English 3 - Rami Public Feed
"Back Inside"
Chris
and Kori found a new place that was never revealed in their Regional Blue-Ford
High School. What was this? They did not know. As what was known, that their
high school was not a high school before. The school was hiding this secret
room for ages. Or did they not know? All Chris Row and Kori Santiago knew was
that this was another adventure they were going on.
"You
do it", says Kori demandingly to Chris, "I am not going to pull
it."
Chris turns to Kori, "The school must been
hiding this old library for years! No one even knew we had a library."
"What
school do you know that doesn't have a library genius? Obviously something
wasn't right in this school", says Kori.
"How about we both pull the book from the
shelf together Kori?"
"Okay on the count of three."
Chris and Kori Count to three simultaneously,
"One, Two, Three!"
Chris
and Kori had never seen anything like it. The doors slide open and there it
was. A secret room behind the unknown library shelves. The doors slid open,
with the dust blowing in their faces. It wasn’t something Chris and Kori wanted
to find, but knew that they would find something out of the ordinary. Chris
thought that his was out of this world. They both slowly walk into the revealed
room anxiously.
"It
looks like a science lab?" says Kori as she idles her way into the secret
room. Chris was astonished by what he saw. He knew that school was hiding
something, but didn't know it was hiding more then just a library. It was
hiding a whole science lab.
"This
is not an ordinary science lab Kori, this looks like a science-engineer
lab!"
Kori looks at Chris as if had something on his
face. "What is the difference? A lab is a lab Chris, I think we should get
out of here like now."
Chris
looks around at the machines that are in the mysterious room. He glances at
many machine parts in the room.
"You don't know anything Kori, do you pay any attention in Engineer
class? I think you don't." Kori rolls her eyes at Chris and acts like he say
what he said out his mouth.
"I'm
not going to argue with you right now but we need to ge-." Chris
interrupts Kori's raving.
"This
can't be! It just can't be!" Chris looking at the weird machines almost
the size of an elephant. "Do you know what this means Kori? "Kori
looks at Chris as if he was an insane maniac. Chris was always getting into
trouble. When ever Chris is getting himself into trouble Kori is always right
along with him. She knew that she was going to be stuck in this dilemma and
there was no way out.
"Chris
what is this thing?" ask Kori as she walks into the machine. "It
looks like some type of time portal."
Kori
quickly gets out of the machine after Chris told her what it was. "Time
portal? Do they even exist?" Chris looks at Kori as if she said something
foolish. Kori was a bright girl, but Chris always says something to her that
doesn’t sound right.
“Obviously
not in this time Kori, but this means that our school was once a home for
science engineers. I know this because I heard Ms. Lacebark talk about it last
year to her senior class. “No one ever believed any thing Ms. Lacebark said,
not even her own husband. Everyone thought she was a crazy old lady that lived
at home with 6 cats. She always came to science engineering class smelling like
cats. “
Kori
stops and looks at Chris, “Why would you believe anything that lunatic says? She
doesn’t even remember what assignments she gives us from the previous day! How
can she remember that scientist used to work here?”
Chris
keeps observing the machine and sees something lighting up. “Kori come here
look a button, and it looks like it is still lighting up.” Kori stands behind
Chris with her hands on his shoulders seeking as if she wanted comfort.
“What is that Chris? Don’t yo-“. Chris presses
the blue button and something miraculously happened. Both kids jumped back and were
afraid of what was going on. “Chris what is it Chris I am scared.” Kori was
afraid and got closer to Chris. “Kori I was right, it is a time portal or some
sort.” Kori and Chris stood up slowly and walked toward the machine. It was
something they never seen before. The light was bright glowing brighter then
the sign. The machine was huge, with a flat bottom and a circular body. The
glow kept sparkling. It seem the sparks was getting bigger.
“Chris
do not go near it! You don’t really know what that thing is.” Kori held Chris back, but Kris was
determined to check it out. “Kori I’m not going to touc-.” Chris and Kori both
stopped. There was this sound, a sound as if they were not alone in the room.
Someone else was in the room. “Do you here that Kori?” Chris holds on to Kori like
the way she was holding on to him. “Chris someone else is in here, or
“something.” They both stopped and listen to the sound. It didn’t sound like a
person but more of an animal of some sort. It looks like it was coming from
behind the science table with all the humungous machine parts.
“Kori
don’t move the sound is coming closer!” she holds her hand so she won’t move.
Kori looks at Chris. “We have to get the hell out of here like now Chr-.” Chris
pulls Kori and runs. “Kori watch out!”
Chris
pulls Kori and runs with her. What beast was chasing after them? It was big,
hairy, and breath was dripping drool. When Chris and Kori look in front of
them, they ran in side the portal. Before they knew it, they were in another
world unknown to man. Let alone them selves. What place did this teleportation
device take them?
An Average Day
Science Fiction Story
January 13, 2012
English - Earth
Have you ever stood on the edge of a tall building, looked down, and known exactly what you wanted? All the doubt I had in my mind was washed away with one glance at the sidewalk. Of course, I was afraid, my hands trembled within each other but I knew what I had to do. I looked over my shoulder, saw the suited men stumble out of stairway and run towards me. The last time I looked down at the sidewalk it was nothing special. Ants of cars were driving by and specs of people hurried past each other. It was a normal day for them, it started like any other and would end like any other, but I thought that too when I woke up.
The alarm ripped me from my dreams of golden, hot sand under my feet, a perfectly burning sun over my head, and blue, crashing, waves on my horizon. Without even opening my eyes, my hand swung over to smack the clock until it was quiet and with a groan, I got out of bed. It wasn’t until I sat up that I realized how much I drank the night before. The night hadn’t yet materialized in my mind but I decided not to worry about it. I crept past my roommate’s door, hoping not to wake her up. I didn’t want to disturb her slumber after her night of vicious drinking. After nights like those, it usually became my responsibility to regale her with the events of the evening in excruciating detail but since the details weren’t even forming for me, I did my best to be silent as I made coffee and went out for the day.
I walked around the city streets, peering into restaurant and boutique windows, searching for any signs of employment opportunities. This had become a daily ritual since I was ‘let go’ from my previous job. The manager of the store was convinced that some of the odd occurrences around the shop had been my fault. A particular incident involving the unexplainable movement of merchandise was the main reason I was fired. Of course, this episode was preceded by other minor incidents of floating trinkets or shaking shelves. I never meant to scare anyone; I was only having a little fun.
I slowed my stroll after no success for about 10 blocks. I stopped on the corner and just took in my surroundings. Everything was normal for this section of New York on a Tuesday morning. Men and women, all dressed in suits for work brushed past me mumbling their hurried, “Excuse me”’s and “Oh, sorry..”’s along the way. They all looked the same to me, which is why it’s odd that a few men caught my eye. They were dressed like everyone else, looking sleek and polished, but they were all staring at me. One on each of the other corners of the intersection. The men would be looking at me, look at each other, then back to me. Without thinking, I turned and quickly made my way back to my apartment.
My roommate was sitting on the couch, facing away from me when I walked in. She must not have heard me come in because when I asked how she was feeling, she jumped. She let out a little yelp and sprung up from the couch, turning to face me. She was shaking as she took tentative steps back. “Da-don’t come na-near me!”
I was very confused. When I took a few steps towards her, she shrieked and pressed herself against the wall. As I slowly walked towards her, I had my hands stretched towards her, trying to clam her down. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“Stay away from me!” She was trembling violently. Tears covered her entire face. I had never seen anyone so afraid.
I stopped about five feet away from her. She shrunk down and curled into a fetal position. I still didn’t understand why she was acting this way. “Did I do something?”
She looked up at me, obviously still terrified, but confused at the same time. I casually lifted my arm to head and she flinched again. She was staring at my hand; whenever it moved her shaking intensified. Her eyes were still stuck to my hand when she muttered, “You.. Yu-you went crazy lah-last night.” She glanced at my face and realized that I had no idea what she was talking about. “Weh-We were ah-out and you were loaded. I don’t know what happened bu-but you just got s-so angry. Shit started f-flying around. I-I tried to calm y-you down but then e-even more stuff started flying around. Drinks exploded. The windows started cracking. I went to grab you, but shit was like circling around you. Half the people were screaming and running away the other half just kinda watched you and then you just passed out cold. I was freaking out but I kind of just dragged you home...” She was much calmer by the time she finished telling me the story but she was still crouched in a ball against the wall.
I didn’t remember any of this happening. All I remembered was going out ad then waking up. But then I looked at my hands. It all clicked for me.
I’d known I was different for a long time but never understood how different. I’d alway been able to move little things with out touching them. Just things like pushing a pen off the table or pulling a cup from across the counter into my hands. As I got older, I discovered I could do different things. I could move heavy things with just a twitch of my hand. I could crush things with thoughts that I couldn’t put a dent in if I used my hand. It had always just a fun thing to do. Push things off a teacher’s desk, or flick the lights on and off. No one ever knew it was me; they always figured to was a fluke. For a moment I was reminiscing about the pranks I used to pull when there was a pounding on the door.
The pounding wasn’t of someone with a heavy hand knocking on the door but of someone trying to take it down. Without warning the hinges snapped and the door flew to the floor. The three men in suits walked in and surveyed the room. When their eyes fell on me I panicked, completely forgetting my roommate, still fearfully tucked away, I ran around the couch but two men blocked me while the other hopped over the couch and blocked the other exit. On instinct, I thrusted my hands forward, into the chests of the men. I could feel the force rolling down my arms and into their bodies, even though it happened in less than an instant. They didn’t fly across the room like I had expected but they all fell back. Before they could get back on their feet I jumped over and rushed out the door.
All the way down the stairs and outside, the men were almost caught up. I had no idea why they were after me but I didn’t want to find out. I wasn’t running fast enough to evade them for long, even though I could hear the wind buzz past my ears. I had never used my ability other than to move other things. It had never occurred to me to use it on myself. As one of the men reached out to grab me, I pushed down on the sidewalk with everything I could and bolted forward. This speed was super human, I could feel it the pressure pulling on my skin, my cheeks felt as though were seconds from flying off. I couldn’t run like this forever. Thats when I saw the building.
I pushed through the doors and continued running towards the elevator. Just as the doors were closing, I saw the men bursting through the door. They saw me and figured where I was heading. I was going to the top floor. The elevator opened again, I ran down the hallway, trying to find the roof access. I forced the door open without touching it and ran straight to the edge. While looking forward, I still had a plan, I still knew what I was going to do. But once I looked down, not a sliver of the plan I was so sure of stuck to my mind. This is where I am now.
I’m looking down at the ant cars, and the specs of people. The men are coming towards me. I wish I had more time to think about this or practice what I was about to do. This is all instinct. The last thing that went through my mind was how these people days were about to change, as quickly as mine did. So, the men reached out to pull me back, but I had already taken my last step. I pulled myself away from the building and to my greatest relief, I still haven’t hit the ground.
Better Than a Dream and Closer to a Nightmare
It felt like I was underwater rather than standing on the enormous diamond field. The ball’s rough surface cuts through my hand like glass as I spin it between my palms wondering if this is how God feels. To know that he holds the greatest power in just his hands, to know that each crevice in his palm is filled with a wonderful magic that only you possess. Then, I see Him dancing around the Earth in a beautiful colorful garb wrapped around his body. His hands stretch toward Earth seeming as though he’s trying to warm himself from a fire. Then I notice the silvery streams coming from Earth to His hands and turning gold as it reflects off His hand and returning back to Earth. Panic strikes straight to my heart. What is he doing to my home?! Running towards him I yell at him to stop but he doesn’t turn around.
“Annie! Annie!” I hear muffled cries. It’s so hard to focus while feeling the tingly feeling run throughout my body. Having the sensation overwhelms me with joy and reminds me of the power I hold.
“Get back to the game, Bethany. Our life is riding on it,” a small voice tells me. Reminding me what this game really means and jolting me up through my haze back to facing reality. Winning this is my only option, the only way I could escape the cold metal tables with the blinding light hanging over it. I stretch out to have the sun warm my skin...but wait why do I feel grass? Slowly I open my eyes only to be blinded by a brilliant white light. Has my nightmare come true? But no I can hear the cheering again, my ears are no longer clogged but how’d I end up on the ground?
“Bethany?” I turn toward the direction my name was being called and found Louis staring at me with concern written all over his boyish face.
“What’s going on? How’d I get on the ground?” I question him quickly while using his offered hand to stand up. While pulling me up he responds, “You were preparing to throw another of your wicked curve balls when you just kind of collapsed. As though you were a puppet and the puppet-master accidentally let go of you strings. What was going on in your mind? Are you feeling okay?”
“Wow that’s odd, I felt amazing....Like I was day dreaming.”
“Well alright day dreamer,” Louis says while patting my back. “Time to win us some money.”
I step back to the small mount in the ground and assume my position which the team likes to joke and call “Annie’s Anal.” I watch the girl in front of me. Her expression a mixture of pure determination to hit my pitch but behind her fierce stare, I could tell that the determination was a façade for her uncertainty. This girl has watched her entire team strike out for the past 8 innings, for a moment I felt like I could feel her anxiety building up. The urge to give the opposing team a break was so strong I almost forgot why I was in the game anyway. To win. To absolutely dominate so that there is no terrible consequence once it’s all done and over with. I can feel my body automatically start to compress as my leg bent upward and my arm curled to my chest. Kissing the ball for luck, I swing my arm back. My hand begins tingling as I feel the magic follow through my veins and onto the ball not having to say how I want the ball to fly the magic could already tell what I wanted. It always can tell what I want. As I swing my arm forward the tingling sensation fades completely and as I let go of the ball I see a silver strand streaming between my finger tips and the ball. The strand reminded me of the man in my dream and the silver strands he was taking from Earth. I feel empty. I feel normal. I feel like how I was before.
Before I went to get the henna tattoos done with Sandy. Before Shadow scratched me and the henna leaked into my bloodstream and mixed. Creating the powers I have no. Who would have ever imagined that I, Bethany Turner, would have super powers. To own the ability of flying and controlling the speed of an object when throwing them. Unfortunately I had to discover my flying power publicly which is what got me into this situation. The day I was discovering my flying abilities, I was carrying my box of full loaded diapers from my last customers house when I tripped over my own feet while walking down the steep flight of steps. I remember my heart pounding as I started falling down the concrete steps. I squinted my eyes and strongly wished that I could fly, next thing I knew I could no longer feel the steps underneath my feet. I opened my eyes and saw that the steps were about 10 feet below me.
“Omigod, am I flying?!” I let go of the box of diapers and started soaring through the air feeling pure bliss. Little did I know that I was being filmed.
Sarah Tramp, my meanest customer. The owner of the last house I pick up my diapers from. She told me she recorded my discovery of my flying abilities and will send it to the government. She threatened me with my own nightmare of continuous tests. Of bright lights and proding needles. I couldn’t let this nightmare come true so I asked “Why would you do this to me? Please just give me the videos and this can just stay as a secret between us.”
Sarah’s expression faltered with pity for a quick second before returning the snarl she had on earlier, responding “I don’t care. I will do whatever it takes for me to save this house so that my baby has the chance to grow up in the house he was born in. If this video will earn me the money I need to pay my rent, it will be turned in quicker than you can say ‘wait.’”
Quickly the flyer I saw a couple of months ago popped into my mind, “Wait, if it’s money that you need there is a baseball game that my team will be playing in to win more money than you could ever imagine. If my team wins, I will give you the money and you will no have to give away that tape.”
She agreed. Now I’m here watching as the silver stream is still between my hand and the ball as the ball accelerates forward. It hits me then what the silver stream is. What He was taking from Earth in my dream. My magic is gone and is flying away from me. I can’t have it leave me, I can’t go back to the old Annie, the lonely Bethany Turner.
I run with my hand outstretched crying as the ball flew further away. Can I make it?
The Truly Lonely
The Truly Lonely
The sun was brighter than it had been in a while in Houston. But, this didn’t mean anything to Charlie. He knew that his routine would still be the same. His arm throbbed as he massaged the swelling. Nothing could make him happy about waking up in the morning. At about 9am, he left for the school. As he walked into the classroom, the terror began. His students were starting at him with a grin on his face. An array of chuckles swept across the room.
“Hey Dumbo, I see you’re hear late today,” said his students.
Everyone in the room laughed and threw a piece of paper at him. He turned his face to dodge it, but was so tired that he couldn’t succeed. After the paper fell to the ground, he reached to pick it up, but was to exhausted to do so. Then, he said something in a faint voice.
“If only they knew my circumstance, if only they knew how much I loved them and longed for a child of my own,” whispered Charlie. “Turn your books to page 50.”
“Yeah, right,” said a majority of students. All but one member of the class rose up and left the classroom. Tears appeared on Charlie’s face.
“Are you okay sir,” said the remaining student, Lisa.
“I will be,” said Charlie.
Later that day, Charlie entered the hospital.
“Mr. Reed, the doctor will see you now for your Testicular disease.”
Charlie entered the examining room.
“Hello buddy, let me check you out,” said the doctor.
The doctor stuck the needle in Charlie’s arm. His face grew pale as the blood was collected. He let out a gasp. As a result, Charlie looked down at the needle. He was shocked to see blue blood, as this had never been an effect of his disease. The doctor ran in fear. Suddenly, Charlie face turned red. His hair fell out and he grew weak. The doctor returned with a protective face-mask on.
“Get this man to a chemical vat,” screamed the doctor.
A group of nurses came in and grabbed Charlie. They threw him onto the gurney and wheeled him away. A few hours later, Charlie was released from the hospital. He was given a ride home by one of the nurses. After arriving, he found himself being greeted by his student Lisa.
“Lisa, what are you doing outside of my front door,” said Charlie.
“I just wanted to check on you sir,” said Lisa. “My friends were very awful to you. They put gasoline on those pieces of paper that they threw at you.”
“What,” screamed a still tired Charlie. “Why didn’t you say that sooner?”
“I didn’t have the chance to.”
Charlie became more coherent with reality as he remembered his condition. Not only did he have an unknown disease that interfered with his ability to have children, but he also had always been allergic to gasoline. He remembered that if he were to have a reaction to it once more, combined with the effects of the reproductive disease, he would explode in two days. Thus, he had only one day left to live.
“Lisa, I can’t talk right now.”
He slammed the door in her face and walked up to his bedroom. He looked in the mirror and touched his reflection before getting into bed. He lay in bed with his eyes open.
“What will I do,” he whispered. “I have no choice.”
His tear duct felt like it needed to cry, but that was far too strenuous, given his condition. So, he just lay there gazing at the darkness. The next morning, a knock was at the door. It was Lisa. She broke the door open and searched for Charlie.
“Mr. Reed, where are you?”
She ran up to the bedroom and found nothing but a stain of blood on his sheets.
“Daddy, where are you,” she cried. “Now you will never know the truth.”
She dropped to the ground before his bloody bed and cried until the floor was soaked with her tears.
The Lies in Beliefs by Maggie Long
Maggie Long
Earth
The Lies in Beliefs
“It’s this fuckin headache, I swear!” I say as I grab onto Tom’s shoulder for support. He has been my best friend since Kindergarten. I tell him everything. “Lizzy, you need to go to the nurse. This is the 2nd day in a row this week you have been getting lightheaded and faint.” He says. The only thing he doesn’t know about me is the events that happened on the Thursday of last week. Or well, he knew what happened…just doesn’t remember it. He doesn’t know we were the lucky ones out. We escaped the grips of the unknown.
Tom and I have a routine before we go to classes. I stop at my locker, he comes skateboarding down the hall and hands me a note as he passes. It’s my good morning note. Some say things like, “You’re too beautiful to put into words”, or “I could spend my whole life with you and it wouldn’t be enough time.” Little cute things like that. Although, we are not boyfriend and girlfriend. We can’t be. At least, not anymore. Not after finding out the truth. The events of December 22nd 2011 are never to be repeated. Until now.
I got up, did my hair, makeup, all of that good stuff. I went to school. Tom gave me my morning note. Although, he was a bit late to school. His family is a trouble for him. They hate him. One of the reasons we are friends is because of that. His mom liked me. She thought of me as his role model. He was just madly in love with me. As I was walking to my first class, I saw someone looking at me through the window. I had to go see who it was. There was just something too strange about it. I glanced over and saw a little girl. She looked like a little toy doll. Her hair was brown and curly, she had on red lipstick and a red dress that was absolutely beautiful. I didn’t understand why she was here in my high school. Since I was already late to class, I followed her to see if she needed any help finding her way.
As I turned the corner to catch up to the girl I find myself knocked out cold. I remember someone dragging me into the bathroom, but I was so out of it I couldn’t make out who it was. Next thing I know I was laying on a table in a bright white room. I wiggled around a bit to try to move my arms but to my surprise I was tied up to the table. That’s when the panic set in. Where am I? Who did this? Why am I tied up? All of these unanswered questions left hanging in the air. As I sit and figure out what I am going to do, I hear a noise. It sounds like a high-pitched scream. Suddenly a woman walks in. She presses a few buttons and the noise goes off. “Hello Lizzy. Welcome back home.”
“Who are you?....What do you mean, “home”?” I cry out. “We have much to talk about Liz….much to talk about.” The lady says. I sit there as though I am in the shower. With tears dripping down my face. Will I ever get to go to my actual home? The lady cuts the rope holding me back. I instantly feel my wrists. They hurt a lot. I check the rest of my body. What is this lump in the back of my head? I don’t remember falling. “Come with me” The lady says. I enter a room that looks like something from an article for the future. Touch screen everything. I also see Tom. He’s playing basketball with some other kids that look about our age. “TOM!” I yell. “Hey Lizzy! Come play!” He says. Why is he talking like he’s not in a whole other place. “You should listen to Tom, go play with your brothers.” The lady whispers into my ear. Brothers? What the fuck? Tom is my best friend. NOT a brother.
“Remember the girl you followed during school?”
“Yea, what happened after I got clunked in the head?”
“Liz, that is your sister. I am your mother. And the kids in that room in front of you are your other siblings or relatives. You were a microchip baby. We programmed you to act like a normal kid on Earth so that we can monitor the humans and how they are surviving even though they are all vicious killers.”
“……We are not vicious killers. I AM a human. I was never a microchip baby or whatever your telling me! Bring me back to my family. NOW.”
“Liz, you will be re-programmed tonight. You do not have a choice. We have to reboot you to the newest setting in our system. I’m sorry. I really wish this could have gone a different way. Please forgive us.”
“How can I forgive you for lying to me and holding me hostage in this creepy place! The jokes over. Come on now, its not funny anymore. Let me go home. Let me be with my REAL family!” I screamed out at her.
“Ah, what the hell is that?! My head! Make the noise stop!”
“Liz, that is the time ticking in your head. The program is shutting down. You will die if you don’t let me change you!”
“I-I-I I cant let you ch-ch-ch-change me. I am ME. Why am I slowing down and st-st-st-stuttering? What’s going on? Whats that light? MAKE IT STOP. MAKE IT STOP……”
To be continued……
Alysha's story "The other side"
As everyone started to stare at me I felt as though I was melting, a girl name Isabella & five other kids came towards me after class with a look on their faces, like I had something of theirs, if I was an alien. As I slowly move back baby step at a time, I ask myself was this even a good choice? As they approach me a girl whisper “Ask her” as Isabella roll her eyes she say “Fine, Cattleya isn’t it, well doesn’t matter, do you know about S double P.” I look at her with a confuse face, as I try to open my mouth she say, “Never mind you don’t” I shouted “Wait, um this might sound weird’ but can you tell me what that is, my dad was in it but he never told me.” The bell rang & they rush away.
During lunch period I look around for a empty chair but not one was open as I walked past the popular group they snicker under their breath & roll their eyes. As I turn to the bathroom so I can eat there, Isabella shouted “Cattleya, come here we have a seat for you” with a big smiled I came toward with acceptation and relief. She started to tell me S double P is Super power people; she started to talk about how her and the group had different powers. Isabella had the power to control stuff with out touching the object. She showed me an example, she pull the chair underneath the popular girl as she try to sit and she fell. I laugh so hard even tough deep inside I knew it was wrong, the others showed me their powers after school. Luisto had the power of speed & strength known as a vampire his skin was as light as can be with glossy ocean blue eyes I couldn’t stop but look at him, he was the shyest from them all even though they were not.
To be continue .....
Journey To Tijuana Cont.
After breakfast Chelito and
I were out the door. She took today to show me around the city a bit. She
showed me the market. She said in this new worlds this is one of the few things
that stayed the same. As soon as we walked through it, it brought memories of
my abuelita and San Mateo back.
“You ready mija?” she said
as we left the market on our way to get my droids
“Estoy nerviosa” I said
putting my head down a bit embarrassed.
Just
as I said this Chelito lifted up the sleeves of her shirt. Only to show me her
droids. I was so dumb that I didn’t notice she wore long sleeve shirt even when
it was as hot as could be outside.
“No lo estes, no duelen. And
it’s worth it.” She said bringing my fingers to rub them.
They
were little square cubes installed into her skin. They were cold like nothing I
expected. But they didn’t look like I saw Juan Carlos had. Hers were turned
off. They didn’t have that blue flashing light indicating they were ready to be
used.
“A couple years ago I turned
them off, I wanted to get them removed but that was impossible, once you have
them installed its no going back, the most you can do is turn them off” she
said as we approached a blue house on the corner of the market.
As
soon as we walked in two other young girls were walking out bandages wrapped
all over their arms and back. They looked like they were in pain. I was too
observed in the pain in the eyes of the girls that it took me a while to
realize that Juan Carlos was in front of me. His green eyes gazing at me just
like they had on the bus. It took me a while to figure it out but eventually I
found out this was his “side job”. He installed droids and turned them off.
“Just breath.” he said as I
sat down in the chair. He knew I was nervous and the fact that he kept smiling
at me wasn’t making it any better.
He
began by cleaning my arms with a blue liquid substance. The feeling of his hand
moving up and down my hand send shivers through my back, and surprisingly made
me feel calm and at ease. Before he continued he asked me to go in the back and
change into one of the robes so he could do the ones on my back and shoulders.
As I went into a little room all the way in the back I could hear Chelito
talking to him. Her laugh filling the hallways with peace and tranquility. While
changing I tried to imagine why she had turned off her droids and why she got
them in the first place. She hadn’t really told me much.
“Are you ready Melina” He
said interrupting my thoughts and making me smile like a young teenage girl
just because he said my name.
I
hurried down the hallway. All I wanted was to get this over with and not feel
any pain. As soon as I came back
he applied the same liquid to my back and then started prepping the droids with
what seemed a oversized toy gun. He took each droid out of a little box under
his worktable. Just looking at him prep everything made me nervous. Then
suddenly I felt Chelito’s hand rubbing and massaging my back. This made me feel
a little more at ease.
As
soon as I he set up the first droid and made sure everything was ready he
carefully massaged above my wrist put the gun to it and pulled the trigger. The
pain sent little waves of electricity up and down my arm. Tiny little shocks
but enough for it to hurt and make me cringe and close my eyes in agony. Just
as I was recovering from the pain I felt the same pain this time on my other
hand sending tiny waves of pain up and down it.
“Lina? Are you okay? The
ones on the back hurt a bit more so just hold my leg and squeeze it.” He said
with such reassurance in his voice that I had to believe him.
I
felt his fingers making little circles on my back until he found the spot and
grabbed the gun again. By this time you would expect me to not even feel pain,
but of course he didn’t lie. The first one he injected in my back hurt and they
hurt bad. I could feel my body wanting to give up this time the little shocks
were stronger then the ones on my arm. These little shocks caused me too
squeeze his leg until he no longer had any circulation in it. Just as I was
relaxing from the pain there it went again the cold feeling of the gun touching
my skin and sending chills down my spine. Before I knew it the pain was back.
It was running up and down my back each time making me cringe at each little
sting. Once my was able to move
again he started cleaning it and putting bandages on all four of them so they
could heal.
“Fuiste muy fuerte Lina, ni
una lagrima” he said making me feel proud of myself for being able to go
through with this without one tear falling down my face.
I
was finally able to look up and see that he was there in front of me standing
looking at me with pity. Looking upset but I didn’t even know why. Just as we
smiled at each other I felt Chelitos hand rub my back
“You’re very valiente Mija”
It
took me a while to finally get use to the idea that I had droids I had them now
and would have them forever.
Chapter 5 --> Meeting
The Family
While walking back home I contemplated everything I
had done during the past few days. Moving to the city, Trusting someone besides
grandma, and getting my droids. I couldn’t believe it all. Never in a million
years had I thought about it all before.
That
afternoon after helping out Chelito with dinner she walked me to the outskirts
of the city where the factories were located. When we arrived there I couldn’t
believe my eyes. The factory or should I say factories were huge. They were
several stories high and had entrances all over the place. When we first walked
in it seemed that Chelito knew exactly where to ask for help and where to get
it. After walking up and down what seemed the same hallway over and over we
finally came to a little office where she told me to wait for her. She stood
there until a man came and hugged her. It seemed like he knew her. They started
talking for what seemed like forever until he called me in. He simply asked for
my name and age and gave a a set of papers to fill out.
Both me and Chelito walked
out the office to fill them out.
“Chelito, Do you know him?”
“Mas o menos ” she said
sounding empty not like her normal self anymore.
“El es mi hermano. A long
time ago when this world started developing so did our ideas. We were always
curious and me and him love inventing things. When a experiment went wrong we
discovered droids. We made one my accident. He left them alone but I didn’t.
Without him knowing I kept testing them and their possibilities. When I had a
set of four finalized and my ideas ready to present them. He said we should do
more tests and make more. Without me realizing he stole my ideas and proposals
and presented them without me. I thought I knew him and I thought we would make
it big together.”
“I’m sorry, perdon Chelito”
“No worries mija, everything
happens for a reason right?”
I didn’t even know what to
say all I could do was hug her like she had earlier that day. I could tell she
felt betrayed. I didn’t even know how to comfort her.
“No te preocupes Lina, I
made it to you know. I married Julio and Im doing what I always saw myself
doing. Being a housewife. Having a hard working husband and having him come
home to a nice home cooked meal and allowing other people to have a second
family. Helping people like you. With no one in this world”
I
could tell she meant it cause she said this with so much life in her voice. She
was proud of what she accomplished and she didn’t mind what happened in the
past. She became my role model. Just like she had done I would leave everything
behind in San Mateo and leave it all there. I would start over in Tijuana even
if it took me long. I would be strong just like Chelito.
Just as I was about to start
filling out the papers Chelitos brother came out.
“You’re twenty-two right?”
“Yes Sir.” I said
automatically answering his question
“Good come with me” he said
leading me into his office, Chelito following after me not leaving my side.
“We have an opening as a
Nanny, the job isn’t hard. But it does require patience.”
“I have a lot of it sir, I
promise” I re assured him, I really needed this job and I didn’t mind sounding
needy for once.
“Esta Bien, Mañana te quiero
aqui en mi oficina a las 9 de la mañana en punto.” He said with a stern look in
his face.
He
was nothing like Chelito unlike her he didn’t smile or bring me comfort. He was
much less social then her. Looking at him and at Chelito I didn’t see where
they could be related. But of course I didn’t argue that he had given me a job
without me doing anything and I was thankful for that. I would finally be able
to stand on my own two feet. I would be able to start all over again.
Chapter 6 --> La Nueva
Vida
The next day everything went well. The connecting
part was something so different and it felt weird to know that I was here but I
was there also. As soon as I go there Chelitos Brother Mario took me to the
Nanny department. It was filled with rows and rows of connecting machines each
of them with someone different standing there, connected to what seemed nothing
but cables. They moved but not like a normal human being. They moved slower
they movements weren’t drastic.
As
soon as I connected my self I realize why. It wasn’t hard to connect to the Robo
nanny. The movements were simple but what wasn’t was looking at the little
girls I watched play with me but not know me or know them more in depth. I
didn’t really talk to them and that was weird. But I didn’t need them I had
enough people in my life to hold me up.
For
starters Juan Carlos and I had come to known each other and I had never felt
like this for anybody. The fact that he cared so much for me and showed me and
made me happy allowed me to let him enter my life. Not only that but after a
while I moved in with him
But
of course I never stopped going to Chelitos house. I enjoyed spending time with
her learning about her more and more. Having her by my side filled the void
loosing my mom and grandmother had left. She was always there. Especially when
it came to Juan Carlos.
“Mija only you can choose
who and what makes you happy. So if Juan Carlos makes you happy go for it, just
let him know that if he does anything for you. He needs to count his blessings
cause he’s going to hear it from me and Julio.” She said laughing.
I
loved her and Don Julio. They both along with Juan Carlos were my family and
they were my support system. The day I came to Tijuana I remember thinking I
was all alone. That was my biggest fear to be alone and not to be able to rely
on anyone but myself. I was wrong and Im glad I was because I found the perfect
new beginning.
Journey To Tijuana
Chapter 1 --> A New Life
Even
though I’ve wanted this since I was thirteen, the fact that I was finally
traveling to the city without my grandma by my side was what was really killing
me on the inside. Even after all those times I tried to convince her to move to
Tijuana and leave behind the past she refused to. Standing there finally being
able to see the bus getting closer to my stop I remember the words she said
every time I even brought up anything to do with the city.
“Mija, This little bit of
land holds not only my past and present but hopefully my future if I can get
them to give me like they use to back in the day, and you don’t have to stay
but I sure ain’t leaving”
She
always said that. No matter how hard I tried to get her to leave and move to
the city with me she never listened. She never gave up on her land, even though
anything barely grew on that. I myself didn’t have the heart to leave my
grandma alone; after all she had done for me after my parents died. I don’t
think I could ever re pay her, nor thank her for it all by leaving her all
alone.
But
of course everything always doesn’t go as plan. Just two weeks ago I was
helping her carry water to water all her plants and now Im on my way to the
city without her, she is staying behind in her land forever, because she’s
dead. Even though I thought about staying behind and making my grandmas dream
come true I just couldn’t. I knew that my life in San Mateo was over. I had
nobody and ever since I was young I hated being lonely. Now that I had no one
in this world the only thing to do was move to the city and move on. Start over
from scratch. Begin a new life in a new place. All this for my grandma so that
she could rest in peace knowing that I was finally following my dreams and
holding my own.
Chapter 2 --> Piercing
Eyes & Droids
“Muchacha,
si vas a subir?” said the bus driver as he interrupted my thoughts about the
life I had just left behind.
“Yes” I whispered softly too
embarrassed to say anything else.
There
were a few empty seats in the back and I made my way through the isle, carrying
nothing but a simple bag filled with only a couple of changes of clothes and
the little bit of money my grandma left behind for me, and of course the rosary
she always used to pray with before she went to sleep every night. Just as I
started to stare out the window I looked up to see someone get on. But not just
anybody. He had a certain look to him that made me feel safe even though he was
a complete stranger. As soon as he noticed me staring I could tell he felt
awkward and tried to look the other way. I simply starred out the window to
pretend nothing had ever happened. But as soon as I was drifting into sleep I
felt someone sit next to me. I couldn’t help but open my eyes only to see him
there. His presence made me feel something in my stomach and scared me but at
the same time made me smile. But before I could turn back to the window he
tapped me and said
“Hey, I’m Juan Carlos. You?”
Even
his voice was relaxed. I was too focused on him gorgeous smile that it took me
a while to answer but I eventually did.
“I I I I’m Melina.” was all
I could manage to say after what seemed a lifetime of staring at him.
Just when I thought I had
made a total fool of myself there it was again that smile of his.
“That’s a pretty name. Where
you headed to?”
I
was so mesmerized by his smile that I hadn’t even noticed his eyes. Just as I
was looking up to not seem rude there they were staring at me. Not just staring
but more like gazing at me. His eyes were gorgeous they were like no other.
They were full with energy and comfort. They were a shade of green that only
made it harder not to stare at them.
“Tijuana” I said my voice
sounding a bit more like me but still a little shyness behind it.
“Really? That’s where I
live,” he said with a warm smile and his eyes still gazing into mine.
This
little small talk kept going until we arrived in Tijuana a few hours later. I
was dreading getting off the bus and letting go of this beautiful human being.
While on the bus I learned a lot about him. He was an inspiring writer. He had
moved to Tijuana from his hometown when his parents kicked him out for getting
droids installed. This was what intrigued me the most. He had droids. I saw
many ads for them whenever I went into town. Even though I grandma always said
those things would ruin me I always dreamed of getting them installed not only
cause I knew everyone had them but because I knew that’s how everyone made the
most money. By working at the Droid factories. By connecting themselves to
monitors and sensors to be able to control robots and human machines in the
United States. He taught me more about them. Through him I found out that’s how
he wrote. He wrote memories and sold them online to be able to survive, he also
had a side job as he called it but he didn’t talk much about that. I also
learned you could connect to people. This was the main reason why his parents
kicked him out. They thought he would turn into a sex addict because of the
droids, according to them that’s all you could do with droids.
He
only got me more interested in the droids. That’s what I didn’t think about
while moving to Tijuana, where would I work? From what he told me if I got
droids the droid factory wouldn’t think twice about hiring me. Especially since
I was young. I could work much faster then the older workers. He also told me
where I could find a place to live. He was so nice to me and once it was time
to get of the bus and venture out on my own all the comfort and peace I felt
with him was gone.
Chapter 3 --> The Real
City
As soon as I got off the bus all Juan Carlos told me
to do was go down la quinta avenida. Walking down it I felt like I was in a
total different world. There was a Robocop standing at every corner. There were
sky scrappers everywhere. Every street was full of life. Even though it was
close to midnight people were still out and about enjoying all the fun the city
had to offer.
What
I noticed the most was young teenage girls standing in corners flaunting their
droids. They kept making sensual expressions at the older men that were walking
by. After watching one of the girls finally get pulled aside by one of the guys
and her get in the car I realized what they were. They were droidatudes. These
were girls who only got droids to be able to connect with people and have sex
of course creating the bad name for the droids. I tried to think of what would
happen to that young girl as soon as she got in the car but the thoughts of
that made me cringe. This wasn’t just a new city, this was an entire new world.
Before
I noticed though I had left the city and was wondering around what seemed
nothing until I noticed a house at the end of the block with people outside
having a conversation drinking and enjoying the night. It took me a while to
walk up and ask for Chelito like Juan Carlos told me to. According to him she
was a really nice lady. She had helped him when he first got to Tijuana and he
was sure she would do the same for me.
“Esta Doña Chelito?” I asked
the four men standing around
“Si, Honey! Algiuen is
looking for you” said the man with beer in his hand and the cigarette in the
other.
I
simply smiled and waited for her to come outside. Chelito came out wearing an
apron and wiping her hands on it. Her hair up on a bun to show of her bone
structure. My first reaction was to admire her beauty she had a certain in her
the reminded me of my abuelita. She had a welcoming smile.
“En que te puedo ayudar
muchacha” she said with her smile flashing and blinding me.
“Juan Carlos dijo que usted
me ayudaria” I said in a calm voice.
“Ah si! Of course mija” she
said smiling like she had known I was already coming
She
told the other guys to get out of the way and let me through so I could get
settled in. They did as they were told and simply smiled at me. As soon as I
walked into the house I could smelled the food. Chelito wasn’t only beautiful
and kind and caring but she was a great cook I could smell every spice she had
ever used and didn’t want the smells to ever leave.
“Are you hungry mija?” she
said as we walked up the steps to find what would be my room.
“Un poco” I said trying to
not sound too desperate for some of her food.
Just
as I said this we arrived at the end of the hall. She pulled her keys out and opened
the room to a small but very pretty and well-decorated room. The walls were
painted a gorgeous lavender color. Everything in the room was lavender and
white. It smelled like it to. It had a HD Broadcaster. Nothing like the old TV
I had back at home. She smiled at how amazed I was. She could tell I wasn’t
from the city.
“Y que te trajo a Tijuana?”
She said walking over to what seemed a window pressed a few buttons and turned
back around.
Just
as she did this, a breeze came through the machine and cooled me off. I was to
mesmerized that I hadn’t noticed that I was sweating and somehow the machine
allowed me to cool down.
“A veces cosas pasan y se necesita
un cambio” I said as I put my bag down on the bed.
“A claro, pues bienvenida.
Acomoda tus cosas y baja a la cosina para que cenes” she said with a smile on
her face. A smile that let me know she understood me.
Even
though it took me a while to realize what was going on and where I was I had to
realize that this was my home now. I couldn’t go back to San Mateo. I didn’t
have anyone there and I had to get use to the idea that I only had myself in
this world.
Chapter 4 --> My Droids
& The Truth
As
soon as I woke up the next morning I could smell the spices again roaming
through the house and reaching my room all the way upstairs. It took me a while
to realize where I was at but when I did. I went to the bathroom brushed my
teeth and got in the shower. Last night while eating dinner with Chelita she
told me she would take me to get my droids and that I could pay her later. Not
only did this mean I could start working but I had found someone to rely on.
Chelito and her husband Don Julio were now my family. They said it themselves
last night. Anyone that comes through this house is familia! They also told me
they would let me slide with the rent for the room until I got use to working
at the factories. All this seemed so surreal. As I was getting dressed I heard
Chelito call me down to breakfast so we could go down to get my droids
installed.
Yasmeen Brownlee Short Story
Something about how something terrible happens to the character like them not being able to do what it is that they want to do. Because a certain higher power is keeping them back from doing what it is that they want to do..
Suzie is stranded on a planet zurg, She is a prisoner kidnapped from planet earth, She knows certain levels of martial arts or at least some defense. She has her trusty side kicks and best friends to back her up along the way. As well as a ton of kidnapped intellectual kids.
Setting;
The atmospheric pressure is the same as it is on earth so she can breath while she is on the planet.
She wants freedom she was kidnapped at a young age of at least five, with
Super powers.. or real life..
Character chart
Suzie main character age 15
Jamie male/ suzies closest trustable friend age 15
Sam-
Prologue:
Life on Zurg isn’t normal, it’s run by psychopathic aliens that kidnap children and a reach to new wacked out ideas of world control.
This
Intro:
Story:
Hey My names Suzie and if your wondering about this story just let me tell you it’s not something that won’t make you think twice about the way you live life. If you even can consider what i am about to tell you life, Like my closest of friends I’m not normal and this hell hole of a place that we live in is Zurg.. Yeah I did say Zurg i know it sounds like a weird name but don’t bug me about it take it up with the bozo aliens that named this place. As well as took us here when we did nothing to deserve this... oh sorry, here i go rambling you don’t even know what I’m talking about. Well I will give you brief explanation of how things started.. It started when i was five, yes five for me that was about 10 years ago yeah I know ten years is a while anyway...
Imagine me a five year old orphan yeah orphan, my parents died when i was younger I only briefly remember them...long story. For another time anyway, though that isn’t where I’m heading with this anyway i lived at a grimy orphanage named Willow Fields Sanctuary For The Abandoned yeah it was a rough place. The building was falling apart from the inside out, and let me just say there isn’t a small amount of children in the orphanage. It was crowded, loud and it smelled terrible, Though this rotten place had it’s upsides believe it or not the adults didn’t mess with us quite that much. Because we were what you call special, Everyone in this facility were incredibly weary of the kids with such high IQ’s that the reveled of those educated adults.
Though my favorite place in this uncomfortable hell hole was a little closet that I used to hangout to read because it was an orphanage it was one of the only places that I was able to get some nice and quiet. It’s not like it didn’t enjoy people its just that I wanted something to myself for once in a while. Ungratefulness isn’t in my forte. I am the oldest of all the kids in the this special orphanage which can be stressful at times but at least it I have the few my friends that I can count on more than anything. My cohort or partner in crime is Jamie he is second in command and was born around the same time as me though in someway I believe that he is smarter. Anyway back to the story..
I could feel something in the garden was off. The usual chirping of the birds wasn’t audible. The door bell rings and Juliet rushes to answer the door..
As the door opens i get a view of the stranger he’s tall with a muscular build. Wearing a black tie and business casual hold his briefcase tightly at his side.
He made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Though this guest looked normal there was just something about him that just screamed off. I stared into to his stark blue eyes and it felt like they were pulling me in.. I blinked.
“Hey mister, what is it that we can help you with in this orphanage?..” Juliette asked
“There is nothing that you can help me with.” The mystery man said it with such intensity that it took my breath away and that of Juliet's
but you can.. My breath was sucked out of me in not time it felt like someone had kicked me in the gut and gave me a case of major migraine. I grasped my head and let out a scream..
“SUIZIE!!” Jamie screamed and came running caught me just as I was about to collapse. I leaned against him waiting for the pain in my head to ease.
He whispered lightly into my ear.
“Suzie, what happened are you okay?” Jamie asked
PJ came over with sam and kate all holding hands and knelt down next to Jamie
“Whats wrong??”
“Jamie what happened to suzie?”
“Guys it’s fine.” I try to manage a smile through the pain in my head but all I manage in is a grim smirk. “Really guys it’s fine.. I’m not sure what happened..” I turn to look and that man who is staring so intently at me that it sends goosebumps down my spine and I shiver. There is something wrong with that guy and I need to find out. Jamie catches my eye and looks from me to the man. He stiffens steadies me and walks straight up stranger.
“Dude whats your problem what did you come here for?”
He looks him down and says i came for all of you.
And that’s when it happens all of the kids started to scream... and then nothing..
My view is foggy and i wake up, My head is throbbing i grasp my head to and my cold fingers ease the pain but only by a little.. when i open my eyes the first thing i see is a metallic silver plates coating the the walls and floor. I jerk in to an upright position and look around.. this definitely isn’t where i know that i blacked out. The first thing that crosses my mind is where the hell am I and what does that creepy stranger have to with any of this. Jamies soft faces flashes through my mind.. “Jamie? Jamie? guys where are you”
“Suzie look up”
My eyes follow the voices and i see them all through the grate above my head and there not alone all of the other orphans are with them. But why am i alone, why can’t i be with them. I Keep going over this over and over in my head but i can’t quite come up with an answer. Guys wait for me i will find some way out of this i always do.
“We know”
“Yeah Suzie we trust you with everything”
“Thanks guys i really appreciate”
I survey the area looking for any means of escape so far not coming up with any and then the doors open. The nastiest beings that i had ever seen in my life, green sagging rubbery looking skin and yellow slit eyes. Just the sight of these evil beings makes makes my blood run cold and my knees weak. The first one opens his mouth.
Suzie you have been taken aboard on our ship and you are currently heading to zurg to become the leader of all of the children that we have gathered on this new planet.
I clutch my head trying while trying to stop the unnervingly painful sensation. But i can’t help it and once again an agonizing scream escapes for my lips and i collapse on to my knees.
CSheridan_Story: Bender, Brains of a Genius
Cyndi Lynn Sheridan
English 3 – Rami
January 11, 2012
Story: Bender, Brains of a Genius
I
was never the popular type. I struggled making friends, and I always felt like
a disappointment to my family. I was faced with challenges that made me
stronger in faith and dignity. I had natural talent, and never realized this
until the day I joined the San Francisco Defense Academy. This was the only
place I knew to call home.
It all started when I was ten years old, and
understood that the only reason I was born was to save my older brother Adam’s
life. He was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of three, and my parents
decided to try and conceive a child that was purposely born to save his life.
Through genetic engineering, that child was me. I hated Adam for ruining my
life. Ruining the relationship I had with my parents. I was slowing drifting
away, into a place of emotional destruction. Once I finally began to accept the
fact that my parents loved him more than me, my mother and father had another
child. Everyone thought that after my baby sister was born, we would all be one
perfect family again, but little did they know that never happened. In fact, perfect
in my eyes will never exist. The only thing I was left looking forward to, was
possibly the battlefield.
After coming home from a long day of school, I saw a message on the answer machine reading “One missed call from San Francisco Defense Academy: (415)-243-0988.” They left a call back telephone number, and I could not stop thinking about the reason behind them calling. Was I finally accepted into this academy or did I do something wrong? Assuming things always hurts. I get my hopes up just to be let down and crushed in spirit. As I sat on my living room floor contemplating my existence along with what I wanted to be in life, I felt a single tear fall from my eyes. “What is my point in life? Will I ever really make my parents proud, or am I just someone they use to benefit from?” There’s not a single day that I don’t ask myself these questions. When my parents came home from work, I lied there with a knife in my hand, only trying to prove a point. They didn’t seem to be that much concerned with what was going on. Why I was lying on the floor with a knife? The never asked if I hurt myself, but that’s what was expected. These were the reasons why I no longer wanted to live in this hellhole, and really why I decided to relocate to somewhere far away.
“Bender, get up! Do you have any idea where your brother’s at?” My father immediately asked. I already knew that these would be the first words out of his mouth.
“I don’t know sir, why don’t you call him? That would be the logical thing to do, don’t you think?” I said in fury.
“You better not get smart with me boy, you’d have another thing coming! Also, I came home on my lunch break, and noticed that the SFDA had called for you. I decided to call them back just to see what they wanted. They are interested in having you attend the academy, the one you’ve always been interested in. In my opinion, I don’t think it’s the best idea.”
“WHAT? NO! Why not? Dad you know this is one of my dreams. It can’t always be about Adam, and you know it!” I quickly responded.
“Bender, now listen…”
“Stop! I don’t want to hear it anymore. It’s always about him. Adam this, Adam that. Dad, I’m sick and tired of feeling this way. Feeling like I have no purpose to live anymore besides for Adam. I know that sounds rude, but I can’t take it anymore sir. Just leave me alone; you’ll never truly understand my emotions inside. I really hate you and mom, but most importantly I hate Adam.”
No sooner those three crucial but honest words left my mouth, I ran upstairs, locked my bedroom door, and never left my bed for a full week. I wasn’t able to see their faces. That Monday, I heard a knock on my door. I knew it was my dad because he was constantly trying to get in contact with me ever since I isolated myself from society. Being in my room helped me gather my feelings, and improve myself for the better. At least I hoped. From this I agreed to open my door, but shockingly it wasn’t my dad.
“Hello Bender, don’t be frightened. My name is General Chase Ford. I will be your head captain at San Francisco Defense Academy. Get dressed and pack your bags. Be downstairs in exactly 30 minutes. No later!”
Before I could even respond, he disappeared simultaneously. After packing my whole wardrobe, I turned around to head out my door, but instantly General Chase was standing there in front of it. He explained to me that there would be no goodbyes, no tears, and no freedom. I had no choices, and there were rules for everything. The only thing I would do at this academy was fight. Fight all the pain away I have been suffering from. After I agreed to everything the General stated, the next moment we were standing on the battlefield. I was already dressed in army gear prepared for my first mission.
I stood there facing a boy with red hair and blue eyes. His name was Ryan, and it was his third year here at the SFDA. I thought I had no chance at beating him, but with hope and power, I did. It was a brutal fight but it was well worth it. This mission showed the other boys who I was and what I can provide this academy with. My fellow acquaintances were quickly to label me as Bender, the Brains. I never doubted my intelligence, but I did doubt some of the friendships I had with the kids around me.
Ever since I ranked up to third prestige, I have been doing things I’ve never imagined. Everything has been going great the past 3 months. I am happy with life right now, and none of this would have been possible without the help of General Chase Ford. I was approaching the day I faced the toughest soldier here at the academy, and this would define my fate. I went in the combat zone with a firm attitude and strong willpower. The task was to driver your automobile 21000 meters at a speed of 70 m/s, then complete a puzzle involving robots and their operations, and the final step was to set the path your enemy on fire using your robot. I was already off to a bad start when the engine of my car was not working properly. This put me 2 seconds behind my opponent. Once I fixed my car, I breezed through the other parts of the obstacle. The final task seemed the most frustrating and tense. I thought it would be the easiest, but operating the robot was quite difficult since I had to determine where the switch was to shatter my enemy. It came down to the last few seconds when the anxiety within me reached its maximum level. I pressed the button on the wall, and there I was. Flames and screams that resembled my achievement. The next few days were pretty lax; everyone either envied me or were frightened of the consequences they would face if they offended me in any way. This made the boys keep their distance. This feeling of authority and power left me once I heard General Chase said, “Bender, we have to talk. Something serious happened.” Right then I knew my life would be changed forever.
“Bender, we just got the news from your parents that Adam is severely sick and is on his death bed. Your parents claimed that the only way for him to live is if you give him a bone marrow. They want you home. Your brother Adam is expected to only have one more day to live. Your family would really appreciate it if you were at least home spending time with them for the last day at the least.”
“Sir, I just can’t go home. That’s my past, the old me. This place here, this is my home. I would never have been who I am today without the SFDA. Going back home would only remind me of how things used to be. How I felt each day, and the terrifying memories that haunted me. I just don’t think I can handle going back home.” I couldn’t control myself any longer. I broke down in tears right in front of General Chase. This was such a disgrace.
“Bender, do it for me. Just go home! Your family needs you. The least you can do is think about it. Please?” General Chase said.
I had nothing else to say. I stood there facing fear right in the eye. One road was leading to my family back home, and the other bringing me back to my room at the Academy. Lets just put it this way, I took the road less traveled by, and it was the worst decision of my life. It haunted me. It made me regret every choice I’ve ever made, and led me to a place now where I feel nothing. I have no soul, no family, nothing at all.
ENG3-008
- Term
- 2011-12