Monday, January 31, 2011

Victory

I stepped onto the matt for the first time, nervously. I stepped to the starting line, and stared at my opponent. We were equal in size, it was sure to be a close match. I shook his hand and the Ref blew his whistle. We circled the matt, staring at each other, waiting for the first move to be made. He drives toward me, viciously. Without any thought, I drive back, seeing you who was the most momentum. I drive him to the ground like a linebacker drilling a running back for a huge loss. I had to think fast about how i was going to get him pinned. I started to push him as hard until I had him in an unbreakable pin move, the Ref blew his whistle. I faced my opponent for the last time. We shook hands, and then the Ref held up my hand, Victory.

break

corners, turns, changes in all
full of hope and fears and chances to fall
how does everyone just openly melt and remold
when the unknown has a possibility of being so cold
leaps of faith and all those cliches
have never been something more then i say
they are words that are tossed around here and there
but never set into action, i wouldn't dare
they tell you not to gamble
to like what you got
but at one point or another everything stops
you get to the breaking point you never thought you would see
where i just cant take what has become of you and me
change is everywhere except with your habits
they repeat and repeat like the song in my head
stuck to you like gum, to bad its not in and out like the things that i've said
no more chances no more trys
its me or that pack; im done with all the fears and the lies

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Orchestra of One

I am hallow,
like a stringed instrument.
Tap my shell
and it will echo,
pull my strings
and they will vibrate.

Back and forth
within my walls
I hear the sound
being tossed
between
the thin sheets
of instillation.
It hums in my ear
and is all I have
to fill this hallow gap,
inside
and out.

Peer Pressure

Peer Pressure,
Awful experience,
Don’t know what to do,
Can’t think straight,
Excuses,
Everybody’s doing it,
Say yes or no,
Being on the right side when it’s over,
Friends think you’re loyal,
Are they really your friends?
Think they know you but don’t,
Everyday experience
“I dare you to”,
Peer Pressure

No help

Through dark eyes everyone can see
difference,
depression,
regret.
Through my dark eyes I can see
torture,
lonliness,
scars.
Through their dark eyes they can see
hate,
hostility,
suicide.

LIFE

Life is but a mere dream made by on angel,their dreams vivid and clear.
they dream of what they hold dear,or what they fear.
so what happens when they wake up?

Life is not more than what was imagined by angel, or is it more?
if this is true then those angels are sick, making it so that finding food or shelter is a chore.
so what happens when they wake up?

Does life end or does it just began?
do the problems go away or just stay?
much to find out when they wake up.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

The Tragedy

Sometimes i wish i could rewind everything that happend that night and start over. After it happend it felt like i died from all of the sadness.I just want her to know ill never forget her and i miss her everyone dose. I think to myself sometimes that it was my falt and i could of stoped it from happening but it wasent my fult it wasent anyones.

Friday, January 28, 2011

I made it!

It had been days. During those long five days I had worried, stressed, cried, hoped and prayed. Every day after school running down to the mailbox a thousand doubts flickered like fireflies through my mind. What if I'm not good enough? What if I didn't make it? Will I make it to college without it? My heart was split in a million different directions when I jogged down my deathtrap of a driveway and into the battered road. I always felt the mix of dissappointment and relief when all that returned from the depths of my mailbox was junk and bills.
But today was different. I could feel it in my bones, as my mother would say. Drifting through school, my stomache would lurch everytime that mailbox came to mind. Something kept me floating throught the day, not letting me fall into the sticky oil trap of stress and worry.
Calling my ma to tell her everything was peachy, I nervously watched the door. I soothed whatever fear was occupying her thoughts and told her I had to check the mail. She started to voice her doubts but I cut her off and didnt let that state of mind come into my head. I walked carefully down the driveway, picking my way through half plowed snow and frozen puddles of ice. I placed my foot into the dug out indent of my sisters, and grabbed the letters. Behind all the white envolpes of bills I saw a ostentatious champange one. I forced myself to look at the names at the others ones. The other three letters were bills, as I'd expected. I looked at the sender off this last letter. Oh my God. Printed neatly on the left corner was Trumbull Agriscience and Biotechnolgy. I nearly fell over right then, in the middle of the snow covered road. I tore open the envolope almost viciously. I stopped dead at the bottom of the stairs as one word blurred under my gaze. Congratulations. I felt weak at the knees. I heard someone whispering oh my God over and over, but didnt realise it was me. My eyes teared and a smile ripped apart my face. Running my eyes over the letter again and again, I collapsed onto the couch. As the first sweet tear rolled down my cheek I whispered in the happiest voice I had ever heard, "I made it."

Quality Writing

One thing I have noticed when reading blog comments, creative pieces and journal responses is that there is a lack of conscious use of good author's craft in them.  Where are the opening and delayed adjectives/adverbs?  Absolute phrases?  Magic 3's?  Triplets?  Figurative Language?  Repetition for Effect?  (I could go on).  I want to see people consciously adding good writing tricks to EVERYTHING they write (not just LA stuff).  When you do, please post it on the blog so others can see good writing in action!!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Paparazzi

With a click and a flash
Your picture is taken
Then sent to a magazine
A magazine with a twisted story
A story with power

Words have power
Power stronger than water
But the words work though the media like water
Pictures provide the proof
You pick it up and your world stops

The first story built your dam
Their words pounding at your walls
And in one twisted story
The water over-powers your dam
Breaking you down
And it starts with the paparazzi

Excavater

The submarine's alarms blared. It was chaos. Sailors were running about, people were screaming, some were simply praying. There had been a breach in the outer "unbreakable armor". Nothing is ever unbreakable. As co-captain of the U.S.S. Excavater, it was my duty to save these people. It was my duty to put their lives before my very own. I started shouting orders, pushing buttons, and clearing my thoughts. Nobody was listening though. They were busy with their own matters. Matters of family and faith. Even i couldn't comprehend the words coming from my mouth. It was like my inner private thoughts were being sucked into a vacuum of panic. All i knew was that we were 15 miles off the coast of Greenland on a "simple" archeology mission. This was not on the agenda.
"My family is waiting for me at home." i thought. This time my thought was crystal clear in my head. I can't let all of these people down, my co-workers, my friends. I sprang to life with new found hope ordering everyone to put on a life vest. Thankfully they understood my order. Six orange life vests including my own, bustled around the cabin.
Luckily, we had just stared to descend when the water breached meaning that we were only about fifty to one hundred below the surface. "Get in the pod!" i screamed. I gave up on pushing the buttons on the controls, knowing they would not do anything. Once the water fully peirced the armor, we were all dead. i pulled on my life vest and dove inside the pod just as the automatic door slammed shut. everyone was here. Someone, somewhere in the sea of limbs that was the pod. pushed the launch button. We jolted away from the sub in our pod just as the first drop of water penetrated the armour. The preassure crushed it instanly like a tin can but we were already far away jetting thoruigh the ocean. Now we had the unforgiving arctic sea to deal with.

the stupid dare

Darkness, seeping throughout the alley. I should not be here. It's too dangerous my friend said, but here i am. I'm scared out of my mind. "Bang!" A gunshot. I crawl backward to the corner. I hide behind the trash can. Not able to breathe. Not daring to breathe. Not wanting to make any sound at all. Just do it, i say to myself. Be quick and silent like a ninja. Creep through the shadows and don't look back. Soon you will escape and be back home, safe. I slowly peek my head out and all i see is a blinding light. I can't see. It's over, i say to myself. Then i hear a voice. "It's okay kid, come out" It's the police, i'm safe.

3 hours earlier

"You can't do it, don't even try." Joe says. "Yes i can, and i will." I say. "We'll see, come back to school in trouble and we'll see." I walk away and then think to myself, what have i got myself into. I can't run away and hide in an alley for a whole night. I could get in a lot of trouble. But he dared me, i remind myself. so i have to do it.

2 hours later

I walk towards the window and slowly open it. This is just a stupid dare i say to myself. I'll be back home again with no worries. I sneak down the street and then i'm off, sprinting down the street. I'm back in the alley in no time. Now i just have to wait. An hour, maybe two and then i'm home. That's it. Easy. So i sit back and wait and suddenly i'm scared. What if a robber comes and beats me up. Or someone with a gun. This is dangerous. And then the darkness comes.

Darkness, seeping throughout the alley. I should not be here. It's too dangerous my friend said, but here i am. I'm scared out of my mind. "Bang!" A gunshot. I crawl back to the corner. I hide behind the trash can. Not able to breathe. Not daring to breathe. Not wanting to make any sound at all. Just do it, i say to myself. Be quick and silent like a ninja. Creep through the shadows and don't look back. Soon you will escape and be back home, safe. I slowly peek my head out and all i see is a blinding light. I can't see. It's over, i say to myself. Then i hear a voice. "It's okay kid, come out." It's the police, i'm safe.

Snow-Days

Snow-Days
Fun times
Cold and Bright
Playing outside with friends
Catching snowflakes on our tongues
Snow balls and snow forts to make
Running, falling, yelling, laughing, and having fun
Altogether an awesome day of absolutely zero work
Going sledding on all the biggest hills
Skiing all day in the mountains
People young and old shoveling
Making perfect snow angels
Drinking hot chocolate
Plows driving
Snow-Days

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Baseball

Baseball is America’s pastime.
Abner Doubleday invented it.
In Cooperstown, New York, the place where it all began.
At first they didn’t use a mitt.
Homeruns were rare and
there was a position on second base.
The first notable player was pitcher CY Young.
His fast ball was so fast you couldn’t see the lace.
Then came big boy bombing Babe Ruth who made a big Bang.
He hit a lot of Sky High hard-hit Homeruns.
Then some brave black broke baseball’s color-barrier.
His name was Jackie Robinson.
Hank Aaron was as strong as the golden gate bridge.
He broke Ruth’s homerun record.
Homeruns for him was watching T.V.
He’s baseball’s warlord.
Now Albert Pujols makes the crowd go, "Awe".
and A- Rod is like Babe.
There are new heroes now.
and the others start to fade.

them

we are them to them

although does that make us the them or are they the them

them are weird to us are we weird to them

we do not like them but they do not like us

are they us to them

they bother us do we bother them for thinking that they bother us

are they feeling the way we do, about them, about us

if that is correct then how do we differ

do we differ

do we cause this similarity ourselves

if we try to stop they will have to try to stop. If they are also trying to stop that will make us made and they will be mad to so the loop of similarities

can it end should it end

is it good

can we ignore it

should we ignore it

should we live happily and forget about them because they will also forget about us and just because we do not like something does not mean to forget about it but to change it is preferable.

what choice is there to have your reflection be your enemy

whose next to you is you friend by logic

my enemy is our reflection

our reflections enemies is us

since your enemy’s enemy is your friend

we are friends

if they are us and I like us then why don’t I like them, or is it us?????

No Turning Back

The silence lingers as I feel all eyes on me. They're waiting for me to speak, but I am at a loss for words. But no words could possibly save me now. I'm cornered, and they are closing in, a pack of lions on their prey. All exits are blocked, all means of escape have vanished. Doom grows closer and closer, but have I not brought this on myself? Have I not dug myself into this hole? Signs along the way have warned me to stray but I have blantantly ignored them. My ignorance has blinded me from all meant to help, and I have only chosen the darker path. Now, drowning in my own troubles, I realize there is no turning back.

Taken Away

I'm back. It’s been four years since I’ve been back to this town. It’s so different now. The last time I was here it was a bustling and happy city. Now as I stand in the bloody cold wind, I think to myself how a town so bright turned so bleak. I look down at my Gucci Watch and right now it’s about 7:15 p.m. He was supposed to meet me here half an hour ago. We were supposed to make the deal. When I left for classified reasons he took over this town. Tonight was the night he was supposed to give it back to me. I started to walk away from the empty parking lot thinking that he had bailed on me. Then for the first time since I came back, I saw the headlights of a car. I could tell whose headlights those were from a thousand miles away. It was him. The car passed me and rounded the corner.  Then out of nowhere I heard a gunshot and in less than a millisecond I was down. Not only had he taken away my most prized possession, he also took away the most important thing not only to me but any person...my life.  

Yeti

I knew it was a bad idea going into that cave. I knew it was a bad idea trying to climb Everest. I knew it was a bad idea even trying to escape. Now i'm next.
It all started on a cold, early december morning at the start of our journey up Mt. Everest. Bob, Phil, and I were getting ready to start our expedition.
"Come on guys, lets do this." I said. "Let's climb this mountain...and try not to get killed." we all laughed quickly and began on our way. I acted confident, but I was actually nervous and soon I would find out that what I said about getting killed wasn't so funny.
The first two days were as difficult as trying to run up a wall, but it was easy compared to what would happen the next day. We had a few close calls with falling 1,000 feet off a cliff, but we were fine.
The next day we woke up to winds as violent as raging wolves. When we tryed packing up our tent, the wind blew it away and down the side of the mountain.
"NO!!! What are we going to do now" I asked in a panic.
"I guess we will have to find a cave or something for shelter" answered Bob.
"what if we can't find a cave?" asked Phil.
"Then we are officially screwed" I told him.
We searched for hours and hours and found nothing. We were about to give up hope when I saw something in the distance. It looked like a large man, or maybe a gorilla. I didn't know what it was at the time. And now I wish I hadn't ever found out.
"Guys I think I see something" I said.
" Dude!!! You saved us! You found shelter!" exclaimed Phil.
"I did?" I asked. "I mean.. yea of course I did." Next to the spot where the creature was standing a moment ago, there was a cave. They looked happy but i wasn't sure we should go in there. I was right to worry about the thing living in it.
We walked into the pitch black cave and adventured through it. We walked through the cave for about an hour, when the flashlight died. We started to freak out, but then we saw something glowing. It was a fire and a man was sitting next to it.
We started to approach the man, when we saw what it really was. A corpse. Half eaten to the bone and half frozen. I stepped back with horror and turned around. Phil was gone and we heard a roar coming from the entrance.
"The Yeti is real!?" screamed Bob. "He's going to kill us!"
Then the same figure I saw earlier came and tore Bob in two. It looked like a silver gorilla standing up like a man at about 10 feet tall. With horror I started to run and I hid.
I knew it was a bad idea going into this cave. I knew it was a bad idea trying to climb Everest. I knew it was a bad idea even trying to escape. Now I'm next. He's right behind me, and this is the end for me. This is the reason why people go missing on this mountain.

TEAM

Together Everyone Achieves More

We work together
We think together
We play together

We win together
We lose together
We fight together

We overcome together
We impact together
We change together

WE are TOGETHER

"Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is a progress, working together is a success."

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The Lullaby of Winter

Winter is warm
to those who know heat,
not a suns kiss of light,
but a demons home to hell.

One who maps the stars
sees only night sky,
only the hopes of sparks
that dance far over head.

What is a dream
if a dream is a shadow?
Pass burning daylight
in the shade of your wants,
it is but a fancy of the mind
that you live your life.

He who sees what was,
what is still desired
but no longer so,
is the ghost of the shadow.
But can not a ghost
fill the empty hole
of a beating heart
with hate or pain?
can not he cry and kill?
I find it so.

Then there are those
who did not fall
into the being of a bodiless soul,
but shoved vigorously.

Those are the eyes
that smile at winter,
with its vague sun
and harsh howls.
But that is not
a scream of cool air you hear,
it is a lullaby.
The lullaby of winter.


I'm having a hard time finding inspiration lately, I got this idea out of Shakespeare's Hamlet, "A dream itself is but a shadow." tell me what you think and what you got from this piece :)

Monday, January 24, 2011

Life After Death??

What a dramatic ending to such a beautiful life. Her name was Lily, but her death was not all bright and colorful, like the flower. It was a stormy and foggy night. So foggy that you couldn't see two inches in front of yourself. The headlights were coming closer and closer, but they looked like they were getting farther and farther away. CRASH! And just like that, it was all over. She left this life, the life we all know and love. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause, a drunk driver. Did she see the bright lights to heaven? Or was it just the bright headlights of the car? The only person who knows the answer is Lily, herself. Did she actually go to heaven? Or just stay in the air of the earth?

Sand Bound

The day it happened felt like it was the end of my life. It was a frightening as if the earth was ending. The clouds above the ocean were coal black, the ship was creaking like an old rocking chair, and I realized that we were in the middle of no ware. All around was the pitch-black night, almost as if a blanket was draped over us while a fascinating fog was arising above the ocean. It was a mystifying night. But something was wrong. It was as if we felt the presence of something, something unreal. At a blink of an eye multiple red dots appeared. We heard a ship approaching us, but there was nothing we can see. BOOM! Before our eyes came fire ball diving towered our ship. Thank fully it just fell short buy a foot. I glance over the ship and saw with my very own eyes and saw the water on fire in shape of the words “THE BLACK BANSHEE” No, it couldn’t be, but there’s no such thing?

Farewell Aquarius

We have all heard the famous words “Houston, we have a problem” but not all of us know how they came to be. The year was 1969 and the American space program, NASA, was in a heated race to beat the Russian space program to the moon. Finally, on June 20, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took the first steps on the moon. Their mission was a part of the Apollo space program and was followed by Apollo 12, which also landed on the moon.

However, these missions did not inspire “Houston, we have a problem”. The third planned mission to land on the moon was Apollo 13. Jim Lovell served as the Commander, Jack Swigert served as the Command Module Pilot, and Fred Haise Jr. was the Lunar Module Pilot. Apollo 13 lifted off on April 11, 1970 and the crew sat on top of the Saturn 5 Spacecraft Booster. After liftoff the crew got situated in their Command Module, nicknamed the Odyssey, and set off on their four day journey to the moon.

On the third day in space, Houston called up to the Odyssey and told them to turn on the fans built inside the oxygen tanks to keep them from freezing. During this process, a damaged coil sparked and exploded, rupturing both oxygen tanks. The pressure inside the spacecraft then caused a second explosion, not harming the crew but putting their lives at risk and canceling any thoughts of a lunar landing. While in the cockpit, Jim Lovell watched his alarms light up like the fourth of July. Once he saw this happen he called down to Houston and said “Houston, we have a problem”.

The explosion caused a main bus A and a main bus B undervolt and drained their oxygen which powered all the instruments and served as fuel. Main bus A and B are filters that power the Odyssey’s instruments and during an “undervolt” they lose all of their electricity. Due to this event, the crew had to power down all of their instruments, including the cabin heaters, to save power. They then moved into the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM), nicknamed the Aquarius, which was only supposed to support two guys for a day and a half but, thanks to efforts by the crew and mission control, supported three guys for four days. Temperatures in the spacecraft reached 30 degrees Fahrenheit but on Friday, April 17, 1970 the crew jettisoned the LEM and Jim Lovell said “Farewell Aquarius and we thank you”. The crew of Apollo 13 splashed down in the Indian Ocean later that same day and was finally safe.

Sadness

Sadness is like a dead sea.

It looks like a dark blue sky

and smells like dead flowers.

Sadness sounds like wimpering dogs.

It tastes like a bitter peace of candy.

Sadness makes me feel like crying.

Forever Young

It seemed like last week that Megan Johnson was packing her backpack and hopping on the bus for the first day of Kindergarten. She remembered the butterflies that were flying around in her stomach like a scared flock of birds. It seemed like yesturday she felt as cool as a celebrity going into a new middle school. She remembered all the gossip that was going around. It seemed like an hour ago that she was just starting high school. Nervous and excited, she waited for the bell to ring, the cue to begin first period. It seemed like it was two minutes ago, she was just a young girl. But it wasnt 2 minutes ago, it was 20 years ago. Megan was getting ready to start her first major job, away from home, away from friends, away from family. She had just graduated college. She wished badly to have the young girl she once was to just come back. Even if it was only a day, she wanted to be little again. She wanted to be a carefree little girl just one more time. Now that Megan looked back, she realized that all of her childhood was gone. She needed to grow up, and face reality. But the problem was, Megan didnt want to grow up, she wanted to forever young.

The Black Swan

\
Passion in my vicious red eyes
That is where the Black Swan lies
Dancing across the stage
Building up rage
My insides are burning.....burning
She is stealing the role in the play
So there is a price she has to pay
I will do whatever it will take
To be in the Swan Lake
I grabbed the knife shiny and sharp
It was my turn to play the part
The knife went into her heart
This was officially the start
This is what I have always wanted
I felt it....it was perfect....I was perfect

Sunday, January 23, 2011

The Kid on Top of the World

Tyler Reynolds was always the best at everything, including football. He was the star running back on his team all the way from Pop Warner through high school, but when he reached college at the University of South Carolina there were many better than him. His freshman year he was named the 4th string running back he thought that he had no shot at being successful there.
Since he thought that he had no shot at playing at South Carolina Tyler transferred to Rutgers University where he became the 1st string running back by the end of his sophomore season. Tyler helped Rutgers win the big east championship in his junior season and they went on to win in the Orange Bowl.
Tyler was an amazing running back and expected to be a top 10 draft pick after his senior season. Rutgers was also ranked number 12 in the country but South Carolina was ranked 5th and Tyler felt like he had something to prove this season. Towards the end of the season when Rutgers had already clinched the Big East title and South Carolina clinched a spot in the SEC championship game. And the 2 teams were ranked number 4 and number 5 in the country with Rutgers being number 5, after the conference championship game it was South Carolina number 3 and Rutgers number 4, and they were playing each other in the Fiesta Bowl.
After the bowl game Tyler Reynolds was all they talked about on sports center because he had 178 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns in a 28-24 win for Rutgers. And Tyler again felt that he was on top of the world and that nobody could stop him.

Three Lives To Save

Security for the President is supposed to be the best and always risk their lives for him, right? Well this guard just got himself caught in a bad situation. Collin Richards is 34 years old, lives in Washington D.C. in a small apartment with his wife, Mary. They were planning to have a kid to start their new family. Everything was perfectly fine until he took a visit to the corner market. Now 3 people’s lives are in jeopardy Collin, Mary, and the President of the United States.
            One August evening at around 8:30 Collin left work and decided to stop and buy some wine. He entered the store and grabbed his favorite bottle. He was the only one in the store besides the cashier. He walked over to the counter and hand the cashier a credit card. As the cashier took the card Collin looked away and immediately felt his head being grabbed and slammed on the counter.
            Collin woke up later tied and it appeared to be in the backroom of the store. His head hurt like he got hit in the head with a hammer. When his eyes adjusted he saw the cashier with a gun and a phone. He said, “Listen buddy, call your wife and tell her to come down here. I won’t hurt unless you don’t do what I want.
            Collin asked, “Okay what do you want?”
            “I Need You to assassinate the president on duty and it should be easy since you the president first security guard. Tell your wife your car broke down and you need a lift, I won’t hurt her or you if you do your job.” the cashier said
            “Wait, once I shoot him I will be shot right there on the spot.” Collin said
            “You have a better chance living through that, then you do right now. Now call her up.” He said as he gave me the phone. His wife believed him and headed down to the market.
            As she entered the store she approached the counter and asked the cashier “Do you know where my husband is? He told me his car broke down and he needed a lift.”
            “Yeah he is in the back calling the tow truck, come on.” the cashier said
            They went in the back and she was immediately tied also and put in the backroom. “Night.” He said as he slammed the door leaving them in there for the night.
            Next morning he found them there asleep right where he left them. “Get up” he said making them both wake with a startled look. Collin this is what you will do once you are by the president’s side you will kill him or you know what will happen.” He said with a smirk on his face. He untied him, stood him up, and walked him to the front.  “Now go do the job.” He said hand Collin the gun
            “He is a dumb ox, giving me the gun.” Collin thought. Collin took the gun and right before he opened he looked back and…
“BANG!” He shot the cashier straight in the head. It was all over, just like that. As the cops arrived Collin and Mary were questions and since they were the only victims the investigation didn’t continue.
The next year was the true start of their family. They had a baby and later in his life they would tell him of this day and how Collin saved 3 lives.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Goodbye

“Ding, dong!” The doorbell rang at the adoption home. A pale gray haired woman that looked like she was 100 opened the door. “Come in” she said in a scratchy old voice.
In walked a little girl and a young woman. They sat in a rickety rusty red bench in the foyer of the building and waited for their name to be called.
It seemed like days before they were called into a wide white and wild room filled with kids of all ages. The women bent down to the little girl and said, “This is where you will be staying until I come and get you. Please be a good girl while I am gone.” The little girl fell into the woman’s arms and stayed there like they were stuck together with glue.
It was the woman who finally broke the hug and said, “Goodbye Susie.” They both burst into tears like it was the end of the world. The women walked worriedly toward the door. The door creaked open with a laugh as if it was taunting little Susie. A river rolled down Susie’s face as the door slammed shut. “Goodbye Mommy” she whispered, somehow knowing she would never see her mom again.

Stuck

The bright yellow sun was shining in Paul’s eyes. It was about 97 degrees out and Paul had his blue swim suit and his favorite sun glasses. He was sitting on a little boat on his way to the beach with his family. He was so excited because it was the best day of summer so far and he got to spend it on the beach, until his boat got stuck under a bridge! They were under a very low bridge and above where train tracks. Everyone on the boat had to lie down so they would not hit their head on the bridge. It was a night mare for Paul and his family. Paul’s dad had to shut off the boat and everyone had to grab the bridge and guide the boat underneath the bridge. After all the panicking the boat and Paul’s family were safe and got to spend the bright sunny day on the beach right off of the ocean.

Remembering You

Although everyday gets better
My face still gets wetter
From thinking of you
Though there is nothing I can do
But remember you

I can remember your smile
I can remember your laugh
I can remember everything in the past

Though there will be no future with you
And no present too
I can still keep on remembering you

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Forever And Always

I was there when you said you would never leave me. I was there when you said you loved me. But look where we are now. I don't know who you are anymore. You're not the person I fell head over heels for. I used to think you meant it when you told me I was yours forever. I used to think you meant it when you said you would stay by my side forever. But everything's different now, it's all different. Everything's changed. It's been four months now. Four long, depressing, cold, bitter months where all I did was think about you and how we should be together again. You don't know how much it hurts me to think that you said I would never be alone. I guess you figured our story was a fairytale. The one perfect fairytale where we lived happily ever after, and we were together until the end of the world. But this is reality. Reality where fairytales don't often come true. But I thought we would be something more than what we were. I thought we were much more than that. Much more than "I love you". But it turns out, we were nothing special. We were just something that comes and goes. I used to often think we shared something no one else shared. I used to think that people would want to have what we had, but I was wrong. We had what every other person in love had. Sparks flew when we were together. Our hearts never stopped beating for each other.The bond we shared was unbearable. Nobody could've had what we shared. But that day came around. The day where you left me standing in the pouring rain, telling me you were leaving. A crack started to form right down the middle of my heart, as if it were going to shatter into pieces right at that very moment. I was standing there, drenched in rain, and tears, watching you drive away. It almost felt like knives peircing through my stomach as I watched your car fade away in the distance. I feared that day would come, but I didn't think it would come that soon. It seems like it was just yesterday when that day arrived. But like I said, it's been four months. I don't think you realize how much you hurt me when you said your last goodbye. So, I'll watch your life go on, as I sit here and think about you. And I'll keep in touch with your friends and family, to see how you are. And I hope it's nice where you are, but please, please, rememeber me.. as your one and only true love. Forever will you be in my heart, and always will you be on my mind.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

My Good Sir

My good sir;
What exactly are you trying to pull?
Is that ugly scowl-that terrible scream-
and intimidation routine?

My good sir;
Pardon me for saying so,
but I must,
it's really quite sad
you don't scare me
and i can't help but spit
in your ignorant eye

My good sir;
You're nothing more
than an animal.
Cornered.
I can see you shaking,
tail tucked.
unpredictably predictable
Laughably so.

My good sir;
The truth is-
I don't need you anymore

Thursday, January 13, 2011

A Traitorous Nightmare

A nightmare for some, my hands cold and bleak, its the warm hearts they seek.What am I? Death, and for people like me, a nightmare. Ever since that night, that traitorous night, my life has spirraled out of control like a dreidel, given too much force. Outside today, is a cold bleak decemer, yet the world continues to rotate. The walls of tough cement covered in old paint, are chipping away at the surface, letting out all of the warmth there is in the room. A lot like my body, slowly turning my insides into a frozen nothingness. I sit here in the cold bearing wood, providing no warmth to my chilled body, but it's not like anything ever will. The black drapped over everyone makes me want to run and scream, run after my mother, and see her again. However i know that will not be possible, I am at her funeral after all.

I shut my eyes still able to remember that night like it was yesterday. There was something going on out there and I sensed it, however when I peeked outside through her window to see what the source of whispers were... nothing, absoluley nothing. The trees made no sound in the summer air while crickets and frogs sang in harmony. Billions of stars dripped from the sky, glazing over the meadows. The full moon stood out among the stars; crisp, white, and large. In all of it's enchanting glory, shedding light on everything, but revealing nothing of the mystery. Still I knew something was about to happen.

However, before I could punish myself for the past, letting the memories eat away at my brain like cancer, the priest's booming voice interrupted my thoughts.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Just a Reminder

Remember that the original piece of creative writing that you post on this blog for your MP requirement CANNOT be something that was assigned in class.  It must be a new piece of creative writing.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

A Painless Discovery

“Did you see that?” Loraine Robertson asked her husband Lawrence. “Hank Armstrong was just skateboarding, fell off his board, and smacked his head against the pavement. He just got up and kept on going. He must have a hard head!”

Hank Armstrong was one of five Armstrong family members. They just moved into the house next door and already everyone on the street thought they were the strangest family in the world.

Loraine turned to look at her husband.

“Did you hear me?” She asked, scowling.

“What? Huh? Um, yes I did. But I think you should just leave that poor family alone.” Lawrence answered, not wanting to look Loraine in the eyes.

Loraine was the type of person who always made situations worse with her gossiping habit. She once ran a family out of the neighborhood because she couldn’t stop talking about them behind their backs. Lawrence was not going to let that happen to the new family.

“Why don’t you do something instead of looking out the window all day? Like reorganize the junk drawer or plant flowers. Just stay away from that window!” Lawrence screamed.

“Well, okay. I guess I could go without looking out the window for a few hours,” Loraine sighed.

Once Loraine left the room, Lawrence crept out of the house, lightly closing the door behind him, like it was a delicate piece of glass that could shatter if closed too hard. He walked down the pathway and took a left. Everyone was staring, but he kept his head held high like a giraffe and walked right up to the Armstrong’s door. He knocked a slow steady knock, took a step back, and waited as he heard footsteps coming to the door.

After a moment, Lawrence got the idea that maybe he was making a mistake. He was about to turn around when the door screeched telling him it was indeed a bad idea. Lawrence began to sweat. If he wanted to run, now was the time. Slowly, a foot appeared, then a whole leg. The door crept open and with every inch more and more of a man’s body was revealed. Soon the entire man was standing in front of him, a gleaming smile on his face.

“Why hello there! Sorry I’m a little excited being that we haven’t had not one visitor in the month that we’ve lived here.” The man answered in a thick southern accent.

“Oh hello, I’m Lawrence Robertson. I live next door with my wife Loraine and my son Alex. Lawrence sighed, relief washed over his body.

“Nice to meet y’all, I’m Peter Armstrong. I live here with my wife Sara, my two sons Chad and Austin, and my daughter Mary Kate.” Peter responded.

Peter gestured for Lawrence to follow him. He stepped inside, the door tapped close behind him.

“Sorry, I’m doing wood work outside for my wife and I need to get it done before she gets home. But we can still talk; I just have to work while we are. Hope y’all don’t mind.” Peter explained.

“Oh no that’s quite alright. What are you working on anyways?” Lawrence questioned.

“A deck actually. Can you believe this beautiful Victorian doesn’t have a deck?”

Peter’s thought lingered in the air for a moment. Then Lawrence replied, “That’s unbelievable!”

They played follow the leader, Peter leading Lawrence to the backyard where his equipment was set up. Peter opened the door and they were greeted by a huge, beautiful backyard. Lawrence looked to the side and saw the deck Peter was working on. He stepped closer and looked down to examine the deck’s stairs. These are so dangerous, Lawrence thought. The nails were sticking out and pieces of wood stuck up just waiting to be jabbed into someone’s foot.

“What do y’all think?” Peter urged.

“Well it’s gorgeous!” Lawrence lied through his teeth. He didn’t want to upset his new friend.

He went over to a vacant lawn chair and watched Peter work. It looked like Peter was working on putting the rails on the sides of the deck. Peter hammered nails into the wood one after the other. As he went to hammer in the last nail, the hammer came down and side swept his thumb, creating a sound like a bowling ball hitting into the pins. But the odd thing was he just kept hammering like nothing ever happened. Maybe I saw it wrong. Maybe it actually was the wood he hit and not his thumb, Lawrence thought. He just let it go and sat there talking to Peter for hours.

After what seemed like decades later, Sara Armstrong came home.

“Peter? Peter where are you?” she asked.

“Out here, hun,” Peter retorted.

Sara came out the back door where the newly built deck stood. The door slammed shut as she sauntered down the hazardous steps. Her bare feet kissed the stairs with every step she took. Lawrence was on the edge of his seat, just waiting for her to scream in pain. As she stepped off of the last step Lawrence heard the sound of wood being broken off the step and as it lodged into Sara’s foot.

Lawrence waited for her to scream in pain, but that never came. Maybe he had heard something that sounded like Sara got a splinter, but it was an entirely different noise.

His thoughts were interrupted by Sara’s high pitched voice.

“Hello there, I’m Sara Armstrong. And who might I ask are you?”

Lawrence stood, outstretching his hand.

“I’m Lawrence Robertson, your next door neighbor.”

Their hands embraced in a friendly hug, slowly moving up and down.

“Please to meet you,” Sara’s kind smile answered.

Lawrence went to sit down when he noticed something in Sara’s foot. He squinted his eyes and noticed the object was sun kissed brown and was pretty deep in her skin. It was the piece if wood he had thought he heard break free and stab itself into her foot. How could she not feel that? Lawrence questioned himself. Maybe she didn’t want to cause a scene and make Peter feel bad. Lawrence looked down once more. His eyes glided over Sara’s foot to where the splinter was, but he couldn’t find it. He looked around her feet and found the piece of wood right next to her foot.

“Is everything okay, Lawrence?” Peter commanded, gazing at Lawrence, a curious look on his face. “You look like a deer stuck in the headlights.”

Lawrence nodded, sat up straight, and looked Peter in the eyes. Sara changed the subject.

“Hun, I bought way too many burgers at the supermarket. Do you want to see if maybe the Robertsons would like to come over for a barbecue?” Sara requested.

“Wee doggy, that sounds like a great idea!” Peter screamed, excitement spilling from his body.

“Alright, I’ll go ask my wife and we’ll be over in an hour.” Lawrence remarked.

About an hour and a half later, Lawrence, Loraine, and Alex walked over to the Armstrong’s house.

“Do you have any idea what this will do to my reputation?” Loraine complained.

Lawrence ignored her and walked along with his family to the front door.

“Be nice, please.” Lawrence begged of his wife.

They heard footsteps scattering towards the door. The door flung open revealing a thirteen year old girl.

“Hello you must be Mary Kate. We are the Robertsons from next door.” Lawrence told her.

“Yes hi, come on in.” She stepped aside and allowed the family to come inside.

Loraine slowly made her way into the house, followed by Alex who looked around for Chad and Austin. Lawrence walked into the kitchen to help Peter with the grilling of the burgers. Sara walked out of the kitchen and walked straight over to Loraine to introduce herself.

“Hi there, I’m Sara. You must be Loraine. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Sara retorted.

“Hi,” was all Loraine said. She didn’t even have a smile on her face.

Loraine went over to sit on the couch. Sara went into the kitchen the smile slowly fading from her face. Lawrence was outside with Peter cooking the hamburgers. Peter started the grill, the flames were balls of fire being spat from an angry dragon’s mouth. Peter cleaned off the grill making sure every last bit of whatever it was they had last time was gone and nowhere to be seen. He placed the burgers evenly along the grills grates.

“Are you having a good time?” Peter asked.

“Yes, this is the best time I’ve had in a long time.” Lawrence confessed.

Lawrence smelled something burning. He looked down at all the burgers but none of them seemed to be burnt. His eyes moved over to an object on the corner of the grill. He couldn’t believe it. It was Peter’s hand.

“Peter! You’re hand is on the grill!” Lawrence frantically yelled.

All Peter did was laugh as if hand was not burning to bits on the grill.

“I thought you knew.” Peter said.

“Knew what?” Lawrence yelled.

“My family and I, we can’t feel pain.” Peter confided.

Lawrence couldn’t believe it. He gathered his belongings and his family and got out of that house as soon as possible. That was the last time the Armstrongs and the Robertsons talked to each other. Three months later the Armstrongs moved and were never seen again.

Alone in the Dark

The cool, dark pavement felt bumpy and rough underneath Becca. The heavy, moist air made it difficult to to breathe. In fact, it tasted of smoke. Only the faint hoot-hoot, hoot-hoot of an owl in the distance could be heard over the roaring of the flames nearby. They flew through every obstacle in their presence. The flames ate every chair, wall, and tree, and were still hungry for more.

"Help, help," Becca moaned. The wetness sped down her face quickly until it hit the ground. She coughed loudly, and it sounded like a barking seal.

A Spider's Lie

A Spider's Lie

to be ensnared in a spider's web

I imagine

would be frightening

for the more I struggle

the more I am tangled

very much like

being trapped in a lie

that is not mine


to be a spider

I imagine

would make me feel godly

in power

in control

able to take a life

as I sink my fangs into

my victims flesh

piercing souls

and feasting upon essence

until I am full


And to be a spider

trapped

in its own web

I imagine

would be irony at its best

to struggle

but never succeed

and starve

unable to break free

or maybe I would take my life

piercing my own soul

so that it could be set free

of this silk web of lies

I had spun

Alone

Falling, descending, crashing. Those are the only words that run through my head as I lose all my senses. I cannot see, hear, taste, or feel anything. When I finally am aware of my surroundings I mutter, "Jake, Kyle?" I just want them to be okay. Jake and Kyle are my friends that went on this airplane journey with me to the Rockies.
"Mhm..." I hear Kyle reply.
"Kyle! Are you okay, are you hurt, are you with Jake?" I cannot see anything. My eyes are open but some part of the jet is blocking my view. I manage to exit the plane, somehow. The first thing I see is a pool of blood, which I follow straight up to Jake's temple. I drag him from under the wing. "Jake, just please stay with me, everything is going to be fine." I manage. His eyes open slowly. At that same moment, I see a hand twitch coming from under the other wing. I prop up Jake and sprint towards Kyle. I do not know if I can tend to both of them at the same time.
"Kyle...." The whole plane is resting on top of him, as heavy as the whole universe put together. There is no way I can get him out. Not with the one million pound brick on top of him. I feel his pulse on his wrist. God has done the job for me because his wrist is staying the same level. He is dead. I cannot let it effect me right now because I need to tend to Jake. I rush over as fast as a cheetah. I shudder at the sight of his eyes frozen over and frostbite at his fingertips. "Do not leave me," I whisper. How could this have happened in the two minutes I was tending to Kyle? I feel guilty. I dread it but I need to feel his pulse, so I press my fingers to his wrist. Nothing. I am now left alone in the middle of the Rockies.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Questions

He hid in the dark. He wasn't going to confess to what he did. He just did it. He even enjoyed it. But no matter how he felt he had to keep moving, keep hiding. But there was always that one question that no matter how far he ran, it echoed in his mind. The question was never whether he regretted what he did or whether the quilt ate him up. The question that kept him up, planning his next move, was whether or not his latest dirty deed was dirty enough.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Feedback Feedback Feedback

I have noticed that there are some stories/poems/posts that have little or no feedback. People need to get to these stories and share some advice and commentary. One way to gaurantee that someone will comment on your piece is to comment on it yourself and ask a specific question about how you could make it better or what could be changed. Also, don't be afraid to comment on your piece to explain what you were hoping to accomplish by writing it.
When you leave feedback on a piece, please make a strong STATEMENT followed by EVIDENCE from the piece and then explain WHY you feel the way you feel. "I really liked it" does not make anyone a better writer, nor does it make them feel good because you haven't said exactly what you liked and why.

Thanks - H

Monday, January 3, 2011

The Sweet Shop

I walked into the small narrow door and walked around as I inhaled the aroma of different types and brands of candy. The shelfs were filled with mountains of chocolate and licorice, while others were filled with bubble gum, lollipops, jolly ranchers, and other hard candy. I tried to contain myself from eating all of it, but it was harder than anyone could ever imagine. I looked around to see if anyone was watching, and I ran to the chocolate and licorice shelf as I grabbed a handful of lollipops and jolly ranchers. The wrappers of the chocolate and the wrappers of the licorice made the shelf look like a rainbow. I reached for a thin, yellow plastic bag for the candy and grabbed every piece of chocolate in sight. "Boom boom boom." All the chocolate in the shelf was starting to fall because I was being a bull in a china cabinet. I quickly stepped back, took a deep breath, and walked toward the cash register. I quickly gave the cashier the money and ran out of there. People were starting to wonder who made such a mess. I wanted to see what would happen without getting involved, so I looked through the thin, glass window with "The Sweet Shop" written on it. I peered in to find all the candy on the floor. No one fessed up to raiding the shelf, so everyone pitched in and cleaned it. I tried to act natural and walked to my favorite spot in the woods. When I finally got there, I sat on my favorite grey rock, opened my bag, and reached for a piece of chocolate. I tore open the thin wrapper and took a bite. My taste buds watered with delight. This was paradise. I thought about what I had done and the trouble I had caused, but it was definitely worth it.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Winter

The snow starts to fall, the wind against your face and the happiness of the season. I can't believe it when winter comes it gets so cold out and you have to dress warm. You always will do one favorite thing during the winter. But school always has to ruin the fun, that you have in the winter time.

In the winter you always have to dress warm where ever you go, so you don't get frost bite. I will always wear warm things outside and when I am playing in the snow. It is so much fun in the winter, so I always stay warm in the winter so i will not get sick. I will wear neckwarmer, hat, gloves, snow pants and a warm jacket that fits me, and will be warm to wear outside. That's why you always want to stay warm in the winter.

Skiing is one of the best things to do in the winter. I always go and i love seeing all the snow on the trails and the snow on the trees. The snow is always a joy to be in anyway that i possible can be. I like skiing because it gets you out to feel the nice air, and so you are not stuck inside the house all day. Also I like it because i know alot of people up thier and have alot of friends. That is my favorite thing to do in the winter is to ski at Butternut.

The only thing that can possible ruin the winter is the school. Its like it takes all the fun away because you have to homework instead of hanging out in the snow and having fun during the days. But, its different and it makes the winter less fun. So the winter vacation is the only thing that makes me happy in the winter because school ruins it.

The snow starts to fall, the happiness of the season. Instead of the warm weather I would go with the winter season. Do you think all of this to, that the winter is cold? That there is only one good thing in the winter, thst is good?

Between Here and There

Outside of here,
is there.
So then, i guess
inside of there
must be here.
Some people like to travel
from here to there,
or there to here,
and some people like to travel,
away from it all.
But they must be careful,
because where there is no here
or there
there is nothing,
which at times
can be great
but it can also be horrible.
Escaping means leaving
and the place you are leaving to go to,
for example, this nothing that I speak of,
can get you lost
inside of the nothingness that can be such comfort during those times that we feel way too much.
So be careful when you break free,
because by freeing yourself in the wrong ways
you can loose yourself completely.
And i don't know about you,
but I'd much rather be here still,
than be free, yet so far gone that I am alone.
going insane with freedom
inside my own mind.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Lost At Sea

Back and forth and back and forth. The rocking movements of the ship have been going on for days and James was starting to doubt that he would ever be saved from this endless torture. James was out a few days ago just for a cruise when a storm hit and sent him way out into the middle of the ocean leaving him with a busted up boat and an endless array of water. James was hungry and with no food it started to feel as if his stomach was eating him alive, but with no way of getting food he was just left there to die. All james could think about was his wonderful family and how he may never get to see them again and all the bad things that he should have done better in life.Then, all of the sudden james awoke in his bed with drops of sweat all over his face. It was only just a dream and was free to live with his family and hopefully never expierence an event like that ever again.

Successful Blog

I have been reading over blog posts and comments and I just want to tell those of you who are active on this blog that you are doing an outstanding job of developing your writing and the writing of others. Please encourage your friends who are not participating on this blog to start doing so regularly to make this an even better experience for everyone.