I shuffled through the crowd as I pushed and nudged my way toward the front of the stage as the smoke covered the bright colored lights creating a miasma of reds and blues, the band now hidden by the smoke as the excited crowd roared and cheered while the band tuned their instruments.  The show was about to begin but I was still stuck near the middle of the crowd with my vision obscured by hands and heads that were fully alert and in the air. The combination of human limbs and colored smoke created a feeling of joy within me, seeing all these people enjoying my favorite band so much made me feel like people finally understood me and my interests. For the first time in my life I felt like I belonged to a family rather than just another group of people to judge me . I attempted to squeeze my way through the crowd of people who were now shoving and pushing back since the band finally started playing. I got shoved badly a few times as the band sang “Defiance” which got me pumped up as well. Eventually the crowd got a bit too riled up and at one of the lyrics “The blood in my mouth is not my own” I saw someone in the crowd bite a guy’s arm to the point where it drew blood; as the rest of the crowd began to seemingly start a riot. The chaos was overwhelming, people were throwing punches and elbows, some people even biting others until blood was pouring out of their skin and onto the hard-concrete floor, and I didn’t see any but I’m sure there were a few knives in the crowd that day. I got beaten up and bruised rather badly before I managed to dive under the stage and hide away as the crowd got louder and more violent while the band just kept on playing as if it was nothing.  I stayed hidden and quiet until the concert was scheduled to end I figured I’d at least get to hear the concert even if a few ribs were cracked. However, I could still hear some fighting and even some terrified screams. I decided to crawl back out from under the stage as my face went pale and I covered my mouth to lessen my feelings of nausea. All that was left of the crowd was a mass of human limbs and colored smoke with the few beaten up survivors hovering over the bodies and gnawing on warm bloody limbs as the sound of tearing flesh was accompanied by an overflow of blood. I was about to panic when I saw the lead singer for the band turn to me with eyes as red and the blood coating his lips and dribbling from the corner of his mouth to his chin. “What’s wrong? Don’t you want to be a part of the family?” He asked as if encouraging me to join him, his words seemingly capturing me. I fell to my knees and took a bite of the fresh meal that they had so lovingly prepared for me, and I’m proud to say that I’ve been touring with them ever since.

William Reiland

The scene opens and we see ten men with foot long goatees all dressed in immaculately white wedding dresses standing on a dark stage. A single spotlight shines on them. Everything is completely still except for their mouths moving with the chant, when suddenly they split apart in the middle. A figure emerges from the darkness behind them, but it’s silhouette is difficult to make out considering it is wearing a black cloak. The mystery continues until the figure comes into the light and takes off its hood. The peculiar man is none other than Pope Francis himself! Pope Francis takes over singing the chant and the audience goes wild. The screen pans over showing the watcher that the video takes place in a historic theater. Every individual in the audience is wearing only yellow overalls, how odd and fashionable. The camera moves back to the ten men and Pope Francis signing. The screen fades away to various shots of the men kind of like the Catholic Masses on TV every night. The Gregorian Chant fills the auditorium until it finally ends. It was beginning to get a little weird for the audience and the watcher considering that at every pause Pope Francis would dab. The video closes with the audience giving a standing applause, and then immediately leaving, as fast as they could really.

Walking along the dock I stop and take in a deep breath. Smelling the fresh mountain air and seeing the sun bounce off the surface of the water, I smile and relax. So peaceful, so majestic. No bosses around to bother me. No cars, no noisy people, no tall buildings, no greasy smells, no nothing. Just nothing, but me and nature. I walk down the dock, feeling a slight breeze. The sun surrounded my skin, fending all the cold away. I sit down at the end of the dock taking my sandals off. I hang my feet in the water. It was cool, but not the chilling cool. It was a nice cool, that sends good vibes up and down your body. Making it tingle with the sense that it’s finally relaxing after such a hard year. I look at my feet, seeing the water surround them. Not caring that something just invaded its space. I lean over sticking my fingers in, feeling it glide by without a care in the world. I wish I could do that. I hear someone call out. Looking up I see it’s the people that own one of the three other cabins near the lake. I wave as they go by on their canoe. The one invites me over for a barbecue later on. I accept it kindly and wave goodbye.

I keep sitting looking around, closing my eyes. Listening to nature. The sound of the water hitting the bottom and pillars of the dock. I listen to the wind dance through the tree leaves. The birds sending out their songs to give rhythm to the wind. The splash of a careless fish, as it plays around in its home. And finally me, my breathing. In and out, in and out. Slow and steady, with no skips or jolts. Embracing each and every sound I open my eyes. And see the full beauty that is around me.

Dear Vine,

We first met when I was in middle school. You were love at first sight, but a true player from the beginning because everyone loved you too. I was simply browsing the internet as I stumbled upon your app. I was instantly inspired by the humor and creativity that you showed. We spent hours together, having a good laugh and being entertained by endless videos. You and I even spent Christmas together, as you wished me a “Merry Chrysler”. Although you are now dead, I will mourn your loss forever. Your death in 2017 was a heartbreaking day because we’ve spent countless years together and have made many memories. You helped me meet other people and connect to other friends through our shared interest in you. Vine, you will forever be in my memories and have a special place in all of our hearts. I could always count on you to be there when I was down, so it was as if I had a bad break up when you met your demise. I hear you might be resurrected from the dead someday, and if that happens, I will be waiting for you always on the other side. R.I.P my friend, gone but never forgotten.

What is Fortnite. Fortnite is a very special planet. Many islands scatter throughout the planet. There is no form of lifestyle, but more like a game. Every 10 hours, new people arrive, but only one person makes it out alive. 100 people will gather up on an island on Fortnite and then get into a plane. Everyone will skydive from the plane, landing at all different locations. The only thing everyone has is a pickaxe. Weapons and other consumables are scattered throughout the planet. Everyone must search for the weapons. It will then be a fight to the death. You can choose to partner up with a companion or go in lone wolf style. Last one standing, is the champion. The champion will receive $1,000. This, is Fortnite.

A lot of my vivid childhood memories involve my dad and sisters. One of my favorites though, is when we decided we wanted a tire swing. My dad is the landlord of an apartment complex down the street from my house. By the dumpster, there were big tires that were probably from a truck. My older sisters and I ran down to that dumpster and chose our favorite tire to roll up the ally to our house. My dad made us hose it off and clean it with soap. Once we were done, my dad hung it from our tree with a yellow nylon rope. We would take turns pushing each other on it, but we would always fight about whose turn it was to be on the swing. So, one night, we had the brilliant idea to all get on the swing (the swing was absolutely not big enough for this). My oldest sister Morgan sat on top of the tire, and my other older sister Cassie sat on the top as well, and they were facing each other, pretty much only holding on to the rope at stay on. My younger sister Kiara and I sat in the center of the tire the same way they were facing each other. We wrapped our legs around the person across from us to keep ourselves on the swing, except when we had to push off the tree. This worked for a bit until we started to hear a snapping noise. My parents sat on our deck watching us. A bit later, we heard an extra loud snap and suddenly, we were falling from the tree. All four of us are scattered around the ground in pain, and mourning for our broken tire swing. We were devastated. If only we had taken turns, our swing would not be broken, and we would not all be in agony from the pain due to falling out of the tree. This event of course, lead to a different argument, of who was the one that caused the swing to break. We stood in our yard screaming at each other until our parents yelled at us to make us stop. After that, we never were allowed to get another tire swing.

Dear football,

We came into each other’s lives when I was just five years old.  It started when I was so little playing football in Coatesville and I found my love for you.  I would tuck you high up in my hands against my body and run with you for as long as I could.  I made a vow to myself to never drop you when I had you and I was doing so good with that promise as I came up through little leagues.  Even though I loved basketball as well and you started to become jealous and questioned the love I had for you.  I tried to convince you I loved you so dearly, and then something bad happened… I had to get surgery and I couldn’t play football that season and it left you heart broken and it split us apart for a long time.  During the time, we began to see other people as I saw basketball more and more and basketball was getting all my attention now.  Until finally, we met again and we picked up right where we left off.  You have brought me wonderful things in my life so far, can take me so many places in life and will take me to college as well.  I hope to see us go further than college someday football.

Love, Javi