by Ella Kate Aultman, Southside High School
“BEEP, BEEP, BEEP…”
“UGHHHH!” I moan. I’ve always hated mondays. Just when you get a break from school it picks right back up again. I clicked snooze, rolled back over, and began to fall back asleep.
However, my Mother had a different plan.
“MIA CATHRINE GET DOWN HERE!”
What could I have possibly done now? I yelled into my pillow to get my anger out, and maybe try to wake up. My room is freezing, and I do not want to get out of bed. I finally roll out of bed, wrap my blanket around me, and stumble down the stairs. I smell the sweet syrup on my pancakes waiting for me at my seat. I sit down and start eating my breakfast. Just as I am taking my final bite my Mom sits down and stares into my soul.
“Where were you Saturday?” she looks angry and I already know she knows all about my little adventure I had. Still, I try to lie.
“I was at Em’s” I responded. Emily is my best friend and I knew she would cover for me. It felt like forever waiting for my moms response when finally she got up and left.
“I have to get ready for school” I say to nobody. I hobble back up my stairs and try to pick an outfit.
“No, no, ew why do I still have this, no, NO, eh This is fine” I throw on a blue plain sweatshirt and some jeans. I put my hair up into a ponytail, which I do everyday, and put on my makeup.
I don't leave my house until 10 minutes before the late bell. Corinth is a small town with an even smaller school. None of the teachers care if we show up late. They aren't paid enough anyway. I'm on my way out the door when I realize my keys are gone. Mom must have taken them when she found out what I had done. There is still no sight of my mom. I sit down on my couch accepting my fate when I finally see my mom walk back into the room with “a gift” I ask. She hands me the box and I open it. My keys are inside. I start to reach for them when suddenly she snatches the box away from me.
“These keys would have been given back to you, however, you decided not to tell the truth.” she doesn't look as angry but she still looks firm.
“Mom, I have to get to school, can we talk about this later.”
“Yes we can” she responds but I can tell something is going on. I stick my hand out hinting I need my keys.
“You will take the bus.”
“Mom no, you can't be serious right now.”
“You better hurry it should be here any second.”
I don't even know what to say anymore, so I get up and go outside. The bus stops outside of my house, and I step onto it. The bus is quiet. Maybe 10 people ride the bus and half of them are asleep. I go to the very back. I don't want to talk to anyone this morning, because I'm already in a bad mood. When I sit down in my seat I look across from me and see a boy I knew from school. He is in my grade, and he plays football. Pretty good at it too.
“Hey” I look up and he is staring at me.
“Uh hello” I respond.
“What are you doing here?” He asks. Do I go down the rabbit hole of what I did this weekend, and tell him I lied to my mom, so now I've been banished to the bus.
“My car's in the shop.” I decide not to.
“Well that's unfortunate, I’ve always had to ride the bus” It's quiet for a minute or two. We have about 25 minutes till we get to the school. Finally he speaks up again.
“I'm moving schools pretty soon.”
“Dang.” I could care less. I never talk to him, so him leaving won’t change anything.
“Yep” he responds. Each second that passes by the more and more awkward it becomes. To try and lighten the mood I try to start up another conversation:
“So what's your name?”
“Leo.” I'm trying to think of something else to say when he beats me to it.
“Do you wanna hangout…sometime?” It shocked me when he said this. I mean he's not bad looking and I don't exactly look great today.
“Like Friday?” he asks.
“I’d love to.” The bus was quiet again and I began to cringe. Thankfully the bus stops at the school and I walk off.
“So can I get your number?” he asks.
“Sure, here.”
The last bell rings and I'm finally out of school. I step on the bus to get home and Leo is nowhere to be seen. The ride home was quiet and peaceful. As soon as I'm home I step into the shower and get ready to go to bed. It's only six, but I still have homework to do, so I try to get into bed as soon as possible so I can start on it. It's around 9 when I get done with all of my work, and I begin to get tired.
…
I'm standing over my stove cooking dinner. The steam hitting my face is making me sweat. I have been starving for hours, and I can not wait to eat this food. I'm 33 years old now and I have to do all my cooking for myself. I miss my mom. I moved away about 16 years ago, and rarely get to see her. Just as I'm finishing up my pasta sauce my daughter walks through the door.
“How was school, sweetie.”
“It was good, we had a project that I have to ask you questions about,” she responds. My daughter is eight years old, and already cares more about her academics than I ever did
“What's your question?” I ask, and I see a smile go across her face.
“How did you and dad meet?”
“Well, when I was eighteen I got grounded for lying to my mom….”
by Bradyn Gebhardt, Southside High School
The date is April 4, 2025, the day all hell broke loose.
This of course was not able to be sensed by anyone, it was a normal and sunny day in the city of New York. The average mugger would take a little old lady’s purse and the cops would race down the streets after criminals. This sort of peace would only last for a little bit longer however. Peace was held until 19:16, that's when all of the peace was broken.
There was a bright flash in the sky, a sort of beam that shot down and seemed as though it would rip apart the very fabric of time and space itself. From the beam of light came some sort of
humming, this was no ordinary humming however. No, this was the humming of something vibrating so fast that it was a loud hum. This humming beam of power stopped just as suddenly as it began, and a man walked from the sight of its arrival. His stature was that of someone who demands respect.
The man had bionic parts to him such as a robotic arm and metallic electrical parts on his face. He looked like a cyborg from one of those old sci-fi movies where the hero was some muscled up guy saving the damsel in distress from the robot armies. However, with this man
there was a sense of urgency to relay some sort of information. He made his way to a largely popular news and radio station. Shortly after arriving at the station he took over the microphones
and cameras with his futuristic tech. He hacked into all of the world’s technology as a matter of fact and his face was on every screen in the world. His message was one that struck fear in the
hearts of many, “Attention Earth, at 21:00 the portal to Hell will open up and all of Hell’s atrocities will rage through all of the streets and cities causing terror and utter destruction.”
His face was that of a stoic warrior who has destroyed thousands of armies of Hell’s brigade. The message relayed was nothing but factual as the portal to Hell ripped open at exactly
12:30 PM releasing all of the atrocities of Hell upon the world. The religious folk began praying, atheists begged God for forgiveness, and satanists tried to rally with the brigades of Hell but
were all killed in the most brutal ways imaginable in less than a minute. The only hope for humanity was the man from the bright beam, his face morphed into that of a generational hate.
He clutched his sword in his hand and with a shrieking swish of his Holy Blade he slayed an army of thousands of demons.
Although the man from the beam was powerful he alone was not enough to take on the legions of Hell and drive back the flames of that most wicked evil. He cried out words in the
language of latin. As his chanting finished there was another beam of light, however this time the beam was shining from the man’s Holy Sword. A legion of angelic creatures joined in his
rebellion against the satanic forces. Hours would pass by and millions of supernatural beings would be slain by the blade of
the man from the beam and the angelic forces of God’s army. Those who were slain were damned to eternity in Hell never to escape again.
The final push back from the satanic forces was the devil himself, he rose up from the lake of fire draped in a cloak of fire. The lord of the underworld himself wore upon his head a blasphemous thorny crown. He had a blade of fire clutched in his grip ready to slay the entire army of God in one foul swoop. With a slash from his blade that carried with it the shrieks and screams of all those souls forever condemned to eternity in Hell, he was able to destroy the entire army. His blade ripped flames through the streets and all over the world. Left on this plain of death, despair, and destruction was only Lucifer and the man from the beam, Gabriel.
“You were one of us before you thought you deserved better, Lucifer, you damn fool!” yelled Gabriel as Lucifer’s Blade of Damnation clashed with his Holy Blade. Lucifer just chuckled lightly at first before he slowly turned his laugh into that of a maniacal villain. “Don’t remind me that I used to be a part of your puny legion of angels,” rasped Lucifer hoarsely. The blade ripped across each other causing a shrieking sound to erupt from the edges of the blades.
Sparks flew from the point of collision of the blades, and in no more than a second Lucifer plunged his fiery blade into the stomach of Gabriel. As the blade tore through Gabriel he took his own blade and severed the head of Lucifer the foul leader of Hell and yelled out the
name that strikes fear in all demons and devils: Jesus.
With this exclamation Lucifer was cast into the lake of fire never to be seen again. His reign was over and his army was defeated.
Gabriel let only a few more words slip from his lips “I have done the work of the Lord almighty by slaying the father of lies, take me home Father.” Just as soon as Gabriel appeared and in a similar way, he was lifted from the Earth and put to rest in paradise.
by Haley Nadler, Southside High School
By day the laboratory was quite packed with others working diligently in hopes to succeed before all others in the race to perfect the theory of time warps. However, I would work desperately into the night to reach a break through that would put me just a step ahead. I was willingly to put my work first to prove that I belonged in the ranks of the highest achieving scientists. Everyone describes time warps as something easily obtainable, but it is not an simple subject to describe. For no one has yet truly grasped the concept of these phenomena.
When I heard the sharp squeal of the door opening, I practically jumped out of my skin leading me to drop the flask I was holding. I would paint myself as already annoyed since I did not find any new information compared to the previous day. To my recollection, I was able to easily identify my visitor just by their silhouette in the dark void of the laboratory.
“ I suppose you’ve been at it again?” He spoke teasingly as he flicked on the lights that blinded me for a few moments.
“ Absolutely. I’m going to take a guess that your here to drag me home?” I voiced though I kept my back turned.
“ You are correct like every other time. Lexi please. I’m fine with how devoted you are to your work, but sometimes you go to far. I’m always left to clean up the mess whenever something goes wrong.” His voice started off jokingly though changed to a more serious tone.
“ Please Bradley… I’m so close a break through. Just a few more hours” I stopped my work and turned to him as I pleaded for a bit more time.
“ Lexi, I’m putting my foot down as your brother. I won’t stand around and watch you destroy yourself over some theory. It’s already five in the morning and this place is a disaster.” The look in his emerald eyes pierced through my soul as I knew I’ve been causing him great pain with my obsessions.
“ Fine… just give me a few minutes to clean up. I’d rather not leave it in such a mess.”
“ Just be quick about it. I don’t want to spend a minute longer in this god-forsaken place.” His expression was that of displeasure, but there was a small hint of remorse in his eyes.
Bradley did assist me when it came to the process of cleaning the room. I couldn’t help but think how Bradley was so similar to our father yet so different at the same time. Once we were finished in the laboratory, we walked out into the open streets of Driftview. Every crevice and corner was always illuminated with faint neon lights coming from some large advertisement sign. It would be amazing if there were more natural light rather than that made by man.
It felt amazing to finally sleep in my own bed, however I couldn’t find myself drifting to sleep. What Bradley had said when we were in the laboratory kept with me till I had enough and left our apartment to clear my mind. The streets were quiet and peaceful except for those who were heading to work. Those who did drive pass usually gave me a strange look as if I was some kind of alien. I guess its because people my age were usually found at a local nightclub or bar trying to find someone to buy them a drink. I’ve never been similar to others my age even when I was still in school. That’s why I began my studies in the field of Science and Technology. I was given the opportunity to work alone rather than with those who I did not find pleasure in their company. I’ve always come off as a person who prefers the presence of no one compared to the presence of a friend.
I paused when my watch started to beep for I knew that meant a near anomaly was occurring and it was close nonetheless. As I got closer to this rather strange occurrence, my watch began to get louder. I cannot describe how eager I was since I was only ranked D and that meant I was never able to go out into the field to see a phenomenon in person. I’ve only ever heard of gateways opening, but never something or someone stepping out of them.
I froze at the moment a tall slender man stepped out of the gateway and greeted me with a smile. Tears streamed from my silver eyes as I realized who stood before. A man who should be dead. A man that should be peacefully lying six feet under the ground, but he now stands tall. I had many questions to the reasoning of how he was alive.
“ Why-” I started to stutter, however I was quickly cut off by the piercing shriek of police sirens.
“ I promise I’ll explain everything but right now we need to go!” His voice rose in volume as the blaring grew louder.
I gave him a nod of uncertainty then he grasped my hand and we fled. I knew the portal had collapsed on itself leaving the authority nothing to find except for the man who dragged me along the sidewalks of the city and through many disturbing alleyways. For all I knew, he could have been someone I didn’t even know. It was the desire to feel his loving warmth that kept me silent.
He rushed me through the door of an old run down apartment building towards the Southern side of the city. It took both of us a few moments to catch our breath though it had felt exhilarating to run by his side once again. We had spent countless hours running from those who tried to shackle who we were as people. The city was an endless void of mindless beings that followed every order given even if it meant risking their lives for a cause they truly did not support.
It took us sometime to calm our breath as we stood in silence waiting for the blaring sirens to die down. I let out a sharp gasp when he took me in his arms for this man felt like a stranger rather than a friend. When I pushed him away from me nearly stumbling back myself, he looked at me with shock that quickly dissolved into a realization.
“ Lexi… I know this may seem strange but it's me. I haven’t changed. Please…” He pleaded for me to understand, but how could I?
“ You’re supposed to be dead… You’re supposed to be dead! You died three years ago, Adrian …” The pain I felt pulsed through my body as tears streamed down my cheeks.
“ I know… I’m not the same Adrian that you know. I come from another timeline where I survived and you-” He paused as his own suffering burned in his gaze like an eternal flame that never left him.
“ Then why are you here? Why have you come to make me suffer in my sorrows?” I wiped away my tears as what he had said gave me enough context to know that I died in his world.
“ As you know, I died in this world by a gunshot wound. Correct?”
“ Yes… How did I die in your dimension?” I asked inquisitively.
“ Gunshot wound… Lexi, I came here to warn you. What you are doing is going to drive you to your deathbed. Please… You’re to close to the truth.”
“ Wait-” I covered my mouth as the dots began to line up in my mind. I knew his death seemed to much like a setup. The reason Adrian took me into an embrace. He was shielding me from those who wanted to cause me harm. This can’t be real, right?
“ Lexi, just stop what you’re doing. I promise that finding the truth is not worth your life.”
“ I need to keep going. I’m too close to stop now. If whomever believes I’m a threat to the perfect world they’re trying to build then let them come.” I held my ground as I did not fear those who believe they’re untouchable.
“ I will not allow you to practically kill yourself over some fantasy dream of a better world far from this wasteland!” He raised his voice and grabbed my wrist pulling me toward him.
“ Get away from me! You’re right… You are from another world because the Adrian I knew would have never stopped me. My Adrian knew why I long to achieve this!” I pushed him away from me and I tightened my fist ready if he was going to try and grab me again.
“ Whatever… Go ahead and walk right into their trap!” He pressed a small button located on a wristband he was wearing and soon enough another anomaly opened behind him.
“ I’ll prove to you that what I have worked for all my life will prove to be worth it. There’s a better world out there. We just need to find it. That’s why I’m willing to put myself in danger to provide a better future for the future generations so they don’t have to live a life of lies.” I muttered hoping to find some kind of pity from this stranger that has turned his back on me.
“ Get yourself killed for all I care. You’re nothing compared them.” He’d murmured. Each of his words were lined with disgust and hatred.
Years had passed and the walls of lies that had been built to supposedly protect us began to crumble. With the dark ages coming to an end, we can finally begin a new. The spires that had once reached out their metal claws toward the skies lay in ruin in the desolate dystopian world we left. I have yet to see the strange being that had visited me along the streets of tyranny many years ago.
I have at last found my place among the people of my world. The sycamore trees are all that reache for the blue skies that loom from above. An endless blue void painted with snowy white clouds. We have learned the ways of the forest with leaves littered about here and there. The rivers are never ending as they run through the soft earth that we call home. Let it be known that we were the people of a mindless society governed by those who believed that they were immortal.
Our world is nowhere near perfect though we’ve done our best to improve upon our mistakes. My life has evolve to become something of tremendous beauty. Bradley comes to check on me from time to time, but he’s learned that I can take care of myself. I am to believe that he’s rubbed off on me with how protective I’ve become of my own children. My two little girls have become my whole world and they’ve made me realize how hard it must of been for my brother.
While I was outside chopping fire wood, I paused when I caught a small sound from somewhere deep in the woods. I turned toward the setting sun as the birds softly chirped all around me. I will never forgot that day for it was the day he returned. He never approached me that day or any other day. This was not the man that had ridiculed me in that old run down apartment building. This was the man I had fallen in love with all those years ago under that old oak tree in the schoolyard. His presence gave a peaceful feeling knowing that he was there to protect me even in death.
“ Thank you for all that you have done. I will never forget who you were in life, but I will not forget you in death. May our souls meet again one day. My heart shall forever be yours” I whisper. A message to the woods that shall forever be carried as an eternal whisper on the wind in a world that is both fractured and beautiful.
by Emily Tankersley, Southside High School
There was a girl named Charlie who was going on a hike through the woods in her backyard like she always does after school. Today was different. She was mid hike when there was a bright flash of light and all of a sudden a shiny metal box appeared in front of her. Charlie
was startled,she jumped back but slowly got curious and started to approach the box. She found that nothing was strange about the box, so she tried to open it but it was locked. All a sudden she heard a noise coming from inside the box. She started to get scared again but she got the courage to go and knock on it.
She heard the door start to move and it swung open and out a girl waked out but she looked almost identical to her. They had the same looks but instead of brown hair she had blonde hair. Charlie and the mysterious girl both just stared at each other in disbelief. Charlie
finally has the courage to speak up and ask who are you, the mystery girl said “ Molly, Who are you? ” Charlie said “ Charlie, where are you from?”. Molly told her “I am from the future.”
Charlie’s mouth dropped in disbelief , she did not believe that she was from the future because that's not possible.
Charlie asked “ Why did you come from the future? ” Molly quickly answered that she came to warn Charlie about the future and that if she doesn’t stop something from happening now then the future will end up a grey miserable place. Molly explained that robots took over
the world and are trying to turn all humans into robots. Charlie agrees and helps Molly fix the future. Charlie asked, “ What do I have to do to stop the robot invasion.” Molly told her that in order to stop the invasion she has to go and break up a robot convention. Molly looks at her phone and says “ hurry if we don’t it will be too late!”. They both start running as fast as they can to be able to get there before five o clock. They finally get there and are out of breath, Molly tells Charlie “ we have to go and find the two robots quickly or it will be too late.”
They both run around the convention when they see robots talking to each other. Molly screams “ Stop those robots!” They both run to the robots and start smashing them but the creators get really mad and start screaming but Molly says “ we're sorry but we just saved the future.” The whole convention just stares at the girls because they
thought they were crazy. They can finally take a rest and they slowly start walking back to Charlie's house to send Molly back to see if they fixed the future.
They finally get back into the woods after a long walk, and they start to find the time machine. They say goodbye to each other and Molly gets into the time machine. Molly locks the door and starts pressing buttons. Another bright light appeared and the box was gone. Charlie
waited for years to see if it actually worked or if it was already destined to happen. The robot invasion never happened and Molly and Charlie saved the world.
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