What if? by John Sevey

What if looks didn’t matter, and popularity was a myth? What if people could just be nice to one another without the drama? What if life was that simple? Where people could be friends with everyone that they meet. Where war was a word that was never spoken of. A place where violence wasn’t heard of. Where people didn’t make fun of each other for being different. Where people didn’t have to live up to looks that are impossible to reach. A simple place. A happy place. A place that the world today will never reach because standards have already been set to high. But if everybody could ask the simple question of what if, could the world possibly change?

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Norm by Tanner Eastlick

Have you ever ridden in an elevator while facing the back wall? Try it some time and just see what people think or say. A lot of the time they will simply let the elevator go by and catch the next one. Why is this? Are we humans really so socially inept that we are afraid of things that are socially out of the norm?            

The next person that you talk to, try looking about a foot higher than their head while you talk. Notice their reaction. Do they look where you are looking? Or are they so socially correct that they just carry on with you, in your conversation?
    

Just think about the things that you do without thinking. When you are occupied in a public restroom and someone walks in, Why not just let it rip? It’s not like that person’s ever going to see you again. And if he dose take notice of your embarrassing bodily functions, just explain to him that when food digests, it creates gasses inside of your intestines.
   

Sure, some of you might be thinking that my logic might be somehow skewed, but if you really think about it, courtesy is only lying, and lying is a sin. 

I know that some things are socially intolerable, I just don’t see why. 

If a man walks down the street wearing a bikini, everyone is going to stare at him and crack jokes. But if you see a woman wearing the same bikini on a beach, then it’s just a way to catch some rays. Well, the man may have had the same intentions. It could have been hot, and he might not have had a beach to go to. So, why not catch some good old fashioned Vitamin D  on the way to the office?
    

I just can’t seem to figure out what is so wrong with being abnormal in public. Walking through Wal-Mart can be a hassle. Why not make it fun for everyone? Skip down the hallways singing to the music on your iPod. Make motor noises as you steer the shopping cart through the produce section. Ask people how their day has been, and if they like the color of your hat. Why not be random, love at random, and live randomly? After all, life is short and the best way to pass the time is through laughter.

Whether it is your own, or someone else’s.

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The Hunted by Laura Grube

Up and down the woods 
sounds of fear and terror were around
The leaves crackling, trees creaking, little screeches
The feeling that someone is creeping along after you
Holding a machete to your head 
dripping in crimson red fluid from the last kill
That’s just your mind freaking you out – it’s not real
But after you hear the creaking and screeching
It all comes back to your mind
Your hands shaking so hard, in a cold sweat
Wishing you were home in your warm bed
Why did you take this walk in the mountains?
Someone is stalking you
You can hear its wheezy breathing, heavy footsteps
Someone or something is behind you
Whenever you turn around you feel 
eyes peeking out from behind
The darkness of the bushes
Once you turn around and see it
There is nowhere to hide
No time to run
The eyes are bright yellow
Teeth of razors
This is it
You will not be found
Not even your bones
You're caught, so give up
The cougar will give you no mercy

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Romeo Revisited by Megan Kemp

"Romeo, oh Romeo, where art thou Romeo?”

“Silly! Oh, silly! Why are you here?”

“Please come see me?”

“No! I don’t like you.”

Juliet walks downstairs to the front door and says, “Leave me alone.”

“Never. I am in love with you, whatever 'in love' means. Is it good or bad?”

“Bad!” says Juliet.

“Oh,” says Romeo.

“Leave me alone.”

“I shall never leave your open wounded window!”

“Leave me the h___ alone!”

Juliet puts her iPod on and headphones in.

“My love, my sweet, sweet love. Your heart desires me, I think?"

“Blah, blah, blah. I can't hear you! I see your lips moving, but I hear nothing.” Juliet stands singing aloud to herself.

“Juliet, your love so sweet, your voice so tender, please come down and sweetly talk to me?” As Romeo climbs through the trees and to the balcony to see Juliet, she softly closes her door, and starts dancing and signing.

Romeo continues to talk, to himself. “Juliet, Juliet. I….I…. I love you!”

Juliet ignores him. Soon enough she closes the window, door, and drapes. 

Romeo realizes he shall come back tomorrow night.

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Snow Who? by Janey Willis

Once upon a time, not so long ago, in a kingdom pretty far away, I lived in a castle just outside the kingdom. Almost everyone hated me, but hey, I was pretty evil, so I guess I can’t blame them.

The king and queen were blessed with a daughter, Aurora, and oh, she was beautiful. But as I said, back then I was pretty mad at the world, so I wanted her to suffer. After those stupid little fairies cast their good spell on her, I cursed her to die on her sixteenth birthday. Her parents feared, so she all of a sudden disappeared.

“Oh why have we not found her all these years?” I asked my henchmen one day.  Well, it turns out that the stupidheads had been looking for a baby for sixteen years.  “You idiots," I said. "She is sixteen now! Look for a young woman.”

 “Uh, yeah. OK,” babbled my main henchman.

I knew that they would not find her so I went onto Facebook and looked and looked for a girl like her, I could not find anything. It was useless.  So, I waited patiently in my palace watching reruns of SuperNanny and eating leftover Chinese food until my iPhone rang. It was my henchman. He had found the princess living in cottage in the woods. He told me that Aurora had seen the prince, and that it just happened to be her sixteenth birthday, and that she was going to the kingdom that night to get married.

I was thrilled.

I could lure her to a spinning wheel and make her die!  I got up from my bed, took off my fuzzy bathrobe and slipped into my, 'evil gown’, as I called it. I put on my very white make-up and horns, and I looked evil again, just like that. As I walked out the door I grabbed my staff and a raven named Lucifer and was ready to raise hell at the royal wedding. I arrived just as Princess Aurora did. She was pretty bent out of shape because she had met her true love that day, only to have to leave to go marry some prince. Little did she know that the prince was the person she was marrying.

Yeah, what a coincidence.

I got to where she was getting ready for her wedding and saw her there crying her eyes out in a wedding gown. Back then I enjoyed people who were sad, so this made me laugh. I did not see the fairies around, so I cast a spell on her to go and prick herself. Without her even thinking she went to the top tower and pricked herself and died.  I got away before they knew it was me that had done it. You know the rest. Her parents got very mad, the fairies cast a spell to make her sleep until she got true love's kiss. 

Here's what you don't know: After that I quickly got back to my palace in the mountains. And just as I was getting into my bubble bath I heard the doorbell ring.

 “Lucille!”  I yelled to my maid. “Get the door now!"

 “Yes, ma’am!” she yelled back

Boy was I scared when that prince ran into my bathroom, with me naked as the day I was born! I put my robe on and we went at it for a while. As you all think he killed me, but I'm a player. I played dead, and as soon as he left to give Aurora her true love's kiss and then they got married.

I hopped a plane to L.A. for a while so they would not catch me.

I decided to move after that–being evil wasn’t any fun in that kingdom anymore. I got a husband, moved to the suburbs, and had kids, and now I’m a soccer mom by day and an evil witch by night.

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The Hunted by Bailey Engel

It was a rainy day,

 The sky was full of dark clouds. 

The air smelled like death,

Not so much that it smelled like death,

 But sounded like death.

Shots were being fired.

It was hunting season.

It was time for me

 To put all my practice before this to good use.

Practice of running and dogging bullets.

 It was an exhilarating feeling,

For the hunter and me.

The feeling of not knowing if I was going to get hit,

 A nervous feeling of anxiety.

 One of use would either be

Excited, sad, or gone.       

I pounced around

As long as I possible could

Until…

BOOM!

I was hit, but just barley,

So I kept going.

I made it to a thin, narrow spot

That I knew the hunter wouldn’t be able to

Fit or squeeze into.

At last

I was safe.

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The Feeling of Being Hunted by Talisha Liles

You know that feeling that you get once you've watched a scary movie that involves people about your age or older being followed, chased down and killed? You feel that same adrenaline those people must have experienced in that situation. Sometimes, when you go into a room you feel as if you're being watched, that even if your window curtain is down someone can still see you.  In the shadows there are piercing eyes staring at your every movement, waiting for that perfect moment for you to turn your back. It feels as if you're not alone. You start to make yourself sick thinking about all the possibilities that could be behind the closed door–or behind the bathroom curtain–making your stomach turn to knots, and your head hurt so bad it starts to spin. You can't sleep because when you close your eyes you're afraid to open them.

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Cow Wrangling by Hayley Kau

It was a nice summer day that I was going to enjoy by just laying out in the sun, but I heard the four words I hate most: the cows are out.

It seems like every summer, at least one day out of every month, the cows break through the fence and go to our neighbor’s field.

This time, we had to go and saddle up the horses because the stupid cows were to far out to rescue on foot. I went out to the barn and got the horse I was going to ride. That horse's name was Rafeen. First, I had to haul the saddle and the saddle blanket from the truck all the way to the horses. The only person who was on foot was my dad. He brought a lasso. 

When we reached the heard there was this one cow who just keep running away. When my dad finally got that lasso around its neck, it took off–with my dad trying to hang on for dear life. It seemed like my dad was on water skis. I was laughing so hard I almost fell off my horse.  It took us a while, after that, to catch that cow.

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Romeo and Juliet Revised by Casey Willits

 The scene takes place in preschool in Verona

(Baby Romeo enters to find Juliet sucking on her thumb)

Romeo– I am here my Juliet!

Juliet– Leave me alone (Turns away from Romeo)

Romeo– Can I get you some warm milk and some goldfish to mellow you down?

Juliet– No! (Screams and walks away)

Juliet– Teacher, Romeo keeps on saying nice things to me

Teacher– Well, maybe he has a crush on you

Juliet– But I hate him!

Teacher– Maybe you should at least talk to him

Juliet– No. He is stupid

Teacher– If that is what you think then I can’t tell you any different

(Juliet walks over to see Romeo in a black suit, sitting at a table with roses and candles on the table)

Juliet – Are you having a tea party?

Romeo– No I am trying to flatter you

Juliet– That is dumb, Why are you so dumb?

Romeo– Maybe I’m dumb because of love

Juliet– Well I hate love

Romeo– You can’t run from fate

Juliet– Watch me

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My Greatest Memory by Buddy Myers

My greatest memory was when I got my truck. I remember when I first woke up it was a Saturday morning. I'd just gotten out of bed and my parents were dressed and getting ready to go to town, and then to Sweet Home (where my truck was), but I did not know that.

About an hour and a half passed and I started to wonder where they had gone.

About another hour and a half passed, and a truck that I did not recognize pulled into the driveway, and then our Ford pulled in beside it. When I saw the truck, I had mixed emotions. I ran outside and hugged both of my parents and almost cried. When I ran outside I could smell the old truck's exhaust, which I loved. The truck was black and silver and had a red pinstripe and a 6-inch lift. It was a long bed, 1986 Chevy 4x4 with 35-inch tires. There is only one problem: I'm only fourteen (but I will be fifteen on May Third).  

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Super Hero by Eli Lay

Sam Mathews was an ordinary everyday window cleaner, nothing special–just a part time job until he graduated college. The only problem he had was he wasn’t all that bright. So graduating college was harder than you would think. 

Sam loved the view from where he would clean the 35th floor apartment building window on the corner of 8^th and Barger in downtown Portland, Oregon. He had only been up there once. He was deathly afraid of heights he would convince his co-worker Jim to do that floor. Today was different, however. He was by himself. Jim, who was supposed to clean that floor, had died the other day. They say he got hypothermia from the wind chill and fell thirty plus floors to his death, but Sam secretly knew something was suspicious about that because the wind blows from the west and they were on the east part of the building.

Sam had cleaned every window when suddenly he felt it a strong chill running down his spine. He broke out into a cold sweat and no longer could stand. He tumbled over and landed safely on the scaffold. He started to mumble something when he suddenly blacked out. When he woke all he could see was white. 

He took in his surroundings. He was laying face down on the scaffolding. His ears and arms where tingling. He reached up and touched his ears. They had changed and the tops of his ears were pointy like an elf’s. He looked at his hands and he was shocked. He had symbols on his hands in the shape of fire and they shined a silvery red.

Sam stood. He peered through the window. To his amazement, he saw a glowing green asteroid that had put a hole through the roof and landed in the apartment's fireplace.  After much deliberation he decided to go check it out so he went to lower himself down. He saw something strange (as if what happened to him wasn’t strange enough): he saw his partner Jim (who had died from falling of the lift earlier that week) was in the room looking for the rock. Sam touched the window so that he could see through the window better. He went to press his head against it when it began glowing red. He took his hands off and the glass shattered into hundreds of pieces. 

Jim shot a glance at Sam with an icy gaze then he spoke. “You can’t take it from me.” He reached behind his back and grabbed something. He pulled it from behind him and lifted it above his head. It was a long, skinny sliver of ice. It somewhat resembled a javelin. Sam exclaimed in terror, “Jim, don’t do this! We're old friends, right?”

Jim replied, “No. You were friends with Jim and he is a thing of the past now. I am known as Ice Man and once I find that rock, no one will stop me.” He thrust it at Sam.

Sam threw up his hands to protect himself and like Mt. Saint Helens erupting, fire burst from his hands, sending Jim through the walls and out a window, on the opposing side of the building. Jim fell 35 stories until he was abruptly shish kabobbed by a lamppost.

Sam spoke. “I like the idea of having a super name. In fact, everyone can now call me Elf Ears, the amazing. My motto will be, 'have no fear, Elf Ears is here.” 

            
Sam went on to save the world, but six months later he was struck by a stalling 747 Boeing airplane and was killed on impact.

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Brussels Sprouts by Nephi Jentzsch

I hate Brussels sprouts. They are my most eschewed vegetable. First off they are a greenish, puckish color and they look like regurgitated Rocky Mountain Oysters. The stench of them when they are being cooked makes me gag like the smell of an unflushed toilet. If you don’t cook them right they get about as slimy and snotty as the inside of a nose with a cold. I have but one piece of advice for farmers: trade out that lovely patch of Brussels sprouts with some carrots.

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The Day by Kaitlin Hogate

It was the day I couldn’t wait for. The drive seemed like it took hours. We were on our way to Oakridge to look at a new horse. We had found him on craigslist. He was a beautiful dark brown with a black mane and tail. 

When we finally arrived I could hardly sit still. He was even more amazing then in the pictures. He was a Quarter Horse, Spanish Mustang cross. He had the muscular build of a Quarter Horse, with the elegance and beauty of a Spanish Mustang. His mane was full and pure black. He had only one white sock, which was located on his left back leg. With the soft touch of his muzzle against my hand, it was meant to be. His eyes were nervous, but also so curious. He had the build of a stallion, with wondrous posture and a look of great speed. He was labeled as a trail horse, but I saw more. 

The owners leased him to us for a few weeks. As we cantered around the arena with the sun shining down, all you could hear was the beat of his hooves pounding into the arena dirt. The sound was almost like a heart beat. He was a part of me, and I was a part of him. As we became closer, we were able to gain trust. All summer long we were together, under the hot sun working barrels, flags, and poles. In the year-end show, together, we won sixteen ribbons total.

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