Emo

((Author's Note: This is a short story about a girl who is going through a tough time but finds a friend. This is for L.A. class and I chose the word, "Emo" and wrote about it.))

She walked silently out of the classroom, going out into the hallway that swarmed with kids. She walked to the school toilets and locked the door. You could say that her clothing said it all, but her eyes told more. Electric blue and they sparkle in the sunlight but what most people can’t see is the pain and sorrow behind her. She is bullied to the extent of where she wants to die and she believes to deserve it.

Her home is not the best place to be either. Nobody’s home and when there is, lashes could occur from time to time. No food, isolation, hatred, suffering, hurt. She thought, ‘This might subside the pain. Take my mind off of things. Besides, I deserve it after all.’

How could she? How would she? By slow punishment that gets worse every time. Steel knives run across her wrist every other day, making a red liquid run down the palm of her hand and drips from the tips of her fingers. She lets out a scream of pain, yet no one bothers to come because no one cares.

The tile floors are being stained red as well as the sink she washes off in. The water mixes with the blood and swirls around down the drain. For only thirty seconds did the pain subdue and she began to cry. What would be going right when everything is wrong? Happy thoughts, joyful thoughts, friends, a caring family, love. All the things she didn’t have or never received before. And no one was there.

As the girl cried, she sat underneath a sink. She curled up into a ball and put her head down on her knees, her arm stained her clothing and she could smell the blood so close to her. What if someone were to come? What if she had an angel come and rescue her? What if she had a shoulder to cry on? What if she was finally happy?

Footsteps could be heard, echoing down the now-empty halls. They got closer to her until there was silence. Her sixth sense told her that someone was there staring at her and sure enough, it was true. She looked up, tears flowing down her cheeks. A warm pair of arms embraced her and she fell into the person’s chest, sobbing further.

An angel had come. She was saved. Caroline Jess Lockform was saved. 

A Simple Symbol

By: A. Grace C.

((Author’s Note: This is a short response to the story, “The Lottery”, written by Shirley Jackson. This is about the different symbols in the story and what they mean.))

A simple symbol can mean something big. In the short story, “The Lottery”, written by Shirley Jackson, has symbols that are easy to catch. Like the black box, the big stone, the balk dotted card, and the main one, the lottery. What do these symbols mean? Let’s start at the beginning; with the lottery.

The lottery is a game of chance and for this small village of 300, it means life or death. The lottery by definition is; a means of raising money by selling numbered tickets and giving prizes to the holders of numbers drawn at random. Though the second definition fits much better with this story; a process or thing whose success or outcome is governed by chance: "the lottery of life". In the village, if you ‘win’ the lottery, you are killed. This chance is fated by a black dotted card. If you choose the slip with the black ink dot on it, you are stoned to death.

The small black dot on the card is held with many other slips, but all white ones. These are held by a very old, small black box. This box represents the chance of death. All because it holds a simple card that has a simple meaning, but a large outcome. When Tessie pulls out the black dotted card, she is to be stoned with no questions asked. Though she protests how unfair the lottery was and it’s humanity, no one is listening because the government is telling them everything they know, and that is all they know. But a friend did come through for Tessie.

Mrs. Delacroix and Tessie are very good friends and a big stone that had to be picked up with two hands, showed that. She killed her friend quickly so that she wouldn’t go through too much pain. Mrs. Delacroix did not want to see her friend suffer from a tradition. This was a big stone, small symbol, yet it meant something deeper than, “I’m just going to kill her quick.”

So friendship, death, and chance; the three main meanings of only some of the symbols in the story, yet they show us a lot. Mrs. Delacroix has a strong friendship and even death couldn’t stand in the way. But think about today’s society and about Shirley Jackson’s reason for writing this story. Is today really different form then?

Rose not Iris By: A. Grace C.

I stand alone in the dirt ground.

My friends dead as a door nail.

I'm the last one, the very last one.

You pull them out one by one;

They are useless to you now.

And I?

I am the last piece of hope that stands for your garden.

Damn you are good.

Watering me and treating me like I am a royal purple iris.

Maybe I should wither away too.

Because I am not an iris, no.

I am but a simple rose, I just stand alone.

I am red like your lips not purple;

Your favorite color.

I am a rose, not an iris;

Your favorite flower.

You can call me what you want.

Yet I will still be me.

So let me die and wither away.

Because that is the way it is meant to be.

Radio Chapter 2

Feferi was never a pretty sight in the morning. Her long hair was a messy sight to look at and her make-up was completely smeared all over her face. The day was still cool and dark because of the daylight savings, but looking at the clock she noticed that it was already 6:00. Her new job started in one hour so she needed to hurry. She quickly got dressed into a long light green skirt that had a pink rim. It flowed down to the ground, and as it got closer, it faded into a light sky blue. She remembered buying it one day in a quaint little shop in Black Diamond, Florida.

            The day was hot as usual and everyone was thirsting for something cold to drink. Feferi was on her way to a job interview when she passed by a small clothing store and saw the skirt. Gasping, she immediately went into the cool shop and bought it. There were no second thoughts and when she saw something she wanted, she would go out and get it.

           

            She raced out the door to get to her work, running in her heels and skirt plus the summer heat, didn’t make it the easiest distance of three blocks. ‘I am lucky that this place isn’t far from home.’ she thought to herself. Just as she reached the second block, she realized something; she didn’t know what she was working as. She walked a bit slower, pacing herself, not wanting to look all messy when she got there. She fixed her long hair a bit and straightened her posture.

            Looking on the piece of paper, she quickly found the address. Before coming inside, she looked at the sign above the shop. In big black letters, the sign read: The Local Mortician. “This can’t be the right place.” she thought to herself, “Let’s see here 2,2,3,3,7,7,8,8,5,5.”. She read the number over and over again. It all stayed the same when five minutes later; she opened the door and walked in.

            The shop smelled strongly of incents and had a small hint of decay, though that wasn’t as strong. The flower-scented incents masked the ghastly odor out very well though it made it hard for her to take a breath. The desk that was in front of her was empty, and she couldn’t sense that anyone was around. On the desk, there were well organized papers and a silver bell that you would usually see at a local diner. Feferi tapped the bell and it rang throughout the shop. Moments later, she heard footsteps coming from down a narrow hallway; it was Aradia. Aradia smiled warmly at Feferi and Feferi returned it to her.

“Hello there Feferi.” Aradia greeted, looking at Feferi’s bright clothing in comparison to the dark walls and furniture of the store. “Very colorful there I see.” She stated.

“I didn’t know what to wear so I just picked this out. Should I wear all black next time?” she asked Aradia.

“Yes please. Bright things throw off the aura of the store.” She replied, “But today will be fine since it is your first day here.”

“Thanks!” Feferi said, happy that she got off the hook this one time.

Aradia led her over to the empty desk and told her what to do and how to answer the phone with the right line and how to transfer a call etc. So she would basically be a secretary for an Undertaker. This of course was not on her list of, “Things to do before I die” list but she knew it would be fun.

The hot summer morning went by slowly, only five people came and twelve called so nothing really interesting happened. Most of the stories sounded the same; heart attack, suicide, and car accidents were the most common out of all the calls and visits she got. Feferi was very, very, surprised that she didn’t cry during any of this. She is usually very emotional and empathetic, yet nothing even broke a clue that she was about to cry.

Soon enough, she was having her lunch break. Aradia had invited her to go to a restaurant called The Big Banquet. Accepting the invitation from her new boss, Feferi started to walk side-by-side next to Aradia. As they walked, Aradia asked Feferi about how she likes her new life in New Jersey, and Feferi replied back with joy and happiness.

“I love it here! Though there are some people that I will say are very nasty, and I hope to not to run into them again.” She giggled a bit then smiled warmly at her new boss/friend.

“I am glad that you are happy here.” Aradia said with little emotion but had a smile none the less.

When they arrived at the restaurant, a waiter sat them down at a table. They both took a look at the menus. Aradia quickly decided on what she was to eat because she has been to The Big Banquet before. Feferi on the other hand, seeing that she has never been there unlike Aradia, took longer to decide. She decided to have a vegetarian salad. Soon a small waitress came to take their orders. She had short black hair and by the looks of her makeup and clothing, she favored the color olive green.

“Are you ready to order?” she asked. Her voice was sweet and it sounded like she had a purr to it. Aradia smiled at the girl and spoke,

“Hello Nepeta, how are you today?” The two have been friends since kindergarden so they knew eachother well. Aradia would come here often to see her friend and it was decided that everytime she came, Nepeta would be her server.

“I am doing just purrfect. How are you Aradia?” Nepeta said in reply.

“I am doing well. I decided to bring my new employee here to meet you and to have a small deli sandwich and a side of mango slices.” She said with a laugh. Aradia looked at Feferi then back at her childhood friend.

“Nepeta, this is Feferi Peixes. Feferi, this is my friend Nepeta Leijon.” Feferi smiled and held out her hand.

“It is very nice to meet you!” she said excitedly. Nepeta shook Feferi’s hand and smiled back at the girl.

“And you too!” she purred, “And for you?”

Feferi’s mind had scattered thoughts so it took her a couple seconds to realize that she hadn’t ordered yet.

“Uh,” she spoke, looking at her menu, “I would like the Vegetarian Salad with a side of peaches.”

Nepeta wrote down the order and then nodded her head. After that, she bid the two a, ‘I’ll be back soon with your orders’ and left to the kitchen. After Nepeta left, Aradia took a deep breath then took a sip of her diet coke. Feferi didn’t know what to say; she had just met one of Aradia’s friends and now everything seems calmer. She thought that it was a bit peaceful actually; besides the mummers of the people having lunch around them, it was nice. Soon, Nepeta was back with a tray of food. The olive skinned friend handed the two their food.

“Hey Aradia, I’m on break so can I sit and eat with you two?” she said.

“Of course you can Nepeta.” Aradia said in reply. With that, Nepeta left to grab some food and came back about two minutes later. She set her boxed lunch on the table then pulled over a chair from another table. Opening the box, Feferi smelled something…tuna. Nepeta had brought a tuna sandwich for her lunch. She tried to breathe in through her mouth but the smell was still lingering in her nose. Feferi took a deep breath and held it in when Nepeta took a bite. Exhaling heavily, Feferi looked at her salad and took a bite; eradicating the thought and smell of the tuna.

The three talked for a while about clothes and then went on to “Our Favorites”. Aradia’s answers were a bit strange and Nepeta’s were cute. Feferi’s were as follows:

Favorite color: Dark Pink

Favorite song: Dream Bubble Lullaby  

Favorite number: N/A

Favorite singer/band: Amy Lee

ETC.

At least that was all they covered.

“Hey Aradia, I’m having a party this weekend, Friday. You want to come?” Nepeta asked.

“Of course I will come.” Aradia replied. Nepeta looked at Feferi.

“What about you? Do you want to come?” Nepeta asked.

“I would love too! As long as it isn’t too much trouble!” she exclaimed.

“Oh no! It won’t be a purroblem at all!” Nepeta gave her a big smile and by then, her shift had ended. She left and gave us the bill. Feferi did not like the fact that Aradia paid and insisted on paying her back. Though Aradia replied with a, ‘No.’ Feferi still felt icky inside. She forgot it soon after they arrived back at the apartments.

A few hours later, Aradia had stopped by Feferi’s apartment to give her more details on the party. It was to be held this Friday at 5:00 to whenever people wanted to leave. It was a casual party and there was no need to bring refreshments.

Seeing that the party was tomorrow, Feferi was restless. She tossed and turned on her couch and soon just decided to read a book and watch some T.V. Soon she fell into a deep sleep and she dreamt of the party but didn’t expect to see Eridan there waiting for her; making her jolt up from the dream. ‘What if he is there?’ she thought to herself.

^~^**