Picture Day (William’s class; taught this week by Madeline and Liam) By Peri Gordon, 11 “I don’t think you understand,” sighed the principal. “If a child misses Picture Day, there will be no makeup date....

I‌‌walked‌‌around‌‌the‌‌strange‌‌world.‌‌The‌‌people‌‌of‌‌it‌‌all‌‌had‌‌different‌‌reactions‌‌to‌‌my‌‌existence.‌‌                  Some‌‌noticed‌‌me,‌‌some‌‌just‌‌continued‌‌on.‌‌The‌‌people‌‌here‌‌were‌‌blurred‌‌and‌‌foggy.‌‌They‌‌were‌‌                 graying‌‌and‌‌any‌‌color‌‌they‌‌barely‌‌had‌‌was‌‌muted.‌‌As‌‌if‌‌they‌‌were‌‌on‌‌the‌‌verge‌‌of‌‌disappearing.‌‌                   I‌‌keep‌‌on‌‌going.‌‌Until‌‌I‌‌find‌‌someone‌‌different.‌‌Their‌‌colors‌‌are‌‌bright.‌‌When‌‌they‌‌noticed‌‌me‌‌                  their‌‌colors‌‌changed.‌‌Their‌‌skin‌‌went‌‌bright‌‌yellow,‌‌their‌‌hair‌‌was‌‌now‌‌a‌‌startling‌‌purple‌‌and‌‌their‌‌                  eyes‌‌were‌‌pink.‌‌Suddenly‌‌they‌‌pivoted‌‌and‌‌ran‌‌through‌‌a‌‌shortcut‌‌which‌‌I‌‌would‌‌swear‌‌on‌‌my‌‌                  life‌‌hadn’t‌‌been‌‌there‌‌before.‌‌I‌‌started‌‌to‌‌jog,‌‌and‌‌then‌‌run‌‌towards‌‌the‌‌shortcut.‌‌I‌‌was‌‌a‌‌foot‌‌                    away‌‌when‌‌the‌‌shortcut‌‌closed‌‌up,‌‌turning‌‌into‌‌a‌‌solid‌‌wall.‌‌I‌‌groaned‌‌in‌‌defeat‌‌until‌‌I‌‌notice‌‌an‌‌                    alleyway.‌‌I‌‌follow‌‌it,‌‌and‌‌suddenly‌‌I'm‌‌chasing‌‌the‌‌strange‌‌person‌‌again.‌‌The‌‌terrain‌‌seems‌‌to‌‌be‌‌                  evolving‌‌to‌‌help‌‌the‌‌runner‌‌by‌‌creating‌‌paths‌‌and‌‌ramps‌‌for‌‌them,‌‌but‌‌only‌‌hurdles‌‌&‌‌hills‌‌for‌‌                   me.‌ ‌I‌ ‌run‌ ‌and‌ ‌run‌ ‌until‌ ‌I‌ ‌fall‌ ‌down‌ ‌panting‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌runner‌ ‌disappears.‌ ‌I‌ ‌wake‌ ‌up‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌cold‌ ‌sweat.‌‌‌  

I‌ ‌am‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌dark‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌dark‌ ‌likes‌ ‌me.‌ ‌I‌ ‌have‌ ‌forgotten‌ ‌the‌ ‌song‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌talent‌ ‌show,‌ ‌so‌ ‌I‌ ‌make‌‌  up‌ ‌my‌ ‌own.‌ ‌It‌ ‌goes‌ ‌like‌ ‌this:‌ ‌“I‌ ‌am‌ ‌in‌ ‌love‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌...

I‌ ‌remember‌ ‌when‌ ‌I‌ ‌was‌ ‌little‌ ‌I‌ ‌had‌ ‌an‌ ‌imaginary‌ ‌friend‌ ‌named‌ ‌Car.‌ ‌I‌ ‌remember‌ ‌she‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌ghost‌‌  and‌ ‌lived‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌kitchen‌ ‌closet.‌ ‌Funny‌ ‌how‌ ‌a‌ ‌ghost‌ ‌‌lived‌ ‌‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌kitchen‌ ‌closet.‌ ‌I‌...

I pushed the charred curtain out of the way as I stepped outside. The ground was blackened with the ash of everything that was destroyed. Bones littered the ground. Smoke filled the air. My parents...

Puffs of Jenna’s breath clouded her vision as sherushed down the road. It was a frosty winter day in Mridaria, and the bustling streets werecrowded with multicolored gowns. The cozy smell of nutmeg fit the...

DIng-dong Veronica pushed the doorbell a second time, and heardloud voices coming from inside the mansion. “It's unlocked!,” Her new best friend Emma Chandlerhollered from inside her house. Veronica twisted the doorknob, suddenly feeling a...