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Micah Getz                                                    

And I’m all alone again, with only a deadline here with me.

Really? Nobody stayed to build the set. Sure they’re all young, and don’t understand it, but our jobs are on the line. If this stage isn’t built the boss will get pissed off and we’ll all get fired.

Which would kind of be okay, since the director is such a dick, but the job markets down man! With CGI around, even master movie set designers like me have a few issues finding a job. More than a few issues or I wouldn’t have such a dick of director right now. I mean, this deadline is impossible to meet.

The only people who don’t care are the tech people. They’re always on a constant ego trip though, so they don’t count.

You know what man? I quit, I quit, I’m done!

It was better back in the day, before all of this technology. People were honest then, with the master worker leading me and my bros, and we actually wanted to make the movie, we weren’t working there in the middle of college, just to get the spending money our parents wouldn’t give us. No! Because back then they worked for the sake of the work, for the vision, for the movie. Not like these kids, always following “The System”. Also coffee isn’t as good anymore. Back in the olden days, I could stay up for three nights, with just coffee, and be completely fine! It was far out! Now, 10 o’clock, BAM! Asleep! Done! And 5 in the morning I’m up no matter what. Sleeping sucks man!

And then I’m tired, and I’m in charge, and I’m supposed to be telling all of these kids what to do, and I realize I’m not getting paid enough for this you know? This job is my life, except the movies I’m working on is a drag, and the deadlines are tight, so you know what that means? My life sucks right now!

I don’t have time to date, I barely get enough money to get by, and once this movie is over, I don’t know where I’m going to go!

…Maybe I shouldn’t quit then.

I could change jobs! I could be an artist! I could spend all of my money for a time in Paris; to admire art and get inspired, so that when I get back here I can paint! All of my work will be my own, my dream, my credit, no one else to screw it up, it would be a blast! I could experiment with different styles, change things up, as no monotonous stage job ever could, I could let everyone around me see my true worth! As an artist, I could paint nudes, and pick up chicks, and work from home, and have medical pot, and get blitzed, and be called eccentric!

…Or I could be out on the street in weeks, or caught by the fuzz, with no one there to help me, after all most artists wash out of the scene and die within month’s of becoming an artist.

I could do the opposite! I could get a degree at a college, get a good job, move out to the suburbs and buy a house. American dream, right? Moving out to the suburbs and living in isolation for eternity?

Actually, that would be a bummer man. And where would I get the money for a degree? I’m not made of cash. Going back to school would be stupid anyway. I wouldn’t be in this situation if I had been good at school.

If it’s too late to change at all, why even try? I could definitely do well right where I am. Sure life sucks, but it could always be worse right? As long as I’m good enough, my job security doesn’t matter. And even if I don’t get a job, well, that would be the perfect time to change my lifestyle. I could live off of the government any way. I mean, everyone hears stories about it, it’s gotta be true.

I guess I’m not going to quit. (Thinking) This is a lot of work to get done…(Pointedly looks around) No one else is here, so no one will care if I book it right? Right. Problems can always wait until tomorrow

 

(Lying on her bed) My childhood friends, with there big smiles and there eager eyes waiting on me to speak. “Mr. Shnuggles, Nyla, and the best one of all Peachy.” I instantly leapt straight into my story describing how my mother called me down the steps.My father was sitting in his chair watching my every move like a hawk. I immediately sat down on the couch, and waited for the conversation to begin. As I got situated in the chair, my mother walked toward me and handed me pieces of paper with lines and lines I couldn’t make out. She told me to read the paper and explain. So I held the paper to my face and knew what was about to happen. The words that I had held in my hands were all of the messages I sent to my girlfriend. Now a lot of people would say what’s so wrong, but when your a teenage girl living with your parents that praise the Lord...it becomes a big deal. So when I looked up over the paper my mind completely left my body as I saw my mother jump around and throw a tantrum of a 4-year old child. She kept repeating “You are nothing more than a lesbian, and won’t be anything in your life because your gay now.No man wants a woman that is interested in woman. People are going to call you names, and do so to me and your father as well. So now all I’m going to say is that “this” is just a “Phase” and your not allowed to be gay!End of discussion. I stood at the end of what looked like the longest stairwell there was, watching as my parents left with no hint of a “goodbye”. My mother had simply turned the knob, and stepped out with my father right behind. All I could make out through my throbbing throat and watery eyes was “Damn...Angel messed up, I messed up? Or did I?” I slowly pressed the side of my back to the wall and dragged myself up to my room. I practically tripped over my cleats, into the middle of my bed. I forgot earlier to remove them from the path, but I didn't care. I just laid there just doing nothing. All I needed was just somebody to listen to what I had to say, but thenI looked up and there they were just waiting for me to tell what happened. Why would she ever say such a thing? (Turns on her back) O, I know why....because she hates me! I mean would your mother say such a thing to you?(Holds Mr.Shnuggles up in the air and places him next to her leg on the bed.) Don't even answer that Nyla,it was an expression of my feelings. But you know what?That's it right there, it's MY feelings! I mean so what that I have a girlfriend and that I'm gay.Does it truly make a difference in my mothers heart?But overall of that, why did my dad just sit there and not say anything? Doesn't he have a take in all of this? That's exactly what I'm saying Peachy, like do you really wanna be here, or do you just want to hear your wife talk? I'm truly sick of all this. But the sad thing is, is that it has just begun. An I really want another network for my phone.Cause that's the way she found out about my relationship, oh sorry, my "PHASE".(Angel does air quotation marks.) It's not a "PHASE" Nyla. It's who I am, and if she can't except that, than that's her problem. (Peachy falls on the floor, and Angel picks her up.)  Peachy,why in the he'll would I start paying my own bill and why you falling on floors? As a matter of fact I shouldn't have to do anything, because that's my personal privacy and her and nobody can take that away from me.

This isn’t living. Waking up and knowing your wife isn’t beside you, your mother isn’t in the next room, and your son isn’t downstairs watching saturday cartoons. I don’t know what to do. I left them. That’s what I’m reminded of every time I see one of those creatures out there, stumbling about looking for the next person it will rip to shreds. I left them for bait. My wife, my son, my mother. Everyday since the first outrage came on t.v.,  I’ve been giving them a false sense of hope. They relied on me. They trusted me to keep them same. And I just left them. It all happened so fast. The door was broken down by dozens of them. The entire house was filled with their disgusting odor of dead meat and dried blood. I reached for my handgun, the one I used to get rid of the groundhogs in the back yard. My son, Steve, he just kept crying in Ana’s arms. I used my gun to shoot them, but I couldn’t reach the ones that were climbing up the stairs in time. In a matter of seconds I heard my mother scream and then the growling. That one moment of distraction was all it took for those bastards to run me over getting to Steve and Ana behind me. They stepped on me, and all I could hear was them yelling my name. Their screams were also consumed by the growling. I dragged myself across the floor with my gun in hand to reach the street outside. They noticed me and I starting running, I didn’t think twice. I didn’t stop to think about my family I just left behind. I ran and ran. I passed a couple of stupid ones who didn’t know what the hell was going on. I didn’t look back. I didn’t even look forward. I looked down at my running feet and stopped after I was sure I wasn’t being followed. I stopped here, at this doughnut shop. By the looks of it, it was out of business for a long time now and there were signs that a horde had torn the place up. I looked for a way to get in and I found the back door wide open. I closed it and chained it back up. I found this tape recorder in here. It replayed a young woman’s voice . She lists all these groceries. Eggs. Milk. Canned corn. Groceries remind me of my wife’s cooking and I realized, and it’s still on my mind at this moment. I realized that my family was dead. They were back there, on the house with the once beautiful garden I planted for Ana. They were there completely disfigured to the point where they can’t even be considered to have once been alive. I just stared at the blood on the wall. I wanted to cry and I would have given up anything to do so. The tears wouldn’t come. I was overpowered by other emotions. Disbelief. Shock. Fear. My family was killed by those freakish man eaters and I couldn’t do shit. I only saved myself. I wish I could go back out there and die like they did. But, fear gets me every time I try to open the door. I’m so damn selfish. I’m a coward. Some father I came out to be. I just keep checking my ammo. How bad of an idea is this? One bullet left. Yeah, this is how I’d rather it end. I don’t want to carry this guilt anymore. Shit. There’s a horde outside. I might as well do it now. There’s no way I can fight them off. Mom, Ana, Steve. I’m sorry. See you soon. 

“What is that? I’ve never seen anything like it.” This was the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw the unusual looking creature with an odd stick. 

He was holding it very fiercely yet the focus coming from its eyes paralyzed me.

I’ve heard many stories about these creatures or as I should say humans.

Me and Foxy remain paralyzed with confusions and curiosity as to what the purpose of the stick was for. 

It seems to look like a stick but it was spiting something out of it, what looked like rocks and the noise coming from it was so loud that it exploded the inside of our ears.

“Whoah, what was that?” I just can’t stop repeating these words. “What is that thing coming out of the stick?”

When me and Foxy saw what it did to the tree, the rock going through the front and exiting the back, we knew that we had to avoid getting hit. Then we realized the human was aiming at us. 

At this point I’m really scared but yet still confused about what this is and what is happening. Why is the creature pointing that stick at me?

Ahhhh … another rock!

I gotta get out of here!

Galloping through the woods, I hear Foxy’s paws scatting across each leaf.

I feel her fear and confusion through every breath she takes as if we were both in the same mindset.

 I start to get tired but I don’t slow down. I feel my fear taking over my hooves and I feel as though my pace is beyond its average speed.

I hear something go off. I hear another one and another, but I can’t see them.

Wait … Where’s Foxy? The noise from the stick is so distracting that I forget to listen for Foxy’s scatting paws across the leaves.

I stop and turn around and see foxy nowhere in sight. I run back hoping that she just fell behind. I feel myself getting anxious as if I’m gonna see her face any minute now.

With every second I get more nervous and nervous. “Where is Foxy?”

I’m trying not to panic.

I see something that wasn’t there before. Red in the grass, I knew what it was but I didn’t want to believe it. I couldn’t believe it.

It seemed like the whole world went silent, even the loud noises came to a stop.

“No, No, No!” “Get up!”

I knew it was no use. I faced a reality check that my best friend was dead.

As the tears formed, out of the corner of eye was both a tear and the figure of the creature, I mean human, whatever.

When I looked up, our eyes meet again. He has the same fierce look in his eyes. But this time instead of me being paralyzed with fear, I look up with the same intensity as him. We both had that same look as if looking in to a mirror.

Then he looked down and I looked to where he was looking.

“Why was looking at Foxy? I know he’s not thinking of taking her body.”

I couldn’t let him hurt me either though.

“Think, think, think! Think faster Bambi, he’s putting the rocks into the stick again”, I say to myself.

“Whatever, I’m going for it!

This is for you Foxy!”

I charge at the human with full force.

Once again something took over my hooves but this time it was ambition and vengeance.

My world goes silent once more but I continue charging.

With my antlers, I chug the human with all my mite just enough to knock him over.

He hits the ground with a hard force and I stomp on the ground so hard, he ends up dropping the stick.

When he got back on his feet, making sure he had his balance, he looked in my eyes and saw a familiar reaction.

This time the tables turned and I had the fierce look and he was paralyzed with fear and confusion.

The human soon disappeared with the trees and I turned my focus back on Foxy, as if someone popped me back into reality.

I walked over to her and see her lay there so lifeless and begin to blend with the stillness of the trees.

I place my nose on her cold body saying in my head “You’re really gone.”

A single tear runs down my face.

Suddenly I begin panting heavily but not because I’m crying.

My legs get weak and are unable to stand any longer.

I collapse and notice the warm liquid against my skin.

I look to see what it is and realize that I’m bleeding. I too have been hit, several times.

My heart begins to race uncontrollably which triggers my breathing.

As I lay next to my best friend I intensely look into her open yet lifeless eyes, knowing that I am dying and silently say, “I guess I got the invitation too.”

People don’t know the real story, what really happened. I’ve tried to tell as many people as possible, no one ever listened to me. I have begged and pleaded for them to change it, to change what they think happened. I just hope they let me out early, so I can see my niece. She was just born did ya know ? I only saw the kid once. But once I get outta this joint, i’m going to bundle her in my arms. So since i’m stuck in here, I might as well write out my feelings on this crumpled paper and crappy ass pen they gave me. I’ll start from the beginning.

It was a nice day, just gotten the call from the pops saying Sierra, (my niece) was just born. Of course i wanted to go see her, but i wanted to give her something nice. Something she would remember, or that a baby would love. Of course i didn’t know what to get for her, since i myself, have never had a kid ( or never wanted one to be clear). So i decide to get her 3 things: A huge teddy bear, quality bacon, and a huge tv she can watch “Dora the explorer” on. The first place that comes to my mind to get the teddy bear is a gift shop around my cousin’s way. The only thing is, i think the owner is scared of me but i really don’t know why. Anyways, i head up to the store and start looking for the bear. “Found it! Sierra would love this” as i held up the bear in the light to see it better. It’s soft fur would make her fall asleep right in it’s arms. I go to the cash register to pay for it. “Well look who it is” I hear Mr. Pig say abruptly. “Hey I don’t want any trouble, i just want to buy the bear.” I say. Mr. Pig rolls his eyes and says “that would be 25.99”. I look at the tag on the bear and see that it says 10.99. “Apparently you did not ring this up right, it says 11 bucks.” I say confused. “Either pay for the bear the price i said, or get out”. Gosh i hate that pig so much. As i pull out my wallet, i feel a sneeze coming. I better hurry up, i think to myself, my sneezes can be vicious. It’s Too late. “AH, AHHHH, AHHHHHHHH CHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” As i open my eyes, you see everything toppled over, upside down, sideways, papers scattered from the tornado i just caused. As i look around, Mr.Pig is no where to be found. As i look over the counter, i see that the cash register fell on something pink...I quickly take the bear and run. As i run out the store, i hear someone say “I’M CALLING THE COPS ON YOU!” Oh well, on to the next thing on my list.

The quality bacon.  I can already tell this is going to be a problem. As I go into the corner store, I see Mr. Piggy (Mr. Pig’s cousin) stocking the 35 cent bags of chips. I remember when those things cost 25 cents. I can see Piggy giving me a stank look. I ignore it, and look for the quality bacon I came here for. I find the packet of bacon, Go to the back of the store where the butchery is, and ask how much it is. As i get my wallet out, I can feel another sneeze coming on. “Uh,oh i better hurry up” i think to myself. “AAAH, AHHH, AHHHHH, CHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOO”. Im scared to open up my eyes to see the damage i have caused. As I slowly open my eyes, all you see is knives everywhere. I look for Mr. Piggy, since he was back there pricing the bacon for me. I see  him with multiple knives stuck in his back. He is still. The thing is, I had bacon in my hand, and he look some what cut up... What would you think happened if you walked in to this situation? I ran as fast as i could, on my way to the electronic store. 

I walk into the store and see Mr. Pigster. Guess who he’s related to. I look around for the right TV, and i find it. Big, High def, and a what beauty it is. I wanted to quickly get out, because at this point i’m just sweating bullets. As i go to the counter and ask how much it is, I pull out my wallet. I feel ANOTHER sneeze coming. “I need to hurry up” i think to myself. Too late. “AAAHHHHH AHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHH CHHHHHOOOOOOOOO”. As i open my eyes, i see Pigster killed by the “grand TV “ he was selling for 4,000 dollars. Fell right on him, what a damn shame. I run out with the TV in my hand, struggling to carry this thing out the door. All you hear in the background is “I’M CALLING THE COPS ON YOU” . I run back to my house, but all you see is cops surrounding my home. As i try to run the opposite way, i realize its to late, they saw me already. Police officers running toward me, I can hear there heavy boots hitting my neatly lawned yard. Im not sure what happened next, i was just told that i ran into my shed and i was knocked out. Next thing you know, i’m in here, wishing i could see my niece. Well there you go, thats my story. now you know they truth, but apparently a wolf and 3 dead pigs in a story don’t go to well.

~ Mr. Wolf.

I told you, I was going for something totally new. It all started with me cruising into the parking lot of my childhood barber shop, every crack in the street there was too familiar. Walking into the room to wait for my turn felt different than all the rest had, but maybe because I was never so nervous about a cut like this one would be. I'd only been sitting for a few minutes when my elementary school friend Christian came up to me. "Arlo! It's been years since I've seen you!" he'd shouted in a deep, excited voice. 

We caught up with each other, and he showed me his stepdaughter, who was on the other side of the shop playing "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper from the old jukebox. Yeah, Christian was married. Wow. Right as he asked me if I had any kids running around, Lucille, my barber, came into the main area from the back. She gave me a quick glance and nodded towards her chair to tell me it was my turn. By the time I barely was out of my seat to walk over, she was in my arms giving me a bear hug. "Arlo, my baby! What can I do for you today?" she asked. Guess it took her a double take to recognize me. I pushed off her question and said, "Hi, Lucille. How are you?" She was more than happy to take this invitation to talk, and told me about everything big that went on while I was away at university. I didn't even notice the walls of the shop were repainted and the new mirrors. "Always took you a while to recognize new things. Head always in other places," Lucille laughed. "So really, what can I do for you today? The rush is about to start soon." Before I said anything I went over in my head what style my niece Charlotte had come up with. She was always trying to get me to do new things. I only went with this because honestly, I wanted something new, too. Her exact words were "You should dye your hair, and... chop off a few inches, it's a little long."

Why I would take advice from a flamboyant teenager like her, I'm not sure, but I wasn't gonna dwell on the thought and punk out at the last minute. So, I said, "Maybe a tr—cut— up to here," I put my hand to the part of my neck where my chin ended, "and I wanna go brunette." I looked around to make sure no one had overheard that last part. Did most guys dye their hair? Lucille gave me a questioning look like "You sure about this?" And like I’d read her mind, she said just that. I nodded quickly. "Alriiiiiigght, anything for you," she said and started on my hair. "I guess a dark brown would bring out your pretty blue eyes. What is this for anyway?" Lucille asked. 

I told her about the wedding I was in. "It's tomorrow, actually," I said, smirking some. Lucille didn't let that past her and asked what the smirk was all about. "Well, I gotta look good for the ladies," I smiled. She laughed. Really laughed. To her that was a knee slapper. "Aww come on Lucille, I was telling the truth." I chuckled a little. So what if it's been a while since I've had someone? Okay, a little longer than a while... Since my third year in college, actually. So, like, three years. Not bad. "Okay, okay, Mama Lucy's gonna hook you up," Lucille said and patted my shoulder. Then she said something I dreaded would come out of her mouth. "Wait... you're the best man for Nick? Wasn't he tripping rainbows over that one girl you dated? Oh, what's her name..." I mumbled, "Selena, yeah." Right in the damn bull’s eye. I forgot how smart this lady was.

Selena and I were the closest; inseparable. I don't even remember what made us split up. Distance? I couldn't stand to be far away from her, I remembered that. Yeah, I'd gone off the college and she was at home finishing up high school. She was so beautiful, from head to toe. Those light brown eyes lit up a room when I saw her. But she was a memory now. For me, at least.

I didn't realize I was daydreaming and left Lucille chattering on. Soon enough I came back to life to see Lucille coming back to my chair with a mirror. When she gave it to me, I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes. No more dirty blond, no more hair making my neck hot. I opened my eyes to dark brown strands of hair hugging my face. I barely saw myself. Definitely new. "You must like it, the smile says it all," Lucille said. "Yeah," I said, "I could run with this for a while, actually."

It still looks pretty okay, right?

This is ridiculous and just down right unacceptable. This has happened to many times this week. I don’t understand why they can’t just leave the food tin open. They’re inconsiderate thats why. They literally think of no one but themselves. ‘Lets let them starve’, they say. ‘I wonder if they’ll be alive when we get back?’ they question. ‘Probably not’ are their answers. Well I am sick of it! I am sick of their shenanigans. Ya know, one day they’re going to come back from their luxurious adventures on the town and I’m not going to be her. The girl will cry and I will laugh because I’m cruel and better than all of them. Psh, the Christmas’. YOU DON’T EVEN DESERVE THE NAME! I’m hungry and upset. The plight of my life. I bet they would leave the food tin open is this fat tub of lard didn’t exist. “It’s your fault!” Ugh he doesn’t care. Nobody does. Is it even worth it living here anymore? I mean, what’re the benefits staying here anyway besides; being able to sleep without worrying about getting clawed to pieces by an illiterate stray. But could I really go back to living on the streets? Would the gang even accept me after how I left on such bad terms with them. I mean theres a chance. I could call in a few favors, but that’s so much effort. I am a cat and cats are lazy. Its genetics. Besides living outside isn’t that great anyway. I don’t wanna go where the sun lives. The sunlight hurts my eyes and burns my skin. Of course I could always just live in the alley ways. That’s what all alley cats do anyway. Duh. What could really go wrong though if I left. I mean if I think about it realistically. There’re people out there waiting for me right this minuet. I know it! I mean besides the fact that I have no claws so I wouldn’t really be able to hunt for food when I’m hungry or defend myself when I’m being bombarded, and that I’m not the sexy cat I was 6 months ago, I could still make this work... Ya know the more I contemplate about leaving the more I realize how possible this is. And the more I realize you’re not actually listening. Oh, wait they’re home. Thank god I’m starving. Forget I said anything. 

Alexis McCormick

E band

Nothing Last Forever

Why  Rou (teddy bear her dad got her), just why, I mean I wouldn’t be a bad girlfriend I think I would be a pretty good one matter of fact, doncha think? Why can’t I just find that boy who will make me that girl he can show off to all of his friends and we can be together forever, where is my prince? I mean daddy called me his little princess all the time but after he died no one called me princess since. I miss it rou, I mean you don’t understand. I want to fall in love but then again I loved daddy and he left me. I just don’t know what to do anymore. Should I just give up? Should stop trying to find someone that will never want to find me? What should I do, (sniff and tear). Why aren’t you saying anything, what you don’t love me anymore either? Are you going to leave me too because thats what seems to happen every time. Fine just leave, get out now I don’t what no one anymore not even love (throws teddy bear behind her).

(Still  crying to herself, singing a song her father sang to her when she was a little girl) 

“Baby I love you and I'll never let you go. But if I have to my little princess I think that I should            let you know. All the memories that we make can never be erased And I promise you that you will never be replaced, god gave me a gift and her name is Stella she’s my little princess forever.”

(Girl starts pouring down crying for a little bit then looks back at the bear) Its not that I hate you Rou its just that I don’t want to lose someone I love so easy again. (Stella goes over to the bear and hugs it so tight)I love you Rou, I just don’t know what to do anymore. I miss daddy so much. Gosh, I would do so much to see him one more time. Its just that mama said he’s looking over me now, she said he would be so happy on what i'm becoming as a person. Remember the first day daddy gave you to me, I felt like my heart smiled Rou. Can you just promise me something Rou, please don’t ever leave me(scene ends with the girl hugging the bear really tight with a smile on her face).