By Chloe Mangiafico Change my clothes, put my hair up, tie my shoes. I don’t even have to think about it anymore. It’s just something I do, like breathing or blinking—or running. The routine, the repetition, it gives me control over my life. I always find myself at the same trail, behind the houses, down the … Continue reading “Don’t Let Your Mind Wander”
Grandpa’s Glass Elephant
By Shifra Dayak Tucking my hair behind my ears in preparation, I pull the first photo album off the pile next to me and pause examine the coating of dust that now covers my fingertips. Erin — birth to two years reads the hastily scrawled tag that’s stuck under the plastic flap on the cover. … Continue reading Grandpa’s Glass Elephant
Just Two People
By: Hemi Gordy It all began with a soda can. I stared at it, perplexed by the unfamiliar contraption. Turning to the stranger sitting next to me at the lunch table, I asked, “Can you open this for me, please?” I still remember the charmingly vacant expression in his blue eyes when he tore his … Continue reading Just Two People
His Words
By Rebby Berard “What are you doing?”“Watching turtles.” “Isn’t that boring?”“Nah, they’re cool.”“I guess so…”“Look, those two are friends!”“Like us.”“Just like us.”“They’re probably all friends.”“Or family.” “Either way, I’m more lonely than these turtles.”“Ah yes, this is a conversation between you, Allen Jameson, and me, chopped liver.” “Dev, you know what I mean.”“How you think … Continue reading His Words
I Dare You …..
By Emma Frank The dare seems fun, harmless. No one is near, with the exception of a toddler fast asleep on a bean bag chair with a copy of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! open on his lap. Carmen beckons for me to follow. She is standing in the doorway of the … Continue reading I Dare You …..
Play To Win
By: Daniel Greigg “25... 15... 18... 20... 37.” Toby listened as the host announced the winning numbers. A complete miss. Loss number 45, and Toby had only been playing for a matter of months. Local lotteries, state lotteries, national lotteries -- he entered them all. He had even started playing the smaller scratch-off tickets. Two … Continue reading Play To Win
Fortunate
By: Viviana Labarca I was born on the 28th of February. Had I come out just six hours later, I would have been born on leap day, destined to experience a quarter of the birthdays that most people experience. In that sense, I am fortunate. Birthdays are supposed to be joyful beginnings. To my … Continue reading Fortunate
Fireflies
By Grace Calvert She faced them, two shadowy figures. Painfully familiar. Which would she choose? The same as any other night. Which would she choose? Which would she choose? Would she choose? To choose. She had repeated it so many times; it barely seemed like a word anymore. Merely a concept. A shadow; forever lurking, … Continue reading Fireflies
Big Fight in FortReal Chapter 1
By Chaher Alzaman Chapter One 0. A flying punch pushed through the cold air. It missed, but the fight carried on. Now there were more cheering and rowdiness in the crowd. The fight heated up, and the crowd engulfed more crowd. More punches were thrown, and the crowd asked for more. Outrageously, one of the spectators seemed to be moving … Continue reading Big Fight in FortReal Chapter 1
Her Reality
By Elayna Davis-Mercer It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining in the sky and the air was filled with laughter as Maya and her friends lounged by the lake close to her home. Summer was coming to an end and they wanted to make memories and go on adventures before going back to … Continue reading Her Reality
Academy of the Heart And Mind 