A Year

Bailey Reigle
Island Project

     I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss my life. Today marks the one year anniversary of me being stuck in this sketch house. I've tried to escape he's just to fast and strong. I'm sure my parents are looking for me,they have to be! They'll find me soon..I hope!
     It was a normal Friday night, I went to the football game, we won as usual. After the game I was driving home and in the middle of the road there was a manly figure that appeared from nowhere. I slammed on the breaks praying I wouldn't hit the person. Once I come to a stop a get out of my car...big mistake! Instead of running away from me the figure runs toward me. I freeze in fear. As the figure gets closer to me my instincts kick in and I take off running. He doesn't stop chasing me. I  run for a good two miles,thank you cross country, before I crossroads with a barbed wire fence. I'm trapped. He is closing in on me. I attempt to get over the fence but with no light to see the barbwire pricks I keep getting scratched. I feel arms, strong arms, wrap around me and a raspy voice whisper "You're coming with me."
     The next hour or so was a blur. I woke up in the back of an old,stinky station wagon. I heard the song shake it off playing on the radio, not the type of music you'd think a kidnapper would listen to. I was to scared to say anything or to move. I felt like if I took a breath he would hear me. He turned around to check on me and that's when I saw his face for the first time. But in reality it wasn't the first time, I knew I had seen this man before. But from where and how did I know this guy? I just couldn't connect the dots.
     I finally get the courage to ask "Where are you taking me?" As I spoke my voice shook. The familiar man replied with "Shut your trap! You're gonna be a good little girl like everybody thinks you are and not ask any questions. Got it?" I couldn't comprehend the situation, it was just too unfathomable. We drive for what seems like hours when we enter a town that I don't recognize. I look at the clock it says 3:45. When I left the game it was 10, we've been driving for at least three hours. My kidnapper pulls into a gas station that looks creepier than creepy. He watches me the whole time he fills his car up with gas. I still can't figure out where I've seen him before.
     I fell asleep once we started driving again. I was awaken by the man grabbing me and throwing me over his shoulder to carry me to this sketch house I've been in for a year. This year has been the worst year of my life! I only get to shower once a week, I haven't shaved my legs all year, I didn't get to celebrate my birthday, and I don't know how my family and friends are doing.
     Once we got to the house he opened the cellar door and threw me down there, slamming the door. A couple of minutes later he returned with a blanket, bottle of water, and a slice of bread. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I ate that piece of bread. I gobbled it down so fast, not realizing it would be my only food for awhile. I ask the man, "Why did you kidnap me?" He says,"Tiffany you have the perfect life and you treated my daughter like crap and you made her kill herself now I'm gonna torture you till I want to kill you!" I am so confused. "My name is not Tiffany, it's Bailey!" I say. He cursed and said, "Did I really get the wrong girl? Do you know Tiffany?" Well duh I know Tiffany  she was the queen bee last year until she graduated, but how had he gotten us mixed up? I said "Tiffany Smith? Yeah I know her!" Then it hit me, I know who this man is!
     Last year I remember hearing stories about Tiffany bullying a girl in her class named Suzie. I didn't know Suzie very well but I went to her funeral. That's where I first saw her dad, my kidnapper. Suzie died this summer, there was no talk about suicide in the obituary. Everyone was convinced that she died of a rare brain disease, but I guess that wasn't the case. But how did Suzie's dad mistake me for Tiffany? The only things I could think of are that me and Tiffany drive the same car and live on the same road, but I don't look like her at all! For a week after Suzie's dad figured out he got the wrong girl I didn't see much of him, I just sat in the cellar. Once a day that cellar door would open and I would get some food and a drink, but barley enough to sustain my hunger. The eighth time that cellar door opened I heard Suzie's dad say "Come up here, we need to talk." I nervously walked up the stairs, at the top he grabbed my arm and pulled me into the house. Inside the house he sat me in a chair and asked "Can I trust you to sit here and not run away?" I nod in agreement. He begins to talk,"You said that you know Tiffany, and I obviously got the wrong girl, so if you help me get Tiffany I will let you go." "Deal!", I immediately response!
     The next three months after my agreement to help my capture,who's name I found out was Mark, we search for Tiffany. I knew that she goes to Wayne State so we went there. Mark found out what dome she lives in and the plan was for me to go to the dorm and ask her if she wanted to hang out, then Mark would come and take her. But I just couldn't make myself put a friend in harm, so I made a huge mistake!
     When I got to the dorm she freaked out saying, "Omg I thought you were missing!" I tell her to let me in and we need to talk! Her roommate and almost everyone else on campus were gone for Christmas break. Mark was sitting on the bench outside of Jennifer's room, waiting for us to come out. Once I was inside I told her everything, she started crying saying she had to call the cops, but I forgot that Mark put a microphone on me and that he could hear everything. Once he heard the word cop he ran in and grabbed both of us by the arms and drug us to the car. Because of the negative twelve degree windchill there was nobody outside to help us. He shoved us into the car and floored it and didn't stop till we were back in that sketch house.
     Jennifer cried a lot that first night saying things like, "I'm too pretty to die, and God I hated that Suzie girl!" That was the night I realized I would probably never get out of here alive. How could I? I didn't follow through with marks plan, I almost ruined it all. The day after Jennifer and I almost called the cops Mark came down to the cellar and drug Jennifer up the stairs he told me to stay! I was terrified for her. A few minutes passed when I heard ear piercing screaming. I shivered, praying that he wouldn't kill her. I waited and waited until after what felt like an eternity the cellar door slowly opened and down came Jennifer. I could tell she had been crying, and once that door shut again the tears never seemed to stop. He had beaten her, a lot! I could barley look at her without feeling pain myself!
     One day when Mark came down to bring us food I asked if I could talk to him. Jennifer eyed me suspiciously. Mark took me out of the cellar and into the sketch house. This time he didn't ask if He could trust me to sit there he just immediately tied me up to the chair. He stared at me, eating for me to talk. I finally said,"Are you going to let me go?" Without saying a word he got up and ran to the next room to grab another chair and set it next to mine. He then ran down to the cellar and came back up with Jennifer, he tied her up too. Then he finally spoke. "I kidnapped the wrong girl and then trusted her to help me get the real girl, what was I thinking? I can't take you back to your family now that you know who I am and where I'm at. So that gives me no choice but to kill you both." Jennifer starts to weep. I scream, "NO PLEASE DONT!"
     Before I could get the words out he had already pulled out a fun and was making his way to Jennifer. Once he go to her he said "You ruined my daughters life and made her loose her life, now it's your turn to die!" I closed my eyes but I could still hear that terrible bullet sound. I didn't have to open my eyes to know that he was walking towards me. I prepared myself for the bullet, but nothing came. I opened my eyes to see him crying. He slowly begins to talk, "I've lost a daughter before because of someone else and I don't want your parents to go through that to.." I think to myself oh really then why did you kill Jennifer, but I was to afraid to say it. Before I could comprehend what was going on he untied me handed me the keys to his car and put the gun to his own head.
     I was away from my family for one year. One year. You may not think that's a long time but believe me it is! Don't take your family and friends for granted! I am so blessed to have gotten away but Jennifer wasn't so lucky.

-BAY

Pain

My head is throbbing, my limbs bursting with pain, I wake up, then try to stand and I cant move. The pain is too overwhelming. I open my tired eyes to see Jake laying next to me covered in red sand. His dirty white t-shirt is soaked in blood. I look around and start to realize where we are. We're on a island full of trees and surrounded by the most vivid blue water I've ever seen. But we are alone, and stranded. I try to remember how we got here and nothing came to my mind. Last thing I remember was Jake and I eating supper in our kitchen. I had cooked his favorite; Garlic mashed potatoes and nice juicy steak. We sat at the table and talked about how our days were. I remember him spilling the wine on our new carpet.. But from there, everything went blank. I hear Jakes yawning as I brush sand off his skin.
   He looks around and says, "Decided you wanted another honeymoon babe?"
   I scolded him. "This isn't the time, Jake."
   He must have thought this was a dream, because as soon as he saw his blood-stained shirt he realized this was reality.
   "What the heck is this? And where are we? How did we get here?"
   "I don't know! Why ask me? I am clueless just like you!"
    We hear our stomachs cry for food and decide to scavenge for something satisfying. We climb up the rocky hills and hiked inland. We came across a pool of clear spring water. I gazed at the beautiful fish brushing against the stones. After hours of searching, we managed to obtain three fish, four bananas, and a few coconuts. We knew we couldn't eat it all right then. What if we were here a while?
    "Jake, what's the last thing you remember?
    "Us at supper, and me spilling the wine. I went to clean it and came back and you weren't in the room."
                                                                    ~

     We spend our days on the island taking walks to find food, and bathing in the cool spring water. We have been on this island 34 days now. Not one of these days have I stopped questioning how we got here. One cloudy afternoon we took a walk. That's when I heard it. It wasn't Jake's voice. It was something much more dark, and fierce.
    "Umm what the heck was that?!"
    "I don't know, Melony, but I don't think we are alone. Come here!"
    I quickly got close to him so he could protect me from harm.
    "If you do as I say I will return you home, but if you choose not to then you will stay here forever." There was the voice again, only this time there was a person in front of me to go with it.  
    A man appeared wearing a black tank top with jeans. My eyes traveled up and down his body as I studied his intimidating figure. He was tall, a skyscraper to Jake, and his muscles were like cannons. His veins would bulge from his neck as he spoke, and then I saw the scar on his cheek. His grey eyes gave me a glare that made me feel unsafe. I looked like a scared little dog, helpless.
    "What do you want from us? Who are you?" Jake said.
    "All I want is a little favor, then you can go home."
    He handed us a small envelope.
    "Read this when I leave, think about it. I will return in a few days to hear your decision."
    He disappeared through the trees and Jake grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him. We then opened the envelope. There were pictures of a house and people with detailed instructions on how to... kill them.
    "Jake.. Isn't this.. Mary's family?"
    I flung the envelope into his lap. He looked at the picture. It was his secretary's family. Mary, George, Casey, and little Jimmy.
    Mary had an affair with Jake three years before. I had caught them at the office. Is this something I could do? Could I kill her for something that happened three years ago? I decide to think about the offer. I would be off this island, back home in my comfy bed, my skin would no longer be pealing from the harsh rays of the sun. Three days later we found ourselves on the subject again. Jake was dead set on his decision. Little did he know so was I. I planned to secretly tell the mystery man who possesses our future that I was in.
    As he promised, he returned to hear our decision. Jake wasn't back from getting water though, so now was my chance to get what I really  wanted. I walked over and jumped into his arms. He kissed me and said, "I missed you babe." We knew we had little time until Jake would return. We hurried and dumped the fake blood on the ground, my blood. James and I ran into the woods once we finished making the beach look like I had been attacked and taken.  We watched silently through the trees as Jake returned from fetching water. He fell to the ground shaking and crying. Why would he cry? He didn't love me. Do you call those countless beatings, and affairs love? This is his time for punishment. I am done. He will be left here to rot like I was left all those nights he spent in the office. Or how I was left alone in the hospital after I got my head slammed into the counter. Maybe next time, he won't cheat.
                                                                       ~
     They don't call me Melony anymore, it's Stacy. Wife to James. Killer of ex-husband. I started a new life in Cali. New job, kids, loving husband. You ask why I did it? Why I had to leave him there to suffer in agony, alone, and stranded? I say, you will never know my pain.


-A.N.

Peace of mind

Time is limited no matter who you are, so don't waste it sleeping in or worrying about things that haven't happened.  Life is a time for learning not what the school teaches you but who you are and only you can find that. So don't waste your life worrying about what people think of you or who is popular.
Many people have said a mind at peace is a mind at rest and that's true but you can only achieve a peaceful mind if you accept that there is going to be bad days and good days, bullies and friends. The only way you can accept this is to not worry about be happy with the friends and push aside the worries you have about bullies or if you clothes look cool enough. Being yourself is the way to achieve peace, don't listen to things people say about how you act or dress just be yourself.

T.B.

My Heritage

I saddle him near the once shabby tack shed that contains old discarded batteries.  As I stick my boot into the stirrup, he bends his blue roan neck to nip the toe of my boot.   Tapping my quirt on his hip, I turn him sharply in a circle.   The snaffle bit pulls harder to the right, but he obeys its pull.  I climb up.  He trots around the circle where the cement from an old supply tank and thousands of old pump jack belts thrown away by Dad have been loaded waiting to be hauled to the old silage pit on the 460, which  Mike has repaired many times since we first moved to the home place a year ago.  This first year after the move has been a year of many repairs, many replacements, and much rebuilding.

Suddenly,  the tin reflects off the hole of the roof of the barn as it zooms to the sky overhead.   Trees become umbrellas over Hoss’s raised hoofs.   I grab for the saddle horn,  but miss it. Pain in my knee echoes up my thigh as I hit the ground.  Looking up, I roll to miss Hoss’s front legs as he jumps down the small embankment next to the paint chipped  barn.

Our eyes meet.  His callused hands reach down to pull me to my feet.   As I gain my balance, the memory of his pipe tobacco drifts toward me.

“Well, go catch him before he gets into some barbed wire.”

Getting mud on my boots, I corner Hoss by a rebuilt waterer and grab the reins, I return to the man with callused hands in overalls over a blue snapped work shirt and straw cowboy hat with a sweat stain on it.  He is standing next to the black rubble from the burned down granary, which no longer could keep corn dry.  Hoss runs into my shoulder as I near him.  

“Jerk him.  How many times have I told you not to let a horse treat you like that?  Show him who’s boss.”

 As Hoss moves in to meet him, he immediately jerks the reins, “Okay.  Quit it.  Or I’ll start a boot factory up your butt.” 

Handing me the reins, we  again walk side by side down the lane past the barn, which will have to join the  burned granary some day.  Hoss runs into my shoulder, but immediately backs up as I turn to look up at him.  Dad’’s eyes approve.

We near the round pen, I pull the gate open, and Hoss, Dad, and I enter for the upcoming workout.   Even the new fence posts anticipate the workout to come.

“Get on him,”  he directs me.   He’s not holding the reins so I am sure Hoss will rear up again.   Since my hips can not stand more black bruises creeping up on them, I hesitate.

“Show him who’s boss and pull his head around so he gives to pressure.  That’s the only way it’ll work.”

I pull the reins several times so his nose is touching the stirrup to calm him down before I start to climb up again.    I slowly prance him both ways around the round pen.  He seems to be doing fine.  

“Okay, trot him.  Stop him and make him back up.”  

I rest my spurs to his girth.  His front legs raise up.  

“Pull his head around with the first sign of a buck or rear.”

Trying to trot him again, I sense his front end rising.  As I pull his head to meet my boot,  he gives to the pressure.    He stops on command and backs three or four feet.  Rolling around and trotting the  opposite direction, he is doing fine.

“Okay, canter him.”

“I’ve never done it with him before.”

“Do you think anyone will want him if all he can do is walk and trot?”

Suddenly a long whip with a plastic bag on the tip appears in Dad’s hand.  He starts coming after Hoss, who immediately breaks into a gallop.  I grab the reins and just stay on.  After twenty passes he tells me to stop and turn him.  Hoss is glad to stop and turn, but Dad has to encourage him with the whip on his flank again.  

“Okay, take him ten times around and turn him again.”

I do, while concentrating on staying in the saddle.  I do get my hand off the horn.  I do get Hoss into a comfortable canter. We lope around the pen as one, a perfect team.

I turn toward Dad.   He is gone.  He’s left me his true heritage one more time.

Cheri Blocher

 

Two-sentence Horror Stories

The putrid stench rose up out of well into my nostrils which instantly cowered back. The light cascaded down to the bottom, revealing a little pink dress floating in the grotesque brown water. 

The sound of bats screeching through the cave almost covered up his screams of agony. Next came only the sounds of tearing flesh. 

B. Kennedy

White

The Mysterious Unknown....
I went to bed on a Thursday, woke up on a Tuesday, and found myself in what I thought was the secret to the universe. All around me was white. White here, white there, white EVERYWHERE!!!! I started running but soon got dizzy from all the blankness around me. When all of a sudden, a piece of paper fell from the sky. I rapidly grabbed the paper. And on that piece of five star paper, there was there's exact words... "THINK OF YOUR HAPPY PLACE.... WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE IN IT... WHO WOULD YOU HAVE IN IT AND WHY WOULD YOU WANT THEM IN IT." When I finally finished reading the command, I instantly thought of the one person who could make my life as happy as can be. My real mother. I'd have her soar through the light blue sky with her angelic wings bringing her down gently yet swiftly. She would walk into the scene with her glistening smile and her sparkling eyes. Then there would be a waterbed in the corner, and all my poetry stapled to the wall. I would want the color to be red all around because red is my favorite color. Lastly, I want my older sister April to be alive to see me for the first time since I left Texas.

Ck

Bland

The mouthwatering goodness ceases to exist,

Sweet sensation of Starbucks is no more,

Not knowing if I'm allergic to anything I put in my mouth.

Flavor of a roller coaster I once knew is still.

Cannot taste the clumpy milk of rottenness.

The Italian, garlicky deliciousness became bland,

I can feel the burn of coffee but

Cannot taste the hazelnut.

The great part is I can now drink nasty black coffee

And disgusting cherry cough syrup when I'm sick.

The downside is

My worst enemy could poison me,

And I won't even know.

-KDH 

Our Everyday Life, In the Eyes of a Student

So many people live life as if they are inexistent.  Many of them should be living life to the fullest and making themselves know. As I gaze among the hallways of my school, I see so many things that warm my heart. Those little things may mean the world to someone else, but seeing good things like that happen so often, makes you feel like this is the best community to be amongst. Although, there are some upsetting things that also occur that take down those joyous moments in life.
The days go by and there are cliques amongst us. There are those caring people, and the ones that are very talkative yet rude. Then there are athletes that are popular, and others that wish they aren't noticed. But one day my eyes opened up to an action that made me want to do the same. A big sports athlete, like the one that everyone knows because he's involved and is always high spirited was just being himself. In a hurry, he had been walking to class with the original personality he has. But almost being late to class he makes a stop to make an unnoticed girl feel like she's on top of the world. The way she smiled after he said hi had to make anyone, even myself, an outsider looking in feel great. That's because everyday I'm surrounded by people like that, who make the unknown known, or even the unnoticed to be that very bit noticed.      
Although, once you turn the corner of that hall you become observant to the depressing reality. A boy sits there with a note, that someone like myself would take and be thankful for. That boy sat there and scribbled all over a letter that took time and a grateful thanks for him to read and accept. If only the writer of the letter knew, they'd be upset. Being among the everyday reality, you would be surprised what comes up on a daily basis.  

-Th

Fabulous Realities

I was sitting on a bench at a rib-fest,
And about six kids, including my two sisters,
Were running, jumping, and frolicking though a fountain.
It struck me how innocent they all are,
And just how soon that's going to be torn away from them.



Sitting by a wall on Fourth Street the other day,
I was watching a group of friends, or maybe family members, mess around.
I heard one say, "Wait, I want to take a photo!"
And just like that, they had that moment,
Captured forever.



Friend

Tell me, friend,
Why do you frown?
Why do you want to go unnoticed?
Just stare at the ground?
Are you afraid? Unhappy? Just plain down?

I'll tell you, friend,
I'm insecure.
I'm not unhappy.
Afraid? Yeah, sure.
I'm scared, so I stay obscure.

-A.H.

Sentences O' horror

Optimus Prime

 1- I quickly drove home after I noticed I was being chased by another vehicle. I didn't know that he was trying to alert me that there was something else in my backseat.

2- It's always nice to have someone whisper in your ear "sweet dreams." Except when you live alone.

3. My son told me to check the closet for monsters, I opened it and I told him there's nothing there, he then told me its behind me now

Dirt Roads

I remember sitting on the cool wooden chair by the window as I waited.
I remember jumping up and sprinting out the door as a silver car slowly pulled up in my drive way
I remember taking the winding country roads with the windows down, jamming out to new songs
I remember the feeling of the crisp air blowing back my hair and chilling my face as we rushed down the roads
I remember talking, laughing, and crying with them as we drove for what felt like hours
I remember the closeness there was, the large amount of care and true friendship
I remember those roads and I remember those nights
I remember and I will never forget.

Bri

Winter wonderland

The chill kisses my skin as
My nose turns red from the dry, winter air
I am oblivious to this cold
A numbness seems to have engulfed me.

I can't feel the temperature fall
Not the snowflakes melting on my face
I miss the warmth of a person's hand
Never satisfied

At home I sink into the cushion on the sofa
The softness of it, lacking
Miss kitty then snuggles on my lap
My sight a reminder that I am petting her black fur

I sit in front of the fireplace
I wonder and crave the touch of fire
The fear of getting burned is gone
I cannot feel pain

Like a magic cloak
Forever protecting me from flame
An ironic superpower
For someone who feels so deeply.

KG

Remembering Him

I remember him
The love he had
The compassion for others
His hobby of fishing

I remember him
His beautiful tenor voice in the choir
His dedication to the church
His joy of gardening

I remember him
The talks we had on the deck
While he smoked, the stories he told
The way he ate from his garden

I remember him
When he sent me to dig
An onion or pick a tomato
When he mowed for June

I remember him
His gardens, oh the produce,
June's beautiful flowers, and strawberries
All the things he did for us

I remember him
The time he spent with his children
The love he had
The compassion he had

I remember Grandpa Bob
The love we had for him
The time cut too short

I remember

AC

   

I can't smell

I wake up in the morning straining to smell coffee but I can't smell it, maybe nobody made it yet.
I want to put lotion on but I can't remember if this is the kind that everyone wrinkles there noses at.
I walk upstairs and start a candle....why doesn't it smell like cinnamon?!
I see it's raining outside so I pop open the window so the house will smell fresh, weird.....it doesn't smell.
I decide a mug of hot cocoa will make me feel better so I make myself some.
OUCH! It's too hot!!!
OH no!!!!! I turn around and I see a small fire from where my candle fell over.
This day is so weird! I just want to go to bed but I know I can't skip school.
Schools fine and normal till lunch...
They gave us some weird chicken that nobody's touched yet.
I decide to try it.....it's spicy!!! I can taste it but not smell it.
 I'm allergic to spicy food.
  I think I'm going insane.
I get home and my mom asks me if I can smell the pie in the oven. I can't.
As bad as this is it's also somewhat okay.
I can now walk through the senior hallway after school without plugging my nose.
My animals don't stink.
I can't smell bad B.O.
And I can't smell that popcorn my mom just burnt.
By:JW

The Cost of Dream and Riddles

The curtain of rain shoots daggers

As sweet as a dragon’s breath in the midst of ballet.

Blazing fire, cooling “Stay With Me” into the year 2025--

Taste the burning, smell desire?  Feel the music in your bones

While Lancelot sits alone in Camelot,

Alone in Camelot.

What was Cass thinking….rain shoots feathers light in flight!

And the books teach us riddles that nobody knows.

Tradorisity is the means of flowers feeding the sun

The blue tree of dream does nothing for me

It does nothing for me.

But ovens will one day bake without asking

And clothes will wash without thought,

Will cars ever wave to the masses

Standing with trunk and hood in order?

Smooth words will flow from lips amongst the silent

With alacrity alarming no one and every one in Haven.

Gwen reads love letters of an anonymous nature,

Ich höre dich,     wenn dort mit dumpfem Rauschen I hear you,     when with a dull roar Die Welle steigt. The wave surges.

The good ship Secrets whispers loud, “I hear!  I see!” Yes, they only have five, we have only three But that is enough, said the grass ripe with life Do you know where the blue tree grows? Circle up the wagons, pumpkins...

Dotter strums a guitar with Oden in the middle of Moon’s waning

Glory shadows dudes and pretty girls on pointe

And Lancelot will fly, through daggers of rain.

--Ms. O

Mean Girls

 It's October 3rd. For those of you who don't know, this is a quote from the movie "Mean Girls". It's about a girl who moves from Africa back to America. She was homeschooled her entire life. Now, she has to make the transition into a high school, and she has no idea how hard it's going to be. Throughout the movie, all Cady Heron does is try to fit in. The first day of school she has no friends, so she eats lunch in a bathroom stall. She does end up with the popular girls, only to try and sabotage the queen bee Regina George, under instruction of her friend Janis Ian. In her attempts to ruin the image of Regina, she becomes exactly what she was trying to destroy.
It seems like all anyone wants to do these days is be in with "the crowd," to be an exact replica of someone else because what we see in ourselves isn't good enough. People let the opinions of others change who they are completely, and sometimes it's not for the better. What happened to being different? I believe that if you are not satisfied with who you are, you should do something to change it. Mean girls will do anything to make you feel like you're not good enough. But, did you ever think that maybe they are just jealous of the things you have? People like that are missing things like a genuine personality or sense of respect for someone other than themselves.
So just remember, you don't need to change everything about yourself to please others, and being a mean girl is totally not gruel. If you feel the need to change, make sure it's for you and not for anyone else.

              KZ

Only what remains

There no light is seen. It had been gone for many years. I don't think I can even recall what it even is. Darkness warps itself around every creek corner and edge leaving nothing but a bitter taste and burning tears. A single spark changed it all but, I was scared. In the darkness you don't have to worry about what you may encounter because you know you'll never see it anyway. It isn't so easy to accept light when all you've ever known is darkness. It takes time to adjust, to change. To be left out in the open world, where you could fall victim to being a captive of your own terror,  isn't something many people would agree to willingly do. I'm not like other people. The darkness that once surrounded me had no where else to flee so, it filtered through my soul and now it lives inside me.
-Kell

Masterpiece

Thick warm air in every breath
My first Californian sunset
Painting the water with warmth
God is an artist and this is a masterpiece.

Burning white sand sifts through my toes
Tiptoe to walk across these soft flames
Until the grains cling to my feet at the edge of the water
Grab the bucket and bring some wet sand!

The castle is growing, the trench is filling
Steady hands scrape windows and doors
Small sticks and rocks add more details
As the murky water protects the gates.

The sun is setting, darkness waiting
It's time to go son, while the sun's still peeking
Goodbye forever my precious sand castle
We are artists and this is our masterpiece.

JayZ

Just Sitting Around

It was just an ordinary day, hanging with a friend and sitting on his deck drinking some Coke.  We were talking about new parts for our vehicles and I was about to show him my new intake when he decided to pick up his old marlin shotgun that was left out from its last cleaning.
I decided to ask him about it. The gun was his dad's and my friend mentioned that he wished he had a few shells for it and he'd show me how great of a bird gun it was.  He pointed it out to the yard while I went to grab my Coke.  I turned and BOOM!!!
The gun went off to both of our surprise,  with his face full of complete shock and wearing a humorous smile.
Sometimes, I guess you can't judge a book by its cover.

B.V.

Stranded

Every morning when I wake up I look out over the ocean and try to imagine my life as it was.  I would be in my office this morning working away.  All of that is gone now.  I walk over to my favorite coconut tree and find some breakfast.  I take a big, juicy coconut back to my shelter and indulge in all it's delicacies.  After breakfast I go on my morning run around the island.  After that I usually go for a swim.  If not, I take a little nap just to switch things up sometimes.  I skip lunchtime everyday due to lack of food.  In the afternoons I work on my shelter.  My shelter is pretty big now, not to mention sturdy.  Everyday I work on additions to it, and try to make it look like my old home.  Maybe someday I will see the real thing again and never see this replica for as long as I live.


SAT