I died on April 18, 1966. It wasn’t a fast death or a torturous one. I merely faded from existence. I suppose I was born once, but my parents never held me. I remember the day I was born, the moon was heavy, dragging the stars down along with it. The night was somber and dead and the lively corn stalks sang high into the atmosphere. At first, I couldn’t see anything, but I could hear the crow serenading my limp, infant form. It was the late summer and the cornstalks were wilting, I could smell autumn being born, but for me, time stood still.
Off away, in the deadening horizon were the whispers of hush noises. A boy and a girl emerged, like me, they were nameless, nonexistent. The girl, her wide forehead and heart lips, swung me onto her shoulders, and fastened me with her scarf. Their bare feet marched, deep into the cornstalks.
Winter fell swiftly, heavily on top of two ambiguous silhouettes, their bare feet marching. We wandered into the woods, thick heavy tress sheltered us against the turbulence. We ate the carcasses and flesh of the deer who could not outrun the death of winter. Together we were alone, but never lonely. The girl whose shoulders I borrowed never cried in frustration, in desperation. She never mourned nor appeared funereal, her expression always steadfast, and the boy who led us, his brows always furrowed. Near the heart of the lynching trees stood a wide, meadow clearing. A small field, absent of sound, was fenced in by thick tree trunks. We had begun to settle when we heard the echoes of low growls, waltzing through the misshapen trees.
The indigenous people of this area had once told rumors of giant wolves, larger than seven feet when standing on their hind legs. The people and the rumors had died, but the wolves did not. The girl, the boy, and I held our breaths, listened intently on the paw prints, but the wolves made no sound. Then, the sound of growling came from all sides.
‘Crunch,’ the beasts pace quickened and they no longer worried about stealth. They lunged into the clearing. There were five of them, dirty, gray coats protected them against the wind. Their eyes were hollow, calculating their next meal.
The first one lunged from behind. Its teeth, an index finger long and its jaw, menacing with drool. The child flung forward, jumping, her little feet sprinting through the cold fangs of snow. The young boy followed quickly. The other wolves snarled behind us. There was no way we could outrun them. The little girl began weaving through the trees. The big wolves were not as agile as her. Two collided with bark, the other three were suddenly more tenacious. Branches whipped into our faces, our feet being eaten by the snow, more snarling. They were close now, We could see them running beside us, their white bodies a blur. We ran towards the sound of rushing water.
A cliff stood before us, linking another landmass by a single, rickety, wooden bridge. She glanced at the young boy, they were moving further and further apart, but his smile reassured her. She began crossing the bridge, tiny foot in front of tiny foot. She reached the end. He was still at the beginning, knife in hand. Her wide eyes grew larger.
For a second the sunlight faded. The bridge fell apart and so did our little family. He ran back into the woods. Suddenly deep within the nothingness of the woods, a foreign, white, figure raced. The shape jumped and for a second we mistook it for a moving mass of snow.
Before us stood the mother, she had leapt across the river and her coat was pure white. She stood on her hind legs. The mother stood almost seven feet. She smirked, her fangs making up half of her face. Her eyes were bloodshot and mad. I could feel us slipping, and then the ledge broke. We all fell into the river, but we were striving to survive. Our family did not die that day. We could not die without each other.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Welcome to the world baby -- Cherokee sanders, Grade 9
It was a sunny day in July and my family was having a picnic in the park. Everyone was there and me and my favorite cousin Sharon was just sitting on the bench watching the girls jump double Dutch and watching the boys play basket ball and while we were sitting there watching our family enjoy the picnic I thought to myself and said “this day couldn’t get any better”. That is until my brothers girlfriend water broke and she went into labor. Every one was hysterical except me and her I mean I thought the parent was suppose to act like that but I guess not. When I seen her water break and she started screaming I thought I was going to fall out I mean I never seen anyone go into labor before so I was really shocked. My brother and my mom got her in the car as quick they could and they started down the rode to HCMC. As soon as we got there they rushed her to the emergency room and she was screaming and squeezing things and she reached for my hand but I had no idea that she was going to squeeze it that hard it was like she was squeezing the life out of my hand. So here we all are in the delivery room well not all of us just me my mom and my brother and there she is just pushing away and taking deep breaths every chance she got and after like ten pushes you can see his head and right then and there I thought I was going to faint but I manage to stay on my feet .as she’s pushing and pushing the baby is just staying In one place and then finally she got so mad and yelled “get this baby out of me” and as soon as she said that he came out a liltle more and every time she yelled he kept coming until he finally came out he was 6pounds and seven ounces. When it was my tern to hold him I just stared at him and then I whisper softly to him and I said “welcome to the world baby”
Valentine’s Day Special - - Brett Briley 10th grade
I hate Valentines day. It’s a day where the good looking get what they want, and everyone else gets nothing. The day where jocks go out and celebrate with their girls, and everyone else sits back in the shadows and watch them. And the day where my spirit was put down.
My name’s Jimmy. I’m not very popular here at Northtown High. Just about everything here revolves around the football team and their big-headed quarterback Fred. Fred and I, we can’t stand each other. One day in 3rd grade I accidentally spilled glue on Fred’s chair and he sat on it. After school he waited for me at the park and threw me on the ground and kicked me. Ever since we’ve been doing things to break each other. This mostly turns out in Fred’s favor, and today was no exception. The girl that I’ve dreamed of since 1st grade, Emily, accepted Fred’s invitation of going on a date with him. Now let me tell you a little about Emily. Emily is very hot. She was voted most prettiest girl the last 4 years. She has brown hair and blue eyes that sparkle more than all the water in the world. She’s about mid-sized and plays a great amount of sports. She’s caption of the volleyball team and the cheerleading squad. Besides sports she’s involved with student council, the French club, and money manager for the concession stands. Emily is a really great girl.
The thing that really makes me mad about this situation is that Emily doesn’t even like Fred. She’s always telling me about how she wished Fred would just grow up and act a little more mature, like me. That was a great day. Not only did I finally have a chance to sit down and talk to Emily, I also got a few hugs out of it too! If only every day was like that day. So after school I decided to wait at Emily’s locker for her to see if she wanted to do something. When Emily saw me down the hallway, she smiled and gave me a hand gesture to wait a few minutes. She told each and everyone of her friends goodbye and gave them all hugs before walking over to me. She came up to me and gave me a nice, big hug. She then asked, “What’re you still doing here?” In a shy tender voice I replied, “I wanted to ask you if maybe you wanted to go out and do something tonight.” Emily had to think about it for a moment. She finally whispered, “ Sorry Jimmy, but Fred already asked me.”
Just at that moment big badass Fred walks over and pushed me into the locker next to Emily’s. I stayed on the floor in pain. Fred wasn’t just the quarterback he was a wrestler too. Emily started freaking out, screaming at Fred to leave me alone. Fred just kept kicking me no matter how many times Emily told him to stop. After a few minutes Fred finally let me up. My nose was busted my arm stung, and my clothes were ruined. At this point I was tired of Fred and his bullshit. I turned around and socked him right in the face with my fist. Fred stared at me in shock before he tumbled onto the floor, going into a few hour sleep. I knew that I was going to be in trouble, because nobody ever believed me. But at the end of the day, it didn’t matter to me. I was Emily’s new hero.
My name’s Jimmy. I’m not very popular here at Northtown High. Just about everything here revolves around the football team and their big-headed quarterback Fred. Fred and I, we can’t stand each other. One day in 3rd grade I accidentally spilled glue on Fred’s chair and he sat on it. After school he waited for me at the park and threw me on the ground and kicked me. Ever since we’ve been doing things to break each other. This mostly turns out in Fred’s favor, and today was no exception. The girl that I’ve dreamed of since 1st grade, Emily, accepted Fred’s invitation of going on a date with him. Now let me tell you a little about Emily. Emily is very hot. She was voted most prettiest girl the last 4 years. She has brown hair and blue eyes that sparkle more than all the water in the world. She’s about mid-sized and plays a great amount of sports. She’s caption of the volleyball team and the cheerleading squad. Besides sports she’s involved with student council, the French club, and money manager for the concession stands. Emily is a really great girl.
The thing that really makes me mad about this situation is that Emily doesn’t even like Fred. She’s always telling me about how she wished Fred would just grow up and act a little more mature, like me. That was a great day. Not only did I finally have a chance to sit down and talk to Emily, I also got a few hugs out of it too! If only every day was like that day. So after school I decided to wait at Emily’s locker for her to see if she wanted to do something. When Emily saw me down the hallway, she smiled and gave me a hand gesture to wait a few minutes. She told each and everyone of her friends goodbye and gave them all hugs before walking over to me. She came up to me and gave me a nice, big hug. She then asked, “What’re you still doing here?” In a shy tender voice I replied, “I wanted to ask you if maybe you wanted to go out and do something tonight.” Emily had to think about it for a moment. She finally whispered, “ Sorry Jimmy, but Fred already asked me.”
Just at that moment big badass Fred walks over and pushed me into the locker next to Emily’s. I stayed on the floor in pain. Fred wasn’t just the quarterback he was a wrestler too. Emily started freaking out, screaming at Fred to leave me alone. Fred just kept kicking me no matter how many times Emily told him to stop. After a few minutes Fred finally let me up. My nose was busted my arm stung, and my clothes were ruined. At this point I was tired of Fred and his bullshit. I turned around and socked him right in the face with my fist. Fred stared at me in shock before he tumbled onto the floor, going into a few hour sleep. I knew that I was going to be in trouble, because nobody ever believed me. But at the end of the day, it didn’t matter to me. I was Emily’s new hero.
The Truth Hurts
I hated everything! Nothing was going the way I planned. First, the boy of my dreams, Alexander, wasn’t paying any attention to me. He ignored me and one day he told me something that filled me with anger and disappointment.
It all started the first day of school, when I spotted a new kid in my biology class. He was tall, athletic, with really pretty blue eyes and the best part was his perfect tan. As Ms. Johnson assigned lab partners, I crossed my fingers hoping that Alexander would be mine. I couldn’t stop smiling when she said “Cristina P. and Alexander O.” My heart started to beat faster and faster, I felt like the luckiest girl in the whole world. I was very nervous but I managed to welcome him to the school and to introduce myself. He did the same with a quiet and shy voice. By the end of the day we had become very good friends, so I invited him to go to the mall with me and my friends. Alexander agreed and we went to meet Molly, Katie, and Annie at the mall.
When we got there I introduced him with all my friends and they seemed to get along really good. After a while, my friends, Alexander, and me hanged out a lot until one day I decided to tell him what felt for him. With my voice cracking I told him that I liked him but he told me that he liked my best friend Annie.
It all started the first day of school, when I spotted a new kid in my biology class. He was tall, athletic, with really pretty blue eyes and the best part was his perfect tan. As Ms. Johnson assigned lab partners, I crossed my fingers hoping that Alexander would be mine. I couldn’t stop smiling when she said “Cristina P. and Alexander O.” My heart started to beat faster and faster, I felt like the luckiest girl in the whole world. I was very nervous but I managed to welcome him to the school and to introduce myself. He did the same with a quiet and shy voice. By the end of the day we had become very good friends, so I invited him to go to the mall with me and my friends. Alexander agreed and we went to meet Molly, Katie, and Annie at the mall.
When we got there I introduced him with all my friends and they seemed to get along really good. After a while, my friends, Alexander, and me hanged out a lot until one day I decided to tell him what felt for him. With my voice cracking I told him that I liked him but he told me that he liked my best friend Annie.
The Strange Dream -- By: Ivan Jimenez Grade: 9th
My breath burned in my chest and I was running out of strength there was no doubt about it, he was getting closer, the man with a black mask trying to kidnap me. I was horrified because it was late at night in the city I thought to myself, where is everyone?
Having no idea where they were I kept running, I ran through two buildings and a store but the man in the mask was still behind me about a block away but it felt like he was right beside me.
I kept running, finally I reached to a point where I was too tired too go on, my feet were soar and I could barely feel them so I decided to hide in the very next building I saw but the next building was a small store, I had no other choice I checked behind me the guy in mask was two minutes away from me enough time to hide
So I ran into the store and hided inside a big box of candy waiting for the kidnapper to pass by but the kidnaper walked into the store I took three deep breathes and as the kidnapper got closer I started to panic in my head telling myself “he is going to catch me he is going to catch me!!!” I was breathing harder as he opened the first box but luckily I was in the fourth box, he opened the second box I wasn’t in there, he opened the third box I wasn’t there either when he finally got to my box I screamed in terror jumped out of the box and tried too run but he grabbed my shirt and pulled me back, I fell and fainted for 3 seconds but as I was waking up I saw him putting me in his big black bag I tried too fight my way out of the bag but he tied the bag to tight for me too get out.
He was about to put me in his truck full of kids but suddenly I felt a hit, a hit so soft it felt like a pillow I opened my eyes and it was my little brother on the side of my bed I asked myself “was that just a dream?” I looked around, it was my room but it couldn’t be I was just getting chased by a guy in a mask. I got up from my bed and was thankful that It really didn’t happen I ran downstairs too the kitchen and as I ran downstairs I saw I black figure in my hand, it was a black mask.
Having no idea where they were I kept running, I ran through two buildings and a store but the man in the mask was still behind me about a block away but it felt like he was right beside me.
I kept running, finally I reached to a point where I was too tired too go on, my feet were soar and I could barely feel them so I decided to hide in the very next building I saw but the next building was a small store, I had no other choice I checked behind me the guy in mask was two minutes away from me enough time to hide
So I ran into the store and hided inside a big box of candy waiting for the kidnapper to pass by but the kidnaper walked into the store I took three deep breathes and as the kidnapper got closer I started to panic in my head telling myself “he is going to catch me he is going to catch me!!!” I was breathing harder as he opened the first box but luckily I was in the fourth box, he opened the second box I wasn’t in there, he opened the third box I wasn’t there either when he finally got to my box I screamed in terror jumped out of the box and tried too run but he grabbed my shirt and pulled me back, I fell and fainted for 3 seconds but as I was waking up I saw him putting me in his big black bag I tried too fight my way out of the bag but he tied the bag to tight for me too get out.
He was about to put me in his truck full of kids but suddenly I felt a hit, a hit so soft it felt like a pillow I opened my eyes and it was my little brother on the side of my bed I asked myself “was that just a dream?” I looked around, it was my room but it couldn’t be I was just getting chased by a guy in a mask. I got up from my bed and was thankful that It really didn’t happen I ran downstairs too the kitchen and as I ran downstairs I saw I black figure in my hand, it was a black mask.
The Silent River - anonymous
Jane and I walked down to the river, it was a beautiful morning and I was sure nothing could go wrong. We sat down on the lush green grass next to the calm flowing river. Birds were tweeting and the smell of the outdoors just filled your lungs with the sweetest sensation. Jane and I are best friends we’ve been living with each other since we were both born. I’d have to say that I’m about three weeks older than Jane. Our parents bought a farm together after they got married and ever since, we’ve been living here. Our dads were best friends since the third grade. It was late June and my birthday was just around the corner, July 2nd. The day I turn 18 and boy was I excited.
I wasn’t too sure why Jane asked me to go to the river with her. We usually met there when we just needed sometime away from our parents. But that day, Jane was acting different and I just couldn’t quite get it.
“John?” She asked me in a hushed tone.
“Yeah, Jane? What’s wrong? You seem too gloomy to be my Jane today.” I replied, hoping to make her smile a little.
“Oh! It’s nothing.” She smiled really big. Now, before I get to the next part of my story, I should tell you that for a while no, I’ve been starting to have feelings for Jane. It was not the kind of feeling where I liked her as sister. It was more like the feelings you see on T.V., like the romantic kind. So anyway, I was a little confused when Jane smiled because just before, she looked like she was going to cry.
“Are you sure it’s nothing?” I confusedly asked her.
“Yeah.” She replied. “I just wanted you to come with me today so I could talk to you.”
“About what?” I asked impatiently.
“Well, you know how your birthday is coming up and you’re about to turn 18.” This is what I absolutely love about Jane. She always thought about others and she always remembered dates. Even though her birthday was only three weeks after mine, she still was thinking about my birthday instead of hers.
“Yeah? So?” I asked her trying to act cool.
“I just wanted to give you your birthday present, that’s all. I wanted to give it to you before hand. Is that okay?” her voice was getting a little nervous and shaky.
“Sure, I don’t mind.” Of course I wanted an early birthday present.
“Okay…” she said drifting off. “Close your eye.” And so, I closed me eyes and waited impatiently, and nervously to see what my present was. Then, smack, my heart was beating so fast I thought it was going to fall to the ground. Jane was kissing me! I opened my eyes and there she was, face to face with me. I was in shock; I’ve never felt like this before. Jane got up and ran off. I heard her in the distance screaming, happy birthday! I could feel my face getting hot and red. I got back to reality and ran back to the farm. I turned and looked at the apple tree, Jane was crying. I ran towards her and hugged her not knowing what was wrong. I wiped her tears. “Jane, what happened?” She answered me in quiet sobs,
“My parents want to move to the city, they say it’ll be better for me, better for my future.” She leaned into my chest and hugged me. “I don’t want to go John, I don’t want to go.” I was shocked, but this time, it was a chock of pain. I held her tighter in my arms.
“It’s okay Jane. I’ll make sure that you stay.”
The next morning I woke up and I was determined to talk to Jane’s parents. I skipped breakfast and walked next door. Knock, knock, knock. Mrs. Smith opened the door.
“Why, good morning John. What brings you over here?” I try to respond calmly.
“Good morning Mrs. Smith. I just wanted to visit Jane and Mr. Smith. May I come in?”
“Of course, of course. Come in.” I walked into the house. It looked so similar to mine, every aspect about it. I saw Mr. Smith sitting in the living rom. I walked over and spoke up to him.
“Mr. Smith?”
“Yes son? What brings you here this fine morning?”
“Well you see, I don’t think its right for you guys to decide where Jane gets to live. You can’t make her move to the city.”
“I’m sorry John, but we’ve already made our decision.” Jane comes running in and you can tell that she is infuriated.
“No dad! I won’t go! I don’t want to go. Can’t you just consider my feelings for once?”
“Sorry honey, but no.” I panicked; my mind was racing, so I said the first thing I could think of.
“Mr. Smith, Jane and I want to get married.” It seemed like we were in a movie and everyone just paused. Mr. Smith looked at me from the top of his glasses. By now I was very afraid to see what his response would be.
“Well.” He said. I guess we’ll have to…” he stopped in the middle of his sentence and looked back down at his news paper. “… plan a wedding then, won’t we?” Jane’s face expression went from shocked, from when I said we were getting married, to great joy and a smile when she knew she didn’t have to move anymore. She jumped up in joy and hugged me so tight I almost couldn’t breathe.
Our wedding was held in mid August at Silent River, where we had our first kiss. Now, Jane and I are happier than ever. We have a three year old daughter and we never regretted getting married.
The End
I wasn’t too sure why Jane asked me to go to the river with her. We usually met there when we just needed sometime away from our parents. But that day, Jane was acting different and I just couldn’t quite get it.
“John?” She asked me in a hushed tone.
“Yeah, Jane? What’s wrong? You seem too gloomy to be my Jane today.” I replied, hoping to make her smile a little.
“Oh! It’s nothing.” She smiled really big. Now, before I get to the next part of my story, I should tell you that for a while no, I’ve been starting to have feelings for Jane. It was not the kind of feeling where I liked her as sister. It was more like the feelings you see on T.V., like the romantic kind. So anyway, I was a little confused when Jane smiled because just before, she looked like she was going to cry.
“Are you sure it’s nothing?” I confusedly asked her.
“Yeah.” She replied. “I just wanted you to come with me today so I could talk to you.”
“About what?” I asked impatiently.
“Well, you know how your birthday is coming up and you’re about to turn 18.” This is what I absolutely love about Jane. She always thought about others and she always remembered dates. Even though her birthday was only three weeks after mine, she still was thinking about my birthday instead of hers.
“Yeah? So?” I asked her trying to act cool.
“I just wanted to give you your birthday present, that’s all. I wanted to give it to you before hand. Is that okay?” her voice was getting a little nervous and shaky.
“Sure, I don’t mind.” Of course I wanted an early birthday present.
“Okay…” she said drifting off. “Close your eye.” And so, I closed me eyes and waited impatiently, and nervously to see what my present was. Then, smack, my heart was beating so fast I thought it was going to fall to the ground. Jane was kissing me! I opened my eyes and there she was, face to face with me. I was in shock; I’ve never felt like this before. Jane got up and ran off. I heard her in the distance screaming, happy birthday! I could feel my face getting hot and red. I got back to reality and ran back to the farm. I turned and looked at the apple tree, Jane was crying. I ran towards her and hugged her not knowing what was wrong. I wiped her tears. “Jane, what happened?” She answered me in quiet sobs,
“My parents want to move to the city, they say it’ll be better for me, better for my future.” She leaned into my chest and hugged me. “I don’t want to go John, I don’t want to go.” I was shocked, but this time, it was a chock of pain. I held her tighter in my arms.
“It’s okay Jane. I’ll make sure that you stay.”
The next morning I woke up and I was determined to talk to Jane’s parents. I skipped breakfast and walked next door. Knock, knock, knock. Mrs. Smith opened the door.
“Why, good morning John. What brings you over here?” I try to respond calmly.
“Good morning Mrs. Smith. I just wanted to visit Jane and Mr. Smith. May I come in?”
“Of course, of course. Come in.” I walked into the house. It looked so similar to mine, every aspect about it. I saw Mr. Smith sitting in the living rom. I walked over and spoke up to him.
“Mr. Smith?”
“Yes son? What brings you here this fine morning?”
“Well you see, I don’t think its right for you guys to decide where Jane gets to live. You can’t make her move to the city.”
“I’m sorry John, but we’ve already made our decision.” Jane comes running in and you can tell that she is infuriated.
“No dad! I won’t go! I don’t want to go. Can’t you just consider my feelings for once?”
“Sorry honey, but no.” I panicked; my mind was racing, so I said the first thing I could think of.
“Mr. Smith, Jane and I want to get married.” It seemed like we were in a movie and everyone just paused. Mr. Smith looked at me from the top of his glasses. By now I was very afraid to see what his response would be.
“Well.” He said. I guess we’ll have to…” he stopped in the middle of his sentence and looked back down at his news paper. “… plan a wedding then, won’t we?” Jane’s face expression went from shocked, from when I said we were getting married, to great joy and a smile when she knew she didn’t have to move anymore. She jumped up in joy and hugged me so tight I almost couldn’t breathe.
Our wedding was held in mid August at Silent River, where we had our first kiss. Now, Jane and I are happier than ever. We have a three year old daughter and we never regretted getting married.
The End
The Emancipation - Shaena Swanson, 10th grade
The sun was hurting my eyes and the helmet was pushing awkwardly against my temples, but it was worth it, being on that motorcycle and leaving my old life behind. The worn blacktop road unwound behind us and beyond the horizon laid untapped freedom. We had been trapped here for far too long. It was finally time for us to break the chains, to escape the grip society had held us in our entire lives.
Maverick was driving. He was my boyfriend of two and a half years, and was just as motivated to run away as I was. He’d lived in a trailer park with his father for his entire life, and they had hardly any money. On Valentine’s Day and my birthday, he would give up an entire month’s salary from his minimum-wage job at the lumberyard just to buy me gifts. This motorcycle was a gift from his mother, who had remarried an extremely wealthy software producer and now had more money than she knew what to do with.
Me, I’m just from a small town in Oregon. I’ve lived in the same house my entire life. Everything in my life- my house, my family, the dreadful family-friendly minivan- was the epitome of suburbia. That was my mother’s goal: perfect house, perfect family, and perfect life. Unfortunately for her, I was ruining her master plan by running away with my boyfriend to California.
The sun was beating down hard on my neck. The winters here in Oregon were terrible, below-zero temperatures, icy wind, and foot upon foot of thick snow, but the summers here were also disgusting, in a completely different way of course. It was hot and humid. The air was thick and heavy with beads of moisture that seemed to reflect every ray of sunlight, nearly blinding you every time you stepped outside.
“Sophya, are you alright back there?” Maverick called from the front.
“I’m absolutely fantastic!” His hair blew wildly in the wind, dark brown curls flying all over the place. I laughed and took a look around. This freedom, this emancipation- it was what I had been waiting for my entire life. We needed to get away from our old lives. We needed to start a new one, together, in California. There, we would be happy.
I wrapped my arms around Maverick’s torso and took a deep breath in. He smelled like leather and cigarette smoke. To me, that was the true smell of freedom.
The last thing I remember is the back wheel of the motorcycle catching on something- maybe a pebble- and us spinning out of control. I recall flying off the back of the bike and soaring through the air, but I don’t remember hitting the gravel.
When I woke up, my mother was sitting next to me. She had my hand clutches against her heart. Her tear-streaked face stared at me in awe as I slowly opened my eyes.
“M-mom,” I attempted. It was feeble, and came out as merely a whisper. She just nodded. “W-where’s Maverick?” I asked.
“He’s fine, honey. He’s over in the next room with his father.” Tears, stained black with eye makeup, streamed down her aged face. “Oh, Sophya, I’m so glad you’re alright.”
“W-what happened?” I asked. She told me about when they found the motorcycle, how it was badly scraped up on the side and the back wheel was bent. Maverick hadn’t been as badly injured, just a broken ankle, but I had flown off the back of the bike, hit my head, fractured my right arm in three places and broken two ribs. My entire body was bandaged and covered in road rash.
My mother’s well-manicured hands stoked my left hand. She kept whispering, “I love you Sophya. I’m so glad you’re okay.” It was then that I realized that it doesn’t matter what my mother wanted me to be, or how annoyingly meticulous she was. What was important was our relationship as mother and daughter. I no longer felt out-of-place, no longer felt as though I had to run away to feel happy or free. I had found a different kind of freedom, here in my hometown. I was free from my feelings of inadequacy, and surrounded by those who loved me.
Maverick was driving. He was my boyfriend of two and a half years, and was just as motivated to run away as I was. He’d lived in a trailer park with his father for his entire life, and they had hardly any money. On Valentine’s Day and my birthday, he would give up an entire month’s salary from his minimum-wage job at the lumberyard just to buy me gifts. This motorcycle was a gift from his mother, who had remarried an extremely wealthy software producer and now had more money than she knew what to do with.
Me, I’m just from a small town in Oregon. I’ve lived in the same house my entire life. Everything in my life- my house, my family, the dreadful family-friendly minivan- was the epitome of suburbia. That was my mother’s goal: perfect house, perfect family, and perfect life. Unfortunately for her, I was ruining her master plan by running away with my boyfriend to California.
The sun was beating down hard on my neck. The winters here in Oregon were terrible, below-zero temperatures, icy wind, and foot upon foot of thick snow, but the summers here were also disgusting, in a completely different way of course. It was hot and humid. The air was thick and heavy with beads of moisture that seemed to reflect every ray of sunlight, nearly blinding you every time you stepped outside.
“Sophya, are you alright back there?” Maverick called from the front.
“I’m absolutely fantastic!” His hair blew wildly in the wind, dark brown curls flying all over the place. I laughed and took a look around. This freedom, this emancipation- it was what I had been waiting for my entire life. We needed to get away from our old lives. We needed to start a new one, together, in California. There, we would be happy.
I wrapped my arms around Maverick’s torso and took a deep breath in. He smelled like leather and cigarette smoke. To me, that was the true smell of freedom.
The last thing I remember is the back wheel of the motorcycle catching on something- maybe a pebble- and us spinning out of control. I recall flying off the back of the bike and soaring through the air, but I don’t remember hitting the gravel.
When I woke up, my mother was sitting next to me. She had my hand clutches against her heart. Her tear-streaked face stared at me in awe as I slowly opened my eyes.
“M-mom,” I attempted. It was feeble, and came out as merely a whisper. She just nodded. “W-where’s Maverick?” I asked.
“He’s fine, honey. He’s over in the next room with his father.” Tears, stained black with eye makeup, streamed down her aged face. “Oh, Sophya, I’m so glad you’re alright.”
“W-what happened?” I asked. She told me about when they found the motorcycle, how it was badly scraped up on the side and the back wheel was bent. Maverick hadn’t been as badly injured, just a broken ankle, but I had flown off the back of the bike, hit my head, fractured my right arm in three places and broken two ribs. My entire body was bandaged and covered in road rash.
My mother’s well-manicured hands stoked my left hand. She kept whispering, “I love you Sophya. I’m so glad you’re okay.” It was then that I realized that it doesn’t matter what my mother wanted me to be, or how annoyingly meticulous she was. What was important was our relationship as mother and daughter. I no longer felt out-of-place, no longer felt as though I had to run away to feel happy or free. I had found a different kind of freedom, here in my hometown. I was free from my feelings of inadequacy, and surrounded by those who loved me.
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