Future of the Beast and Other Gothic Tales

Future of the Beast and other Gothic Tales Writings by 7th grade students from San Antonio’s Harlandale independent School District A Gemini Ink Writers in Communities project

Readers and writers today and tomorrow 1

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Future of the Beast and other Gothic Tales

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Stories by Harlandale Independent School District (HISD) students at Terrell Wells and Kingsborough Middle Schools in San Antonio in partnership with Gemini Ink, readers and writers today and tomorrow Š 2010 Gemini Ink Writer-in-Residence Trey Moore Layout, Design & Editing Daniel Torres, Gemini Ink intern Anisa Onofre, Director, Writers in Communities Gemini Ink thanks writer-in-residence Trey Moore. Gratitude also goes to principals, teachers, and administrators at HISD who were key to the success of the project: English Language Arts & Reading Facilitator Jessica Acosta, Gifted & Talented Facilitator Tamara Slechta, Principal William Hall and Teacher Stephanie Campos at Kingsborough Middle School, Principal Aracelie Bunsen and Teacher Arnulfo Talamantes at Terrell Wells Middle School, and the McCollum High School Print Shop.

Special thanks to Rosemary Catacalos, Executive | Artistic Director, Gemini Ink Cover image credit (clockwise from top left): Richard Bustillo, David Guzman-Pena, Marticka Moreno, Samantha Zepeda, Juan Rodriguez, and Amber Fuentes Gemini Ink’s work in the Harlandale Independent School District and this publication were made possible by the Harlandale Independent School District Student work has been edited as lightly as possible in order to honor the original voices

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Foreword: The Gothic Writing Project was a partnership between Gemini Ink’s Writers in Communities program and two middle schools in the Harlandale Independent School District (HISD): Kingsborough and Terrell Wells. Two classes of 7th grade students worked with poet Trey Moore for five workshops to discuss the fundamentals of writing with a focus on gothic elements, including mythological landscapes, emotions of fear and confusion, and the importance of character and character foils in stories of suspense.

Students then took their own “leap into the unknown,” as Moore says, creating their own gothic tales about ghosts, castles, detectives, vampires, madmen and mysteries.

They then illustrated their stories in watercolor. Here is the collection of that inspired work. Enjoy!

Anisa Onofre Writers in Communities Director Gemini Ink

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Table of Contents Terrell Wells Middle school

The Clock Tower, Zachary Adams

7 Future of the Beast, Joshua Cano 9 Mystery Creature, Alexis Herrera

12 White Rose, Christian Mendoza 15 The Dark Desert!, Denise Ramos 18 The Unknown, Devin Sheppard 20 Lost in the Castle, Erendida Martinez 22 The Revenge, Janett Munoz 24 The Journey Up, Juan Rodriguez 26 A Night of Revenge, Marco Guerra 27 Zombies!, Michael Rojas 29 Ghostly Castle, Sergio Paredes 31 The Bomb’s Off by Dawn, Nathan Kosub 33 The Robber, Regina Araiza 36

Kingsborough middle school The Spirits, Gabriel Diaz 41 Revenge Gone Wrong: A Story of How Two Girls Became Ghosts, Alexandria Alvarado 42 Untitled, Alexis Torres 46 I Am Dead, Juan Garcia 47 Zombie Encounter, Alexis Lopez 48 Not Knowing, Amber Fuentes 50 Untitled, Brianna Rios 52 The Green Mansion, Christian Ayala 54 The Lake, the Prince, and the Psychic, Daisy Gomez

56 The Evil Power, Emily Trevino 58 Untitled, Gabriela Garcia 59 The Shepard, Lucy Mojica 60 The Bandits, Marisol Martinez 62 The Mysterious Menace, Paul Mares 64 The Twins, Samantha Zepeda 66 The Bear Trainer, Zackery Smith 67 The Runaway, Ram Torres 69 The Broken Magician and the Magical House, Selena Silva

70 The Detective, Amy Beristain 71

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Eusebio Mata

Terrell Wells

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The Clock Tower Zachary Adams “Ding. Ding.”

The old clock tower at the top of the hill struck midnight. Everyone in the town of Girtik made sure to lock their doors and windows and get all of their family and pets inside. This day was special. On this day, hundreds of years ago, a man went to the top of the tower and murdered the tower keeper. A year later on that day, the ghost of the old tower keeper avenged his death by killing the man who killed him, and killing the man’s family, and anyone else he felt deserved the pain he received. For twenty years, every year on that day, he would kill as many people as he pleased, until now.

“How much longer will this trip be?” the young cleric named Zecher questioned. “I wish to get to Jerith Town before the night ends.”

“If you keep on complaining I will kick you off my wagon!” the wagon owner yelled.

“Fine, you know what? I will just walk on my own. It would probably be faster anyways!” Zecher said, before stomping off the wagon that was drawn by a sickly, old horse.

After leaving, Zecher noticed that he was walking faster than the wagon and felt smart for leaving. After a few minutes of walking, he arrived in the town of Girtik. It was already two o’clock in the morning. He noticed that nobody was around, and tried to get through the town as fast as possible. When he reached the end of the town road, he noticed there was a big gate in the way. He decided to forget about his plans and just spend the night in this town. When he went to a tavern, the door was locked and the lights were all out. He knocked on a few doors before giving up, and just slept on a pile of hay.

When he awoke, not more than one hour later, he felt a strange demonic sensation. He heard whispers that he couldn’t quite understand, because it was many voices speaking at once. He could barely make out the words “kill” and “avenge.” He felt it was time to go for his sword. As he unsheathed it, the whispers stopped and he got up from the hay. It was still night, so he could only just see a figure in the distance. With his sword in hand, Zecher slowly walked over to the figure.

“What are you doing here?” Zecher asked with no answer from the other end. “You know that standing in the middle of a road in complete darkness looks just a little unfriendly and threatening?” He then saw the man unsheathe a sword 7

from his back and stand in a fighting position.

“Hey!” Zecher yelled while preparing his stance for battle. “I asked you a question, answer me!”

“My name is Undric, and I used to be the keeper of the clock tower,” he explained as he pointed towards the tower in the center of the town. It seemed to glow purple under the moon light.

“You see, I was murdered for my position in the tower on this exact day and now everyone must pay for my death,” he casually announced.

“Well, I can’t let you do that,” Zecher yelled, as he got ready to run towards the ghost.

“Oh?” Undric questioned. “And who are you to get in my way of taking my rightfully earned vengeance upon this pitiful town?”

“I am Zecher the cleric,” Zecher cried as he charged towards Undric. “I’m the guy who’s going to cut you down for the abomination you are!”

As Zecher ran towards Undric, Undric was taken by surprise and Zecher pinned him to the ground and tried to stab him in the chest. Undric grabbed the sword and threw it aside, kicking Zecher off. Zecher jumped high up in the air before crashing onto the floor with an immense cloud of dust. Undric walked a little closer to examine the situation when Zecher flew out of the cloud and punched Undric in the face. Undric spun around before falling to the ground, as Zecher searched for his sword. He stepped on something and realized it was his sword and tried to grab it, but he was grabbed by the shoulder and cast aside like a rag doll. Undric strolled over to where Zecher was while Zecher was unable to recover.

“Ha Ha! So you’re going to stop me huh?” Undric laughed. “I find it hard to see that will happen any time soon.”

“Eat this!” Zecher yelled in rage as he jumped up. Zecher’s hand swiftly moved as threw his sword at Undric’s chest. “…but how?” Undric mumbled as he fell to the floor and began to turn to ashes, but not before he could turn to Zecher and mouth the words “thank you.”

As Zecher stared at the ashes on the floor, he couldn’t believe what had just happened. The sun began to rise and all the people of the town gathered around and started to cheer for Zecher. Zecher looked up at the tower and saw that it was not purple anymore. The moon had gone down and looked normal again. Zecher the cleric had put an end to the clock tower curse.

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FUTURE OF THE BEAST Joshua Cano The smell of burning carcasses filled my nose. Chilled air blew against my skin, and thorn covered vines hacked at my knees. Peeling back my skin, burning, itching, the intense pain and anger made me start to scream and cry. “No, no!” I stopped myself before I got too loud. Minutes felt like days. Nobody was around.

Everyone was either dead, or turned. My savior was gone. Being alone was making me hallucinate, causing me to think. The echoed yelps and screams for help were not my own, but my survivor’s. *

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It’s 2035 and there has been a string of strange events in my small town of Terat, Colorado. First, a farm animal goes missing, then a person is killed. Unknown hair is found at crime scenes. Reports of a man-like beast are everywhere. People have started talking about a new disease. More and more people have started to act in strange ways: howling at things, and sometimes snarling. People are acting like wolves. Then, one day, nobody is to be found.

It is quiet when I hear someone crying, I run towards that direction knocking over trash cans in the way. I trip over what falls out of it. Not worrying about picking it up, I keep running, making sure not to trip over any more obstacles. I’m getting closer to the crying. Suddenly, it stops.

A mixed smell of burning flesh and wet dog fills the air. Holding my breath, I walk in the same direction. The smell gets fouler making it almost impossible to breathe. I can’t go further, so I turn, shake my head, and continue walking. For some reason I feel that I am constantly being followed, even worse, stalked.

As I walked back, I remembered about the trash can. Not wanting to trip over it again, I go to pick it up. To my surprise it had already been picked up.

“Hello, Is anybody there?”

No answer. Scared, I started yelling, commanding that someone reply. I wish I would have stayed quiet. A loud, furious growl is let out. Stopping in my tracks, I can’t think of what is destined for me. I see something out of the corner of my eye. I think it’s my imagination, but I’m wrong.

Heavy breathing falls upon my neck. It is the same wet dog smell again.

Suddenly, a low, scratchy echo comes from behind me. I see blood splatter on a wall in front of me. Not thinking, I run to the closest corner. Peeking behind it, I 9

see what it is. It is a large, strange looking wolf. I creep out from behind the corner, making sure not to knock anything over. Another shot is fired.

“Hey! Stop shooting! I’m still alive.” I say.

“Darn! I thought I got two for one? Well, there goes another wasted bullet,” someone says.

“What’s going on around here?” I ask.

“Have you been bitten?”

“What do you mean ‘bitten’?”

“Just tell me!”

“No, I have not, and I don’t know what would have bit me.” I was confused.

“Shhhhhhhh! Stay quiet and don’t move.”

The man with the gun disappears and I stay quiet not knowing where he went.

“Are you still out there?” I ask in a muffled voice. No reply. “Hello?”

As quietly and swiftly as possible, I stepped towards the wolf-like creature.

Examining it makes me throw up. It’s the same foul smell as earlier. It has humanlike features: long limbs and a muscular torso.

“Could this be a…. a…?”

“Yes, a werewolf. And I thought I told you not to move,” the voice says.

This makes me jump and punch the werewolf in the head.

“What the hell? You made me bleed. You just pretty much killed us there.

Now all of the pack is going to come.”

“Sor…..” He left before I could finish my sentence, or even the first word.

“Come with me, quickly!”

Trying not to knock anything over, I leap to my feet.

I follow him to his truck. He tells me to grab a tank of gasoline and a pack of matches.

“Burn it!”

“What?” I ask.

“Burn the body, now!”

Without hesitation, I dump the gasoline on the body, stand back, and light the match. On my way back to the truck, I am given two guns, a Desert Eagle and a .45 revolver.

“Use them well. The ammo you have now is the only ammo you’ll have later.”

Driving out of town was our only plan. We drew sticks and I had to ride in the truck bed. Guns and unsteady hands did not match. I practiced shooting, saving 10

Joshua Cano

only 10 bullets per weapon. It was a fatal mistake. I guess the commotion of all the shooting alerted the pack. The first one came out of nowhere and almost rammed the truck. Then another and another, they kept coming.

“Looks like they know about the burning.”

“Yah!” I shot at them and missed half the time. My savior used all his ammunition too.

“We’re out of luck!!!!!”

Thinking we could out drive the pack, he floored it and busted the engine.

“What the hell! Get out and run! I’ll hold them back!!!”

I took off running, not daring to look behind me. I heard silence and then a lot of growling and yelling. I tripped on some thorn covered vines, and smelled burning carcasses. I wanted to scream.

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Mystery Creature

By Alexis Herrera The midnight sky was pitch black all around. Nothing but the light of the moon shined down from the night sky. There is a sudden shriek like a trapped animal.

I suddenly freeze in fear thinking, “Should I stay or should I go?”

I still taste the coffee I drank while I was at my best friend Aiden’s house. I stayed the night, but my mom wasn’t able to pick me up so I decided to just walk home.

I snap out of the daze and decide to run towards the loud cry, ignoring the nagging feeling running through my head to turn around. Ignoring the voice inside my head that keeps yelling “Turn back!”

Once I make it through the thick underbrush, there is a large wolf-like figure, perhaps a dog. I wondered to myself what it was, and was careful not to make a wrong move and get hurt or worse... killed! The dog thing was caught in a bear trap, whimpering and crying for help. I hoped that if I got near the creature that I wouldn’t get hurt. The nagging feeling saying to leave suddenly disappeared like a mist.

I still hesitated to help it. Opening the trap seemed to take forever until the dog ran off into the woods and disappeared. I ran off in panic.

I found my way home and my mother met me at the door.

“Why are you late? You were supposed to be home a long time ago! You made me worry. I called Aiden’s mom and she said you weren’t there. You had already left!

Where were you?!?”

She nagged on and wouldn’t be quiet until I raised my hand revealing a cut I got opening the trap. She asked how I got it and who had done it to me. I had had enough, and blurted out, “I fell on my way home! Okay? That is what happened! I stopped at the store to buy some soda because I was thirsty! That is why I took so long!

Stop asking why I am so late!”

I stormed out of the room and went upstairs into my bedroom, where I fell asleep in an instant. I had the weirdest dream that I ever had that night. In the dream I was running away from a swarm of kittens.

The rest of the day was the usual same old, same old. “Bleh!” I remarked thinking to myself as I sat alone again at the empty table. I had homework, “It is so easy, why do people think it is hard?” I sighed. I finished my homework in ten minutes.

Bored, I decided to take a walk inside the woods. Stupid, I know, but I was curious.

It felt like the weird dream I had. Looking up at the sunset, I decided to sit down and sketch the scene.

I then recognized the familiar setting around me. This is the exact same spot I was when I met that mysterious dog-like creature. I heard something, or somebody, rustling in the bushes.

Frightened, I turned around and yelled out, “Who is it?!?” I could smell the stench of blood in the warm night air.

A dog ran out saying, “Run! Run!” 12

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Kelly Cavazos

Confused, and shocked, I ran away fearing for my life, fearing for my sanity. I felt like I was going crazy and that maybe there wasn’t really anything following me, that there wasn’t a talking dog yelling at me to run.

I suddenly caught a glimpse of thousands of kittens running at us, chasing us with pure hate. I looked into one white kitten’s eyes and I saw pure anger.

What did I do to them? Are little kittens taking over? I am definitely crazy!

Frightened of my dream, I ran even faster than before. I ran so fast I even caught up to the talking dog?

“We lost those kittens of doom,” he sighed and went into a cave and pulled me along.

“Hey you don’t have to be so rough!” I angrily said.

“Oh I’m sorry,” he answered. I frowned and said, “Sorry, it is just that I think I am crazy, I mean, come on, a talking dog!? No offense, but I never knew. Why are those miserable felines chasing us? I didn’t do anything, and I should get home now.

This is your problem. I wish I could help, but I can’t.”

“Well the leader of the kittens is a cat named Mr. Muffins,” the dog said.

I tried not laughing at the name while I got up and wandered around the cave.

“Why is he trying to chase you and why is he sending his kittens to chase me?”

“Well, he is mad at you for rescuing me the other day when I was trapped in the bear trap. He tried to capture me because I know his evil plans for ruling the world.

His kitten army is supposed to take dogs and humans as their slaves.”

I couldn’t hold in my laughter much longer. My laughing caused him to laugh.

We laughed at Mr. Muffin’s evil plan and ran to his house where I met his family. I found out that the dog’s name was Andy and he was a very playful dog. He would draw with a pencil in his mouth. Surprisingly, his drawings were good.

Every time I would ask how he got so good at drawing, he would reply with, “It takes practice and skill. Plus, I learned to imitate artists who sketch in the woods.

I would sit there and watch as they calmly sketch or draw to get their minds off of the outside world.”

A part of me wished I lived here with them. They were different from my family. They offered me a rabbit’s leg to snack on, but I respectfully declined. Besides the rabbit’s leg was raw. We had to hurry to go defeat Mr. Muffins’ kittens of doom. I packed a bag of catnip just in case of a minor emergency.

Andy and I soon dashed out the door, hoping that his parents wouldn’t notice

us. We made our way to the house of Mr. Muffins. When we arrived, he was taking his hourly nap of pure evil while his kittens played. I felt a sudden zap from behind us. It tickled me, but I growled in fury. I was mad about how we could have been so naïve and gotten caught.

I noticed that I growled and sounded like a wolf! I looked down and saw that my hands were paws. I was furious for what Mr. Muffins did to me. Mr. Muffins must pay!

I was suddenly transformed back to a human when I thought that maybe life as a wolf wouldn’t be that bad.

In my normal human body, I grabbed Mr. Muffins. When I was a wolf I felt angry, like I was about to go on a rampage. How could I have been so mad? I guess the zap had side effects that changed my emotions. I ran with Mr. Muffins in my arms and held him tight to prevent him from hurting me. I pushed Mr. Muffins inside a cage and growled, “I hate those horrible felines!”

“Doesn’t everyone!” Andy laughed. “Anyone that likes cats must be pretty crazy, because those animals are mean. I have to admit kittens are nice at times though.”

As soon as I turned around to go home, the kittens were shocked at what they witnessed. Their puny eyes were wide, they stood frozen as if they had seen a ghost.

“Meow!” the kittens screamed at the same time. I gave them a weird look. It was hilarious the way they looked and stood on their hind legs. Finally, they all scurried away, pushing each other out of the way. When they were all gone, Andy and I just sat there and laughed.

“Hmm….What should we do with Mr. Muffins?”

“Don’t you mean ‘Where do we send him?’” I protested Andy’s question. “I call dibs on us sending him to France. I highly doubt he would cause any trouble there.”

Andy gave me a suspicious glare and replied with, “Why yes...yes we should.”

After that, life was better. My parents wondered why I was late and where I was. I just make up some lame excuses. Surprisingly, they believed me. Mr. Muffins is now in France chasing mice for chefs in restaurants. He sends a postcard every week with a new landmark on it. He thanks me all the time. I’m guessing he likes his job. I’m glad he enjoys it. As for the evil kittens, they all found good homes.

Finally, I figured out why I was transforming from a wolf into a human. The blast from the gun was meant to turn dogs into cats. I, being in the way, was turned into a wolf. The side effects were caused by my human emotions. Every time I get extremely angry, I transform. I’ve learned to deal with it by staying calm, but sometimes I have to run into the woods until I calm down and return to normal.

As for my new friends, I visit them often. Andy is my new best friend.

Sometimes I stay overnight. Of course, I can’t bring him over to my house, because my mom would get mad. If my mom is mad, I can’t go anywhere or do anything. So, I guess, magically, my life is normal. Wish me luck, just in case.

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White Rose Christian Mendoza As I walked through the dark, muddy forest, I heard the trees moving and the wind blowing. Then it got real quiet. I looked beyond the high bushes and falling leaves and I saw it. I saw the tall dark structure. As I approached the hospital, I got a strong smell of rain and I knew in my head that the storm was near and if I didn’t want to get wet, I needed to get inside.

As I walked up to the door I heard people inside, so I grabbed the cold door knob and stepped into the hospital. Nobody was inside, so I looked around and I saw all the cracks and bumps in the wall. When I touched it, I could feel a cool breeze coming from it and I stepped away. Something caught my attention on the floor, it was a white rose. I picked it up and thought, “What is this doing here?” When I turned I saw the moonlight from a small window. I walked towards it. I saw the moon and all the stars in the galaxy. That’s when I heard a weird noise coming from the back room.

I walked toward the back room and the nurse asked me to sign in because they had a patient for me in room 409. As I walked into room 409, I smelled the strong odor of alcohol. The patient asked me if I knew how to take care of her.

I replied, “Yes Jessica, you have nothing to worry about.”

She looked at me nervously and I got nervous myself.

I assured her it would be okay. She asked me if it would hurt or if she would feel anything. I told her it wouldn’t and that she was in perfect hands. She looked at me nervously, and as I grabbed her hand to tell her she would be fine she shook like leaves falling from a tree. I knew we had to be extremely careful with this surgery.

When we took her to the operating room, she asked me all kinds of questions, trying to calm herself down. She asked me how I became a doctor.

“When my brother died, I realized how a doctor could make a difference.

When I watched the doctor give him his treatments and medicines, I knew he would live to see another day. When he passed away, I promised my mother I would become a doctor to do what my older brother’s doctor did for him.”

When I finished telling her my story, we were almost to the operating room.

The second we reached it, she started crying and asked me if I could do her a favor.

“Dr. Stevens, I’m perfectly aware of my sickness and I know the risk of this surgery, but if I don’t make it, please tell my family that I love them and how much you made a difference for me.”

As she finished her sentence, the other doctor whispered in my ear that it was time for us to initiate the operation.

When we finished operating, I could hear the patient’s mother arguing with my 15

Jazmin Ramos

assistant. I walked over to see what the problem was. She asked me where her daughter was and I told her she was in her room.

I could tell she was really upset because her face was burning red, and her eyes were wide and full of rage.

She said, “Dr. Stevens, why would you put my daughter through this?”

I didn’t know how to respond to her. I asked her if she knew what kind of sickness her daughter had. I reminded her how her husband had signed the papers that said they knew about this whole situation.

“My husband and I had a divorce seven years ago.” she replied. “Didn’t you know that doctor?”

“No, I didn’t.” I said. “So who signed the papers?” I asked her.

“I have no idea, but I know you put my daughter through all this pain and suffering for nothing!”

“No, I didn’t. She had cystic fibrosis and it was spreading to her lungs. We gave her a lung transplant which should help it but…”

“Dr. Stevens, we need you in room 409 immediately,” a voice called over the intercom.

I rushed to room 409 and I saw Jessica barely breathing and I prayed to God to help her. I knew she wasn’t going to make it. I looked at her heart monitor and it slowly dropped to zero. I closed my eyes and the first words that came to my mind were, “Tell my family that I love them and how much you made a difference to me.”

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I did the best I could, but nothing worked. I let her go and questioned myself, “Was it my fault? Was I to blame? How was I going to tell the mother of this patient?

What should I do now?”

The questions entered my head like if I had killed someone. Part of me thought it was my fault and another part was saying it was an accident. I didn’t know which one to believe.

I walked out of the room ashamed, embarrassed, and dishonored. I felt every bad feeling in the world. When I turned around, the mother was standing right in front of me. I walked up to her and she hit me across the face and told me, “I blame you for everything!”

No matter what I told her, she wasn’t going to change her mind, so I replied to her, “Blame me if you want, but I did what I had to do, and I’m sorry for your loss. But here is a white rose. I give it to you with love.”

She looked at me in an odd way. I thought she was going to hit me again so I walked away, but she called me and said, “Dr. Stevens, I forgive you!”

It brought tears to my eyes. I told her what Jessica told me to tell her if she didn’t make it. Her mother left in tears something caught my attention on the floor. I picked it up and it was a letter to me. It read: Dear Dr. Stevens, You have probably finished my surgery by now and I’m probably dead. I just wanted to let you know that the guy that came and signed the papers for the surgery wasn’t my dad. I asked him to do it because my family didn’t have the money for this surgery. He said he would. I really hated my mother because she made me suffer. She never loved me so I placed a curse on the white rose you picked up. I knew you would have the rose during my surgery and that’s why the surgery wasn’t successful. I also knew you were going to give it to my mom as a gift. I wanted her dead. It was all to kill her. She will die at 11:43 tonight because you gave her the white rose. I thank you so much for all your help but know it is time for me to go.

Love, Jessica I asked myself, “What have I done? Did I just murder two people?” It couldn’t have been true, but the twelve o’clock news said a little girl, Jessica Roberts, and her mother, Linda Roberts, had both died that day. One died at a local hospital during surgery and the other died at 11:43. I was in shock. But I knew that the little girl was in a better place, so I ignored the fact that I ever found the note and hoped that nobody else received the white rose.

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The Dark Desert!

Denise Ramos As I walked in this creepy old hallway, there were doorways that didn’t have doors. There was a weird, funny smell, like flies on a poop platter. The walls were brick hard and had thorns on them. As you touched them they would ATTACK! For some odd reason, this woman came out and she came closer! WOW, she was a gypsy! Wait a minute, what is she doing here? Wow, she is really friendly and pretty. I wondered if gypsies were supposed to travel around all their life. What was she doing here?

Ahh! We talked and got to know each other a little bit. I felt like we were in a Tom and Jerry episode, it was weird. Yeah, I’m going to admit, I was kind of mean.

We walked outside and it was an odd place. At first I thought we were at Wal-Mart or something, but nope we weren’t. It was an abandoned house. Bats and birds were flying out!

All of a sudden I heard a yell, “AHHHHH!” I looked back. Ooh gosh, I left the gypsy inside! I ran as fast as I could to go get her.

I opened the door…gosh this girl was being so dramatic. There was a baby rat on her. You would think, as big as she was, she would just kick it off? Ugh! I began to hate her with a passion. There was no way I was going stay with her all night!

After awhile it was such a drag, we had nowhere else to go. “Let’s go to your house?” she said. “Sweetie, look around, do you see any houses around here? NO!” I screamed at her.

I felt angry. She kept looking around, but as I saw her I got this little tingle in my stomach. I thought to myself, “Dude, she really does make sense most of the time.”

As we walked to find the nearest gas station, I fell and hurt my ankle. Oh boy, oh boy, is God punishing me for the way I’m acting towards her?

“Be nice Sandra, be nice!” I heard.

“Where did that come from?”

“Where did what come from?” the Gypsy said.

“You didn’t hear that?”

“No!” She replied.

“Ooh sorry!” I felt stupid, but it was okay for me to feel like that.

“Hey, hey, hey look over there. There’s a gas station!” I yelled.

After walking thirteen miles from our location, we felt relieved! We ran to the station for help and got what we wanted!

“How did you end up in the abandoned house?” I asked the gypsy. She didn’t give me a response. So I just ignored her. It3 didn’t really bother me as much. I kept trying to find a way to bring up a conversation, but for some reason nothing came to 18

Denise Ramos

mind. Hmm, I don’t know maybe I should just be quiet. I looked at her and she looked at me. Why do I have to be so mean? Umm…who knows. I’m just probably like that.

We wanted to say our goodbyes, but it was hard. I guess being mean to her made me realize that she was a really good friend.

She leaned over and said, “Bye Sandra, nice to meet you!”

“Bye Gypsy Girl, nice to meet you too!” I replied. I looked in the mirror. I looked sad, I don’t know why. Maybe I just enjoyed being her friend and comforting her. By then, I realized it was the end.

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The Unknown Devin Sheppard It was a dark night. There was a full moon and I was just arriving home with two of my friends. My friends wanted to look at the inside of my house, because it was two stories, and they said they liked how it looked from the outside. Before I took them on a tour through my house, I had to show them the tunnel that was on the side of my house. I told them that there were ghosts in it, but they didn’t care about the ghosts.

They still wanted to go check the tunnel out.

As we were entering the tunnel, we started to hear noises. My friends were already starting to creep out. We started to walk deeper into the tunnel and one of my friends said that he could feel hot air on the back of his neck, as if someone was breathing on him. I thought he was lying, so I told him we should keep going.

We heard loud screams and laughing, it sounded like someone was having a party. We saw something run past us very quickly, and then it was standing right in front of us. We thought it was just a shadow, but we knew that it couldn’t have been. We were getting closer, and closer and whatever was standing in front of us disappeared into mid air. We yelled and started running.

We ran to the other side of the tunnel and saw another ghost, but this ghost was different from the first ghost. This ghost looked like a little girl with white eyes floating in the air. It looked like she had a little teddy bear in her hand. My friends and I just tried to walk normally but the ghost started to follow us. At first, we were scared that she was going to hurt us, but after a while we realized that she wasn’t aggressive at all. We saw the evil ghost again but it wouldn’t come close to us, it just looked at us from a distance. When we were getting deeper in the tunnel, the ghost in the white dress disappeared and we were scared because we thought the evil ghost was going to attack us. We were getting scared, so we ran all the way back to the start of the tunnel.

We ran all the way to my house.

When we got there we went straight up to my bed room. We started hearing banging sounds. The lights in my room were flickering on and off. My mom couldn’t hear anything because she was in a deep sleep. I really didn’t want to wake her up. The TV in my room came on, but it was just static. We were terrified, so we shut my room door and we just sat on my bed thinking about what was going to happen next.

We were getting tired, but we didn’t want to go to sleep because we were too scared. We sat in my room and nothing unusual happened. I made my friends a bed on the floor, and I got in my bed and I turned my Ipod on and started to go to sleep. My 20

Devin Shepperd

friends were already asleep, but I was still wide awake listening to my Ipod. I looked down at the floor and I saw the blankets moving. My friends were not even disturbed by the moving off the blankets, and that’s when I got really scared.

Before I knew it, the door to my room was opening and I could hear one of my friends yelling. I looked and saw something was dragging him down the hallway. I tried to pull him, but I couldn’t get a good grip. The ghost took him downstairs and he was yelling and screaming in terror. The ghost killed him. There was blood everywhere from the terrible murder.

I woke my Mom up and she was in shock when she saw him lying on the floor dead. We called the police. When they got there they took pictures of him and took his body away. A few days later, we went to his funeral. It was sad that he had to die so young and so horribly. The next day my Mom and I packed our stuff and never returned. We moved into a brand new two story house. Hopefully, there won’t be any ghosts!

21

Lost in the Castle Erendida Martinez As she was running to the open door, she heard a noise, and then suddenly the door closed in front of her. It was a dark night and she didn’t know what she was doing there. The day before, she had been attacked. When she woke up, she was already in the castle. She didn’t have any idea how she got there. She was scared, hungry, dirty, and cold. There was no food, no water, nothing. She wanted to get out. She screamed, cried, and begged to be let out but no one answered or made noises. She knew there were people inside.

The only friend she had was God. God was her only hope. After some time, she finally heard noises. She thought it could be a rat or some animal. When she turned around, she saw a shadow pass by her so fast, she couldn’t tell what it was.

“Angela don’t be scared,” she said to herself. She walked in the direction that the shadow went. She kept walking, but didn’t know where she was going, and she didn’t stop.

Erendida Martinez

22

She suddenly saw a person standing in front of her. The person didn’t move or say anything. He just grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into a room. While they were in the room, another person came out and tied her legs to a chair.

She told them she was hungry and asked for something to eat.

There was complete silence. Then one of her captors left the room returning with a plate of food. She ate the food so fast she almost choked on it.

After that, they took her into another room where there were other people sitting.

She looked around and recognized some of the people. Her heart started to beat fast; she was scared.

“Angela,” someone called out her name. She freaked out. “Ha!! Don’t worry.

Everything is okay.” Everyone got up from their chairs and walked towards her.

“What’s going on? what are ya’ll going to do to me? Oh, God help me. Help!

Help! Help! Someone help me please!” she screamed.

She closed her eyes and tried to think about a good memory, but she could hear them as they started clapping.

“What’s going on? Why are you clapping?”

“Because you are going to be one of us now.”

“What do you mean? Don’t you dare touch me,” she said. “Ahhhhhhhh!!!”

Suddenly, she started shaking and fell to the floor. Her face changed. She was turning into a zombie. There was silence for the next ten minutes before she started moving again. She got up and stared at the other zombies. She still had on her black dress, but now it was all ripped.

Now Angela lives in the castle. Her family keeps looking for her without knowing anything about what happened to her. She has been lost for nearly a year. Her family is so worried about Angela being lost but they will never find her. She is one of them now.

23

The Revenge Janett Munoz “AHHHHHHHH! Help! Anyone!” I screamed at the top of my lungs as I ran through the dark, thick, scary woods. I looked back and was filled with so many mixed emotions. I regretted taunting the poor old man.

I had a hardcore flashback to the time that changed my life forever. I remembered like it was yesterday. It was a sunny morning and the Blue Jays were dancing and singing their same song. I walked outside and there he was, Chad. I was, and still am, disgusted by this weird man. He had a long white stringy beard that reached his belly button. He smelled like he had been digging through the garbage all day. He had beat up old rags that draped over his tiny fragile body.

I remember laughing into his scrawny wrinkled face.

“You will never amount to anything you LOSER!” I mocked.

I smirked after I said this awfully rude comment. Chad shot me “the ojo” and he screamed with anger.

“I’ll get revenge KID!” he screamed.

As I quickly realized Chad wasn’t kidding about the “revenge” a chill ran through my spine. I realized that if he wasn’t afraid to try to kill me, what else would he do? I felt the presence of this evil man getting closer and closer by the minute! I could hear and feel his hot breath down my neck. The aroma of garbage filled my nose. I could feel my dinner coming up my throat. So many thoughts flashed through my mind, “Will he catch me? Will I ever get away? Will I live to see tomorrow?” I felt Chad catching up to me, his footsteps a little bit quicker than mine.

He bellowed, “Come here Leslie, I don’t want to hurt you, I want to HUG you”!

“NOOOOOOOOOO!” I gripped onto the cold, dirty forest floor. I felt my life on Earth would be ending soon. My whole universe went into total darkness.

“Muahh mmmuaaaahh MMUUAAHHHH!” said a deep raspy mysterious voice. “Good job, my friend, you caught this little mutt you call your friend.” A cold sweat ran down my forehead as I was getting prepared to run away. “Aghhhhhhhh,” I screeched angrily as I figured out I was chained to a pole like a dog, and drenched in bright red blood that dripped down my hot, sweaty face. I shaked, yelled, and even begged, but I just couldn’t get out of the clutch of the chains.

“You will never get out Leslie I’m gonna make you suffer here until you die,” said the mysterious voice.

“Chad, please let me go! I swear never to make fun of you again”! I yelped as I yanked on the chains.”

24

Janett Munoz

“What? I’m not Chad!” said the mysterious voice.

“Really, Then who are you, his dad?” I snorted at my smart mouthed comment.

“Yes, I am. And I have been spying on my son since he ran away from home fifteen years ago, and I saw you making fun of my baby so I decided to make you pay for what you did.”

“Dad, leave Leslie alone. She didn’t mean to call me a loser,” Chad whimpered.

“NEVER!” He screamed.

“Shoot, I’m never gonna get out of these vicious chains. I’m going to die alone,” I whispered to myself. “Just kill me already!” I blurted out.

“Maybe I will!” Chad’s dad shouted as he raised a gun to my head. I closed my eyes tightly….and screamed as loud as I could.

“Honey, get up it’s time for school,” I heard mom say.

“What? Mom, is that you?” I lunged toward her and clung on to her body.

“Yes, dear. Get up. It’s time to for school. You’re going be late,” mom said in her tender voice.

“What? It was a dream? How could that be? It felt so real?” I said with a confused look. I guess it really was a dream. It was a scary, creepy dream that I will never forget.

25

The Journey Up Juan Rodriguez Some of you may have asked, “Where do animals come from? Where do people come from?” I’m going to tell you a story about where everything comes from.

One day, in a land far, far away (now known as Turkey), there lived a sinister man known to all as Tyrant. Tyrant was known for torturing and ruling over all the organisms of the earth. Every summer he would not share the liquid of life with any other animals on earth. So one day, after a convention in present-day Paris, all the animals and trees of the world joined together to drive Tyrant off the face of the earth.

They all approached Tyrant’s house in a frenzy ready to tear him into pieces.

Tyrant, in utter despair, tried to reason with the attackers.

“Why would you attack me, I’m much bigger than all of you?”

“Face it, Tyrant, you know you’re going to lose. Give up your mansion and we might let you leave unharmed!”

When Tyrant did not comply, the animals started burning down his house with him in it. In a panic, Tyrant rushed down to his basement, and with a shovel in his hands, he began to dig. After about a half hour, Tyrant dug so far underground he encountered a group of primates known today as human beings. Once he realized he could use these idiotic beings to his advantage, he attempted to confuse them.

“I once lived in a beautiful land up on the surface, but some savages attacked me and raided my farm and burned down my house. Can you find it in your hearts to help a defenseless man?” he pleaded in a timid way.

Once the humans heard Tyrant’s heartbreaking story, they knew they had to help him against these savages that ran him underground. So after much preparation, Tyrant led the human army up to the surface and began to fight against the evil nature that ran him out of his home. It took one thousand years to put all the animals back in their place. Tyrant was so grateful that he gave almost all control of the world to the humans. He was pleased that the humans helped him. He let them roam free across his new world.

The years that followed, tensions between Tyrant and the animals of the world ceased. Tyrant was never seen again. Though the world never heard of Tyrant again, some felt it wasn’t going to be long before he appeared once more. Some people felt that Tyrant was getting angry that the humans were ruining his world, and it was only a matter of time before he returned.

26

A Night of Revenge Marco Guerra Isaac Clark was in the New York Police Department when he killed the son of the mafia’s leader. After he graduated from the New York police department, he joined the Marines for a year. When he returned to his home, he found his family slaughtered.

The only thing he felt he should do was find the man that killed his family. The killer was Vincent Roberts, the head of the New York mafia. Isaac wanted revenge. * * *

Vincent Roberts was a man that had everything: family, money, and power. He was the head of the mafia in New York and his oldest son had been killed by a police officer. Vincent traced this policeman down and found out his name was Isaac Clark.

Isaac had a family and money. He enrolled in the military seven months ago. Vincent was after revenge. * * * Bang! Isaac was shot with a dart gun and passed out. The next thing he saw was the ocean and New York City in the evening as he struggled to breathe. He rushed to his apartment to rest. He woke up a few hours later on his floor surrounded by his family’s blood.

Isaac had nothing left, he lost his family, his house, and his bank account and everything he owned had been stolen. All he had was a uniform and a pistol. After he drained his misery in alcohol, Isaac decided to fight back.

When Isaac was shot with a dart, the dart contained a chemical that changed his genes. Isaac now had the power to turn into a werewolf. Isaac hated this because when he went to bed at night, he woke up and found that he had turned into a creature.

Every morning he looked at the obituaries and found that people had been killed. He read about the claw marks and animal fur found at the crime scene. Isaac knew it was him. After some time, he decided he would attempt to control his new powers and use it for revenge.

Vincent had been at the top of his game for the past few months. Business had been good. He was richer and more powerful than ever. He was very happy. Vincent was said to be more powerful than the president of the United States. He had been killing more and more innocent people. He killed good people that never did anything wrong to him.

27

Isaac read the obituaries every single day. He saw innocent people in the paper that died from a mysterious animal attack or were shot down by the mafia. He could have just killed Vincent and his family the way Vincent had done to him. Isaac read in the paper that Vincent and his family are going to a family reunion. The family reunion was supposed to include the most famous mobsters in the country. Isaac had learned to control his power and he planned to strike at the reunion.

"Every morning he looked at the obituaries and found that people had been killed."

Isaac was in the building where the meeting was taking place. Vincent was supposed to arrive at seven o’ clock. Isaac had been waiting since five. All he could think about was his family and the pain that Vincent caused. Isaac decided that he would show Vincent the same pain he had gone through. It was almost time and Isaac was waiting.

People started to arrive. Isaac was getting drunk but he couldn’t stop thinking about what he was going to do to Vincent. Mobster after mobster arrived. Finally, Vincent and his family arrived. It was time for him to act.

Isaac jumped onto the building where the reunion was taking place. He jumped through the window in a fury. The first gun out was Isaac’s. Eight shots. He pulled out his second gun and it alerted everyone. Isaac’s second gun was an automatic pulse rifle. He let thirty shots go out.

Isaac was shot during the fury, but he didn’t worry about it. He had dealt with greater pain. All that was left was the gangsters from New York and Russia. With the guns his father left him before he died, Isaac shot all of the Russian mobsters. It was only Vincent and the New York mobsters that were left.

Nine shots went off and Vincent’s guards were killed. Three more bullets and it was Vincent and his family’s turn. Isaac decided to shoot Vincent in the knee and wounded him. Isaac killed Vincent’s family and made him watch. He told Vincent to stretch his arm out and put an explosive in his hand. Vincent asked why and Isaac reminded him.

As Isaac left, there was an explosion behind him. It was almost midnight and there was one more thing he had to do. He had to leave the city in order to keep his werewolf instincts from killing anyone. The city was safe...for now.

28

ZOMBIES!

By Michael Rojas

“Grab some ammo!” Drake yelled, “We need all we can take.”

“There’s not much, Drake,” Jess replied. “We’ll just take it all.”

“Look out!” Drake shouted.

Drake cocked his gun and blew four holes into a walking dead body approaching behind Jess. The bullets pierced through the body as if it were made of butter.

“We better get moving,” Drake said.

The town of Vacadence was in anarchy. Streets were filled with walking corpses. All were hungry for human flesh. Vacadence had been nuked. War destroyed the whole world. Who knew if the whole world was filled with live corpses, or zombies, as some people called them. The chemicals from the radiation had somehow reached the Vacadence graveyards, bringing the dead to life.

Drake and Jess were a married couple who survived the bomb. They’d been together for about four years and could lose each other at any moment if a wrong move was made. Both were fearless, especially Jess. She was an ex-military general. She was named “Bravest in Battle” and had all the gun and survival skills necessary to make it.

She was their best chance at survival.

“Attention to anybody that can hear this, make your way toward Screech Hill Castle for evacuation!”

The passing Blackhawk chopper had caused a huge problem. The message announced had alerted the walking dead. Screeches were let out and growls pierced the ears of Drake and Jess.

“We got to move!” Drake yelled.

They ran out of there as fast as they had ever run before and shot at anything they saw move.

“Watch where you be shooting, man!” an unknown voice scuffled.

Drake and Jess turned to see a man dressed in a black tuxedo with a gun strapped to his chest.

“You got to move, they’re coming!” Drake shouted as he ran.

“Can I come with you?” The man asked.

Drake paused to think. “Ok, come on!” Drake exclaimed.

Drake had just broken one of the rules of survival: Don’t trust anybody. They knew nothing of this man. He was an odd-looking guy. They ran, blasting bullets into every walking thing they saw. Bodies dropped like rag dolls. The street was a pool of blood. Drake, Jess, and the unknown man were the only ones that hadn’t drowned.

“There!” Jess shouted.

29

The top of Screech Hill Castle was visible. They had a chance to live.

They were approached at the cemetery gate. It was, perhaps, an omen of their fate.

They had escaped. They slowed to catch their breath.

“Who are you?” Drake asked the stranger.

“My name is Dave.”

“Listen, I don’t know you. I don’t want to know you, and I don’t want you around us,” Drake said. “You’re on your own.”

Dave nodded and said, “Thanks for getting me this far.”

Drake and Jess were getting close to Screech Hill Castle with every step.

“What’s that?” Jess asked.

“I’m not sure, come’ on! We’re almost there!”

“How much further?” Jess whined, “I’m tired of walking.”

“Not much, we’re down the street.” Drake said.

“Urghh!”

Jess looked back and saw a horde of the walking dead coming after them.

“Don’t stop running!” Drake yelled.

The dead were too fast. They caught Jess.

“Drake!” Jess screamed. Drake turned back to see Jess being dragged by zombies.

“Jess!”

Drake sprinted back, shooting anything he could. He was a few feet away from Jess. It was too late.

Jess had been ripped to shreds. Drake fell on his knees, and pointed his gun to his head. CLICK! The gun was empty. Tears drowned Drake’s face.

The gun was empty.

“Come get me!”

Drake yelled.

The dead rushed towards Drake body.

They ate him alive just a hundred feet from Screech Hill Castle. It was the end of everything.

Saul Ceniceros

30

Ghostly Castle Sergio Paredes I entered a black, dark castle. I felt the raindrops falling from the roof. I felt scared and just wanted to run out of this place. I remembered the nightmares I had the night before and I imagined a monster coming out to kill me. As I kept walking, I felt my heart beat faster and faster, until I thought it was going to blow up. I remembered yesterday and how I was hanging out with my friend and playing with our video games and having such a good time. I thought I was on a passage to hell and I didn’t know what was going to happen to me.

As I kept walking down the dark, shallow hallway, I suddenly saw a little boy’s face. I was shocked and scared. I started walking slowly and silently. Suddenly, the boy I had seen before came out and he was as scared as I was. He asked what I was doing here and I told him I had just woken up here.

He said his name was Damon, and he said he bizarrely woke up here too. We started to walk down the hallway and talked more. He told me he was from California and he said he was also having a normal day before he got here. We both didn’t know how we got here, we thought something had abducted us and brought us to the castle.

The passage seemed like it was never going to end, but it gave us more time to talk to each other and we were becoming friends. Suddenly, we heard footsteps coming from behind us. I was scared. I remained calm, but Damon got really frightened and ran away as fast as a rocket. I rushed to follow him, but I had no chance to catch up to him. Now I was alone and even more afraid than when I got here. I heard the footsteps come closer and closer and I thought I had no chance. I started to run as quickly as I could down the endless hallway. I soon heard Damon screaming for help. I instantly thought that the thing or monster had gotten him. I started running even faster, but it seemed like it was never going to stop.

Boom! I fell hard to the floor. I realized there was a hole in the ground and I had fallen through it. I fell about ten feet and now it was even worse. I was injured and in a place I didn’t even know. I could barely walk. The new place I was in had torches on the sides of the wall and I felt like I was going into a vampire’s lair. Unexpectedly, I heard moaning from someone and I realized it was Damon. I went to investigate. I started walking slowly down the tunnel where I heard the noise and it was at the end of the corridor where I found a door in front of me. It was in here where I heard the moaning. When I opened the door, I didn’t believe what I was seeing; Damon was getting ready to be executed on an electric chair.

“Barrett, save me from him,” Damon said as he was laughing. “Ha-ha Barrett, you just fell in my trap. Slave, get him now!”

31

Sergio Paredes

I suddenly felt someone grabbing me in a chokehold.

“Barrett, I am not who you think I am. I have been the sole protector of this castle for hundreds of years, and now I think it’s time for a change,” Damon started laughing. “Barrett, you will be the new protector of the castle and I will take your spot as a human”.

I realized that Damon was a ghost and he wanted my human body. The person that had me in the chokehold was the person we heard while we were in the tunnel.

“Jesse, start it now,” Damon said.

I then saw Damon turn into his human form. Suddenly, I saw Jesse. His slave let me go. He went towards Damon and held him against his will. He screamed at me to get the knife that was on the floor and kill Damon. I got it. I felt bad for what I was going to do, but I knew I had to do it. I closed my eyes and I killed him. When I opened my eyes all I saw was blood on the floor and a dead body.

Jesse grabbed me and ran to the hallway. He pushed a block and we were suddenly outside. It felt so good, finally being in the fresh air. Jesse told me we were in the outskirts of a forest in California. I felt good when I heard we were still in California because I was close to home. I was confused that there was a castle in a forest. Jesse grabbed me and he showed me to his car. He led us down a road and I was relieved when I saw a sign that said fifty miles to Los Angeles. Jesse and I started talking and he explained what happened at the castle. Damon was a ghost and he took Jesse there to be his slave. Damon sent Jesse an invitation but never let him go. He explained that Damon could only get out of the castle with another body. The two of us became friends and promised never to return to the forest or castle again.

32

The Bomb’s Off by Dawn Nathan Kosub

The end as I, the kindred and kine, know is here. With war and chaos, no one knows who dropped the first bomb, but we know. Only we the kindred, or vampires, know how it began, but we don’t know how it will end. For things play out differently for everyone who looks at it, but apparently the Sabot thought they would have a cute little joke to play on the Camarilla. They had no idea of the consequences of their actions. Those poor sobs, they’re thrown into an endless frenzy for they have lost all humanity in the embrace from kine to kindred.

I remember how I was embraced, 500 years ago. I was a knight. I defended my honor, my town, and my cross. As you see, I was once a believer of the now so-called “God.” In battle, I was wounded and sent to a convent in what is now Scotland. Once I was healed, I traveled through treacherous, unexplored, terrain.

I met a strange woman who seemed to stay quiet and hidden, but took a strange liking for me. Don’t get me wrong, she was a nice person, about in her twenties, but something was off. I couldn’t tell what it was though. When dusk approached, she led me to her cabin to rest for the night, but what came next was unexpected.

“Please, rest.”

“Thank you, fair maiden.”

“Now close your eyes, and when you awake your life will change forever young knight.” I then fell asleep, then felt a sharp pain in my neck. When I awoke the next morning I felt dizzy, nauseous, and I had an unquenchable thirst, a thirst as if I hadn’t drank anything in a few days. When I got out of bed, I collapsed to the floor. She must have heard me for she came to my aid.

“What sorcery is this?”

“I’m sorry, but I have embraced you into a darker world, hiding within the one you came from. You are now kindred, a vampire.”

“Foul being, why have you vexed me?! Ugh…” My throat was dry, as dry as the deserts in Africa. She reached out her hand. A strange force was compelling me, so I went with it. I was soon sinking my fangs into her wrist slowly draining precious blood from her arm. I quickly pulled back after taking my fill. I was no longer hungry, nor thirsty.

“So, what exactly have you done to me, huh?”

“I have transformed you into a creature of the night.”

“But, why me?”

“You are a brave warrior, and we need your help.”

“Why didn’t you just ask me? I would’ve helped….. well after getting over the 33

whole vampire thing, but still.”

“They can smell the difference of kindred and kine.”

“Wonderful. Now explain to me who are they?”

“The Tzimisce clan. They are stealing away kine to do rituals to their dark master.”

“And you want me to stop them, right?”

“Correct.”

“Ok. Now where exactly are those little devils?”

“In a cave to the west.”

“This seems very cliché, but alright, I’m off then.”

“Be careful.”

After that I went off without another word to fight this evil, but when I got to the entrance of the cave my stomach turned and the smell made me want to puke. The smell of rotting flesh and the stench of the dead ascended to my nose with a vile force.

I moved deeper and deeper into what seemed to be a desolate cave.

“Is this a trap, for I see no one and there is nowhere left to...” before I was able to finish my sentence a low droning noise started ringing in my ears and I saw the world in a deep, blood red, and in this red I could see what I couldn’t see before.

I pressed my hand against a rock that seemed to have a handprint of someone else that had been here before. As I pressed my hand to the cold, damp, rock I no longer saw red. Before me, a new passage appeared and the smell of death thickened. I knew I was drawing close to this fiend. As I entered the passage, I could tell that this was man-made. The walls were smooth, and the stairwell led to a mausoleum. As I entered this unholy ground, I saw mirrors line the walls of the room and in the middle, a blood stained altar.

“You were a fool to come here,” a demonic voice said, appearing to know that I was coming.

“You vile beast, show your pathetic face!” I screamed.

“As you wish,” the daemon said with a calm, egotistic voice.

Then from out of one of the mirrors he appeared. A large daemon with goatlike feet, large bird-like talons, and a face only an evil daemon mother could love. “I am Exmortis, Lord of Death.”

I clenched my sword and charged at him with inhuman speed, but as I drew close, he disappeared into one mirror and out another.

“You’ll never defeat me like that,” he said laughing.

He charged at me with his large talons, striking me in the arm. I then realized that his powers lay within those accursed mirrors. I ran through slashing the mirrors, while dodging Exmortis’ attacks.

“You are a fool to think you can weaken me like that. Now you shall die for 34

coming here!” He screamed.

As he charged at me, I saw the altar glow. I now knew how to kill him. I dodged his attack, and ran for the altar. He tried to stop me by throwing a shard of glass at my leg. It slowed me down, but did not stop me. I lifted my sword to the altar and shoved my sword into the middle. While doing so, beams of light shot out of Exmorits as he let out a gut wrenching cry.

But that was then. Now I sit here in this office waiting for the world to end.

“Sir, we need to get out of here!”

“Evacuate the building.”

“What about you, sir?”

“I’ll stay here.”

“You’ll die! The building will collapse on top of you!”

“No, I’ll be awakened once more for the final battle.”

Rocio Alvarado

35

The Robber Regina Araiza Brad ran through the dark, cold graveyard with the memory of stealing the millions of dollars from the bank still in his head. He had finally gotten away from the cops. He could still hear the faint sound of police sirens. Exhausted, he knelt to the ground still clutching the bag of money he stole. He pulled off the mask that hid his identity. Opening the bag, he gazed at the many green bills of money with a proud grin on his face. He stood up and mist surrounded his legs. It felt cool as it moved across the ground. Brad started to walk away as soon as the sound of the sirens faded, then suddenly - CRACK! - Fear came over him as he heard the loud cracking noise, like the sound of someone stepping on a stick.

“Who’s there?!” he shouted as he pulled out his rifle and held it out into the open, waiting for whoever, or whatever, made that noise.

“C’mon! Show yourself!” he shouted again. No response.

Chills went down his spine as he waited. He brought his gun down when he was finally convinced that no one was there.

He continued his path back home, hoping not to hear anything else. It was quiet when he got onto his street. All he could hear was the sound of his own footsteps… until he began to hear the echo of a second set of footsteps following far behind him. Thinking nothing of it, he kept walking calmly, until the sound grew louder, and louder. The footsteps grew closer, and closer. He started to run.

The steps ran behind him. Whoever it was, they were following him. “I can’t let them follow me home,” Brad thought to himself as he ran. He decided to run into an alley nearby, but the footsteps still followed him. He sprinted as fast as he could until the alley came to a dead end. He turned around quickly. His back facing the wall, he reached for his gun but couldn’t get it out of his pocket. The footsteps ran closer and closer into the dark alley. Brad closed his eyes expecting whoever this person was to put an end to his life. Nothing happened. He opened his eyes and saw that it was not a person trying to kill him, but his girlfriend, a girl, with long brunette hair, tan skin, and dark brown eyes.

He stared at her in awe for about four seconds, but then snapped out of his trance when she asked, “Brad what are you doing! My parents think you’re a bad enough influence on me already! And now you’re going out robbing banks?!”

“Leslie, I went and stole this money so we could be able to be together!

You don’t have to worry about your parents hating me anymore. We can get a house now.”

36

Regina Araiza

They froze when they heard the police sirens nearing them again.

“There’s no time for this, we need to get out of here! The police are still looking for you,” Leslie said as she grabbed Brad’s hand and started to run, yanking him off with her.

As they ran, the sirens grew louder and louder, no matter where they went.

They ran into a forest full of trees, and hid behind a bush.

“Leslie you go home! I can’t risk you going to jail if I get caught!” Brad told her as he held her hand.

“No! I can’t leave you alone!” she said to him.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of rustling grass. Brad pulled out his rifle and waited, and then he quickly stood up and aimed his gun. BANG!! Brad stood in silence, his eyes wide. He looked down to see blood running down his chest, and looked back up at the police officer who sent the bullet through him. He stared down at Leslie, dropped his gun, and fell to the ground. Leslie kneeled over him.

“B-B-Brad...” she said in a sad voice, tears streamed down her face. Brad looked up at her, barely alive, “Oh my god! Brad!”

She held him tightly, bursting out crying. His blood stained her shirt.

“I love you,” Brad quietly said to her as he shut his eyes and died in her arms.

37

38

Raquel Lira

Kingsborough

39

40

Ilene Brookhouser

The Spirits Gabriel Diaz My name is Kinto and I am from the Karenkawa tribe. My father is the leader of our tribe. He has told us stories about Fuego, the spirit of fire. Also, my father told us stories about another spirit, Tsunami, the spirit of water. These two spirits have fought for many years; they caused destruction to our village and the world.

Gabriel Diaz

In the beginning the water spirit helped us keep clean, wash our clothes, quench our thirst, help us stay cool in the hot summers, and sometimes he let us play in the water. Tsunami was pleased that we depended on him for our needs.

One day, another spirit named Fuego came to our village. Fuego began to provide us with warmth when we were cold, fire to cook our food, gave us light in the night, and gave us fire to protect us from night creatures. This made Tsunami very angry, because he did not like the people to depend on the other spirit. Tsunami had thrown water into Fuego’s face to make him flee. However, fuego did not flee. Instead it made him angry, leading him to burn down all the crops. Immediately, Tsunami made it rain on all the crops and Fuego. This fight caused our village so much destruction it brought great sadness among the people. They were so sad that it also made the spirits sad.

Finally both of the spirits realized how much damage they had done to our village. They both came into an agreement to help us. Now Tsunami and Fuego work together to supply our people’s essential needs to survive from generation to generation.

41

Revenge Gone Wrong: A story OF how two girls became ghosts Alexandria Alvarado Marylynn’s Point of View

I don’t know why, but she doesn’t like me. My name is Marylynn, Marylynn Rose Edwards. And Elizabeth Catherine Morris doesn’t like me. We have met before, at one of my dad’s business parties. Her dad worked for my dad. Does she not like me because I’m rich, beautiful, and I always get what I want? Now we are at school and she is always giving me mean and hateful glares. I wonder why, maybe because her dad got fired by my dad. It’s not my fault her dad did nothing at my dad’s work. But it can’t be, because her dad can get a job somewhere else. Maybe she doesn’t like me because she is jealous. Oh well, I would be too.

Elizabeth’s Point of View

I hate Marylynn. We first met at my dad’s, used to be, job. We introduced ourselves to each other and everything was fine, but now my dad is fired and I want revenge. I know she had some kind of secret and I want to know. No wait, I’m going to know!

Marylynn’s Point of View

Maybe she knows about my secret, the secret of how I got rich and beautiful.

Maybe she knows the words to the spell that made me have this life, and maybe she will reverse it. I bet she knows, but is not going to know the spell after I’m done with her.

Marylynn’s Point of View

It was Saturday and Elizabeth has been staring at me all week. So tonight I’m going to her house and I’m going to kill her. She can’t know my secret. If anybody knew it would ruin me. I would be a nobody, and I won’t go back to that lifestyle again. Now it’s eleven and I’m outside her house.

42

Alexandra Alvarado

Elizabeth’s Point of View

Tonight my mother and father are going to my mother’s business party. I’m home alone, and that is where I want to stay. I stayed home, so I can plan my revenge.

Elizabeth’s Point of View

I’m planning my revenge and I hear some cracks creaking, and I think my sisters are back. Someone knocks on my door. “Come in,” I say. “Hey honey,” my mother says, “We’re going to be a little late, the party is still going on and I wanted to tell you that your sisters should be coming home soon.” “Okay,” I reply and kiss her on the cheek before she leaves.

Marylynn’s Point of View

Right when I was about to get out of my car, another car pulls up. It’s Elizabeth’s mother. She goes in and comes out ten minutes later. After they leave I go inside.

Elizabeth’s Point of View

Right after my mother leaves I hear more creaking noises. I call out, “Emma!” to my older sister. “I’m in my room,” I say so that I don’t worry her. Then somebody knocks on my door. “Come in,” I say with my back to the door. “Hi,” says the voice of the devil I was trying to get revenge on Marylynn.

Marylynn’s Point of View When I get inside the house it is pretty nice. When I get on the stairs they creak. “Oh dear!” is what is running through my head when I stepped on the crack.

Then I hear, “Emma, I’m in my room.” Now I got you, is what I think. I knock on the door, and Elizabeth says, “Come in.” “Hi,” I say in my sweetest voice and look at her face, and the fear on her face is visible and priceless.

Elizabeth’s Point of View

When I turn around, I see her face. The wind gets knocked right out of me.

Fear hits me and I don’t know why, I think it was the look on her face. It scared me.

It looked like it was saying, “Elizabeth, I have a surprise for you, and it’s DEATH!” I felt sick but the question everybody asks before something bad happens comes out, “What do you want?” I am scared to know what happens next. “You know my secret,” Marylynn said, “And now I’m going to kill you because you know it.” What? Kill me?

Secret? “What secret?” I ask, curious to know. “Don’t play dumb,” she says. “ I know you know that I went to the Magic Gypsy and took the potion that changed my life.

From being ugly and fat, and now being beautiful and having a perfect body. From being poor with nothing and now being rich with everything. You know,” she said with venom in her voice. I stood there shocked, she got a magic potion. Wow! Next thing I know is that she stabbed me in my stomach. “Wait, I had no idea,” I said. “I just wanted revenge. Well now I got mine,” she said, and stabbed me a couple more times in my stomach. Next thing I know is that everything is fading away, and then I black out.

43

Marylynn’s Point of View

“I did it,” was all that was running through my mind. She didn’t even know my secret, but she would have found out sooner or later. And when she is in her coffin she will be twice as ugly, because I put a spell on the knife. The spell on the knife is that whenever you cut somebody with it, the spell will go in your body and turn you ugly forever. I get in my car, great, now it’s raining. I start the car and drive toward my house. I speed up and then I see head lights coming towards me. I step on my breaks, and then swerve. I fell off the road, into the river. Next thing I realize is that my car is filled with water. I start to panic. Terror rushes over me. Before I even have a chance to think, the car is filled with water up to my shoulders. I open the car door and realize that the water will rush in and drown me. The water hits me and my lungs and body are filled with water.

Elizabeth’s Point of View

“Oh,” is what I think as I take a deep breath. It hurts but all I’m thinking about is how I’m still alive, but when I look around I’m in the Northern Louisiana Hospital.

I’m in a bed and I call out, “Help! Can anybody help me?” A young nurse comes in with light brown hair pulled back and a light blue dress on. “Yes,” she asks. “What am I doing here,” I said barely able to speak. “You don’t remember, huh?” she asks. “Dr. Harrison,” she yells down the hall. A man, with dirty blonde hair and a nice, healthy figure comes in. “Hi, I’m Dr. Harrison,” he says in a nice calm voice. “What am I doing here,” I ask again, only a little louder with anger in my voice, because nobody will tell me why I’m here. “Well, you got stabbed by somebody. We don’t know who did it, but do you remember?” he asks. Then it all comes back to me. Marylynn and her secret, and the knife. “Marylynn,” I say, still in a trance from my flashback. “Marylynn Rose Edwards,” I say. Then I black out.

Elizabeth’s Point of View

I’m seventy-six now; ugly, sick, and dying in bed. I cough, fall back on my pillow and close my eyes. I see my body lying there before going into a bright light, then all of a sudden I’m in Heaven. It’s beautiful, words can’t describe how beautiful it is. The first thing I do is ask, “Where is Marylynn?” “Still on Earth,” a beautiful and calm voice says. “I want to go find her,” I say. Then all of a sudden I’m back on earth with the body I died in but with a ghostly style. I’m wearing an old worn-out night dress with holes at the bottom. My face is old with wrinkles, oversized pimples and moles. I have normal dark brown eyes, my hair is gray and very thin. My skin is very pale, and pruny with a dull color. My body is shaped like a plum and I’m not very tall, my hands and feet have long and untrimmed nails. Great, I’m a ghost that looks exactly how I died; ugly, gross, and definitely not beautiful.

44

Marylynn’s Point of View When I died everything went black. Then out of nowhere, I heard a voice say, “That was wrong, so now you are punished to stay on Earth forever.” So I have the same body I had when I died. I’m wearing a long white dress, it’s ripped on the sides and on the bottom with dirt everywhere. I have my beautiful features, my perfect nose, soft lips, breathtaking blue eyes, and my perfectly curled blonde hair. I have a soft, blemish-free light complexion, not too white and not so much a bronze color. I’m normal height for my age, sixteen, and I’m slim but have the right curves. My hands and feet are nice, with trimmed nails with a clean shine to them. They are not too big and not too small. My skin is soft with enriched minerals that give my skin a glow, this is how I died.

Elizabeth’s Point of View

I ended up at my house, I sat on my first step, deciding what do next. Everything has been cleared out and my house is falling apart. I hear something or someone open the backdoor. Then all of a sudden, I’m facing Marylynn, facing feet away from me.

Marylynn’s Point of View

I decided I wanted to go to Elizabeth’s house, I don’t know why. Maybe because I will have flashbacks of what I did, and God wants me to live with that forever. I go through the back door and I see Elizabeth. She is a ghost like me but old and ugly. “Ha-ha, you died old and ugly, even when you were young,” I said. “No,” she says, “I died at the age of seventy-six, old and ugly.” “How?” I asked. “Because when I woke up in the hospital, somebody saved me. Then they asked who stabbed me and I said it was you, but they never found you. Until you washed up from the Mississippi River,” she said smoothly, as if she was reading it off a piece of paper, liked it never happened. “And now I’m glad you are here,” she said in a sly voice, “I have been waiting for you.”

Ingrid Trevino

Elizabeth’s Point of View

I told Marylynn I’ve been waiting for her. When she heard that come out of my mouth, she disappeared into thin air. I guess it’s time for an adventure, here I come Marylynn.

45

Untitled Alexis Torres

Long ago, there lived an evil queen and her name was Jo Ann. She was mean, nasty and especially ugly inside and out. Every villager couldn’t wait for something bad to happen to her. She always put them down calling them names, not remembering she used to be one. But the power went to her head. Everyone wished the king married her nice sister. Of course she tricked him into loving her; he didn’t know her real personality. One day she was walking to the kitchen and she noticed something she had never seen before. It was a large golden doorknob. But there was no door. When she grabbed it, it started making noises like a lock would. A doorway had come upon her.

She walked in not knowing what to expect.

The place was dark, quiet, and very humid. But she noticed something strange.

She heard a quiet hushed breathing. She peered in finding her sister, Margaret. Thinking back to her childhood how everyone loved her sister because she was so nice, she built a wall holding Margaret in there, making her suffer like she suffered as a child.

But would Margaret survive? It has been three months since she hid her. How could she have survived so long? She felt as if she could scream. Margaret should have been gone by now. Something must be wrong here. There was a trail of breadcrumbs and a puddle of water. Someone must have been coming in here without her knowing about it. It must have been her husband; he always had a soft spot for her.

Something must be done to get rid of her. But what could she do? She figured she’d poison her sister. Yes, she would commit the murder without anyone knowing.

She was happy and full of joy knowing what she was going to do. Walking into the secret room she went to see her sister. She told her she was letting her be free, but she must feed her first. She immediately gave her the “special” water. Drinking quickly she asked for more. Every time Margaret drank Jo Ann’s smile would get wider.

Finally after eight glasses of water, Margaret was full. She began to sweat and her eyes got large. She grabbed her throat and signaled she was choking. The queen laughed at her sister’s misery. She found it highly entertaining. But not knowing her husband was right behind her this whole time, calling the doctors to help his sister-in-law.

When the doctors came it was too late. Margaret had passed away. Jo Ann was happy her poison had worked but was immediately taken to the village jail. She hated it but it was her fault for killing her sister. It was dark, cold and lonely. No one has seen her since but rumor has it she has been plotting her return. But next time she wouldn’t have as much power.

Paul Vasquez

46

I AM DEAD Juan Garcia

Mayra Mendez

A monk sat down to drink water. He bows to show respect to the earth. This small man lives in a temple. His only forms of clothes are sandals with a red robe. He has no connection to the outside world. This man who never does anything bad, meditates. He does this to pray to his god Buddha. POF POF. He hears a gun shot. Then he sees something foul. A man starts rolling down a hill. His shirt filled with blood. When he takes his last breath. He is dead.

POF POF. Gun shots race past his head. In a blink of an eye the monk runs as fast as he can, not looking back. He found himself in a closet in the temple while his whole life flashes in front of his eyes. He knew that if he wanted to live he would have to take the gun. He pushes the closet open. As that happens the man falls down, then stands. He smiles and then the front door bursts open. He runs to the back escaping the cop. He did not know he was shot!

He thought to himself, “Am I dead?” He saw nothing but white. Then he heard, “Why did you do it, punk!” A man with a loud voice yelled. His eyes opened to find himself in a hospital bed. He heard the doctor say it gets his time. He saw his life flash before his eyes again.

The lights turned off. He was in a cop car in a dark tunnel. He saw the light at the end. He passed it. They were at the pearl gates cop department.

The gates opened. A large man said, “It is time for you to go. It’s your time, sir. You paid your respect.” They were in the police office. The man said, all because of a murder. He saw his mom crying then he knew he was going to jail. For the rest of his life he will be in a cell. Just for being seen in a murder. In the next room he heard a man saying, “Are you ready to check this body?” He felt a cold metal object go into his chest. “This poor man, he saw a man kill that guy over there.” His name is Fred, a murderer that kills whoever he wants. I AM DEAD!

In the end he will not find you again. You’re safe up here no one will get you. Your head is in the clouds. Bye. Your family will miss you. Then I started to bleed. I fell to the ground. I have arrived. I am in heaven. I am free. I am dead at last.

47

Zombie Encounter Alexis Lopez

There is this old haunted house at the end of the street. This house is green and spooky looking. It has tape going across saying, “DO NOT ENTER!” I believe that it is haunted. Every time I pass it, I feel like someone or something is staring at me.

But who is going to stop me from going into it? I finally go inside the creepy house.

Something is following me, but every time I turn around, it disappears. What is it?

Every step I take seems to have a louder echo. I play around with it. Then I get serious. Since every time I turn around it hides, I decide to play a trick so I can catch it. I jerk my head to the side, but not all the way around. A quick second later I turn all the way around. Then, our eyes meet. It’s really ugly looking. It stares right at me. “It” happens to be a big ugly zombie.

The zombie blocks the front door. I hesitate for a bit, then take off to the backyard hoping nothing is blocking my escape. Then I stop for a second. A big privacy fence is blocking my way. When I come to my senses, I realize I’m not scared. The zombie senses that I’m not scared, and confident that he won’t kill me. At least I hope.

It seems like the zombie knows me...but how?

Without the dirty layer, bluish skin, moaning and groaning, I would have noticed the familiar face. In fact it was a loved one. This person died three years ago.

I guess he never really rested in paradise. He recognized me. But, I wasn’t about to hug a smelly demon, no matter who this person was when he had a beating heart. Yeah, this person happened to be my dad. I missed him so much.

I tried not to break into tears. I wanted to see him again, but not like this. This can’t be real, I thought to myself. When you think about it, you know this is not the real him, but the remains of him. So many memories flashed before my eye. I know I couldn’t keep the tears any longer. I had to let them out. I knew it wasn’t safe. I had to get out somehow.

“Somebody help me!” I scream.

It took a couple of seconds but I got an answer. It was similar to my mother’s voice. I turned around in confusion. It was her!

“Alexis, I thought I told you to never come in this house!” she yelled. “Now I have to fight off your fathers’ remains!” That freaked me out! I begged that they wouldn’t really fight, but I let my mother speak her mind. Her words are strong enough.

My mother isn’t a superhero in some peoples’ eyes. People see it as protecting her kids. I don’t. She is my superhero and she knows how my father was when he was alive. He can’t talk, but you can tell that he wanted to. All he did was moan and groan.

It was pretty annoying but it seemed like I had no way to escape so I hid and watched 48

Alexis Lopez

the feud. The only thing that stuck out to me is when my mother said, “Do you really want your daughter to see you like this?” It worked. It seemed like I was forced to go into that house. Maybe it was to see my father.

It doesn’t stop there. They both came closer to me. I started screaming at the top of my lungs. But it sounded muffled. No one can hear me. I cried and kicked as much as I could. I started to run. But I didn’t get away. They came closer and closer.

Then, I woke up. Terrible dream!

49

Not Knowing Amber Fuentes

As I was finishing the touch up on my makeup, a thought busted into my head, “Who was my biological family?” I mean, the circus was my real family, but where did I come from? As my mind wandered, I saw a picture in my mind of a young girl carrying me in her bruised arms. Now the only hope was to find my real family. As I felt a tear dripping down my face, I quickly wiped it off because the show was about to go on.

As I was getting ready to perform, I suddenly felt dizzy. I had learned my routine, I mean, I could do it by heart. This time it was different. I felt a presence, everybody seemed to be moving in slow motion. I started to stumble on my stilts and fell right on top of an elephant. I let myself fall, even though I could have gotten back up. As I crawled to the back curtain, I was mesmerized.

I was in the back where we usually do our hair and makeup. I sat on a leather green chair with my name on it, Serenity. No one was in the back because everyone was performing. I sat on the chair until I got the chills. Even though nobody was near me, I could feel a presence. My eyes wandered around the room looking for someone but then I heard a loud piercing sound in my ear. It sounded like nails scratching a chalkboard. The sounds made me want to scream and collapse, because it was making me even dizzier.

I looked up, and there she was. She was beautiful, tall with pale ivory skin and the lightest blonde hair I have ever seen. Every time the spotlight would creep through the curtain, she seemed to shine. I looked up at her, but not a smile was on her face. She told me to follow her. She took me to this dark room and the only light on was of three burning candles. I sat down in a chair, she sat opposite me. She asked me who I was and how I got in the circus. I answered the questions without hesitation and asked her what her name was. She said her name was Eresis. She seemed to get teary eyed by the thought of me being in the circus. I slowly walked out of the room and she followed.

As Eresis kept approaching, I was beginning to worry. I walked faster and faster. She yelled that she knew where my family was. I didn’t believe her, she read my mind. I asked her where they were and she answered, “Closer than you think.” She told me to follow her and she led me to a dark, old cemetery. I politely asked her when she would lead me to my family. Eresis answered in a low voice, “You are with your family.”

She looked at me with a frown and said to hold on and look for someone that passed away in 2001. I asked her why, but Eresis didn’t answer. She told me if I ever wanted to find my family I needed to help her.

50

Amber Fuentes

I soon realized what she was saying. She meant my family was dead. I really didn’t know how to react. So I just scanned and scanned. As I looked down the rows, they seemed to go on forever. I didn’t really know what the names of my family were, so it was pretty hard to find them. At last, I found my brother. His grave said he was in the military and got shot there. In some way I was happy that my brother was there, even if he was now dead. I had finally found my family.

Most of all, I really wanted to be with them, but for now the circus needed me. I never found out who the woman was or how she knew where my family was.

Now I know how I ended up in the circus. The circus was my real family, because I never had a “real” family. I promised I would never leave the circus, that’s the least I could do. I never got mad at the circus people or threatened to leave. I now appreciate what they have done to take care of me.

Through the years, I visited my brother and scanned the rows for other family members but never found any. Now at the circus I am a tiger instructor. And I never saw the lady again. Now it relieves me to know were my family is.

51

Untitled Brianna Rios

My eyesight was clearer than ever. My thick muscular legs going right, left, right, left. My heart was pounding and I was so scared. All I remember was I went in a forest and there I was, a fur ball. What’s so attractive about me being a werewolf? Nothing, but at least I’m muscular. I would say, a little too muscular. I had a dry taste in my mouth. I was thirsty, and I was daydreaming about a rich piece of milk chocolate.

I had a mission and that was to eat all the chocolate. At first I thought the idea was ridiculous, but my boss made a point. The plan was quite simple; I had to eat all the chocolate. Now I was in love with the plan. You see, the vampires own this chocolate shop, and it means the world to them. So when it was noon, the sun was shining right toward the chocolate shop. It was a perfect time to steal all their precious chocolate.

I was beginning to eat every single piece, including dark milky, white, and even rainbow chocolate. Thinking about it made my mouth watery. I went inside the golden room, and in clear view I saw the mouth-watering chocolate. Everyone in Texas knew it was the best and richest chocolate ever. As I took a few steps in I smelled a vampire. My heart was pounding and I knew I was risking my life. In my head I knew I was wasting time. They were the fastest bloodsuckers I ever laid my eyes on. I felt a breeze hit my face, and there he was. I gasped for air. I knew I shouldn’t have listened to my boss, but at least I could impress him!

Austin was the boss of us werewolves. He was the most handsome werewolf I’ve ever spotted. His sparkling eyes changed to hazel in the glazing sun. He was my love. Little did I know, I was risking my life. Bob was the head Vampire who lead the rest of them. He was a snow white-skinned beast that made me sick to my stomach. He was built, but didn’t interest me.

There I spotted Bob ready to battle, but I sure wasn’t. His smell made me want to gag. I thought this was the last day of my life. I felt scared and I didn’t want to die. Bob caught up to me as I tried to run away. I knew he could keep chasing me, so I led him to the other werewolves. The only one who was there was my Austin, and I knew he could take Bob. Austin was panicking, he didn’t expect to see Bob chasing after me. As I slammed my head into a tree, my eye sight went dead.

I woke up in the exact forest that I had been in when I had turned into a human. All of a sudden I faced myself, and I wasn’t the same person. I had feet and hands with thumbs, but most importantly I had no hair to be seen. I saw a cop with a worried look on his face taking a few steps toward me. I saw a group of heavy set cops come forward looking at me from a glance. Then all of sudden I was at my parents house, and I remember seeing my mother in tears. The next morning I was buried beneath the tree where they had found me dead in the forest. That was the last night of my adventurous life.

52

Brianna Rios

53

The Green Mansion Christian Ayala

His right foot was replaced with a stolen robotic foot. His left foot was normal, but had no toes from being chopped off on purpose by his self. Both of his hands were missing several fingers. The nerves in his body did not work as well as they used to so it’s hard for him to feel anything. His eyes saw bluriness everywhere they looked.

He couldn’t afford glasses because nobody offered him a job so he started stealing anything that he liked and lived in an abandoned mansion.

He had been scared, but there was no other shelter for him to live in so he lived in the green mansion. He had no problems about where he was staying. After a while of stealing and living in the old mansion, he started losing his interest and emotions.

On the last day, he had his emotions. He had a flashback, a horrible one. He remembered the moment his family died in a house fire that was started by a prisoner. He was on his way home with logs and an axe when he saw and heared his family suffering in pain.

He was so shocked he let go of the axe that cut off his foot off. He didn’t care and tried rescuing his family, but then a large brick wall fell upon several of his fingers. Minutes later, fire trucks put out the fire and cut off several of his fingers. The ambulance informed him that his family and the prisoner died. A young girl told him he could have lived with her, but then said no and ran off yelling and shouting. He had no other family and started to steal hoping the items he stole would cure his sadness. They didn’t. The items just caused more pain. He had so much pain at that time, he started losing his feelings and now has none.

He stole cars, food, money, and hoped his inner soul would die, and now he doesn’t care about himself. He tried dying but it seemed impossible. After a while of stealing, he started filling the house with stolen items. He kept on stealing from a poor village, a city, and many people. One day he went out to the city to execute his schemes. So he left for many hours and came back finding a strange, but familiar man.

The strange man came from the poor village where there had been no value and if there was, the city people would steal it. That caused the village to steal, so he left because what the village started to do. He survived on his own then found the mansion the thief lived in. He found many treasures and thought he could give this to the villagers, but then thought somebody might have lived in the mansion. As he slept hours passed and he awoke from the sound of footsteps. When he awoke he saw the man and asked, “Is this your home?” The thief answered yes. Then the gentlemen asked, “What is your name?” The thief answered Caron.

Then Caron the Thief asked the gentlemen what his name was. The gentlemen 54

answered Antoine. As they talked Antoine realized Caron was his brother whom had been kidnapped by the city people. Antoine asked if he would like to come back and live with him. Caron said “no” and thought the life of being a thief was good. So Antoine left him alone and said, “One day you will be very hurt and will want to die.”

As the years passed Antoine became successful and Caron lived on in pain.

Christian Ayala

55

The lake, The prince, and The psychic Daisy Gomez

This story takes place in a castle during medieval times when noble knights existed and a king has been poisoned with power. The king turns to EVIL and steals from the poor. The only way he stops is by drinking water from the Mystical Lake of Eternity. The brave knight Prince Edward steps up to save the people, his wife, and most importantly, his father, King Michael III. But Prince Edward is followed by many of his fathers henchmen. The prince blames the evil power that consumes the King, but he is still determined to save his father.

Prince Edward meets a young woman with beautiful long brown hair. She is very beautiful, and any man would kill for her. He is curious to learn of her maiden name. So, like any curious boy, he asks her “what are thou name?” She responds by saying “Josefina.”

This young lady has a secret. She is a psychic. She knew the prince would eventually ask for her help and that she would deny helping him. With this said, Prince Edward rides on his horse and steers into the lonely night. He knows he needs her help to find the the Mystical Lake of Eternity and save everyone he loves from his father.

The next day he comes back to convince her. She agrees but the prince knows it’s not that easy to convince a person in one night. She asks him to help her find her lost brother who was taken by evil men long ago. They both agree to their decisions, but to be honest Prince Edward doesn’t look like much of a knight to her. She doesn’t care.

She would do anything to save her little brother.

A few days passed and there was no sign of the evil men, until that afternoon they run into each other. They have a big battle. Prince Edward stays behind so that Josefina could escape. Josefina walks in the forest for quite some time when all of a sudden, she gets a premonition while holding Edwards canteen. She wonders if Edward could be her long lost brother, then she finds the lake but she isn’t sure if it is the lake she is looking for. Josefina still takes the water back to him. She doesn’t know that the so-called doctor is killed, lying on the floor in a big pool of his own blood. Josefina doesn’t care about him. All she cares about is saving her little brother. She gives him a drink of water and nothing happens. She doesn’t know, but love is the way he could be saved. She couldn’t mean it with words, she has to mean it with her heart. Then all of a sudden Prince Edward takes a deep gasp of air. Before she could celebrate, King Michael walks in to take his son back to his kingdom.

Prince Edward doesn’t not want to go so he stands up to confront the king and tries to save himself. The king just laughs and laughs, then draws his sword. The prince did as well. He wasn’t going down without a fight. Then all of a sudden the king swigged his sword. Josefina throws herself in front of Prince Edward. As she falls she 56

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reveals the secret she just found out; “I found my brother. He has been with me the whole time!� The prince is so furious he runs towards the king and throws the water in his face. Some of it gets in his face, hopefully to save him. It does. He is cured, but Josefina is dead. She saved her brother after all.

Many things happened since my son grew up. I became king and gave the people their land. I found out a lot about myself during this trip. I just wish Josefina were here to share it with me. But everything is not over, I am on another quest. When I come back we can talk about it. Until then, I bid you farewell.

57

The Evil power Emily Trevino

When I was born, I knew I had some sort of strange power. I used my awesome power for evil. My name is Lady Does it All. Of course I only got that name, because I made other people do my work for me. You see, my special power is hypnotism. I love it because some people don’t even see it coming.

I had some good times hypnotizing people, especially this one silly little boy.

I was down at one of those “Balance an egg on a Spoon” races. One person was to be blindfolded and the other person giving directions. I hypnotized the person giving directions. He had the blindfolded kid tripping over rocks, slipping on some mud, stepping into puddles, and one time made this little boy step into a small pond. The judges were too afraid to get near those two to tell them they were disqualified. I was laughing so hard, sometimes I would lose my connection. Those were good times.

I would feel bad for what I was doing, but I kept on. After awhile, I enjoyed seeing kids and adults getting hurt. I loved it to death. I got to a point where I couldn’t live without my powers. Have you ever heard of karma? Well, some people soon discovered why their friends, and relatives, had been acting so different. They wanted me to be punished for my crimes. To me, they were fun and enjoyable crimes. I didn’t know what they were talking about.

One unexpected night, I awoke to yelling and screaming. I looked out my window, and you will never guess what I saw. The angry villagers were throwing lighted torches at my house. They were trying to burn me alive. Did they not know that my power was hypnotism? Boy, did they make a bad decision. As I took my revenge, I used all my power and all my strength. I hypnotized all the kids and adults to jump in the fire and burn with me. One by one, people of all shapes and sizes started filling up my house.

I knew I had survived the fire when I hurdled over bodies to get to the front door of my house. I stepped out on the lawn and collapsed. I had used up all the energy in my body to get my revenge. My eyes slowly closed as I lay on the dry grass left to die. I was not remembered, because apparently no one ever liked what I was known for. They did not speak of me ever again. I am just a memory now, floating somewhere in the air, waiting to return to my beloved earth.

Emily Trevino

58

Untitled Gabriela Garcia

I bumped into her while I was shopping. I definitely didn’t see this coming. I’m more like Cinderella and she’s like the evil stepmother, except, she wasn’t my step mother!

She was evil though. We were best friends, or shall I say sisters, but any best friend is like your sister because how close y’all are, right? But no! Not this time. I couldn’t believe what happened!

I always knew we had a connection, a vibe or something! I thought we were just sort of alike or, you know, just meant to be together. Apparently not! It all happened that night, she’s so absurd. She set me up. I thought she had allegiance to our friendship.

Last night I was on the internet searching for my animal so that I could start doing my book report. All of a sudden a pop up of people who were wanted appeared. Right when I was going to close it, I saw Femme Fatale my best friend. I clicked on her picture and I read all the crimes she has done and it also showed how she killed her victims. It was the same for all of them; she would pretend to be best friends with somebody then she’d kill them. My face turned anemic and my stomach felt anguish.

I panicked! How could I be so dumb, so amiss! I jumped when my cell phone rang.

It was Femme, should I answer it? After it rang a few times, I finally answered. “Hello” I said nervously. She began to babble about coming over. A minute later, the doorbell rang. It was her.

As soon as we got to my room I spotted a knife in her back pocket. I was really quiet and so she noticed. She looked at me odd. As soon as I turned around with embarrassment, I noticed that I left the pop up still open. I stared at it, not knowing what to do. She followed my eyes, then once she saw what I was staring at she turned slowly and grinned with amusement.

My first intention was to run, but she caught me and threw me on the bed!

“You’re so absurd!” she said calmly. She then quickly pulled her knife out and attacked me, I screamed with horror and pain. She taped my mouth and continued. I started to use all my might to get away, but she finished me. The pain was excruciating! All that could run in my mind was a prayer that somebody could rescue me. I felt more and more tears slide down my cheeks.

Everything went blank. That’s all I remember from that night. Some how somebody answered my prayer.

Gabriela Garcia

59

The Shepard Lucy Mojica

This was going to be my second year working on my family’s farm. I really hate working, but I have no choice. Most people say that something interesting happens in a farmer’s life but not in my life.

It was a very sunny, cold morning and my new neighbors were moving in across the street. I wanted to be nice, so I went to say hello. They seemed so nice at first, but I could tell this was only the beginning.

As I was walking home from school one day, the neighbor’s son Mason seemed different from his family. Mason is very tall, had white complected skin, and has beautiful hazel green eyes. I wanted to go talk to him but I was too shy. The next day I finally had the courage to go talk to him. We talked till dusk so he wanted to walk me home. We said, “Goodbye,” and that was that.

I woke up the next day feeling really weird. I went outside to go check on my farm animals and two of my sheep were missing. I didn’t want to tell my parents because I knew they would give me a lecture. My brother told my parents but they didn’t care.

It was a full moon that night and the wolves were going crazy. I looked outside to see if I could see one. Instead I saw something even scarier. I saw the moonlight on Mason’s skin and his skin turned into diamonds. His eyes went from hazel green to bright gold. He saw me looking at him and I just got really scared. I went outside to go talk to him but he was already gone.

He saw me the next day and just took me away behind a tree. I thought I was going to be dead. He started talking to me like he was from a different generation. I wanted to ask him what kind of animal or thing he was, but I was too afraid. As he was walking me home, his hand accidentally touched mine and it was icy cold. After that he just ran home and didn’t talk to me for awhile.

As weeks passed, more and more sheep started missing. My parents were getting really worried and decided they wanted to sell the sheep. As darkness fell, my cousin and I decided to sleep outside and watch the sheep. My cousin heard growling and got really scared. We went to go check on the animals and saw an animal eating them. I shot it with a bb gun and it just came closer to us. I tried to calm it down. As I touched its hand it was icy cold and I knew it was Mason.

I didn’t talk to Mason because I didn’t know how he would react to me. He finally came outside and wanted to talk.

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Lucy Mojica

“I’m really sorry for what I did. I didn’t mean to hurt your animals. When you’re a vampire you have no control over your hunger.”

“Why did you do that? My parents are going to flip when they find out who it was.”

“You can’t tell anyone or you will become one of us.”

“I don’t have to tell anybody. Don’t you remember what I told you.” He just walked off and didn’t say anything.

Months passed on and Mason and his family moved away. He comes to visit me once in a while. My parents wanted to know why they moved but I knew I couldn’t tell them the truth. As months passed on that little word just passed through my head, “One of us, one of us.” I couldn’t take it anymore. I went to my parents and told them the truth.

I saw Mason that night and I knew it was time. He came to my room saying “I told you what would happen.” I went to live with him until I turned 18. My parents knew where I was and they knew I would be safe. Mason asked me to marry him and I said “Yes!” My parents finally sold the barn and I was excited. We got married a year later. I finally understood how to live and understand a vampire’s life.

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The Bandits Marisol Martinez

There was a man. His name was Mario. He was a good. He did a lot of good things. He helped people with anything. He would help his friend Robert a lot. One day, they ran into each other at a CD store. They were there to get the same CD, but there was only one left. So when Mario was about to pay, Robert just left with the CD and didn’t even pay.

The CD salesman yelled, “That’s the CD bandit!” Mario was surprised. He didn’t know Robert was the CD bandit. He started thinking what else was Robert hiding? A few weeks later, Mario saw Robert running from some police. When Robert stopped to talk to Mario, the police caught up to Robert and arrested him. A few moths later, the same thing happened.

The next time Mario saw Robert, he was coming out of Mario’s neighbor’s yard holding a lot of their jewelry. Mario was about to go talk to him but then a lot of police came and arrested Robert. Mario just went home. The neighbors got their jewelry back. Robert was in jail for nine months. Mario was at home. He got ready and went to work where he found out about Robert in jail.

Mario went to see him and took him his toothbrush, clothes, and more. While Robert was in jail Mario did his work and Robert’s. When Robert got out he was thankful. Robert told Mario “Thanks. I owe you one.” Mario was kidding when he said “give me half of your check.” Robert gave him half of the check. He said, “For your hard work.”

Mario didn’t want to take the money but he did. He wanted to put most of it aside for his bills, but he spent almost all of it on a new car. He went to the mall and was going to get new clothes, when he saw Robert.

Robert was standing near the food court. He was looking around and saw Mario walking into a store. He went up to him. Mario didn’t mean to, but bumped into the door. He was okay. Mario started talking to Robert about his life and how he got his things. Robert told Mario he only does it every few months because a new thing comes out Mario told him “you don’t have to have the next big thing.” Robert knew but he just had to have it. Mario tried to talk Robert out of stealing so he suggested counseling.

He didn’t go the first three weeks but when he went the fourth week, he heard all the other people talking about the last few weeks. Robert started going to counseling and he started to like counseling and stopped stealing.

It didn’t last that long, he started stealing again. He stole more than last time, his truck was full of stuff from Wal-Mart, the mall, Target, Sams, and more. He claims he was taking it back, but the police didn’t believe him. They took him back to jail.

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Marisol Martinez

Mario was there. He saw the whole thing. He went to the jail and told them everything.

That he was taking everything back. Robert was able to get out. Robert was telling the truth and the police told him, “Sorry for everything.”

Robert and Mario just went home. Robert read on the internet how counseling can help them with their problems. So Robert started going again and he was like, “Counseling really is working. I don’t feel like stealing anymore.” Robert told Mario and Robert swore to never steal again.

63

The Mysterious Menace Paul Mares

I was in the lab going through many of my procedures for this experiment. If you don’t know what I am, I am a scientist. Living in a life like this may not seem as fun as other jobs. It might even look like it’s a dull life… but sometimes it isn’t. We were all in a dark cave. Our lab was placed very secretly and hidden, so we were safe.

Our work is also very secret and is only shared between workers. We all created a chamber that would contain and protect a very dangerous item.

We all thought that nothing could happen but we were wrong. The chamber is falling apart and soon it will collapse completely. The chamber was able to contain it, so what happened? We had to disable the item and abandon the project. If we didn’t, then many people would be at risk. It has to be kept floating or else something bad would happen. If it came in contact with anything, then all of the time we spent in this will have gone to waste.

Everything was starting to clash and I couldn’t see anything. Everything was spinning around me, and I couldn’t tell where I was. The screams were piercing my ears and it was starting to hurt. It was all flashing red and everyone was freaking out. I thought I was dead or about to die. I felt a very cold chill and was scared of what was happening. Then I noticed the chamber was falling. It happened slowly and was like a clock ticking to my own death.

The chamber broke and I thought we were going to die. I laid there waiting for it to happen, but it didn’t happen. Everyone was on the floor as if they were… dead. I noticed that I was the only one alive here. I was confused Paul Mares and shocked. I forgot about everything that happened before. I can’t even remember anybody who was in my family. I didn’t even know where I was anymore. Was everything fading away from my memory?

It was in the dark depths of this old cave. I was sitting there, trying to understand my surroundings while shivering. It was a very cold place and I couldn’t even see a thing but a dark blank. I can’t find a way out of this place. Everything smelled like a foul odor. I was walking while touching the walls to see if there was an exit in here. I was hoping I would find a way out of this place, but I didn’t think there was one.

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My insanity was building up. I felt like screaming out to the cold and dark cave. I needed to find a way out of this horrible place. I was running around hoping to get out. I failed so many times until I finally found it. A light was reaching out to me like it was calling me. I walked toward it and noticed that it was the way out of this place. I got out and thought I was free but then I noticed something.

What could’ve gone wrong in that plan? It must have been someone trying to get revenge on me. It might just be the person we used earlier. After thinking, I remembered who he was and why he would do that to us. We used someone in a experiment for mutations and I can see that he survived. He was a doctor named Dr. Goldman. He was turned into a freak and now wants to chase after us for what we have done. Now that he knows that I am still alive, he will come after me again. That is what I am hoping for.

I still wonder where and when, he will try to get me. I plan to lure him out and kill him when I have the proper equipment. The only thing I worry about is him finding me before that. I felt someone was staring at me and I was thinking who it might be. I instantly knew who it was.

I knew I had to get out of there as fast as I could. I started sprinting to where I could be safe from him. If you want to know more about him I’ll tell you. He uses a butcher knife for a weapon and runs at very fast speeds. He also saves his prey’s body as a trophy of victory. He lives in places that are hidden to the public and tries to hunt everyone that he hates. I had to try and start over on everything because of the incident.

I wonder who will win this battle for survival. The only thing I know is that someone will die and the other will live on. I was still questioning myself on some things but I thought I would leave that alone. I still wonder how long it will last and who will survive. I guess you will just have to wait and see. I will return if I do make it out of this mess, but if I do not then don’t expect anything.

65

The Twins Samantha Zepeda

It was a cold and heartless night.

The wind blew and shook the trees.

Something was not right in that little town. A young, soon-to-be mother was preparing to give birth to what was supposed to be a blessing. The young lady was very foolish and did many practices of the dark arts. Her husband, however, was a smart farmer and had no idea of the practices that his wife was doing.

Sadly, as the young lady was giving birth to the two little girls, she couldn’t Samantha Zepeda make it. The busy father, who had a loving heart, was to provide and take up those two little girls. Luckily the young lady’s mother was still around to help take care of the girls.

All was good for a while as the two little girls grew up. Strangely over time the girls’ grandmother had seen some strange suspicious things that the girls were starting to do. By the time the girls were six, they started to practice the dark arts.

They found all their mothers belongings and were curious. Those two little girls stayed in their room all day and the whole house was filled with evil.

As the girls grew up, the grandmother was no longer needed. The father worked on the farm all day and rarely came in the house. Another cold and chilling night came along as the wind shook the trees with great force. That night the two evil little girls decided to try out their dark art practices. They wanted to drive their father crazy. They tried to get inside his mind and make him kill himself. That night the girls began their practices. As their father was dreaming, he kept hearing his daughters’ voices telling him to die. The voices kept getting louder and louder screaming “We want you to die!”

The father woke up in the middle of the night to find his daughters asleep in their beds. To spite the fact he was going crazy, he poured gas all through out the house. He then ran out and started a fire hoping it would spread to the house. Later the whole house was on fire and the father could hear the screams of the girls. He ran off in hope of finding a new house.

Five nights later as the father was asleep in this new home he started to dream. He had the same dream of where he could hear his daughters yelling and screaming “We want you to die!” that morning the father did not wake up. He had died in his sleep of a heart attack. Since then, there have been stories of people seeing the young girls walking around the house where the father and his daughters lived.

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The Bear Trainer Zackery Smith

His name is Bill. His past, well no one knows. Some people say he comes from down there. Some people say he is made up from the most messed up people in history.

What does he do now? He does the freakiest thing, kills bears. I’m not saying hunting, I mean he slaughters them. But there’s another guy, Bill the Bear Trainer. But the two are so distinct from each other. What I mean is the bear killer has a drinking problem. And the bear trainer feels it all. All the bear killer thinks about is how to kill bears. All the bear trainer thinks about is how to train the bears. The bear killer looks like a normal guy but a wouldn’t put a bear in front of him. The bear trainer has tried to get rid of the bear killer but he can’t. Let me tell you the story of how these two distinct people met.

It wasn’t an over night thing. Well actually, it was an over night thing. The bear trainer, Bill was sitting down watching TV. Something about bears on Animal Planet. Then he started hearing, “Kill the bears” he thought it was nothing. Then he heard it louder, “KILL THE BEARS!!!” He looked backed from his chair and saw nothing. He turned back to watch TV and saw a person. This person looked like Bill but evil. The evil man who looks like Bill yelled, “Kill the bears!!!” Bill flipped backwards in his chair. When Bill got up no one was around. Then Bill started hearing these loud screeches. “Kill the bears! Kill the bears! Kill the bears!” Bill covered his ears and fell to the floor. The screeches stopped and the house was quiet. Bill got up and looked in the mirror. His reflection spoke but his own mouth didn’t move. His reflection said, “Kill the bears.”

Bill ducked behind his chair. After a few seconds, Bill stood up.

The other Bill was still there. Other Bill said, “Still here.” Bill said, “You’re not real.” Other Bill responds, “Of course I’m real.” The Bill asked, “Who or what are you?” Other Bill said, “I’m you or at least the real you.” Bill asked, “What do you mean the real me?”

Then other Bill said, “Wait let me sum this up for you.” Remember when it was your second year of being a bear trainer and you loved it.” Other Bill said again, “Well remember when that bear slashed out your eye. You were on the ground but not screaming. You where boiling up all your rage and hate, and you created me. Then Bill said, “Like a second personality.” Other Bill said, “Bing we got a winner.” Then Bill asked, “You’re the other Bill.” Then other Bill said, “What? No, the name’s Jim.” Then Bill asked, “What do you want with me?” Jim said, “All I want from you is to kill all the bears!” Bill looked at Jim weird thinking how to change the subject. Bill thought of something and said, “If I touch the mirror will I touch you?” Jim tried to say something but Bill ignored it as he went reaching for the mirror. As Bill touched he didn’t feel Jim just the cold glass. Jim said,” Stop trying to change the subject.” Then Bill went back to listening to Jim. Jim said this in a demanding voice, “KILL THE 67

Zachary Smith

BEARS!” Bill asked, “Why” Jim responds, “Because you need to.” Then Bill asked, “Why do I need to?” Then Jim said, “Because you want to.” Then Bill asked, “What?”

Then Jim said, “Never mind just kill the bears.” Then Bill said, “NO!” Then Jim said, “Very well then.” Then all of sudden Jim yelled and the mirror shattered into thousands of little pieces and Bill fell to the floor. Five minutes later Bill got up but it wasn’t Bill it was Jim. Jim was in Bill’s body. Jim had this wicked evil look on his face. Jim went into the kitchen and got an axe. He stopped in the middle of the living room. He looked at the TV which still had that show about bears on. Then he said, “Kill them KILL THEM ALL!” Then Jim walked out the front door with an evil grin on his face and the axe in his hand.

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The Runaway Ram Torres Joe was running away from home. He went inside a house that had the back door open. He looked around the house to see if anybody was home.

He didn’t see anybody so he sat down.

He ran under the bed, when he heard some noise. Somebody was walking in. It was a young man. The man went inside the restroom. Then he went inside the main room where Joe was.

The man looked under the bed and found the runaway.

Ram Torres The man asked the kid who he was and why was he in his house. Joe told him his name. The man was not mad. He asked the kid if he was hungry. The runaway said “yes.” The runaway ate three bowls of soup. The man asked why he ran away. Joe said because he got tired of his dad hitting his mom. The man asked why he didn’t call the cops. The runaway said because the cops would not believe him. So he ran away from his fears. The man asked if he wanted him to call the cops on his dad. The kid said yes. He asked the runaway where he lived. The runaway told him and said that he does not want to go back home. The man said that he will take him back home.

They were almost to the house. They jumped off the car and knocked on the door. The man that answered the door was the runaway’s dad. The man looked inside the house. The man saw a woman on the floor. The man could not believe what he saw. The runaway started to cry and yell. The man knew that he would have to take action. The father was getting ready to hit the kid. But the man told the dad not to hit him. The dad said not to tell him what to do. The dad was about to hit the man but the man got a baseball bat. He knocked out the dad. The man went to go check up on the mom. He called the cops and told them what happened. The man felt good helping somebody. That is the story of the runaway.

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The Broken Magician And The Magical House Selena Silva

I am Megan the magician, and I live in a magical house. What makes it magical is that it’s not magical at all, it’s broken. It’s broken from roof to floor, and has broken doors and broken windows. Your probably thinking why I live in this house, or why I don’t fix it up with my magic? It’s because I love this house and how it is. This house needs me, it needs a friend. I need a friend.

Even though you may not know it, this house and I are a lot a like. Its broken windows are my broken dreams, and its broken doors are my broken hopes. There’s this big hole in the middle of the floor and that is the big hole in my heart. This house and I have no one, but each other.

Now you may think that just because I’m a magician I wouldn’t feel or be this way, but magicians are only human. I know I should feel magical, but I don’t feel magical at all. I have insecurities and dislikes about myself, just like everybody else.

When I look into a mirror and study my reflection, I don’t understand my appearance. I know as a magician I should say “what you see is what you get” and get it, but I don’t get it.

I never fully understood my appearance. I never understood how my long dark brown hair went with my blue eyes? I never understood how I could look so tough and feel so weak? Or how I look like I’d be happy, but really I’m lonely. I do plan to fix my house, so that when I leave it, someone would want it. I will make this house the most beautiful house anybody can dream of living in. It will take a lot of magic, but I believe in this house and I know in the end it will be perfect.

As I fix the house I notice I’m fixing myself as well. This house has not only made me a better person, it has made me a stronger person. I know that once I leave this house, I won’t be afraid to be on my own. This house and I have helped each other in a lot of ways. I helped it be a beautiful home inside and out, and it’s helped me be a beautiful person inside and outside. I know I am comfortable with my appearance and around others. The house now has a family that can call it home.

Someday I will return and say, “this house was broken, and I was a magical magician.”

Selena Silva

70

The Detective Amy Beristain

He is tall and skinny with a hat on his head. He has a pipe in his mouth and a magnifying glass in one hand. He doesn’t like to be bothered when he is working on a case. He smells the wet concrete; he feels the cold rain on his face. He is outside on a dark night investigating a lifeless body covered with blood. He is in Salt Lake City, Utah. The place where it would be least expected to find a dead body on a street. The detective is now closely and carefully examining the cuts and bruises on the body with his green magnifying glass. When he sees that the body was dead not too long ago, he feels as if someone is watching him from a distance. He quickly gets up and looks around, but finds nothing. The sky is getting darker with each minute that passes by.

More aware of his surroundings the detective starts to examine the wet body, but a few minutes later he hears footsteps banging on the wet concrete. The footsteps are getting more distant and soon are not able to be heard. The detective barely got a chance to see a shadow that seemed to make out the body of a man. He now was very angry but at the same time excited because he had a new clue. Detective John had solved many cases like this before. He was one of the best, well-known detectives in the whole state of Utah.

Well, Benny was a detective too and also really well known, but not in a good way. He is short and fat with black hair and a mustache. He never takes his work seriously, like John. In fact, he had once said that it’s all about having fun. Everyone in town knew him for being a really bad detective. Every time there was a case assigned to him, he would always mess everything up. That is how he met his new partner, the total opposite of him, the serious one, Detective John.

Now Benny is lying on his couch eating potato chips and watching TV when his partner John calls him to come and help him with an investigation. Benny throws the bag of chips on the floor and puts his rain jacket on. He sings all the way until he gets to the crime scene. There in the cold, wet street stood Detective John next to the wet body. They silently talk about what could have happened to this man, but came up with nothing.

After the investigation, the body is put into a plastic bag and taken to a room where other lifeless bodies lay inside a morgue. Now Detective John is in his office thinking about the crime. When he investigated the body last night, he found a blue button about six feet away from the body. He checked the cloth that the dead man was wearing, but nothing was missing a button. While Detective John was working on the case, Detective Benny was at his house sleeping. It truly was all fun and games for Detective Benny.

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Not late, after 6:00 p.m., Detective John figured out that the dead man was beaten and strangled to death. He went to the place where the body was found and asked around to see if anyone had seen anything out of the ordinary. At the end of the day he had no information, except that Detective Benny had been in the restaurant not too far from the crime scene. But Detective Benny always ate there. Detective John was frustrated and was getting into his grey Honda, when he saw Mrs. White trying to avoid him. He quickly ran after her and shouted her name until she finally stopped.

When he got to her, he started to talk to her. He quickly noticed that she was hiding something so he asked her to come with him to the interrogation room. She nervously got in the gray Honda and drove with detective John in silence. When they got to the room, Mrs. White quickly sat down on the metal chair and stared nervously at the metal table.

“Mrs. White, where were you last night,” Detective John asked.

“I…I was at my house cleaning the …. kitchen,” she answered nervously.

“Mrs. White, it is a crime to know who murdered the man and not report it,”

Amy Beristain

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“Ok, I saw… I saw a fat man strangling the victim,” “Do you know who the fat man was?”

“No I….I couldn’t make out the face”

“Oh well, did you get to see what he was wearing?”

“It… it seemed as if he was wearing a blue jacket with a bat in his left hand.”

The detective quickly wrote down everything new that he discovered and in a few minutes Mrs. White was on her way home.

By the end of the day, Detective John had gone and investigated the restaurant and found out that the owner of the restaurant matched the description of the criminal.

The restaurant owner was arrested and was put in jail for life. Two weeks later, the case was closed and it was another case solved for Detective John.

“Let’s celebrate at my house,” Detective Benny shouted at the police station.

At Benny’s house every one was having a great time, including Detective John. At 10:00 p.m., everyone was leaving except for Detective John. He stayed with Detective Benny to finish seeing a movie. When the movie ended, John was walking towards the door when he tripped over a bat. He quickly got up and got his jacket out of the closet.

That’s when he saw it. There in the other hanger was a blue jacket with a blue button missing. That was when Detective John realized that he put the wrong guy in jail. The murderer who killed the poor innocent man wasn’t the restaurant owner. It was none other than Detective Benny.

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JUST THE FACTS “Gemini Ink nurtures writers and readers and builds community through literature and the related arts,” is our mission. This calling is amplified by our vision statement: “At Gemini Ink we believe human story in all its diverse and complicated forms and genres — from poetry and fiction to memoir and oral tradition — is essential to developing compassion and richness in both individual and community life. We encourage focused reading, writing, and exchange at every level, from elementary school student to incarcerated youth and from polished professional to the elder who has always wanted to record her family stories.”

Our four programs serve an average of 5,000 patrons annually: Writers in Communities (WIC) sends professional writers into diverse community settings to work alongside students of all ages, needs, interests, and abilities in free workshops based in oral traditions, reading, and creative writing.

The Autograph Series presents writers of national or international stature — many of them recipients of major prizes such as the Pulitzer or National Book Award — in a free public performance and a ticketed colloquium luncheon the following day.

University Without Walls (UWW) offers three semesters of fee-based reading groups and workshops and also many free literary events, all led by professional writers, scholars, and interdisciplinary artists.

Dramatic Readers Theater (DRT) features professional actors interpreting literary works in free performances, often accompanied by original music.

Since 2003, Gemini Ink has significantly shifted from primarily nurturing writers to championing the right of all citizens — “literary” or not —to share their stories and inner lives. Our work also builds the critical thinking, reading, writing, and verbal skills essential to a healthy and economically thriving populace. Acting energetically on these needs, we have increased our service population more than 2,000 since 2003, and our Writers in Communities outreach program has grown by more than 350%. We now directly serve a minimum of 5,000 economically, educationally, and culturally diverse participants per year, with an estimated 4,000 additional readers indirectly engaged through widely distributed printed collections of participants’ writing., as well as publications on our website. During 2009, 86% of Gemini Ink participants experienced our programs free of charge, and 62.7% of participants in our two creative writing programs — WIC and UWW — were people of color (46.4% Latino, 13.5% African American, .6% Asian, 2.2% other). We are our community’s link to the essential power of language that every human being needs to succeed.

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