Andy and Emily Klement Short Story.................................................................................. pages

FIRST PRIZE

Mia’s Name

Mollye Morgan

Streets were silent in New York, and as unusual as that sounds, it was pleasant for everyone walking along the sidewalk on Saturday night. It was peaceful, which brought a warm feeling inside many stressed people. Kindness spread slowly throughout the streets, small comments that lift people up, despite their skin tone or religion. People were spiritually connected through their personal lives. This connection leads to understanding of the feelings of others, and finest of all, love.

On this special Saturday night, two people walked hand in hand. They didn’t get nasty glares, nor receive unnecessarily mean comments. People smiled at them, almost to say they are proud of what has happened in the country. These special people are Leo and Mia.

Both of these people have a fascination with waterways. The way they are constructed makes them look for minutes on end, even hours, without realizing how much time has passed. The flowing water calms their hearts and silences their thoughts. This led to their meeting at New York’s Central Park. On the bridge over the breathtaking river, they stood on opposite sides. Opposite skin color means the opposite side in many minds, and they didn’t want to hurt the beliefs of others. Sadly, they did not know that this dreadful belief was gone. Leo and Mia had been on Earth long enough to experience the harshness of people’s words and the beliefs that shouldn’t exist. Mia is, in fact, of color, and Leo is white. If they stood together, they would be seen differently. Mia would be told they should leave the white race alone and Leo would be told by their mother that they should never hang out with people that are simply darker than they are.

Eventually the two of them reached the middle of the bridge, at the same pace, no longer with an invisible barrier. It was an extended moment before either of them spoke.

“Would you like to be friends?” Leo quietly let out. Mia was very much shocked. They wore ripped jeans and tank tops, and never expected anyone to speak to them.

It was a long moment before Mia responded. “Are you sure?” They finally let out.

This sparked a laugh between Leo and Mia, and they ended up talking for hours, slowly leaving the bridge to a small bakery. The bakery sold large loafs to small muffins, and Leo got himself four of the mini muffins. Mia only got a large coffee and a compliment from the owner. Leo and Mia left the bakery with their goods, walking down the street, enjoying another’s company. They both got attached to each other’s speaking and sense of warmth quicker than either of them expected.

These two, Mia and Leo, saw multiple people walk down the street, crying. They saw joy in some eyes, despair, and they also saw people that said without talking they want to be in someone’s arms. These sights lead to a talk about the economy and how it is run and how emotions are processed. Leo found out Mia is a democrat, and Mia found out Leo is a republican. They didn’t start pulling each other’s hair out, they just silently agreed that everyone has their own opinion. Mia and Leo talked about their views and differed on each other’s thoughts. They didn’t get mad, they just listened and understood.

Eventually their interactions got deeper in meaning. They spoke lovingly and created inside jokes. The both of them laughed more than they have in the past year. This strong bond led to a hug. They hugged on the

side of the sidewalk, for a long couple seconds. When they were done hugging, the sun was setting. Leo and Mia smiled at each other with flushed cheeks.

Leo took Mia by the hand and they began to walk again. They walked together, strongly, as if inviting color behind them with every step. They are proud of who they are.

Leo asked Mia, “I’ve never asked you, but is your name short for something?”

Mia responded with, “Yes, actually, it is.”

Leo was curious about it and questioned, “What is it?” “Michael.”

They proceeded to walk along the sidewalk without a word, just enjoying the warmth of each other’s hand. Two boys, who loved.

What Do You Call a Blue Spotted Cow?

Cora Stallings

Once upon a time, three years ago, there was a little family who lived on a farm with their grandmother and cow. Even though they lived on a farm, the cow was the only animal they had ever owned. What was really different about this family though, is what happened to their one lonely cow. Let me tell you the strangest story you’ve ever heard about cows.

In a little town in Wisconsin, Scandinavia, this family had lived for four generations, on their little rundown farm. Over the years, all of their livestock had died, except for one cow. This cow had been the same age for all of these four generations and not died. Now, this story is about the fifth generation who just had a little baby boy. Liz and Dambi Pucker, named the baby Henry, after their great-great-great-great-great grandfather’s first and middle name. One year later, they had a little girl, named Martha Martha, after their greatgreat-great-great-great grandmother.

Eleven years later, the family was happy and content. They had plenty, even too much milk from the cow. They had food, water, and they were ridiculously happy (as in, frolicking-in-the-tall-grass-and-flowers-holding-hands-kind-of-happy). But, of course, something has to go wrong in a happy little story like this. Their cow turned, well, blue. And spotted. They realized what had happened after they got home from their daily hour of frolicking. Skipping to the barn, the Puckers rushed in to milk the cow. “Oh dear cow, why are you blue and spotted?” asked Martha Martha.

“I’ve run out of moooooooo, moooo, mu, milk!”

“What do we do Daddy Pucker?” said Martha Martha.

“Well, I think that is obvious honey-donut... We fill it up with the milk from the grocery store.”

“Of course, Daddy Pucker!” said Liz, “I don’ know what we would eva’ do without you!”

They went to the grocery store eleven miles down the old country road to get the milk for their cow. On the way there, their truck broke down five and a half miles down the road. The cow was with them of course and walked up to the window.

“Hop on moooo family moooo!” said the cow.

Hopping on the cow, they galloped away into the sunset (because cows can totally gallop). When they got back home, they opened the cow tank (like a gas tank) and poured the milk in.

“Mission complete!” they all yelled.

From then on, the cow had even more milk than usual. They never knew why, but the cow never turned to its normal color. It remains a mystery until this very day. Yes, I know what you are definitely not thinking about it, but I’ll answer the question that you never asked anyways. What is a blue, spotted cow called? Well, it’s called a cow-spotted-blue. At least according to the Puckers. The moral of this story is: never let your cow run out of milk! Because it WILL turn blue and spotted.

Dragon Connection

Ariel Aguilera

As the scaled creature approaches at dawn to the village, as screams of fear begin… Smoke rose ashes of timber and others. Fire spread throughout the village as it burned onto the vast seas. Flocks of birds journey outward to new lands. The feathers tumble through the sky. The feathers are soft as silk.

Men in dazzling armor with swords tried to slay the beast, but no battles were won that day. The soldiers fought as brilliantly as they could, but the beast slashed the soldiers’ throats until they were shown with its wretched claws. Soon the soldier fled with fear, and they felt such pity leaving the post. As soldiers, they took their family and left in guilt.

This was no fairytale; no knight in shining armor. After the dragon left the village in rubble, it slept. When villagers tried to leave, the beast instantly woke up and paralized the villagers in fear until there was dust. The few survivors lived and rebuilt what is now.

Three years later after the attack, I devised a plan to escape the dragons grasp. I told the general to see my plans. “I said listen to me. Ones who haven’t done anything want to help us to escape!!’’ I yelled in an enraged voice. The old brute said in a furious tone, “For the last time, no matter how many times you try, we never escape this village dump. “Just see my plans for once! For crying out loud! Just this once,” I said. “Fine! Just get out!!” he yelled outrageously. As I left the hunt to enter mine, my brother Adam said, “So how was the visit to Dad?”

“You know I don’t call him that. Jake did,” I said. He looked at the plans.

As I slept on a stack of hay, my horse munched near the corners. While sleeping, I entered a vast pit of darkness into a dream I hoped was filled with wonders. As I slept, a maze of my memories was in my dream, as a memory entered my head. But it was the day I saw my mother die from the dragon’s fire. Then I heard a voice,

“Help me…” A black figure in a trap enveloped inside a void. “What do you want?” I whispered. “Help me!!!!!” it screamed. “How can I help you,” I asked in a curious voice. “Tomorrow go to the Gilaphif the dragon. I yelled, “Are you crazy?! He nearly killed my whole town!! I refuse to help you, stranger. There has to be another way.” Then I wondered why I would even help the stranger. The stranger said, “Soon a person whom you don’t trust will come.” I didn’t know what the ghost meant by that then.

Adam woke me up. A village was wanting to propose a trade. We had nothing to offer. “Get out of your clothes while I go see,” I said. As I changed into my ragged clothes to show the town that we have nothing to trade, I hear swords clanging and rustling armor. I ran to check what’s happening. Adam stopped them from getting the dragon. As my father fought a young soldier with all his might, he threw a sword towards me. I ran up the hill as fast as I could, catching the other soldiers catapult to launch nets and poison darts. As a soldier approached me, I realized I was never taught how to fight with a sword. In a blink of an eye, a sword almost slashed me to the ground. I picked up the sword and thought I would do better, but the person had the upper hand with skill. Then I heard a voice; a familiar voice...a voice from my dream, but it was from the dragon in my head. “Help!” While I was occupied, the other soldiers in armor slash the side of my stomach. That feeling reminds me of the loss of my mom in rage and pain. Suddenly the dragon awoke struggling to attach since it had poisoned a net were around it, then I felt dizzy then SPLAT as I hit the ground last thing I saw was the dragon enraged and in suffering I felt what it felt then I heard.

My Secret Powers

Darah Cook

“Kelsie! We have a surprise for you!” My mom called from the kitchen.

“Coming Mom!” I hurriedly put on my favorite outfit, my “Simpsons” T-shirt and my stone-wash shorts. I grabbed my Futurama mini-purse and ran down the stairs. “What is it Mom?”

“So, we know today is your 15th birthday so we decided we should tell you something.” My dad was sitting very impatiently.

“Honey, you have-”

“Kelsie you have powers!” My dad said, interrupting my mom.

“Drake!”

“You guys are joking. Magic doesn’t exist. Well, I am going to be late for the bus. Bye guys! I love y’all!” I grabbed a bagel with cream cheese and ran out the door. I got on the bus and went to the back with my friends, Roxy and Jake. “Guys, you won’t believe what my parents tried to tell me. They said I have powers. Can you believe it?” I said to my friends but they just stared at me like they were gonna ask what my powers were. “Guys?”

“Sorry Kelsie, my mom and dad told me the same thing over summer.” Jake just kept staring at the new girl, Marlee.

“JAKE!” Roxy and I yelled at him.

Jake got his head out of the clouds. “Dude, you know she is still dating her boyfriend from her old school, right?”

“Yeah…”

A few hours later in Art class, “Hey Jake?”

“Yeah?” “I wanted to ask if you wanted to hang out at my house after school today?”

“Sure! I’ll ask if Roxy wants to come!”

“Alright!” I said finishing up my abstract art.

Alex Redding, the school bully, came over to our easels after the bell rang and put black paint all over Jake’s shirt.

“Seriously man?!” I pushed Alex back.

“Oh, I see the princess wants to- “

“Oh, just be quiet, Alex.” I said while walking with Jake out of the classroom to our lockers. “C’mon Jake, I have an extra shirt in my locker.”

“How do you have one of my shirts?”

“Oh, I may have stolen it from your place” I said, elbowing him.

“Thanks for what you did back there.” “You’re welcome, kind sir.” I said while jokingly doing a curtsy. “I just wish he would learn his lesson already!”

Then, Alex came over to us and said “Look guys, I’m sorry about what happened in Art. I shouldn’t have done that and come to think of it, I am not gonna bully ever again.” Alex walked off and I looked over at Jake.

“That was weird…”

Jake suddenly opened his eyes real wide and said “You said that you wish he would learn his lesson and then he came back and said that to us. You really do have powers and your power is whatever you wish for comes true!”

“Listen Jake, now you sound like my parents. It was just a coincidence.” But, in my head I actually kind of believed him so I said quietly, “I wish Jake will tell me who he likes truly.”

Jake asked if we could talk at lunch.

“Ok! Lemme go grab my lunch box.” I grabbed my Stranger Things lunch box and skipped to the Cafeteria. I went to the back and sat down with Jake.

“So, Kelsie, I wanted to tell you this for a while. I like two girls. You already know that I like Marlee and the other one, you don’t know about. The second girl I like is you.”

I blushed and was about to tell him I liked him too but then he started to laugh. “Why are you laughing? Dude, I swear if this is a prank… I’m gonna be mad!”

“Woah…Kels, calm down! I was joking about liking you. I actually like Roxy. We have been friends ever since we were born. I want to be friends with you because we are practically siblings.”

“Oh. Well, it is weird in this area so I’m gonna go sit with Roxy, and you can join me if you would like.” I got up and walked to Roxy’s table with my head hanging.

Jake caught up to me and grabbed my shoulder. I hit him in the face with my lunch box accidentally and said “I AM SO SORRY JAKE! I thought you were somebody else.”

“It’s ok Kels, it hurts but it’s ok. Why are you upset?”

“Nothing. We should finish lunch so we can hurry up and get home to hang out.” We finished school and got to my house.

“Kels, why are so sad?” Mom said while grabbing the chocolate chip cookies out of the oven.

“I found out that the guy I like, likes someone else…” “And how did you figure this out?” Dad said walking into the kitchen.

“I uh… kind of wished he would tell me who he likes…” I said, nervously.

“Ok. Well, whatever you do, just never use your powers to make him like you.”

“Ok, Dad.”

“COME ON! WE NEED YOU TO FOR TWISTER!!!” Roxy called from my room.

I walked up the stairs into my room to see Jake reading my diary. “Jake, what are you doing?”

“Uh, nothing…” Jake lied as he threw my diary across the room.

“I know that you don’t like me back and I get it if you don’t want to be my friend.”

“Kelsie, I was joking at lunch. You thought I liked Roxy?”

“Hey! I am a very likable person!” Roxy said as if she was offended.

“Anyways, remember our pact from fourth grade? We promised each other that we would go out together our sophomore year if we weren’t dating someone already. I just didn’t want to look like a fool and lied and said I liked Roxy. I don’t actually like Marlee. She is my cousin and she helped me pull this off.”

“Jake I totally forgot about our pact! So, Jake Burley, will you go on a date with me tomorrow night?”

“Yes, I will.”