallets, and machetes. “That old fickelgruber!”

When suddenly, a gruff sarcastic voice spoke. “ Skunky rag!”

“My dear people! I see you have got yourselves into a little situation.”

“Bumptious wuss!”

This voice seems to come from all over. “Curse him! Curse him!”

Everyone went silent, turning their heads around, confused.

It a long while for everyone to finally calm down and go back inside their houses. The night was The voice continued speaking. all around now, and high overhead a fuzzy white moon was rising in the sky. Mr. Talbot and “ Lower your weapons! I understand you are Mr. Dingleburr were exhausted. Poor Mr. Talbot! all in a state of bewilderment, I will explain He was so devastated by the whole notion. He everything” couldn’t sleep the whole night, tossing and turning, expressing grave concern for his “There is a queer familiarity in that voice, townspeople.

I am certain I have heard it somewhere…”

Mr Talbot thought.

“Oh dear God, I hope they are smart enough to know how to deal with this odious brute!”

“Show yourself in an instant, who are you?” Mr. Talbot prayed.

Mr. Talbot yelled.

The following morning, Boggis Shrub threatened “I, of course am Boggis Shrub, I have encased the people at Shrub town the same way he did Dingleburr town with gum! Every gate and with the Dingleburrs, nobody dared to disobey entrance is sealed, there is no way out.” him. He ordered a new house to be built for him and Veraka, it was going to be the biggest and “What a villainous thing to do Mr. Shrub! If grandest of all the houses. At the end of the town you would please, tell me your intentions” it will stand, painted entirely white.

Mr. Talbot said in an oddly cordial manner.

“Oh Golly! I am simply the smartest, most remarkable and extraordinary man alive!” Boggis “Well, Mr. Talbot, that is now Shrub Town” blurted out.

Boggis said, pointing to the direction where Talbot Town used to be.

Meanwhile Boggis Shrub was drowning in his own soup of ego, Mr. Talbot and Mr. Dingleburr racked “Mr. Dingleburr will supply my town with 200 their brains hard on a brilliant escape. pounds of pumpernickel bread each month.

Will this skunky villain finally be defeated?

While you, Mr. Talbot, will remain in Dingleburr as long as I exist. If Dingleburr forgets even a pound of pumpernickel bread, there will be a cost. I will make sure to there will be a gnarly punishment ready to serve on all your plates!” marched

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With that, Boggis Shrub laughing hysterically.

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Pastiche OF poet Billy Collins

by Patcharaporn (Ploy) Panyawanich Grade 11 English Literature

Shoes You see them on sidewalks and in thrift shops near the beach or in the drains sometimes in pairs sometimes alone. sometimes tattered, torn and battered lying lopsided covered in dust, but also the occasional shiny new ones barely out of the box, barely touched. Now and again there is a loner, his partner in crime missing, a singular identity in a world of pairs. you know what they are, you know what they do, but you don’t know their story. the purple rain boots covered in mud, left out on the sidewalk, with crickets and dandelions growing in it. the rose pink ballet shoes full of breaks and tears, left alone in a thrift shop, dust gathering around them. the singular black converse left in the storm drain blocking the path of water, wet, laceless and alone. maybe one day when you see them, pick them up, take them on a spin, take them on a run. live your life in another person’s shoe, create your own story, or continue their old stories.

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for when they are gone and lost, discovered again by a different soul they can tell a different story.

Memories in bread crumbs In the bathtub you remember your first memory, but just like the bubbles in your tub light, feathery one jostle they pop and disappear, never to come back.

While making toast for breakfast, you remember the song mom used to sing silky and serene but just like the crumbs on your bread they fall off waiting to be discovered later.

On the walk to the subway, you remember your first day of school chaotic, scary -but just like the dandelions in the wind, they float away, slowly, calmly.

On the subway you see a flash of red, it reminds you of your best friend’s favourite jacket but just like the trains you slowly drift apart, going in different directions.

In the office bathroom, water cupped in your hands, leaking, spilling into the sink like memories slipping through the cracks, forgotten and lost.

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Kara Leenachunangkool G10

Electric Light Needle

By Ploy Panyawanich Grade 11 English Literature

Odonata Anisoptera, Commonly known as the dragonfly Multiple eyes, powerful name -- Dragon Fluttering round in the endless expanse of the sky Graceful, swift, elegant Iridescent dancers of the clouds Swift racers of the skies The elegant gymnasts of the air Hover‌ then dart!

We witness them at their peak performance, But have you seen them as a larvae?

Drifting in the torrent of the lake Struggling to feed, being swept along rock bottom.

Their genius is small, tiny eggs Stuck to reeds and lotus of the lake Packed together -- hundreds and thousands of little souls, Waiting for the warmth of spring to blossom them from their little homes Then they leave their tiny egg sacks Instinctively following their friends Diving into the deep unknown waters Free to explore, free to swim, ready for adventure In the swirling luminescent water of the lake The catfish teaches them about life and philosophy Tadpoles mill about, talking and dancing The otter instructs them how to build a home When the time is right, they emerge from their shells Crawling up the stem of the water flowers They break free from the shells of their former selves Just in time‌ to see the lotus bloom.

Delicate as the tip of a lotus petal grounded with rich nutrients of our planet.

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Cartoon Caption Contest Winning entries

Cartoon art by Mild Pichitpongchai G10

Winning Teacher “...and then when I was 16 my parents got all paranoid and told me to quit my band and drop out of sports to focus on academics......" - Robert Kovach

Winning Student Better spread the word to my pack. Looks like we have rabid people in town. - Anonymous

Honorable Mention Here we have a simple minded animal that barks too much, is empty-minded, and has terrible odor.

The other one is just a dog. - Anonymous

NEW CONTEST: Write a caption for this image! · Funny · Concise · Deeper meaning

http://bit.ly/cartoonCIS

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Submit your entry to this link (open it in a Web browser):

Prae Wongprasertphon G8

Voices Editorial Board Patcharaporn (Ploy) Panyawanich Mild Pitchitpongchai Lily Dolritacha Mammoth Adhiphandhuamphai Jean Suwichakool Sara Luesukprasert Hui Hui Zhang 34 VOICES Magazine

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