Elaine Chang (11) | STAFF REPORTER
Somewhere, deep in the heart of the valley of skyscrapers, buried amongst veils of post-industrialist dust and attempting to be heard amidst sound-stifling concrete deposits, was a low, thumping noise.
The Robot
Category: Creative Writing
A Curse of Snow and Beauty
Luana Wu (9) | STAFF REPORTER
Winter was such a beautiful place, especially on Earth. With the beautiful snowflakes floating down and the trees full of snow… oh, I was obsessed. I wished it was the same in my world. Unfortunately, my world was cursed a thousand years ago by a witch to never be beautiful again. Our winters were cold, dreary, and grey.
TAROT READINGS & FORTUNE TELLINGS
Elaine Chang (10) | Staff Reporter
TAROT READINGS & FORTUNE TELLINGS —
$2/10 minutes
The sign stood, propped up on a potted plant, outside a tiny, four-post tent. As Molly read the hand-lettered, swirly font, she privately thought the material of the tent’s drapes looked just like her grandma’s carpet. Despite her skepticism, she counted her palmful of change: two dollars exactly. Between the overpriced ice cream and the bustling arcade, there wasn’t exactly anywhere else along the boardwalk to spend the money. I suppose there’s no reason not to. She surveyed the dense bead curtain, shrouding the figure inside from a proper view, and stepped through it.
New Beginnings
Mia Tamondong (10) l STAFF REPORTER
Heartbeats are a delicate thing. The steady tapping in one’s chest, the singular thing that said, I’m alive. Speeding up in times of fear, or love even. So to imagine it slowing, growing increasingly quiet to the point of silence, was unthinkable. That is, until you witness it.
Bark Bites And Treats
Alyssa Lai (9) | STAFF REPORTER
Coco placed the wooden sign announcing “Available to host any Bark-Be-Que Nights or Paw-some Pupcake Parties” on the front doors of her cafe, allowing it to sway gently as she opened up for the day. Inside, she flicked on the lights, entered the kitchen, and began preparing a variety of treats, including peanut butter pupcakes, coconut crunch bites, and sweet potato chews. After thirty minutes of baking, she arranged the delicious offerings on separate platters in the window display. Shortly after, her co-worker Winnie arrived, and together, they crafted the daily menu, organized dishes, and set up chairs. At 8:00 am, Coco flipped the open sign, ready to welcome in customers.
The Fall
Mia Tamondong (10) l STAFF REPORTER
I’m awake. I glance around as if that would help, but all I’m met with is blank space. Nothingness. It’s dull. Everything is so dull. It’s cold here, wherever “here” is, and I begin to shiver. I try to make sense of it all, the grey, the chills, the sensation of being suspended in something I can’t see. Before I can understand my surroundings I’m falling.
Blossoms Of Change
Alyssa Lai (9) | STAFF REPORTER
Nestled in the peaceful garden, where leaves whisper softly in the breeze and a nearby stream hums its gentle tune, my liquid moonlight scales gracefully glide through the crystal waters, yearning to be seen. I continue my swim in this endless pond, watching the sun glimmer on the water’s surface. In contemplation, I think to myself, “It’s almost time.” The sun’s rays are poised to melt away the frosty snow, signaling the arrival of the first day of this season, and I am ready for it.
Peace
Arya Dole (9) | STAFF REPORTER
She saw a bright light first, then everything went dark.
The light came first, and after came rushing along all the other senses. A taste of metal and the smell of burning flesh entered her world. It lingered, refusing to leave. There was the shockwave – a thunderous boom, an earthquake rattling the earth, sweeping her off her feet. She always felt like she was flying when the bombs went off. Always wished she was a fairy, flying through the air because of magic, not because of a bomb. Then, always, coming crashing down on rubble, crushing her daydream as she landed.
Tough Work
Elaine Chang (10) | STAFF REPORTER
“I’ll send someone to check on the work tomorrow but, just so y’know, for every seed we’ll take six months off your sentence.”
The Lost Melodies Of Cedarwood
Alyssa Lai (9) | Staff Reporter
I tie my shoes and grab my duffel bag, gearing up for my gloomy newspaper job in the early hours of the morning. Stuffing the bag with newspapers meant for my neighbors, I can’t help but yawn from sheer exhaustion, questioning silently, “How did I end up here?”. With a sigh, I open my front door and hop onto my bicycle, the clock reading only 6:00 am.