In their words
PAGE 1B | SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2019
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Student writings
In a first collaboration of its kind here in Suffolk, the Suffolk News-Herald and Suffolk Public Schools have partnered to bring you the magnificent written words of some of our local young people. We asked for submissions from the middle and high schools, and Suffolk Public Schools responded by sending selections from their students. We hope you enjoy the poems, short stories and essays on these pages.
What I’m Made Of Of new beginnings and endings Of 100 degree weather and heat waves Of crying brothers and loud music Of basketball courts and crystal clear oceans Of an aspiring author and dreams of the future Of an imaginative mind and a good swimmer Of trouble being patient and following rules Of expressing myself through stories and drawing what I love Of open minded ideas and crazy plans Of pillow forts and hide and seek And the end of bad grades Donte Duton Forest Glen Middle School
What I’m Made Of Of tornados and sunshine Of thunder and rivers and dreams of Playing in a band Of campsites and trickling water Of singing and playing the drums And bands and teachers Of struggles with group work And perfect with art I’m made of compassion Abigail Vick Forest Glen Middle School
We lit sparklers to celebrate Gianna’s birthday, and there were ten placed around the backyard in a circle. Each sparkler was to represent a year that she has been through. She was still out at her favorite restaurant, Ellie’s Fiery Buffet, with her friends and family. Gianna loved it because most of their food was spicy, however she should have taken into consideration that her guests may not be able to handle it. She and my parents were about to come home soon, so I had to finish decorating. I did not attend her dinner celebration so that I could surprise her with all of the decorations and desserts. My friend, Ellah, came over to help me out with everything. She was at the other side of the yard arranging the cupcakes around a large cake. We made sure to get a red velvet one, Gianna’s favorite kind of cake. It wasn’t specialized to say anything yet, we decided to do that ourselves. I ran inside to see how Ellah was doing, and I saw an amazing arrangement of balloons, streamers, set up confetti, and the cake. “Wow, you really put a lot of effort into this!” I exclaimed. “Yeah, I think I did quite a good job. I just need to set up the last few balloons.” she then started back inside. While admiring her work, I did not realize that a few drops of rain were coming down. Hurriedly, I took the cake and brought it in. “Ellah, it’s raining!” I yelled to her. She let go of her balloons and gathered the rest of the desserts. It was too much for her to handle, as she dropped half of them. While we were gathering the decorations, the rain started to pour down heavily. The sparklers were starting to go out, but I managed to save one. It was too late for everything else, they were all ruined. Just then, I hear my mother’s car pull up in the driveway. Me and Ellah looked at each other, and we realized there was nothing we could do. The house was a mess with all the decorations with attempted to throw in. My little sister walked in and she saw Ellah and me standing in the midst of all of the chaos. I take the one sparkler left from behind my back and pathetically held it out, “Happy Birthday, Gianna.” She smiled at both of us and took us into a big hug. Taking a step back, she said, “I can tell you both put so much effort into this. It’s not your fault that it all did not turn out well. I really appreciate it!” This made Ellah and me feel much better. Ellah gestured behind us and suggested, “I’m glad you feel that way, so let’s be thankful we saved the cake!” Zoe Cacanindin Col. Fred Cherry Middle School
Can you think of something really important to you? Everyone has something that they feel they could not live without. Personally, I could not live without my family and friends. There are many reasons I would not be able to live without them. First of all, they provide me with stuff. My family provides me with clothes, food, and a house to live in. When I want new clothes or games, my family usually gets it for me and I am so grateful. If I ever need something that I ever need something that I forgot, my friends will lend it to me. Like my granny always says, “Our family would give you the clothes off their backs!” Also, my family and friends always cheer me up. They have hearts of gold! When I’m bored, my friends make me laugh and we have fun. If I’m in a bad mood, my friends try to cheer me up. Sometimes I’ll get lonely, and when my friends are around I feel better. They are always there for me. In addition, I can always rely on them. My family is my rock! Whenever I have something to say, they listen. Whenever I get hurt, my family tries to make me feel better. They would walk a million miles to help me. My family and friends always give me good advice if I need it. I love them so much! In conclusion, I love my family and friends. They are always there for me and they are so caring. I would do anything in the world for them! I simply could NOT live without them. Allison Shannon Forest Glen Middle School
Civil rights leader Mahatma Gandhi wrote, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” There is a lot going on in the world, but if people treated mental illness differently, the world would be much better. Believe it or not, mental illness is all around the world in many different forms and a lot of people are making excuses to distract from the fact that something is wrong with themselves. One way I would like to change the world is changing how society approaches mental illness by making people aware of their options, volunteering with children to educate them on mental illness, and creating a safe app where teens with mental illness can discuss what is going on with themselves. First things first, making people aware of their options can be very important because most people are not aware that there is help or they just do not know where to go. An example of this is starting a support group and handing out contact information for places like suicide hotlines. Whether people believe it or not, behind people’s smiles there are bad days, weeks,
Imagine a world with nothing but creative minds and nobody cared if they knew or not. The world would not operate how it should because people would not know how to do anything themselves. Albert Einstein once said,” Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Frankly, I do not agree with this statement. I do not agree with this because without knowledge there would not be imagination, without pure knowledge we wouldn’t be able to do simple acts, and society or the world wouldn’t work without knowledge. To begin with, imagination would not exist without the help of knowledge. People may disagree with me because knowledge is limited to what we understand and what we know, but they feel as if that imagination embraces the world around us. However, education is the foundation of everything. For example, imagination is based on common knowledge. What I mean by this is that, imagination draws on our previous experiences and common understanding of the world around us. Which as a result, combines them with the complete unknown to create something new. Imagination fills in the blanks left from our knowledge. For example, fairy tales have talking animals, but we know that animals can’t communicate with us humans. So ideally, we would want to see if they speak to each other, so as a result, we fill in the blanks in our knowledge with our imagination. From that, you can conclude that you need experience for the vision to thrive. What I have just written is why I did not agree with Albert Einstein when he said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Furthermore, without the knowledge that we have today, we would not be alive. However, without the collective understanding of being able to breathe, eat, or even drink, you would die. In this case, imagination won’t take you far when it comes to survival. To add to this thought, without knowledge we wouldn’t know how to hear or write. Consequently, there would be no such thing as fairy tales, movies, or plays. Without the advanced knowledge that we have in the 21st century, half of the population on this planet would not be here. The experience that we have today helps us with helping people, such as vaccines, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, or help for people with mental illnesses. Therefore, I do not agree with his thought that, “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” but I do think knowledge is more important. Finally, without knowledge, our society would not function properly. I say this because there would not be any schools. Which means that subjects such as English, writing, math, science, and history wouldn’t exist. As a result, nobody would have a job. Consequently, there would be a snowball effect, also known as the domino effect, where everything that we have spent years building would all go down in flames. For instance, if we didn’t have jobs, then we would not be able to pay taxes. As a result, the government would shut down, then all the services provided for us by the government would not be able to be supported. Consequently, the country that we live in and love would fail. In conclusion, knowledge is more important than imagination. To sum it up, I do not agree with Albert Einstein when he said,” Imagination is more important than knowledge.” I do not agree with this because without knowledge there would not be imagination, without pure knowledge we wouldn’t be able to do simple acts, and society or the world would not work without knowledge. Imaginations are very important, but knowledge is more important because without it we wouldn’t be alive. Kyra Riddick Col. Fred Cherry Middle School
or even months and when they finally break, they are not thinking clearly and need someone to talk to or process things with. People being aware might just be the reason that person is alive. Also, volunteering with children in middle or high school can make children understand that mental illness is real and teach them about it. There may be behaviors in a child that are considered abnormal and if those behaviors continue, they may need to be brought to someone’s attention. Some children tend to feel alone, so it is important to let them know that they are not alone. Feeling alone can lead to depression and once someone is in a depressive state it is hard to get them out of it. By volunteering to work with these children, I can help them through their problems. Finally I think it is important to create a mental health app for people. Let’s face it: teens will never give up their phones! So, if teens will not put their phones down long enough to have a conversation, then why not bring the conversation to them through their
phones? I could create an app that lets teens with mental illness talk to others that are going through the same things. Some people are too scared to go to therapy, so an app like this may help them feel safe. When people with a mental illness try communicating, it comes out sounding a little crazy sometimes, so talking to other people that have a mental illness makes it a little easier to understand each other. If I can create this app, then I would not only helping people through their issues but getting them to be more social with others. In conclusion, changing the way society deals with mental illness is very important to people with mental illness and to myself. Making people aware, volunteering with children, and creating an app are all part of how it could help people live with mental illness. For people struggling with mental illness, remember things get worse before they get better. I hope that I have given something helpful to the world, and have helped someone know you are not alone. Grace Feagans John F. Kennedy Middle School
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A HERO Risking their life for you, A stranger yes it’s true There for you when you need them, A life is Worth a million. Remembering the ones They’ve lost, and saving the ones they’ve found All you need is hope and… A HERO Ashtyn Elliott John Yeates Middle School
Losing Grandma On Sunday, October 14, 2018, I was upstairs in my bedroom watching television around 6 o’clock. My mom called me and my sister down stairs. I knew something was wrong when I heard her voice filled with emotion. When I made it to the bottom of the stairs, I saw my brother and dad holding each other crying. Then suddenly my brother screamed “Grandma’s DEAD”! My sister ran into her room and slammed the door. I walking into the dining room and dropped to the ground. I busted out crying. I love my grandma so much, I couldn’t fathom that she could die let alone that she did. I patted my father on the back for a while before I asked my mom how she had died. She told me that she had a heart attack, and that my grandpa found her on the ground in her bedroom. I sat there for a while just thinking about all the things I did with her. After a while I got up and walked into the living room. I sat down in front of the fish tank and watched the fish swim around for what felt like hours, but was only 30 minutes. I occasionally looked over at the table and imagined the whole family playing card and grandma asking, “Wait, what”. But in reality it was just my dad making phone calls to relatives to tell them the bad news. My mom called me to the table and I just sat there listening to the conversations my father was having. When my father was done he told me and my siblings to go and pack a bag. We all went up stairs quickly, for the urgency in his voice was great. I packed clothes to last a week and headed downstairs. When I made it down stairs I sat at the table. Everyone was there, my mom told us that dad was going to Durham tomorrow and we were going on Tuesday. The next day my brother and sister went to school, my dad went to Durham, and I went to work with my mom. At work my mom’s coworkers kept coming into her office to ask her questions, and to ask her if she was okay. After work my mom took me to buy shoes for my sister and me. Then we headed home to eat dinner and to finish packing. In the morning we got dressed quickly and headed out the door. First we had to drop off our dogs, Pepper and Trinity at “Salty Dog”, which is where we board them when we go out of town. Next we went to my school to get all my work and meet one of the teachers. Then we went to Chick-fil-a to get breakfast and then we were on our way. When we finally got to Durham we sent straight to grandma’s house. When I saw the house I felt my heart drop, I didn’t want to go inside, but my dad held my hand so I felt safe. We walked inside and my brother sat down on the couch and hid his face in his arms while my parents were talking with my aunt, my sister, and me. I moved some boxes around. When the adults were done talking my mom told my sister to take my brother and me to the hotel. When we got to the hotel we checked in and settled down. Eventually my mom go to the hotel with dinner, we ate popsicles for dessert and watched “Twitches” on television. But my mom stopped us half way through and told us to go to sleep. The next day at the viewing I stayed in the back of the room so I wouldn’t be able to see her body. A lot of family and friends came to pay their respects and give cards to the family. After everyone was gone I went up there by myself and gave her a hug and kiss and left to go meet my mom in the lobby. From there we went to the car and drove to the hotel. That night as I laid my head down I thought to myself, how hard tomorrow was going to be. In the morning we all got dressed and packed up all of our stuff, so that after the funeral we could head home. When we made it to grandma’s house the limo was already there. So we all got in and headed to the church. When we got there everyone was already there we just had to sit down. Once we sat down people started coming up to us shaking our hands and asking if we were okay. After they sat down they called for final viewing my cousin, Jayda, and I went up together, said goodbye to grandma, and went back to our seats. When the priest came in, they closed the casket. The priest and the choir were just amazing; everything they said and sang was exactly what my grandmother would have wanted. When the funeral was over we went down to the basement of the church, and enjoyed all of my grandma’s favorite foods. When everyone was gone we went upstairs and talked to the priest about coping, techniques for the loss of a loved one. I love my grandma so much and I know she’s in a better place. My grandmother loved the Lord. She enjoyed being at church and participating in functions that they had. Now that she is in heaven I know that she will always be with me. And because she was my only grandmother, that makes her death the most unforgettable thing that has ever happened in my life. Angelina Dickens John Yeates Middle School
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2019 | PAGE 2B
Graffiti Every time I pick up a spray can, I feel a connection like the moon and sun. When I hear the noise of the spray can beating against the wall, it reminds me of the sizzling noise of food getting cooked. Finally you get close to finishing, you feel extremely sleepy like a sloth. At the end of creating graffiti You look at it and think of an outstanding masterpiece. You made it out of spray paint, but at the same time it isn’t easy as it looks. Jayden Hood John Yeates Middle School
Civil rights leader Mahatma Gandhi wrote, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” There are a lot of things wrong with the world we live in today. However, I believe the most serious of these problem is kids getting bullied. Some kids do not want to go to school anymore and are killing themselves. One way I would like to change the world is ending bullying volunteering at events, collecting supplies schools, and talking to the kids that get bullied. The first way I can end bullying is by volunteering at events. I can share what I have been through before. For example, when I was in fifth grade, I came to school with some white DC’s shoes but the bottoms were yellow and students were joking on me the whole day. I didn’t think about killing myself or anything, but they were just mad because they did not have it like me. People see you shining and want to bring you down to be on their level, but you have to be better than that. I have been through it all before and
Poem About the Word Blue The word blue has many meanings It can be a sad feeling It can be a song to get through hard times It can be the color of the ceiling It can be a scary deep blue ocean It can be appealing view of the sky It can be the confinement of a animal in a zoo It can be a sickness like the flu Lucas Vargas John Yeates Middle School
once you get stuff that people do not have, they want to make you feel bad. By sharing my story with people at events, I can help them feel better about their problems. Next, I would like to collect supplies for schools. Some kids do not have things at home for personal items. The items I would mainly get are toothpaste, mouthwash, soap and washcloths, socks, t-shirts, and items that are needed. I remember one day this girl smelled really badly. People were saying she needed a rag and some soap, and they were saying that in front of everyone. She was laughing, but I know she felt bad and angry inside because I saw it on her face. Therefore, I would like to buy items that are needed for kids that do not have items at home so they don’t have to go through that everyday. Finally, I would like to talk to kids that get bullied. They may not know how to handle the problem and might do something to hurt themselves or someone else. I would like to be someone that kids can come to and talk. Some kids do not like to
talk about their bullying problems because they feel like something is going to happen to them. For example, when I used to get bullied, I went and talked about my problems and I felt better afterwards. I believe that kids need someone to talk to about their problems and help them learn how to handle them. I want to be that person that kids that can come to and help them with it because I’m really about people. It is not right for someone to bully someone that’s going through problems. One way I would like to change the world is ending bullying. It is never right to joke on someone that does not have a lot. I would really want to help the kids that get bullied and do not how to handle it. I think if we do these things, there wouldn’t be all these problems and kids would not take their own lives. I wish all this hate was not in the world, but ending bullying can change this. Antoine Gray John F. Kennedy Middle School
ONE ACT SHOWSTOPPER
Marcus Green was sitting in his bedroom, gazing at his television screen. It was Halloween night, but unfortunately, it was also a school night. Marcus dreaded school, and he wanted to enjoy the final hours of his favorite holiday before he had to go back. While watching a horror movie marathon, Marcus pondered why he was alone this Halloween night. He knew he had friends, but did he have any good friends? Right as It with Tim Curry was about to come on, Marcus’ TV went out. Marcus groaned and looked out his window. Kids were coming up and down the street trick-ortreating, and he noticed several adults coming outside their houses. He wondered if maybe their TVs went out too. Several minutes passed, and the TV had not come back on. Marcus decided to head down to the television station, as it wasn’t too far away, and he didn’t want that special night to go to waste. Marcus took his bike and went down the street, his path being illuminated solely by the candle light of Jack-O-Lanterns. Living in a small North Carolina town, Marcus knew how to get just about anywhere he needed to go. He cruised past the deserted school and the crowded shopping center, and went towards the woods. In the woods, Marcus saw ahead a bright white glow where he remembered the television station being. Marcus began to feel anxious, but he knew if he went back home now, he’d regret it until next Halloween. Marcus discovered the source of light was coming from the television station, which was also creating a loud static buzzing noise. The front wall of the station was mostly glass, and the white light shining from it was almost blinding; something was clearly going wrong here. As Marcus crept up towards the front door, the deafening sound of glass breaking caused him to shriek as he saw a body fly out from a nearby glass window. He approached the body, which was on the ground lying on its side, and saw it had a police uniform on. Marcus gently pushed the body over to reveal its face, and saw it had a crude smile, which spanned across his entire face and tore his skin. Marcus screamed and backed away, then peeked through the window from which the body was thrown. Through the broken window, the light was shining even brighter, and in front of the light were silhouettes of tall, horribly shaped figures. These things had huge feet and limbs. Marcus studied
the figures, trying to think what they could be, when a voice from behind him yelled, “Oh my god!” The figures turned their heads around, and Marcus and the mysterious person ducked under the window. Marcus turned around, and found his best friend Andrew was with him. “What the heck are those things!” Andrew yelled. “What the heck are you doing here?!” Marcus responded. “I was super bored, and saw you riding your bike down the street. I thought maybe you’d want to hang ou-” Andrew stopped talking as they heard the station door open, and they hid behind a large tree. A figure stepped out of the station, and it appeared to be a hideous clown. This wasn’t a clown like Marcus had ever seen before, this clown looked primitive, except with abnormally large limbs. The clown began creeping around, and approached the tree Marcus and Andrew were hiding behind. Marcus and Andrew were shaking in fear, and then they heard a noise far off in the distance that sounded like a honking horn, and the clown wandered away from the tree. “Nope, I am heading home!” Andrew said as he began stamping away towards the woods. “No, we gotta find where those things are coming from, and I need my TV fixed!” said Marcus, and the two began to follow the clown. They followed the creature until they discovered an odd, giant machine. Upon inspection, Marcus saw the contraption was tall, red, and with glass panels, it looked like a giant popcorn machine. Suddenly, the clown flipped a switch on the machine, and it began whirring. After a few seconds, the machine made a loud POP sound, and then a group of clowns emerged from an opening in the machine. As the clowns marched away towards the television station, Marcus saw Andrew was being dragged into the popcorn machine, through a different vent. Marcus ran to catch up with his friend, and entered the passageway. Through this corridor, he saw a bunch of different rooms, each one visible with a glass window. In each room, there was a chair and a TV. Marcus peeked into each room, but found no one. Finally, he reached the end of the hall, and saw Andrew and a clown in the farthest room from the entrance. Andrew was tied up and in a chair, and the clown stood next to him and turned a monitor on. Through the window, Marcus watched the TV with Andrew and
the clown. The screen continuously flashed bright colors, while playing eerie circus music. As Marcus watched the TV, he felt a tingling sensation in his face, which then became painful. As he turned away from the screen, the pain stopped. He faced away from the TV, and listened to the music as it sped up and grew louder, and began to hurt Marcus’ ears. After a few moments, the noise finally came to a halt, and Marcus heard a body hit the floor. He looked back towards the TV, and saw Andrew lying on the ground, his face paralyzed with the appalling, stretched out smile the police officer had. Before Marcus could feel sorry for the death of his friend, he saw the clown looking right at him. Marcus ran down the hall towards the exit, and through the glass window reflections, he could see the monster was right behind him. Marcus leaped through the exit, which shut after him, and trapped the clown inside. He went to the side of the contraption, saw the switch that created the clown army, and then another one that said SHUT DOWN. Marcus instinctively pulled the latter switch, and ran away, and the whir of the machine and the light it created faded away. Marcus rode his bike back home, and noticed children were heading back inside. He saw through the windows of houses that families were now watching TV, which reminded Marcus of his favorite pastime he’d finally be able to resume, except now it would be overshadowed by the guilt of his friend’s fate. He went inside his house and entered his room. As Marcus fell onto his bed, he heard his TV click on, but he didn’t even touch his remote. He curiously looked at the television, which in plain text displayed the words A MESSAGE FROM SOME SPECIAL GUESTS. Marcus’ heartbeat began pounding as he then recognized the music, the same music that Andrew had heard in his final seconds. Marcus reached for the TV remote and pressed the power button, but the TV didn’t turn off. He felt the familiar pain in his face again, but looking away didn’t help this time. He grabbed his bedside lamp and smashed his TV screen, but the light, music, and pain didn’t go away. From outside, Marcus heard various people screaming. The pain in his face caused Marcus to collapse onto the floor, his cheekbones feeling like they were splitting apart. Marcus screamed one last time. Joshua Ralph King’s Fork High School
PAGE 3B | SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2019
To Be Loved
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My Sisters
To be loved, you must first be kind Lend your compassion, your help Overwhelm them with affection Shower them with compliments The way to love is through their mind
My sisters of color please stand It is time we unite and come together They say light skin is better They call dark skin a sin This is wrong my beautiful friends
To be loved, you must first be smart As in make good choices Stay away from immoral activities Think rationally and carefully The way to love is through their heart
Our skin should not separate us We are all the same Beating hearts and pumping blood Yet they hate to see us win
To be loved, you must first be fair Treat others well and they will do the same Do not taint your soul with malicious thoughts Your beauty should be from the inside and out The way to love is to make them care To be loved, you must first be true You are fine the way you are Stop changing for others Nobody is perfect in this world The way to love is to just be you
They hate us for being us Yet they try to copy our ways Big lips, dark skin, box braids Replaced with injections, tans, and boxer braids Don’t be ashamed to be a woman Don’t be afraid of your shade Love yourself when no one does Shine your light my sisters
Keshawna Gore King’s Fork High School
Amanda Chen King’s Fork High School
Can you see me? Can you hear me? It’s me, Confidence. Seems like you forgot the great times we’ve had. When you look in the mirror you always state the same thing. “Look how pathetic I am.” The one you are putting down is actually me. You are being just like everyone else, making me feel terrible, making me want to hide. Every time you make these pessimistic comments, I fade away. Each negative word that comes out of your beautiful mouth is venom. Each word kills me. The more you hate, the more I disintegrate. If only you could remember the good times we’ve had, you’d have me in your heart, you’d still love you. Faith Aleman King’s Fork Middle School
Euphoria The blazing sun glared down at me Lighting up my tear-ridden face The happy screams Made my ears ring They helped me When I was at my lowest points They lifted me higher At my higher ones They are the cause of my euphoria They held me When no one else was there They proved me wrong When I said there was no point They lead me Through the dark tunnel They are sections of my Memory Piece of mind And scenery These are my friends My family My anchor My life My euphoria Rebecca Krinsky Forest Glen Middle School
Romantic Period Poem I came home that day, I think it was March I didn’t know what to say About the dog on the porch. It was a tall, lanky beastie In orange and black, It looked full of worry, But not like it’d attack. Yet its intimidating size Didn’t cause my concern What gave me wise Was its back-covering burns. She was found on the roam, In Norfolk, badly hurt So Mom brought her home, Covering her back with a white t-shirt. Mom said it was only for a few days That it wouldn’t stay long But the dog’s soulful, amber gaze Told me Mom was wrong.
Eddie H. Lakeland High School
I am black and beautiful I believe my culture is fascinating I want to feel accepted and not ashamed of my roots I am black and beautiful I feel that empowered in my skin I wonder why we were hated in the past I worry my kids will feel threatened from the way they look I am black and beautiful I understand I will be treated different from the way I look I try to overcome how I am portrayed I hope for a better future I am black and beautiful Sierra Howard Forest Glen Middle School
Haru made his way through the forest he had become familiar with from being in there so often, his cheeks and nose a rosy red. The smells of the once lively forest were now less prominent because of the thick layer of snow, though his sense of smell was sharper than a human’s would be, so it was still there, but he loved it nonetheless. He shoved his gloved hands into the pocket of his hoodie, which was thicker than his others and soft on the inside, glancing around at his surroundings. The trees where covered in snow, which would fall to the ground when a breeze swept in and swayed the branches. The grass was no longer visible. The white snow crunched under the small vampire´s boots as he walked along it, feeling content as the sound filled his ears. He had gone out there like he used to, seeing as he enjoyed going out there no matter what time of year it was or what the weather was like. He reached up when he felt his beanie, which had the image of an atom printed across the front, slipping off his head, though he was not the one who fixed it. He smiled when he felt someone else fix it for him, and he turned his head to look at Kiyoshi, who had decided to join him. His red and yellow eyes were brighter than they had ever been before, and a fond smile crossed his face. He tucked his dark red hair into the beanie before turning around to wrap his arms around the other male, knowing that for once, he had nothing to be scared of; he felt safe. Alanna DeGraw Col. Fred Cherry Middle School
As I walked upon the shallow road Unknowing of what the night bestowed I felt the ground shimmer and shake As if the world had become awake The sound came to be a mighty roar From across the light-filled shore I hurried back to my peaceful home Where Liam, my husband, read from his ancient tome I ran to his arms, never looking back While Liam reached for his weapons, preparing for attack “I heard a roar, Liam, filled with mighty power” “Enough to make anyone with a right mind cower” “Hush my love, please calm down” “But, Liam, we must warn the town!” We rushed out of our home, to the local inn Filled with the soft sounds of the bards violin “A roar we heard, from across the shore” “Like the ones from the ancient folklore” The inn became silent, then laughter filled the air While my husband and I looked on in an angry glare The innkeeper, April, said that “we must have been dreaming” While I stood there, slowly steaming “I know what I heard and I know that it is true” “Rather than all that gossip you old hags spew” The inn became silent once more As my comrades hurriedly exited through the door Liam, with his crew, all following behind me All tried to stop me with desperate plea But they knew it was upon deaf ears As I cared not of their fears “Townsfolk said dragons have returned!” “Leaving the jarls and the holds concerned” “Maybe it would be best if we all just leave,” Rather than do something very naive” I knew what had to be done But do I have the power to be the one? Everyone went back to their abode While Liam and I walked along the road “Who are we to ask, To help us with such a heroic task?” “Perhaps it should just be me, “So if something may happen to me you can flee” Liam said nothing, taken aback That he couldn’t even make a wisecrack “Presporous.You expect me to let you face this alone?” “If you come, you’ll get hurt, and that I can’t atone” Liam, my love, I knew he would protest But I alone would have to complete this challenging quest The next day, however, we received aid While I had been sharpening my best blade They were sellwords, seemingly caring only for gold But their dedication had made them seem bold So I hired them, and hoped for the best That we passed this perilous test Within the week we were ready Ebony armor, bows and blades steady Me, Fjola, and Aiden, considering this battle our last Had a backup plan if we could not outlast One would go inside the dragon’s horde They would wait till the dragon slept, and end it with my mighty sword As we made our way towards the dragons nest It was time for our warrior skills to be put to the test The dragon was awake, surrounded by piles of gold Not even with a nobleman´s purse could hold I raised my bow, then released an arrow But the distance was far too narrow Aiden charged, raising his greatsword, eager for blows While Fjola and I prepared our bows But the dragon was faster, and opened his claws Grabbing Aiden as if he was nothing but straws Ripping his body apart, blood completely splattering the ground His battered and mutilated body scattered all around Fjola dropped her bow, screaming in fiery rage Grabbing her sword, set toward the dragon in a rampage The dragon roared, spitting mighty fire Fjola, with no shielding, was caught in the crossfire The fire seared through the armour, burning her alive Her screams were enough to know she did not survive I was the only one left, and knew I was no match Against a fully strengthened dragon, with not even a scratch In heavy guilt and sorrow, I fled, preparing for return When the dragon’s flames would no longer burn Later, I readied my weapons and headed back Preparing for my last and finalizing attack The dragon slept soundly, body raised to the sky In a swift move, I stabbed it in the very eye With the mighty sword, it sent severe pain Straight from the skull into the very brain The dragon released a final roar Then fell to the gold filled floor I returned to town, with the head and gold in tow It appeared as if the whole town had come to see the show I went to up to the keep, and laid the head against the Jarl’s feet Then walked away, feeling the success from the impressive feat I ran to my house, to show my husband the newly acquired gold But was also caught in a bone crushing hold I had slayed the dragon, and saved the town Even the jarls thought I deserved a crown Mya Alston King’s Fork High School
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SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2019 | PAGE 4B
The Path of Regret Today was the day. I picked up one of the final boxes only to be surprised by its heavy weight. Its surface was also covered in amounts of small, dark gray specks of dust. Being as curious as ever, I slowly opened it. Inside I found many of my childhood belongings. Photographs that had felt the effects of time, handmade dolls sewed by my grandmother. All were Items that I once treasured as if there was nothing of equal value, no sum of money could compare. I continued to inspect the other items in the box. My heart skipped a beat. I picked up the old, flimsy book, tracing over every edge. If only I hadn’t been so careless, maybe this book wouldn’t have sat in this box, never to see a trace of light again. A slight pain came over me as the memory of that day came back to haunt me. ---------------------------------“Molly, Molly!” I yelled to my younger sister. “Would you like to go to the library with me. They’ve received many new books this week!” I thought Molly needed to go outside for once, she always likes to stay in the house and read her books. Getting some fresh air would be better for her. “Why should I go with you?” she replied. “If Mama says you should go, will you go with me?” I asked hopefully. Why won’t she accept this opportunity to explore the outside world? “Fine, but I have to hear her say it!” she responded with confidence that Mama would say she didn’t have to go. “Mama, can little Molly come to the library with me?” I asked knowing the answer. “Of course she can! The library has many books that you’ll enjoy Molly, why not go?” Mama said with her big, soothing smile. “Okay, I’ll go,” she said realising her defeat. We set off to the library at sunrise the next day. Something about the warm colors it shows inspires me when I see it. Molly seemed excited, but you never know with her. I decided we should take the shortcut to turn our fifteen minute walk into a five minute walk. The shortcut is through the woods right outside our house and has beautiful scenery along the way. “Anne,” Molly asked, “are we going the right way?” “Of course Molly, I always go this way,” I assured her. Except, I only go this way when Mama or Papa aren’t watching me as I leave. If they knew I went through the woods, they would go crazy! “Okay,” Molly asked, “how far are we?” “About two minutes away now,” Molly’s first time outside without Mama and Papa is going great! Suddenly, I heard a loud rustle from
an enormous bush. Had it been a squirrel, or something worse? “Molly!” I called out, hoping to hear my sister’s voice. Time moved slowly as I heard the screams of terror from my younger sister. “Anne,” she loudly screamed, “please help me!” I ran as fast as my small legs would go to take me to Molly. The quick snapping of tree branches made me increase my pace. “Molly,” I yelled, “where are you?” I heard more loud shrieks from her. I looked in every direction, but every turn just left me further in this endless maze. After about twenty minutes I couldn’t hear Molly anymore. All that was left was a soft breeze filled with silence. Where had Molly gone? I continued looking, but there was nothing. My little sister who was talking to me no more than 5 minutes ago, suddenly gone. I ran home with tears in my eyes. Mama and Papa weren’t home, so I had some time to myself. It didn’t last for long though, Papa arrived home shortly after and started looking for Molly. I acted as if I was asleep to avoid his questions. What was I supposed to do when I “woke up”? “Anne, do you happen to know where your sister is?” he asked. “Is she not here?” I asked. “We arrived home about 10 minutes before you and she was in her room.” “Well, I can’t find her!” he exclaimed with fear in his voice. We put posters up around town hoping that someone would find her, but nobody knew what happened to little Molly. The police got involved and started looking around town to help out. It was only a matter of time before they found out. . . Bang! Bang! They were pounding on the door. My heart was beating too fast, I could hardly breathe. Had they realised it was my fault? I’m the one responsible for the disappearance of my young sister? “Sweetie, could you open the door? We just want to talk to you. The police have a few questions for you.” said Mama in her soft, soothing voice. “Okay, can you give me a second?” My voice came out shaky. They’ll know something is wrong. I wanted to run, break the window open and run far, far from this mistake. I had no choice though. It was time to correct this and ease myself of this weight that’s been pushing me down. I opened the door to 4 concerned faces. “Anne, we have a few questions for you about the day of your sister’s disappearance. Please answer to the best of your abilities.” said one of the officers. “Were you with your sister before the time of her disappearance?” “Yes, we were on the way to the library.” We’re doing good so far. How long can this go on for?
Positive - Future America Freedom is what we fight for. Equality is what we strive for. Justice is what we stand for. Perfect is what we want to be. Courageous is what we are going to be. Success is what we are going to see. Austin Bradshaw Lakeland High School
America, The Great “How do you usually travel to the library? Do you walk, ride a bike. . .?” said the other officer with a cold stare. “I… I usually walk there,” suddenly words just flowed out of my mouth. “It takes me about fifteen minutes to get there unless I take the shortcut in the woods near our house.” Stupid, stupid! Why did I let out more than what was asked for? I’m just setting myself up now! “This shortcut,” the first officer started, “did you and your sister take it the other day?” “Yes, we did,” I said. I guess I’ll have to confess soon. “Is there anything we should know about the path. Have there been any wild animals or strange things you’ve come across along the path?” she asked with a worried face. “Nothing unusual.” Can they just ask if I’m responsible? I’m tired of worrying about this. The female officer started talking, “Anne, I need you to answer honestly. What happened on the way to the library?” My emotions took over, and all my pain was released. “I’m the one who’s at fault! I told Molly we were taking the shortcut and she said she felt uncomfortable. I forced her to go and now she’s gone! If I listened to her, she would still be here!” The room was filled with silence, not even the sound of my own breath could be heard. ---------------------------------I moved away from the dusty box and went towards the forest. I made my way along the tight path, from the past. It was once so vast. I observed the evergreen that engulfed me. There was a small, light brown nest made from the thinnest of sticks. A young bluebird slowly descended from the nest, breaking away from the safety of its home. Greeted by a mama bird on the ground, a light chirp was heard. Another bird waited at the top. It appeared frightened by the thought of leaving that nest. After a few long minutes, the mama bird started to walk away. The bird chirped for her, but she kept going. The small bird finally jumped, spreading its wings and taking the first steps of flight. It quickly ran to its mama, still anxious from the sudden steps it took. The bird taught me more than I could ever learn from wise words. Though I still feel deep regret from my actions and the intense pain it caused to my parents, I know I’ll have to move forward. The bundles of joy that light us up in the darkest times of our lives, can do the exact opposite and bring us right back down. Though the day still haunts me, I must be like the young bird and spread my wings. Life moves by too fast to be burdened by the past. Sydni Polk Nansemond River High School
America America, a place filled with opportunity America, oh what a place to be America, your stars shine so bright America, helps me reach any height America, all that you’ve done for me America, makes me jump with glee Laurence Braddell Lakeland High School
America, the home of the brave A country that honors you even to the grave A land in which you can have nothing and end with it all Citizens helping citizens in need when they hear the call A place of opportunity and fortune A refuge for a lost, scared orphan A name with a beautiful tone A country better to live in than being nothing but bone Colton Brown Lakeland High School
My brothers and I ran as fast as we could… with all of the strength, and force that we could give. With every step that we took, it got closer. I could almost feel it’s breath on the back of my neck. Its breath was hot, almost human-like, but different. How did we get into this, what was this thing, and will we make it out, alive? “Quick!” David called, “On my signal, go into the ditch!” David was the oldest, so it was like him to take charge, and find a solution to problems. “But, there’s bugs in there!” whined Will. Will was the youngest of the group, and whining wasn’t anything new to hear from him, even if it was life or death, which it was. “If you want to get killed, go right ahead” David yelled, with a hint of anxiety in his voice. When David gave the signal, Will and I rolled into the ditch. Within 3 seconds, the monster jumped over us. We all held our breaths, waiting to see if it would find us. We all thought to ourselves, If it finds us, we’ll be goners. My heart started to beat faster, David and I exchanged an anxious look at each other. David was trying to be strong, I could see that, but I could tell that he was as frightened as we were. As we held each other, wondering if we would live or not, the monster fled past us, not even batting an eye, or knowing that we were there. The thumping of the beast faded into the distance. After what felt like forever, we looked out of the ditch, wondering if it was over. But, when we came out of the ditch, we were face to face with the beast. I screamed, and everything went black.. Aubrey Shrodes Col. Fred Cherry Middle School