Sounds of Silence

tap tap tap tap

meaningless sounds for meaningless seconds

tap tap tap

tick tick tick tick

clock on the wall counting the hours

tick tick tick

clickity clickity click

words typed out to fill up the silence

click click click

tack tack

alright who’s chewing gum?

tack tack tack

clip clip clip clip

high heels like horse shoes pass through the hallways

clip clip clip clop

shhhhhhhhhh

don't fill the silence it’s here for a reason

shhh shhh shhh

flick flick flick

papers arranged all neat in their folders

flick flick

pop pop pop pop pop

someone out there is cracking their knuckles

pop pop pop

thunk

books drop, people stare

thunk thunk

rustle rustle

this is class time not lunch time, put away your doritos

rustle rustle crunch

rattle rattle rattle

when is the teacher getting their chair fixed?

rattle rattle roll

shhhhhhhhhh

don't fill the silence it’s here for a reason

shhh shhh shhh

slip slip slip

you’re going to fall off and you know it

slip slip slip slide

donk donk donk

that kid was never very good at tests

donk donk

Hey Look!

I've started a choose-your-own-adventure story on this blog!

Here

Check it out!

An Important Decision

Author's Note: Today we had to write a short story with a serious conversation. Comments appreciated.

On a bright sunny day I walk down the derelict avenue. Passing the dark brooding buildings. Looking upon the bent and broken trees, someone's futile attempt to brighten the scene. Finally I arrived at my destination, a quiet building that looked at least a little brighter, and perhaps better cared for than the rest. My knock echoes through the silent lane, as if to mimic death's toll.

"Yes. Hello?" the face of an old man peaks 'round the door. His head bald and shining in the light. His face though is hagard, the face of a man burdened with his stress.

"Hello. May I come in?" I am still a bit cautious despite being sure of my decision.

We walk a bit through quiet halls, the sound of buzzing in the distance. The inside of this place is cleaner than the outside, but at the same time even more inconspicuous. Finally we reach the end of the hall and enter the room. I had been here once before, talking over my plan with the same man that stands before me now.

"Are you still sure about this?" his voice holds the memories of many times this question has be met with a no.

"Of course" on the long walk down the hall I have been only gaining in determination, now completely sure that this is what I wanted.

"It will be with you your whole life." he is testing my resolve. But I will not waver.

"I understand that."

"It could be painful."

"I'm okay with that."

"Once you get this you can't get rid of it."

"How many time must I tell you I'm sure?" though I still want this his questions are beginning to bore me.

"Very well." he seems satisfied with my response. Raising his voice he calls "Bring him in."

In walks the cutest little boy I have ever seen. He stands before me and looks up with hopeful eyes.  Then, though his voice seems strangled with the fear of disappointment, he speaks but one word.

"Mom?" 

Ode to the Dead Cat-Girl

Author's Note: In class we had to write odes, but with a twist. They had to be in the character that we created or chose last class. Comment's appreciated. 

Oh Nepeta

You were a big miracle

In a small box

What strength the messiahs granted!

What skill in the hunt!

Until the day that it would all float away

Oh Nepeta

Your friend knew when he heard the first

HONK
That the safest place

For one so small

Was hidden and far away

Oh Nepeta

You watched as he died

The feelings you must have had

The things you must have felt

Even though his killer had no regret

You thought you could make him pay

Oh Nepeta

You thought you could fight

So you pounced

From your grate

And while you scratched

Tooth and claw

With all your might

Oh Nepeta

It wasn't enough

You needed a miracle

To fight the

HONK

Oh Nepeta

I hope that the messiahs see you now

And be merciful

In their mirth

Since you didn’t have a chance

To fight me off

Oh Nepeta

Though I laughed

As I watched you die

But now

On a cold rainy day

Looking back

I wish I could say

...

HONK

Of Lies and Secrets Post 5

Author's Note: Last piece of background before I write the ending! I'm glad I'm getting back into this story. Comments appreciated!

I wake again to the steady clomp of my captors feet on the stairs. Next comes the quiet flick. And then the crash of the food tray. And here comes the question.

"So?"

"So what?" This is our routine now, a script we never deviate from.

"You gonna tell me your secret?"

"No." He'll leave grumbling something along the lines of priss most days. But not today apparently. To day he walks over to untie my ankle. I try to kick and escape.

"Stop that love."

I stop. Despite the fact that he hasn't hurt me yet I know he could anytime. He grabs my wrist and ties that to the bed in place of my ankle. I don't move, just stare defiantly up at him. He looks down at me for awhile before turning away.

"I'll be back later with more food. " He calls over his shoulder as he clomps back up the stairs. But I know that before he left I saw a bit of softness in his eyes.

Tales to Tells

Author's Note: This is my piece on Ernest Hemingway, working on the skill of text analysis. Comments appreciated.

Professional poker players make a living off of reading people. They learn that most players react when they get a good hand. This is called a tell. But authors can have tells too. Take Ernest Hemingway for example. A careful reader can easily tell when something is important in a Hemingway story by looking for his tells.

One such tell is something that would seem obvious. When reading a Hemingway story the word down often is a sign of something bad, or perhaps with a deeper meaning.  In "Hills Like White Elephants" as Jig and her friend begin to talk about the operation she looks down "at the ground the table legs rested on" this is Hemingway's way of telling you the seemingly innocent operation is something a little deeper, and perhaps a little darker, than it appears.  Or in the story "Indian Camp" when the boy and his father go "down the river" you ca tell that something bad is going to happen.  And the one many would over look, in the untitled short story (informally called 6) the time is "half-past six", the time when the hands on the clock both point down. This is certainly an omen of things to come.

Another seemingly obvious one would be the dark. This is famously shown by the short story "A Clean Well-Lighted Place". In this story we see first a man described as "sitting in the shadow's of the leaves". This man is later revealed to be a dark character, one that almost committed suicide. In the same story one of the waiters describes himself as one of "those who need a light for the night" this man is interpreted as a person who hides or has escaped from darkness and so is some one who needs a light.

The final tell however is one that is unique to Hemingway. He often uses the phrase against the wall to show something bad or dangerous. One instance this is shown is in the story "Indian Camp". In this story the husband "roll[s] over against the wall". This apparently innocent line is however where the reader guesses that he slits his own throat, unable to stand the things happening around him. Or in "Hills Like White Elephants" when the two people are sitting at a table against the wall as they speak of the operation.

Overall Ernest Hemingway is a rather simple and usually predictable author, giving the reader a few easy tells to see what is going on in his stories. However not all authors are this simple to read. I get the idea that Hemingway wouldn't be a very good poker player.

Maybe I'll Write This

Author's Note: Let me know if this sounds interesting.

They give you a name.

They raise you.

They feed you.

They clothe you.

They tell you that you are safe.

Are you really safe?

Who are they?

What do they want?

"Lilith?"

"I don't understand this word."

"Sound it out for me."

"Pare-en-tsss"

"Do you know what that means?"

"You should never say that word Alice"

"Why not?"

"Its one of the forbidden ones."

Physical Activity Does Not Mean Gym

Author's Note: This is an essay I've written for gym class. These are strictly my opinions however, so feel free to comment.

My school has decided that all students must value physical activity for things like health, challenge, and social interactions. However I believe that too many students are getting physical activity mixed up with physical education class. While I agree with many of them in their opinions on our gym class I must also point out that there are other kinds of physical activity out there.

First on the subject of physical education, or gym. In gym class there is an expectation that students will perform a variety of physical activities. Normally the attitude is as long as the students try that is all that will be expected. However the standards of what exactly is trying are totally up to the teachers and therefore arbitrary. Now how is this fair? A student who is physically un-gifted being judged on the same merits as a student who plays two or three sports? It can be stressful and yes even unhealthy for some people. And this is only pressures from the teachers.

There is also pressures coming from the students in the gym classes. Pressures to do well. But don’t be a try-hard. Pressures to play. But not if you can’t do well. Pressures to be as good as everyone else. Even when you aren’t. These things create a convoluted system of judgement passed down by students upon their peers. And these judgements can hurt. For example it is well known, or quickly established, who are the jocks and losers in a gym class. Then when picking teams the jocks are consistently picked first while the losers are always picked last. How would you feel if you were a loser? It definitely doesn’t encourage these students to do their best. Simply because they are told that they aren’t good enough even to be somewhere in the middle. Being constantly the last picked for a team can ruin a students self esteem. But there is hope.

You see physical activity doesn’t have to mean gym class. Outside of school there are many opportunities for healthy, fun, physical activity. My personal choice is Tae kwon do. You see at Tae kwon do classes there are no teams to be picked, no arbitrary judgements to be passed. You are simply judged by how well you can perform the skills taught to your belt rank. And so I can appreciate it for all the benefits it gives me.

My favorite part of being in Tae kwon do is that it is a challenge for me. There is always something new to learn and master. So I always keep coming back. But not only is it a challenge it is also a good workout and therefore contributes more to keeping me healthy than my gym class. Tae kwon do is not just about skills though. It is also about community. At my Tae kwon do school we are all a family. And so I’ve made some really great friends there. You see I’m not against physical activity in general, just the issues my gym class has.

Overall I do value physical activity for health, challenge, social interaction, ect. I believe that some form of physical activity is a key part in everyone’s lives. Even if they only are taking a walk around the block every once-in-awhile. However I do not believe that gym class is a healthy alternative to physical activity because of the mental health issues it causes in most if not all students.