Let the Games Begin by Bryan O'Marah

           The coach had gotten a feel for all the player's abilities. So he then out them into two teams for a tryout scrimmage. He put both teams into a random batting order and gave them positions. Drew went over to look at the batting order. It had him on the visiting team as the fifth batter and playing shortstop.

So the game got under way and the opposing team took the field. The first two batters in the inning reached base and the next two batters before Drew got out. So Drew got a batting appearance in the first inning. So he grabbed a batting helmet and his wood bat and walked to the plate

Senior Year by Pierce Romero

People were right when they said "senior year flies by, make sure you enjoy it!" The days go by like the turning of pages, and before I know it, it'll be over. I'm going to try to soak it in and enjoy it all, but once its over, I know I'll be sad. However, I realize that you can't stay a senior your whole life and better things will come my way, like college! That will be exciting, but the whole idea of going to school with people that are way older than me is a little weird. Now that I think about it, I'm going to have to live on my own! How am I going to do that? I sure as hell can't cook! At least I can make Toll House cookies and brownies too, if I have the right ingredients. The whole idea scares me, but I guess it will be a new beginning and I will have more independence. Plus I heard thirsty Thursday's are pretty fucking legit! 

Anyways, back to senior year.. This year might be the easiest, but also the easiest to mess up. I heard about that senioritis stuff and that shit really scares me! I hate being sick! Not to mention, anything ending with "-itis" means swelling. I am definitely not trying to have a swollen anything! Throughout the year, I better stay level-headed. If I don't, that just wouldn't be me. I've always done well in school, so I don't want to change that anytime soon. My grades are good right now, and with the classes I have, they should stay that way. The last thing I'd want to do is slip up and not graduate. Although I'm a senior, school is a lot like the other years. There is still drama and people you think are your friends, aren't. 

Yesterday, I found out that my uncle passed away, so I've been a little about that. Sometimes I just don't get why good people have to leave us so early. I guess that's life though, and all I can do is make him proud, the same way I was proud to call him my uncle. He set a really good example for me, so I'm just going to follow it because I know it will take me to the right places. I also hope I am remembered the way he is. He was so important to the city of San Leandro that they named a day after him, and when he passed, there was an article about him in the paper. The mayor had really good things to say about him. She even said that he was the most patriotic man she had ever met. I thought that was a really nice thing to say. But what really caught my eye was what the lady had to say about him when she had never even met him. She said that although she didn't know him, you can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him, and that's exactly what my uncle did. So from here on out, I'm going to try and live my life like that. The funeral is coming up, so I'll most likely have to miss a day of school, which I guess is cool. But I would definitely rather have him here. 

Besides that, my life has been good. Senior year is flying and basketball season is coming up in two months! I just hope I'm able to play because I've been out because my back is injured. To miss my senior basketball season would really hurt me. This is probably going to be the last year I play because I am planning on playing baseball when I get to college, not basketball. I've been playing since I was in the second grade, and if I missed the last year because I was hurt would not be the way to go out. The last season already wasn't good. I only played eleven games because I broke a few bones in both of my feet. This year just has to be good, otherwise I just won't be satisfied.

The Occult by Banjo Leon

Heading down the winding spiral staircase with a small dim flickering red light to guide me below where the shadows lie.moving cautiously down the steps  and approaching my destination i felt a sudden change on the wall i was clinging to for balance,it felt smooth and grimy i could not make out what cause the change so ignoring it i kept striving to see what was below.as the corridor got brighter i manage to see part of what i was holding on to i jumped and screamed to see i was holding onto skulls of massacred living beings with flesh still attached and eye sockets scoped and dripping with red nectar that we all posses.i closed my eyes and tried to calm myself and ignoring the fact i was using once living beings as objects to help me i finally made my way to the opening where the light was coming from i peered through and fell to my knees to see what a horrific act was made here. There were candles melted on top of old worn candles and a based on a skull of a man all across the room,mangled corpses and limbs on the floor and on the walls,mounted sever heads and hooks latched on to them from the ceiling and a large stone altar in the middle. i retrieved my head and tried to comprehend but my lack of concentration was overrun by fear and the only thing i could think of is getting out as fast as i could.suddenly i heard faint chatter from the stairs far above and also shrill cries for help.i went in the room in hopes to find something i could hide behind or under but alas i could not find anything i went to a rack filled with all sorts of bone crushing,skin peeling weapons and grabbed a large bowie knife and began to collect the corpses that were laid out across the room.i grabbed 3 corpses and laid them out on a corner i scurried into the narrow opening and placed a corpse in front of me.thinking quick i grabbed a rat that was unlucky passing by and sliced its belly open and covered its vile vermin blood on my arms and legs as if i to where a good for nothing corpse as the chatting got closer and closer my heart pounded,my spine filled with chills,and my palms began to sweat.i gulped and hope for the best for now.

Apologetic Beating by Joshua Laquian

As I look at my father's face, my thoughts are consumed by hatred. His cold, jet black eyes are piercing through my soul like two knives stabbing a lifeless corpse. With all of my might I started screaming at him the pain and agony I've collected through the fifteen years of misery I've spent with that pathetic excuse for a father.

"Why did you beat me?!?! Why did your fists become the messages you were trying to portray? I hate you! Ever since I was little you had to be right. Nothing I could do was ever enough and it ate me up. At night I could hear you beating her, taking every bit of her dignity.

We knew that you were having affairs. Every night I could smell their slutty ass perfumes all over the fucking room. I saw them leave in the morning and I knew you didn't regret it. Mom took all that she could take, for twelve years she didn't want to leave because of me and you loved it. Every fucking time after you beat her you played the victim so you could do it all over again the next night. You take all of her money so you can blow it on some cheap skanks and some booze.

Whenever I went to school I smelled like shit because there was no money to pay for the water bill. Everybody in the whole fucking school resented me for that. I couldn't focus because all I could think about is when I come home that you'd be ready to beat my ass all over the goddamn house. I told mom to leave because I knew she deserved better than this and I know I deserve better than this. I hate you!"

I started punching his face till my hands were crimson red. I took a long pause then fell down to my knees. As I looked at my blood-stained reflection on the kitchen knives I knew I was looking at my father.

Power of the Beats by Cameron Moorer

Music is a very powerful force to be reckoned with. It has pretty much become a necessity of life. Mostly, it depends on who you listen to and what type of music you like. I f you listen to tock music, that is the music that you want to listen to when you're pissed off and don't feel like talking. The hard hitting drums and electric guitar catch your ears and you just lose yourself in it. Rock music really helps you get all that frustration and anger out.

When you want to get pumped or for any mood you are in rap and hip-hop are the music genres you want. Rap and hip-hop talk to you in your own way. You can't really just determine if a song by Lil' Wayne sounds better than a song by TI. I think almost everyone loves listening to Lil' Wayne and Drake. All rap music is poetry in motion with a beat and a hard base. Professional athletes wear Beats by Dre and listen to their favorite artists before games all the time. The realness and grit of rap and hip-hop speaks to people of all ages, races, and genders. It really helps you tune into whatever headset you need to be in.

I honestly just believe that music is a way to get away from the everyday hassles of life. Its what you make of it. Every song you listen to either hits hard or has the soothing aspect to it. When you have headphones like the Beats or Boise, or speakers with a ood base, your musical experience is enhanced and is better. One thing most people have in common is that everyone has their own personal song. That song usually fits their personality or the personality they want to be. Music is energy to the body and mind. It releases all the tension and stress of everyday life. Listening to music has the power to change or turn around any situation or problem. As Dr. Dre says, "Sound is energy". I say you have to respect the power of the beats.

again by MFLKN

He walks into fifth period and sits next to me. Our eyes meet for the first time ever. I feel a rush of coolness, starting from my head, down to my toes. I felt an odd connection between he and I. We were strangers. I wanted to get to know him, and wondered what made him seem so attractive to me. I felt a connection between us, a little crush. Somehow we became friends, very close friends. We became a couple and that's where we fucked up. We argued, and moved too fast, and somehow ended up hating each other. When we were done, I moved on- but you didn't. I started seeing other people, but you didn't. I was your first kiss, your first love, your first girl friend, your first.
My first relationship after you didn't go so well because dude and I were moving too fast. You still had feelings for me, I saw it and felt it. You even told me you did, but I didn't want you. When the relationship between dude and I ended, you and I were cool again. You thought there was another chance for me to be yours again. we started hanging out more, made more inside jokes, and started calling each other "best friend." In the back of my mind, I wanted to tell you how I felt. I didn't want "us" to be together again. I didn't want to lose my best friend, again. It'd kill me inside.
A couple years go by and we're still close as fuck. I meet a friend of yours and I start liking him. You see your friend texting me all the time and start feeling that feeling everyone hates- jealousy. Months pass and your friend and I become close, like how you and I were. But your friend and I weren't looking for a relationship at all, just had strong feelings for each other. Strong feelings. But then I noticed you started drifting away from me. Here we go again.
You and I stop talking for a few months and your "friend" and I stopped having feelings for each other. Again, you and I become close, but much more closer than before. Again, we started calling each other "best friend" and swore we wouldn't date each other. You're so understanding. I still felt and saw that you had feelings for me though. You showed it a lot. More than before.
I tried making it obvious that I didn't like you that way. I even talked about the guy I liked to hint that "you and I" won't ever happen again. I never wanted to hurt you; just wanted you to move on. I wanted you to move on so that I could live my life without worrying about hurting you. I blame myself for all of this, but I don't regret anything. Now, you and I aren't talking at all anymore. We are strangers now, once again.

Stories by Eugene Kotelnikov

Homeless Man

Today I saw a homeless man outside of the library.  He was sitting next to the overflowing garbage can, and staring into space.  He wore a toupee, with a vivid gap where it almost comes into contact with the top of his forehead.  He had a long beard that reached to his shoulders, a dark gray and frizzy mixture of dirt, filth, and mutilated hairs that swerved off into all sorts of directions.  He had what seemed like three layers of clothing on; a raincoat, a hooded sweater, and I would assume some sort of shirt.  His sweater was thin, and his jacket was covered in stains, as if someone had spilled hot chocolate allover him.  He was smoking a cigarette, sparingly.  What was left of his teeth were stained yellow and gapped.  His hands were calloused and worked.

Next to him he had a stack of books, volumes.  Stephen King, CS Lewis, and John Steinbeck.  He did not make eye contact with anyone that walked past him.  He only stared off into space, as if he was watching the last sunset to ever take place on Earth.  His eyes were glazed, and his fingers occasionally twitched the cigarette in his hand.  Sidestepping a puddle, I walked past him, as if I had never seen a thing.

My Buddy

I wish there was a way that I could get through to my friend.  He used to be a really cool guy, a guy that I could talk to about anything, and that I could always relate to.  But now, things are different.  Things have always been different since his life's been consumed by drugs.  Many times he ditches school and many of his friends worry about him.  He's left everyone that loves him so that he can get high with God knows what new drug he's trying out this week.  His parents try, but he's sneakier than they are smart.  He used to only smoke marijuana, and I was fine with that.  But now, he's led his life into a whole new world of drugs.

He takes four times the amount of a normal hit of MDMA, or ecstasy.  The reason he takes so much is because the prescription anti-depressants he takes counter the effects of the drug.  He used to have dreams.  All the time I've known him, he's always wanted to attend a university, and become a physicist. Now, he's applying to various low-class music colleges, and who knows how far he'll get.  I worry about him, because he's only gotten progressively worse.

Issues

My parents are divorcing, and it's a very difficult issue for me to deal with.  Now my stepdad is gone, and I don't know how to deal with that.  Everyday we used to hang out, but since he's left, I haven't even seen him once.  I can't understand why he would do that, because it doesn't seem anything like him.  He hasn't called and asked how neither me or my sisters are doing.  Were we that bad of a family to him?  It seems wrong, I don't understand how anyone can do that and feel alright with themselves.  The most difficult part for me is how to get my mom to feel better.  She is devastated.

Story of the Year Pt. I by Amanda Paiva

Alice Cooper awoke one day while looking around the quite Atmosphere in The Darkness. She buried her face into The Pillows as she groaned. Today she would come back to school Avenged Sevenfold. The previous day she had a small quarrel with The B-52's, a group of "Dollis Mary" girls who do nothing but bitch and be bitches. Alice hopped out of bed and fed her Goldfish, Mastodon while humming happily. She fixed her hair in a Mindless Self Indulgence manner while the Neon Trees were lit by the Orange Range sun. She checked the time and shouted, "Oingo Boingo!"

            It was 311 which meant she was late for school. Unlike normal school, The Black Label Society began extremely early at around 4 o'clock AM. She mumbled to herself, "Nevermore!" She had One Eye Open as she ran through Owl City. Her P!nk backpack bounced against her thigh. She turned a corner that led into the parking lot which was in the shape of A Perfect Circle. The air was clean and had no Exist Trace of Poison circling in it. She stepped into a Puddle of Mudd and sighed. She wished she had grabbed some Red Hot Chili Peppers. To her, it was a Sublime snack and would have made her feel like she was floating on Angels and Airwaves. It was an amazing Green Day, but her attitude of Stone Sour.

            Her best friends, Van Halen and Norma Jean walked to her upon her arrival. "Bee Gees! Looks like a Train hit you. Had enough time to Unearth  yourself from  your bed? Seemed like it took you 10 Years ya Weezer!" Van joked as he chuckled. Alice glared at him which struck like a Five Finger Death Punch.

            Norma punched his arm with the force of 36 Crazyfists. With a Smile, she spoke softly, "You only live 3 Doors Down from me. How are you always late?"

            Alice began to Clutch the strap of her bag as she rolled her eyes. She decided not to respond, "Are we still going to Detroit Metal City today?"

            She could tell Norma was Disturbed. It was almost as if she was in a Drowning Pool that contained more than 3 Inches of Blood. Norma felt like she had Eighteen Visions while wobbling a bit. She couldn't Escape the Fate. It was Fates Warning that she would wind up there. "EZO!" Van replied. It was his way of saying "ok" or "yes" and in some cases "you betcha!". Norma shook her head, "Although it's a Fear Factory, I'll go with the Flow. God Forbid the things that would happen if I didn't."

            "It's going to be Gangster Fun Norma! Haste the Day!" Van exclaimed before heading to his first class. Norma looked as if she had seen a GHOST.  Alice turned to Norma, "He must be High On Fire today. It is such a Hinder to be honest. Well, the only thing that would make my day is if the B-52's would be In Flames. I think The Exceptions to that though is Coheed and Cambria."

            She crossed her arms and rubbed her temples. Norma walked on her right side while they went to class. Alice wanted to Rise Against all the Vicious Rumors. Those girls were like The Killers and acted like each were a Slayer of spirit. They made school a Kingdom of Sorrow. Luckily homeroom was acted like a Lifehouse for Alice and her friends. She wondered if anything would change. Metis Gretel and Gwen Stacy bumped into them which knock all four of them back a couple of steps. It was as if the Wall of Jericho just crumbled. "Watch where you're going Mudvayne," started Metis. "Ya, it's No Doubt the two of you are The Offspring of Tantra Monsters."

            Alice wanted to be Outasight so badly. She wasn't sure what her next move should be.

Let the Games Begin by Bryan O'Marah

            The coach had gotten a feel for all the player's abilities. So he then out them into two teams for a tryout scrimmage. He put both teams into a random batting order and gave them positions. Drew went over to look at the batting order. It had him on the visiting team as the fifth batter and playing shortstop.

So the game got under way and the opposing team took the field. The first two batters in the inning reached base and the next two batters before Drew got out. So Drew got a batting appearance in the first inning. So he grabbed a batting helmet and his wood bat and walked to the plate.

            The pitcher was medium height, around 5 foot and 8 inches, and looked to be about 140 pounds with a relatively skinny build. He threw around 85 miles per hour.

            Drew stepped up to the plate, dug in the box and got ready to hit. The pitcher got the sign from the catcher and got set. The pitcher checked the runner on second then kicked up his leg and threw. The pitch was a high fastball for ball one that looked around 84 miles per hour. The catcher threw the ball back to the pitcher.

            The pitcher got ready for the second pitch. He got the sign and came set. He brought his leg up, reached back and fired. This pitch was another fastball on the inside and low corner of the strike zone for strike one. This evened the count at one ball and one strike. The catcher tossed the ball back to the pitcher.

            The pitcher stepped on the rubber and got the sign from the catcher for pitch number three. He nodded his head in agreement and came set, kicked his leg and threw. The pitch was a 75 mile per hour curveball.

            Drew saw that it was curveball and waited on the pitch. He waited until the ball was in his power house and then with one, explosive, swing, Drew hit the ball. He hit a sharp line drive heading for left-center gap. The ball kept carrying and carrying. It bounced off the ground about a foot away from the left-center wall and then bounced up, off the wall.

            As the ball bounced off the wall, Drew rounded first base and headed for second. Both the left and center fielder were at the ball and the centerfielder picked up the ball and threw it in to the cutoff.

            Drew slid into second base just as the ball was reaching the infield. He had a double to start off the game.

2013 by Marysol Zavala

The blue teddy bear alarm clock went off, and from under the sandy colored blanket arose a hand that turned off the incisive ringing. The girl sat up, her purple hair covering her face and only a curl of a hair on the top of her head was standing up. Her long hair was up to her waist, her yellow left eye was all that was showing along with her yawning mouth. She walked out of her room and down a dark hallway, she knocked on the door next to her bedroom door, "Bakken get up! Don't want to be late for the first day of school do you?" she yelled bashing her fist into the door. A little boy with a white tucked in shirt and black slacks stood behind her
The boy tugged at the girls left sleeve of her white pajamas, "Sister yet again your ages away from ever beating me. I've made breakfast and lunch." He smiled innocently pushing up his glasses, his yellow left eye gleamed. "Just you wait Bakken! One of these days I'll-" she snarled, "Yunna! Stop fighting with your little brother and go get ready!" Yunna's mother interrupted. Yunna walked to the bathroom and got ready. She walked to the kitchen, sat, and gobbled down a small bowl of miso. "This is more food than yesterday mom!" she said putting on her shoes. "Bye mom! Let's go Bakken!" Yunna said before noticing Bakken was behind her, then they left.
Hi, I'm Yunna Asther, age 16. Daughter of Wifstrand Asther; my dad; Sakura Asther: my mom; and my little runt of a brother Bakken who's only 10. Here on Earth there are hardly any humans now. The reason for this are those stupid criminal vampires! At first we human had a treat by donating our blood and in return our safety, but a group of vampires called "los vampiros" broke the treaty and killed thousands of humans. The humans that are still alive are enslaved by vampires or are bounty hunters. And yes, I am a bounty hunter.
Yunna thought to herself while putting on fake vampire fangs. She put on a navy blue coat and put two glistering pistols in her coat pockets. The snow fell gently on her hair, her breath appearing and vanishing in front of her. She entered, dusted off her black skirt, fixed her white knee high socks, then walked up the stair case to her class. She opened the sliding door, and when she did, what once was a chaotic class became silent. "H-hey, my name is Yunna Tsukiko. It's a pleasure to make of your acquaintance." Yunna said bowing respectfully. The guys began whistling and some yelled "Finally a girl other that Gabriel the Brute!" The slide door slammed opened behind Yunna. A long shadow over came Yunna and the boy's fell silent once more. Yunna slowly turned.
There stood a girl with shoulder length blonde hair that was up in a ponytail. Her green eyes looked as if she was going to kill Yunna. The girl glomped Yunna, "Huh?" Yunna asked, "I'm Gabriel. Nice to meet ya!" Gabriel said smiling brightfully. "IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!" a boy yelled. Gabriel picked up the desk closest to her and threw it at the boy. The bell rang signaling the starting of class. A woman walked in with short orange hair that was wavy, brown eyes, and freckles walked in. Her face was stern and she had a poker face on. "Everyone sit down." she said emotionlessly. "We have a new student name Yunna. Yunna I'm your new teacher Ms. Sayomi so sit down and whatever." Ms. Sayomi said looking like she couldn't care less.
Yunna sat in one of the empty desks next to Gabriel, there were many empty seats around Gabriel's desk. Soon enough the lunch bell rang. Yunna opened her lunch box, it was only rice. "I forgot my drink at home!" Yunna said. "I'll get us something to drink. Is tea okay?" Gabriel asked, Yunna nodded. A tall guy entered the class room, girl's crowded around the door staring at him dreamily. His ponytail was half assed, he had an eye patch on his right eye and his other eye was blood red. Yunna's face quickly turned pale. He was talking to another person in the class that Yunna couldn't see. He turned and started walking towards Yunna, he stopped at her desk.
T-this can't be! He's a five star vampire and he's worth millions. It's him I know it. He's from when I was five. *flashback* Yunna's ponytail flicked right and left as she ran. Her yellow eyes were dull. The grass around her swayed to the right then left. "You bore me! I expected more." she said tauntingly. She whipped out two katana's and stood still, the night breeze gave her a chill. A boy of about her same age appeared in front of her, he took out a pistol and grinned creepily. The boy had a lazy ponytail and blood red eyes. They both stood still for a moment then the boy shot. The shot sped at Yunna, but she swayed gracefully to her right. It skimmed her right eye, blood gushed out, "Shit I can't see out of this eye now!" Yunna cursed.
"Ladies shouldn't curse and further more. . . . You talk a lot." the boy said with a smirk on his face. She ran at him as fast as she could not giving a him a moment to move, she tripped him onto the ground. Yunna stabbed her two katana's into each hand pinning him onto the ground. He instinctively closed his eyes, but Yunna forced it open then reached for his right eye. She slowly tore out his right eye, he screamed in pain then managed to kick her off from on top of him and pulled up his hands until the katana's were unpinned on the ground and only in lodged in his hands. He took them out and threw them at her. "You need them more than I do." he grunted. "An eye for an eye" Yunna replied laughing. *flashback end*
Yunna shivered, I was a creepy child when I was young, she thought to herself. "Meet me at the rooftops after school. I have something to tell you Ms. Tsukiko. My name is Len Katsuo." Len said bowing at Yunna. He then left. Gabriel nudged Yunna "Sudden confession! And by the most popular male here too!" Gabriel said winking. In Yunna's prospective, the last classes ended soon. As she went walking up the staircase after school towards the rooftops she thought to herself, What if he finds out I have his right eye!? There's no way in hell he's asking me out, I know it! I'm not even a vampire so no vampire should be interested in me! Yunna slowly opened the door so that if she ended up chickening out she could just bolt back to class. She rubbed her sweaty hands on her skirt and finally opened the door to the fullest and walked through. There stood Len staring blankly at the clouds. It's as if he sensed her and her turned even though Yunna was quiet. The closer he got to Yunna, the more Yunna reached for the pistols in her pockets. He bowed before her "I can sense you are a worthy vampire. Your power is almost as strong as mine and we are getting to an age were we need to continue our race. I was wondering if you wanted to be my mate." Len said blushing shyly, looking away.
"I'm sorry b-but I'm too young and and and. . . . Aren't we too young and." Yunna began stuttering in her confusion. "So it's a no." Len said walking away, he stopped, "By the way, I'm a persistent person." He said looking back and winking. He left. What the fuck just happened?! My mortal enemy just asked me out! No! He asked me to marry him. (Vampires don't marry. If they mate they're eternal partners.) She walked back to class and picked up her backpack. "So how'd it g-" Gabriel asked, but before she could finish her sentence Yunna got her backpack and left. *flashback* Yunna put the bloody eyes into her own eye socket. She screamed in pain then stopped. "Let's dance!" Yunna said laughing. Len's hands turned into blood red blades, "Don't mind if I do." He chuckled. Sparks flew into the night sky as their blades clashed. Yunna sensed another person behind her so she turned, but when she did Len took this moment into his advantage.
He stabbed her in the stomach. She panted as he took the blade out of her. Steam came out from her cut, she began coughing up blood. Everything around her was slowly being engulfed by blackness. Before she passed out she heard a soothing males voice saying, "Big brother, that's no way to treat a lady!". The figure loomed over her and darkness finally overcame all her vision. She woke up in a small cozy bed. Yunna got up, someone bandaged her up. She saw the boy sitting next to her asleep, he felt her awaken so he woke up to. He said "Oh you're awake! Hi my name is -" *flashback end* "Yunna stop day dreaming and help me with the dishes!" Bakken scolded. I wonder what he's doing. She thought smiling to herself.

Untitled by Tori Wang

I remember it clearly,it all started one day when Jonah and I were in the back porch just coming back in from the beach. It was a cool,frosty day today. The sky was lit by the pure white clouds but the sun was nowhere in sight. We were hosing our feet down in the backyard when I looked into the sliding glass door and saw my mother talking to my father. Their faces were dull and serious and although I wanted to run inside and feel my mother's comfort,I held back. I also felt a sense of protective instinct to make sure nothing ever hurt Jonah. My brother Jonah and I were very close. He was only two years younger that I and although we had different likes and interests we were like two peas in a pod. Some people may judge Jonah and sort him as autistic but I like to think that he's just different. He didn't say much and was rather quiet than expressive but I understood everything he had to say. He had fair skin like my mother and deep chocolate brown hair like my father. His eyes sparkled when he laughed and you could see straight to his innocent, pure heart.
I wiped my wet feet on the towel placed right by the door mat of the sliding door and dug my toes into the plush fabric of the freshly washed towels. Then I slowly entered the house with Jonah following behind. The house was a little warmer than usual but it felt nice to be back inside in contrast to outside. I sat Jonah in the living room and heard my mother say, "It's so sudden. I didn't even see it coming. It's awful, they were perfect for each other." I knew she was talking to my father and although I couldn't see him I could imagine him answering with a simple nod since there was no more conversation about whatever they were talking about for the rest of the day.
The next day, I woke up to the sound of chatter in the kitchen. I checked up on Jonah and found him to be sleeping still. I walked slowly towards the kitchen and found our elderly neighbor, Mr. Jones to be over. Something was different about him though. I noticed he looked slimmer and a little pale. His hands neatly folded on the table seemed to shake ever so slightly and his eyes were distant. He looked at me with a faint smile and I smiled back oblivious that his smile seemed a little force rather than his usual polite self, like he was doing it for our sake. I could of also sworn that his eyes seemed to be moist like he was on the verge of tearing but it could have been my imagination fooling me.
They were all sitting around the mahogany dining table. As I appeared around the corner they stopped mid-sentence and turned to look at me. Whatever they were discussing,it didn't seem to affect mother as she kindly asked if I wanted anything to eat. She swiftly whipped me a bowl of cereal and set it in front of me. I quietly sat there and nibbled on my cereal as my they continues to talk. I had no idea what they were talking about and I used this time to wonder why Mrs. Jones hadn't bothered to come and join us since they were always together. My mother continued carefully looking Mr. Jones straight in the eyes and saying, "I'm so sorry for your loss." That's when Mr. Jones broke down and started to quietly sob into his weary hands. My mother comforted him and put a soft hand to his back. Everyone sat in silence and that is the moment I realized what was happening. It all made sense now. At the same moment there came a muffled wailing coming from the other room. I got up quickly and offered my help by saying, "I got it!" My parents seemed relieved that I was quick to offer and I make my swift escape out of the kitchen. As I walked down that hall towards Jonah's room, I had some time to process what was going on. I couldn't believe it. There was no more Mrs. Jones. She was gone. All thoughts were coming in at once and I didn't know if I could handle it. I felt as if I were delirious. I softly pushed the door and walked straight towards Jonah. I put my hands on Jonah's back just like mom puts hers on Mr. Jones' back and whispered, "It's going to be okay Jonah."
After Jonah calmed down, I asked if he had a bad dream. He didn't answer but I knew even without him answering. Jonah always woke up wailing on the days he had a bad dream. I walked him down the hall to the bathroom to get him cleaned up and brush his teeth. I waited outside the hallways for him with the door slightly open just in case he tried anything funny. Our family knew all too well that when Jonah was quiet, he was up to no good. There was another reason that I stayed in the hallways other than to keep an eye on Jonah and that was to stay away from the kitchen. I wasn't ready to go back in nor was I ready to accept the fact that Mrs. Jones was gone,forever.
It was quiet and I slowly peeked my head into the bathroom and saw Jonah sitting in the corner of the bathroom. He sat there and stared off into the blank air. I entered carefully not to startle him and sat next to him on the hard marble floor. "What's the matter Jonah?" I started slowly. He then closed his eyes. I knew that this was a sign that he heard me but decided not to answer. I knew he didn't talk much but that never bothered me like it bothered some. In fact, I never really expected to answer but I always asked him anyways. Then he spoke. "Nothing," he simply replied. Then he stood and started brushing his teeth. I was so startled by his response that I sat there for another second or two.
After he was done, Jonah and I started down the hall to the living room. I sat him down on the couch and gave him his favorite toy to play with. Voices came from the kitchen and I went in to tell my mother that Jonah was awake and noticed that Mr. Jones was gone. He was nowhere in sight, so I figured he went back home.
It was a long, quiet dinner and all that could be heard was the sound of forks and knives clanking against the glass plates. I was glad for this because I wanted this time to think to myself. Jonah would mumble something every once in awhile breaking the silence and my thoughts but it would shortly return to the quiet soon enough. After we were done, I helped mother with the dishes while Jonah and Dad went off to play. I later found them in Jonah's room where Dad was reading a book to Jonah. Although I couldn't see through the slightly opened door, I could imagine Jonah vaguely listening to the story and fiddling with something. I didn't dare to interrupt, instead I sat on the floor of the hallway and listened with the small sliver of light streaming into the dark hallway. Dad's voice was strong in the silence and it seemed to flow out the door and even down the hallway. I noticed that I was slightly shivering from sitting on the cold, hard floors but I hadn't even noticed. My father's voice gave me warmth.
The following morning, I was awaken by the sound of movement. A lot of movement. I walked out of my room into the hallways dressed in my night clothes. Everything was still a blur as I rubbed my eyes and my vision was slowly starting to come to focus. I felt a cool breeze hit me as soon as I stepped onto the cold floors or the hallway. The same hallways I was sitting in the night before yet now it felt so different. The floor creaked with every step I took and there was an eerie coolness that swam through the air. I found the front door open which explained where the cool breeze was coming from. I stepped outside and our whole block was filled with what seemed to be police cars, ambulances,and paramedics. My parents caught a glimpse of me and my mother quickly rushed to me while my Dad stayed behind to take to one of the officers. "Stay inside honey," my mother said frantically. "You're going to catch a cold." I could already feel something bad was happening or had happened. I saw the policemen walk in and out of Mr. Jones' home. "What's happening Mama?" I asked carefully. I already had a feeling but asked anyways just because I need to be told for it to become reality. There came a wailing from the house. I looked up at my mother and I gave her a quick understanding nod. I tried to stay calm as I hurried and headed to Jonah. I let myself in and found Jonah awake. I walked towards him and embraced him. As he cried in my arms, I decided to accept the truth. I didn't need to be told what was happening to know what was going on.
Mr. Jones was gone as well. Three days had passed since Mrs. Jones left us. Today Mr. Jones left us. They were gone in an instant.

Never Saw it Coming by Briana Garza

            Remember back at those good old time in kindergarten, when you met your first little bestfriend. Well I remember back at those good old easy times.  At that age, most of us were pretty shy to new people.  It took a while to warm up to that person that I needed someone to talk for me. As days went by, we became closer and more comfortable with eachother.  Every little art project we would do in class, we would always partner up and work together.   Those good old times finger painting, learning how to read, take naps, and get on the teachers bad side together.  Basically we did everything together. 

            Third grade came along, secrets started coming out and promises needed to be kept.  It was a big thing to like someone at that age because other kids would make fun of you but it was different for me and my friend. Even at that age, we understood eachother and we wouldn't judge eachother.  I guess you can say we were a little more mature then other kids at that time. Suddenly, we became sisters/bestfriends and our families took us in like if we were their child. Had the same exact birthdays but only one year apart. Always celebrated together with family and friends. 

Sleepovers every night and eating midnight snacks to get high off of sugar, and getting exausted every morning because of pulling an all nighter.  I think you get the picture what every best friend does together.

            Good times went along, then highschool came along.  That is when things started to change little by little.  We left to different highschools and we met brand new friends.  We would try to make more time to hangout on the weekends but most of the times it didn't work out.  Once that happened, things weren't going that well at all.  Pointless problems and arguments were happening.  Every argument ended with an apology because it wasn't that big of an argument.  Misunderstandings or taking things way to seriously.

            Until one day, out of no where, they start going off on you for no real reason. The reason why was because they brought up something that happened in the past that should've been forgiven long time ago.  One word text messages which means something is going on or something is wrong.  Right before the birthday came, text messages saying "your useless to be with".  All of that was very sudden and I would never saw it coming from them.  But hey now I know who my real friends are. 

            I learned that people come and go out of your life.  People do and say messed up things to you but those kind of people make you stronger and the person you are today.  We all learn from our past mistake in life.  The past is the past and its best to forget and make better decisions. There are going to be moments in life when you wont see it coming.  Even in the future you will run into people just like that but now you know what you can do to avoid them and just focus on you and education and just move along. You wont see it coming until the moment it happens. Only family are the ones who is always by your side and gives you great advice.  Keep your head up high and never keep it low. Many lessons are learned in life. 

A Girl Named Jennifer by Patricia Desantores

Jennifer slammed the door to keep her parents from going inside her room. She was in the middle of an argument with her mom, when her dad decided to join in. She couldn't take it anymore. She thought of leaving so many times but she never did because of her siblings. Who would watch over them when their parents fought? How would they be able to handle seeing them fight? They were the main reason why she never left. She didn't want them to face it all alone. She wanted them to grow up and become normal adults. Not adults with traumatic experiences that leads to them having a hard time making relationships with other people. But for once, she wanted to just worry about herself and no one else. She's always been putting everyone else's needs and wants before hers. She finally decided it was time to take a break from it all.

            She grabbed a bag and stuffed it with all sorts of clothing. Her parents continued to yell hurtful things towards each other behind the closed door. But she just acted as if she didn't hear a thing. She sat down in front of her desk, took a piece of paper, and a writing utensil. She started to write a letter for her siblings to read once they realize she had gone away. Once she finished, she opened her window and climbed out of it. She took one last look at the letter that lay perfectly still on her desk. In it said, "I promise I will come back…"

The Infection by Justin C

Hello my name is phill I am an engineer for the government.I recently got a call from the government to see if i would want to do another repair mission, I didnt hesitate to take the job. The breifing was that they lost contact with a planet destroyer type ship a week ago and they wanted a group to go check it out. I didnt know what happened to the ship so i didnt care really its probably just a borken fuse or damaged antena. when we got out of hyper space there was a tone of debrree it looked lke a space station just expoloded. When we got farther into the wreckage we started noticing there were mangled bodies flooting in space,some of them looked like they were mutated. out in the horizon we could see the Planet destroyer ship we lost contact with, there was smoke and large parts of the ship missing. we tried to hail the ship but all we got was static, I told them to stop because i rememberd there communications were out.

We docked in the hanger no problem but there were blown up ships and bodies littering the hanger, most of them were all civilians and some of them were military. There was no other bodies besides human ones. Some bodies were all mangled and mutatued and had there arms made into giant scythes. They were very scary, it looked like they were the ones attacking the ship because everybody was cut up. I told my crew to take out there weapons just in case, and just as i said that one of the mutated bodies jumped up and tried to slash at me but my comrades were preety fast and shot i som many times it blew up. From now on we were on our toes. WE got to the comand bridge an hour later.

We heard commosion inside so we created a firing line infront of the door and i counted to three and opened the door. The captain was locked in the panic room with some or the mutated freaks outside of the panic room desperatly trying to claw at his face, so we shot them. The captain came out of the panic room but very carefully. We asked him what happened to the ship. He responded, Phill our energy source was a newly founded technology from an alien ship. We plugged it in to our ship because the other one was going into the critical stage and we had to try out this newly found energy. We encountered another alien armada and they started firing upon us and we couldnt do anything because our power source couldnt handle all the energy needed to fire one gun. Our engineer's agreed to remove the power source and put in the alien ane and so we did. When we took it out and put in the alien one the ship vibrated with energy and pulsed a huge energy field around the ship. Our engeineers were still in the room and they died. Our old fuel source was going into the critical stage so we ran it up to one of our messenger launchers and aimmed it towards the alien armada and fired.

It took a minute to reach them but when it did it made a direct ipact on one of the leading ships and blew up like a million nukes going off at once, that's what all the Debris out there are from. The shock wave hit us hard and rolled the ship 5 times. Most of the crew died from head trauma but i managed to survive. That blast from inside our ship, later on we figured out was an infection. The sick bat is where it hit first and it hit hard, the video footage that i saw was our own men bring transformed into those things those horrible things, they would cut down and feed on anybody in there path later on the dead would come to life as those ugly things. i ordered a kill squad to go down there and kill the alien things but begore they coulf get there they got ambushed by those necromorphs as i call them now. My kill squad put up a good fight but they got overwhelmed in a heart beat. One of the kill squad members managed to pull a pin off a grenade and managed to kill most of the necromorphs with him, it was horrible to whatch. in one hour half of the ship was turned into necromorphs. i set up a baricade around the command deck and in the hall. we managed to kill allot of them but they rained down from the airvents and service tunnels and killed all my security out in the hall. 

We retreated into here our last hope and sealled all of the vents, we heard them trying to get threw the fifteen inch thick blast door but they couldn't, we even heard them scrapping at the vents but they couldnt get threw. then all of a sudden the blast door dented and we heard a large roar outside the door then another dent then another dent then another soon we could see the ugly thing. It stuck its grimy ass face threw the door and we literally shot off his face from so many lazers and bullets going into its face and it collapsed to the ground, we started cheering but as soon as the cheering started some one yelled "hear they come again"! They came i  waves of fifty or so every couple of minutes at first, we lost three good men in five hours There was silence for two hours. We heard more screams down the hallways and one necromorph came threw the door then ten,then fifty,ten two hundred it was too much for us to handle. we retreated to the panick room and closed the door and activated the intrusion defenses. auto turrets popped out of our refuge and out of the ceiling and floor and we just looked at the glorious site of limbs and blood spewing everywhere. those turrets saved our lives so we left them active and i got to work repairing the communications on the ship. 
We are going to get out of here alive.

Lust versus Love by Zoe Perez-Neu

I shiver in anticipation. 

Being near him chills me to the very bone. 

Whenever he meets my gaze my heart thumps, deafening against my chest, and I feel a fiery burn of lust ignite with cool tendrils of longing paralyzing me. 

My greatest hope is that my eyes will not betray me, that the windows to my soul are closed tightly against the harsh wind of reality.

            We could never be together in any way other than the most professional connection.  It could never move past that, despite my feverous want for our relationship to move beyond that, to develop into a more romantically sexual bond. 

But it's immoral, unethical, and unreciprocated.  I could spend hours listing every reason why it's unattainable, but it would do nothing to quell my hunger.

            I want to feel him bite my neck softly while he runs his hands over my body.  I want to see his piercing eyes mirror my own tornado of emotions. 

I want us to become one, I want to feel him inside me, I want to see him vulnerable and blissful in the afterglow, I want him to kiss me insatiably, starving for more, I want him to hold me and whisper gently in my ear, I want him to love me so much he would abandon his ethics and morals to be with me.

            I fantasize about things that could be but never will, in this universe at least.

            So I'll settle with watching him, drinking in his image as if it could quench my thirst, my eyes will follow every movement he makes, every breath, every word his tantalizing mouth produces. 

I'll listen to his voice that calms me and soothes me and wakes me and electrifies me and arouses me and makes me pine for him so much more.

 I'll turn around and pretend I'm not in miserable agony from my burning, un-salvageable, unattainable, un-extinguishable desire.

I can't escape it.

But I don't think I'd want to escape this simple, complicated, wonderful feeling.

Every day is like a new adventure in this beautiful world.  I see her smile and my whole day is fantastic.  I see her laugh and my whole life is fantastic.

She's beautiful, gorgeous, amazing.  Her hair, so smooth; her eyes twinkle with a swirl of various emotions that drag me in like a whirl pool and refuse to let me free.  She makes my heart melt, my knees turn to Jell-O, my hands sweat and I swear I can feel my face turn red.

All it takes is one look and I'm a puddle on the ground. One glance and reality escapes the grip of my sweaty palms.

My friends tell me they can see the hearts waltzing around me when I see her.  I totally believe them.

I don't know if this is infatuation, or if I've found my soul mate, but I do know that this isn't some silly crush.  No, it has to be more than that.  If it was just that, why would she be the only thing I can think about, the only thing I can talk about, the only thing I can dream about?

As far as I'm concerned, she's the only girl in the world.  I want to write a love story of us.  I want to sweep her off her glass clad feet and propose to her in a place where the mood and scenery feel like they've been stolen straight from a Disney fairy tale.

I grin to myself.  Maybe I shouldn't be so forward.  I suppose I'll start by ditching my friends who are sitting on the bleachers in our school's gym-turned-ball room and ask my love if she "would care to dance with me" and "did I happen to mention how stunningly beautiful you are tonight" and who knows?  Maybe she'll agree to get coffee with me next Tuesday.

Every fairy tale romance has to start off somewhere, right?

An Unappreciated Life by Sharon Munoz

The fog swirled through the air gracefully, whispering softly as it settled onto the tree tops and parked cars left out on the quiet Sunday morning in San Francisco. Most people were still tucked tightly into a warm bed, envisioning their greatest desires in yet another dream that would fade before waking, but one man had awaken early and was walking alone on the sidewalk. His small steps echoed lightly, shortened breaths coming out in white cloud-like puffs, eyes glancing around without purpose at what was around him. He seemed to notice every little detail, like the cracks he very carefully avoided on the cement beneath him, but none of it truly registered in his mind. He was completely oblivious to the world around him, as it had always been to him. As he reached the ramp that led to the massive Golden Gate Bridge his steps slowed down and one hand shakily took hold of the piercing-cold metal railing, using it to support his heaving body as he began to walk further.

The sharp pungent scent of salty water and fish drifted to his nose, the air otherwise fresh without the interruption of cars spewing out exhaust as they sped down the overpass. His whole body began to sag as he got closer to the middle of the bridge, as if invisible weights were being tucked into the pockets of his clothing by swift invisible hands. His energy was slowly draining, but his steps did not lessen nor slow down again. Once reaching what was roughly halfway down, he paused, both hands now wrapping around the bar in front of him. The city was starting to come alive, early morning trains rumbling faintly in the distance, and he turned for a moment, watching the streetlights flicker for a few seconds before turning off. He glanced out again at the seemingly never-ending ocean before him, the sparkling cerulean waves rippling in a constant pattern that resembled the melodious chorus of a song. 

He let his eyes close as he breathed in deeply, trying to forget about the stress aching in his worn-down heart. As the sterling white egrets and seagulls began to converse beneath the bridge by the shore he fell into a trance, for once having his growing pile of troubles leave him. A soft content sigh escaped his cracked lips, but as a truck abruptly came roaring past him, he jumped, knuckles pasty white as his grip tightened on the bar. There was no way to simply fall asleep and forget about life, he realized. Peering once more over the edge, the realization of what he had come to do returned to him. He had no family; he had nothing to live for. His health was deteriorating and it seemed like no one cared about the quiet old man who lived alone in the small house on the corner. Shifting his body forwards he stepped over the edge, still clutching to the bar, not letting go even once both feet were on the outer rail of the bridge.

The whole ocean opened before him and he knew a single misstep would send him plunging into the freezing, deep water. He nervously licked his lips, sweaty hands making his grip loosen. He leaned forwards, but did not let go. He whispered a soft prayer under his breath, and stared down at the water, knees beginning to shake. "W-wait," He said, voice trembling as the wind began to hit him. "Someone help me up... please… someone." His voice was hoarse but he soon began to yell, fearing he couldn't hold on for much longer. "I made a mistake--" His hands slipped and he stumbled, trying to catch himself, but there was nothing but air to hold on to, nothing to give him even the slightest bit of hope of living. In all his life, no one had ever worried about him, never told him to be careful, no one to make sure he was even still there. Their ignorance was what had killed him. Their absence, his loneliness, it tore him down and eroded every bit of happiness inside of him just as it did to all the other people who'd ever taken their own lives.

There was a large splash as he hit the water, followed by silence, as the world continued on without knowledge of his disappearance and he became nothing more but another lost life.

Forgiveness by Zoe Perez-Neu

A girl stood outside her friends' house.  The dark moonlight bathing the world in navy blue shadows.  The moon itself shone brightly in the starless sky.  The drops of dew and growing frost glistened upon the deep pine colored grass.

            The girl stood still, silently staring at the silhouette of the shadow in the doorway.  She felt nervous; her trepidation was tangible enough to see.  Her skin prickled and she felt the same fear as if she was inside of a helicopter, looking down to the hard soil with her nerves coiling.  Despite this, she jumped out of the copter, feeling the rush of both cold wind and hot adrenaline as she approached the figure at the door.  She stopped an arm length away, searching her friend's face for any trace of emotion.  All she could see were the steely, ice-cold eyes contrasting with the slightly wet tear tracks.

            "Jackie," the first girl addressed her friend, "I'm so sorry."

Jackie was frozen in the doorway for a moment.  Then she cracked:

            "Why would you do that to me?!"

The other girl flinched and started walking backwards as Jackie lurched forward threateningly.  Jackie continued, her voice now nothing more than a whisper.

            "I trusted you with my secrets.  I was a fool."

Blinking back her tears she jerked her body back inside the house, slamming the red mahogany door.

            The soft volume of her words did nothing to comfort the intentional burn.  The girl whimpered quietly, sounding pathetic in her mind.  She stopped backwards walking when she reached the middle of the street.  Giving out a strangled sob she fell to her knees, clutching her side as if she had been stabbed.

            On the other side of the maroon door Jackie was in a similar position.  Leaning back, she clenched her eyes shut.  She sorted through her thoughts, assessing each emotion and memory.

            After ten minutes (but what seemed like an eternity) she opened her eyes.  She smiled lightly, despite the tears still waiting behind her eyes.  She wasn't ready to fully trust Rebecca again, but she could forgive her.  Jackie admits to herself, chuckling silently, that she had been a bit melodramatic.  Strengthening her resolve she stands up and heaves the door open.

            Rebecca is still kneeling in the street when she hears a door open and sees a ray of light encase her, shielding her from the rest of the night's dark coldness.  She looked up, surprised, and saw Jackie give her a small smile.

            "You want to come inside or stay out there and freeze to death?"  Jackie offered, her tone warm and friendly but not without the undertones of cautiousness and fear.

            Rebecca beamed widely and found new tears springing behind her eyes.  But these steamed from joy, not sorrow.  As she jumped up and ran inside, Jackie closed the door.

            What the two rehabilitating friends missed was the large truck speeding down the street.  The driver was playing Angry Birds on his phone rather than pay attention to the road.

            If Rebecca hadn't left the street she would have been crushed under the heavy weight and ultimately killed.

Super Not Normal by J.N. Gordovez

    I think I'm a freak… Why me? I'm a sixteen year old teenager; I have oddly long legs with a little more curves than I can ask for. I've crazy long wavy roan colored hair, and I guess I can say I am nicely tanned. Of course I am Native American even though I have no clue from what tribe. But hey! That isn't my fault! I was found at the doorsteps of a Seattle fire station. Well if you haven't figured it out, I am adopted. Yeah my parents are great even though they annoy the crap out of me. Always bugging me about my grades, how I should dress, and about my attitude about the world all the time! Um no, you guys have been running the beginning of my life already, I can handle it from here now.

    Yeah, I understand that I am a C-average student. Yes I can do better, but I hate school. Sorry! Nope won't do it. I hate skirts and I hate dresses. Why should I follow what people think is pretty or cool? I will definitely not dress like a stupid Barbie doll with skirts, hair done and an over load of makeup, or with heals just to make my ass pop out. To dress like a Barbie freak show is every girl's dream nowadays. Apparently it's also appealing to "men". These "men" are just children who have no taste in girls. Me? Well my sense of style isn't pink but black. I hate logos or designs on shirts. I like my black pants and my chained combat boots. And my oversized sweat shirt that has a zipper. Guess what color my sweats shirt is? Not pink but pure black. Did I mention that I hate bags or purses? It's so not nice accessory. Besides I hate luggage or dead wait.

    What I bring to school is my tapped up binder (which I made myself), couple f pens, and of course a few sharpies. I would dye my hair but I like my natural colors in my hair so I find dying my hair pointless. I already said I hate makeup. Hate long nails, I keep them short and black. I wear lots of rings and necklaces usually. And my parents won't let me get anything pierced or tattooed and if they did I so would have been having a few tats and lots of piercings. You might think of me as a freak already, but all this teenage crap isn't even part of it. So this is your last chance to get out of my freak show life and to live on through you miserable life thinking everything is normal. Truthfully it isn't…

    …If you can't take this freak bullshit then you shouldn't be reading this but if you can welcome back to me explaining why I think I'm a total freak. It's not because of my whole hate bitch attitude towards everyone, but… ok this is where it gets weird. I have dreams and not just any normal dream where you think you're being chased down by mummies. My dreams are freaking crazy! There is this one and only dream I dream of every night. It first starts off with me sitting on a log, surrounded by a forest full of pine trees, and I am staring at the smoke of a campfire. The smoke rises and rises, but as it raises it swirls in to a shape of a cougar. As the raising cougar swirls around the campfire I feel as if it's starring at me. I was right, when it takes its final form it stares at me full on. I scream at the top of my lungs and start to run the opposite way. The feeling of someone or something makes my adrenaline spike into a rush, which made me run a lot faster. But who can out run a cougar, especially in the fantasy world? It caught up to me and started to swirl around me as if I was the campfire. And just like at the campfire it stares at me full on. As it pounced it opened its wide jaws and finally consumed me. Smoke all around me I suddenly realized that I am screaming. I always tell myself that I should shut up because what is screaming going to help with you with? Nothing. So I reach out and touch it. What I touch isn't smoke at all but steam. I look down and see that my hair is wet. At first I thought my hair was wet from all the running, and then I noticed that I was naked. I realize that were I touched the steam it left a wet mark. So I start to touch the steam again and I start were the wet mark is and draw a rainbow with my palm. I now see that it is glass, no a mirror. What I see in this mirror is what scares me awake. I see my reflection same colored hair and same colored skin. But in this reflection my hair has silver streaks in it as if I am older. What scares me the most is my eyes. On the sides of my eyes there are these semi crow's feet and it somehow indicates that the pair of eyes are old and wise. But my actual eye in this mirror they are the eyes of a cougar… Damn just thinking about it gives me goose bumps. But my question is, why me? What does it mean? Why do I have the same dream every night? I must be a freak.

"Tory?"

"Huh?" I say dreamingly. "The answer? You know if you would stop day hiding in the back there daydreaming you would understand the lesson. Ok class can…" What the hell? Why ask me? Damn retard. Hate school with a passion. By the way, the name is Tory short for Victoria. Victoria Greene. The retard thinking I will answer a question she is Ms. White, my geometry teacher. Honestly why in the hell will we need geometry in the future? This class is totally pointless and not worth my time. My pointless school consists of students that are in kindergarten to 12^th grade. The town and school that I live in is small and outside of Seattle. I've had the same lame classmates ever since grade school. We barely have 20 kids in our class. So instead of students going to other classrooms to go to another class the teacher rotates classrooms instead. So the students get to stay in these cage like classrooms all day. The only class I respect and somewhat like is my history class, especially when we learn about the Natives that were here. Five more lame long minutes of pointless geometry then off we go to lunch. Ugh these people annoy me so much. How do ignore them? I blast my trusty iPod's headphones. Yeah electronics aren't allowed but they've taken my iPod so many times now that they just don't care anymore about what I do. Five minutes finally passed and someone pulled my headphones out. Who the hell?

"Tory?! Earth to Tory?!" Oh that was just David. He has been my one friend I trust and enjoy to be around. He is my absolute best friend. He has been my friend since he moved here I grade school. I have no clue how we became friends, most likely because we live so close to each other. We had no choice. He is about an inch taller than me with curly dirty blond hair and a football material body. Don't worry he doesn't have the dumb jock brain. He is a little nerdy; Dave even has the glasses to prove it. He is a swimmer that is why he is so athletic looking. Oh and I call him Dave.

"Hey Dave Thanks for bringing me back to the lame world we live in that I love so much!" He is so nerdy he even snorts.

"Wow Tory already pissing people off? And hey! Cut that crap about the lame world stuff again."

"Pissed people off? What?" Wth is he talking about?

"Ms. White? You didn't answer the question?" Oh yeah dumb oldy.

"I remember now. Yeah I guess so. Why in the world would she try to make me answer a question? Dumb old hag she is always trying to change me. She should just give up like how some people should!" I said as I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Oh shut up let's just go sit down." I feel so bad. He is always trying to get me to have a nicer attitude towards everyone and not be so negative. Whenever I say he can't change me he gets all touchy. He acts as if he is my older brother. People always thought we should end up together. It's not that he isn't cute in fact he is gorgeous. Dave has that Clark Kent status going for him. It's just he is my best friend and he is the closest thing I have to a brother and we don't go past boundaries like that. He even has his own girlfriend. Her name is Stacy. Talking about pretty in pink that's all her. She is probably the only one I approve of wearing pink. She has a really nice auburn hair with a tint of red. Super skinny short little girl, with a wicked waist and lower curves. She has pale skin with rosy cheeks with no makeup. She is beautiful. She isn't my friend but I like to consider he an acquaintance. She likes to talk a lot! Which is probably one of the only things I dislike about her, like right now she is about to burst with lame information.

"Oh my gawd! Did you guys here? No? Well we are having a new transfer student! The transfer is going to be in our class!" Like I said lame! So I'm just going to ignore their stupid conversation. A new transfer? Yeah right probably rumors. Later is when I realized I should have paid attention…

Parents by Joshua Laquian

When you think about your parents and your perspective of them you either see them as harsh dictators out to make your life a living hell or overprotective, overbearing teddy bears ready to just smother you to death. You think back to when you were little and how you are angry about the fact that you couldn't get your dad to buy you that toy truck you really wanted (needed). Fast forward to when you were eleven and how you wanted to see that new kick-ass PG-13 movie and how you went to them begging your heart out and you probably did. Eight years later to your senior year and the early prime of your libido filled life and parties become a part of your weekly ritual. The only thing/people standing in your way of "getting some of that" is your parents. During all of those years the only ever conversations you have with them is whenever you need something from them. You keep thinking to yourself that you would be better. You're going to be the rockstar celebrity that your parents tell you that is close to impossible of doing. Now, I want you to stop and think for a second about the fact that all humans use their experiences to decide their actions and that for a second see your parents as human beings who have had dreams, relationships, aspirations, mistakes, and how everything they have done made them who they are right now. They want the best for you and sometimes that isn't really going to follow through because everyone at least in one point of time has to make their own mistakes, experiences and have their own aspirations and dreams. Although just remember one thing, if you put yourselves in their shoes you can find yourself seeing life in a very familiar view because in the end your parents leave a huge part of themselves in you...