Someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.

by Cheryl Johnson

Summers were spent at grandma’s house a long, long time ago,

Wild horses didn’t drag me there; My parents made me go.

They put me on a greyhound with a giant duffle bag.

Packed up just like a soldier on her way to old Fort Bragg.

When I arrived at grandma’s house I mainly mostly did,

Whatever zeal could conjure up, because I was just a kid.

It took no time to figure out I wasn’t back at home.

The time machine that brought me here forgot to bring a phone.

Cousin Nell came over and we started to discuss,

We watched a little TV till it started watching us.

We woke up the next morning and with much anticipation.

For grandma’s breakfast always was the hit of my vacation.

We went to church that morning and my cousin fell asleep,

The preacher started preaching and I lost my count of sheep.

After church was over and we were back at home

Nell said “man, I’m rested” and I said, “you’re not alone.”

Grandma made us dinner and invited a few folks,

They sat around the fireplace exchanging corny jokes.

Nell and I, too cool for that, and sneaky as a theft

Tipped away and no one knew we’d grabbed our food and left.

As Nell and I sat outside we began to reminisce

We jibbed and jabbered back and forth telling that and telling this.

That time we went to the park and rode the merry-go-round.

We spin and span and spun until our lunch was on the ground.

That time we sat on grandma’s porch and as would have it fate,

Made sure I didn’t see that wasp that landed on my plate.

I was eating hurriedly and really did not spy,

The crunch that came from chewing I just couldn’t verify.

I spit it out and spit it out and twice again I spit,

And all I saw was chewed up wasp; my god, it made me sick.

Nell thought that it was funny and in time I would admit

I said a few choice words to Nell to which I must omit.

After reminiscing time and all the guests had gone

We went back into grandma’s house and then began to yawn.

With my head upon my pillow, I thought, “Oh God, My Tongue!!!

They may have had to cut it out if I had gotten stung.

Good night.

by Madison Crawford

We sat on the top of the roof. It was peaceful. We were staring off into the distance, watching the flashing and explosions of light. I looked over at him, and he looked over at me. I grabbed his hand and smiled; he smiled back.

“It’s beautiful,” I said.

I looked back into the distance.

“It is,” he replied.

“It’s peaceful. Is it supposed to be?”

I looked over at him, and his smile faltered slightly. He then looked into the distance with me.

“I guess so. We don’t have anything else to worry about…”

The explosions of light were getting closer and louder. I leaned my head onto his shoulder, and he leaned his onto mine. The light was overcoming the darkness in the sky. All around us, the world was burning to the ground. The explosions of light were explosions in general. I let a tear slip out, and that is when the explosions got too close. The world around us shook and so did the house we were on. The roof started caving in, and I lost my grip on his hand. I screamed his name, and he screamed mine. I tried to reach for him, but I fell through the roof. It felt as if I were falling forever. Until there was nothing left to grasp for. My life started flashing before my eyes.

It was my first day of school. I met my best friend, Caroline. I was sitting all alone, and she made her way over to me. She brought crayons. I pulled out sheets of paper, and we started coloring together. She was so much better than me. I tried drawing a dog, but it looked like a garbage can. Hers actually looked realistic, besides it being blue. We looked at each other with a smile, and then we laughed.

                                                           . . .

It was my first day of high school. I was super scared, but I was texting Caroline the whole time. She never responded though. My world felt like it was falling apart. The message was sent but was never read.

I was wearing all black. It was a big and sad day. I looked forward with tears in my eyes. The casket looked too big for a teenager. The car wreck was during middle school. Who was in the casket? The first person I ever started caring about, other than family. I was sitting beside the girl’s mother, and she was sniffling and crying with a tissue in her hand. I looked over at her, and then it was time to go to the casket. I walked up to it and saw Caroline sleeping inside. If I wouldn’t have been so used to having people die around me, I wouldn’t have known she wasn’t sleeping. She looked peaceful.

Even when I realized there was no point in texting her anymore, I kept doing it anyway. I had no one to talk to anymore. I would keep texting her until the number was out of service. I looked into the mirror and watched the tears fall down my face. She’s gone, I reminded myself. I wiped the tear off my cheek and closed my eyes to calm down.

 It was graduation day. I was sitting in the seats with all of the other students in my class. We were wearing black graduation gowns with black graduation caps. I was valedictorian of my class. My name got called up to the stand and I walked up to grab my diploma. I shook the hands of the teachers and principals whom I’d never see again and walked back to my seat. A few minutes later, I had to walk back up onto the stage to the stand. I looked off into the crowd looking for people who weren’t there. I knew they wouldn’t be there. They never were. They were probably on their Miller time binger. They’d show up home like every day. I swallowed and looked down at my paper on the podium. I then read off my valedictorian speech.

 It was my first day of work. I was sitting all alone at my desk at the publishing company where I got a job. A man that was my age walked into my room with boxes.

“Oh- I guess I have the wrong room. I’m sorry.”

I stood up and pushed my chair back.

“Oh, no. It’s okay. I’m new here, too.”

He nodded while holding his boxes. I grabbed one of the two boxes and held it in my hands.

“I’ll show you to your office,” I said with a smile.

I showed him to his office, and we laughed the whole way there, talking about anything and everything.

It was my first real date. I was wearing a medium-length red dress and light makeup on. I was waiting at the table for two in the fanciest and most expensive restaurant known demand. I was waiting for him to show up. The waitress walked up to my table.

“We’re gonna need to ask you to give up your seat.”

I was starting to give up on love when he walked in wearing a tuxedo with a bouquet of flowers―Roses to be exact.

“Sorry that I’m late,” he apologized.

I smiled and then we just sat there. Eating and talking about random things.

I snapped back to the present and reached for his hands. He reached for mine, and then all I saw was black. I was dead.

. . .

She fell through the floor, and I reached as far as I could. I screamed her name and felt the tears burning in my eyes. She screamed for me, and I could do nothing but watch as she fell three stories. It was as if the explosions were taunting me, laughing at me, proving that I was worthless. I couldn’t hold back the tears as they poured from my eyes. I ran down the stairs and made my way to the first floor of the building that she fell through. I made my way over to her, jumping over pieces of cement and pieces of the building. I fell to my knees and pulled her into my arms. Her eyes were glazed over and staring up at the sky.

“I’m so sorry,” I cried.

I was dancing with her. It was the ball for our publishing company. She was wearing a tan dress with black mesh. It was beautiful. It was super long. I was wearing a tuxedo as I watched her walk in. I stared in awe. I snapped out of my daze and made my way over to her, arm held out.

“May I have this dance?” I asked her.

She smiled and nodded.

“Of course,” she replied.

She took my arm and we made our way to the middle of the dance floor. A slow song was playing. It was called “The Night We Met” by Lord Huron. I took her waist, and we made eye contact as we danced to the music. It was the best day of my life. 

  It was our first date. I spent money on flowers—Roses. I was pulling up to the restaurant a little late and made my way to the table I had reserved. She was sitting there in the most beautiful red dress. The waitress was talking to her as she drank her water.

“Sorry that I’m late,” I apologized.

She smiled and the waitress walked away. I sat across from her and handed her the roses. She kindly took them.

We were on the roof, peacefully watching the explosions of light. We were not scared because we knew we’d be together. The closer the explosions got, the tighter our hands were clasped together. We knew at that moment that we’d rather die together than apart. I looked over at her one last time. Her frizzy golden brown hair flowing in the wind, her eyes flinching each boom, her sneaking glances at me to check on me before turning back to the light, her button nose, her plump pink lips, I wanted to remember it all. We held eye contact with each other before it all went horribly wrong. It wasn’t supposed to end the way it did. We were supposed to die together, but fate wasn’t on my side. When I saw her body hit the ground, ungracefully, I knew I couldn’t live without her. There was no point. I had nothing, it was all destroyed. I only had her and then I didn’t even have that.

I stared into her lifeless eyes that used to be so full of life. She had left me, even after our many promises. She didn’t wait. I pulled my pocket knife out of my pocket, the reflection showing my disheveled state, and then it was done. I was finally with the woman I loved. Through life and death, we had made it. We were finally at peace, together.

by Cheryl Johnson

Sometimes I’m up; sometimes I’m down 

Teeter totter goes my brain – 

Some say I’m Manic; some say depressant - 

But I just feel the pain. 

Sometimes I’m happy; and sometimes sad  

Mindset makes the prediction – 

My attitude is on a banana peel – 

Who knows what the depiction? 

Acting in my best behavior 

Deep inside this mess- 

I tuck it in and square my shoulders- 

People to impress- 

A tennis match of feelings 

I’m locked, and gagged, and bound – 

I hide inside this damned condition – 

Never to be found. 

by Julianna Hayes

Her hands like icicles, smooth and seemingly pleasant but cold and sharp once held.  

Her eyes like a pane glass window with a thick layer of frost in every crease and corner. 

Her smile cold and lifeless like the sky on a stormy winter day

Her skin shining just as the tears grasping my face. 

Her heart hibernating alongside the creatures that roam the earth. 

Her love, as beautiful and as fragile as a snowflake once embraced. 

My spirit was a fire, and she was my snowstorm.

by  Casie Drummond 

The air has a mysterious aura.

His feathers are shinning with a hint of purple, eyes black as pitch.

He is cunning, intelligent and free. You will not fool him.

He flies over me, making sure I am still there. He remembers my face.

He is not meant to be caged, his spirit would wither.

He has to be adorned from afar. His beauty is unmatched.

He calls out, only to pass by for a moment.

His soul matches my own