Winter2013

The Jamesville-Dewitt High School Magazine for Literature and Art

RA

MB

UN

CT

IOU

S

A LETTER FROM THE EDITORSDear Jamesville-DeWitt High School

The Rambunctious staff is thrilled to present you with the 2012-2013 winter edition of the Rambunctious liter-ary magazine We have included art poetry and prose from our very own students here at J-D High School

A special thanks to our staff members for organizing submissions and editing the hard work really paid off Also a special thanks to the Art and English departments for helping to promote submissions Thank you to Mr Phillips who has been a great club advisor and is full of good ideas Finally thank you to our contribu-tors and readers without you this magazine would not have been possible

We hope you enjoy the magazine and amazing talent we have here at J-D

Editors-in-Chief

Mopati KuswaniKyrin Pollock

Staff Members

Dori BergmanJane Brown Liz Burnam

Erin JorgensenZach Leibmann Mikayla Mizruchi

The Rambunctious Staff

1

TABLE OF CONTENTSTitle

Beneath Shimmering Sparkles Snow My First Cross Country Race Nostalgic Nostrils Love is Special With Age Comes Dissapointment Untitled Life on the Court Untitled Halloween Night If These Walls Lived Could I be Your Change An Arrow A Love for a Girl Untitled One Small Seed My Tear For Her My Passion For Him Russian Roulette Home Untitled

Author

Leah IfraimCayla Dedrick

Ashley LawlesssLaura WengertEbere JosephJunghye Kim

Breanne IssacsLaura Wildridge

Jack MartinTangela HightowerTangela Hightower

Bella AlibrandiCayla Dedrick

Harrison FranklinPatrece MartinCeleste TorresBella Alibrandi

Leah IfraimDori Bergman

Christy Le

Page

334677913141616171821222324282930

Cover Artwork Claudia Lee- ldquoWinterscaperdquo

2

SnowCayla Dedrick

There is something so fleetingAbout the delicate grass dusted with snow

It is so easy to taint the innocenceStomping dirt into the pure white like snow

When you smile your eyes always sparkleMuch like the sunlight dancing on snow

Therersquos something I havenrsquot seen in a whileIt melts away faster than the snow

Itrsquos been a few years nowSince I could play in the snow

Beneath Shimmering SparklesLeah Ifraim

Crystals hover downCaptivating an entire townEach speck descendingSnowflakes and icicles blendingPlastering beds of flowersFrozen encountersCoating rooftops of carsHugged inside avalanches of scarvesStarsLight up the midnight skyLike Christmas lights that shine like firefliesTwinkling gold and boldA reminder of all the winter memoriesMade and to be madeThroughout this yearAnd into the nextSoft shimmersGlistening skiesThe crescent pops out whispering helloA city blanketed in snow

Allison Emmel- ldquoEllierdquo

3

My First Cross Country Race Ashley Lawless ldquoOkay girls You should get to the start-ing line The race starts in five minutesrdquo My coach said She was so excited If only I could be as calm as she was It was only a mile and a half It was my first cross-country race at Bald-winsville I want to get under 13 minutes since I have never gotten a time that good in practice Will I get under 13 minutes Am I that good of a runner It was September 24 which is my birthday I got to the starting line with all of my teammates We did drills and each time a min-ute passed I got more and more nervous I was terrified I had butterflies in my stomach my knees were shaking and I was breathing hard I just wanted to be home Right when I was starting to calm my nerves the referee came He was a tall guy with blue clothing on He was putting his earplugs in He had a gun in one hand and a neon orange flag in the other I was getting waves of nausea ldquoOkay ladies I am going to explain the rules once so listen up I am going to blow my whistle and then say runners to your mark Then I will have my gun and flag straight out and I will say get set Lastly I will raise the gun and flag above my head and then I will pull the trigger Good luck and have a good racerdquo I heard the whistle which sounded like nails on a chalkboard ldquoRunners to your markrdquo his arms went out with his gun and flag in both of his hands ldquoGet setrdquo his arms went over his head BOOM The gun went off and smoke was right above

me I took off like lightning I was sprinting There were girls around me breathing heavily I was close to entering the woods People were cheering me on and coaches were yelling at their athletes to beat the person in front of them I looked to my right and saw my mom and dad yelling at me to run fast My nerves were slow-ly starting to fade I was telling myself to keep going and to push myself I was happy running I kept repeating in my head that I was going to do well and that I was going to get a time I was proud of As I was entering the woods I dropped to a slower pace so I wouldnrsquot burn off all of my energy The whole time I was in the woods I heard nothing but silence All you could hear were the leaves rustling in the wind and the shoes hitting the ground Each time I took a step leaves were crunching and so were the branches underneath them Every-body around me including myself was sliding in the mud The ground was covered in mud and it was wet from the rain this morning The trees had small dots of rainwater on each leaf I heard people screaming Was I at the mile mark already ldquo822rdquo a person timing the peoplersquos miles said I was so excited I am almost done I looked in front of me and I saw ldquo The Wallrdquo Itrsquos a huge hill that is straight up As I was run-ning up I could taste the salt on my lips from the sweat I was telling myself with each step up the hill that I was one step closer to being done I was more determined now to get under 13 minutes I felt good running The encourage-ment from everyone around me made me want to keep running I was running harder now since I only had a half a mile left to go I round-

ed a corner and saw my coach standing there ldquoKick it Ashley The finish line is right thererdquo I was now in a full out sprint My legs were going extremely fast ldquo1227 1228 1229helliprdquo a person timing was screaming I was panting as I crossed the finish line ldquo1230rdquo As I finished I received a ribbon I was so happy I finished my first cross-country race All my teammates were high-fiving me and congratulating me My family came over and told me that I did an awesome job ldquoLetrsquos sing Happy Birthday To Ashleyrdquo one of my friends said I was so happy My whole team was singing to me I could not have been any happier This was the perfect start to my thirteenth birthday

Maddie Vanheusen- ldquoUntitledrdquo

4

Rachel Redmore- ldquoConverse All Starrdquo 5

Nostalgic NostrilsLaura Wengert

I donrsquot have an extraordinarily keen sense of smellBut there are a few whiffs from which I can always tellLike whatrsquos for dinner when I walk in the doorThe stinky stench of worms after the rain has pouredThose people who have their own distinct scentThe unwavering reminder of what Irsquove given up for lent

I like the smell of the laundry machine after itrsquos just washed some clothesI like it when unknown wonders wander in and out of my noseI liked the smell that mom carried after shersquod just been selling friesBut for all the good smells in life there are so many more to despise

I despise the smell of perfume that it always leaves me chokingI detest the puddle of drool Irsquoll discover when Irsquove awokenI fear the trauma of old food that is no longer any goodBut I like sitting up in a tree where I can smell the old woodI think therersquos a weird smell hanging around a newly purchased shirtAnd more weirdly than that I kind of like the smell of dirt

Smelling can be a dangerous activityOne that can easily go wildOr it can act as serendipityAnd take you back to when you were a childI remember my Grammy whose old sweaters will stay with me until much laterAnd plugging my nose when opening my grandparentrsquos basement refrigerator

I can transport myself to the parts of life where everything is wellAll I need to do is find that one perfect smell Holly Deng- ldquoBlooming Onionsrdquo

6

Love is SpecialEbere Joseph

Love is specialUndeniableCaringOptimisticDaringwith no boundariesAndWho shows that kind of loveMom and only mom

With Age Comes DisappointmentJunghye Kim

Brown cows pee chocolate milkAnd monsters live under the bedAnd the tooth fairy magically sneaks under your hairAnd your parents can read your mindYoursquore not allowed to stay up past eight thirtyOr eat the sugar packets at restaurantsOr let go of your momrsquos handYou dream of finding the end of the rainbowAnd talking to mermaidsAnd growing up so you can do whatever you please

But little did you know that growing up comes faster than you wish forAnd people arenrsquot as kind as you once believedAnd the magic of life disappears to a gray dullness

Carly Neugbauer- ldquoEmmardquo

7

Arielle Nagar- ldquoMomrdquo

8

UntitledBreanne Isaacs

ldquoTouchdownrdquo the speakers blared as Ryan Blakeson scored the 3rd touchdown of the game The crowd grew wild once again as the New York Giants took on the Buffalo Bills Ryan and his teammates gathered around in a huddle swaying back and forth preparing for the last quarter Ryan is a 24 year old NFL star He has been playing football ever since he could remember and it meant more than anything to him The quarterback has scored more than 20 touchdowns this past season The whole team depended on him just as he did on them Ryan stood 6rsquo1 his blonde hair flowed down his face almost covering his ocean blue eyes Not only did he become his dream of becoming a professional football player but he also met a gorgeous girl 4 years back Taylor was the girl of his dreams he treasured every moment with her He would marry his best friend in a few months right after his team made it to the Super Bowl Every day he did the same routine He believed that it was a good luck charm he had everything he ever wanted A beautiful wife-to-be and the career that made him millions to do what he loves In the mornings he got up at seven and ran a mile to the field for a four hour practice Nights were spent with Taylor and weekends with his family Tonight was rela-tively different he didnrsquot take her to dinner or a movie he just sat around His head throbbed the lights hurt his eyes and opening them made

him feel so sick He figured if he slept every-thing would go away Taylor kissed him ldquoI love you superstar goodnightrdquo she said as she tucked him into bed When Ryan awoke in the morning the pain was worse than ever He stuck through and got himself to the pre-game prac-tice The field around him seemed like war The screaming fans made his head kill even more All he wanted to do was go home and sleep but he knew his team needed him After all it was the big game the best two teams in the NFC As the game went on he began getting dizzy the whole world was spinning in front of him Coach kept yelling things like ldquoGet your head in the gamerdquo and ldquoWhat the heckrdquo Ryan didnrsquot answer he kept as much focus as he could on the game Everyone could tell something was wrong his usual sprint down the field turned into a fast jog He kept going he needed to be the player he and everyone else he knew he was Two weeks went by and his headache hadnrsquot gone away no one knew except for Taylor He thought telling people would make him seem like a baby so he didnrsquot He kept his routine the same except he didnrsquot run to practice he drove His teammates noticed but didnrsquot question him In the locker room they were gearing up for practice pushing and jok-ing as usual As Ryan put on his helmet he felt a large bump on the back part of his head So many things ran through his mind at that mo-ment everything but the upcoming practice He struggled through practice thinking about the bump and what it could be When he got home he showed Taylor She started to freak out and made him go get things checked out

At the doctorrsquos office he waited and waited for hours until the doctor finally called him in He slowly sat down on the table with Taylor right there next to him holding his hand Many questions were asked about the pain and the symptoms and the doctor didnrsquot seem to have much of an idea either Doctor Zogby was his name known to be one of the best doc-tors in the area He felt Ryanrsquos head multiple times then sent him off to get scans He had MRIrsquos X-rays and blood drawn but the re-sults wouldnrsquot be back until later that day They instructed Ryan and Taylor to go home so he could get some rest so he did During his dinner that consisted of hot soup and apple juice the phone rang Taylor answered in a cheerful voice but before long it turned into something different You could hear the concerns from the tone of her voice as she hung up the phone and stared at the floor Ryan quickly jumped up and went over to her He held her in his arms while a few tears streamed down her face ldquoA tumorrdquo she whispered as he wiped the tears from her Now he began to cry too She told him that the doctors wanted him to go to the hospital for the best care he could get but neither of them moved very much They stood still in complete shock that this star quar-terback had something so serious When they finally arrived at the hospital an assistant nurse brought them to this little room at the end of a long hallway The walk seemed to take forever for these two not knowing what other informa-tion they might be told next When they got into the room it was empty just a hospital bed with a few unknown machines Ryan held his head in his hands the pain in his head had now gone

9

through his entire body He couldnrsquot remember the last time he had been this scared The brown wooden door slowly swung open and two doc-tors walked in one male and the other female They introduced themselves as Taylorrsquos hands started to quiver Doctor Ann stood directly in front of Ryan holding two pieces of cream color paper The minutes that went by seemed so long to him Finally she told him the news ldquoRyan your scans have come back you have a brain tumorrdquo The whole room suddenly became quiet then she continued ldquoItrsquos small but it could easily grow so we would like you to go for chemotherapy as soon as possible Most people will lose their hair and become very sick but itrsquos all part of the road to recoveryrdquo The room got silent Ryan looked at his hands then felt the bump His whole career would be flushed down the toilet ldquoIrsquom so sorry Ryanrdquo said the male doctor Suddenly the doctorsrsquo names were called over the loudspeaker and they exited the room Taylor hugged Ryan tightly ldquoIrsquom gonna love you through itrdquo she said with two small tear droplets forming in the corner of her eye They both cried at the thought of the future what would happen with the wedding and the team But most importantly they thought about what would happen to him By the time they had got themselves together two hours had passed On the way out of the door Taylor asked the receptionist when Ryan should return for treatment hoping it would be soon They would return in three days his blood count must be good before anything can be done He kept asking himself why why he was the one to have cancer That night he wouldnrsquot eat he pushed the chicken and corn back and forth on

his plate His nights turned into days he could never sleep He watched as the clock ticked 150 am then 200 am The clock seemed as if it wasnrsquot moving like it was dead Dead like the way he felt after hearing the terrible news Friday morning the day his treatments started He awoke to the sound of his alarm clock the same one that woke him up for foot-ball He wanted to go so bad he didnrsquot want to be a weak man but he knew he had to do what was best He slipped on his comfortable Under Armour sweat pants and walked out the door following Taylor

Morgan Guther- ldquoMy Best Friendrdquo

The sun shined through his car window and he knew exactly why Four years ago his dad passed away he must have been looking down on him letting him know that everything was going be okay Once again the car ride was silent Ryan never talked much about his feel-ings When they got to the hospital the waiting room was so filled up People of all ages sat around looking gloomy Four little kids which

the genders he couldnrsquot tell were playing with the toys in a corner They stood out to him all of their hair was gone but they didnrsquot seem to mind The smiling faces of the kids lit up the room knowing that these kids can go through all of the pain and still have hope Seeing this made Ryan believe in himself all until his name got called The next room he was put in wasnrsquot much better It was filled with beds chairs and many chemotherapy bags Everyone seemed okay but how he wondered how The lady in a long blue coat came up to him with a few bags and a needle so he took a seat He and Taylor picked up a few magazines and started to read while the medicine was inserted Hours went by they lost track of time When the bags final-ly emptied they were allowed to leave Doctors told him he would be sick after and that he was As soon as they got on the highway he got queasy With 5 minutes left he rolled down the window and threw up He felt so sick not being able to imagine feeling this way after every chemo session When he got home he kept getting sick his hands and arms shook non-stop and his diet consisted of water and soup Two days had gone by when he finally felt better so he decided to bring himself to practice Football was something he couldnrsquot live without At the field all the guys huddled around him as if he was a newborn baby No one knew yet why he had missed multiple practices and he wanted it to stay that way Coach asked the team to take a knee while Ryan explained He said ldquoOkay guys you all know football means the world to me but I canrsquot play for a while Last Thursday I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumorrdquo

10

Before he could say any more the boysrsquo helmets hit the ground and the facial expressions turned into shock Not only was he letting the team down but the Giantsrsquo fans as well Ryan and the guys huddled together one last time before he had to go When he got home he remembered that he would soon have to go through the same things in another 8 days once again he asked himself ldquoWhy merdquo

At this point his mom had just called the house and Taylor answered She called multiple times a day to check in on her son like any mother should Four hours and 275 miles away was the only distance between the two Mother and son just like best friends every weekend she came to check on him and the fact of him

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoSkeletonrdquo

having cancer scared her more than ever He didnrsquot have a dad in the picture he passed away years back from a car accident She could not lose two loved ones they were basically the only ones she ever had Eight months passed 243 days and so did 16 chemo treatments Every time he got stronger because thatrsquos all he could be The pain put him out of everything he couldnrsquot help around the house or even make his own meals He became so weak that his bones on his feet cracked almost every time he walked The dream life went from amazing to not very good in a short amount of time Ryan went from 245 pounds to 200 in just a little less than a year And he still asked himself why All he wanted to do was sleep and he swore if he threw up one more time he would kill himself But two days later he would be marrying the girl he loved Taylor All of his best friends and groomsmen gathered at the house to try to prepare him for the big day Everything they tried to do just made Ryan feel even worse it definitely wouldnrsquot be the wedding he planned on His tux which was now a size too big hung in his closet wrapped in bags Today was the big day a day that would change his life once again He hated change so much he wished things would go back to how it was before when he was cancer free Since he and Taylor couldnrsquot be together before the wedding he sat with the male part of the wedding party while she was off with the women Everyone took a few shots but he didnrsquot He looked at himself in the mirror his suit was baggy He wasnrsquot happy with his appearance but the

spotlight was still on him The boys relaxed and reminisced about old times but before long Ryan fell asleep A few blocks away were the girls getting ready They did each others makeup and hair because appointments were canceled Ryan and Taylor could never afford everything for the wedding plus the hospital fees As the boys arrived at the church the clouds started to go away The sun shined right through the limo windows into Ryanrsquos eyes Teardrops wanted to pour out but he was stron-ger than that At that moment he knew who was looking down on him his dad Ryan knew the cancer could kill him he already felt dead The tough football player turned into a weak man who wanted to give up In 10 minutes he would see the most beautiful girl become his wife He stood with his best man at the altar Slowly he looked up and down the crowd of people smiling and laughing just like him For the first time in a while he felt alive Then the music started playing and the doors opened Taylor looked stunning The whole church shifted to look at her half of them crying Ryan walked halfway to meet her speechless he took her hand They said their vows and Ryan kissed his bride The happy couple walked hand in hand down the aisle and then she stopped and kissed his bald head For the first time in a long time he forgot about his cancer He forgot about his pain all until the reception started His head started to throb again and he couldnrsquot stand up People huddled around him as he held his head in his hands He felt warmer than ever and his eyes were beyond bloodshot His progress wasnrsquot getting better The people

11

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

A LETTER FROM THE EDITORSDear Jamesville-DeWitt High School

The Rambunctious staff is thrilled to present you with the 2012-2013 winter edition of the Rambunctious liter-ary magazine We have included art poetry and prose from our very own students here at J-D High School

A special thanks to our staff members for organizing submissions and editing the hard work really paid off Also a special thanks to the Art and English departments for helping to promote submissions Thank you to Mr Phillips who has been a great club advisor and is full of good ideas Finally thank you to our contribu-tors and readers without you this magazine would not have been possible

We hope you enjoy the magazine and amazing talent we have here at J-D

Editors-in-Chief

Mopati KuswaniKyrin Pollock

Staff Members

Dori BergmanJane Brown Liz Burnam

Erin JorgensenZach Leibmann Mikayla Mizruchi

The Rambunctious Staff

1

TABLE OF CONTENTSTitle

Beneath Shimmering Sparkles Snow My First Cross Country Race Nostalgic Nostrils Love is Special With Age Comes Dissapointment Untitled Life on the Court Untitled Halloween Night If These Walls Lived Could I be Your Change An Arrow A Love for a Girl Untitled One Small Seed My Tear For Her My Passion For Him Russian Roulette Home Untitled

Author

Leah IfraimCayla Dedrick

Ashley LawlesssLaura WengertEbere JosephJunghye Kim

Breanne IssacsLaura Wildridge

Jack MartinTangela HightowerTangela Hightower

Bella AlibrandiCayla Dedrick

Harrison FranklinPatrece MartinCeleste TorresBella Alibrandi

Leah IfraimDori Bergman

Christy Le

Page

334677913141616171821222324282930

Cover Artwork Claudia Lee- ldquoWinterscaperdquo

2

SnowCayla Dedrick

There is something so fleetingAbout the delicate grass dusted with snow

It is so easy to taint the innocenceStomping dirt into the pure white like snow

When you smile your eyes always sparkleMuch like the sunlight dancing on snow

Therersquos something I havenrsquot seen in a whileIt melts away faster than the snow

Itrsquos been a few years nowSince I could play in the snow

Beneath Shimmering SparklesLeah Ifraim

Crystals hover downCaptivating an entire townEach speck descendingSnowflakes and icicles blendingPlastering beds of flowersFrozen encountersCoating rooftops of carsHugged inside avalanches of scarvesStarsLight up the midnight skyLike Christmas lights that shine like firefliesTwinkling gold and boldA reminder of all the winter memoriesMade and to be madeThroughout this yearAnd into the nextSoft shimmersGlistening skiesThe crescent pops out whispering helloA city blanketed in snow

Allison Emmel- ldquoEllierdquo

3

My First Cross Country Race Ashley Lawless ldquoOkay girls You should get to the start-ing line The race starts in five minutesrdquo My coach said She was so excited If only I could be as calm as she was It was only a mile and a half It was my first cross-country race at Bald-winsville I want to get under 13 minutes since I have never gotten a time that good in practice Will I get under 13 minutes Am I that good of a runner It was September 24 which is my birthday I got to the starting line with all of my teammates We did drills and each time a min-ute passed I got more and more nervous I was terrified I had butterflies in my stomach my knees were shaking and I was breathing hard I just wanted to be home Right when I was starting to calm my nerves the referee came He was a tall guy with blue clothing on He was putting his earplugs in He had a gun in one hand and a neon orange flag in the other I was getting waves of nausea ldquoOkay ladies I am going to explain the rules once so listen up I am going to blow my whistle and then say runners to your mark Then I will have my gun and flag straight out and I will say get set Lastly I will raise the gun and flag above my head and then I will pull the trigger Good luck and have a good racerdquo I heard the whistle which sounded like nails on a chalkboard ldquoRunners to your markrdquo his arms went out with his gun and flag in both of his hands ldquoGet setrdquo his arms went over his head BOOM The gun went off and smoke was right above

me I took off like lightning I was sprinting There were girls around me breathing heavily I was close to entering the woods People were cheering me on and coaches were yelling at their athletes to beat the person in front of them I looked to my right and saw my mom and dad yelling at me to run fast My nerves were slow-ly starting to fade I was telling myself to keep going and to push myself I was happy running I kept repeating in my head that I was going to do well and that I was going to get a time I was proud of As I was entering the woods I dropped to a slower pace so I wouldnrsquot burn off all of my energy The whole time I was in the woods I heard nothing but silence All you could hear were the leaves rustling in the wind and the shoes hitting the ground Each time I took a step leaves were crunching and so were the branches underneath them Every-body around me including myself was sliding in the mud The ground was covered in mud and it was wet from the rain this morning The trees had small dots of rainwater on each leaf I heard people screaming Was I at the mile mark already ldquo822rdquo a person timing the peoplersquos miles said I was so excited I am almost done I looked in front of me and I saw ldquo The Wallrdquo Itrsquos a huge hill that is straight up As I was run-ning up I could taste the salt on my lips from the sweat I was telling myself with each step up the hill that I was one step closer to being done I was more determined now to get under 13 minutes I felt good running The encourage-ment from everyone around me made me want to keep running I was running harder now since I only had a half a mile left to go I round-

ed a corner and saw my coach standing there ldquoKick it Ashley The finish line is right thererdquo I was now in a full out sprint My legs were going extremely fast ldquo1227 1228 1229helliprdquo a person timing was screaming I was panting as I crossed the finish line ldquo1230rdquo As I finished I received a ribbon I was so happy I finished my first cross-country race All my teammates were high-fiving me and congratulating me My family came over and told me that I did an awesome job ldquoLetrsquos sing Happy Birthday To Ashleyrdquo one of my friends said I was so happy My whole team was singing to me I could not have been any happier This was the perfect start to my thirteenth birthday

Maddie Vanheusen- ldquoUntitledrdquo

4

Rachel Redmore- ldquoConverse All Starrdquo 5

Nostalgic NostrilsLaura Wengert

I donrsquot have an extraordinarily keen sense of smellBut there are a few whiffs from which I can always tellLike whatrsquos for dinner when I walk in the doorThe stinky stench of worms after the rain has pouredThose people who have their own distinct scentThe unwavering reminder of what Irsquove given up for lent

I like the smell of the laundry machine after itrsquos just washed some clothesI like it when unknown wonders wander in and out of my noseI liked the smell that mom carried after shersquod just been selling friesBut for all the good smells in life there are so many more to despise

I despise the smell of perfume that it always leaves me chokingI detest the puddle of drool Irsquoll discover when Irsquove awokenI fear the trauma of old food that is no longer any goodBut I like sitting up in a tree where I can smell the old woodI think therersquos a weird smell hanging around a newly purchased shirtAnd more weirdly than that I kind of like the smell of dirt

Smelling can be a dangerous activityOne that can easily go wildOr it can act as serendipityAnd take you back to when you were a childI remember my Grammy whose old sweaters will stay with me until much laterAnd plugging my nose when opening my grandparentrsquos basement refrigerator

I can transport myself to the parts of life where everything is wellAll I need to do is find that one perfect smell Holly Deng- ldquoBlooming Onionsrdquo

6

Love is SpecialEbere Joseph

Love is specialUndeniableCaringOptimisticDaringwith no boundariesAndWho shows that kind of loveMom and only mom

With Age Comes DisappointmentJunghye Kim

Brown cows pee chocolate milkAnd monsters live under the bedAnd the tooth fairy magically sneaks under your hairAnd your parents can read your mindYoursquore not allowed to stay up past eight thirtyOr eat the sugar packets at restaurantsOr let go of your momrsquos handYou dream of finding the end of the rainbowAnd talking to mermaidsAnd growing up so you can do whatever you please

But little did you know that growing up comes faster than you wish forAnd people arenrsquot as kind as you once believedAnd the magic of life disappears to a gray dullness

Carly Neugbauer- ldquoEmmardquo

7

Arielle Nagar- ldquoMomrdquo

8

UntitledBreanne Isaacs

ldquoTouchdownrdquo the speakers blared as Ryan Blakeson scored the 3rd touchdown of the game The crowd grew wild once again as the New York Giants took on the Buffalo Bills Ryan and his teammates gathered around in a huddle swaying back and forth preparing for the last quarter Ryan is a 24 year old NFL star He has been playing football ever since he could remember and it meant more than anything to him The quarterback has scored more than 20 touchdowns this past season The whole team depended on him just as he did on them Ryan stood 6rsquo1 his blonde hair flowed down his face almost covering his ocean blue eyes Not only did he become his dream of becoming a professional football player but he also met a gorgeous girl 4 years back Taylor was the girl of his dreams he treasured every moment with her He would marry his best friend in a few months right after his team made it to the Super Bowl Every day he did the same routine He believed that it was a good luck charm he had everything he ever wanted A beautiful wife-to-be and the career that made him millions to do what he loves In the mornings he got up at seven and ran a mile to the field for a four hour practice Nights were spent with Taylor and weekends with his family Tonight was rela-tively different he didnrsquot take her to dinner or a movie he just sat around His head throbbed the lights hurt his eyes and opening them made

him feel so sick He figured if he slept every-thing would go away Taylor kissed him ldquoI love you superstar goodnightrdquo she said as she tucked him into bed When Ryan awoke in the morning the pain was worse than ever He stuck through and got himself to the pre-game prac-tice The field around him seemed like war The screaming fans made his head kill even more All he wanted to do was go home and sleep but he knew his team needed him After all it was the big game the best two teams in the NFC As the game went on he began getting dizzy the whole world was spinning in front of him Coach kept yelling things like ldquoGet your head in the gamerdquo and ldquoWhat the heckrdquo Ryan didnrsquot answer he kept as much focus as he could on the game Everyone could tell something was wrong his usual sprint down the field turned into a fast jog He kept going he needed to be the player he and everyone else he knew he was Two weeks went by and his headache hadnrsquot gone away no one knew except for Taylor He thought telling people would make him seem like a baby so he didnrsquot He kept his routine the same except he didnrsquot run to practice he drove His teammates noticed but didnrsquot question him In the locker room they were gearing up for practice pushing and jok-ing as usual As Ryan put on his helmet he felt a large bump on the back part of his head So many things ran through his mind at that mo-ment everything but the upcoming practice He struggled through practice thinking about the bump and what it could be When he got home he showed Taylor She started to freak out and made him go get things checked out

At the doctorrsquos office he waited and waited for hours until the doctor finally called him in He slowly sat down on the table with Taylor right there next to him holding his hand Many questions were asked about the pain and the symptoms and the doctor didnrsquot seem to have much of an idea either Doctor Zogby was his name known to be one of the best doc-tors in the area He felt Ryanrsquos head multiple times then sent him off to get scans He had MRIrsquos X-rays and blood drawn but the re-sults wouldnrsquot be back until later that day They instructed Ryan and Taylor to go home so he could get some rest so he did During his dinner that consisted of hot soup and apple juice the phone rang Taylor answered in a cheerful voice but before long it turned into something different You could hear the concerns from the tone of her voice as she hung up the phone and stared at the floor Ryan quickly jumped up and went over to her He held her in his arms while a few tears streamed down her face ldquoA tumorrdquo she whispered as he wiped the tears from her Now he began to cry too She told him that the doctors wanted him to go to the hospital for the best care he could get but neither of them moved very much They stood still in complete shock that this star quar-terback had something so serious When they finally arrived at the hospital an assistant nurse brought them to this little room at the end of a long hallway The walk seemed to take forever for these two not knowing what other informa-tion they might be told next When they got into the room it was empty just a hospital bed with a few unknown machines Ryan held his head in his hands the pain in his head had now gone

9

through his entire body He couldnrsquot remember the last time he had been this scared The brown wooden door slowly swung open and two doc-tors walked in one male and the other female They introduced themselves as Taylorrsquos hands started to quiver Doctor Ann stood directly in front of Ryan holding two pieces of cream color paper The minutes that went by seemed so long to him Finally she told him the news ldquoRyan your scans have come back you have a brain tumorrdquo The whole room suddenly became quiet then she continued ldquoItrsquos small but it could easily grow so we would like you to go for chemotherapy as soon as possible Most people will lose their hair and become very sick but itrsquos all part of the road to recoveryrdquo The room got silent Ryan looked at his hands then felt the bump His whole career would be flushed down the toilet ldquoIrsquom so sorry Ryanrdquo said the male doctor Suddenly the doctorsrsquo names were called over the loudspeaker and they exited the room Taylor hugged Ryan tightly ldquoIrsquom gonna love you through itrdquo she said with two small tear droplets forming in the corner of her eye They both cried at the thought of the future what would happen with the wedding and the team But most importantly they thought about what would happen to him By the time they had got themselves together two hours had passed On the way out of the door Taylor asked the receptionist when Ryan should return for treatment hoping it would be soon They would return in three days his blood count must be good before anything can be done He kept asking himself why why he was the one to have cancer That night he wouldnrsquot eat he pushed the chicken and corn back and forth on

his plate His nights turned into days he could never sleep He watched as the clock ticked 150 am then 200 am The clock seemed as if it wasnrsquot moving like it was dead Dead like the way he felt after hearing the terrible news Friday morning the day his treatments started He awoke to the sound of his alarm clock the same one that woke him up for foot-ball He wanted to go so bad he didnrsquot want to be a weak man but he knew he had to do what was best He slipped on his comfortable Under Armour sweat pants and walked out the door following Taylor

Morgan Guther- ldquoMy Best Friendrdquo

The sun shined through his car window and he knew exactly why Four years ago his dad passed away he must have been looking down on him letting him know that everything was going be okay Once again the car ride was silent Ryan never talked much about his feel-ings When they got to the hospital the waiting room was so filled up People of all ages sat around looking gloomy Four little kids which

the genders he couldnrsquot tell were playing with the toys in a corner They stood out to him all of their hair was gone but they didnrsquot seem to mind The smiling faces of the kids lit up the room knowing that these kids can go through all of the pain and still have hope Seeing this made Ryan believe in himself all until his name got called The next room he was put in wasnrsquot much better It was filled with beds chairs and many chemotherapy bags Everyone seemed okay but how he wondered how The lady in a long blue coat came up to him with a few bags and a needle so he took a seat He and Taylor picked up a few magazines and started to read while the medicine was inserted Hours went by they lost track of time When the bags final-ly emptied they were allowed to leave Doctors told him he would be sick after and that he was As soon as they got on the highway he got queasy With 5 minutes left he rolled down the window and threw up He felt so sick not being able to imagine feeling this way after every chemo session When he got home he kept getting sick his hands and arms shook non-stop and his diet consisted of water and soup Two days had gone by when he finally felt better so he decided to bring himself to practice Football was something he couldnrsquot live without At the field all the guys huddled around him as if he was a newborn baby No one knew yet why he had missed multiple practices and he wanted it to stay that way Coach asked the team to take a knee while Ryan explained He said ldquoOkay guys you all know football means the world to me but I canrsquot play for a while Last Thursday I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumorrdquo

10

Before he could say any more the boysrsquo helmets hit the ground and the facial expressions turned into shock Not only was he letting the team down but the Giantsrsquo fans as well Ryan and the guys huddled together one last time before he had to go When he got home he remembered that he would soon have to go through the same things in another 8 days once again he asked himself ldquoWhy merdquo

At this point his mom had just called the house and Taylor answered She called multiple times a day to check in on her son like any mother should Four hours and 275 miles away was the only distance between the two Mother and son just like best friends every weekend she came to check on him and the fact of him

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoSkeletonrdquo

having cancer scared her more than ever He didnrsquot have a dad in the picture he passed away years back from a car accident She could not lose two loved ones they were basically the only ones she ever had Eight months passed 243 days and so did 16 chemo treatments Every time he got stronger because thatrsquos all he could be The pain put him out of everything he couldnrsquot help around the house or even make his own meals He became so weak that his bones on his feet cracked almost every time he walked The dream life went from amazing to not very good in a short amount of time Ryan went from 245 pounds to 200 in just a little less than a year And he still asked himself why All he wanted to do was sleep and he swore if he threw up one more time he would kill himself But two days later he would be marrying the girl he loved Taylor All of his best friends and groomsmen gathered at the house to try to prepare him for the big day Everything they tried to do just made Ryan feel even worse it definitely wouldnrsquot be the wedding he planned on His tux which was now a size too big hung in his closet wrapped in bags Today was the big day a day that would change his life once again He hated change so much he wished things would go back to how it was before when he was cancer free Since he and Taylor couldnrsquot be together before the wedding he sat with the male part of the wedding party while she was off with the women Everyone took a few shots but he didnrsquot He looked at himself in the mirror his suit was baggy He wasnrsquot happy with his appearance but the

spotlight was still on him The boys relaxed and reminisced about old times but before long Ryan fell asleep A few blocks away were the girls getting ready They did each others makeup and hair because appointments were canceled Ryan and Taylor could never afford everything for the wedding plus the hospital fees As the boys arrived at the church the clouds started to go away The sun shined right through the limo windows into Ryanrsquos eyes Teardrops wanted to pour out but he was stron-ger than that At that moment he knew who was looking down on him his dad Ryan knew the cancer could kill him he already felt dead The tough football player turned into a weak man who wanted to give up In 10 minutes he would see the most beautiful girl become his wife He stood with his best man at the altar Slowly he looked up and down the crowd of people smiling and laughing just like him For the first time in a while he felt alive Then the music started playing and the doors opened Taylor looked stunning The whole church shifted to look at her half of them crying Ryan walked halfway to meet her speechless he took her hand They said their vows and Ryan kissed his bride The happy couple walked hand in hand down the aisle and then she stopped and kissed his bald head For the first time in a long time he forgot about his cancer He forgot about his pain all until the reception started His head started to throb again and he couldnrsquot stand up People huddled around him as he held his head in his hands He felt warmer than ever and his eyes were beyond bloodshot His progress wasnrsquot getting better The people

11

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTSTitle

Beneath Shimmering Sparkles Snow My First Cross Country Race Nostalgic Nostrils Love is Special With Age Comes Dissapointment Untitled Life on the Court Untitled Halloween Night If These Walls Lived Could I be Your Change An Arrow A Love for a Girl Untitled One Small Seed My Tear For Her My Passion For Him Russian Roulette Home Untitled

Author

Leah IfraimCayla Dedrick

Ashley LawlesssLaura WengertEbere JosephJunghye Kim

Breanne IssacsLaura Wildridge

Jack MartinTangela HightowerTangela Hightower

Bella AlibrandiCayla Dedrick

Harrison FranklinPatrece MartinCeleste TorresBella Alibrandi

Leah IfraimDori Bergman

Christy Le

Page

334677913141616171821222324282930

Cover Artwork Claudia Lee- ldquoWinterscaperdquo

2

SnowCayla Dedrick

There is something so fleetingAbout the delicate grass dusted with snow

It is so easy to taint the innocenceStomping dirt into the pure white like snow

When you smile your eyes always sparkleMuch like the sunlight dancing on snow

Therersquos something I havenrsquot seen in a whileIt melts away faster than the snow

Itrsquos been a few years nowSince I could play in the snow

Beneath Shimmering SparklesLeah Ifraim

Crystals hover downCaptivating an entire townEach speck descendingSnowflakes and icicles blendingPlastering beds of flowersFrozen encountersCoating rooftops of carsHugged inside avalanches of scarvesStarsLight up the midnight skyLike Christmas lights that shine like firefliesTwinkling gold and boldA reminder of all the winter memoriesMade and to be madeThroughout this yearAnd into the nextSoft shimmersGlistening skiesThe crescent pops out whispering helloA city blanketed in snow

Allison Emmel- ldquoEllierdquo

3

My First Cross Country Race Ashley Lawless ldquoOkay girls You should get to the start-ing line The race starts in five minutesrdquo My coach said She was so excited If only I could be as calm as she was It was only a mile and a half It was my first cross-country race at Bald-winsville I want to get under 13 minutes since I have never gotten a time that good in practice Will I get under 13 minutes Am I that good of a runner It was September 24 which is my birthday I got to the starting line with all of my teammates We did drills and each time a min-ute passed I got more and more nervous I was terrified I had butterflies in my stomach my knees were shaking and I was breathing hard I just wanted to be home Right when I was starting to calm my nerves the referee came He was a tall guy with blue clothing on He was putting his earplugs in He had a gun in one hand and a neon orange flag in the other I was getting waves of nausea ldquoOkay ladies I am going to explain the rules once so listen up I am going to blow my whistle and then say runners to your mark Then I will have my gun and flag straight out and I will say get set Lastly I will raise the gun and flag above my head and then I will pull the trigger Good luck and have a good racerdquo I heard the whistle which sounded like nails on a chalkboard ldquoRunners to your markrdquo his arms went out with his gun and flag in both of his hands ldquoGet setrdquo his arms went over his head BOOM The gun went off and smoke was right above

me I took off like lightning I was sprinting There were girls around me breathing heavily I was close to entering the woods People were cheering me on and coaches were yelling at their athletes to beat the person in front of them I looked to my right and saw my mom and dad yelling at me to run fast My nerves were slow-ly starting to fade I was telling myself to keep going and to push myself I was happy running I kept repeating in my head that I was going to do well and that I was going to get a time I was proud of As I was entering the woods I dropped to a slower pace so I wouldnrsquot burn off all of my energy The whole time I was in the woods I heard nothing but silence All you could hear were the leaves rustling in the wind and the shoes hitting the ground Each time I took a step leaves were crunching and so were the branches underneath them Every-body around me including myself was sliding in the mud The ground was covered in mud and it was wet from the rain this morning The trees had small dots of rainwater on each leaf I heard people screaming Was I at the mile mark already ldquo822rdquo a person timing the peoplersquos miles said I was so excited I am almost done I looked in front of me and I saw ldquo The Wallrdquo Itrsquos a huge hill that is straight up As I was run-ning up I could taste the salt on my lips from the sweat I was telling myself with each step up the hill that I was one step closer to being done I was more determined now to get under 13 minutes I felt good running The encourage-ment from everyone around me made me want to keep running I was running harder now since I only had a half a mile left to go I round-

ed a corner and saw my coach standing there ldquoKick it Ashley The finish line is right thererdquo I was now in a full out sprint My legs were going extremely fast ldquo1227 1228 1229helliprdquo a person timing was screaming I was panting as I crossed the finish line ldquo1230rdquo As I finished I received a ribbon I was so happy I finished my first cross-country race All my teammates were high-fiving me and congratulating me My family came over and told me that I did an awesome job ldquoLetrsquos sing Happy Birthday To Ashleyrdquo one of my friends said I was so happy My whole team was singing to me I could not have been any happier This was the perfect start to my thirteenth birthday

Maddie Vanheusen- ldquoUntitledrdquo

4

Rachel Redmore- ldquoConverse All Starrdquo 5

Nostalgic NostrilsLaura Wengert

I donrsquot have an extraordinarily keen sense of smellBut there are a few whiffs from which I can always tellLike whatrsquos for dinner when I walk in the doorThe stinky stench of worms after the rain has pouredThose people who have their own distinct scentThe unwavering reminder of what Irsquove given up for lent

I like the smell of the laundry machine after itrsquos just washed some clothesI like it when unknown wonders wander in and out of my noseI liked the smell that mom carried after shersquod just been selling friesBut for all the good smells in life there are so many more to despise

I despise the smell of perfume that it always leaves me chokingI detest the puddle of drool Irsquoll discover when Irsquove awokenI fear the trauma of old food that is no longer any goodBut I like sitting up in a tree where I can smell the old woodI think therersquos a weird smell hanging around a newly purchased shirtAnd more weirdly than that I kind of like the smell of dirt

Smelling can be a dangerous activityOne that can easily go wildOr it can act as serendipityAnd take you back to when you were a childI remember my Grammy whose old sweaters will stay with me until much laterAnd plugging my nose when opening my grandparentrsquos basement refrigerator

I can transport myself to the parts of life where everything is wellAll I need to do is find that one perfect smell Holly Deng- ldquoBlooming Onionsrdquo

6

Love is SpecialEbere Joseph

Love is specialUndeniableCaringOptimisticDaringwith no boundariesAndWho shows that kind of loveMom and only mom

With Age Comes DisappointmentJunghye Kim

Brown cows pee chocolate milkAnd monsters live under the bedAnd the tooth fairy magically sneaks under your hairAnd your parents can read your mindYoursquore not allowed to stay up past eight thirtyOr eat the sugar packets at restaurantsOr let go of your momrsquos handYou dream of finding the end of the rainbowAnd talking to mermaidsAnd growing up so you can do whatever you please

But little did you know that growing up comes faster than you wish forAnd people arenrsquot as kind as you once believedAnd the magic of life disappears to a gray dullness

Carly Neugbauer- ldquoEmmardquo

7

Arielle Nagar- ldquoMomrdquo

8

UntitledBreanne Isaacs

ldquoTouchdownrdquo the speakers blared as Ryan Blakeson scored the 3rd touchdown of the game The crowd grew wild once again as the New York Giants took on the Buffalo Bills Ryan and his teammates gathered around in a huddle swaying back and forth preparing for the last quarter Ryan is a 24 year old NFL star He has been playing football ever since he could remember and it meant more than anything to him The quarterback has scored more than 20 touchdowns this past season The whole team depended on him just as he did on them Ryan stood 6rsquo1 his blonde hair flowed down his face almost covering his ocean blue eyes Not only did he become his dream of becoming a professional football player but he also met a gorgeous girl 4 years back Taylor was the girl of his dreams he treasured every moment with her He would marry his best friend in a few months right after his team made it to the Super Bowl Every day he did the same routine He believed that it was a good luck charm he had everything he ever wanted A beautiful wife-to-be and the career that made him millions to do what he loves In the mornings he got up at seven and ran a mile to the field for a four hour practice Nights were spent with Taylor and weekends with his family Tonight was rela-tively different he didnrsquot take her to dinner or a movie he just sat around His head throbbed the lights hurt his eyes and opening them made

him feel so sick He figured if he slept every-thing would go away Taylor kissed him ldquoI love you superstar goodnightrdquo she said as she tucked him into bed When Ryan awoke in the morning the pain was worse than ever He stuck through and got himself to the pre-game prac-tice The field around him seemed like war The screaming fans made his head kill even more All he wanted to do was go home and sleep but he knew his team needed him After all it was the big game the best two teams in the NFC As the game went on he began getting dizzy the whole world was spinning in front of him Coach kept yelling things like ldquoGet your head in the gamerdquo and ldquoWhat the heckrdquo Ryan didnrsquot answer he kept as much focus as he could on the game Everyone could tell something was wrong his usual sprint down the field turned into a fast jog He kept going he needed to be the player he and everyone else he knew he was Two weeks went by and his headache hadnrsquot gone away no one knew except for Taylor He thought telling people would make him seem like a baby so he didnrsquot He kept his routine the same except he didnrsquot run to practice he drove His teammates noticed but didnrsquot question him In the locker room they were gearing up for practice pushing and jok-ing as usual As Ryan put on his helmet he felt a large bump on the back part of his head So many things ran through his mind at that mo-ment everything but the upcoming practice He struggled through practice thinking about the bump and what it could be When he got home he showed Taylor She started to freak out and made him go get things checked out

At the doctorrsquos office he waited and waited for hours until the doctor finally called him in He slowly sat down on the table with Taylor right there next to him holding his hand Many questions were asked about the pain and the symptoms and the doctor didnrsquot seem to have much of an idea either Doctor Zogby was his name known to be one of the best doc-tors in the area He felt Ryanrsquos head multiple times then sent him off to get scans He had MRIrsquos X-rays and blood drawn but the re-sults wouldnrsquot be back until later that day They instructed Ryan and Taylor to go home so he could get some rest so he did During his dinner that consisted of hot soup and apple juice the phone rang Taylor answered in a cheerful voice but before long it turned into something different You could hear the concerns from the tone of her voice as she hung up the phone and stared at the floor Ryan quickly jumped up and went over to her He held her in his arms while a few tears streamed down her face ldquoA tumorrdquo she whispered as he wiped the tears from her Now he began to cry too She told him that the doctors wanted him to go to the hospital for the best care he could get but neither of them moved very much They stood still in complete shock that this star quar-terback had something so serious When they finally arrived at the hospital an assistant nurse brought them to this little room at the end of a long hallway The walk seemed to take forever for these two not knowing what other informa-tion they might be told next When they got into the room it was empty just a hospital bed with a few unknown machines Ryan held his head in his hands the pain in his head had now gone

9

through his entire body He couldnrsquot remember the last time he had been this scared The brown wooden door slowly swung open and two doc-tors walked in one male and the other female They introduced themselves as Taylorrsquos hands started to quiver Doctor Ann stood directly in front of Ryan holding two pieces of cream color paper The minutes that went by seemed so long to him Finally she told him the news ldquoRyan your scans have come back you have a brain tumorrdquo The whole room suddenly became quiet then she continued ldquoItrsquos small but it could easily grow so we would like you to go for chemotherapy as soon as possible Most people will lose their hair and become very sick but itrsquos all part of the road to recoveryrdquo The room got silent Ryan looked at his hands then felt the bump His whole career would be flushed down the toilet ldquoIrsquom so sorry Ryanrdquo said the male doctor Suddenly the doctorsrsquo names were called over the loudspeaker and they exited the room Taylor hugged Ryan tightly ldquoIrsquom gonna love you through itrdquo she said with two small tear droplets forming in the corner of her eye They both cried at the thought of the future what would happen with the wedding and the team But most importantly they thought about what would happen to him By the time they had got themselves together two hours had passed On the way out of the door Taylor asked the receptionist when Ryan should return for treatment hoping it would be soon They would return in three days his blood count must be good before anything can be done He kept asking himself why why he was the one to have cancer That night he wouldnrsquot eat he pushed the chicken and corn back and forth on

his plate His nights turned into days he could never sleep He watched as the clock ticked 150 am then 200 am The clock seemed as if it wasnrsquot moving like it was dead Dead like the way he felt after hearing the terrible news Friday morning the day his treatments started He awoke to the sound of his alarm clock the same one that woke him up for foot-ball He wanted to go so bad he didnrsquot want to be a weak man but he knew he had to do what was best He slipped on his comfortable Under Armour sweat pants and walked out the door following Taylor

Morgan Guther- ldquoMy Best Friendrdquo

The sun shined through his car window and he knew exactly why Four years ago his dad passed away he must have been looking down on him letting him know that everything was going be okay Once again the car ride was silent Ryan never talked much about his feel-ings When they got to the hospital the waiting room was so filled up People of all ages sat around looking gloomy Four little kids which

the genders he couldnrsquot tell were playing with the toys in a corner They stood out to him all of their hair was gone but they didnrsquot seem to mind The smiling faces of the kids lit up the room knowing that these kids can go through all of the pain and still have hope Seeing this made Ryan believe in himself all until his name got called The next room he was put in wasnrsquot much better It was filled with beds chairs and many chemotherapy bags Everyone seemed okay but how he wondered how The lady in a long blue coat came up to him with a few bags and a needle so he took a seat He and Taylor picked up a few magazines and started to read while the medicine was inserted Hours went by they lost track of time When the bags final-ly emptied they were allowed to leave Doctors told him he would be sick after and that he was As soon as they got on the highway he got queasy With 5 minutes left he rolled down the window and threw up He felt so sick not being able to imagine feeling this way after every chemo session When he got home he kept getting sick his hands and arms shook non-stop and his diet consisted of water and soup Two days had gone by when he finally felt better so he decided to bring himself to practice Football was something he couldnrsquot live without At the field all the guys huddled around him as if he was a newborn baby No one knew yet why he had missed multiple practices and he wanted it to stay that way Coach asked the team to take a knee while Ryan explained He said ldquoOkay guys you all know football means the world to me but I canrsquot play for a while Last Thursday I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumorrdquo

10

Before he could say any more the boysrsquo helmets hit the ground and the facial expressions turned into shock Not only was he letting the team down but the Giantsrsquo fans as well Ryan and the guys huddled together one last time before he had to go When he got home he remembered that he would soon have to go through the same things in another 8 days once again he asked himself ldquoWhy merdquo

At this point his mom had just called the house and Taylor answered She called multiple times a day to check in on her son like any mother should Four hours and 275 miles away was the only distance between the two Mother and son just like best friends every weekend she came to check on him and the fact of him

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoSkeletonrdquo

having cancer scared her more than ever He didnrsquot have a dad in the picture he passed away years back from a car accident She could not lose two loved ones they were basically the only ones she ever had Eight months passed 243 days and so did 16 chemo treatments Every time he got stronger because thatrsquos all he could be The pain put him out of everything he couldnrsquot help around the house or even make his own meals He became so weak that his bones on his feet cracked almost every time he walked The dream life went from amazing to not very good in a short amount of time Ryan went from 245 pounds to 200 in just a little less than a year And he still asked himself why All he wanted to do was sleep and he swore if he threw up one more time he would kill himself But two days later he would be marrying the girl he loved Taylor All of his best friends and groomsmen gathered at the house to try to prepare him for the big day Everything they tried to do just made Ryan feel even worse it definitely wouldnrsquot be the wedding he planned on His tux which was now a size too big hung in his closet wrapped in bags Today was the big day a day that would change his life once again He hated change so much he wished things would go back to how it was before when he was cancer free Since he and Taylor couldnrsquot be together before the wedding he sat with the male part of the wedding party while she was off with the women Everyone took a few shots but he didnrsquot He looked at himself in the mirror his suit was baggy He wasnrsquot happy with his appearance but the

spotlight was still on him The boys relaxed and reminisced about old times but before long Ryan fell asleep A few blocks away were the girls getting ready They did each others makeup and hair because appointments were canceled Ryan and Taylor could never afford everything for the wedding plus the hospital fees As the boys arrived at the church the clouds started to go away The sun shined right through the limo windows into Ryanrsquos eyes Teardrops wanted to pour out but he was stron-ger than that At that moment he knew who was looking down on him his dad Ryan knew the cancer could kill him he already felt dead The tough football player turned into a weak man who wanted to give up In 10 minutes he would see the most beautiful girl become his wife He stood with his best man at the altar Slowly he looked up and down the crowd of people smiling and laughing just like him For the first time in a while he felt alive Then the music started playing and the doors opened Taylor looked stunning The whole church shifted to look at her half of them crying Ryan walked halfway to meet her speechless he took her hand They said their vows and Ryan kissed his bride The happy couple walked hand in hand down the aisle and then she stopped and kissed his bald head For the first time in a long time he forgot about his cancer He forgot about his pain all until the reception started His head started to throb again and he couldnrsquot stand up People huddled around him as he held his head in his hands He felt warmer than ever and his eyes were beyond bloodshot His progress wasnrsquot getting better The people

11

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

SnowCayla Dedrick

There is something so fleetingAbout the delicate grass dusted with snow

It is so easy to taint the innocenceStomping dirt into the pure white like snow

When you smile your eyes always sparkleMuch like the sunlight dancing on snow

Therersquos something I havenrsquot seen in a whileIt melts away faster than the snow

Itrsquos been a few years nowSince I could play in the snow

Beneath Shimmering SparklesLeah Ifraim

Crystals hover downCaptivating an entire townEach speck descendingSnowflakes and icicles blendingPlastering beds of flowersFrozen encountersCoating rooftops of carsHugged inside avalanches of scarvesStarsLight up the midnight skyLike Christmas lights that shine like firefliesTwinkling gold and boldA reminder of all the winter memoriesMade and to be madeThroughout this yearAnd into the nextSoft shimmersGlistening skiesThe crescent pops out whispering helloA city blanketed in snow

Allison Emmel- ldquoEllierdquo

3

My First Cross Country Race Ashley Lawless ldquoOkay girls You should get to the start-ing line The race starts in five minutesrdquo My coach said She was so excited If only I could be as calm as she was It was only a mile and a half It was my first cross-country race at Bald-winsville I want to get under 13 minutes since I have never gotten a time that good in practice Will I get under 13 minutes Am I that good of a runner It was September 24 which is my birthday I got to the starting line with all of my teammates We did drills and each time a min-ute passed I got more and more nervous I was terrified I had butterflies in my stomach my knees were shaking and I was breathing hard I just wanted to be home Right when I was starting to calm my nerves the referee came He was a tall guy with blue clothing on He was putting his earplugs in He had a gun in one hand and a neon orange flag in the other I was getting waves of nausea ldquoOkay ladies I am going to explain the rules once so listen up I am going to blow my whistle and then say runners to your mark Then I will have my gun and flag straight out and I will say get set Lastly I will raise the gun and flag above my head and then I will pull the trigger Good luck and have a good racerdquo I heard the whistle which sounded like nails on a chalkboard ldquoRunners to your markrdquo his arms went out with his gun and flag in both of his hands ldquoGet setrdquo his arms went over his head BOOM The gun went off and smoke was right above

me I took off like lightning I was sprinting There were girls around me breathing heavily I was close to entering the woods People were cheering me on and coaches were yelling at their athletes to beat the person in front of them I looked to my right and saw my mom and dad yelling at me to run fast My nerves were slow-ly starting to fade I was telling myself to keep going and to push myself I was happy running I kept repeating in my head that I was going to do well and that I was going to get a time I was proud of As I was entering the woods I dropped to a slower pace so I wouldnrsquot burn off all of my energy The whole time I was in the woods I heard nothing but silence All you could hear were the leaves rustling in the wind and the shoes hitting the ground Each time I took a step leaves were crunching and so were the branches underneath them Every-body around me including myself was sliding in the mud The ground was covered in mud and it was wet from the rain this morning The trees had small dots of rainwater on each leaf I heard people screaming Was I at the mile mark already ldquo822rdquo a person timing the peoplersquos miles said I was so excited I am almost done I looked in front of me and I saw ldquo The Wallrdquo Itrsquos a huge hill that is straight up As I was run-ning up I could taste the salt on my lips from the sweat I was telling myself with each step up the hill that I was one step closer to being done I was more determined now to get under 13 minutes I felt good running The encourage-ment from everyone around me made me want to keep running I was running harder now since I only had a half a mile left to go I round-

ed a corner and saw my coach standing there ldquoKick it Ashley The finish line is right thererdquo I was now in a full out sprint My legs were going extremely fast ldquo1227 1228 1229helliprdquo a person timing was screaming I was panting as I crossed the finish line ldquo1230rdquo As I finished I received a ribbon I was so happy I finished my first cross-country race All my teammates were high-fiving me and congratulating me My family came over and told me that I did an awesome job ldquoLetrsquos sing Happy Birthday To Ashleyrdquo one of my friends said I was so happy My whole team was singing to me I could not have been any happier This was the perfect start to my thirteenth birthday

Maddie Vanheusen- ldquoUntitledrdquo

4

Rachel Redmore- ldquoConverse All Starrdquo 5

Nostalgic NostrilsLaura Wengert

I donrsquot have an extraordinarily keen sense of smellBut there are a few whiffs from which I can always tellLike whatrsquos for dinner when I walk in the doorThe stinky stench of worms after the rain has pouredThose people who have their own distinct scentThe unwavering reminder of what Irsquove given up for lent

I like the smell of the laundry machine after itrsquos just washed some clothesI like it when unknown wonders wander in and out of my noseI liked the smell that mom carried after shersquod just been selling friesBut for all the good smells in life there are so many more to despise

I despise the smell of perfume that it always leaves me chokingI detest the puddle of drool Irsquoll discover when Irsquove awokenI fear the trauma of old food that is no longer any goodBut I like sitting up in a tree where I can smell the old woodI think therersquos a weird smell hanging around a newly purchased shirtAnd more weirdly than that I kind of like the smell of dirt

Smelling can be a dangerous activityOne that can easily go wildOr it can act as serendipityAnd take you back to when you were a childI remember my Grammy whose old sweaters will stay with me until much laterAnd plugging my nose when opening my grandparentrsquos basement refrigerator

I can transport myself to the parts of life where everything is wellAll I need to do is find that one perfect smell Holly Deng- ldquoBlooming Onionsrdquo

6

Love is SpecialEbere Joseph

Love is specialUndeniableCaringOptimisticDaringwith no boundariesAndWho shows that kind of loveMom and only mom

With Age Comes DisappointmentJunghye Kim

Brown cows pee chocolate milkAnd monsters live under the bedAnd the tooth fairy magically sneaks under your hairAnd your parents can read your mindYoursquore not allowed to stay up past eight thirtyOr eat the sugar packets at restaurantsOr let go of your momrsquos handYou dream of finding the end of the rainbowAnd talking to mermaidsAnd growing up so you can do whatever you please

But little did you know that growing up comes faster than you wish forAnd people arenrsquot as kind as you once believedAnd the magic of life disappears to a gray dullness

Carly Neugbauer- ldquoEmmardquo

7

Arielle Nagar- ldquoMomrdquo

8

UntitledBreanne Isaacs

ldquoTouchdownrdquo the speakers blared as Ryan Blakeson scored the 3rd touchdown of the game The crowd grew wild once again as the New York Giants took on the Buffalo Bills Ryan and his teammates gathered around in a huddle swaying back and forth preparing for the last quarter Ryan is a 24 year old NFL star He has been playing football ever since he could remember and it meant more than anything to him The quarterback has scored more than 20 touchdowns this past season The whole team depended on him just as he did on them Ryan stood 6rsquo1 his blonde hair flowed down his face almost covering his ocean blue eyes Not only did he become his dream of becoming a professional football player but he also met a gorgeous girl 4 years back Taylor was the girl of his dreams he treasured every moment with her He would marry his best friend in a few months right after his team made it to the Super Bowl Every day he did the same routine He believed that it was a good luck charm he had everything he ever wanted A beautiful wife-to-be and the career that made him millions to do what he loves In the mornings he got up at seven and ran a mile to the field for a four hour practice Nights were spent with Taylor and weekends with his family Tonight was rela-tively different he didnrsquot take her to dinner or a movie he just sat around His head throbbed the lights hurt his eyes and opening them made

him feel so sick He figured if he slept every-thing would go away Taylor kissed him ldquoI love you superstar goodnightrdquo she said as she tucked him into bed When Ryan awoke in the morning the pain was worse than ever He stuck through and got himself to the pre-game prac-tice The field around him seemed like war The screaming fans made his head kill even more All he wanted to do was go home and sleep but he knew his team needed him After all it was the big game the best two teams in the NFC As the game went on he began getting dizzy the whole world was spinning in front of him Coach kept yelling things like ldquoGet your head in the gamerdquo and ldquoWhat the heckrdquo Ryan didnrsquot answer he kept as much focus as he could on the game Everyone could tell something was wrong his usual sprint down the field turned into a fast jog He kept going he needed to be the player he and everyone else he knew he was Two weeks went by and his headache hadnrsquot gone away no one knew except for Taylor He thought telling people would make him seem like a baby so he didnrsquot He kept his routine the same except he didnrsquot run to practice he drove His teammates noticed but didnrsquot question him In the locker room they were gearing up for practice pushing and jok-ing as usual As Ryan put on his helmet he felt a large bump on the back part of his head So many things ran through his mind at that mo-ment everything but the upcoming practice He struggled through practice thinking about the bump and what it could be When he got home he showed Taylor She started to freak out and made him go get things checked out

At the doctorrsquos office he waited and waited for hours until the doctor finally called him in He slowly sat down on the table with Taylor right there next to him holding his hand Many questions were asked about the pain and the symptoms and the doctor didnrsquot seem to have much of an idea either Doctor Zogby was his name known to be one of the best doc-tors in the area He felt Ryanrsquos head multiple times then sent him off to get scans He had MRIrsquos X-rays and blood drawn but the re-sults wouldnrsquot be back until later that day They instructed Ryan and Taylor to go home so he could get some rest so he did During his dinner that consisted of hot soup and apple juice the phone rang Taylor answered in a cheerful voice but before long it turned into something different You could hear the concerns from the tone of her voice as she hung up the phone and stared at the floor Ryan quickly jumped up and went over to her He held her in his arms while a few tears streamed down her face ldquoA tumorrdquo she whispered as he wiped the tears from her Now he began to cry too She told him that the doctors wanted him to go to the hospital for the best care he could get but neither of them moved very much They stood still in complete shock that this star quar-terback had something so serious When they finally arrived at the hospital an assistant nurse brought them to this little room at the end of a long hallway The walk seemed to take forever for these two not knowing what other informa-tion they might be told next When they got into the room it was empty just a hospital bed with a few unknown machines Ryan held his head in his hands the pain in his head had now gone

9

through his entire body He couldnrsquot remember the last time he had been this scared The brown wooden door slowly swung open and two doc-tors walked in one male and the other female They introduced themselves as Taylorrsquos hands started to quiver Doctor Ann stood directly in front of Ryan holding two pieces of cream color paper The minutes that went by seemed so long to him Finally she told him the news ldquoRyan your scans have come back you have a brain tumorrdquo The whole room suddenly became quiet then she continued ldquoItrsquos small but it could easily grow so we would like you to go for chemotherapy as soon as possible Most people will lose their hair and become very sick but itrsquos all part of the road to recoveryrdquo The room got silent Ryan looked at his hands then felt the bump His whole career would be flushed down the toilet ldquoIrsquom so sorry Ryanrdquo said the male doctor Suddenly the doctorsrsquo names were called over the loudspeaker and they exited the room Taylor hugged Ryan tightly ldquoIrsquom gonna love you through itrdquo she said with two small tear droplets forming in the corner of her eye They both cried at the thought of the future what would happen with the wedding and the team But most importantly they thought about what would happen to him By the time they had got themselves together two hours had passed On the way out of the door Taylor asked the receptionist when Ryan should return for treatment hoping it would be soon They would return in three days his blood count must be good before anything can be done He kept asking himself why why he was the one to have cancer That night he wouldnrsquot eat he pushed the chicken and corn back and forth on

his plate His nights turned into days he could never sleep He watched as the clock ticked 150 am then 200 am The clock seemed as if it wasnrsquot moving like it was dead Dead like the way he felt after hearing the terrible news Friday morning the day his treatments started He awoke to the sound of his alarm clock the same one that woke him up for foot-ball He wanted to go so bad he didnrsquot want to be a weak man but he knew he had to do what was best He slipped on his comfortable Under Armour sweat pants and walked out the door following Taylor

Morgan Guther- ldquoMy Best Friendrdquo

The sun shined through his car window and he knew exactly why Four years ago his dad passed away he must have been looking down on him letting him know that everything was going be okay Once again the car ride was silent Ryan never talked much about his feel-ings When they got to the hospital the waiting room was so filled up People of all ages sat around looking gloomy Four little kids which

the genders he couldnrsquot tell were playing with the toys in a corner They stood out to him all of their hair was gone but they didnrsquot seem to mind The smiling faces of the kids lit up the room knowing that these kids can go through all of the pain and still have hope Seeing this made Ryan believe in himself all until his name got called The next room he was put in wasnrsquot much better It was filled with beds chairs and many chemotherapy bags Everyone seemed okay but how he wondered how The lady in a long blue coat came up to him with a few bags and a needle so he took a seat He and Taylor picked up a few magazines and started to read while the medicine was inserted Hours went by they lost track of time When the bags final-ly emptied they were allowed to leave Doctors told him he would be sick after and that he was As soon as they got on the highway he got queasy With 5 minutes left he rolled down the window and threw up He felt so sick not being able to imagine feeling this way after every chemo session When he got home he kept getting sick his hands and arms shook non-stop and his diet consisted of water and soup Two days had gone by when he finally felt better so he decided to bring himself to practice Football was something he couldnrsquot live without At the field all the guys huddled around him as if he was a newborn baby No one knew yet why he had missed multiple practices and he wanted it to stay that way Coach asked the team to take a knee while Ryan explained He said ldquoOkay guys you all know football means the world to me but I canrsquot play for a while Last Thursday I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumorrdquo

10

Before he could say any more the boysrsquo helmets hit the ground and the facial expressions turned into shock Not only was he letting the team down but the Giantsrsquo fans as well Ryan and the guys huddled together one last time before he had to go When he got home he remembered that he would soon have to go through the same things in another 8 days once again he asked himself ldquoWhy merdquo

At this point his mom had just called the house and Taylor answered She called multiple times a day to check in on her son like any mother should Four hours and 275 miles away was the only distance between the two Mother and son just like best friends every weekend she came to check on him and the fact of him

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoSkeletonrdquo

having cancer scared her more than ever He didnrsquot have a dad in the picture he passed away years back from a car accident She could not lose two loved ones they were basically the only ones she ever had Eight months passed 243 days and so did 16 chemo treatments Every time he got stronger because thatrsquos all he could be The pain put him out of everything he couldnrsquot help around the house or even make his own meals He became so weak that his bones on his feet cracked almost every time he walked The dream life went from amazing to not very good in a short amount of time Ryan went from 245 pounds to 200 in just a little less than a year And he still asked himself why All he wanted to do was sleep and he swore if he threw up one more time he would kill himself But two days later he would be marrying the girl he loved Taylor All of his best friends and groomsmen gathered at the house to try to prepare him for the big day Everything they tried to do just made Ryan feel even worse it definitely wouldnrsquot be the wedding he planned on His tux which was now a size too big hung in his closet wrapped in bags Today was the big day a day that would change his life once again He hated change so much he wished things would go back to how it was before when he was cancer free Since he and Taylor couldnrsquot be together before the wedding he sat with the male part of the wedding party while she was off with the women Everyone took a few shots but he didnrsquot He looked at himself in the mirror his suit was baggy He wasnrsquot happy with his appearance but the

spotlight was still on him The boys relaxed and reminisced about old times but before long Ryan fell asleep A few blocks away were the girls getting ready They did each others makeup and hair because appointments were canceled Ryan and Taylor could never afford everything for the wedding plus the hospital fees As the boys arrived at the church the clouds started to go away The sun shined right through the limo windows into Ryanrsquos eyes Teardrops wanted to pour out but he was stron-ger than that At that moment he knew who was looking down on him his dad Ryan knew the cancer could kill him he already felt dead The tough football player turned into a weak man who wanted to give up In 10 minutes he would see the most beautiful girl become his wife He stood with his best man at the altar Slowly he looked up and down the crowd of people smiling and laughing just like him For the first time in a while he felt alive Then the music started playing and the doors opened Taylor looked stunning The whole church shifted to look at her half of them crying Ryan walked halfway to meet her speechless he took her hand They said their vows and Ryan kissed his bride The happy couple walked hand in hand down the aisle and then she stopped and kissed his bald head For the first time in a long time he forgot about his cancer He forgot about his pain all until the reception started His head started to throb again and he couldnrsquot stand up People huddled around him as he held his head in his hands He felt warmer than ever and his eyes were beyond bloodshot His progress wasnrsquot getting better The people

11

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

My First Cross Country Race Ashley Lawless ldquoOkay girls You should get to the start-ing line The race starts in five minutesrdquo My coach said She was so excited If only I could be as calm as she was It was only a mile and a half It was my first cross-country race at Bald-winsville I want to get under 13 minutes since I have never gotten a time that good in practice Will I get under 13 minutes Am I that good of a runner It was September 24 which is my birthday I got to the starting line with all of my teammates We did drills and each time a min-ute passed I got more and more nervous I was terrified I had butterflies in my stomach my knees were shaking and I was breathing hard I just wanted to be home Right when I was starting to calm my nerves the referee came He was a tall guy with blue clothing on He was putting his earplugs in He had a gun in one hand and a neon orange flag in the other I was getting waves of nausea ldquoOkay ladies I am going to explain the rules once so listen up I am going to blow my whistle and then say runners to your mark Then I will have my gun and flag straight out and I will say get set Lastly I will raise the gun and flag above my head and then I will pull the trigger Good luck and have a good racerdquo I heard the whistle which sounded like nails on a chalkboard ldquoRunners to your markrdquo his arms went out with his gun and flag in both of his hands ldquoGet setrdquo his arms went over his head BOOM The gun went off and smoke was right above

me I took off like lightning I was sprinting There were girls around me breathing heavily I was close to entering the woods People were cheering me on and coaches were yelling at their athletes to beat the person in front of them I looked to my right and saw my mom and dad yelling at me to run fast My nerves were slow-ly starting to fade I was telling myself to keep going and to push myself I was happy running I kept repeating in my head that I was going to do well and that I was going to get a time I was proud of As I was entering the woods I dropped to a slower pace so I wouldnrsquot burn off all of my energy The whole time I was in the woods I heard nothing but silence All you could hear were the leaves rustling in the wind and the shoes hitting the ground Each time I took a step leaves were crunching and so were the branches underneath them Every-body around me including myself was sliding in the mud The ground was covered in mud and it was wet from the rain this morning The trees had small dots of rainwater on each leaf I heard people screaming Was I at the mile mark already ldquo822rdquo a person timing the peoplersquos miles said I was so excited I am almost done I looked in front of me and I saw ldquo The Wallrdquo Itrsquos a huge hill that is straight up As I was run-ning up I could taste the salt on my lips from the sweat I was telling myself with each step up the hill that I was one step closer to being done I was more determined now to get under 13 minutes I felt good running The encourage-ment from everyone around me made me want to keep running I was running harder now since I only had a half a mile left to go I round-

ed a corner and saw my coach standing there ldquoKick it Ashley The finish line is right thererdquo I was now in a full out sprint My legs were going extremely fast ldquo1227 1228 1229helliprdquo a person timing was screaming I was panting as I crossed the finish line ldquo1230rdquo As I finished I received a ribbon I was so happy I finished my first cross-country race All my teammates were high-fiving me and congratulating me My family came over and told me that I did an awesome job ldquoLetrsquos sing Happy Birthday To Ashleyrdquo one of my friends said I was so happy My whole team was singing to me I could not have been any happier This was the perfect start to my thirteenth birthday

Maddie Vanheusen- ldquoUntitledrdquo

4

Rachel Redmore- ldquoConverse All Starrdquo 5

Nostalgic NostrilsLaura Wengert

I donrsquot have an extraordinarily keen sense of smellBut there are a few whiffs from which I can always tellLike whatrsquos for dinner when I walk in the doorThe stinky stench of worms after the rain has pouredThose people who have their own distinct scentThe unwavering reminder of what Irsquove given up for lent

I like the smell of the laundry machine after itrsquos just washed some clothesI like it when unknown wonders wander in and out of my noseI liked the smell that mom carried after shersquod just been selling friesBut for all the good smells in life there are so many more to despise

I despise the smell of perfume that it always leaves me chokingI detest the puddle of drool Irsquoll discover when Irsquove awokenI fear the trauma of old food that is no longer any goodBut I like sitting up in a tree where I can smell the old woodI think therersquos a weird smell hanging around a newly purchased shirtAnd more weirdly than that I kind of like the smell of dirt

Smelling can be a dangerous activityOne that can easily go wildOr it can act as serendipityAnd take you back to when you were a childI remember my Grammy whose old sweaters will stay with me until much laterAnd plugging my nose when opening my grandparentrsquos basement refrigerator

I can transport myself to the parts of life where everything is wellAll I need to do is find that one perfect smell Holly Deng- ldquoBlooming Onionsrdquo

6

Love is SpecialEbere Joseph

Love is specialUndeniableCaringOptimisticDaringwith no boundariesAndWho shows that kind of loveMom and only mom

With Age Comes DisappointmentJunghye Kim

Brown cows pee chocolate milkAnd monsters live under the bedAnd the tooth fairy magically sneaks under your hairAnd your parents can read your mindYoursquore not allowed to stay up past eight thirtyOr eat the sugar packets at restaurantsOr let go of your momrsquos handYou dream of finding the end of the rainbowAnd talking to mermaidsAnd growing up so you can do whatever you please

But little did you know that growing up comes faster than you wish forAnd people arenrsquot as kind as you once believedAnd the magic of life disappears to a gray dullness

Carly Neugbauer- ldquoEmmardquo

7

Arielle Nagar- ldquoMomrdquo

8

UntitledBreanne Isaacs

ldquoTouchdownrdquo the speakers blared as Ryan Blakeson scored the 3rd touchdown of the game The crowd grew wild once again as the New York Giants took on the Buffalo Bills Ryan and his teammates gathered around in a huddle swaying back and forth preparing for the last quarter Ryan is a 24 year old NFL star He has been playing football ever since he could remember and it meant more than anything to him The quarterback has scored more than 20 touchdowns this past season The whole team depended on him just as he did on them Ryan stood 6rsquo1 his blonde hair flowed down his face almost covering his ocean blue eyes Not only did he become his dream of becoming a professional football player but he also met a gorgeous girl 4 years back Taylor was the girl of his dreams he treasured every moment with her He would marry his best friend in a few months right after his team made it to the Super Bowl Every day he did the same routine He believed that it was a good luck charm he had everything he ever wanted A beautiful wife-to-be and the career that made him millions to do what he loves In the mornings he got up at seven and ran a mile to the field for a four hour practice Nights were spent with Taylor and weekends with his family Tonight was rela-tively different he didnrsquot take her to dinner or a movie he just sat around His head throbbed the lights hurt his eyes and opening them made

him feel so sick He figured if he slept every-thing would go away Taylor kissed him ldquoI love you superstar goodnightrdquo she said as she tucked him into bed When Ryan awoke in the morning the pain was worse than ever He stuck through and got himself to the pre-game prac-tice The field around him seemed like war The screaming fans made his head kill even more All he wanted to do was go home and sleep but he knew his team needed him After all it was the big game the best two teams in the NFC As the game went on he began getting dizzy the whole world was spinning in front of him Coach kept yelling things like ldquoGet your head in the gamerdquo and ldquoWhat the heckrdquo Ryan didnrsquot answer he kept as much focus as he could on the game Everyone could tell something was wrong his usual sprint down the field turned into a fast jog He kept going he needed to be the player he and everyone else he knew he was Two weeks went by and his headache hadnrsquot gone away no one knew except for Taylor He thought telling people would make him seem like a baby so he didnrsquot He kept his routine the same except he didnrsquot run to practice he drove His teammates noticed but didnrsquot question him In the locker room they were gearing up for practice pushing and jok-ing as usual As Ryan put on his helmet he felt a large bump on the back part of his head So many things ran through his mind at that mo-ment everything but the upcoming practice He struggled through practice thinking about the bump and what it could be When he got home he showed Taylor She started to freak out and made him go get things checked out

At the doctorrsquos office he waited and waited for hours until the doctor finally called him in He slowly sat down on the table with Taylor right there next to him holding his hand Many questions were asked about the pain and the symptoms and the doctor didnrsquot seem to have much of an idea either Doctor Zogby was his name known to be one of the best doc-tors in the area He felt Ryanrsquos head multiple times then sent him off to get scans He had MRIrsquos X-rays and blood drawn but the re-sults wouldnrsquot be back until later that day They instructed Ryan and Taylor to go home so he could get some rest so he did During his dinner that consisted of hot soup and apple juice the phone rang Taylor answered in a cheerful voice but before long it turned into something different You could hear the concerns from the tone of her voice as she hung up the phone and stared at the floor Ryan quickly jumped up and went over to her He held her in his arms while a few tears streamed down her face ldquoA tumorrdquo she whispered as he wiped the tears from her Now he began to cry too She told him that the doctors wanted him to go to the hospital for the best care he could get but neither of them moved very much They stood still in complete shock that this star quar-terback had something so serious When they finally arrived at the hospital an assistant nurse brought them to this little room at the end of a long hallway The walk seemed to take forever for these two not knowing what other informa-tion they might be told next When they got into the room it was empty just a hospital bed with a few unknown machines Ryan held his head in his hands the pain in his head had now gone

9

through his entire body He couldnrsquot remember the last time he had been this scared The brown wooden door slowly swung open and two doc-tors walked in one male and the other female They introduced themselves as Taylorrsquos hands started to quiver Doctor Ann stood directly in front of Ryan holding two pieces of cream color paper The minutes that went by seemed so long to him Finally she told him the news ldquoRyan your scans have come back you have a brain tumorrdquo The whole room suddenly became quiet then she continued ldquoItrsquos small but it could easily grow so we would like you to go for chemotherapy as soon as possible Most people will lose their hair and become very sick but itrsquos all part of the road to recoveryrdquo The room got silent Ryan looked at his hands then felt the bump His whole career would be flushed down the toilet ldquoIrsquom so sorry Ryanrdquo said the male doctor Suddenly the doctorsrsquo names were called over the loudspeaker and they exited the room Taylor hugged Ryan tightly ldquoIrsquom gonna love you through itrdquo she said with two small tear droplets forming in the corner of her eye They both cried at the thought of the future what would happen with the wedding and the team But most importantly they thought about what would happen to him By the time they had got themselves together two hours had passed On the way out of the door Taylor asked the receptionist when Ryan should return for treatment hoping it would be soon They would return in three days his blood count must be good before anything can be done He kept asking himself why why he was the one to have cancer That night he wouldnrsquot eat he pushed the chicken and corn back and forth on

his plate His nights turned into days he could never sleep He watched as the clock ticked 150 am then 200 am The clock seemed as if it wasnrsquot moving like it was dead Dead like the way he felt after hearing the terrible news Friday morning the day his treatments started He awoke to the sound of his alarm clock the same one that woke him up for foot-ball He wanted to go so bad he didnrsquot want to be a weak man but he knew he had to do what was best He slipped on his comfortable Under Armour sweat pants and walked out the door following Taylor

Morgan Guther- ldquoMy Best Friendrdquo

The sun shined through his car window and he knew exactly why Four years ago his dad passed away he must have been looking down on him letting him know that everything was going be okay Once again the car ride was silent Ryan never talked much about his feel-ings When they got to the hospital the waiting room was so filled up People of all ages sat around looking gloomy Four little kids which

the genders he couldnrsquot tell were playing with the toys in a corner They stood out to him all of their hair was gone but they didnrsquot seem to mind The smiling faces of the kids lit up the room knowing that these kids can go through all of the pain and still have hope Seeing this made Ryan believe in himself all until his name got called The next room he was put in wasnrsquot much better It was filled with beds chairs and many chemotherapy bags Everyone seemed okay but how he wondered how The lady in a long blue coat came up to him with a few bags and a needle so he took a seat He and Taylor picked up a few magazines and started to read while the medicine was inserted Hours went by they lost track of time When the bags final-ly emptied they were allowed to leave Doctors told him he would be sick after and that he was As soon as they got on the highway he got queasy With 5 minutes left he rolled down the window and threw up He felt so sick not being able to imagine feeling this way after every chemo session When he got home he kept getting sick his hands and arms shook non-stop and his diet consisted of water and soup Two days had gone by when he finally felt better so he decided to bring himself to practice Football was something he couldnrsquot live without At the field all the guys huddled around him as if he was a newborn baby No one knew yet why he had missed multiple practices and he wanted it to stay that way Coach asked the team to take a knee while Ryan explained He said ldquoOkay guys you all know football means the world to me but I canrsquot play for a while Last Thursday I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumorrdquo

10

Before he could say any more the boysrsquo helmets hit the ground and the facial expressions turned into shock Not only was he letting the team down but the Giantsrsquo fans as well Ryan and the guys huddled together one last time before he had to go When he got home he remembered that he would soon have to go through the same things in another 8 days once again he asked himself ldquoWhy merdquo

At this point his mom had just called the house and Taylor answered She called multiple times a day to check in on her son like any mother should Four hours and 275 miles away was the only distance between the two Mother and son just like best friends every weekend she came to check on him and the fact of him

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoSkeletonrdquo

having cancer scared her more than ever He didnrsquot have a dad in the picture he passed away years back from a car accident She could not lose two loved ones they were basically the only ones she ever had Eight months passed 243 days and so did 16 chemo treatments Every time he got stronger because thatrsquos all he could be The pain put him out of everything he couldnrsquot help around the house or even make his own meals He became so weak that his bones on his feet cracked almost every time he walked The dream life went from amazing to not very good in a short amount of time Ryan went from 245 pounds to 200 in just a little less than a year And he still asked himself why All he wanted to do was sleep and he swore if he threw up one more time he would kill himself But two days later he would be marrying the girl he loved Taylor All of his best friends and groomsmen gathered at the house to try to prepare him for the big day Everything they tried to do just made Ryan feel even worse it definitely wouldnrsquot be the wedding he planned on His tux which was now a size too big hung in his closet wrapped in bags Today was the big day a day that would change his life once again He hated change so much he wished things would go back to how it was before when he was cancer free Since he and Taylor couldnrsquot be together before the wedding he sat with the male part of the wedding party while she was off with the women Everyone took a few shots but he didnrsquot He looked at himself in the mirror his suit was baggy He wasnrsquot happy with his appearance but the

spotlight was still on him The boys relaxed and reminisced about old times but before long Ryan fell asleep A few blocks away were the girls getting ready They did each others makeup and hair because appointments were canceled Ryan and Taylor could never afford everything for the wedding plus the hospital fees As the boys arrived at the church the clouds started to go away The sun shined right through the limo windows into Ryanrsquos eyes Teardrops wanted to pour out but he was stron-ger than that At that moment he knew who was looking down on him his dad Ryan knew the cancer could kill him he already felt dead The tough football player turned into a weak man who wanted to give up In 10 minutes he would see the most beautiful girl become his wife He stood with his best man at the altar Slowly he looked up and down the crowd of people smiling and laughing just like him For the first time in a while he felt alive Then the music started playing and the doors opened Taylor looked stunning The whole church shifted to look at her half of them crying Ryan walked halfway to meet her speechless he took her hand They said their vows and Ryan kissed his bride The happy couple walked hand in hand down the aisle and then she stopped and kissed his bald head For the first time in a long time he forgot about his cancer He forgot about his pain all until the reception started His head started to throb again and he couldnrsquot stand up People huddled around him as he held his head in his hands He felt warmer than ever and his eyes were beyond bloodshot His progress wasnrsquot getting better The people

11

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Rachel Redmore- ldquoConverse All Starrdquo 5

Nostalgic NostrilsLaura Wengert

I donrsquot have an extraordinarily keen sense of smellBut there are a few whiffs from which I can always tellLike whatrsquos for dinner when I walk in the doorThe stinky stench of worms after the rain has pouredThose people who have their own distinct scentThe unwavering reminder of what Irsquove given up for lent

I like the smell of the laundry machine after itrsquos just washed some clothesI like it when unknown wonders wander in and out of my noseI liked the smell that mom carried after shersquod just been selling friesBut for all the good smells in life there are so many more to despise

I despise the smell of perfume that it always leaves me chokingI detest the puddle of drool Irsquoll discover when Irsquove awokenI fear the trauma of old food that is no longer any goodBut I like sitting up in a tree where I can smell the old woodI think therersquos a weird smell hanging around a newly purchased shirtAnd more weirdly than that I kind of like the smell of dirt

Smelling can be a dangerous activityOne that can easily go wildOr it can act as serendipityAnd take you back to when you were a childI remember my Grammy whose old sweaters will stay with me until much laterAnd plugging my nose when opening my grandparentrsquos basement refrigerator

I can transport myself to the parts of life where everything is wellAll I need to do is find that one perfect smell Holly Deng- ldquoBlooming Onionsrdquo

6

Love is SpecialEbere Joseph

Love is specialUndeniableCaringOptimisticDaringwith no boundariesAndWho shows that kind of loveMom and only mom

With Age Comes DisappointmentJunghye Kim

Brown cows pee chocolate milkAnd monsters live under the bedAnd the tooth fairy magically sneaks under your hairAnd your parents can read your mindYoursquore not allowed to stay up past eight thirtyOr eat the sugar packets at restaurantsOr let go of your momrsquos handYou dream of finding the end of the rainbowAnd talking to mermaidsAnd growing up so you can do whatever you please

But little did you know that growing up comes faster than you wish forAnd people arenrsquot as kind as you once believedAnd the magic of life disappears to a gray dullness

Carly Neugbauer- ldquoEmmardquo

7

Arielle Nagar- ldquoMomrdquo

8

UntitledBreanne Isaacs

ldquoTouchdownrdquo the speakers blared as Ryan Blakeson scored the 3rd touchdown of the game The crowd grew wild once again as the New York Giants took on the Buffalo Bills Ryan and his teammates gathered around in a huddle swaying back and forth preparing for the last quarter Ryan is a 24 year old NFL star He has been playing football ever since he could remember and it meant more than anything to him The quarterback has scored more than 20 touchdowns this past season The whole team depended on him just as he did on them Ryan stood 6rsquo1 his blonde hair flowed down his face almost covering his ocean blue eyes Not only did he become his dream of becoming a professional football player but he also met a gorgeous girl 4 years back Taylor was the girl of his dreams he treasured every moment with her He would marry his best friend in a few months right after his team made it to the Super Bowl Every day he did the same routine He believed that it was a good luck charm he had everything he ever wanted A beautiful wife-to-be and the career that made him millions to do what he loves In the mornings he got up at seven and ran a mile to the field for a four hour practice Nights were spent with Taylor and weekends with his family Tonight was rela-tively different he didnrsquot take her to dinner or a movie he just sat around His head throbbed the lights hurt his eyes and opening them made

him feel so sick He figured if he slept every-thing would go away Taylor kissed him ldquoI love you superstar goodnightrdquo she said as she tucked him into bed When Ryan awoke in the morning the pain was worse than ever He stuck through and got himself to the pre-game prac-tice The field around him seemed like war The screaming fans made his head kill even more All he wanted to do was go home and sleep but he knew his team needed him After all it was the big game the best two teams in the NFC As the game went on he began getting dizzy the whole world was spinning in front of him Coach kept yelling things like ldquoGet your head in the gamerdquo and ldquoWhat the heckrdquo Ryan didnrsquot answer he kept as much focus as he could on the game Everyone could tell something was wrong his usual sprint down the field turned into a fast jog He kept going he needed to be the player he and everyone else he knew he was Two weeks went by and his headache hadnrsquot gone away no one knew except for Taylor He thought telling people would make him seem like a baby so he didnrsquot He kept his routine the same except he didnrsquot run to practice he drove His teammates noticed but didnrsquot question him In the locker room they were gearing up for practice pushing and jok-ing as usual As Ryan put on his helmet he felt a large bump on the back part of his head So many things ran through his mind at that mo-ment everything but the upcoming practice He struggled through practice thinking about the bump and what it could be When he got home he showed Taylor She started to freak out and made him go get things checked out

At the doctorrsquos office he waited and waited for hours until the doctor finally called him in He slowly sat down on the table with Taylor right there next to him holding his hand Many questions were asked about the pain and the symptoms and the doctor didnrsquot seem to have much of an idea either Doctor Zogby was his name known to be one of the best doc-tors in the area He felt Ryanrsquos head multiple times then sent him off to get scans He had MRIrsquos X-rays and blood drawn but the re-sults wouldnrsquot be back until later that day They instructed Ryan and Taylor to go home so he could get some rest so he did During his dinner that consisted of hot soup and apple juice the phone rang Taylor answered in a cheerful voice but before long it turned into something different You could hear the concerns from the tone of her voice as she hung up the phone and stared at the floor Ryan quickly jumped up and went over to her He held her in his arms while a few tears streamed down her face ldquoA tumorrdquo she whispered as he wiped the tears from her Now he began to cry too She told him that the doctors wanted him to go to the hospital for the best care he could get but neither of them moved very much They stood still in complete shock that this star quar-terback had something so serious When they finally arrived at the hospital an assistant nurse brought them to this little room at the end of a long hallway The walk seemed to take forever for these two not knowing what other informa-tion they might be told next When they got into the room it was empty just a hospital bed with a few unknown machines Ryan held his head in his hands the pain in his head had now gone

9

through his entire body He couldnrsquot remember the last time he had been this scared The brown wooden door slowly swung open and two doc-tors walked in one male and the other female They introduced themselves as Taylorrsquos hands started to quiver Doctor Ann stood directly in front of Ryan holding two pieces of cream color paper The minutes that went by seemed so long to him Finally she told him the news ldquoRyan your scans have come back you have a brain tumorrdquo The whole room suddenly became quiet then she continued ldquoItrsquos small but it could easily grow so we would like you to go for chemotherapy as soon as possible Most people will lose their hair and become very sick but itrsquos all part of the road to recoveryrdquo The room got silent Ryan looked at his hands then felt the bump His whole career would be flushed down the toilet ldquoIrsquom so sorry Ryanrdquo said the male doctor Suddenly the doctorsrsquo names were called over the loudspeaker and they exited the room Taylor hugged Ryan tightly ldquoIrsquom gonna love you through itrdquo she said with two small tear droplets forming in the corner of her eye They both cried at the thought of the future what would happen with the wedding and the team But most importantly they thought about what would happen to him By the time they had got themselves together two hours had passed On the way out of the door Taylor asked the receptionist when Ryan should return for treatment hoping it would be soon They would return in three days his blood count must be good before anything can be done He kept asking himself why why he was the one to have cancer That night he wouldnrsquot eat he pushed the chicken and corn back and forth on

his plate His nights turned into days he could never sleep He watched as the clock ticked 150 am then 200 am The clock seemed as if it wasnrsquot moving like it was dead Dead like the way he felt after hearing the terrible news Friday morning the day his treatments started He awoke to the sound of his alarm clock the same one that woke him up for foot-ball He wanted to go so bad he didnrsquot want to be a weak man but he knew he had to do what was best He slipped on his comfortable Under Armour sweat pants and walked out the door following Taylor

Morgan Guther- ldquoMy Best Friendrdquo

The sun shined through his car window and he knew exactly why Four years ago his dad passed away he must have been looking down on him letting him know that everything was going be okay Once again the car ride was silent Ryan never talked much about his feel-ings When they got to the hospital the waiting room was so filled up People of all ages sat around looking gloomy Four little kids which

the genders he couldnrsquot tell were playing with the toys in a corner They stood out to him all of their hair was gone but they didnrsquot seem to mind The smiling faces of the kids lit up the room knowing that these kids can go through all of the pain and still have hope Seeing this made Ryan believe in himself all until his name got called The next room he was put in wasnrsquot much better It was filled with beds chairs and many chemotherapy bags Everyone seemed okay but how he wondered how The lady in a long blue coat came up to him with a few bags and a needle so he took a seat He and Taylor picked up a few magazines and started to read while the medicine was inserted Hours went by they lost track of time When the bags final-ly emptied they were allowed to leave Doctors told him he would be sick after and that he was As soon as they got on the highway he got queasy With 5 minutes left he rolled down the window and threw up He felt so sick not being able to imagine feeling this way after every chemo session When he got home he kept getting sick his hands and arms shook non-stop and his diet consisted of water and soup Two days had gone by when he finally felt better so he decided to bring himself to practice Football was something he couldnrsquot live without At the field all the guys huddled around him as if he was a newborn baby No one knew yet why he had missed multiple practices and he wanted it to stay that way Coach asked the team to take a knee while Ryan explained He said ldquoOkay guys you all know football means the world to me but I canrsquot play for a while Last Thursday I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumorrdquo

10

Before he could say any more the boysrsquo helmets hit the ground and the facial expressions turned into shock Not only was he letting the team down but the Giantsrsquo fans as well Ryan and the guys huddled together one last time before he had to go When he got home he remembered that he would soon have to go through the same things in another 8 days once again he asked himself ldquoWhy merdquo

At this point his mom had just called the house and Taylor answered She called multiple times a day to check in on her son like any mother should Four hours and 275 miles away was the only distance between the two Mother and son just like best friends every weekend she came to check on him and the fact of him

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoSkeletonrdquo

having cancer scared her more than ever He didnrsquot have a dad in the picture he passed away years back from a car accident She could not lose two loved ones they were basically the only ones she ever had Eight months passed 243 days and so did 16 chemo treatments Every time he got stronger because thatrsquos all he could be The pain put him out of everything he couldnrsquot help around the house or even make his own meals He became so weak that his bones on his feet cracked almost every time he walked The dream life went from amazing to not very good in a short amount of time Ryan went from 245 pounds to 200 in just a little less than a year And he still asked himself why All he wanted to do was sleep and he swore if he threw up one more time he would kill himself But two days later he would be marrying the girl he loved Taylor All of his best friends and groomsmen gathered at the house to try to prepare him for the big day Everything they tried to do just made Ryan feel even worse it definitely wouldnrsquot be the wedding he planned on His tux which was now a size too big hung in his closet wrapped in bags Today was the big day a day that would change his life once again He hated change so much he wished things would go back to how it was before when he was cancer free Since he and Taylor couldnrsquot be together before the wedding he sat with the male part of the wedding party while she was off with the women Everyone took a few shots but he didnrsquot He looked at himself in the mirror his suit was baggy He wasnrsquot happy with his appearance but the

spotlight was still on him The boys relaxed and reminisced about old times but before long Ryan fell asleep A few blocks away were the girls getting ready They did each others makeup and hair because appointments were canceled Ryan and Taylor could never afford everything for the wedding plus the hospital fees As the boys arrived at the church the clouds started to go away The sun shined right through the limo windows into Ryanrsquos eyes Teardrops wanted to pour out but he was stron-ger than that At that moment he knew who was looking down on him his dad Ryan knew the cancer could kill him he already felt dead The tough football player turned into a weak man who wanted to give up In 10 minutes he would see the most beautiful girl become his wife He stood with his best man at the altar Slowly he looked up and down the crowd of people smiling and laughing just like him For the first time in a while he felt alive Then the music started playing and the doors opened Taylor looked stunning The whole church shifted to look at her half of them crying Ryan walked halfway to meet her speechless he took her hand They said their vows and Ryan kissed his bride The happy couple walked hand in hand down the aisle and then she stopped and kissed his bald head For the first time in a long time he forgot about his cancer He forgot about his pain all until the reception started His head started to throb again and he couldnrsquot stand up People huddled around him as he held his head in his hands He felt warmer than ever and his eyes were beyond bloodshot His progress wasnrsquot getting better The people

11

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Nostalgic NostrilsLaura Wengert

I donrsquot have an extraordinarily keen sense of smellBut there are a few whiffs from which I can always tellLike whatrsquos for dinner when I walk in the doorThe stinky stench of worms after the rain has pouredThose people who have their own distinct scentThe unwavering reminder of what Irsquove given up for lent

I like the smell of the laundry machine after itrsquos just washed some clothesI like it when unknown wonders wander in and out of my noseI liked the smell that mom carried after shersquod just been selling friesBut for all the good smells in life there are so many more to despise

I despise the smell of perfume that it always leaves me chokingI detest the puddle of drool Irsquoll discover when Irsquove awokenI fear the trauma of old food that is no longer any goodBut I like sitting up in a tree where I can smell the old woodI think therersquos a weird smell hanging around a newly purchased shirtAnd more weirdly than that I kind of like the smell of dirt

Smelling can be a dangerous activityOne that can easily go wildOr it can act as serendipityAnd take you back to when you were a childI remember my Grammy whose old sweaters will stay with me until much laterAnd plugging my nose when opening my grandparentrsquos basement refrigerator

I can transport myself to the parts of life where everything is wellAll I need to do is find that one perfect smell Holly Deng- ldquoBlooming Onionsrdquo

6

Love is SpecialEbere Joseph

Love is specialUndeniableCaringOptimisticDaringwith no boundariesAndWho shows that kind of loveMom and only mom

With Age Comes DisappointmentJunghye Kim

Brown cows pee chocolate milkAnd monsters live under the bedAnd the tooth fairy magically sneaks under your hairAnd your parents can read your mindYoursquore not allowed to stay up past eight thirtyOr eat the sugar packets at restaurantsOr let go of your momrsquos handYou dream of finding the end of the rainbowAnd talking to mermaidsAnd growing up so you can do whatever you please

But little did you know that growing up comes faster than you wish forAnd people arenrsquot as kind as you once believedAnd the magic of life disappears to a gray dullness

Carly Neugbauer- ldquoEmmardquo

7

Arielle Nagar- ldquoMomrdquo

8

UntitledBreanne Isaacs

ldquoTouchdownrdquo the speakers blared as Ryan Blakeson scored the 3rd touchdown of the game The crowd grew wild once again as the New York Giants took on the Buffalo Bills Ryan and his teammates gathered around in a huddle swaying back and forth preparing for the last quarter Ryan is a 24 year old NFL star He has been playing football ever since he could remember and it meant more than anything to him The quarterback has scored more than 20 touchdowns this past season The whole team depended on him just as he did on them Ryan stood 6rsquo1 his blonde hair flowed down his face almost covering his ocean blue eyes Not only did he become his dream of becoming a professional football player but he also met a gorgeous girl 4 years back Taylor was the girl of his dreams he treasured every moment with her He would marry his best friend in a few months right after his team made it to the Super Bowl Every day he did the same routine He believed that it was a good luck charm he had everything he ever wanted A beautiful wife-to-be and the career that made him millions to do what he loves In the mornings he got up at seven and ran a mile to the field for a four hour practice Nights were spent with Taylor and weekends with his family Tonight was rela-tively different he didnrsquot take her to dinner or a movie he just sat around His head throbbed the lights hurt his eyes and opening them made

him feel so sick He figured if he slept every-thing would go away Taylor kissed him ldquoI love you superstar goodnightrdquo she said as she tucked him into bed When Ryan awoke in the morning the pain was worse than ever He stuck through and got himself to the pre-game prac-tice The field around him seemed like war The screaming fans made his head kill even more All he wanted to do was go home and sleep but he knew his team needed him After all it was the big game the best two teams in the NFC As the game went on he began getting dizzy the whole world was spinning in front of him Coach kept yelling things like ldquoGet your head in the gamerdquo and ldquoWhat the heckrdquo Ryan didnrsquot answer he kept as much focus as he could on the game Everyone could tell something was wrong his usual sprint down the field turned into a fast jog He kept going he needed to be the player he and everyone else he knew he was Two weeks went by and his headache hadnrsquot gone away no one knew except for Taylor He thought telling people would make him seem like a baby so he didnrsquot He kept his routine the same except he didnrsquot run to practice he drove His teammates noticed but didnrsquot question him In the locker room they were gearing up for practice pushing and jok-ing as usual As Ryan put on his helmet he felt a large bump on the back part of his head So many things ran through his mind at that mo-ment everything but the upcoming practice He struggled through practice thinking about the bump and what it could be When he got home he showed Taylor She started to freak out and made him go get things checked out

At the doctorrsquos office he waited and waited for hours until the doctor finally called him in He slowly sat down on the table with Taylor right there next to him holding his hand Many questions were asked about the pain and the symptoms and the doctor didnrsquot seem to have much of an idea either Doctor Zogby was his name known to be one of the best doc-tors in the area He felt Ryanrsquos head multiple times then sent him off to get scans He had MRIrsquos X-rays and blood drawn but the re-sults wouldnrsquot be back until later that day They instructed Ryan and Taylor to go home so he could get some rest so he did During his dinner that consisted of hot soup and apple juice the phone rang Taylor answered in a cheerful voice but before long it turned into something different You could hear the concerns from the tone of her voice as she hung up the phone and stared at the floor Ryan quickly jumped up and went over to her He held her in his arms while a few tears streamed down her face ldquoA tumorrdquo she whispered as he wiped the tears from her Now he began to cry too She told him that the doctors wanted him to go to the hospital for the best care he could get but neither of them moved very much They stood still in complete shock that this star quar-terback had something so serious When they finally arrived at the hospital an assistant nurse brought them to this little room at the end of a long hallway The walk seemed to take forever for these two not knowing what other informa-tion they might be told next When they got into the room it was empty just a hospital bed with a few unknown machines Ryan held his head in his hands the pain in his head had now gone

9

through his entire body He couldnrsquot remember the last time he had been this scared The brown wooden door slowly swung open and two doc-tors walked in one male and the other female They introduced themselves as Taylorrsquos hands started to quiver Doctor Ann stood directly in front of Ryan holding two pieces of cream color paper The minutes that went by seemed so long to him Finally she told him the news ldquoRyan your scans have come back you have a brain tumorrdquo The whole room suddenly became quiet then she continued ldquoItrsquos small but it could easily grow so we would like you to go for chemotherapy as soon as possible Most people will lose their hair and become very sick but itrsquos all part of the road to recoveryrdquo The room got silent Ryan looked at his hands then felt the bump His whole career would be flushed down the toilet ldquoIrsquom so sorry Ryanrdquo said the male doctor Suddenly the doctorsrsquo names were called over the loudspeaker and they exited the room Taylor hugged Ryan tightly ldquoIrsquom gonna love you through itrdquo she said with two small tear droplets forming in the corner of her eye They both cried at the thought of the future what would happen with the wedding and the team But most importantly they thought about what would happen to him By the time they had got themselves together two hours had passed On the way out of the door Taylor asked the receptionist when Ryan should return for treatment hoping it would be soon They would return in three days his blood count must be good before anything can be done He kept asking himself why why he was the one to have cancer That night he wouldnrsquot eat he pushed the chicken and corn back and forth on

his plate His nights turned into days he could never sleep He watched as the clock ticked 150 am then 200 am The clock seemed as if it wasnrsquot moving like it was dead Dead like the way he felt after hearing the terrible news Friday morning the day his treatments started He awoke to the sound of his alarm clock the same one that woke him up for foot-ball He wanted to go so bad he didnrsquot want to be a weak man but he knew he had to do what was best He slipped on his comfortable Under Armour sweat pants and walked out the door following Taylor

Morgan Guther- ldquoMy Best Friendrdquo

The sun shined through his car window and he knew exactly why Four years ago his dad passed away he must have been looking down on him letting him know that everything was going be okay Once again the car ride was silent Ryan never talked much about his feel-ings When they got to the hospital the waiting room was so filled up People of all ages sat around looking gloomy Four little kids which

the genders he couldnrsquot tell were playing with the toys in a corner They stood out to him all of their hair was gone but they didnrsquot seem to mind The smiling faces of the kids lit up the room knowing that these kids can go through all of the pain and still have hope Seeing this made Ryan believe in himself all until his name got called The next room he was put in wasnrsquot much better It was filled with beds chairs and many chemotherapy bags Everyone seemed okay but how he wondered how The lady in a long blue coat came up to him with a few bags and a needle so he took a seat He and Taylor picked up a few magazines and started to read while the medicine was inserted Hours went by they lost track of time When the bags final-ly emptied they were allowed to leave Doctors told him he would be sick after and that he was As soon as they got on the highway he got queasy With 5 minutes left he rolled down the window and threw up He felt so sick not being able to imagine feeling this way after every chemo session When he got home he kept getting sick his hands and arms shook non-stop and his diet consisted of water and soup Two days had gone by when he finally felt better so he decided to bring himself to practice Football was something he couldnrsquot live without At the field all the guys huddled around him as if he was a newborn baby No one knew yet why he had missed multiple practices and he wanted it to stay that way Coach asked the team to take a knee while Ryan explained He said ldquoOkay guys you all know football means the world to me but I canrsquot play for a while Last Thursday I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumorrdquo

10

Before he could say any more the boysrsquo helmets hit the ground and the facial expressions turned into shock Not only was he letting the team down but the Giantsrsquo fans as well Ryan and the guys huddled together one last time before he had to go When he got home he remembered that he would soon have to go through the same things in another 8 days once again he asked himself ldquoWhy merdquo

At this point his mom had just called the house and Taylor answered She called multiple times a day to check in on her son like any mother should Four hours and 275 miles away was the only distance between the two Mother and son just like best friends every weekend she came to check on him and the fact of him

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoSkeletonrdquo

having cancer scared her more than ever He didnrsquot have a dad in the picture he passed away years back from a car accident She could not lose two loved ones they were basically the only ones she ever had Eight months passed 243 days and so did 16 chemo treatments Every time he got stronger because thatrsquos all he could be The pain put him out of everything he couldnrsquot help around the house or even make his own meals He became so weak that his bones on his feet cracked almost every time he walked The dream life went from amazing to not very good in a short amount of time Ryan went from 245 pounds to 200 in just a little less than a year And he still asked himself why All he wanted to do was sleep and he swore if he threw up one more time he would kill himself But two days later he would be marrying the girl he loved Taylor All of his best friends and groomsmen gathered at the house to try to prepare him for the big day Everything they tried to do just made Ryan feel even worse it definitely wouldnrsquot be the wedding he planned on His tux which was now a size too big hung in his closet wrapped in bags Today was the big day a day that would change his life once again He hated change so much he wished things would go back to how it was before when he was cancer free Since he and Taylor couldnrsquot be together before the wedding he sat with the male part of the wedding party while she was off with the women Everyone took a few shots but he didnrsquot He looked at himself in the mirror his suit was baggy He wasnrsquot happy with his appearance but the

spotlight was still on him The boys relaxed and reminisced about old times but before long Ryan fell asleep A few blocks away were the girls getting ready They did each others makeup and hair because appointments were canceled Ryan and Taylor could never afford everything for the wedding plus the hospital fees As the boys arrived at the church the clouds started to go away The sun shined right through the limo windows into Ryanrsquos eyes Teardrops wanted to pour out but he was stron-ger than that At that moment he knew who was looking down on him his dad Ryan knew the cancer could kill him he already felt dead The tough football player turned into a weak man who wanted to give up In 10 minutes he would see the most beautiful girl become his wife He stood with his best man at the altar Slowly he looked up and down the crowd of people smiling and laughing just like him For the first time in a while he felt alive Then the music started playing and the doors opened Taylor looked stunning The whole church shifted to look at her half of them crying Ryan walked halfway to meet her speechless he took her hand They said their vows and Ryan kissed his bride The happy couple walked hand in hand down the aisle and then she stopped and kissed his bald head For the first time in a long time he forgot about his cancer He forgot about his pain all until the reception started His head started to throb again and he couldnrsquot stand up People huddled around him as he held his head in his hands He felt warmer than ever and his eyes were beyond bloodshot His progress wasnrsquot getting better The people

11

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Love is SpecialEbere Joseph

Love is specialUndeniableCaringOptimisticDaringwith no boundariesAndWho shows that kind of loveMom and only mom

With Age Comes DisappointmentJunghye Kim

Brown cows pee chocolate milkAnd monsters live under the bedAnd the tooth fairy magically sneaks under your hairAnd your parents can read your mindYoursquore not allowed to stay up past eight thirtyOr eat the sugar packets at restaurantsOr let go of your momrsquos handYou dream of finding the end of the rainbowAnd talking to mermaidsAnd growing up so you can do whatever you please

But little did you know that growing up comes faster than you wish forAnd people arenrsquot as kind as you once believedAnd the magic of life disappears to a gray dullness

Carly Neugbauer- ldquoEmmardquo

7

Arielle Nagar- ldquoMomrdquo

8

UntitledBreanne Isaacs

ldquoTouchdownrdquo the speakers blared as Ryan Blakeson scored the 3rd touchdown of the game The crowd grew wild once again as the New York Giants took on the Buffalo Bills Ryan and his teammates gathered around in a huddle swaying back and forth preparing for the last quarter Ryan is a 24 year old NFL star He has been playing football ever since he could remember and it meant more than anything to him The quarterback has scored more than 20 touchdowns this past season The whole team depended on him just as he did on them Ryan stood 6rsquo1 his blonde hair flowed down his face almost covering his ocean blue eyes Not only did he become his dream of becoming a professional football player but he also met a gorgeous girl 4 years back Taylor was the girl of his dreams he treasured every moment with her He would marry his best friend in a few months right after his team made it to the Super Bowl Every day he did the same routine He believed that it was a good luck charm he had everything he ever wanted A beautiful wife-to-be and the career that made him millions to do what he loves In the mornings he got up at seven and ran a mile to the field for a four hour practice Nights were spent with Taylor and weekends with his family Tonight was rela-tively different he didnrsquot take her to dinner or a movie he just sat around His head throbbed the lights hurt his eyes and opening them made

him feel so sick He figured if he slept every-thing would go away Taylor kissed him ldquoI love you superstar goodnightrdquo she said as she tucked him into bed When Ryan awoke in the morning the pain was worse than ever He stuck through and got himself to the pre-game prac-tice The field around him seemed like war The screaming fans made his head kill even more All he wanted to do was go home and sleep but he knew his team needed him After all it was the big game the best two teams in the NFC As the game went on he began getting dizzy the whole world was spinning in front of him Coach kept yelling things like ldquoGet your head in the gamerdquo and ldquoWhat the heckrdquo Ryan didnrsquot answer he kept as much focus as he could on the game Everyone could tell something was wrong his usual sprint down the field turned into a fast jog He kept going he needed to be the player he and everyone else he knew he was Two weeks went by and his headache hadnrsquot gone away no one knew except for Taylor He thought telling people would make him seem like a baby so he didnrsquot He kept his routine the same except he didnrsquot run to practice he drove His teammates noticed but didnrsquot question him In the locker room they were gearing up for practice pushing and jok-ing as usual As Ryan put on his helmet he felt a large bump on the back part of his head So many things ran through his mind at that mo-ment everything but the upcoming practice He struggled through practice thinking about the bump and what it could be When he got home he showed Taylor She started to freak out and made him go get things checked out

At the doctorrsquos office he waited and waited for hours until the doctor finally called him in He slowly sat down on the table with Taylor right there next to him holding his hand Many questions were asked about the pain and the symptoms and the doctor didnrsquot seem to have much of an idea either Doctor Zogby was his name known to be one of the best doc-tors in the area He felt Ryanrsquos head multiple times then sent him off to get scans He had MRIrsquos X-rays and blood drawn but the re-sults wouldnrsquot be back until later that day They instructed Ryan and Taylor to go home so he could get some rest so he did During his dinner that consisted of hot soup and apple juice the phone rang Taylor answered in a cheerful voice but before long it turned into something different You could hear the concerns from the tone of her voice as she hung up the phone and stared at the floor Ryan quickly jumped up and went over to her He held her in his arms while a few tears streamed down her face ldquoA tumorrdquo she whispered as he wiped the tears from her Now he began to cry too She told him that the doctors wanted him to go to the hospital for the best care he could get but neither of them moved very much They stood still in complete shock that this star quar-terback had something so serious When they finally arrived at the hospital an assistant nurse brought them to this little room at the end of a long hallway The walk seemed to take forever for these two not knowing what other informa-tion they might be told next When they got into the room it was empty just a hospital bed with a few unknown machines Ryan held his head in his hands the pain in his head had now gone

9

through his entire body He couldnrsquot remember the last time he had been this scared The brown wooden door slowly swung open and two doc-tors walked in one male and the other female They introduced themselves as Taylorrsquos hands started to quiver Doctor Ann stood directly in front of Ryan holding two pieces of cream color paper The minutes that went by seemed so long to him Finally she told him the news ldquoRyan your scans have come back you have a brain tumorrdquo The whole room suddenly became quiet then she continued ldquoItrsquos small but it could easily grow so we would like you to go for chemotherapy as soon as possible Most people will lose their hair and become very sick but itrsquos all part of the road to recoveryrdquo The room got silent Ryan looked at his hands then felt the bump His whole career would be flushed down the toilet ldquoIrsquom so sorry Ryanrdquo said the male doctor Suddenly the doctorsrsquo names were called over the loudspeaker and they exited the room Taylor hugged Ryan tightly ldquoIrsquom gonna love you through itrdquo she said with two small tear droplets forming in the corner of her eye They both cried at the thought of the future what would happen with the wedding and the team But most importantly they thought about what would happen to him By the time they had got themselves together two hours had passed On the way out of the door Taylor asked the receptionist when Ryan should return for treatment hoping it would be soon They would return in three days his blood count must be good before anything can be done He kept asking himself why why he was the one to have cancer That night he wouldnrsquot eat he pushed the chicken and corn back and forth on

his plate His nights turned into days he could never sleep He watched as the clock ticked 150 am then 200 am The clock seemed as if it wasnrsquot moving like it was dead Dead like the way he felt after hearing the terrible news Friday morning the day his treatments started He awoke to the sound of his alarm clock the same one that woke him up for foot-ball He wanted to go so bad he didnrsquot want to be a weak man but he knew he had to do what was best He slipped on his comfortable Under Armour sweat pants and walked out the door following Taylor

Morgan Guther- ldquoMy Best Friendrdquo

The sun shined through his car window and he knew exactly why Four years ago his dad passed away he must have been looking down on him letting him know that everything was going be okay Once again the car ride was silent Ryan never talked much about his feel-ings When they got to the hospital the waiting room was so filled up People of all ages sat around looking gloomy Four little kids which

the genders he couldnrsquot tell were playing with the toys in a corner They stood out to him all of their hair was gone but they didnrsquot seem to mind The smiling faces of the kids lit up the room knowing that these kids can go through all of the pain and still have hope Seeing this made Ryan believe in himself all until his name got called The next room he was put in wasnrsquot much better It was filled with beds chairs and many chemotherapy bags Everyone seemed okay but how he wondered how The lady in a long blue coat came up to him with a few bags and a needle so he took a seat He and Taylor picked up a few magazines and started to read while the medicine was inserted Hours went by they lost track of time When the bags final-ly emptied they were allowed to leave Doctors told him he would be sick after and that he was As soon as they got on the highway he got queasy With 5 minutes left he rolled down the window and threw up He felt so sick not being able to imagine feeling this way after every chemo session When he got home he kept getting sick his hands and arms shook non-stop and his diet consisted of water and soup Two days had gone by when he finally felt better so he decided to bring himself to practice Football was something he couldnrsquot live without At the field all the guys huddled around him as if he was a newborn baby No one knew yet why he had missed multiple practices and he wanted it to stay that way Coach asked the team to take a knee while Ryan explained He said ldquoOkay guys you all know football means the world to me but I canrsquot play for a while Last Thursday I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumorrdquo

10

Before he could say any more the boysrsquo helmets hit the ground and the facial expressions turned into shock Not only was he letting the team down but the Giantsrsquo fans as well Ryan and the guys huddled together one last time before he had to go When he got home he remembered that he would soon have to go through the same things in another 8 days once again he asked himself ldquoWhy merdquo

At this point his mom had just called the house and Taylor answered She called multiple times a day to check in on her son like any mother should Four hours and 275 miles away was the only distance between the two Mother and son just like best friends every weekend she came to check on him and the fact of him

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoSkeletonrdquo

having cancer scared her more than ever He didnrsquot have a dad in the picture he passed away years back from a car accident She could not lose two loved ones they were basically the only ones she ever had Eight months passed 243 days and so did 16 chemo treatments Every time he got stronger because thatrsquos all he could be The pain put him out of everything he couldnrsquot help around the house or even make his own meals He became so weak that his bones on his feet cracked almost every time he walked The dream life went from amazing to not very good in a short amount of time Ryan went from 245 pounds to 200 in just a little less than a year And he still asked himself why All he wanted to do was sleep and he swore if he threw up one more time he would kill himself But two days later he would be marrying the girl he loved Taylor All of his best friends and groomsmen gathered at the house to try to prepare him for the big day Everything they tried to do just made Ryan feel even worse it definitely wouldnrsquot be the wedding he planned on His tux which was now a size too big hung in his closet wrapped in bags Today was the big day a day that would change his life once again He hated change so much he wished things would go back to how it was before when he was cancer free Since he and Taylor couldnrsquot be together before the wedding he sat with the male part of the wedding party while she was off with the women Everyone took a few shots but he didnrsquot He looked at himself in the mirror his suit was baggy He wasnrsquot happy with his appearance but the

spotlight was still on him The boys relaxed and reminisced about old times but before long Ryan fell asleep A few blocks away were the girls getting ready They did each others makeup and hair because appointments were canceled Ryan and Taylor could never afford everything for the wedding plus the hospital fees As the boys arrived at the church the clouds started to go away The sun shined right through the limo windows into Ryanrsquos eyes Teardrops wanted to pour out but he was stron-ger than that At that moment he knew who was looking down on him his dad Ryan knew the cancer could kill him he already felt dead The tough football player turned into a weak man who wanted to give up In 10 minutes he would see the most beautiful girl become his wife He stood with his best man at the altar Slowly he looked up and down the crowd of people smiling and laughing just like him For the first time in a while he felt alive Then the music started playing and the doors opened Taylor looked stunning The whole church shifted to look at her half of them crying Ryan walked halfway to meet her speechless he took her hand They said their vows and Ryan kissed his bride The happy couple walked hand in hand down the aisle and then she stopped and kissed his bald head For the first time in a long time he forgot about his cancer He forgot about his pain all until the reception started His head started to throb again and he couldnrsquot stand up People huddled around him as he held his head in his hands He felt warmer than ever and his eyes were beyond bloodshot His progress wasnrsquot getting better The people

11

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Arielle Nagar- ldquoMomrdquo

8

UntitledBreanne Isaacs

ldquoTouchdownrdquo the speakers blared as Ryan Blakeson scored the 3rd touchdown of the game The crowd grew wild once again as the New York Giants took on the Buffalo Bills Ryan and his teammates gathered around in a huddle swaying back and forth preparing for the last quarter Ryan is a 24 year old NFL star He has been playing football ever since he could remember and it meant more than anything to him The quarterback has scored more than 20 touchdowns this past season The whole team depended on him just as he did on them Ryan stood 6rsquo1 his blonde hair flowed down his face almost covering his ocean blue eyes Not only did he become his dream of becoming a professional football player but he also met a gorgeous girl 4 years back Taylor was the girl of his dreams he treasured every moment with her He would marry his best friend in a few months right after his team made it to the Super Bowl Every day he did the same routine He believed that it was a good luck charm he had everything he ever wanted A beautiful wife-to-be and the career that made him millions to do what he loves In the mornings he got up at seven and ran a mile to the field for a four hour practice Nights were spent with Taylor and weekends with his family Tonight was rela-tively different he didnrsquot take her to dinner or a movie he just sat around His head throbbed the lights hurt his eyes and opening them made

him feel so sick He figured if he slept every-thing would go away Taylor kissed him ldquoI love you superstar goodnightrdquo she said as she tucked him into bed When Ryan awoke in the morning the pain was worse than ever He stuck through and got himself to the pre-game prac-tice The field around him seemed like war The screaming fans made his head kill even more All he wanted to do was go home and sleep but he knew his team needed him After all it was the big game the best two teams in the NFC As the game went on he began getting dizzy the whole world was spinning in front of him Coach kept yelling things like ldquoGet your head in the gamerdquo and ldquoWhat the heckrdquo Ryan didnrsquot answer he kept as much focus as he could on the game Everyone could tell something was wrong his usual sprint down the field turned into a fast jog He kept going he needed to be the player he and everyone else he knew he was Two weeks went by and his headache hadnrsquot gone away no one knew except for Taylor He thought telling people would make him seem like a baby so he didnrsquot He kept his routine the same except he didnrsquot run to practice he drove His teammates noticed but didnrsquot question him In the locker room they were gearing up for practice pushing and jok-ing as usual As Ryan put on his helmet he felt a large bump on the back part of his head So many things ran through his mind at that mo-ment everything but the upcoming practice He struggled through practice thinking about the bump and what it could be When he got home he showed Taylor She started to freak out and made him go get things checked out

At the doctorrsquos office he waited and waited for hours until the doctor finally called him in He slowly sat down on the table with Taylor right there next to him holding his hand Many questions were asked about the pain and the symptoms and the doctor didnrsquot seem to have much of an idea either Doctor Zogby was his name known to be one of the best doc-tors in the area He felt Ryanrsquos head multiple times then sent him off to get scans He had MRIrsquos X-rays and blood drawn but the re-sults wouldnrsquot be back until later that day They instructed Ryan and Taylor to go home so he could get some rest so he did During his dinner that consisted of hot soup and apple juice the phone rang Taylor answered in a cheerful voice but before long it turned into something different You could hear the concerns from the tone of her voice as she hung up the phone and stared at the floor Ryan quickly jumped up and went over to her He held her in his arms while a few tears streamed down her face ldquoA tumorrdquo she whispered as he wiped the tears from her Now he began to cry too She told him that the doctors wanted him to go to the hospital for the best care he could get but neither of them moved very much They stood still in complete shock that this star quar-terback had something so serious When they finally arrived at the hospital an assistant nurse brought them to this little room at the end of a long hallway The walk seemed to take forever for these two not knowing what other informa-tion they might be told next When they got into the room it was empty just a hospital bed with a few unknown machines Ryan held his head in his hands the pain in his head had now gone

9

through his entire body He couldnrsquot remember the last time he had been this scared The brown wooden door slowly swung open and two doc-tors walked in one male and the other female They introduced themselves as Taylorrsquos hands started to quiver Doctor Ann stood directly in front of Ryan holding two pieces of cream color paper The minutes that went by seemed so long to him Finally she told him the news ldquoRyan your scans have come back you have a brain tumorrdquo The whole room suddenly became quiet then she continued ldquoItrsquos small but it could easily grow so we would like you to go for chemotherapy as soon as possible Most people will lose their hair and become very sick but itrsquos all part of the road to recoveryrdquo The room got silent Ryan looked at his hands then felt the bump His whole career would be flushed down the toilet ldquoIrsquom so sorry Ryanrdquo said the male doctor Suddenly the doctorsrsquo names were called over the loudspeaker and they exited the room Taylor hugged Ryan tightly ldquoIrsquom gonna love you through itrdquo she said with two small tear droplets forming in the corner of her eye They both cried at the thought of the future what would happen with the wedding and the team But most importantly they thought about what would happen to him By the time they had got themselves together two hours had passed On the way out of the door Taylor asked the receptionist when Ryan should return for treatment hoping it would be soon They would return in three days his blood count must be good before anything can be done He kept asking himself why why he was the one to have cancer That night he wouldnrsquot eat he pushed the chicken and corn back and forth on

his plate His nights turned into days he could never sleep He watched as the clock ticked 150 am then 200 am The clock seemed as if it wasnrsquot moving like it was dead Dead like the way he felt after hearing the terrible news Friday morning the day his treatments started He awoke to the sound of his alarm clock the same one that woke him up for foot-ball He wanted to go so bad he didnrsquot want to be a weak man but he knew he had to do what was best He slipped on his comfortable Under Armour sweat pants and walked out the door following Taylor

Morgan Guther- ldquoMy Best Friendrdquo

The sun shined through his car window and he knew exactly why Four years ago his dad passed away he must have been looking down on him letting him know that everything was going be okay Once again the car ride was silent Ryan never talked much about his feel-ings When they got to the hospital the waiting room was so filled up People of all ages sat around looking gloomy Four little kids which

the genders he couldnrsquot tell were playing with the toys in a corner They stood out to him all of their hair was gone but they didnrsquot seem to mind The smiling faces of the kids lit up the room knowing that these kids can go through all of the pain and still have hope Seeing this made Ryan believe in himself all until his name got called The next room he was put in wasnrsquot much better It was filled with beds chairs and many chemotherapy bags Everyone seemed okay but how he wondered how The lady in a long blue coat came up to him with a few bags and a needle so he took a seat He and Taylor picked up a few magazines and started to read while the medicine was inserted Hours went by they lost track of time When the bags final-ly emptied they were allowed to leave Doctors told him he would be sick after and that he was As soon as they got on the highway he got queasy With 5 minutes left he rolled down the window and threw up He felt so sick not being able to imagine feeling this way after every chemo session When he got home he kept getting sick his hands and arms shook non-stop and his diet consisted of water and soup Two days had gone by when he finally felt better so he decided to bring himself to practice Football was something he couldnrsquot live without At the field all the guys huddled around him as if he was a newborn baby No one knew yet why he had missed multiple practices and he wanted it to stay that way Coach asked the team to take a knee while Ryan explained He said ldquoOkay guys you all know football means the world to me but I canrsquot play for a while Last Thursday I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumorrdquo

10

Before he could say any more the boysrsquo helmets hit the ground and the facial expressions turned into shock Not only was he letting the team down but the Giantsrsquo fans as well Ryan and the guys huddled together one last time before he had to go When he got home he remembered that he would soon have to go through the same things in another 8 days once again he asked himself ldquoWhy merdquo

At this point his mom had just called the house and Taylor answered She called multiple times a day to check in on her son like any mother should Four hours and 275 miles away was the only distance between the two Mother and son just like best friends every weekend she came to check on him and the fact of him

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoSkeletonrdquo

having cancer scared her more than ever He didnrsquot have a dad in the picture he passed away years back from a car accident She could not lose two loved ones they were basically the only ones she ever had Eight months passed 243 days and so did 16 chemo treatments Every time he got stronger because thatrsquos all he could be The pain put him out of everything he couldnrsquot help around the house or even make his own meals He became so weak that his bones on his feet cracked almost every time he walked The dream life went from amazing to not very good in a short amount of time Ryan went from 245 pounds to 200 in just a little less than a year And he still asked himself why All he wanted to do was sleep and he swore if he threw up one more time he would kill himself But two days later he would be marrying the girl he loved Taylor All of his best friends and groomsmen gathered at the house to try to prepare him for the big day Everything they tried to do just made Ryan feel even worse it definitely wouldnrsquot be the wedding he planned on His tux which was now a size too big hung in his closet wrapped in bags Today was the big day a day that would change his life once again He hated change so much he wished things would go back to how it was before when he was cancer free Since he and Taylor couldnrsquot be together before the wedding he sat with the male part of the wedding party while she was off with the women Everyone took a few shots but he didnrsquot He looked at himself in the mirror his suit was baggy He wasnrsquot happy with his appearance but the

spotlight was still on him The boys relaxed and reminisced about old times but before long Ryan fell asleep A few blocks away were the girls getting ready They did each others makeup and hair because appointments were canceled Ryan and Taylor could never afford everything for the wedding plus the hospital fees As the boys arrived at the church the clouds started to go away The sun shined right through the limo windows into Ryanrsquos eyes Teardrops wanted to pour out but he was stron-ger than that At that moment he knew who was looking down on him his dad Ryan knew the cancer could kill him he already felt dead The tough football player turned into a weak man who wanted to give up In 10 minutes he would see the most beautiful girl become his wife He stood with his best man at the altar Slowly he looked up and down the crowd of people smiling and laughing just like him For the first time in a while he felt alive Then the music started playing and the doors opened Taylor looked stunning The whole church shifted to look at her half of them crying Ryan walked halfway to meet her speechless he took her hand They said their vows and Ryan kissed his bride The happy couple walked hand in hand down the aisle and then she stopped and kissed his bald head For the first time in a long time he forgot about his cancer He forgot about his pain all until the reception started His head started to throb again and he couldnrsquot stand up People huddled around him as he held his head in his hands He felt warmer than ever and his eyes were beyond bloodshot His progress wasnrsquot getting better The people

11

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

UntitledBreanne Isaacs

ldquoTouchdownrdquo the speakers blared as Ryan Blakeson scored the 3rd touchdown of the game The crowd grew wild once again as the New York Giants took on the Buffalo Bills Ryan and his teammates gathered around in a huddle swaying back and forth preparing for the last quarter Ryan is a 24 year old NFL star He has been playing football ever since he could remember and it meant more than anything to him The quarterback has scored more than 20 touchdowns this past season The whole team depended on him just as he did on them Ryan stood 6rsquo1 his blonde hair flowed down his face almost covering his ocean blue eyes Not only did he become his dream of becoming a professional football player but he also met a gorgeous girl 4 years back Taylor was the girl of his dreams he treasured every moment with her He would marry his best friend in a few months right after his team made it to the Super Bowl Every day he did the same routine He believed that it was a good luck charm he had everything he ever wanted A beautiful wife-to-be and the career that made him millions to do what he loves In the mornings he got up at seven and ran a mile to the field for a four hour practice Nights were spent with Taylor and weekends with his family Tonight was rela-tively different he didnrsquot take her to dinner or a movie he just sat around His head throbbed the lights hurt his eyes and opening them made

him feel so sick He figured if he slept every-thing would go away Taylor kissed him ldquoI love you superstar goodnightrdquo she said as she tucked him into bed When Ryan awoke in the morning the pain was worse than ever He stuck through and got himself to the pre-game prac-tice The field around him seemed like war The screaming fans made his head kill even more All he wanted to do was go home and sleep but he knew his team needed him After all it was the big game the best two teams in the NFC As the game went on he began getting dizzy the whole world was spinning in front of him Coach kept yelling things like ldquoGet your head in the gamerdquo and ldquoWhat the heckrdquo Ryan didnrsquot answer he kept as much focus as he could on the game Everyone could tell something was wrong his usual sprint down the field turned into a fast jog He kept going he needed to be the player he and everyone else he knew he was Two weeks went by and his headache hadnrsquot gone away no one knew except for Taylor He thought telling people would make him seem like a baby so he didnrsquot He kept his routine the same except he didnrsquot run to practice he drove His teammates noticed but didnrsquot question him In the locker room they were gearing up for practice pushing and jok-ing as usual As Ryan put on his helmet he felt a large bump on the back part of his head So many things ran through his mind at that mo-ment everything but the upcoming practice He struggled through practice thinking about the bump and what it could be When he got home he showed Taylor She started to freak out and made him go get things checked out

At the doctorrsquos office he waited and waited for hours until the doctor finally called him in He slowly sat down on the table with Taylor right there next to him holding his hand Many questions were asked about the pain and the symptoms and the doctor didnrsquot seem to have much of an idea either Doctor Zogby was his name known to be one of the best doc-tors in the area He felt Ryanrsquos head multiple times then sent him off to get scans He had MRIrsquos X-rays and blood drawn but the re-sults wouldnrsquot be back until later that day They instructed Ryan and Taylor to go home so he could get some rest so he did During his dinner that consisted of hot soup and apple juice the phone rang Taylor answered in a cheerful voice but before long it turned into something different You could hear the concerns from the tone of her voice as she hung up the phone and stared at the floor Ryan quickly jumped up and went over to her He held her in his arms while a few tears streamed down her face ldquoA tumorrdquo she whispered as he wiped the tears from her Now he began to cry too She told him that the doctors wanted him to go to the hospital for the best care he could get but neither of them moved very much They stood still in complete shock that this star quar-terback had something so serious When they finally arrived at the hospital an assistant nurse brought them to this little room at the end of a long hallway The walk seemed to take forever for these two not knowing what other informa-tion they might be told next When they got into the room it was empty just a hospital bed with a few unknown machines Ryan held his head in his hands the pain in his head had now gone

9

through his entire body He couldnrsquot remember the last time he had been this scared The brown wooden door slowly swung open and two doc-tors walked in one male and the other female They introduced themselves as Taylorrsquos hands started to quiver Doctor Ann stood directly in front of Ryan holding two pieces of cream color paper The minutes that went by seemed so long to him Finally she told him the news ldquoRyan your scans have come back you have a brain tumorrdquo The whole room suddenly became quiet then she continued ldquoItrsquos small but it could easily grow so we would like you to go for chemotherapy as soon as possible Most people will lose their hair and become very sick but itrsquos all part of the road to recoveryrdquo The room got silent Ryan looked at his hands then felt the bump His whole career would be flushed down the toilet ldquoIrsquom so sorry Ryanrdquo said the male doctor Suddenly the doctorsrsquo names were called over the loudspeaker and they exited the room Taylor hugged Ryan tightly ldquoIrsquom gonna love you through itrdquo she said with two small tear droplets forming in the corner of her eye They both cried at the thought of the future what would happen with the wedding and the team But most importantly they thought about what would happen to him By the time they had got themselves together two hours had passed On the way out of the door Taylor asked the receptionist when Ryan should return for treatment hoping it would be soon They would return in three days his blood count must be good before anything can be done He kept asking himself why why he was the one to have cancer That night he wouldnrsquot eat he pushed the chicken and corn back and forth on

his plate His nights turned into days he could never sleep He watched as the clock ticked 150 am then 200 am The clock seemed as if it wasnrsquot moving like it was dead Dead like the way he felt after hearing the terrible news Friday morning the day his treatments started He awoke to the sound of his alarm clock the same one that woke him up for foot-ball He wanted to go so bad he didnrsquot want to be a weak man but he knew he had to do what was best He slipped on his comfortable Under Armour sweat pants and walked out the door following Taylor

Morgan Guther- ldquoMy Best Friendrdquo

The sun shined through his car window and he knew exactly why Four years ago his dad passed away he must have been looking down on him letting him know that everything was going be okay Once again the car ride was silent Ryan never talked much about his feel-ings When they got to the hospital the waiting room was so filled up People of all ages sat around looking gloomy Four little kids which

the genders he couldnrsquot tell were playing with the toys in a corner They stood out to him all of their hair was gone but they didnrsquot seem to mind The smiling faces of the kids lit up the room knowing that these kids can go through all of the pain and still have hope Seeing this made Ryan believe in himself all until his name got called The next room he was put in wasnrsquot much better It was filled with beds chairs and many chemotherapy bags Everyone seemed okay but how he wondered how The lady in a long blue coat came up to him with a few bags and a needle so he took a seat He and Taylor picked up a few magazines and started to read while the medicine was inserted Hours went by they lost track of time When the bags final-ly emptied they were allowed to leave Doctors told him he would be sick after and that he was As soon as they got on the highway he got queasy With 5 minutes left he rolled down the window and threw up He felt so sick not being able to imagine feeling this way after every chemo session When he got home he kept getting sick his hands and arms shook non-stop and his diet consisted of water and soup Two days had gone by when he finally felt better so he decided to bring himself to practice Football was something he couldnrsquot live without At the field all the guys huddled around him as if he was a newborn baby No one knew yet why he had missed multiple practices and he wanted it to stay that way Coach asked the team to take a knee while Ryan explained He said ldquoOkay guys you all know football means the world to me but I canrsquot play for a while Last Thursday I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumorrdquo

10

Before he could say any more the boysrsquo helmets hit the ground and the facial expressions turned into shock Not only was he letting the team down but the Giantsrsquo fans as well Ryan and the guys huddled together one last time before he had to go When he got home he remembered that he would soon have to go through the same things in another 8 days once again he asked himself ldquoWhy merdquo

At this point his mom had just called the house and Taylor answered She called multiple times a day to check in on her son like any mother should Four hours and 275 miles away was the only distance between the two Mother and son just like best friends every weekend she came to check on him and the fact of him

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoSkeletonrdquo

having cancer scared her more than ever He didnrsquot have a dad in the picture he passed away years back from a car accident She could not lose two loved ones they were basically the only ones she ever had Eight months passed 243 days and so did 16 chemo treatments Every time he got stronger because thatrsquos all he could be The pain put him out of everything he couldnrsquot help around the house or even make his own meals He became so weak that his bones on his feet cracked almost every time he walked The dream life went from amazing to not very good in a short amount of time Ryan went from 245 pounds to 200 in just a little less than a year And he still asked himself why All he wanted to do was sleep and he swore if he threw up one more time he would kill himself But two days later he would be marrying the girl he loved Taylor All of his best friends and groomsmen gathered at the house to try to prepare him for the big day Everything they tried to do just made Ryan feel even worse it definitely wouldnrsquot be the wedding he planned on His tux which was now a size too big hung in his closet wrapped in bags Today was the big day a day that would change his life once again He hated change so much he wished things would go back to how it was before when he was cancer free Since he and Taylor couldnrsquot be together before the wedding he sat with the male part of the wedding party while she was off with the women Everyone took a few shots but he didnrsquot He looked at himself in the mirror his suit was baggy He wasnrsquot happy with his appearance but the

spotlight was still on him The boys relaxed and reminisced about old times but before long Ryan fell asleep A few blocks away were the girls getting ready They did each others makeup and hair because appointments were canceled Ryan and Taylor could never afford everything for the wedding plus the hospital fees As the boys arrived at the church the clouds started to go away The sun shined right through the limo windows into Ryanrsquos eyes Teardrops wanted to pour out but he was stron-ger than that At that moment he knew who was looking down on him his dad Ryan knew the cancer could kill him he already felt dead The tough football player turned into a weak man who wanted to give up In 10 minutes he would see the most beautiful girl become his wife He stood with his best man at the altar Slowly he looked up and down the crowd of people smiling and laughing just like him For the first time in a while he felt alive Then the music started playing and the doors opened Taylor looked stunning The whole church shifted to look at her half of them crying Ryan walked halfway to meet her speechless he took her hand They said their vows and Ryan kissed his bride The happy couple walked hand in hand down the aisle and then she stopped and kissed his bald head For the first time in a long time he forgot about his cancer He forgot about his pain all until the reception started His head started to throb again and he couldnrsquot stand up People huddled around him as he held his head in his hands He felt warmer than ever and his eyes were beyond bloodshot His progress wasnrsquot getting better The people

11

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

through his entire body He couldnrsquot remember the last time he had been this scared The brown wooden door slowly swung open and two doc-tors walked in one male and the other female They introduced themselves as Taylorrsquos hands started to quiver Doctor Ann stood directly in front of Ryan holding two pieces of cream color paper The minutes that went by seemed so long to him Finally she told him the news ldquoRyan your scans have come back you have a brain tumorrdquo The whole room suddenly became quiet then she continued ldquoItrsquos small but it could easily grow so we would like you to go for chemotherapy as soon as possible Most people will lose their hair and become very sick but itrsquos all part of the road to recoveryrdquo The room got silent Ryan looked at his hands then felt the bump His whole career would be flushed down the toilet ldquoIrsquom so sorry Ryanrdquo said the male doctor Suddenly the doctorsrsquo names were called over the loudspeaker and they exited the room Taylor hugged Ryan tightly ldquoIrsquom gonna love you through itrdquo she said with two small tear droplets forming in the corner of her eye They both cried at the thought of the future what would happen with the wedding and the team But most importantly they thought about what would happen to him By the time they had got themselves together two hours had passed On the way out of the door Taylor asked the receptionist when Ryan should return for treatment hoping it would be soon They would return in three days his blood count must be good before anything can be done He kept asking himself why why he was the one to have cancer That night he wouldnrsquot eat he pushed the chicken and corn back and forth on

his plate His nights turned into days he could never sleep He watched as the clock ticked 150 am then 200 am The clock seemed as if it wasnrsquot moving like it was dead Dead like the way he felt after hearing the terrible news Friday morning the day his treatments started He awoke to the sound of his alarm clock the same one that woke him up for foot-ball He wanted to go so bad he didnrsquot want to be a weak man but he knew he had to do what was best He slipped on his comfortable Under Armour sweat pants and walked out the door following Taylor

Morgan Guther- ldquoMy Best Friendrdquo

The sun shined through his car window and he knew exactly why Four years ago his dad passed away he must have been looking down on him letting him know that everything was going be okay Once again the car ride was silent Ryan never talked much about his feel-ings When they got to the hospital the waiting room was so filled up People of all ages sat around looking gloomy Four little kids which

the genders he couldnrsquot tell were playing with the toys in a corner They stood out to him all of their hair was gone but they didnrsquot seem to mind The smiling faces of the kids lit up the room knowing that these kids can go through all of the pain and still have hope Seeing this made Ryan believe in himself all until his name got called The next room he was put in wasnrsquot much better It was filled with beds chairs and many chemotherapy bags Everyone seemed okay but how he wondered how The lady in a long blue coat came up to him with a few bags and a needle so he took a seat He and Taylor picked up a few magazines and started to read while the medicine was inserted Hours went by they lost track of time When the bags final-ly emptied they were allowed to leave Doctors told him he would be sick after and that he was As soon as they got on the highway he got queasy With 5 minutes left he rolled down the window and threw up He felt so sick not being able to imagine feeling this way after every chemo session When he got home he kept getting sick his hands and arms shook non-stop and his diet consisted of water and soup Two days had gone by when he finally felt better so he decided to bring himself to practice Football was something he couldnrsquot live without At the field all the guys huddled around him as if he was a newborn baby No one knew yet why he had missed multiple practices and he wanted it to stay that way Coach asked the team to take a knee while Ryan explained He said ldquoOkay guys you all know football means the world to me but I canrsquot play for a while Last Thursday I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumorrdquo

10

Before he could say any more the boysrsquo helmets hit the ground and the facial expressions turned into shock Not only was he letting the team down but the Giantsrsquo fans as well Ryan and the guys huddled together one last time before he had to go When he got home he remembered that he would soon have to go through the same things in another 8 days once again he asked himself ldquoWhy merdquo

At this point his mom had just called the house and Taylor answered She called multiple times a day to check in on her son like any mother should Four hours and 275 miles away was the only distance between the two Mother and son just like best friends every weekend she came to check on him and the fact of him

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoSkeletonrdquo

having cancer scared her more than ever He didnrsquot have a dad in the picture he passed away years back from a car accident She could not lose two loved ones they were basically the only ones she ever had Eight months passed 243 days and so did 16 chemo treatments Every time he got stronger because thatrsquos all he could be The pain put him out of everything he couldnrsquot help around the house or even make his own meals He became so weak that his bones on his feet cracked almost every time he walked The dream life went from amazing to not very good in a short amount of time Ryan went from 245 pounds to 200 in just a little less than a year And he still asked himself why All he wanted to do was sleep and he swore if he threw up one more time he would kill himself But two days later he would be marrying the girl he loved Taylor All of his best friends and groomsmen gathered at the house to try to prepare him for the big day Everything they tried to do just made Ryan feel even worse it definitely wouldnrsquot be the wedding he planned on His tux which was now a size too big hung in his closet wrapped in bags Today was the big day a day that would change his life once again He hated change so much he wished things would go back to how it was before when he was cancer free Since he and Taylor couldnrsquot be together before the wedding he sat with the male part of the wedding party while she was off with the women Everyone took a few shots but he didnrsquot He looked at himself in the mirror his suit was baggy He wasnrsquot happy with his appearance but the

spotlight was still on him The boys relaxed and reminisced about old times but before long Ryan fell asleep A few blocks away were the girls getting ready They did each others makeup and hair because appointments were canceled Ryan and Taylor could never afford everything for the wedding plus the hospital fees As the boys arrived at the church the clouds started to go away The sun shined right through the limo windows into Ryanrsquos eyes Teardrops wanted to pour out but he was stron-ger than that At that moment he knew who was looking down on him his dad Ryan knew the cancer could kill him he already felt dead The tough football player turned into a weak man who wanted to give up In 10 minutes he would see the most beautiful girl become his wife He stood with his best man at the altar Slowly he looked up and down the crowd of people smiling and laughing just like him For the first time in a while he felt alive Then the music started playing and the doors opened Taylor looked stunning The whole church shifted to look at her half of them crying Ryan walked halfway to meet her speechless he took her hand They said their vows and Ryan kissed his bride The happy couple walked hand in hand down the aisle and then she stopped and kissed his bald head For the first time in a long time he forgot about his cancer He forgot about his pain all until the reception started His head started to throb again and he couldnrsquot stand up People huddled around him as he held his head in his hands He felt warmer than ever and his eyes were beyond bloodshot His progress wasnrsquot getting better The people

11

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Before he could say any more the boysrsquo helmets hit the ground and the facial expressions turned into shock Not only was he letting the team down but the Giantsrsquo fans as well Ryan and the guys huddled together one last time before he had to go When he got home he remembered that he would soon have to go through the same things in another 8 days once again he asked himself ldquoWhy merdquo

At this point his mom had just called the house and Taylor answered She called multiple times a day to check in on her son like any mother should Four hours and 275 miles away was the only distance between the two Mother and son just like best friends every weekend she came to check on him and the fact of him

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoSkeletonrdquo

having cancer scared her more than ever He didnrsquot have a dad in the picture he passed away years back from a car accident She could not lose two loved ones they were basically the only ones she ever had Eight months passed 243 days and so did 16 chemo treatments Every time he got stronger because thatrsquos all he could be The pain put him out of everything he couldnrsquot help around the house or even make his own meals He became so weak that his bones on his feet cracked almost every time he walked The dream life went from amazing to not very good in a short amount of time Ryan went from 245 pounds to 200 in just a little less than a year And he still asked himself why All he wanted to do was sleep and he swore if he threw up one more time he would kill himself But two days later he would be marrying the girl he loved Taylor All of his best friends and groomsmen gathered at the house to try to prepare him for the big day Everything they tried to do just made Ryan feel even worse it definitely wouldnrsquot be the wedding he planned on His tux which was now a size too big hung in his closet wrapped in bags Today was the big day a day that would change his life once again He hated change so much he wished things would go back to how it was before when he was cancer free Since he and Taylor couldnrsquot be together before the wedding he sat with the male part of the wedding party while she was off with the women Everyone took a few shots but he didnrsquot He looked at himself in the mirror his suit was baggy He wasnrsquot happy with his appearance but the

spotlight was still on him The boys relaxed and reminisced about old times but before long Ryan fell asleep A few blocks away were the girls getting ready They did each others makeup and hair because appointments were canceled Ryan and Taylor could never afford everything for the wedding plus the hospital fees As the boys arrived at the church the clouds started to go away The sun shined right through the limo windows into Ryanrsquos eyes Teardrops wanted to pour out but he was stron-ger than that At that moment he knew who was looking down on him his dad Ryan knew the cancer could kill him he already felt dead The tough football player turned into a weak man who wanted to give up In 10 minutes he would see the most beautiful girl become his wife He stood with his best man at the altar Slowly he looked up and down the crowd of people smiling and laughing just like him For the first time in a while he felt alive Then the music started playing and the doors opened Taylor looked stunning The whole church shifted to look at her half of them crying Ryan walked halfway to meet her speechless he took her hand They said their vows and Ryan kissed his bride The happy couple walked hand in hand down the aisle and then she stopped and kissed his bald head For the first time in a long time he forgot about his cancer He forgot about his pain all until the reception started His head started to throb again and he couldnrsquot stand up People huddled around him as he held his head in his hands He felt warmer than ever and his eyes were beyond bloodshot His progress wasnrsquot getting better The people

11

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Megan Bishop- ldquoButterfliesrdquo

at the party just sat there hoping for the best of the newly married man A doctor in the room insisted they call 911 so that they did Minutes passed before the ambulance arrived Taylor and Ryanrsquos mom held him stable trying to get him to move He knew something was wrong but he needed to be strong for not only himself but for Taylor too Ryan wanted to give up the men carried him off on a stretcher The peo-ple attending the wedding watched the blaring lights go off into the distance Inside the ambulance Taylor held his hand He closed his eyes so confused When the paramedic sitting in the back asked him questions he didnrsquot respond The hope in her voice went from positive to negative She be-came nervous and yelled something to the driv-er in medical language Suddenly the vehicle started to move faster speeding down the high-way Taylor asked ldquoWhatrsquos going onrdquo then started to cry At that very moment the heart monitor started to beep faster Both women watched as the lines slowly decreased Taylor kissed Ryan on the lips ldquoNordquo she screamed ldquoPlease donrsquot leave me Ryan be strong open your eyes give me a sign that yoursquore hererdquo His heartbeat was turning into a straight line as the ambulance pulled to a stop The line was now gone and so was he Taylorrsquos tears poured down her face Her husband soul mate and best friend had gone to heaven She held him in her arms and said ldquoYou were so strong as strong as you could be I love you so much Superstarrdquo

12

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Life on the CourtLaura Wildridge

Mind in the gameEye on the ball

StepTogetherSMASH

TransitionJumpBlock

Points rack upSweat drips down

Mind in the game

Soul

On the court

Samantha Williams- ldquoEmmardquo

13

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

UntitledJack Martin

I would like to say that I just woke up That the soft light came up from the horizon like an orange fish from the deep dark ocean and the muffled slow steps of my grandparents woke me from deep long sleep I had rested and dreamed and knew that when I awoke I would be in the world I was meant to be in with my parents and friends and the knowledge of war and death that a normal kid should know But I canrsquot I open my eyes slowly and sit up even slower Sometimes I wish I could just sleep all day lie in my warm bed and let my mind numb My eyes are tired and I then notice a sharp pain in the crook of my arms I looked down to examine them and lower the clock from my chest and immediately feel cold like my heart stopped beating I feel warm and as happy as I could be here with my father together for such a short time and then hersquoll have to go But for now I wonrsquot think about it now theyrsquore here with me and thatrsquos all that matters in the world My parents try to shield me from the world they pretend that there is no war and that we will always be together But I know itrsquos all a lie I live in the lie because I love the lie Mother is in the kitchen making dinner and father and I are in the living room with the brand new clock that he bought my mother for her birthday Itrsquos a beautiful clock artfully drawn numbers formed in a circle on thick white backing as white as ivory framed in a sturdy wood with swirled gr-

ain and two thin hands that ticked like a heart-beat my heartbeat I would always remember them through this clock My arms are dented with angry red lines I must have had a nightmare last night and hugged the clock too tight I pull the old quilt off of me and swung off the bed and on to my feet I leave my lonely bed and small old dresser in my room Before I head down stairs I go to the window and shove it up and feel the cold sting of the winter morning air I pull on the frozen clothes line until my spare pair of socks and a sweater comes close enough to grab The worn cotton is stiff and I hope my body heat will warm them quickly I stood at the top of the stairs and prepared myself for the scene downstairs I am greeted by cough-ing my grandfather in his normal place in the chair farthest away from the small kitchen window I take a seat across from him and set the clock down in front of me I think that the bright sunlight like todays might hurt his fragile skin I greet him after his coughing fit subsides while he takes a sip from his mug which is filled with mostly hot water We manage to keep small amounts of coffee in the apartment that he uses very sparingly He nods which is an improvement from yesterday when he just made a soft noise in the back of his throat The war infuriates him he hates being forced to live in this old tenement I used to love my grand-pa He always made me laugh and pretended to pull quarters from my ears Now he mostly just stares at a wall or naps He hasnrsquot smiled in months I looked over to my grandmother as she moves franticly around the kitchen opening

an empty cabinet opening the one next to it and then opening the first one again She has gone mad and therersquos no hope for her She scares me when she tries to talk to her daughter (my dead mother) The war has affected them so much the loss of a daughter and any chance of a happy life I would feel sorry for them if I had the energy Therersquos half of a loaf of stale bread on the counter She must be looking for the jam we ran out of weeks ago As I look at the bread I notice again how unusually bright the sun is today Itrsquos late winter and the sun shouldnrsquot be shining like this until a few months from now I squint my eyes and lean forward to better look out the window The sun seemed to be splitting in half and then thirds and then fourths ldquoBombsrdquo I whisper

Samantha Williams- ldquoAngelrdquo

The sun pieces drift to the ground where they erupt My grandmother shrieks and then faints Her frail head smacks against the counter

14

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

I look at my grandpa even though he is old and doesnrsquot care about me itrsquos amazing how I still look to him for help And then I see something equally as stunning as the bombs- my grand-fatherrsquos face awakens to a look of surprise and fear In a dull voice that sounds like a broken whistle he says ldquoGet downrdquo Before I can even think I dive for the hallway just as a wave of power shakes the earth The sound is like a muf-fled thunder boom Cracks rip through the dry-wall and the light over the kitchen table sways I entwine myself around the clock If this is where I die I want to die with this clock The tempo of the clock still remains true a steady tick tick tick that is oblivious to its surround-ings I close my eyes and wait for death falling deep into a rhythmic trance I wait through more volleys of thunder flakes of drywall fall on me as the tenement is being shaken apart by shock waves I hear the pandemonium outside screams and buildings crashing to the ground The end of my world and many of those like me is happening Then something strange happens A cold bony hand tightens around my leg My eyes fly open as my grandfather tightens his grip on my ankle He lies on the ground with a look of agony on his face He looks even worse than normal if that is possible He reminds me of a decaying corpse He opens his mouth and breathes a phrase that is nearly inaudible ldquoWe Have To Moverdquo He then coughs splattering blood on the floor and in my face I stare at him in awe How could he have hope now The man who stares at a blank wall all day his eyes like black holes The west side of the tenement explodes in fire My grandmotherrsquos limp body

is whipped across the room like rope Her back is impaled with six inch splinters of wood My eyes burn with fire but seeing the will to live in my grandfatherrsquos eyes awakens something in me as well It reminds me of how I used to love him He was what I aspired to be I tightened my muscles wrapped one arm around the clock and entwined the other in my grandfatherrsquos papery leathery hand After I stomped out the small fire that had started on his left leg I heave his frail body up into my arms My legs ache as I try to pull myself and grandfather to the bathroom rubble continues to break from the walls The apartment is still being bended by the power of

the bombs I heave the dead weight of my grand-father tugging it from debris Finally I reach the bathroom The sink is cracked and water flows from the snapped pipe but over all the compact-ed space of the bathroom is the least affected by the bombs I drop my grandfather in the corner hersquos unconscious or dead Shove the door shut then climb into the cold marble bathtub and hug the clock as tightly as I can to my chest trying to fuse it with my body The lights flicker and then die I let the booms shaking the world become background noise allowing the ticking of the clock to fill my mind and then enter my dreams

Kateryna Lebedyeva- ldquoSunflowerrdquo

15

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Halloween NightTangela Hightower

Wind howlingMoon risingClouds formingThis would be the nightA darkAnd stormy nightThat creepy thingsHidden in shadowsWill emergeFrom shaggy willowsSeeking out little kidsDragging home pillowsFilled with treatsThat the creepy monsters want to eat

Katherine Soffietti- ldquoMaskrdquo

If These Walls LivedTangela Hightower

If walls could speak Theyrsquod scream Like their life depended on it

If walls could run Theyrsquod break a world record Faster than the fastest man ever

If walls could cry Wersquod all live on boats Because the earth would be flooded

If walls could dream Theyrsquod smile in their sleep Because of all the things theyrsquove seen

If walls could write Wersquod run out of trees Because there would be none left

If walls could love Theyrsquod show us all The meaning of that word

If walls could die Well then I think Wersquod all be exposed

16

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Could I Be Your ChangeBella Alibrandi

I want to leave a footprintOn the worldI want to make a differenceTo create changeSomeday I would like to be someonersquos heroAnd have them look up to meIrsquom going to dieAnd when I doI want people to remember meAnd laugh at all the good times we hadThe last thing I would wantIs for people to cry over my passingThey should celebrate my moving onMy next stepI wish that they will hopeIrsquom happy and no longerFeel any painIf you choose to cry for meI suppose I cannot stop youBut my dear friend and loved onePlease take noteThat my life was full and happyAnd you will always be a partOf my soul

Paige Fiermonte- ldquoLadyrdquo

17

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

An ArrowCayla Dedrick

It was the first day of summer and already my parents were shipping me off to some camp to spend the summer An outdoors sports-y kind of camp too Upon arriving I was admittedly a bit impressed by the scenery Much nicer than the camp from last summer The place was pretty I suppose the lake that they had here was actually larger than a glorified pond and reflected the clear blue of the sky and luminescent little sparkles from the sun Shadows from the trees around the camp area dappled the ground creating a nice mix of the shade and the sun My parents insisted that it was better to be outside with other children for the whole summer rather than cooped up in my room Personally I think they just wanted to get rid of me so I wouldnrsquot ldquoaccidentallyrdquo blow the house up in my boredom It didnrsquot matter if it was nice here or not I wouldnrsquot enjoy this I never did The string of the bow bit rather pain-fully into the sensitive skin of my hands as I struggled to tug it back far enough to an arrow properly I could feel the eyes of the other children who were waiting for their turn at the targets boring into my back as I fought to hold the bow and aim At this point it would have been great for the arrow to hit the target or at least make it far enough to do so but I had no such luck My arrow skittered pitifully into the dust more than a couple feet in front of where I was aiming Soft snickering drifted from behind me but I

Katelyn Killoran- ldquoOld Red Wagonrdquo

refrained from glaring at them like I was so tempted to It was better not to give people the satisfaction of knowing that theyrsquod got to meA hand rested on my shoulder startling me out of my thoughts but I didnrsquot jump like anyone else would instead glancing back with a mildly annoyed lookThe boy that stood behind me was older prob-ably around fifteen and smiling kindly in stark contrast to the other kidsrsquo smirks If I hadnrsquot been too busy brooding Irsquod probably have found him cute with soft blonde locks and icy blue eyes that glittered with warmth rather than malice despite their colorldquoNeed some helprdquo he inquired an undertone of veiled amusement in his voice with a sidelong glance at the bow I had still clenched at my side Yes of course I needed help but Irsquod never admit it ldquoMaybe a littlerdquo I shrugged So I would admit it but it wasnrsquot my fault Something about

this kid made it hard to say no He didnrsquot seem like he was trying to make a mockery of meHe instructed me to stand like I was going to shoot an arrow but not to actually pull the bow-string back yet I obeyed and immediately he was shifting the positioning of my legs by prod-ding at my feet with his until I was standing correctly After determining that I was standing correctly he stepped behind me and put his hands over mine to help me This time when I fired the arrow lodged itself into one of the blue rings of the target the third to the outside of five colors Smiling slightly I turned to look up at the boy ldquoThanksrdquo I muttered a bit reluctantly cheeks flushing a light shade of pink at the grin he sent me in return ldquoNo problem kidrdquo I frowned ldquoIrsquom not a kidrdquo I protested de-fensively shaking my head in annoyance ldquoAnd my name is Terranrdquo ldquoYou are a kidrdquo he said with a laugh

18

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

causing me to scowl further ldquoMy namersquos Se-bastian by the way Nice to meet yourdquo ldquoCharmedrdquo So maybe sitting in a kayak in the mid-dle of the lake with my life jacket un- buckled when I was well aware of the fact that the boys in my group that had some weird thing against me were out there too wasnrsquot a great idea But no one would dare to push me in when there were counselors watching right I shouldrsquove have guessed something was up when they stole my paddle and my life jacket and left me stranded there to wait for someone to come rescue me We were too far from shore to effectively yell back for help and while I knew Sebastian was swimming at least somewhat near here he was underwater too much to hear me I was just a little caught up in my an-noyance when I felt my kayak tip sideways abruptly throwing me out to the side Hitting the water so suddenly forced most of the breath from my body and trying to gasp in surprise only caused water to flood my mouth I man-aged to thrash my way to the surface to take a breath Through the sound of my own coughing I could hear laughter Wonderful They wouldnrsquot be of any help to me I could tread water to an extent for a short amount of time but I tired quickly and just as I was starting to give up on being able to swim back to shore I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind tugging my head out of the water I started to struggle and kick on instinct but stopped quickly when a familiar voice reached through the haze of my panic ldquoTerran calm down Itrsquos okayrdquo it

soothed gently I fell still and blinked a few times to attempt to clear my vision Attempt being the operative word here water was still splashing into my eyes It wasnrsquot like I was cry-ing from the fear or anything it was just drip-ping from my hair ldquoSebrdquo I mumbled coughing He nod-ded and shifted me around so it would be easier to keep my head above the surface I wound my arms around his neck to cling to him just a little desperately as he swam back to shore abandon-ing my now waterlogged kayak Sebastian kept his arm wrapped around my shoulders after we got to the point where I could stand up I wasnrsquot sure if it was because I was still shivering or it was just a protective thing but either way I was grateful He only re-luctantly handed me off to one of the counselors so I could dry off and get some hot chocolate to warm up after brushing his lips over my damp-ened hair and promising to come see me when he could That made me turn bright red very quickly Behind all the kindness in his gaze I could see the cold promise that hersquod make sure nothing like this happened again and I wasnrsquot sure if that was scary or endearing If there was one thing to really be disliked at this camp other than the kids that at-tended it it was the cabins They were cold and drafty the floors and beds creaked withthe slightest of movements and at night the wind made tree branches bang against the win-dow Needless to say I got little to no sleep I had no idea how everyone else managed Honestly I found it easier to rest during the day in a few choice locations around camp that it was quite simple to sneak away to at

Lauren Morelli- ldquoUntitledrdquo

19

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

certain points throughout the day My current favourite was a little spot in the woods where the ground was covered in moss Sebastian would come and sit with me sometimes and wersquod talk about whatever came to mind while I used his shoulder as a pillow On occasion Irsquod actually fall asleep part way through our con-versation and hersquod always be nice and sit there until I woke up Once or twice I even found him dozing as well with his head leaning off the top of mine This was the kind of thing Irsquod really miss when I went home As much as the camp itself wasnrsquot great and most of the kids didnrsquot talk to me here I had found a friend Maybe more than a friend I mused once and a while glancing at the hand that would find its way to rest on my arm We started ditching activities a few weeks into camp After that incident where I almost drowned he insisted on hanging around me just in case It was slow at first but we did get to the point where we were comfortable enough in each otherrsquos company to not only talk for a long time about anything that came to mind but sit in silence without it getting the least bit awkward He asked for my phone num-ber so we could keep in touch before I could work up the nerve to do so myself My shyness had mostly dissipated around Sebastian but little things like asking for contact information seemed hard Unfortunately all good things had a stu-pid way of coming to pass right when they were getting to the best part This little friendship I had forged was no exception This camp would end next week and everyone was going home

Seb had said hersquod visit if he could yet I doubt-ed wersquod be able to work anything out Still for now it was easier to fake a smile and agree Curling up into a tighter ball on the damp moss-laden ground I let my head fall onto Sebastianrsquos shoulder as Irsquod done so many times before closing my eyes He immediately fell silent to let me rest if I wanted to Today I couldnrsquot sleep though I didnrsquot want to waste time sleeping ldquoItrsquos been fun here Seb You made this summer a lot more bearable for merdquo I mum-bled standing on my toes to hug the older boy quickly slipping a little note into his pocket He smiled though it looked a bit forced and nodded ldquoYeah We should hang out sometime mayberdquo He trailed off a bit uncertainly as if he wasnrsquot sure Irsquod want to see him again after this summer I laughed Between the two of us he wasnrsquot supposed to be the shy one ldquoWe shouldrdquo A shout of my name from the other side of the little clearing where theyrsquod gathered us to wait for our parents made me look up My father was standing by one of the counselors arms crossed and impatient I didnrsquot hesitate to start walking over to him ldquoByerdquo I called back over my shoulder Sebastian waved once before turning away On the silent ride home I stared out the window wishing for the first time that I didnrsquot have to come home from camp this year Later when he got home himself Se-bastian would find the little slip of paper I gave him before we left and smile

[Thanks for everything Seb Irsquoll miss you lt3 -TM]

Sophie Luckette- ldquoLadybugsrdquo

20

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

A Love for a GirlHarrison Franklin

A mixed teen walks down the hallpassing by the conceded wallslooks of styletalk of white and blackhe sits up slumps and sits backagainquiet mostly but loud when hechooseshe doesnrsquot have a place of statusquohe speaks to with whom he chooseshe can be brazen or a phantomjoyous or saddened

At night a man of style andpersonalitysteps forth to a scenehe is readythe music plays and he listenshis favored electronic playsthe bass rumbleshis body moves rhythmicallyin precise time with the beatshe draws a wondering crowd who isthis dancer

everydayrepetition is the waygray days maskingtrue blue skiesof hope lastinggraceand future passinga cold world sobered upwashed out and cleaned upDULL and BLANDhe walks the halls in search ofa love

the dancer dissipates from centerstagefloating from group to group copyingstyleshe stumbles across a maverickbeautiful in features and attirefreelancer of her own style

Up and downaroundin and outtraffic flows in the hallsthe small being makes his wayhe passes tons of beauties but theeyes of one catches hishers sneaky dangerous and swift inmovementshe passes by withoutacknowledgement

The dancer now follows dangerouslyclosehe knows his purser and had hisdoseshe took her glanceswith her dangerous cool blue eyesdrunk in happiness in of the musicshe laughs in enjoyment unawareshe is pursued

day after dayhe searchesfor the facehe longed to see herfor her to acknowledgefor her to be INTERESTEDshe passed by greeting himhesitationrecognition and progress

The party atmosphere endedhe searched for herbut to only compliment her elegantdresswith colors in his likingothers left the dancer as usual lastto leave

the morning came I became wholeonce againwith a desire to catch this girlwho attracted mealthough her actionsled me up and downon a roller coasterI pursue this girl

21

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

UntitledPatrece Martin

She holds her head highShe walks around big and tallShe has light eyes that almost look like they could be whiteWhen she talks I turn awayI donrsquot know whyHer words just seem so coldChildren seem to like herThey canrsquot see the harshness she bringsAnd I guess I canrsquot blame themWhen shersquos around the fat man brings them presentsBut I am no foolI canrsquot wait for her to leaveHer sister is much nicerShe speaks with warm comforting wordsOh I canrsquot wait for the dayWhen winter leavesAnd itrsquos time for Summer to step in

Rebecca Fuller- ldquoUntitledrdquo

22

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Sophia Maloff- ldquoCeltic Tree of Liferdquo

One Small SeedCeleste Torres

As I fall I grow and growUnderneath the shellConnects a root to it allThis seed is coolAm shiveringMy face slowly turns from a frownI change over timeI detach myself from youI have to move on to higher groundI sometimes enjoyed hanging aroundBut now itrsquos time to move onYou seeJust to start a better meEven if am just one little seedOne day I will stand as a great treeYep even if am just one small seed

23

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

My Tear For Her My Passion For HimBella Alibrandi

I was holding her hand walking slowly with her like I always did Not mak-ing her feel like her body was slowing down Even though it was I saw her every day even on Sundays Irsquove been her nanny since I was fourteen When I began working for the Nicolas family she was only four I thought she was the cutest and sweetest little girl I would ever care for And that was true but she wasnrsquot an easy child With all her vitamins pills and her allergies quite frankly I was very nervous when talking care of her During the summers she was all my responsibility for thirteen hours a day What did I do while I had school My schedule was very complex Irsquod wake up every morning at five in the morning It didnrsquot matter if it was during the week or the weekend I would get to her house by six when I was younger and couldnrsquot drive my mom would bring me to school around seven thirty At the end of the day mom would get me and drop me off at her house around two thirty Her parents worked from one pm to eight pm The time period that I was at school and her parents were at work she was the only one home in their large empty mansion taking her daily nap I was really worried about this when I started working It was unsafe for a little girl her age to be home alone and defenseless I heard she has an older sibling that hersquos in my eleventh grade class but I have never met him or seen him around the house Which didnrsquot surprise me so much considering how big their

house is But I began to be ok with the little girl home alone because I met Marty Marty is their front guard that lived out in the guardhouse you had to pass by to get in through their iron gates in the two mile long driveway Marty showed me the Nicolasrsquos security systems locks movement detectors alarms and even alarms to detect any substance that their little girl was allergic to If it detect-ed any of her allergens it would immediately notify her parentsrsquo cell phones work numbers and the emergency hospital a couple blocks up They even insisted that my cell be included in the alarms and that I have my own identification code for Marty Yeah they were that protective Crazy huh Nope it all made sense when I met Melina Nicolas She had the softest milk chocolate brown hair that had spiral curls that hung to her mid back It felt like silk Mrs Nicolas always dressed her in the princess dresses that people bought to put their girls in pageants the kind of dress that cost $50000 Yep that kind of rich Everyday when I saw her she would jump for joy and say ldquoMy nanny Kay Kayrsquos here What do you want to play today Kay Kayrdquo Yeah my name is Kayla Anne Merienda But most people call me Kayla But Melina canrsquot say that so she calls me Kay Kay Every day I had a new game to teach her I think shersquos the only child I have ever met that loves to learn as much as she does But after awhile I ran out of games So wersquod play some of the old ones She started getting bored with the new games So we made up our own She was incredibly smart for a little girl But right now shersquos seven and Irsquom seventeen

And right about now is when Mr and Mrs Nicolas should be leaving the house Irsquom in my last period class advanced Spanish But for the last ten minutes I havenrsquot been listening to my teacher Irsquove been tuning everyone out except Austin Irsquod gotten lost in my own world thinking about him and only him I had dedicat-ed my whole high school career to Melina so Irsquove never been able to have a social life Yeah there are some girls I talk to eat lunch with But I donrsquot think I could consider them as friends And some days more than others Irsquod feel so lonely without friends in my life and especially a boyfriend I canrsquot help look at his eyes I canrsquot help get nervous around him even though we donrsquot talk And I definitely canrsquot help but want to be able to call him mine But that wonrsquot hap-pen Itrsquos time to get into my snow covered car and drive to Melinarsquos house once again When the bell rang I must have stood up too quickly and gotten dizzy I tried to shake it off and walk forward but ran right into some-one I couldnrsquot see who it was because I was now face first on the floor once again looking like an idiot I suddenly felt a warm hand on my back ldquoHere let me help yourdquo I stood up and regained my balance ldquoAre you ok You fell pretty hardrdquo I didnrsquot notice who had helped me off the ground until now I was looking straight into his blue eyes It was Austin ldquoYeah Irsquom fine thanksrdquo I was swaying side to side lightheaded But not because of the impact of the ground I just took but because he was talking to me Me And he saw me for the first time He grabbed my shoulders firm but gentle ldquoWoah there Should I take you to the

24

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Kelsey Kissane- ldquoUntitledrdquo

25

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

nurserdquo No I had to get to Melinarsquos before she wakes up ldquoNo thanks I need to be somewhererdquo I headed for the door but he caught me by the arm which made my body tingle ldquoIf you think Irsquom going to let you drive yoursquore crazyrdquo ldquoWhyrdquo I tried to pull away but his strong arms werenrsquot giving in anytime soon ldquoYou fell and hit your head Finerdquo he said while letting go ldquogo drive away in your car and get in an accident Irsquoll be the last person you ever talk tordquo That scared me a little bit He grabbed his backpack and began to walk off ldquoWaitrdquo I ran after him running into a table or two He stopped not facing me But I could totally tell he was smiling ldquoCould you drive me somewhererdquo He spun around with a casual look painted across his excited face ldquoI guessrdquo He oddly winked and said with a wave of a hand ldquoThis wayrdquoWe got out into the ice and snow covered park-ing lot We walked out quite far and stopped by a black SLK with tan leather seating ldquoNice carrdquo I said ldquoYou into carsrdquo He looked surprised ldquoKinda My dad owns a dealershiprdquo He laughed and we both got in ldquoI have a BMW Chevroletrdquo He nodded ldquoThatrsquos a nice carrdquo We both laughed ldquoIrsquom Austin by the way You must have known that though You wouldnrsquot have gotten into a car with a total stranger rightrdquo He pre-tended to glance at my face but I saw his eyes scan over my body ldquoYeah I knew your name you must

know mine because you wouldnrsquot let a total stranger into your car would yourdquo I said smil-ing at him He smiled back ldquoGood call I do know your name Kayla Anne Blake Rightrdquo Kinda creepy he knew my whole name ldquoYeah But you can just call me Kaylardquo ldquoOh okay Kayla So which way nowrdquo he said stopping at a stoplight ldquoTake a next left and then itrsquos the next house on your leftrdquo I looked at his face He looked puzzled ldquoIs something the matterrdquo He didnrsquot answer for a second But then said ldquoNo nothings wrongrdquo Something was wrong here We stopped at the iron gate and punched in a code Was he related to these people He must have seen me curiously looking at him because he said ldquoIrsquom Melinarsquos Brotherrdquo I guessed I should have guessed that considering his last name was Nicolas Wow I feel so stupid ldquoOh okay Irsquom herhelliprdquo I didnrsquot get to finish because he did it for me ldquoNanny Rightrdquo he smiled ldquoYeah How did you know I havenrsquot seen you around their houserdquo I was getting ner-vous He must have sensed it because he said ldquoItrsquos okay Kayla Melina talks about you a lot You donrsquot have to freak outrdquo He said half smiling like he was trying to prove he was a good guy ldquoOkay sorry that just freaked me out for a minute thererdquo ldquoItrsquos okay By the way I need your identification coderdquo I gave it to him and he typed it in smoothly The gates swung open and

we drove up and parked in the driveway It was snowing so he took off his coat and put it on me Irsquom sure I blushed ldquoThanksrdquo When we got inside Mrs Nicolas was crying with Mr Nicolas wrapped around her ldquoDad what happenedrdquo ldquoWherersquos Melinardquo I asked frantic Something must have happened They arenrsquot supposed to be home With a deep breath Mr Nicolas said ldquoShersquos in the hospital We came to pick you two up Get in our carrdquo We drove to the hospital where we found Melina in a bed connected to tubes and wires I was freaking out and on the verge of tears ldquoMr and Mrs Nicolas please may I have a word with you two in the hallrdquo They walked out leaving me with Austin He was holding Melinarsquos delicate little hand ldquoDo you think shersquoll be okayrdquo I asked sitting next to him He was quiet for a minute Then looked at me with tears in his eyes ldquoI donrsquot knowrdquo He said it was a deep strong voice but by his tears I knew he was breaking inside I went and stood by the door and watched the doctor down the hall with the parents He was telling them bad news I knew because they both started crying and so did I I went and sat back down and waited for the Nicolasrsquo to tell us something bad But when Mrs Nicolas came in she said ldquoEverything will be fine Melina is just a little sick Austin was driving me home and looked

26

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

at me and said with sorrow in his voice ldquoThey lied to usrdquo ldquoWhat do you meanrdquo I asked ldquoMelina isnrsquot just sick She has cancerrdquo He pulled over where we both began to sob and hold each other close for a time that felt like forever

Morgan Gunther- ldquoOcean Islerdquo

27

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Russian RouletteLeah Ifraim

The spicy fumesCirculate through the airBrushing across my nostrilsI see a beautifully plated row of giant sushiElegant underneath a drizzle of spicy mayoI stare at them in aweI delicately pick up one of the rollsBringing it up to my lipsAs I take my first biteI feel a crunchMy tongue begins to sizzleSpicy mayoSo creamy and richFizzes across the center of my tongueJolting me alertWith each chewI feel the fresh taste of chivesFracture as a tooth bites into itThe tuna warms my taste budsMixing with the bits of sticky ricePlastering the walls of each toothSavory tastes collideBouncing off each cell of my tongueAs the final taste of perfection slips down my throatMy hand reaches for another rollIrsquove never tasted anything so mysterious and incredibleThis is the Russian Roulette

Jackie Halpin- ldquoFarmerrsquos Marketrdquo

Julia Slisz- ldquoChairrdquo

28

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

HomeDori Bergman

A homeIs nothing likeA houseItrsquos a placeWhere you belongItrsquos a feelingThat yoursquoll savorItrsquos a personWho you look to

With my homeI feel wantedUnderstoodSpecialAnd loved

So I just thoughtIrsquod let you knowThat even thoughIrsquove lost my wayWith youIrsquom finallyHome Allison Emmel- ldquoBalconyrdquo

29

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

UntitledChristy Le

I hear the NFL theme song go off in my earmdashmy alarm itrsquos 545 am and I need to get up for school I trudge to my closet carefully picking out my clothes and doing my makeup ensuring that my appearance is on the same par as the suburban-elite girls from my school At 7am I realize itrsquos time to wake my two broth-ers I walk to their room and gently shake them awake They begrudgingly march to the bath-roommdashmy cue to prepare breakfast I tiptoe past my momrsquos room as not to wake her I know shersquoll need her sleep before her twelve hour shift at the nail salon At 705 am I say good-bye to my younger brothers remind them not to miss their bus and start the trek to my bus stop At the bus stop I fight the urge to lie down and take a nap The previous dayrsquos activi-ties have exhausted memdashcooking dinner tutor-

ing my brothers cleaning my house and work-ing on my four AP course workload until 2 am When the bus arrives I board it and sit with one of my best friends She and I fall into mindless chatter about pop culture and other nonsensical things but itrsquos all an illusion for me since Irsquom not just a teenage girl Irsquom a ldquomotherrdquo to two boys Irsquove been expected to be the caretaker of my brothers since I was seven My mom has always worked twelve hours a day six days a week and without my dad in the picture the responsibilities of my brothers were left to me It was a role forced upon me but itrsquos a role Irsquove accepted At the age of seven I began staying home alone with my three-year-old brother and my infant brother At the age of seven I stopped being a child turning into the person my fam-ily needed me to bemdashthe one who changed diapers prepared formula put my brothers to sleep and took care of them in every way imag-inable I gladly took on these responsibilities because it was what my mom needed me to do My mom had to work to support our family and couldnrsquot afford a babysitter I used to see my brothers as a burden that kept me from my potential I resented the fact that my mom forced me to stay home and care for them Why did I have to sacrifice They werenrsquot my kids nor was I their mother I fumed at the unfairness and resentfully cared for them for years Now I realize that Irsquom lucky to have them Taking care of my brothers has made me into a chef a teacher a mentor a maid a chauffeur and a supportive sister Irsquove always been forced to juggle my brothers school work volunteerism and a healthy social

life on a daily basis These roles shaped me into the caring compassionate and capable person that I am today Caring for my brothers didnrsquot keep me from my potential it exponentially increased my potential After being responsible for the lives of two human beings Irsquove learned priceless skills I can manage a household and maintain a family I can be efficient in all that I do and work hard at every job assigned to me Such skills have allowed me to be successful academically professionally and socially I can manage a hectic life and still be a happy soul with a great academic record Growing up with my brothers has taught me to make the best when Irsquom handed the least I now know that the caretaking of my brothers hasnrsquot been a burden instead itrsquos been a character-building experi-ence No one knows that I take on a soccer-mom persona after school Yoursquoll never see me without a smile at school so Irsquom perceived as a happy-go-lucky carefree girl However my ap-pearance at school is a faccedilade My friends from school presume that I have the perfect life but I donrsquot Irsquove just learned to positively deal with my life I keep up an act to conceal the great struggles that I endure Irsquom glad I can control how I am perceived because it changes how I am treated I have compassion for those who have little control over their appearance due to genetic deformities so I want to become a re-constructive plastic surgeon I want to empower people with the ability to portray themselves to others as they wish so I want to dedicate my life to being a reconstructive plastic surgeon and to fixing birth defects and genetic deformities

Nicole Tanquary- ldquoPotrait of Laurardquo

30

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013

Rambunctious publishes three issues a year Contact us at rambunctious2013gmailcom for submission informartion

Rambunctious MagazineJamesville-Dewitt High School

PO Box 6066845 Edinger Drive

DeWitt NY 13214-0606(315) 445-8340

RambunctiousWinter 2013