Early College Academy 2018 Literary Magazine by Early College Academy

TABLE OF CONTENTS Poetry Mrs. Moos’ Reflection

Prose “My Best Advice” by Darren McCrory

Isaiah Forte

Nisa Bolden

Daryn Joseph

Kaige Brown

Porter Mitchell

Johnathon Charles

Sydney Pannell

Mahlaun Graves

Atina Portis

Aniya McGowan

Bailey Roosevelt

Omar Molina

Querion Simms

Kaci Oliver

Jacob Studt

Sydney Pannell

Anthony Travis

Tavaris Tanner

Ah’Chaunti Vaughn

Dajuanna Williams

Creative Writing Workshop

Mr. Cox

Mr. Green’s Reflection

English 99 “I Am” Poetry Projects Ms. McCluskey’s Reflection

The ECA Literary Magazine is an anthology of work written by ECA students and staff and may contain language and subject matter which may be considered explicit or sensitive. It is printed with minimal censorship to encourage and foster artistic integrity within our school and community. —ECA Literary Magazine Editorial Team

Jae’Andra Garcia

DaeJana Riggins

Ian Ruffin

Jahleel Shockley

Jamillah Whaley

Mr. Green

Autographs

Poetry

A Reflection by Mrs. Moos, Advising Editor English Department Chair College English Instructor

Sylvia Plath wrote, “And by the way, everything in life is writable if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” The work within this literary magazine is full of guts and it is lush with imagination. These works represent a school year of thoughts, hopes, dreams, and sometimes the raw truth. Early College Academy is proud of our students for having the courage to share little bits of themselves through their art. It is our hope that this magazine will serve as more than an entertaining read, but that it will also be a reminder of the importance of lifelong learning. Keep reading. Keep writing. Keep creating art. Maya Angelou said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Stories are told through poetry, prose, fiction and nonfiction, as well as visual artwork. We all have stories to tell and different ways of telling them. The 20172018 school year was a quilt of stories and it is only unfortunate that they could not all be told in this magazine. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t still be told. Go create something.

Isaiah Forte Proud Family Girl you was supposed to ride with me My ride or die I slide you slide with me Girl we forever only time can see I know I messed around and made mistakes Baby you’re a queen And got treated the worst way Girl I was a clown With my friends And tried to run game I promise you that I changed in the best way I sent you flowers Girl I know you like that This my little night cap Baby can you write back That we broke up girl I done got my life snatched Why did I leave I just don’t understand I won’t stop till I become your man And even though I’m always acting like a fool I always seem to find myself coming back to you

Daryn Joseph Letter To America [Author’s Note] I am a Black man. This five word phrase holds a lot of weight behind it and so much promise in front of it. Coming into to the world I did not think my skin came with pros and cons. Because of my skin I can dream of being a doctor but society expects me to be a rapper of ball player. Because of my skin I can yell "don't shoot" and end up dead. I can say “I can't breathe" and end up taking my last breath. But the craziest part is because of my skin, I could fall victim to any of those situations and not get justice for any of them. Justice has been a battle black people have battled for a long time. We have been owned time and time again, we've been hurt numerous amount of times, and still here we are. The struggle has been talked about and well represented through our art, such as poetry. Icons that came before us such as Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou have done just that and it coincides with today's struggles so ironically. Nina Simone once said “an artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times" and they did just that . Chances make Champions; I should be in the Hall of Fame I take a chance everyday I go out, Each morning I start a new game. How many will it be? One, two, three maybe Four, five, six : I can't take anymore; I'm starting to get sick. I used to have four Brothers, but now I only have two It's crazy how that flag in which you pledge allegiance, has not pledged allegiance to you. Dream like Martin, challenge like Rosa Follow me like Harriet, to the promise land I'll show ya "It doesn't Matter how many degrees I get, all you see is color " You look at me like the enemy, when really I am your brother. "No justice , no peace " , "Black Lives Matter" , "I can't Breathe" No more phrases, just end the madness please. I want to love you all, trust me there is enough to go around , Accept me, for my passion is profound I have a plan to make us better; I have a plethora Let us get back to LOVE, -- Letter to America.

Daryn Joseph Understand Understand, although you wish to forget me, I can't be let go I was there when you were stuck, even in the snow. Losing me could be your biggest regret, or maybe even mine Maybe we don't deserve each other, maybe this is our sign. You gave up so effortlessly, I don't think you ever liked me I loved you so much, you were my cup of tea. It's best we move on, let's forget about the past let’s slow our lives down, we were moving too fast. If I could do it over again, I promise I would not You were in a fairytale, you expected a lot. Now don't get me wrong, you were very nice I just don't know what I was thinking, I should've thought twice. Thinking long term, we'll probably never meet again But I wish you the best, and I'll always be your friend. I Lost My Heart “Love and lost , you can always be tired from trying to be strong, but you must never have the energy to quit .” I lost my heart when you left that day I lost it everything, in every way I looked at you, pain hit my chest I still think of you but forget the rest I sit and cry, my emotions high as the sky I miss you so much but you know I could never cry I love you so much, and I know you love me too All the times that I need strength, I’ll always think of you Our love so genuine, so plain Through our relationship there was so much we could gain Though physically now we are forced to be apart I will always love you for you And you will always and forever have my heart

Porter Mitchell Holy Tree F*** HATE; I'll stand that b**** up on a date Now LOVE that's something I can't put nothing above I'm trynna be a great dying young ain't in my fate I need real ones around me when push comes to shove Why you got to hate on me because of my skin bro? This is my life something you never been in though We got to stick together not be in pieces It's time to own up no time for leases We got to straighten up no time for creases And break off the chains no time for leashes The holy tree is real and it ain't baloney Who's coming with me I can't be the only Take us to the Holy Tree (Holy Tree) My Momma brother sister papa not only me I said take us to the Holy Tree (Holy Tree) Take us to the tree so that we can be free Take us to the Holy Tree (Holy Tree) My Momma brother sister papa not only me I said take us to the Holy Tree (Holy Tree) In the land of peace not just me and my family (The Holy Tree) This some heavy sh** I mean it just ain't light Things keep going left I mean it just ain't right I shouldn't need a four leaf clover For when a cop pulls me over I mean they send up our spirits And they get suspended Scared for your life I ain't trynna hear it What about the person's life that you Just ended F*** an investigation inside the police station You can take that bullsh** and put it on a vacation You're a grown up f*** all the tales that you make up I'm not buying none of the sh** that you bake up We're looked at the same even when our cake up Ain't no American dream Nigga wake up

Porter Mitchell Take us to the Holy Tree (Holy Tree) My Momma brother sister papa not only me I said take us to the Holy Tree (Holy Tree) Take us to the tree so that we can be free Take us to the Holy Tree (Holy Tree) My Momma brother sister papa not only me I said take us to the Holy Tree (Holy Tree) In the land of peace not just me and my family (The Holy Tree)

Sydney Pannell Depression is a Choice They say, Depression is a choice Depression is a decision Depression doesn’t choose you You choose depression But happiness is the cure For your bad decision Depression is depressing Depression isn’t a blessing I don’t like it I want to fight it I will survive it But what they don’t know, Depression is like a demon You can’t escape it without help This is not a game Depression is like fighting a long term battle Until like a wizard comes striking down Putting a happy spell over you Then suddenly the depression spell is broken, Or is it……… Rainy Day Love Us together under the glazing rain; cloudy as ever but love is in the air Us standing together feeling our lips touch against one another The rain may be dreary; but the love is like a ray of sunshine in my heart The pounding of the rain bouncing off the umbrella, is the way our hearts beat together All because our love is thicker than rain

Sydney Pannell Original “You were born an original Don’t die a copy” Being original is a way of loving yourself And loving who you are Nobody should copy anybody because It just wouldn’t feel right You should be happy with who you are And not who somebody else wants you to be Being a copy is just bad and it will make you feel bad inside So be yourself. Life May Be Hard Life may be hard Life may be such a pain the a** But no matter what happens through life As long as you have people who love and are willing to help you You can make it through anything in life

Atina Portis Mad Jealousy You diss me cause I’m beautiful You diss me cause I’m unique You diss me cause you want to be me Hey, dissing me isn’t goin to get you anywhere in life, You’re not putting me down; you’re putting yourself down I could help you but only if you want to help yourself But you continue to diss me like I’ve done something wrong You diss me .... you can’t get to me so you move to someone who seems weaker than me truth is, she is and turns out you’ve been bullying her for some time now and it’s getting to her and under her skin and now she’s gone, I didn’t even see what was goin on and I stayed under the same roof as her that same little girl is my sister ... that’s somethin huh “mad jealousy”

Bailey Roosevelt Orange Flower Tree Not all flowers bloom the same The same as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;prettyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; flowers bloom Some bloom large Some bloom soon But not all flowers bloom the same as the others do

Wildflowers Everyone knows them Little tiny flowers All different colors But one of these flowers was not like the others The other flowers made fun Calling her a weed But the gardener called life Had faith in her seed And the special flower grew Though they teased and mocked freely She grew ten times as tall Their effect on her measly She grew tall, and she grew wide Sprouting many orange flowers The new beauty of the outside The orange wild flower tree became the envy of the garden She did not let this get to her though Staying kind to all Even the cruelest of flowers attaining her pardon For any little flowers reading this Do not fret Do not cry Do not sweat You could be a special one Like the orange flower tree before you Let the warmth of love and sunshine fill your heart my dear And you will grow a ton

Querion Simms

Jacob Studt This is Our Family Tree This is our family tree We hang pictures up of our family when they are no longer here. Stuck forever in a dead tree. Forever wishing they could come out. Forever hanging there with the emotion of their picture. Each generation with the oldest at top youngest at bottom. Each branch tells a different story.

Anthony Travis Plain View Plain view Open fields Distant trees Smell flowers feel the breeze Wavy grass the clouds pass Never ending horizon A plain view is what I have my eyes on The lonely house No neighboring houses in site Just Mustangs laying side by side The cool lonely breeze Blowing through the lonely tree Miles and miles of open land the lonely house isn't lonely again

Ah’Chaunti Vaughn Words of Encouragement in Short Steps When you want something different you gotta do something different ! Setting goals and little day goals working towards your success !! Anything you put your mind to you can do !!! Finally reaching your goal is a huge success !!!! The sky is the limit !!!!!

Love Don’t Change Look me in my eyes & tell me it’s real Our bond we have can´t break or unpeel, Although we have acclivities & declinations We still manage to stick by each other & get through it all. With a bond so strong we can reach our dreams. Love is a strong word but I’m willing to use it, With you it’s different; our bond is stronger we build together & it makes us stronger. Us together we’re unstoppable, We can get through any obstacle.

Dajuanna Williams Death By Chocolate Dreaming of death in an endless mind, while eating soulless chocolate I begin to unwind. Soulless chocolate? Is there even a conscience? Well the dessert itself can take over the senses. Dark and Milky is a bittersweet sundown, It can hit you continuously and not make a sound. To live the amazing sweet truth, and enjoy death by chocolate or just death of a sweet tooth.

Mr. Cox Truth Intervention Elephant sitting in da middle of the room, Turtle dun stuck his head in its shell, Ostrich dun stuck his head in the sand, Elephant still sitting in the middle of da room. Monkey got his finga in its ears, don't want to hear the truth, Monkey's covering his eyes, don't wanna see the truth, Monkey's covering his mouth, don't want to speak the truth about the elephant still sitting in the middle of the room. Wilderness Watching TV can't tell you what I'm watching My thoughts so much I can't tell you what my thoughts is I should be in the future but I'm still where the start is want to be in love but I don't know where my heart is Lifes a hangover and I need the plop plop, fiz fiz, I hit a dead end cuz behind me is where the sign is, Strife such a Boston I gambled on a bid wiz, Scales on my eyes I asked a blind man what vision is Roles out of order they boast hers to his, Baby's having baby's and ya can't tell who the kid is, Slick got slicker and even on dry pavement in the ditch ya ass slid Cop dem cash advances and in debt ya ass is Credit score so jacked up you bought a used car at 18%, and it was as is, Got a mortgage that means, ashes to ashes, Wanna put one in the air can't tell you where my ammo is.

Mr. Cox What If Ever wondered why you were created, and what you were created to do. What if you found the value created in you, no matter the circumstance, you existed from the purpose in you. You found joy on the journey with a few bumps on the road of life too. No, what if all of what's really in you, greatness, travel and scenic venues, You, you traded all down cuz you think, I'm just a kid though, risk and rhymes is whats really true to you. What if by chance you might not want to see yourself as a 30 year old. What if risk and rhymes is what you,really here fo, and you threw it all away to be amongst the talented four, yet didn't value what your talented for and you become what you really are, to the core Reflect on This Stepping to the mic wit my stethoscope, Sanitizing it wit my verses cuz next up is egg yoke, The hotter the mic, the deeper my flow is, Oz they call me, follow the yellow brick mic, find me in my crib in the city where Whiz is, You can't win, what's the crow creed, I got reverb, mid's and all da gain, My mic says Shure but I'm confident, This is a crime scene and you my evidence, This is dead, chalk you right now cuz it's evident, Bluetooth me, so you can always hear my syndication, Bring a speaker to echo my lyrication, Phasers on stun, dont want to killem, Studied the thesaurus now my verses is ill'en, Ya mic's in the cold, and my bars still chillin, Ya verses to constipated, Meaning all complicated, You on dis mic, is totally, unrelated, I been on dis mic so much, the gold is fabricated, Verses on flow and ya voice all stagnated, Mummified words, so dry you need to gatorade it, Fitly of fits, I got to segregate this, Steppin away from this mic so you can reflect on this

Mr. Cox World Renowned Qualified I view you like a back drop, snapshot, got an image in my head, tombstone engraved, potential never realized, World renowned qualified, potential never realized, Hope this ain't yo alibi, Of this I dis in this reply, And if by chance you not to whom, I wish greatness in you than you loom, And if by chance you qualify, And Greatness is ya alibi, Of this exist a good ole day, To have met your acquaintance here today, I hope this isn't your alibi, Of this I dis in this reply potential never realized, world renowned qualified, potential never realized, Hope this ain't yo alibi, Of this I dis in this reply, potential never realized, world renowned qualified, potential never realized, And if by chance you not to whom, I wish greatness in you than you loom, And if by chance you qualify, And Greatness is ya alibi, Of this exist a good ole day, To have met your acquaintance here today,

I AM Poem Projects A Reflection by Ms. McCluskey, Contributing Editor English 99 Instructor I’ve always hated mornings. I would cringe the second the alarm went off, and pout my way through traffic. Not anymore. I now have a job that I look forward to showing up to, I get excited to greet my co workers and talk to my students. You don’t normally get to wake up in the morning to an alarm that makes you smile. As a first year teacher at ECA I didn’t know what to expect. I had always worked in traditional public schools and I was ready for a new adventure. I had no idea of how far my journey would go, or how much it would change me as a person. ECA staff and students have become my family. Everyone is there for each other in a way that you don’t experience in other walks of life. From the moment you walk in the door and are greeted by Ms. Wright you feel welcome. Ms. Dortch is there to counsel you if you’re 16 or 65, and is always so helpful. Ms. Brown doesn’t only pick up after us, but she also picks up our moods; she keeps a smile on her face, and you can’t help but to smile with her. Mr. Curry serves lunches with love, and always has a great story to share. Ms. Schneider puts a positive spin on professional development and keeps you on your toes. She gets to know you as a person, and allows you to get to know her as well. Mrs. Blake keeps testing running smoothly and is so thoughtful with letting people know they are appreciated. Mr. Cox makes school fun, you can tell the kids are having such a blast in his room. Mr. Caslin was a breath of fresh air and positivity next door, laughter is something special, and the kids are always laughing when they’re in his room. Mr. Rogers puts so much extra time and effort into his classroom, he’s here after the bell rings every day helping students, and showing his passion for teaching. Ms. O’Rourke has been so friendly and welcoming from the classroom, to the lunch room, to a Mary Kay meeting. She remains consistently kind. Dr. Taylor is so intelligent and informed of not only her subject but the world of education and this school in particular. Mr. Johnson is a friendly face that keeps things moving along, and always has a positive energy about him. Mr. Stevens is our fearless leader. He makes sure that his staff feels appreciated, and that things are moving smoothly. He keeps this building a well oiled machine and you can see that he is truly passionate about his school, his students, and his staff. I feel lucky to work for someone like him. Mrs. Moos is always so kind and articulate. She has such a love for English, Mythology, and ECA in general. It shows through everything she does in this school. Mr. Green has a devotion to teaching whether it’s in a classroom or in a church, and amongst a busy life always makes sure to make his students a priority. Team English has become a home. I notice all of the little things that these very different people do, and the hard work that they put in. I appreciate all of you, and is a privilege to work with every one of you. When it comes to the students I don’t know where to start. We have a special group of kids here, and every single one of them are capable of changing the world if they put their minds to it. This school is their “second chance”, but for some of them I believe it was a first chance. A first chance to genuinely be themselves, and reach their full potential. They are such amazing kids, with the kindest hearts, and the biggest personalities. They are creative, fun, funny, intelligent, and so much more. They care more than they give themselves credit for, and I have been lucky to work with every single one of them. From teaching them English, to coaching cheerleading, to spending time together in girls group, to meeting some students that I haven’t taught at all, every student has been a pleasure to meet, and I was lucky to know every single one. I want to wish the best of luck to all of the seniors on their future endeavors, and I hope that everyone has a great summer!

Prose

My Best Advice Darren McCrory My best piece of advice was given on a shirt I saw on Facebook; while it's not exactly advice, I still like it: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Warriors are not born and they are not made. Warriors create themselves through trial and error, pain and suffering, and their ability to conquer their own faults.â&#x20AC;? That means if I continue to fight I will become successful in the future. Also it means that I was not made for greatness, I was not born for greatness, I must create my greatness for my future.

Nisa Bolden The Edge And to think that a woman so beautiful, could cause such a tragedy. No one saw this day coming, not even her own sister and they were always together. This day has left a mark on the whole city of Cromaoft. It’s hard to speak on or even think of the way it happened or why she did it. But it’s something I must share. Kimery always showed her love to the city of Cromaoft. She always donated her wealth to charity events, cancer events, and the needy. She even built a recreation center for the children on the poor side of Cromoaft. Kimery saw how poor and unhappy we were, so she did anything she could to keep our heads on straight. She loved everyone. She was so happy ... Well at least that’s what we thought. Kimery was known for her "passion for fashion ". Her sister, Camry, exactly the same. It’s like Kimery created the styles and Camry made them. Wherever Kim went, Cam went.They were the richest women in Cromaoft. Again they were "happy". One specific day everything was normal except one thing. We had a carnival, like we do every year, but Kimery wasn't anywhere to be found. Before the annual "citizenship ceremony" started, I quietly snuck away, without a peep, so no one noticed me. I drove to the street that Kimery lived on and parked further down the street, away from her home so she wouldn't get suspicious. I walked anxiously to her home, hoping she was there. I crept around the back of her large mansion only to see her backdoor drawn wide open. I walked up to the door, nervous as hell, trying to be as quiet, as quiet as I could. I tried to find the closest thing to me that I could to just toss in the doorway to make sure it wasn't a trap but I found nothing. So I sucked in my gut, held my breath for as long as I could, and I tiptoed right through her doorway. I was hoping to see broken glass, or a flipped couch, or her! But I still saw nothing. So I took it even further and snooped around her home after arguing with myself about what may and may not happen. After snooping around her home for a good 15 minutes I grew hopeless and found nothing! So I decided to just go back to the carnival. As I was walking out I noticed something so unusual. Her phone was sitting on her kitchen table. I picked it up and underneath was a folded up piece of paper. The paper looked similar to the sheets in a diary. It was ripped in half but I still proceeded to read it. I opened it, only finding out that I was too late. " and my love for my city has drove me to depression. I love people more than I love myself. I spend my time giving everyone else what they want, I don’t even know what I want. I’m tired and I’m aching. I love Cromcaoft but I love me more. The Lange Edge bridge..." and that’s it. I shoved the note in my pocket and ran out the door, down the street and to my car. I sped down the narrow roads of Cromaoft just to get to her but I was too late. When I got to the bridge I saw her car just sitting there, running. The driver door was opened. I didn't see her standing on the bridge at all. I already knew what had happened. She was gone. I went back in the city to announce the news to everyone. Devastation spread throughout the crowd. We knew we were screwed. Kimery kept us alive. WE, too, are now dead. 31

Kaige Brown The World Man David Bouton, a man who is a distinguished environmentalist, fights for the beauty of the environment. He did research about how everyday accessories affect the environment and the ecosystem. He came up with something that most of the population uses on a daily basis; he chose cars. According to environment.nationalgeographic.com, cars consume a lot of energy before even hitting the open road… “most of an automobile’s environmental impact, perhaps 80 to 90 percent will be due to fuel consumption and emissions of air pollution and greenhouse gases that climate scientist are say are driving global warming.” David Bouton cared significantly about the environment so he developed a skill in inventing things to help the environment. The things he created were not normal things, though. David had a peculiar way of thinking. His top invention was the Quadra Mobile. The Quadra Mobile is a car that has the normal size of a normal car but instead of tires the Quadra Mobile has four long and very strong metal legs.The legs are very long, so it can travel greater distances instead of being dependent on speed. How this car works is that it is electrically charged or you can work it mechanically yourself. People in poverty or with a lower income would more than likely get the mechanical Quadra Mobile due to it being cheaper. These vehicles do not contain engines or exhaust, just gas for the legs and oil for the joints of the legs. The environmentally friendly asset to this vehicle is that it does not pollute the air. You can get the Quadra Mobile customized, such as getting a pair of metal pair of branded shoes such as Nike, Jordan, etc.. This invention eventually made him a billionaire. What he did with his billions is that he gave half into bringing back the environment back to its natural beauty, global warming, animal habitation and rehabilitation, and the termination of environment hurting automobiles and also had a law passed for it to be illegal to use one, although perfectly legal to keep one for style. He used his other billion to invent and fund more environmentally friendly ideas such as wind turbines, electrical factories, eco friendly stuff. David Bouton will go on to eventually win the Nobel Peace Prize. The moral of this story when you find something you're passionate and care a lot about there is no length of success you can end to. In my opinion everyone was put here to contribute to the world. Learn as much as you can positive, then pass it on to the next generation.

Jonathon Charles The Neighbor Whose Eyes I Can’t See: Part 1 I have moved and lived in my new neighborhood for the last five months. I’ve had no problems living here; no disturbances has happened here. Also, almost every person here I have met as well as has been welcoming and nice towards me. But note that I only say “almost” everyone that is because I have not yet met one-on-one my neighbor who goes by Mrs. Drea. One day, having tried to introduce myself before by knocking on her door but there was no answer so I thought they weren't home- later on that day I saw out my window a women come out the house; she was wearing a sun hat with her lips dyed red from lipstick, below on her neck was some jewelry and a fashionable black dress to add to everything else. What I saw, even though I couldn't see her eyes, she is a very beautiful women. Waking up from my stun I figured it was a good time to go introduce myself before she leaves, as coming out my front door to say hello I look over- it seems that she is gone,which was weird for her to leave so quickly. When I went over to see if she was hiding she truly wasn’t anywhere, so as giving up the search I started to look up at the evening sky where the sun is going down and the moon is coming up; then a thought has came up in my mind: why was she wearing a sun hat when when the sun was going down? After that day I haven’t seen Mrs. Drea come home nor come out either as of going to her home again I have not decided to go again yet. The reason being is that there was going to be a neighborhood cookout, so I am hoping to see her then even if I don’t I can ask the others about her. When the cookout came it was funny and enjoyable but even still did not see Mrs. Drea so was going with plan B and start asking around. So going up to a decent sized group of people we started with some small chit chat then I asked the real question when….it became silent everybody froze and looked at me like an idiot. After a while a brown haired mother sighed and said to me “it is understandable I almost forgot you did move next to her and you have yet to meet her or know anything about her.” When she said that others soon understood and relaxed; then someone else chimed in saying something shocking “actually no one here really has met Mrs. Drea; we just know a few rumors is all.” I really thought it was weird no one here really knows here but just rumors so I decided to listen to what rumors of her. Well first off no has ever seen her without her sun hat, not even once. Some believe she has disease which makes her bold which was understandable, but soon the rumors got more crazy. One said that she was part of the Mafia which sounded dumb, another rumor truly got my interest: she is clearly married but they hear that her husband has passed away from an accident so she suffers from depression. But that rumor soon became false as someone said in a hushed voice that she herself killed her husband. At first I was shocked but gave up the idea as impossible but others soon agree around me nodding their heads saying to me if you truly want to know if the rumor is true or not you should go talk to old man Roy on top of the road. When hearing such thing, I was concerned on what to do but my curiosity got the best of me as I felt this is a mystery of who my neighbor whose eyes I can’t see could be. To Be Continued....

Mahlaun Graves London Bridge is an fantastic piece of art. When you were a kid you’d hear it all the time. There was even a activity about it when I was kid. It was called London Bridge and when you were to play it, you would have to reenact the bridge falling in a fun way. Everything you thought of the game was true. All that fun, shot down by the bridge actually falling. Storm after storm ravaged the Earth and London Bridge was the first piece of history was taken. These storms were a sign of Armageddon and no one was safe. Every living thing on Earth, time was up. Kids that weren’t able to mature in age, adults who are just living lives the best way that they can and the elderly who live with regrets about their past selves. Present day wiped away like an hourglass running out of sand. The incident is kind of confusing because the London Bridge was the cause of it or what lies below it. No one could foresee that the cause of all this destruction was Ancient Beings that were outworldly. These ancient beings of an higher intelligence on an extravagant scale wanted this world to be finished and never to start again, but instead create a new world worthy of not being destroyed. Only those with vast intelligence could be in this new world.

Once the beings kept to their word, the old world was completely gone. It wouldn’t be able to be found where it originally would be in the Milky way. When the new world was created it had no characteristics of the old; instead it was like some world you see only in a video game or movie. The beings that live on this new world heard stories of the old and thought nothing of it, no pity or sadness, just that the beings in the old world were silly and disappointed with their selfish ways.

Aniya McGowan November 9, 2003 The children sat. Waiting. It’d been 10 minutes since they heard the second shot. All three children sat, shaken in fear. No one talked, knowing that if they did, they would definitely be found. Just three months earlier the children’s grandfather died. In his will he stated that his house was to go to his daughter Anna. So, Anna, her husband, and the children packed their things and moved from their home in New York, to her father’s home in Colorado. The house was old, creaky, and looked as if it hadn’t been cleaned in months, but her father left it to her so she knew she had to stay. Her husband Mike, on the other hand, did not want to stay but he had decided he would try to fix it up and make the best of it for Anna and their children. November 9, 2003 Earlier that evening, while their mother was cooking dinner and the children were getting ready for bed, their father came home late from work. Drunk as usual, but tonight was different. All the months of unemployment, and Anna being on him about it, had finally pushed him to the edge. And the liquor in his system every day, definitely didn’t help. Anna claimed she “complains because she cares” but Mike just thought it was bicker. It had been three months since they moved to Colorado and he still hadn’t found a job. Anna said “it was okay” whenever she asked how the job search was going, and he came up empty handed time after time. But Mike thought he would always sense a bit of pressure in her voice. So tonight, Anna turned around and found her husband standing at the door, with a bottle in one hand and a pistol in the other. Their mother was frozen with fear until she was snapped conscious by the footsteps of her children coming down the stairs. The children saw the situation and froze. Anna knew she had to do something, or not only her, but her children would be hurt also. Anna began running towards the staircase, yelling for her children to go and hide. POP! A shot was fired, the children ran in fear. There was a thud on the stairs. Bob, the oldest child, turned around to find his mother lying on the floor with blood beginning to surround her. Tears instantly began to fill his eyes, but he knew he had to hurry and get his siblings to safety or they would be next. They ran into the old guest room, locked the door and waited. As they ran to find a place to hide in the room, they heard shouting coming from downstairs. Mike began shouting angrily. He instantly regretted what he’d done. He ran over and picked up his wife’s lifeless body. Mike began to cry. He starting thinking: “what are my kids going to do without their mother?”... “what are my kids going to think of me now?” He stopped, gripping the silver pistol in his hand. He glanced up the stairs in the direction t owards where his kids ran. He stood up, wiped his eyes, and put the pistol to his head. He took one last glance at his wife, closed his eyes and pulled the trigger. The children had heard their father’s shouting. They jumped at the sound of the 35

Aniya McGowan second shot. Bob guided his siblings to the corner of the room. They sat for what seemed like an eternity, until they heard someone coming up the stairs. Bob tightly held his two siblings. They heard a push on the door. The kids were shaken with fear. There was a loud sound and the door went flying. The kids looked up and saw the police standing in the doorway. They ran to them with grateful arms.

Omar Molina Pendragon: Return of the Sword Thousands of years have passed since the rule and fall of King Arthur, since his fated battle between him and his bastard son Mordred. To the modern world, the whole story of King Arthur is nothing but a myth until one day a British paleontologist found fossils that belonged to giant elephants that would make dinosaurs seem like flies in size comparison. The paleontologist immediately heads to tell the queen and other people in power about the discovery; while he is heading to tell the queen and other powerful people, it shows a dark cave and suddenly a bright light appears and a woman appears coming out of stone, falls to the ground and quickly gets up and walks to the entrance of the cave and she sees that the world she once knew has completely changed. She knows that she was awaken by the sword and that she must find sword a new successor to King Arthur. The Mage has a flashback of watching King Arthur dying after a fatal battle he had with Mordred and she remember Arthur telling Bedivere (member of King Arthurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s round table) to throw the sword Excalibur to return the sword from where he got and she remembers finding the cave and using magic to seal herself within stone and waiting to to be awoken by the sword when it's needed. The paleontologist is speaking to the queen and other powerful people of Britain about the discovery of the fossils of the giant elephants; most of the people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe him until he shows pictures. The man tells the queen that as far as he knows that nowhere else in the world have giant elephant fossils been found and that he has been thinking about the elephants and tells the queen that he remembers that he has heard about giant elephants in old story of king Arthur. Most of the people find what the man said amusing, then the man says that they also found the fossil in the land in which King Arthur once ruled; the people who were laughing quieted down and began to think of what the man is telling them but one man asks if the story of king Arthur were true then where is the sword that was pulled from stone and what difference would it make in the modern world when there are bombs that are capable of splitting atoms and other dangerous weapons. The man says that if he remembers correctly that the sword will reveal itself in time for a new ruler to rule. The queen, scared to hear that there maybe a new ruler coming after her, she funds the man and sends many people to help him find the sword that was pulled from stone. The Mage has reached civilization and she sees that many things have changed she was last outside of the cave; she is able to tell that there is no more magic left in the worlds. She also realizes that she is drawing a lot of attention and she begins to look around to see if she can find a spot to hide and she does; as she is heading to the hiding spot that she just found she begins to think that the task ahead of her will be her hardest, that she must reach the sword that was pulled from before someone else finds it and she must find a successor to King Arthur.

Kaci Oliver Waking up to Grandma Cathy’s voice, my sister and I set up in our shared cot, the cold morning air cutting through the thin cotton nightgowns my younger sister and I wore. We looked over to Grandma Cathy to find her dressed in her stockings, petticoat, and her white underdress. She was twisting her shoulder length red hair into a bun. She turned and faced us, a small smile on her face. “Grandma Cathy, is Grandpa John outside?” my younger sister asked.

“Yes, he’s with the other men. Now time to get ready.” Grandma Cathy walked over to us and helped us change into our own stockings, petticoats and our matching red checkered dresses. Grandma Cathy made us sit back in out cot while she pulled out her knee high laced up shoes. She tied her white apron around her waist before grabbing the wooden handled brush. She walked around the cot and stood behind us before brushing out our long brown hair and used red checkered ribbon to tie our hair back in a ponytail. Grandma Cathy helped us lace up our own shoes before helping us with our white dress-like aprons. She pulled on her white bonnet, and stood by the entrance; she handed us our fans which we tucked into the front pocket of the aprons.

“This is all the money you can have today.” She handed me a small pouch of coins. “Thank you, Grandma Cathy!” We thanked her with smiles on our faces. “Are you ready to head out now?” We nodded our heads. Grandma Cathy pulled the aside the entrance of the tent letting us out. We walked out and spotted Grandpa John sitting away from us talking with more men in the gray and gold uniforms, and standing across from them was a family of strangely dressed people, listening to them and asking questions. My sister and I set on a log by the warm fire and waited before Grandma Cathy handed us each a bowl of grits. We thanked her and started eating, while speaking quietly so not to disturb the other people that were still sleeping. After we finished our breakfast, we handed Grandma Cathy the bowls and hugged her before heading towards a group of other kids. After the oldest girl did a head count she raised her hand and the called for the girls to follow her, while the oldest boy called for the boys, and we all walked away. The eldest girl lead us to a woman who was sitting on a log with a small chalkboard in her hand, “Okay everyone, sit down.” Everyone sat in a semicircle around her with the younger, smaller ones in the front and the taller, older ones were in the back. After using the chalkboard for some math problems she started showing us how to use a stitch to fix a torn shirt, or dress. During our lesson we spotted a group of the strange dressed people walk over and stand next to her. She just smiled at them and answered any of the questions they had. Once they seemed to 38

Kaci Oliver have enough they sat on the logs surrounding the area listening in on the lesson. After thirty minutes the woman reached down and grabbed the handle to the golden bell at her side. Lifting it up she waved it making the ringing noise fill the area. Standing we all thanked her before brushing off our dresses and away we went to play. All the kids were now playing together, both girls and boys, and the strangely dressed children. My younger sister and I were playing a popular game called Hoop Rolling. While playing two of the strange dressed children, a boy and girl, walked over and stood in front of us. We greeted them and asked if they wanted to play. When they agreed my sister and I found them a stick and handed them to the kids before showing them how to play. Soon the four of us were passing the hoop back and forth between us, smiles never leaving us. After an hour of playing the children grew tired of playing; we led them to the shops. My sister and I each bought two pieces of candy. I bought a yo-yo and she bought a cup and ball. After we were finished we waited for the other two to finish but their looks of awe were distracting them. After waiting five minutes we left the shops and started down the hill, the other three were eating their candy while I reached in my pocket and pulled out my fan. Looking at the sky I saw the sun was almost at its peak. The higher the sun went it seemed the temperature went with it. We all sat down on a set of logs; they were finishing their candy and I had just opened the lollipop I had bought, enjoying the sweet treat with one hand and the other waving the fan gently in front of me making the small space slightly cooler rather than the heavy summer air that hung around us all. After finishing my treat we decided to go and play with the other children. Grabbing my younger sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand we walked down the path before spotting a group of the strange dressed children pulling water from the well and splashing it on them. The two with us quickly rushed over to them hoping to cool down. When my younger sister tried to go after them my grip tightened slightly, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are young ladies, we do not play in the water or mud.â&#x20AC;? I told her before continuing down the path, still using my fan to cool myself from the heat.

As we walked I was enjoying the sounds from the horses neighing and clomping the ground as they walked, children laughing and playing only a little ways away, women sitting in their little groups; sewing, cooking or cleaning all the while talking, I could also hear the cries, gunshots and cannon fire from the battle not very far from our area. Biting my bottom lip I continued down the path. This was a time of war, a time for families to stand by one another as others are torn apart. A time to be your bravest, even though buried deep down the fear is stinging the heart like a swarm of bees. Soon we spotted the group of children from our colony. We picked up our speed and got to them. We all stood in a circle speaking to each other before breaking apart for a game of hide and seek. The game lasted a very long time what with close to twenty kids playing, but it was soon time for lunch. We all bid each other a farewell and heading to our respective tents, my younger sister holding my hand as my other used my fan again. Before 39

Kaci Oliver long we came to our small tent and standing there was Grandma Cathy with two bowls of food. “Hello Grandma Cathy!” My younger sister greeted. “Hello dears, did you have fun?” We both nodded. Grandma Cathy just smiled and passed us our bowls of stew. As we sat there and ate we spoke about our day and what we learned when the sound of shouts, and horns rang clear through the day. The battle had won. Who had we lost? How many were dead? How many families would have to bury their fathers, brothers, sons? Grandma Cathy stood and rushed away when she spotted Grandpa John riding up the path a grim look on his face. “The battle had been won. Our side had heavy casualties. It is time to head home now.” He whispered hoarsely while climbing off the chocolate brown horse with the flowing black mane. I handed Grandpa John a bowl of stew. He smiled down at me and used his free hand to smooth out my hair; he did the same to my younger sister before taking a seat across from us. After we finished eating Grandpa John walked into the tent and came out changed; Grandma Cathy called for us. We stood and walked into the tent. She helped us change and we helped her pack. Once we were finished we dragged everything out and watched as Grandpa John and the other men tore the tent down and packed it away. I sighed looking around, it was time to return home. Glancing down I felt weird after dressed in my dresses for the past few weeks, being in a pair of shorts and a tank top feels strange. My younger sister climbed into the back of the car while I looked around, bidding farewell to the fake battlefield knowing next year we would be back to reenact the greatest American battle, The Civil War.

Kaci Oliver Safe House When I was a child, my sister and I lived in many places. My favorite was Killdeer, Ohio. Killdeer was a small farming community just outside of Upper Sandusky and LaRue, Ohio. We lived in the family home which we owned for fifty years. Three generations passed through those doors but the house remained lost in time. It was late at night. Mom was driving through the long winding road and the only light we could see was from the headlights of the old beat up Ford Fiesta. My younger sister, Caitlin, and I were in the backseat quietly talking to each other as Mom drove. Caitlin was holding her black and white stuffed cat while wrapped up in her pink blanket. I was holding Fuzzy, my brown teddy bear in the blue dress. My white hole-filled baby blanket sat on my legs while I was wrapped in a thick blue blanket. The cold fall air penetrated the heatless car. “Are we there yet?” Caitlin asked Mom. “Almost, we’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.” Caitlin nodded and went back to playing with her cat. I became bored. Taking my white blanket, I wrapped Fuzzy up wanting to keep her warm before looking of the window. Tall dark corn stalks surrounded the car as the clouds hid the moon. I hugged Fuzzy tight afraid of what could be stalking us. “Mommy?” I called out. “What’s wrong, Cathrin?” she asked. I spoke softly, “Will we be there soon?” She looked at me from the rearview mirror and smiled, “We’ll be there soon. Don’t worry.” “Don’t worry” she says. What if a monster jumped out of the corn stalks and chased us? While I was sitting there thinking about everything that could happen with monsters, the car hit a bump before a strange sound filled the silence. I gasped, hugging my bear closer to me thinking that the monsters made their move. Caitlin only let out a soft whimper, probably thinking the same thoughts I was. “Dammit.” Mom mumbled to herself before turning in the old gray cloth seat to look at us, “Okay girls, I’ll be right back. I think we might have a flat.” Watching Mom leave the safety of the car, I wanted to cry out for her and tell her to come back where it was safe. I wanted her to come back before the monsters got her. Caitlin unbuckled herself and scooted over so she was leaning against me. Both of us starred out her window hoping to catch a glimpse of Mom’s dirty blond hair. The fear coursed through my veins like lava; we both jumped and gasped when the front passenger door opened. 41

Kaci Oliver “It’s only me.” Mom smiled before reaching into the middle console. “What are you doing?” I asked. “Well, we have a flat and no spare so I’m calling for help.” We both nodded when she flashed us her smile. She backed up and shut the door before disappearing. Caitlin and I looked at each other; I could see she was as afraid as I was. I wrapped the blanket tighter around my shoulders as the cold air penetrated the car, Caitlin was shaking from fear and the cold. She turned her body so she could look out the back window. I kept my eyes on the corn fields that surrounded us. As we were each looking around, we didn’t notice the approaching car until it pulled to a stop right next to us. Caitlin and I jumped when we heard two car doors slam shut. We both smiled when Mom opened Caitlin’s door and smiled down at us, “Come on girls, Toad and PawPaw are here.” Caitlin and I cheered before we climbed out, standing there was Pawpaw with his long black streaked gray hair held back in a ponytail, a red handkerchief tied around his forehead. His gray and black beard reminded me of a cotton ball. His natural tan skin was slightly redder due to the colder weather. A light brown leather jacket covered his lightly muscled arms and the white tee shirt he was well known for wearing. Uncle Toad was on the ground next to the car looking over the tire. He was dressed in a light faded blue jacket. His long dark brown hair tied back like his dad’s. Pawpaw was only about six foot and of a healthy build, Uncle Toad was around six’ three and had a scrawny build. Pawpaw gave us his large toothless smile, “Hi girls.” “Pawpaw!” we both cried out and hugged him tightly, which he gladly returned. Uncle Toad waved at us from his spot on the ground, “Hey girls.” “Hi Uncle Toad,” Caitlin and I greeted. Mom kneeled down in front of us and whispered, “Alright girls. You two are going to the house with Pawpaw while Toad and I fix the tire.” Caitlin and I glanced at each other before nodding slightly. Fear still held me in its icy grip as Pawpaw led us to his truck and helped us in. Uncle Toad and Mom walked over and spoke quietly with Pawpaw before Uncle Toad walked around the truck. It bounced slightly when Uncle Toad dragged something off the bed. Glancing out of the dirty rear window I watched as he rolled a tire around the truck and to the blue car. Mom hugged Pawpaw before he climbed into the truck. He quickly started the truck and hot air rushed through the cabin heating the already warm air. Pawpaw turned the truck around and headed the way he came from. During the drive, Caitlin and I told him about our long drive from South Carolina to Ohio and all the things we had passed. We only stopped 42

Kaci Oliver talking when he turned off of the smooth road and onto a bumpy gravel filled driveway. We climbed out and smiled at the light-filled two story house. Before Pawpaw could say anything, Caitlin and I rushed up the old rickety wooden steps and threw open the old heavy wooden door before stepping into the warm house. The smell of freshly baked cookies wafted through the air, the artificial lighting bounced off the white walls making the kitchen seen brighter, and the white and black checkered tile floor seemed to glow from the bright lights. The wooden shelves gave the kitchen a unique look, the counters were a light gray marble, a small portable TV set in the corner while the oven was placed next to the fridge on the other side of the kitchen. We spotted Mawmaw, Granny, and Grandfather in the kitchen-dining room doorway. Mawmaw was dressed in her white and blue nightgown and holding a plate of warm, freshly baked cookies. Granny was in her white dress and her white hair was cut short and full of curls and Grandfather was in his white and blue striped pajamas. His oxygen tank sat on the floor next to him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hi sweeties,â&#x20AC;? Mawmaw said joyfully as she presented us with the cookie filled plate. Caitlin and I greeted her and took a cookie before we hugged her. We rushed around and gave Granny a large hug as well as Grandfather which he returned with enthusiasm. Granny led us to the living room and set us on the large comfy couch before putting in a movie. We waited for Mom and Uncle Toad in our new home where we were safe from the monsters that hid out in the darkness. We were finally here where we could be happy without him for now.

Kaci Oliver Tiger Deep in a snow covered forest a shadow moved silently and gracefully moving in fluid motions. The only color in the bleak white forest was the orange and black striped coat of a tiger, golden eyes locked ahead never straying from what he was seeing. Sitting in the snow ahead of her nibbling on a blade of grass was a nice, plump, white rabbit. Just the thought of the juicy rabbit meat made the tiger let out a quiet growl deep in her throat. A flat pink tongue rolled out and licked around her mouth before she slowly moved to sit on her haunches. Her ears perked and zeroed in on the rabbit; her tail slowly brushing the top layer of snow. Narrowing her eyes into slits, she quickly rushed forward; the rabbit never saw it coming. It only lifted its head before the tiger grabbed it and with a powerful bit to the back of the rabbitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neck, it was dead. The tiger turned and started making her way back to her den. She stepped over rocks and jumped over fallen trees before coming to a small cave created by rocks; she carefully stepped on the snow covered rocks before squeezing into the cave. She dropped the rabbit on the floor and walked back to the entrance. Laying down she watched as two little heads poked out of the shadows and soon two small baby tigers wobbled forward. She watched as her two cubs ate the rabbit. Yes she, herself, was hungry but she could always go hunting later that day for herself but this treat was for her babies and if she needed to go back out in the cold snow then so be it; for once the snow melted and spring came her babies will be ready to learn to hunt before they leave her to start their own lives. Turning her head to look out at the frozen wonderland, she laid her head on her front paws, watching as the sun glistened off the frozen ice crystals hanging off of tree branches and bouncing off of the snow on the ground. She slowly felt herself fall asleep when she felt her cubs settle into her side, taking in the warmth she offered; turning she curled around her two cubs watching as they both yawned and snuggled closer, closing their eyes. When she was sure they were asleep, she laid her head back down on her front paws and let herself fall into the gentle embrace of sleep, her ears turning slightly, forever catching the sounds of the quiet wildlife around their cozy little den.

Sydney Pannell Cyber Man Turns Into Cyber God As Cyberman looked out onto the universe, he looked back onto his homeland and said “it’s my destiny to protect my people and save the galaxy.” As all the stars slowly moved along, he started praying that the Gods would help him be powerful and wise enough to be a Cyber God. This Cyber warrior always thought that one day he would be one the greatest Gods ever. Many years later, he died but his legacy never went in vain; he was one of the wisest and strongest, most powerful Gods ever. Before he had to save his people from an army of death souls that took the lives of innocent people of his planet. Then his legacy came into play when he transformed into this glowing cloud and banned all the dark souls away from his planet because the dark souls took his mother’s life and he became angry and just transformed into the glowing cloud. Even though he died, his bright glowing cloud still watches over his planet through centuries and centuries.

Tavaris Tanner The Storm It was a nice summer day. My family and I were at a family get together at a park having a good time and it felt great outside. There were kids playing, families cooking, and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. At 5:00pm, it started to get dark. Two women sat under the shelter playing cards and looked out at the kids. “Why it so dark out here? It’s too early,” one woman said.

“Girl,” another woman responded “It’s just a passing cloud.” The first woman turned and said, “My bones are aching and I smell rain.” “You’re trippin’,” the other woman snapped. “The weatherman said it was supposed to be clear and they don’t get paid to lie. Relax and drop your card. You know you like to cheat.” Everyone ignored the cloud until they heard thunder crackle and saw lightning strike. At that point, everyone decided get their stuff and go home. My mom yelled from the shelter house, “We gotta hurry up and get home before the weather gets too bad. One of y’all get your sister from the playground and the other help me load the car.” Without a second thought, my brother ran to the playground to get my sister and I helped my mom load the car. When my brother and sister got back, we made sure we had everything that we needed and drove off. We silently drove through the city as the blinding rain fell like sheets and the wind grew faster and stronger. Stop lights weren’t working anymore and plastic and metal signs from different businesses and establishments were ripped off from buildings and flew in the sky like paper planes. We weren’t even close to home and through all of the rain and the wind blowing I felt like we were going to die. As soon as my mom could see from the windshield wipers, a yellow crosswalk signs blew right past her.She slammed on her brakes and almost swerved into a light pole. Shaking, she turned to us and said in a monotone voice, “Y’all okay.” We all responded fearfully. “Yes ma’am.” Everytime we stopped at a traffic light, which became a four-way stop, she would ask us if we were okay and we would respond the same way every time. Yes ma’am. After the fifth traffic light, my brother asked. “Mom, why don’t we just stop somewhere?” Without looking away from the road, she said “I’d rather have the family together in the house instead of a car during a bad storm.” 46

Tavaris Tanner The wind started to die down so she began to drive faster so we could get home before the storm. She got on the freeway and began to drive the speed limit. We were about twenty minutes from home and she shouted “Crap! We’re almost out of gas. I have to stop.” She found the next exit and floated to the closest gas station. My mom and I got out of the car and the wind pushed our doors open. She ran inside to pay for the gas while I stood outside. It was much cooler now than when the storm started. It wasn’t raining but the wind blew water from the pumps and the building on top of me. My mother waved her hand and I unscrewed the cap from the gas tank and began to pump the gas. All I could think about was the possibility of us not making it home and dying on 270. My mom walked back to the driver’s side as I finished pumping. I looked at her and said “Aren’t you scared?” “I am scared, baby. But I’m more scared of losing my kids than this crazy storm. We’ll make it home. Now get in this car before the wind takes you.” We got back on the freeway. As we got closer, my mom would drive faster. As soon as we got home, the sky was dark as night and it was only 7:00pm. “Listen,” my mom said. “I don’t know how long the rain will hold. Grab what you can and get in the house.” As soon as she turned off the car, we grabbed everything and ran. When we got in the house, we heard thunder and saw lightning through the window. The rain was heavier than before. My brother said, “Good thing that we got in before the storm started to get worse.” Everyone nodded in agreement. Then there was a loud crack of thunder and the power went out. My mom, brother, sister, and I went into the laundry room because there weren’t any windows just in case the storm got worse. My mom had extra flashlights so she would be prepared for whenever the power would go out during a storm. I could hear my mom whispering to herself hoping that it wasn’t a hurricane or a tornado. After about fifteen minutes, the power came back on. Later that night, we watched the news and the weatherman said that it was a bad storm but it wasn’t anything really serious. We couldn’t tell from what we had seen coming home. There was one last lightning strike which hit a tree and a limb fell off. My mom said, “I’m just glad we made it home safe and sound.”

Creative Writing Workshop A Reflection by Mr. Green, Editor-in-Chief English 100 and Creative Writing Workshop Instructor Senior Capstone Adviser When I teach essay writing, I always tell my students to “name the baby.” As they look at me with confused stares, I tell them about how they labor over the essay like a parent labors over a child and how they see the whole thing develop into something that is an extension of them. The extension, the child, needs a name. I was surprised when Mrs. Moos asked me to design this year’s literary magazine and the first thing I asked is could I give it a name or at least an overarching theme. When I did the cover design, the word release came to mind. During my time at ECA, I have heard many stories of students feeling like they are shackled or at some point being in jail, house arrest, or probation. Some feel they are held back by their circumstances, past experiences, and their inadequacies. When someone feels they are held back, they take on two postures: enslavement or rage. The first posture involves an acceptance of the status quo— this is who I am and will always be— and they fall into their role perfectly. The second posture is a rejection of the status quo that, left unchecked, can and usually leads to a deeper sense of captivity because there is no target for the rage. Both postures can leave people confused and broken only striving to maintain and survive and hanging on to the shred of hope they have left. I see myself and my colleagues as agents of release. We show our students the tools to succeed in life through education while speaking to their situations. We show them what life looks like when you are free mentally and emotionally and how that promotes physical freedom. They learn how to stand tall, take responsibility, affirm and defend themselves without negative behaviors, and navigate the world despite the countless things stacked against them. As I have compiled this anthology, I have gotten to see our students in their creative freedom. They have used their talents and their words to release something greater than themselves. It is a beautiful thing to see someone realize that what has kept them back is conquerable and that they can live beyond and despite it. I see it in every piece here and in the faces of those I see everyday. I hope you see the same.

JaeAndra Garcia Love will bring you pain Tears will turn into rain Drowning your eyes to make you seem blind But honey it takes time Let yourself recover and you’ll be ready to wine and dine Know yourself worth and get back to your grind Don’t let it get to you mind You’ll be just fine.

DaeJana Riggins Bright, sunny days Yellow dandelions, dark grass, birds chirping . Kids riding bikes in the street , water balloon fights. Laughter. Smell of grilled steak in the air Summer time fun.

Ian Ruffin Chased It was a very hot and bright summer afternoon. My sisters and I decided to go to the park to play. I was 7 and my sisters were 9 and 10. I hopped on the back of my sister’s bike because I didn’t have one myself. I played football with some of the other kids in the area. It was two hand tag football to avoid injury. I was the quarterback and we destroyed the other team 21 to 7. After that, my sisters and I went back to the house.

On the way, we saw a woman walking her pitbull and asked “Can we pet it?” We didn’t really ask for her name since we were kids and we only cared about the dog. She said “Yeah sure go ahead” We went to pet it. It started to growl at us so we left and went in the other direction and let her walk her dog. While we were on the way home, we heard the owner of the dog say “Watch out!” I turned around and saw the dog coming straight towards us with a murderous look on its face. My sisters started pedaling like their life depended on it. We were about four blocks from our house and the pitbull wasn’t letting up so we had to shake the dog before entering the house. We went up random streets and through alleyways but that dog was very persistent. It just kept coming after us and we didn’t know why. At one point, we thought we lost the dog but it hopped over a fence and still was after us. I took a pen out of my pocket and threw it at him and he got a little distracted by the pen but was back on our tail in no time. We were back on the street where our house was and he was still chasing. At one point while looking back at the dog, my foot got stuck my sister’s bike chain and grinded my foot. My shoe flew off and it started to skin my foot through my sock. I screamed so loud, I sounded like someone just got one of their limbs chopped off. While this was happening, the dog was distracted by my shoe and ran off with it. We pulled up at the house and dropped the bike in the grass. “Grandma! Ian’s foot was grinded up in my bike chain!” I laid on the couch with a large gash in the side of my left foot. My grandma took off my sock and put some alcohol on my foot. It stung so bad. She bandaged up the wound and told me to not do anything for the next couple days and to get plenty of rest so the wound would heal. A few days later, I limped outside since it was stinging a little with every step. I saw the owner of the dog and she asked “Did my pitbull do that to you?!” “No, but your dog ran off with my shoe” She said “So that was the shoe he brought back?” 51

Ian Ruffin Once she said that, I knew she threw it away. She looked down at my foot and saw the huge scrape on the top of it. “How did you get that scar on your foot?” “My foot got caught in my sisters chain and made this scar.”

“She looked at me as if she did it herself.” A few days later, she came knocking at our door and asked if Ian was here. “Ian! There’s someone at the door for you!” It was the lady and she was had $100 in her hand. “Here, take this and I hope my dog won’t cause any more trouble.” I just stood there in disbelief that she was really just gonna hand me $100 over something that her dog didn’t even cause. I said “you don’t really have to do this” but she really insisted on it since this whole incident could’ve been avoided if her dog wasn’t chasing us.

I just took the money before the conversation would drag on over 10 minutes. With that money, I had to buy some new shoes with it since I lost my other shoe.

Jahleel Shockley Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Done This is it i done You always assume im cheating I mean i am but you had no proof You went thru my phone it hurt yo feelings hope you learned your lesson I love you from the bottom of my heart You've never did me wrong you solid Held me down through everything But i like variety you're getting old When im done hoeing i'll be back Only reason i leave is cause i know you'll wait Put it on you once should've never You were stuck before it now look Wrong move but i love you Never want to leave you But keep getting on my nerves And imma dismiss you Stereotype I am automatically considered a bastard who steals because he was only raised by a mother who had to work late to pay the bills. Going to my friends house and not wanting to leave because they have two parents who love instead of scold. They don't worry how the bills are going to get paid like I do Because the job isn't enough And food stamps won't pay electric You judge my life decisions but will you Dad you told me you loved me I don't feel it when i see you it's rare like a field trip You come around when my mom says im acting up You lecture me i'm just like what the fuck You showed your love to your 8+ kids with 90 bucks I ask you for clothes or shoes you talk about child support I needed a man in my life to show me how to be one But with you not being there it showed me how to be one I hope your there for your other kids cause they'll need you As of me i don't even want to see you. 53

Jamillah Whaley Fire and Desire I don’t think we know what we are doing. So much catharsis going on, so many unreal feelings nothing but an abyss of thrusts… sexual healing. Our bodies are two twigs starting bonfires Taking me higher building our Babel as body and soul get lost in translation and shame God causing us to come together and divide. The shadow of regret climaxed as tears waterfalled my face. I knew hist lust was real All my trust was gone.

New Life This is the major comeback: No more carrying dead weight giving me a hunchback. Carrying someone who wasn’t loved, insecure always pushed and shoved. I am worth way more than what you feel like you cost. Your worth is priceless exceeding value and never lost. “Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind. Each pray’r accepted, each wish resign’d” The best thing I could have ever done was live my life with a clear mind For once, in my life I actually won And now I’m not blind

Mr. Green Mental Abuses My mind tells me I am not good enough. It slaps me around and throws me on the table. I am bruised and broken, maimed and marred, with no time for a stable recovery. My mind yells at me I am a failure. It shows presentations and charts of the times where I fell short. It proposes places where my porcelain persona was perfectly cracked and broken. My mind whispers to me that I am a lie. It hisses silent sins into my ear I had long forgotten. It works to seduce me to jump off the cliff and give in. Why do I stand for this cycle and sit in the dark forest waiting for the black bear to claw and have his way with me? Show me how to be free and to love myself deeply and madly so this tirade, this battle, can stop forever.

Autographs

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