A Halloween Poem

So quiet

So quiet is the way you stand

The way I walk

The way you run

The way I chase

So quiet is your blood

The blood pumping through your veins

Becoming louder as your adrenaline pumps

So quiet is your defeat

My smile

The predator biting the prey

Your tears

So quiet is your struggling

Me draining you

You giving up and falling to the ground

So quiet is me disappearing into the shadows

Looking for a new victim

To repeat the process

So quiet

the unbeliveable.

Sisters in heart, we always were. Forever and always, we always thought. Fly & er, forever in memory. Sometimes the truth can be too hard to belive. Sometimes it can be to sad to conqure. But this was too easy to forget. I used to be happier, not fearful. But now im scared, and missing you. I didn't realize before how difficult it is to throw it all away. So many memorys, so much time together, its all so wrong now. And how can you beg to differ? If you really don't regret anything, if our memorys are burned out of your head, then fine. But i have a feeling that thats not what it is. I fear of getting your rejection one more time. but i thrive for the times we spent, the places we went. No one is anything like you. Your a person that i need in my life. Its so different having been with you for soo long and now not even having a chance to talk ever unless its an arguement. I didnt see this coming, i dont think anyone did. but everyone knew something was wrong when we passed eachother in the hall with out stopping to talk. I still get words of wisdom by my friend, your cousin. He told me, "to take a risk, is to take a chance." that chance im willing to take, but too scared to think of. I loved you as my other sister, my bestfriend. and real love, no matter what kind of friendship or relationship, never dies.

Soldier's Letter

My Love,


Each day the sun burns on my back. Each night my muscles ache. Sometimes I question whether they ache from strenuous hours of field maneuvers, or simply from want of you. Like oxygen to fire, I cannot thrive without you.

It is not pleasant here, my love, nor a place for a woman like yourself. The sergeants work us from dawn to dusk, and we must obey all orders given. Not once will we question their authority. Not once will we plead for rest. Not once will we let out a yelp of misery, as we tread through soggy marshes, and scale jagged cliffs. For we all do it with our country in mind. Knowing that each battle we fight protects our loved ones makes it that much easier to make it through the day. And with each passing day, I know that it will bring me one step closer to coming home to you.

Much love,
Your Soldier

The House Around the Corner

No one in the neighborhood would dare go near it. No one knew who lived there. No one really wanted to know. It was the house around the corner from me. I stayed away like everyone else but one little, curious part of me wanted to find out more. That is how I got to where I am right now; standing in front of the burgundy door of the house around the corner.

I gazed up at the house. It was white or used to be white but most of the paint was chipped off. The windows were very dirty, I don't think they have ever been touched. It was very creepy looking, with cobwebs in every corner. The lights were never on. However, there was one old, rusty truck in the driveway but I never saw anyone use it. Everyone claimed the house was haunted and there was a ghost living in it. I am not much of a believer of ghosts so I was determined to just find out who lived here, even though I was shaking and my heart was about to explode out of my chest.

"Ok, you can do this." I said to myself. I took a deep breath. I clumsily grabbed the brass door knocker and tried to stop my shaky hands. 1,2,3 knocks. I stood there alone in the darkness of the night and waited.

I heard footsteps approaching and my heart beat even faster. I was about to run away but I stayed put. It was a cold fall evening but I was sweating like I had just ran 2 miles. I thought the doorknob turned but it must have been my imagination, since no one had answered. I was a little disappointed, yet also relieved. I turned around and started to walk back to my house. Suddenly, I felt cold hands grab me and pull me into the house. The next thing I knew I was locked in a dark basement, alone.

I woke up the next morning, safe in my bed. Last night was a blur but I remember someone carrying me home. I still have so many questions, but I know the answer to one thing...I won't be going to the house around the corner anytime soon.

Best Friend

I couldnt help but laugh. I couldnt help but smile. I couldnt help but look at my best friends actions and find it completely humorous. A best friend had a million different meanings. And for every individual in the world, theres one more meaning for the two words "best friend." In my opinion, a best friend is someone who makes you laugh, cares about you, and annoyd you as much as they possibly can. In my case, my best friend Sydneys knows just the right buttons to push on me, and the exact way to cheer me up when I'm sad. She knows when I'm happy and she knows when I'm mad. I found a in someone I got to school with. But some people choose a different route. They find a best friend is someone in a family member, or a husband or wife, or even a pet. It doesnt matter who or what it is, as long as theres someone there who you trust with your heart, and arent afraid to tell them anything. So here I stand, watching Sydney, realizing I'm lucky to have a true friend like her.

The Sloped Road

I tread this road,

a ribbon of brown,

fallen leaves,

stretched before me,

never-ending,

I climb the sloped road.

The Sakura trees blossom,

carelessly tossing their pedals,

in my path,

on the sloped road.

I cannot stop,

for fear if I do,

I will not start,

ever again,

the climb up the sloped road.

But oh how I ache,

from this tiresome tread,

with leaden toes,

head hanging low,

up this endlessly sloped road.

I walk alone.

until I can't go on,

and I think to myself,

as I finally stop,

lying to rest,

maybe-just maybe,

if, I were not to walk alone,

I could make it,

to the end of the sloped road.

Foot Steps

They're coming closer. The two footsteps, patering up the stairs. My heart beat has trippled in the last two seconds and it's all I can hear, "boom boom" and plus the on-going patter on the steps. I'm home alone, who could it be? "Hello?" I mutter. There's no response so I slowly turn back my covers, grab my phone, and get my trembling fingers to dial 911. The wind is a coyote. Howling non-stop. This whole scene just can't be happening, the slow footsteps, now moving across my hall, the wind howling, the pitch black sky although its only 5pm, and the call cannot go through to 911. A tear trickles down my face. This can't be real I continue saying to myself. I close my burning red bloodshot eyes and pinch myself as hard as I can, hoping when I pry them open the familiar face of my mother is there telling me it's going to be okay. No such luck. The floor board continues to creak. "Get out of my house, I'm calling the police, please, I don't deserve this now leave me alone!" I am hoping they fall for, "I'm calling the police." I hear a creepy kind of possesed giggle from the hall. I don't know whether to go out the window, hide beneath my bed, or take something from my room to hurt him. What would you do? He makes the decision for me. The door opens as slow as a snail, revealing a dark shadow which casts through my small, once cozy looking room. I need to think fast. I throw a hanger towards the crack. The door opens faster and an all black dressed person or creature comes charging towards me. That's it. That's all I remember.

I woke up in what seemed like a different universe. The florescent lights flickered above my head, the unfamiliar bed creaked under my weight as I tried to register my surroundings, and the intoxicating smell of medicine and fluids in the stale air rushed into my nose. The only question that came to mind was, “where am I?” The flimsy white hospital blankets wrapped tightly around me was a chain holding me down and every single bone in my body was either numb or was in extreme pain. Focusing as hard as I could, I tried to rake through my brain for answers, but all I remembered was the piercing sound of a driver who honked while I was behind the wheel and the red and blue lights that were flashing so rapidly it was enough to make someone have a seizure. I was not even sure if that white hospital gown was what had been on me when I left the house. Suddenly I noticed that I was not alone. I realized that my mom was sitting in the small chair by the window crying.
“Mom” I whispered and she slowly lifted her head.
“Honey?” She quickly jumped out of her chair as if it were covered in scorpions, anxiously waiting to crawl all over her pale skin.
“Where am I?”
“Hon., your in the hospital” as soon as the words came out of her mouth a tears slowly rolled down her cheek leaving behind a wet path.
“What?!” As she slowly turned to face the window again I tried to sit up but failed miserably when the tubes attached to me yanked me back.
“Mom tell right now. Why am I here?” I demanded when the suspense got to me.
After a few more tears and seconds, she looked me straight in the eyes
“You were driving Erika and Jack home after the party and you were under the influence. You crashed into another driver and you were the only one who… survived.”


On August second I killed four people, two of my best friends, an innocent individual who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and the person who lived inside of me.

Autumn is in the Air

When I wake up in the morning

I can hear the leaves rustling on the ground

When I wake up in the morning

I can see the bare trees blowing in one direction

When I wake up in the morning

I can smell the fresh cold maple leaves capturing my nose

When I wake up in the morning

I can taste the freshly made apple pie

When I wake up in the morning I can feel that is is Autumn

The Snowstorm

The white ground was blinding me. Well, I guess I can't really be blinded if the snow was falling so fast that I couldn't see anything anyway. I'm bundled up so tightly that I can barely move. The howling wind nips nips my nose, bites my ears and freezes my fingers. I guess I deserve it. I', the one who forgot the key to her house before school. Who could have predicted that a blizzard would hit the day I forgot my key? No one. So, with my well phone batter dead, I'm forced to stand by my front door, practically freezing to death. Suddenly the wind slows down. Not to a complete stop, but enough so I can see more than five feet in front of me. I sat down on the cold ground, took out my homework, and started to write a story. Later, I decided to stretch my legs, so I got up and walked around my front yard. Then, the snow picks up once again. All of a sudden, I'm falling. Apparently, at tree root caught me by surprise. I fall to the ground before I know what's happening, and because of my multiple layers, am unable to get up for a long time.

"Can you hear me? Are you alright?" I hear someone ask. I have no idea where I am, or

who that person is. All I remember is falling in the snow and not getting up. I was completely stuck.

"Yes I can hear you. But you are you? And where am I?" I murmered softly to the stranger.

"I'm your om. Are you okay? What happened?" she wonders. Now it's all coming back to me. I'm lying in my bed underneath lots of covers.

"I got home from school right when it started snowing. I forgot my key, my phone was dead, and I had no way to get in the house. So I just was walking around until I tripped over a tree root buried in the snow. I couldn't get up becaise I was wearing so many layers." I explain to my mom.

" It's alright. You're fine. No harm done. Just go to sleep," my mom says, trying to comfort me. And soon after she says that, I'm fast asleep.

Alone

When I look around I see spoiled kids who get whatever they ask for, I see kids who take those things for granted, and don’t know the value of a dollar. Having few friends, not much money, and being in middle school don’t paint a pretty picture. Let me explain.

In elementary school being teased got old real fast. Same with having kids tell me they didn’t like me and hearing people talk behind my back. It was all the same every single year, like watching the same movie 4 times in a row.

Fifth and sixth grade were tolerable as if those two years were the calm before a new storm. Seventh grade was when I stumbled and started falling down a hill. Talking behind my back and hearing how people don’t like me was beginning to return. That year led me to how I feel now. Alone. I have one friend that I can talk to about anything, my dad’s unemployed, and all this stress from school. No, my house isn’t huge, I don’t have a fancy phone, or the best parents, but so what. Most people probably don’t even know that much about me. So what are they really judging me on.

My self confidence has always been low but it has now hit rock bottom. Home is just as stressful as school between my dad’s non-stop search for work and well, always being home. I can’t remember the last time I did something with a friend, was invited to a party, or just went out to do something fun. I wonder at this rate where am I going to be in a few years.

Anyway for now this is my life of loneliness and boredom. The one thing I still don’t understand though, is why me. I hope someday I just get a glimpse of how a lot of people live with all the luxuries they want. I hope things get better soon because I don’t know how much longer I can take it. The next time you go to laugh at someone think of how you could be impacting their life, because some things you do people just don’t forget.

Paper and Ash

The man of paper.

Smooth edges,

still brutal enough

to bite.

Folded creases,

still thin enough

to tear.

The man of fire.

Devouring colors,

still playful enough

to laugh.

Hungry flames,

still bright enough

to burn.

The man of rain.

Dripping jacket,

still solid enough

to fall.

moistened eyes,

still blue enough to melt.

The man of ash.

Blackened heart,

still live enough

to beat.

Broken form

not whole enough

to be.

Zach Schulz
10/27/10
Period 3
Arctic Ride
Arctic Circle or bust! That was our mission as we set out that frigid December day. This would be a goal that very few people will achieve. At the tender age of six, I already knew that I was ready to make this northern journey.
The lobby was full of sights and sounds. The fire crackled and popped as the flames danced and sparkled as if they were fireworks in the hearth. Heat filled the small cozy room. The scents of the ginger snap cookies and warm cranberry tea floated through the air. I had lived on these cookies for days, but still, I filled my pockets. We had a long ride ahead.
One by one, the guides dressed us for the Arctic weather ahead. First, my feet were cushioned in woolen socks, and they worked upward until I had layer upon layer of cold proof, water proof and wind proof gear covering every inch of me. A helmet, scarf and goggles finished me off. Now I was ready for the great outdoors.
I stepped outside to the still dark morning. Who would have guessed it was nearly noon? Except for the thick cover of snow, it was hard to tell that it was cold, because my armor kept everything out. The sounds of the day were muffled by the thick helmet, so the scene of the snow falling, blanketing everything in sight, was peaceful and silent. I found my family, we located our guide, and we lumbered to our snow machine. We were ready to ride.
The river was our wide and snow-covered freeway. The ice was measured every day, and today we had 20 inches of solid ice below us, which made me feel safer. We moved along passing under bridges, and through villages at top speed. Our guide entertained us with tales of life in the Arctic, and helped us spot local wildlife like caribou, which outnumber humans in this region. Ice hotels dotted the riverbanks. They glowed like light bulbs through the translucent walls. Inside, tables, chairs and even beds made of ice made guests feel as if they were truly in a winter wonderland. I felt the wind as it slapped against my helmet, and was grateful for my layers of protection. We cheered as we watched a nearby dogsled race underway. The dogs seemed to fly as they heeded the call of the musher for speed. I think the dogs run not for the trophy, but for the chance to rest and warm up by the fire on a comfy bed.
At last, we came to a halt. We unloaded onto the frozen river. This crossing should be taken for the first time on foot, rather than at 60 miles per hours. We held hands and crossed together. It was only one step, but it felt like a milestone. We cheered and celebrated for a moment. I took off my helmet, and the cold air that swirled around me seemed to fit the name Arctic. The day had been long, and we were ready for the show. We sat on a blanket at the edge of the river, eating more gingersnaps and sipping more warm cranberry tea. The Northern Lights, as if on cue, dazzled with green, yellow and orange hues dancing in the sky. It was a great day, and as I looked up the river ahead, I could only think, next stop, The North Pole.

Forever In My Heart

As I waited in the office the walls seemed to be closing in on me. I looked over at my mother who looked as if she had just lost something dear to her heart. The doctor who had told us that the results would take a few weeks, called us this morning and asked us to come in. I could tell something was wrong by the way the doctor had looked at us when we walked in.

There was a slow, steady knock on the door. This was it. My hands started shaking. The doctor walked in with a sad, sorrow look on his face.

"Hello I have some news," the doctor sighed as if he were uncomfortable.

"What-what is it?" my mother asked, the color draining from her face.

"The results came back. You have third stage brain cancer. I am so very sorry. I'll leave you two alone." The doctor stomped out of the room.

I looked over to find my mother's jaw hitting the floor. I walked over to her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I knew that I had to go sometime, but I never thought I would go this way," she whispered.

Tears started dripping down her cheeks. I wrapped my arms around her hoping it would help, but she pushed me away. She grabbed a tissue and wiped away the mournful tears. Then the doctor walked in.

"If it's alright with you I would like to speak to your mother in private for a few moments," the doctor told me, his hands fidgiting in his pockets.

I nodded. Together they both walked out of the room. I sat back down in my chair. I thought of a few months earlier when my father went off to war. I thought I would never see my mother act so depressed and weak like that again, until today.

What would I do without my mother? She is my best friend and I tell her everything. My thoughts were interupted by a faint scream coming from the other room. I jumped up and ran to where I thought I heard the scream.

There was my mother standing there weeping harder than I have ever seeen.

"What's going on?" I questioned, my eyes started to sting with tears.

"Mommy wants you to know that I love you with all my heart," she began, her words being seperated by long, deep sobs. "I will always and forever love you. You are the best daughter anyone can hope for. I love-"

"What's going on?" I interupted, surprising myself.

She sighed wiping her tears away.

"The doctor told me that the cancer is spreading very quickly. Soon it will have spread throughout my body."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that..." she began,"it means that I don't have a lot of time left. I only have a few weeks."

This made me feel faint. I felt my back hit the wall behind me. My hands felt clammy. I looked my mother in the eyes, tears sliding down my cheeks like a waterfall. I ran and gave her a hug.

"I love you too. You are the greatest mom in the world!" I wheeped.

Although it has been over a year since her passing, the thought still stings whenever I think about it. As I stand here at her grave I realize that I have not lost a mother, but a friend who was always there and someone I will miss dearly. I love you mom and you will forever be in my heart.

The Most Annoying Noise!

Nothing is perfect in this world. If something is perfect, anything can happen to ruin it. Last week I have experienced it at a horrible moment. The birds were humming, there was the sound of leaves dancing, and there was no honking or rumbling of the street cars. As the wind whistles out side a chill air is seeps through my open window witch makes me scrunch down a bit more to protect my self from the cold. Just as I’m having the perfect sleep, I hear the last thing I want to hear. Like an astronaut hearing an engine failure in mid space. The most annoying things on the earth come prancing outside barking at a brick wall.
It’s my neighbors obnoxious mutts. Every day they bother me till I start to scream. When I am sleeping, out side, or having fun I hear them. There the worst dogs imaginable. They attempted to bite me and my sister. There like a stalker that’s always there when you turn around. They eat the unimaginable and they act undescribably. Riley is the newest and the worst. He tried to bite me in my face. The names Riley and Lambo make me want to throw up. Lambo is the old fat one. He is literally as fat as a cow. When he walks the ground shakes like a magnitude 12 earthquake. Ill he does is eat, bark, and eat some more as if he has five stomachs. Just remember, like I said, nothing is perfect.

Horvath hate mail

This one rule is ruining my life, unforgivables. now, there isn't just one, their multiple. They're like mass nouns uncountable. The worst part is if you commit one of the horrid unforgivables you automatically get a zero. Yes, a zero, but if you fix it then Mr.Horvath re-grades it, and will most likely find some other careless mistake that will haunt you for the rest if your 8th grade life. Everyday i enter Horvath's class worried for what lies ahead, because he gave me my first, dare i say it, F in my life. Luckily for me any way it didn't bring my perfect A+ average down much. I had a 100 in his impossible class and now i have a 93 an A. Now, that A may seem like a great grade to you especially sense he gives us a ton of homework all do in a short period of time, and i have managed to get a 100 on each and every homework except that one, but that's not what I'm building toward. What I'm trying to say is that that A can be the difference of me going to Harvard or Columbia. So every night i do my homework and check it twice for Horvath knows if it's wrong or right. I should've taken my friends literally when they said that no one ever has a perfect average in his class . I will make it my goal, no my mission, no my destiny to get a 100 average on my report card. Many have tried, but few, if any have succeeded.

You can run

The body tries to commit suicide when its in a deadly situation. I learned this first hand.My heart was a rock thrown into water. it echoed against the inside of my ribs over and over. Clank, clank, clank. Over and over. the leaves under me did not dare to creak or crinkle.
"You can run but you cant hide!" Julian Millers was a convicted killer and he was now was after me. He was ruthless and just wanted the pleasure of another kill. those confident steps stalked ever closer to me.
"Come out come out wherever you are!" I peeked out of the tiny grove of wisp trees to catch a glimmer of his platinum hair in the Louisiana sun. here's where the body commits suicide, it tries to sneeze or cough or anything to give up its position. in my case it was a slight shake of my head that snapped a twig, and all hope snapped with it. Julian whirled in a flurry of cloth. i didn't waste a moment. i was out of the grove and into the swamp before he finished turning.
he trampled behind me like an elephant. they were faster than mine, a thousand times faster.
the final blow was like a whisper compared to all the panic and fear. just a simple throw and the knife was in my back. i collapsed into the sickly plants that covered the swamp. i just layed there, i knew i couldnt move. he crouched over me. "i told you you wouldnt tell the police." i stayed there though. i just layed there. he assumed i was dead, and moved on to the next murder. my heart knew i had to save the next kid no matter the cost. i dragged my unwilling body up and struggled out of that godforsaken swamp. my heart would not let me give up, it would not let me commit suicide.

September 11,2001

It was a beautiful day the sky was blue the weather was nice and warm. My parents and I have decided to go to New york city for the day to see my uncle at work he works at one of the two world trade centers. We got in the taxi and said the world trade center please as soon as we drove up i could not believe my eyes the building was so tall i could not see the top of the huge sky scraper. I ran into the building hoping to see my uncle as soon as i walked in but he was not there i had to use the elevator to go to floor 50 it was so high. When i got to his office i looked down and the people were like ants from were I was standing I only got to stay with him four thirty minutes for he had to go back to work as we were driving away I heard a loud thunder vibration. I looked back from were we just came there was fire coming out of the twin towers it was really scary I didn't really now What was happening but i thought about my uncle than I heard sirens coming from the south. I saw a lot of smoke coming and I saw the building collapse now I was really frightened about what was happening. Then I saw another thing go in to the building I asked my dad what happened he said two plains went into the twin towers. I looked back just wondering what had happened to my uncle. Four day past and i did not see my uncle he usually comes over every day than i asked my dad were is uncle john he said when he started to tear he was killed in the terrorist attack i instantly ran into my bed room and cried for 2 days strait i just could no believe my best friend has died

Aiden

“Ring! Ring!” “Hello? Hi Anna its Kelly. I have some really sad news for you. This morning Aiden passed away.” I had just gotten home from the store and as soon as I got home the phone immediately rang. It was Kelly. She told me the horrible news about Aiden dying. Aiden was my favorite horse at my riding stable, Silver Horseshoe Stables, who passed away on Saturday morning. The sadness took over my body and I started to cry. Kelly had told me that Rich, my instructor, had gone out to the pasture to bring all the horses back in, in the morning and he couldn’t find Aiden. He then saw him in the corner of the pasture lying on his side. He was a limp leaf. Rich then rushed over, saw that he was in pain, offered him a treat to calm him down, and then hurried to call the vet. The vet got there as fast as lightning and it turned out that Aiden had a broken leg. One of the horses had kicked him in the pasture. Rich and the vet then decided that it was best to put him out of his pain and put him down. I couldn’t believe it when I heard. Aiden was only 8 years old and he still had a long lasting life in front of him. He didn’t deserve to die so early. Now Aiden spends his days galloping through heaven, hopefully happier now.

Too Skinny

"What have you had to eat today?" my mom asked me.

"Mom I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me."

"But you haven't eaten a thing..."

"Mom! Really I am totally fine." I knew I wasn't. But none the less I went to school with an empty stomach. In fact I was pretty proud of myself. I lost six pounds in only two days.

When I got to school however, I began to feel light headed while walking to homeroom. I could tell by the facial expressions on my peers that they were concerned. I felt as though every conversation that was being held was not about a movie they saw this weekend or who broke up with who, but rather about how skinny I was. People would whisper, glance over to me and then continue to whisper. Even when I approached my best friends they looked at me and then gave each other a look as if to say 'What happened to her?'

It didn't stop there. In first period I got called down to the guidance counselor. She asked me the same old cookie cutter questions. 'How are things at home?, Did you have breakfast this morning?, Are you being bullied?' and other questions like that. Then, in period three the nurse called me down to her office. The first thing she did was weigh me.

"101 pounds." she said with a disapproving look on her face. "Did you know that the average 14 year old girl weighs about 120 pounds?"

"Well I guess I'm not average!" I grabbed my backpack and slammed the door as I left. Tears began to flow out of my eyes like water out of a faucet. I ran into the bathroom and took a long look in the mirror. I felt like I was going to puke. Then I got a ringing in my ears and blacked out. I panicked and fell to the ground. I couldn't catch my breath from all the crying.

Next thing I know I am in an ambulance being rushed to the hospital. One of the doctors told me that my blood sugar was dangerously low and that was the reason for me blacking out. My mom was at the hospital to greet me with tears in her eyes. She sat beside me and rubbed my head as doctors hooked me up to IV's and oxygen tubes.

A few hours passed before my mom sat down to talk about what had happened. She told me that I was not healthy and i would have to be in the hospital for the next few days. They kept me in the hospital until I reached a healthy weight.

When I went back to school, everyone was happy to see me. They no longer whispered about me or gave me mean looks. I had to go back to the hospital every so often to get weighed in. They tapered off after a while. From then on I never missed a meal or chance to eat in fear that I would black out again.

Desert of Hope

The typical boring Sunday morning, no business, flies buzzing around the cramped sweat box of a cleaning office. That scalding ninety -five degree heat is really getting to me now. I hope someday people will realize my true passion for preparing food, I thought as I lugged my stubby 225 lb body down to the ball field for a break to clear my mind. Just a few balls, I’ll hit to get some exercise. I need to think of some ideas for business, I thought as I launched a ball probably 350 feet down the left foul line. Baseball always seemed to help me with my thoughts, as I have a knack for those two things, baseball and thinking, along with; of course, making Mexican food. All of the sudden I heard a scream in the woods. The scream made me fall backwards onto the sun- fried dirt. My skin was on fire, and my mustache was loaded with sweat, when I jumped back to my feet to realize it was just a crow in the distance. The phone rang to wake me up at 8:30 Monday morning. It was my friend Sammy Francisco.
“Hey” Sammy said.
“They are having a future job talk at the cleaning store tonight.” I rubbed my eyes, “Go on.”I mumbled.
“ Ok,” Sammy continued, “ your brother Lloyd, and your dad are running it, basically you just show up and tell about your skills and weaknesses and everyone at the store decides on what job you should do.”
“I’m so there!” I shouted into the phone, slammed it into the receiver, and sprinted to my car, only to forget it wasn’t ‘till 7:05 Later, I, Manny Gonzalez, push through the doors at the cleaning business, really hoping to be recommended to cooking. I was up first [for the job interview], and was bouncing off my chair with excitement. I explained thoroughly about how good I was at making Mexican food and how tidy I am. I even let everyone have a bite out of the quick burrito I whipped up before I left. Hearing “Yum” come from everywhere in the crowd, I was almost sure that my future job would be…
“Cleaning!” The crowd all seemed to shout in unison.
I shouted, “%$#@ you all” right back at them. Hearing a bunch of gasps I distinguish my Brother Lloyd’s voice in the back yell,
“Hey Manny, these are just suggestions!”
“I don’t give a $%^#! I don’t need you %#$^%$! I’m going to run off into the desert and hopefully pass out because of the heat and someone will find me and bring me to Texas, where people will notice that I can make Mexican food!”
Sammy, who didn’t want me gone as much as a tiger didn’t want to lose their prey said, “Y’all won’t last 2 days out there in that desert.” I couldn’t care less. I pegged my other burrito at the wall making a splattered salsa mess, swore and left the crowd in awe as I shuffled out the door and to the car, smelling salsa and feeling an adrenaline rush, I revved up my engine blasting out of the miniature parking lot and took the route that goes through the desert and eventually reaches Texas. I don’t care when I stop driving nor where I’m going, I just hope I finally get to Texas to open a restaurant, I thought as I put the pedal to the metal hoping to leave town before someone picks up my trail.
***
Waking up looking up into the night sky and seeing dozens of cactuses around me, I knew I must have fell asleep at the wheel and am at the middle of the frigid desert at nighttime. Wishing I brought a jacket, I tied my shoes, tripped in the hard, frigid, dirt, and straddled myself up. My mouth was as dry as salt, and my hands were nearly frozen but I unzipped my pants to take a leak and quickly zipped up them back up to realize that a car was coming from the north( which I figured out because of the North Star.) I wondered why in the world someone from Texas would be traveling hours away from civilization in a Mexican desert at 2:45 Am. Still furious about last night, I managed to wave to him and he halted to a stop.
“Morning y’all” he casually jabbered showcasing his Texan accent, “Whatcha doin’ this early out here?” Trying to find the right words I looked up at him and noticed something. I saw the ‘Johnson’ nametag on his navy blue suit.
I quickly shouted, “Hi Mr. Johnson I am a huge fan of your burritos.” The professional chef went on saying,
“I am looking for the great cleaner Manny Gonzalez.”
Though mad for a second, I still said, “Look no further, but I really want to make Mexican food; I am 100% Mexican as you can tell by my dark hair, mustache, and tan skin.”
“Well I am really shorthanded at my restaurant, ‘El restaurante de Taco,’ just outside of Dallas. I could use some help.”
I blurted, “Please can I have a job?!”
He quickly responded. “Son, why do ya think I was comin’ down here? To collect dirt? I was just a little surprised to see y’all in this here desert.”
“Yes!” I shouted.
“Ok son lets go back and train you.”
After hours of riding in Mr. Johnson’s car and dozing off a few times, I finally arrived in Texas and let me say it was breathtaking with the beautiful sunrise on the horizon looking back at the desert. I immediately had a four year contract waiting for me to sign in Mr. Johnson’s office. Without even reading it I signed it and couldn’t wait to make my first burrito. After months of training to make the food on December 12, 2009 I was finally ready (to make burritos and tacos). Seeing as I was working the afternoon shift and being a Mexican restaurant we don’t open until noon, because no one would eat tacos for breakfast. I was very startled to see Lloyd to slowly make his way through the door followed my Dad and Sammy. I hadn’t talked to them in nearly two months since I deserted their small town. I had really enjoyed life in the new condo I bought, a couple of blocks away from the restaurant. I found new hope. They knew what to order after exchanging whispers.. After seeing the cashier punch in the prices, I knew Lloyd had ordered a taco, Sammy a burrito, and my Dad a big Enchilada Burrito. I was one of the only two chiefs working and said I would take this order. My first challenge would be to make food for my family and friend. I was wondering if they knew that I worked here. I would have to think seeing as they came to this restaurant of all them in the world, and the fact they drove seven hours away from home. I was now sweating and hiding in the back of the kitchen to make sure they couldn’t see me. I saw the order appear on the screen above the oven and knew I had to start. I started with the taco shell followed by meat, tomato, cheese; jalapeno peppers, and toasted the cheese. I followed the same procedure for the burrito but without a taco shell. Next up was the Enchilada burrito. Working quick now, I doubled the meat amount, chili peppers, and melted twice as much Mexican cheese into the warm burrito shell.
“Voila!” I shouted pathetically loud. My heart suddenly stopped beating. My head went numb; I couldn’t whiff the food I just made or realize where I was.
They must have recognized my familiar voice when I recognized my Dad’s voice shout, “Hey Manny, is that you back there?” I ignored him, walked out from the kitchen, and slammed down the lunch trey on the counter, when I saw my Dad’s eyes light up.
He said, “So this is where you’ve run off to.”
I grinned a bit saying, “Yep.”
“I heard this place is well known for its Mexican food, because of Mr. Johnson, and apparently you.”
“Uh huh.”
“Let’s see…” my Dad said as he extended his arm reaching for the burrito, then took a gigantic bite, and then suddenly sprinted towards the soda dispenser and gulped down some sprite. He then informed me, “Manny, I’ve never tasted a better, spicier, burrito in my life, son.”
“Thank you” I said, grinning ear to ear, and letting Sammy and Floyd inhale all of their food in a few minutes. They gave me a fifty dollar tip and took me out to dinner to celebrate. “I don’t know what I’d do without that one hopeful night in the desert.” I wondered.
“Son, I wrote a letter to that Mr. Johnson to ask him to cheer you up. I wasn’t in any way expecting him to get you a job, but he did somehow, “My dad says.
“I sent him your leftover burrito Manny!” Lloyd exclaims with a triumphant grin covering his face. Feeling tears beginning to weld I manage,
“Why, thanks guys,” while I’m also beginning to sniffle.
“Well son it looks like you’ve got a bright career ahead of ya.”My dad says.
“Yep” I smiled thinking of how fortunate I am. I may have done the wrong thing 2 months ago, but, I have never felt more proud about taking a huge risk in my life.

Lost At Sea

I jumped off the tiny sail boat and into the water. It was so crystal clear I could see all the way to the bottom. I breathed in deeply and exhaled out of the oxygen tank. I took in the amazing view of schools of fish and dolphins. It was as beautiful as a famous painting in a museum. They all seemed to be heading in one direction. I made sure my scuba gear was secure and I followed them. They were heading into a cave the size of a whale. The hole going into the cave was tight, but I was positive I could fit through. “CREEK!” I looked behind me and found my oxygen tank slowly sinking to the sandy sea floor. I inhaled and my lungs filled with water. I tried to swim up, but my head hit the top of the cave. I swam for the hole in the side of the cave. I had to breath…..its been a minute already. It felt like it had been hours. I finally got to the hole and I swam so fast I could have been a fish swimming away from a shark. I started swimming up and up. Its been two minutes already. A few more minutes and I would be dead. I stared to see the afternoon sky and a few clouds. When I saw the sun, I liked the other way and closed my eyes. Another thirty seconds passed. I felt like I could pass out at any given moment. I looked up again, not caring about the sun. I was seconds from the surface. I looked down to see how far I had swan. My oxygen tank wasn’t even visible, and the cave was a pebble. Before I knew it, it was a grain of sand. Then I couldn’t even see it at all. Not even a second later I reached the surface. I took the deepest breath of my life. I never realized how much air could be appreciated. I spun around to find there was no land in sight. I guess I swam horizontally by mistake as I swan vertically. My stomach grumbled, only reminding me of my hunger. Maybe there would be a boat to rescue me with so much food there would be no room for people to sit. I swam forward, not really knowing if it was north, south, east, or west. I moved slowly and quietly. I didn’t want to exert all my energy at once and I didn’t want the fish and sharks and other sea creatures to notice me. I swam and swam for what seemed like hours, but it had only been a few minutes. They day went on, and I was cold, hungry, and as tired as a person who didn’t sleep for 48 hours. The sun started to set, and I started to see land in the distance. I swam even faster. I couldn’t really estimate the time it would take me to swim there, but I was positive I wouldn’t get there when it was still day time. I started to hear a motor. I turned around and wondered where it was coming from. In the distance, there was cruise ship that was lit up with so many different colored lights it looked like a Christmas tree. I stared screaming and I swam as fast as if could. It was no use. The ship’s motor was faster than I could swim and louder than I could scream. I kept on swimming toward the land. The sun stared to set and my prediction was right. It didn’t make a difference if I kept my eyes open or if I closed them. I decided to keep them open in case I saw the lights of another boat. I was tired, so I waded in the water and waited to be rescued. No one came. As the night went on, it became harder and harder to keep my head above the water. The large waves seemed to swallow me every minute or so. I knew I couldn’t fall asleep because I would sink and drown. I slowly continued toward land. I thought I felt fish rubbing against my body, but I was so afraid, it could have been my imagination. I could see the sun starting to rise. The land was so close I could see tiny details like people, and homes. I could be there in twenty minutes. Before I knew it, I was at the beach. People stared because you don’t see someone coming out of the ocean with a scuba suit everyday. I asked people where I was. They all said south eastern CT. It was hard to believe I swam all the way across CT. I wondered if it was even possible to swim that far in a day. I walked to the nearest grocery store and explained what had happened to the people working there. I told them a had no money, so they said I could have $10 dollars worth of food for free. I went back to the beach and ate until I was satisfied. I looked into the ocean and thought of my family. I eventually fell asleep and had a dream that everything was going to turn out alright.

My New Job

My second day on the job and I might not live to see the night. “Pew Pew”! Bullets are flying around me and are coming out of nowhere. “Ough” I’m hit! I look down to see two red stains spreading on my chest. The next thing I know I fall to the ground, and the last thing I see is apples red as my blood, falling around me in the apple field.
24 Hours Before
I arrive in Paris with so much money I am like a money factory. I am here because I am trying to catch an Armenian arms dealer. His name is Nicolai Monokov and he is very dangerous so I have to be extra careful. He has been sending arms over to the UK for 5 years now, and no one has been able to catch him; he is a ghost. The guns he sends are like armies, strong, well- made, and scary. His right hand man is named Victor who is 6’ 11” tall and 250 pounds of all muscle. Victor’s muscles are so big they look like they could be people who walk and talk. Victor is a suspect in over a dozen deaths but we cannot link him to anything, mostly because the witnesses keep mysteriously disappearing. They are dangerous people, and I, Roger Walters and a few other guys from MI6 are going after them.
I will start by tailing Victor to see where he leads me. We are after naughty Nicolai again because we intercepted a shipment of nice, new, never used MP5s from France. We are here in Paris because we have a credible, valuable source in the criminal world telling us that he is going to sell 30 state of the art AK47s to an Irish terrorist named Ryan Mcmallaman. It may be risky but we are going to take out Ryan and replace him with me because I was born in Ireland and look surprisingly like him. I think that I can do my job and do it right.
Taking Ryan is an easy operation, yet what we at MI6 are worried about is that Nicolai will find out, cancel the deal, and then leave the country. What we do is when Ryan is walking with his two bodyguards; we stop them, and replace them with two of my own “bodyguards”. “Arrf Muuuum” barks their guard dog right before we tranquilize it. My two “bodyguards” are senior field agents who are evaluating my performance on my first day of work. Next we set up a meeting with Nicolai to bust him. We have less time to catch him now because sooner or later Nicolai will find out that Ryan is busted and he will leave town. I find Nicolai’s phone number on Ryan’s phone and call him to set up a meet. We agree on a meet in an apple field and we’re going to do the meet tomorrow afternoon. I will take a colt pistol yet I will not wear a bulletproof vest or a wire so as not to blow my cover. I will have many secret cameras in my shirt buttons so that I can catch every angle of the exchange. We will use the evidence to put Nicolai away for good. The next day we show up in the apple orchard where the apples are in full bloom with 20 million dollars for the 30 AK47s. We bring 10 million dollars fewer than Nicolai wants just in case the deal goes bad. We are hoping that there is not going to be any shooting from his 30 man small army; that we will not be running away from a spray of bullets, or falling after contact with a bullet, and a red stream coming out of any of us. Standing in that very apple field I think to myself I might not make it through the bright moonlit night.

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