7th Grade

Poems

Flawless

 Author's Note: Well, this is my first poem so I guarantee it will be bad.  I learned that the best poem is written when something is on your mind.  This is what was on my mind.

We are such good friends,

At least I think we are,

I don't know where I stand with you

All I know is you give me butterflies in my stomach

And without you my world is shades of gray

One smile from you can light up my whole world

You might not be perfect to everyone else

But to me you are flawless

I hope, I dream

That one day you will come back to me

I wish, I want

For you to be mine

I savor, I relish

The good times we shared

I need, I desire

You, right here next to me

Our World

Author's Note: This poem is straight forward, but it's the truth.  We need to realize what we are doing, and take action.

Hot springs, iconic meadows

A perfect world to love

Love is forgotten

Abuse and mistreatment

A loss of hope

Garbage wastelands and polluted air

Our world 

Attempt to undo

What we have destroyed

But the damage is done

Only a miracle can undo the damage

And fix our world

You

Author's Note: This poem is like a sequel to Flawless. 

You are the air I breathe

Without you I can’t live

You are the only thing I see

Without you I would be blind

You are the only voice I hear

Without you I would be deaf

You are everything to me

Without you I am nothing

You are the colors I see

Without you I’m colorblind

You are the song the birds sing

Without you there is no Spring

You are the only light

Without you I only see darkness

You are everything to me

Without you, there is no me

What Should Have Happened...

Author's Note: I realize I am writing a lot of sad poetry lately, so here's my saddest piece yet.

What should have happened?

Well, to start you should have been there.

You don’t realize it, but I’ve always been there

Where have you been when I was about to hit rock bottom?

Where were you when I really needed you?

What should have happened?

You should have told me what was on your mind.

You think I like the silent treatment?

I don’t, so just tell me.

Having any answer is better than no answer at all.

What should have happened?

You should have felt the same way.

You think I don’t cry when you play me?

I do, and it’s all your fault.

Why don’t you just love me back?

What should have happened?

I never should have fallen for you.

You think I’ll get over you?

Never, there is no one like you.

Why are you apart of me, but I’m not apart of you?

Happiness

 Author's Note: Don't read this if you are as sensitive as Courtney.

What is happiness when there is no you?

My world comes to a halt, but does yours still spin?

The birds still sing, the sun keeps shining, the grass still dances,

But  there is no true happiness in me

The darkness of being alone consumes me

Only you can bring the light back in my eye.

What is happiness when there is no you?

My heart stops loving, but does yours still beat?

The light still shines, and the flowers still bloom

But there is no true happiness in me

An empty pit fills my stomach

Only you can make me feel whole again.

What is happiness when there is no you?

My smile stops showing, but does yours?

The children still play and people still love each other

But there is no true happiness in me

My heart beats a hollow beat

Only you can make my heart beat strong again.

Somebody That I Used to Know

Author's Note:All this depressing poetry may be getting a little annoying, but this is the only way to make my problem not bother me as much.

What annoys me?
When you change.
You aren’t yourself anymore
I hate the monster that consumes you
And makes you act like a jerk.

What annoys me?
When you ignore me.
I’m not the kind of person to be ignored
I hate that you don’t even care what I say
And act like you’re too good for me.

What annoys me?
When you don’t feel the same way.
I share with you and you stay concealed
I hate your wordless response.
And never give me a true answer.

What annoys me?
You.
I can’t have you and
I hate that your life doesn’t take a dive when I’m not around.
And you can live without me, but I can’t live without you.

Spring Assessment

The Becoming of a Hero

Author's Note: I couldn't, for the life of me, find a lesson in this story.  I spent days trying to figure out what the author was trying to tell me.  Finally, I gave up and wrote this essay on the character development of Sam Temple.

How would you handle being imprisoned in a ten mile radius of your home, without a single person over 15 years of age?  In the book Gone, by Michael Grant, this twenty mile dome that you live in is called the Fallout Alley Youth Zone, or FAYZ.  Here, hunger and bullies are threatening, and no one is taking charge and controlling this chaos.  That is until Sam Temple apprehends that he is the man for the job.  The fight for power is a slow and dramatic showdown between Sam and his arch rival, Caine.  Sam Temple has always been the rightful hero, but at first he didn’t realize it.  

In the beginning, Sam doesn’t think he is a strong enough leader for the job.  I wouldn’t think so either, just like Sam I would panic and try to withdraw myself from the madness.  Sam is afraid and confused, just like the other kids in the FAYZ; he doesn’t know what to do.  So many kids are in frenzy, and most of them are turning to Sam save them.  They turn to him because of his actions in a time of shock.  Little do they know that this problem is bigger than Sam thinks he can handle.  He knows deep down in his heart that he has the power to control the madness in the FAYZ, but is too terrified of the thought of hurting someone by making the wrong choice or with his unusual gift.

Just like any miraculous hero, Sam has regrets about turning down the opportunity to rule the Fallout Alley Youth Zone, and he wants to regain the title.  He soon finds out that while he has been hiding from the new, dreamlike reality, Caine has been up to no good ruling the FAYZ, and Sam needs to put a stop to him for the greater good.  By the time the bullies started being sinister, Sam had the capability to stop their evil ways, but he just had to believe in his ability.  Only then does Sam realize that he is the only person that can control the FAYZ with fairness and compassion. However, Sam is not the only one with a gift, Caine also has an extraordinary power, along with selective others but Caine won’t hesitate to use it to protect his reputation.  Beating Caine would not only take a lot of strength but also courage and responsibility, which Sam, at the time, was gaining slowly but surely.

Besides the fact that Sam will never think he is a strong enough leader, his friends always had confidence in him.  By them believing in him, Sam gained some courage and eventually he went out and fought for what he believed in.  Throughout the process of gaining the”head honcho” title, Sam believed in what he thought was right, more and more every day.  By the end, Sam knew he could meet the needs of most everyone in the Fallout Alley Youth Zone, but one person stood in his way the becoming the leader, Caine.  With an abundance of confidence in his beliefs, Sam goes into a full-out war with Caine over the head title of mayor, when only one of them can have it.

Even though Sam had doubts about what he was capable of doing, in the end he decided to trust his control over his powers and accept the fact that he was the only one to take charge of the FAYZ. This resembles, like most heroic stories, a tale of a boy who didn’t believe in himself but by the end, turned out to be a mighty guardian.  Not realizing he was the appropriate mayor at first meant that he had to fight for his title, but either way, Sam was always the hero.

Adopted!

 Author's Note: In class we had to write down 3 facts and a fiction.  Most of mine, no one knew. But this story is obviously about how I found out I was adopted.

How would you feel if you have lived your life for 13 years, but never knew that the family that you live with isn’t your real family?  And the life you live would have been completely different if you lived with your real family.  Up until 3 months ago I believed that the people I lived with were my real family.  I always wondered why I never looked like my family.  My natural hair color is blonde, while my  so called family’s hair color is brown. In addition, my eyes are blue, while my parents and sister’s eyes are a dark brown sea. Why don’t we look alike?  I am not their child.

When I found out, I didn’t know who to feel. Scared? Confused? Pranked?  Well, I felt the most unlikely feeling, anger.  They should have told me sooner!  I felt so unwanted, not even my true parents wanted me so they gave me away to strangers!  What if they were stone-cold killers, or weird hippies?  They didn’t care where I was, as long as I was gone.  

My adoptive parents always ask me if I ever want to see my real parents, like 50 times a day, but I always say no.  If they wanted to give me away, then I should stay away and never bother them.  That’s how it is, and always will be.  But I always wonder, “Why would they give me away?” I asked my new parents and they explained that I was a “Whoopsie Baby”, and that my parents didn’t have enough money to raise me.  Cliche, much?

At least now I know, but I still don’t want to talk to them.  Not only did I never want to see them, but I asked my parents not to talk about my birth parents ever again.  Better to leave this dramatic reunion for never, rather than have my life turned upside down. Right?

Friday, May 4, 2012

Symantec Devices

Alliteration: Magical Minha moons many moving mandarin monkeys.

Simile: She danced like a happy chicken.

Personification: The leaves danced across the green lawn.

Hyperbole: My room was 1,000 degrees!

Pun: That's not your cheese, that’s nacho cheese!

Oxy Moron: He was a ecstatic depressed person.

Irony: He was overjoyed about his “D” on his exam.

Metaphor: His wart was a repellent to the other people in the room.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

The White Rose

What would you do if you lived in a society where there is no independence and no freedom of speech?  In the book The Silenced, by  James De Vita, no one is “unique”, and if you don’t complete every task perfectly, you and your family could be in serious danger.  Marena would never be the Zero Tolerance Party’s (ZT) lap dog; like her mother she feels that people have no right to be silent.  The way Marena deals with her outrage against the Zero Tolerance Party effects others that she loves by putting them in serious danger. 

Marena’s hatred against the ZTs all started when her mom was taken away and never returned.  In her mom’s honor, Marena acts out and defies the Zero Tolerance Party.  Not only does she put herself in danger, but in addition she puts her family and two friends in peril of being taken away.  Marena’s actions effect her father by  him fearing that she or her brother will be arrested.  Not only is Marena’s dad afraid in the first place, but her escalating rebellion puts him in a frenzy.

Besides the fact that Marena’s effect on others in tern effects her in a negative way, her actions change throughout the book.  At first, Marena has a burning hatred for the Zero Tolerance Party but she tames that hatred by writing about her mother, however, writing about her mother just makes her feel guilty that she is being a coward, and not fighting for what she believes in.  I think she is a bit timid at first, but then she starts her rebellion against the ZTs, and she can’t stop.  With every crime she commits, she just gets hungrier for more revenge.

While Marena’s need for revenge grows, the danger she puts her family in gets worse.  Marena is fighting to keep her independence and not be silenced.  She fights to answer the question, Who do you think you are? 

Monday, February 6, 2012

May the Odds be Ever in Your Favor

 Author's Note: I wrote this essay about the ironic modes of literature, and an ironic book.  I compared the two, and it eventually turned into an essay.

What if every year 24 kids were thrown into an arena and fought to the death, until one was crowned victor?  In the book The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, an everyday dread that runs through the heads of the people who live in the 12 Districts of Panem is having your neighbors and loved ones be forced into an area, and kill one another.  The Hunger Games is a spot-on example of ironic literature, which helps readers escape from our easy lives, even if you have to read between the lines to figure it out.

The plotline of The Hunger Games follows the ironic mode of literature exactly.  When the world is in chaos and every year 24 kids go into an arena and look death in the eye. Can you imagine that?  Other kids your age are forced into a man-made arena, and required to kill each other for the Capitol’s entertainment, that is certainly a world in chaos.  And the main character is grasping for life while she fights to preserve her life and significant other half.  Every day, not only does she have to protect herself, but later in the games she has to nurse Peeta back to health.  As a result she loses the one person who really desired her.  Katniss was acting like she fancied Peeta, but Peeta was never acting.

In addition to the plotline of the book being a mirror image to the ironic plot line, the characteristics are just the same.  The wicked Capitol is strong and in control, while the fragile districts are being pushed around by the capitol.  Katniss has very little, to not control over what will happen to her.  The only control she has is the control over her own life while she is living in the arena.  She doesn’t even have control over if her petite ally, Rue, will be able to live or not.  Katniss is weak and fragile after her trusted friend, and ally is killed.  Everything beautiful makes her heart ache because of her greatest loss, Rue.

As you can see, an ironic novel, such as The Hunger Games helps us realize our deepest fears, and shows people how good our life really is.  The lesson learned is that one split-second decision can lead to endless trouble and chaos.  Katniss’ life will never be the same, but she must have known nothing would ever be the same when she pulled out those dark berries, and was ready to end her short life.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Be True

Author's Note: I didn't know what to write about and FINALLY settled on this.  It's obviously not my best writing piece, but says a lot about me.

If I were to die tomorrow, I would want people to remember me by how true I was to myself.  I didn’t change for anyone but me; even if that meant that I lost friends.  Maybe when I met someone new, I liked how they didn’t care what other people thought of them, and that made me realize that I shouldn’t care; but, that doesn’t mean that I copied them.  Yeah, I changed, but I didn’t change to impress others.  I love me.

                               

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Me, Is All I Want To Be

 Author's Note: This was purposely written to some people I know.  This says what I am to afraid to say. 

“I would rather be hated for who I am, than to be loved for who I am not” Kurt Cobain

This is my favorite quote.  To me, it means that I won’t change who I am, just to be accepted by the others.  I don’t really care if the other kids don’t like me; as long I have the people who have dealt with my problems right by my side I am OK.  I won’t change for you, or anyone.  Run that through your head and accept it; I am who I am, and I won’t change.  Why would I hate who I am, just to be loved by others? 

Many Layers

Author's Note: I wrote this for another class but really liked it so I also used it for this assignment, too.

Jackson

Messy, Chaotic

Throwing, Creating, Covering

Father of Splatter Paint

Pollock

The Long Journey of Spongebob the Pillow Pet

Author's Note:  From idea to plan, factory to store, and finally to home, what goes through a pillow pet’s mind?  Are they scared if people will buy them, or anxious to be bought by a nice toddler? 

When I was just a SpongeBob felt, I was rolling down a conveyer belt and this man with a five o’ clock shadow stuffed loads of soft fluff in my side.  As soon as I was soft and fluffy, he sent me down the conveyer belt right until I was under this big machine; it sewed up my side.  At last, I was ready to be shipped.  There were about 20 of us in a case, and we were all crammed next to each other.  The box closed, was taped and put into a large truck for shipping.

Many long hours later, the box was opened and one by one we were taken out of the box.  I was finally relieved to be out of that undersized box, but only to be crammed on a shelf with even more pillow pets.  I scanned my surroundings, and other than the pillow pets to either side, I finally realized where I was.  I was in a shopping mall!

I had heard of this place before; everyday hundreds of people pour through the doors and walk by you.  It is hard not be noticed over here, so I have a better chance to be bought.  Hopefully I will be one of the lucky ones that are bought.  

The next day the cover over the stand was removed.  I knew the mall will be open today.  What seemed like thousands of people rushed past me with loads of shopping bags.  So many people looked at me and small children even pointed at me with awe.  I knew I wouldn’t be long before I was bought.

Many of the pillow pets around me were taken home to a loving family.  I never thought it would be my turn to be bought until a mother and an older daughter stopped by my stand and picked me up.

 “Mom, look at this!” the daughter shouted.

“Oh that would be a perfect present for Sam.  Don’t you think?” the mother assumed.   Quickly, she grabbed her wallet out of her purse and paid the cashier.  They grabbed me off the counter and stowed me away in another bag.  I was in that bag for at least four hours, while they walked around the mall.

When they got home, I was dumped out on a table along with their other Christmas purchases.  Soon I realized that this had become a wrapping station.  I was the third article to be wrapped.  At last, the last gift was wrapped, all of the gifts were gathered up, and put under what I am guessing was a Christmas tree.

It took what seemed like forever to be unwrapped,  but finally I was. Oh, I was so happy to finally have a home!  My home, where I am not crammed in a small shelf with a billion other pillow pets. 

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

All I Want for Christmas

Author's Note: I never had a say about this topic, but now I can express my feelings about "What I want for Christmas".

I hate writing about me or anything fiction for that matter.  It is so boring writing about what you want for Christmas, rather than writing about radioactive hamsters that destroyed Christmas.   I feel with fiction writing pieces I run out of topics to write, when I am only three sentences into my writing piece.  Writing about fiction topics is the hardest thing to write about.

For me, I would rather write about major science fiction, rather than explaining myself to the world.  Who want to read about what you want for Christmas?  You can express yourself through your writing.  You have to think outside the box, and express yourself, without explaining yourself.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Farm Grown

Soybeans

They look like a booger

And don’t taste like sugar

Grown on a farm

Early morning alarm

What rhymes with cuisine?

Clean, mean…SOYBEAN

Monday, December 5, 2011

Dreams

Author's Note: Honestly, I wrote this at the last minute; I was going to write a short story but ran out of time.  To save time, I wrote a poem, and it actually didn't fail.  Maybe it was fate, because I seem more confident with writing poems, even though I hated poems before.

Dreams

Oh they suck.

It’s like kissing a duck.

We can’t even control them

They are like green flem.

Oozing down your throat,

Into a crocodile moat.

Slowly slipping away from the world,

Oh, it makes me want to hurl.

Always ending early,

Neon swirly.

Psychedelic colors

Male mothers

All fun and games

Until the excitement tames

and then you awaken.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Love is Never Ugly

Author’s Note:  Your mom always said, “Never judge a book by its cover”, and this book made me realize how hard it is not to judge people, but also made showed me the beauty in everyone, no matter what they look like.


Love finds a way to embrace itself in every way possible.  Even if that means finding love through a thick coat of beastly fur, and the emotional weight of worrying about your dad every two seconds.  Whether it is an enchanting book, or a stimulating movie,Beastly, by Alex Flinn, is a modern day fairy tale that will make anyone want to grow up to fall in love with a beast. However, the book is much better than the movie, because if its wonderful details and way of connecting to the reader.

Having an aggressively ugly beast living in the village with you is like something from an old folk tale story, but having the beast live in the crazy  place of New York City is more modern.  Not only do I like the original “Beauty and the Beast”, but the modern day twist that Flinn puts in the story makes it so much more like something that you can relate to.  Even though the movie doesn’t make you feel like you are right there with the characters, the book makes you feel like you are right next to Kyle as he is being his old, cold self or softly reciting “Having A Coke With You” with Lindy right by his side.  The author makes this experience possible with descriptive words, and a first person perspective.  

Even though the book and the movie have the same root story, each of them branch out into fairly different stories.  The ending is the biggest difference.  Even though both the book and the movie have various differences, there are many similarities.  Such as, Lindy and Kyle take a break from the crazy streets of New Your City, and travel to a scenic second house owned by Kyle’s distant father.  In addition, Kyle saves Lindy from her drug-addict father.

While there are some similarities between the book and the movie, there are also extensive differences.  If someone read the book and loved it,then saw the movie they would be so shocked because of the changes.  A few of the changes in the movie are Kyle’s names, the circumstances under which Lindy and Kyle meet, the ending, and how Kyle looks when he turns into a beast.  The way he looks as a beast, and many other topics covered in the book are different, but I like them all the same.  Overall, the book is better, because of the choices Flinn made about the setting and characters which makes the book even more touching.  

Even though Beastly is now a major motion picture, the best-selling book is worth more of your time, than the movie.  That is because of how Flinn composed the book, an the effort put forth to make this book show an important lesson.  Never judging a book by its cover is not only fair and the right thing to do, but might also lead to a pure friendship, or true love. Despite those who only care about looks and money, the few who only look at “what’s inside” are a dying breed, and more people should be like them.  Are you the “dying breed” who cares about only what’s beneath the surface or the growing population of humans who only care about what you look like on the outside?

Monday, October 24, 2011

Proud to be an American

Author’s Note: When I was writing this essay, it really made me think about how much our soldiers have sacrificed so that we can be free.  So how can I not be proud?

Are You Proud of Your Country?

Are you actually proud of your country when you mumble along the National Anthem, or when a war veteran comes by, and you don't even give thought of what they did for you?  Americans are funny people like that, because we Americans are actually truly and entirely grateful, even though we might not make it obvious.  People in America have always been proud of their country, and the people who fight for it.

Today, many war veterans wear their uniforms when they go out in public.  Is it because they don’t want to just look like the “Average Joe”, or because they really feel so proud for their country?  People walk by them and think of how much they sacrificed for their country.  But we don’t grovel at their knees; instead we flash a grateful look, and a slight nod.  Even a miniscule ounce of gratitude, such as a thought of what they did for you, is appreciated. 

What if the soldiers didn’t even have to go out and fight?  Would we still be as proud as we are today? You can’t just earn pride, and America, and her proud solders that fight for her, didn’t just earn pride, but fought it until they couldn’t, anymore.  Fighting for what they believe in, truly gave America pride.   No one can take away America’s pride.

When you celebrate the Fourth of July, what is running through your mind that day?  Is it the fireworks, the sprinklers, the taco dip, or what our soldiers and war veterans did for us?  They gave us freedom, and the right to feel safe, every single day.  How can’t we be proud of that?

The people who fight for, and live in America, have always been proud to call themselves Americans. I am, and always will be proud to be an American.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Their Little Journey

Author's Note: I wrote this piece because I recently read a book that mentioned these wonderful creatures, and it reminded me of my unconditional love for sea turtles. 

 
According to www.oceana.org, every single one species of sea turtles are endangered.  All six species in U.S. waters are threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  Even though the species have been protected under the ESA for more than 30 years, none of the species have been able to be taken off the list.  Therefore, sea turtles are the animals that should be most protected so they can be taken off the endangered list.

The long journey for the sea turtle is very tough.  Only .001% of turtle hatchlings make it to the water alive.  The reason why is because predators can catch the little sea turtles when they are attempting to get to the ocean.  Without protection by a cage, or constant monitoring, wild animals would get to the nest and destroy all the eggs before they get the chance to hatch.  In the eight weeks of incubation, the nest fills with loose sand, making it harder for predators to spot them.

After getting to the water, the sea turtles get a break from barely surviving predators.  Baby sea turtles spend time as much as five years in unattached seaweed.  This habitat protects and hides the turtles, as well as feeds them.  There are some species of turtles that spend most of their lives in the seaweed.  As well as eating seaweed, they also eat zooplankton and nekton.   

After leaving the comforts of the sea weed, the sea turtles are on their own.   Sea turtles swim in every ocean; they are the most at risk by far, because their lack of experience, and the predators that lurks nearby.  Furthermore, an obvious reason why some sea turtles don’t survive is because they are so small.

On the Endangered list, the six species of sea turtles should be the first to be helped, and eventually taken off.  Mankind should realize how astounding these creatures are, and try harder to defend them from harm. 

Long Stories

Attack of the Man-Eating Soybeans 

Author's Note: I am currently obsessed with soybeans so that's how I got the idea.

 “Run for your lives!” People hollered and screamed as giant man-eating soybeans took over giant skyscrapers like they were nothing.  Most women and children hid under ground while the brave were trying to take down the massive plants.  I was in New York City, hunting down these beasts with a sledge hammer and some fireworks.

The soybeans were about shoulder high, with a bad case of the munchies.  No one knows how they became this big, but rumors went around that a farmer sold his whole property to a scientist that was claimed legally insane.  During his time in the house he was experimenting with extensive growth. One day he accidentally dropped some of his concoction onto a soybean out in the fields.  He watched in awe as the plant suddenly grew. He continued his ways, but one faithful day, he woke up to see that the soybeans had disappeared.  While in the fields looking for the beans, he found a stray bean.  When he walked closer the bean attacked him.  Two days later, a cop came looking for him and all he found in the field where unsettled soybean plants, and a piece of lab coat.

That was three weeks ago.  Since then, I have learned some tips on how to squash these mutants before they can get you.  The first thing, they can be smashed very easily.  Second, they are flammable.  And lastly, they are not fast, so it is easy to pick the best attack move.   Speaking of ways to destroy these infestations, here comes one now.

I knew that there were be at least one altered mistake here.  Mouth open fully showing both rows of teeth, the mutant slightly cocked its head sinisterly.  It was waiting for me.  Sledge hammer tightly gripped in my hand, I started walking towards this mistake.  With one swift motion, I slammed the sledge hammer right into its side.  With a yip, it slumps to the ground and I pull away hand quickly before it can bite me in its last fight to win this certain battle.  As the plant collapses to ground I start walking again.  

Even though it isn’t that hard to take down these mutant soybeans single-handedly, even the smallest bite can be deadly, because of the toxins that were injected into the soybeans.  That happened to my sister, my closest friend, my best friend in the whole world.  Her name was Allie.  It was 2 weeks ago, we were on our way to New York City, and we had to stop for gas.  I told her to fill up the tank and she tried to convince me to wait for her before I had to go in and pay for the gas and get food.  I convinced her that I was only going to be a minute so she stayed outside.  While I was going to checkout I saw two of those wild beasts attacking her outside.  I dashed outside, but it was too late. She collapsed to the ground while I smashed the two killers to bits.  I pulled her close in my arms and cried.  As her body lay limp in my arms, I saw her take her last breath.  She died right in my arms.

From that moment on, I swore that I would annihilate every single one of those beasts, no matter what.  All over again, my heart sank, and filled again with total, and 100% fury.  Here came another soybean.  With a scream of anger, I swung the sledge hammer straight down with blinding fury.  The mistake of a creation immediately fell to the ground.  I lowered my sledgehammer to my side and returned to the pace I was walking before. 

It was getting dark and mindlessly walking around in the dark wasn’t smart, so I settled into a small antique store after inspecting the whole store. With my dirty hoodie as my pillow, and a curtain from what looks like it’s from 1946 as a blanket.  I looked at my solar powered watch; 11:11 PM is what it said.  “Make a wish”, I silently mumbled to myself, and slowly drifted asleep.

Only to be awoken by a blinding light shining through the window, right into my eyes.  I look at my watch; it reads 7:34 AM.  I flop over on to my stomach, but decide to get up.  The sunlight that woke me up, seemed to be a dying try, because when I looked outside again, the sky looked like I dark ocean with black waves.  Once I stepped outside a sheet of frozen air made me cringe.  I hate these kinds of days.

Two hours passed, I hadn’t seen any man eaters.  I turned down a small alley behind a bakery.  Green blobs turned towards me.  There were approximately 7 of them.  There were too many to take on alone.  An idea popped into my mind, and a smirk crossed my face.  Without making any sudden moves, I reached into my back pocket.  While the soybeans were inching closer to me, I lit the wicket of a bottle rocket, laid it propped up on the ground and ran.  When I was a safe distance, or my description of safe, I plugged my ears and waited for the fireworks.  As soon as the fire hit the colorful cylinder a rocket went shooting toward the mob.  One by one they exploded and green goo splattered all over the brick alley.  I mentally patted myself on the back, and walked away. 

 

Walking through Times Square, I kept alert, and ready for anything, well, almost anything.  Just walking around, not going anywhere specific, I started walking near a bench.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw something move.  I quickly spun 90 degrees on my heel to find trees.  I swear I saw something move.  Not accepting “oh well” for an answer I walked over there.  With every step, I gripped the sledge hammer tighter, and raised it up into a swinging position.  Finally, I was at the tree line.  Ready to open a can of kick-butt, it turned behind the tree to see a boy.

He too had a blunt- force object, but stopped himself from swinging.  Unfortunately, I still swung.  He looked at me with wide eyes.  Still nothing was said.  Silently I studied him; dark brown hair, tall, skinny, and wore darker colors.  He gave me a look like “Why did you just go ape, and try to kill me” or something like that.  

“What was that for?” he demanded.

“I- I don’t know.  I thought you were one of those things!” I said, embarrassed.

“What are you doing above ground?  You are supposed to be underground, where it’s safe” He shouted.

“What is this, 20 Questions?” I shouted back.

“Let’s get out of here, and talk somewhere, safe.” He said in a lower voice.  Without waiting for a response, he started walking.  Like I was going to come with him; I barely knew him.  Curiosity got the best of me, so I sped up to keep pace with him.  Shortly, we arrived at a small café. 

He opened the door and quickly slipped inside, I followed.  He sat down at a booth and I slipped in on the other side. 

“So?” he questioned.

“So what? I asked, partially annoyed.

“What is your name?”

“I’m Ronnie, and you?” I murmured.

“Takota” he announced.  For what seemed like days, he explained what happened to him, and how he ended up in this café with me. “What about you?”

“I don’t want to talk about it” I snapped back.  He seemed taken back on how fast things went downhill with me around.  He gave me a slight nod, knowing it was the appropriate time to back off.  With pep, he popped out of the booth.

“Ok, we should get going.” He pronounced.

“What do you mean by ‘we’?”

“Well, I’m a good soybean smasher and I would assume you be too because you are still alive, so we should stick together,” he assumed.  Without another word, he grabbed his crow bar, and walked outside.  Stunned, I grabbed my sledge hammer and followed him.

We walked around for awhile, until we finally found a hungry soybean. 

“I got this one” Takota said with a sly tone of voice.  With power he used the crow bar to strike the mutant in what would be the face, baseball batter style.  It was actually like art, in a twisted way, beautiful art.  Smiling, he turned around and laughed.

“That was so fun!” he declared.

“You actually freak me out, now” I said sarcastically.  We started walking again.  That same day, we smashed four others like that.  That night we settled for a phone store.  I knew Takota still wanted to know why I was above ground, while I could have been underground, safe.  He was up here, because he couldn’t stand letting plants take over the world as he knew it.

“So, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but what are you doing above ground?” he regretted asking after it was already too late.  After contemplating with myself, I decided to tell him.

Dead silence filled the room.  I wouldn’t look him in the eyes, I couldn’t.  I knew he thought I was a monster for being so stupid, because it cost Allie her life.  She was so young.  When I finally looked up at him, he flashed pleading eyes.  He actually felt sorry for me.  To cheer me up, he told me that the people were soon going to come back up to the surface; this era was almost over.   The conversation winded down, and we both fell asleep on the booth benches.

The next morning, I was the first awake.  Quietly, not to wake up Takota, I put on my boots, and grabbed old bagels out of my sweatshirt pocket, that I took from the bakery, a few days ago.  When I turned around, Takota was just waking up.  Hazily, he stood up and stretched.

“Good morning” he muttered

“Mornin’” I replied.  He grabbed the blueberry bagel off the table, where I had placed it for him.  Comically, he stuffed the whole thing in his mouth and turned towards me.  Of course I laughed, with a good start on the day so far, we felt invincible.

As we were walking down another abandoned alley we were encountered with more soybeans.  There were at least ten of them, not even we could take them all on at once.   Again, I had an idea.

“Back up!” I screamed they all turned towards me.  Stunned, I grabbed the second and last bottle rocket from my pocket.  For the second time, I lit the wicket, propped it up on trash, and ran.  Takota stared in awe as the mistake of an experiment s all exploded into each other.  I was so proud of myself, and when I turned to look towards Takota, a smile plastered his face.  We both burst out laughing.

 

We started walking again, for two hours we talked about everything: what our life was like before this, our best attack moves on the soybeans, our dreams, the good memories of Allie, during that time we became best friends.  We were having such a good time, little did we know the fairytale was about to come to an end.

It was getting dark, soon enough we would have to find another place in New York to sleep.  This time I picked the place to sleep, I found a bakery.  I chose the bakery, because something about the day old food that keeps me wanting to come back.  Takota didn’t mind, he was too tired, so he fell asleep right away.  I, on the other hand, cannot fall asleep.  Why?  I am the happiest I have ever been for 3 weeks.  The question keeps me up for another 25 minutes before I slowly forget the world and fall into a deep sleep.

I have a nightmare that night.  I saw Allie and my mom.  They were smiling and telling me to come closer, but when I reached foreword to grab their hands, they disappeared. 

“Ronnie wake up” Takota said nervously.  I blink my eyes a few times.

“What?”

“You were crying I got really worried” My cheeks flushed.  I wiped my face with the back of my hand, when I pulled my hand away from my face it was wet.  I really was crying.  My cheeks flushed again.  I quickly grabbed my stuff, and pulled my boots on and laced them up before he had time to ask me about what just happened.

Today was relatively dark day, but that didn’t stop us, we were out to destroy these infestations.  After three hours of walking around we saw nothing; it was strange.

“Maybe we are doing some damage, and there aren’t that many left.” Takota announced unsurely.  Right after he said that I spotted one around the side of the bank to our left.  Slowly, we walked closer, now we were in range.

“I got this one” Takota murmured.  As I watched in contentment I barely noticed what was sneaking up behind me.  An unbearable pain shot up my right arm.  I shrieked in pain, and Takota turned around terrified.  He beats down the killer that was just bitten my right arm.

The pain is unbelievable.  Takota sits down crying, he knows who this is going to end, but won’t admit it to himself.   His dark brown hair covers his face, as his head is bowed.  He can’t stop crying.

“I’m so sorry, Ronnie” he sobs

“It wasn’t your fault” I say weakly. 

“I’m so sorry.  This is my fault”

“Thank you,” I whisper, “Now I can finally be with Allie,” I barely whisper.  Ever so slowly, I slip away from the world, slip away from Takota, until everything goes dark, and I can see Allie.