Creative
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The Weight of Kevlar
By Ryan Stryffeler Yesterday I was helping my daughter get ready for school She put on her Kevlar backpack while I tied her shoes “If anything happens, I love you” I said with a smile And gave her an extra-long hug to hold her close for a while And smell her thick hair, place my lips on her scalp, For a moment unconscious of anything else I looked at her then, so trusting, so pure, So ignorant of what she’ll be forced to endure They grow up so fast, everyone says But why must growing up bring her closer to death?
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Angelica
By Thea Angeles (Photo by Adobe Stock) Innocent and demure she may seem The moment you first encounter her; But as time goes by and by, Get to know her more And you’re in for a surprise. Yes, she’s still that ingenue you knew That fragile and innocent flower; Only later, you will find A free-spirited princess she actually is Especially in times of adrenaline and excitement.
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The Doll in the Woods
By Mackenzie Elmer (Photo by Connor Beer) I saw a dollstuck on a fencewhile walking todayin the forest dense. Her head was smashed in,her eyes were cracked.Her lovely white dressthe crows had ransacked. She looked so lonelysitting thereon rusted barbed wire,rotting in despair. I thought a lot abouttaking her home,rescuing her from her gravein the moldering loam. I’d fix her right up‘til she’s good as new.I’d clean her faceand polish her shoes. But I knew it was pointless,she was too far gone.So I looked straight aheadand quietly moved on.
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Fruit is Forever
Written by: Rachel Hoarau Image from Pixel Free Studio Chapter 1 “You used to tell me about walks you’d go on,” Satmulan said. I glanced at her. She was sitting across from me and looking out at the golden field below us. She shifted and narrowed her eyes, fixing them on something far away in the glistening field. “Yeah?” I said. She nodded, still looking down below. “Yes, and you always said your favorite part was the wildflowers. Oh, Maeve,” she said with her rich voice. She looked at me. Her brown eyes were billions of years old, certainly, they showed that in a brilliant way, but they were bordered…
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The First Peril of Love
By Aaron Caplea The first peril of love The picture of a younger man- A sentiment of long ago; Surrounding, an old woman stands, Remembering her time: A boy and girl, both holding hands, Not seeing where the night will go; Their unrepentant heads will band Together, they will find. . A girl will lock her dreams inside; A boy does what he knows: Himself, agree to never tell The very girl his name. The woman can recall the time: A land that god had sown- And one that ordered fire set To any ounce of shade. . But every thought of him felt false, The memories too hard to…
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The Voice in Silence
Story by Hailey Joslin Photo by Carson Denney Dear friend,Please take caution in beginning this work. I have shared a story that is deeply personal,but may also be traumatic to some readers. Please take caution if topics surroundingsexual assault, rape, and/or suicide trigger you in anyway. I hope you enjoy. At sixteen I walked around without a chip on my shoulder, head held high. With apassion for life, music, and friendship. I strolled down the hallways with hope of a bright andsuccessful future. My junior year was similar to many others, uneventful yet full of drama. Thegossip of who slept with who, the latest fight, and why the power couple…
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Downpour
By Austin Gray Cults come with some serious downsides. Dart had been aware of that going in, but hethought most of those problems were for the followers. Yet, here he stood, ankle-deep in waterand pig shit trying to stop the rain. It started two weeks ago, harmless and calming rain. Afterthree ceaseless days, the basements of the complex began to flood. Several of his disciples hadlost their food stores before they even realized the problem. Being the speaker of the God—theinflection of ‘the’ showing his divine supremacy over lesser religions—meant that he had thepower of ultimate sight, and as such he should have been able to foresee the loss of…
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The Human-Raised Prince: “Some Things Come with a Price”
By Alyssa Fallavollitti It was a rainy Tuesday morning, which meant it was a school day. “Noah! You’re going to be late for school again!” His mother shouted from the bottom of the stairs. This happened every morning because he was almost never on time. “I’m coming mom!” Although he was running late, he was in no hurry. He calmy walked down the stairs and grabbed a piece of buttered toast that was prepared for him and took a bite, leaving it hanging in his mouth. He grabbed his stuff and waved to her as he walked out the door. It was pouring, the air smelled like a combination of…
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Mindfully Mindless
By Jake DePietro He took a deep breath as he looked out the window, heavily gazing into the eye of the storm as if to symbolize the chaotic flow of thoughts rushing through his mind. The storm suddenly ceased and left Maverick truly alone. He couldn’t help but wonder what tomorrow would bring. The day he had been waiting for was slowly making its way over the horizon, as he fought the inevitable weight of his eyelids. As he drifted farther away from reality, he found himself in a state of mind where his worries were gradually dissipating with each second. Maverick, breathing heavily, was now fast asleep, dreaming of…
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lexapro
By Amy Myers my mind was once so loud. knocking on my skull; tyranny, invisible to all, to me, never able to quiet down. my mind was once so loud. lit by merely one, dark cloud. reaching out to the eye of the storm, they responded with the thought that my cerebral fight is out of the norm and assigned me my mask to be bought. i waited in line with all the rest to become numbed into a trance and absolve the knot in my chest with one orange bottle that i glanced. each day i swallow a synthetic seed that slides down my throat dissolving…
