Embedded Files
Art Section
Art Section
By Erik W
By Bailey D
By William M
Splatoon 2 Review
Splatoon 2 Review
By DJ Sting
I Think the best video game Is Splatoon 2 . One of my reasons is it is a fun cartoon game. There are story modes and levels. Another reason is there are many weapons like the Kensa Splat charger and the Light Tentra Dualies and the Forge Octo Brush . My last reason is There are many clothing options and . Another thing I love about Splatoon 2 is that you can compete in online matches. There are many types of Online matches like Turf War and clam Blitz and Splat zones And one of my favorites Tower control . And that is why I think Splatoon 2 is the best game.
Spring
Spring
By Anonymous
The spring is here,
falling petals cradled by the wind,
are like snow.
Though it is warm now,
it does not thaw everyone's cold heart.
some peoples hearts
still feel the chill of winter,
And push themselves away from others.
SOME OF FUN STUFF TO DO C:
SOME OF FUN STUFF TO DO C:
by Aniyah M
WATER PARK: Breezy Picnic Grounds Waterslides
There are "Water slides, clean lake water, picnic tables, restrooms and snacks for sales."AND "They have a little shop for food and ice cream and an arcade room."
ICE CREAM: Nor’easter Blizzard’s:
They are a family owned ice cream shop located at 278 N. Main St., Uxbridge Mass.
"We have homemade ice cream that is hard and soft."
ZOO: Southwick's Zoo
Southwick's Zoo is a 300-acre, privately owned and operated, zoological park located in Mendon, Massachusetts, United States. It was opened in 1963, and remains family-operated to date. Wikipedia
Address: 2 Southwick St, Mendon, MA 01756
Number of animals: 850
Land area: 300 acres (120 ha)
No. of species: 100+
Notable animals: Max, Tanzie, Pinda, Terry, Midas, Leroy Jr., Molly, Louise, Thelma, Levanna, Daisy, Rocket
The Museum of Work and Culture is a museum in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, that features exhibits focusing on the city's textile manufacturing heritage. Wikipedia
Address: 42 S Main St, Woonsocket, RI 02895
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 4PM
Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park
Large-scale indoor trampoline center hosting open jump, fitness classes, dodgeball & parties.
Address: 189 Mechanic St, Bellingham, MA 02019
Areas served: New England
Hours: Closed ⋅ Opens 4PM
Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center
Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum and private foundation presenting a part of the historic district in the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has 7300 employees at this location and globally. Wikipedia
Address: 101 Visitor Center Dr, Williamsburg, VA 23185
Area: 173 acres
Added to NRHP: October 15, 1966
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 5PM
Updated by this business 4 weeks ago
NRHP Reference Number: 66000925
Built: 1699
Architectural style:Georgian
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Toronto
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Toronto is an indoor family entertainment center located in Vaughan Mills mall in Vaughan, Ontario just north of Toronto. The attraction includes 10 LEGO build & play zones, 2 LEGO-themed rides, a soft play area, a 4D cinema, the World's Largest LEGO Brick Flag, and a gift shop. Wikipedia
Located in: Vaughan Mills
Address: 1 Bass Pro Mills Dr, Vaughan, ON L4K 5W4, Canada
Opened: March 1, 2013
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 6PM
Woodbine Beach is the largest of the four beaches in the Beaches in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located along Lake Shore Boulevard at the foot of Woodbine Avenue, it is next to Ashbridge's Bay and Kew-Balmy Beach. Wikipedia
Located in: Ashbridges Bay Boat Launch
Address: 1675 Lake Shore Blvd E, Toronto, ON M4L 3W6, Canada
Chain of indoor trampoline parks featuring freestyle bouncing, dodgeball, fitness programs & more.
Address: 70 Pawtucket Ave, East Providence, RI 02916
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 8PM
The Whirlpool Aero Car or Spanish Aero Car is a cable car located in Niagara Falls, Ontario that transports passengers over a section of the Niagara River referred to as the Niagara Whirlpool. The system was designed by Spanish engineer Leonardo Torres Quevedo and has been upgraded several times since 1916. Wikipedia
Address: 3850 Niagara Pkwy, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 3E8, Canada
Open: August 8, 1916
Manufactured by: Niagara Spanish Aero Car Company Limited / Leonardo Torres Quevedo
Trip duration: 10 minutes
And that is some of the stuff to do in summer. C:
Black Sheep
Black Sheep
By: Rachel S. Brianna F.
(Continued from last issue)
Chapter 3
My legs automatically pause, and I’m reminded of the deer from my vision, trampled by their friends.
“Go Rose! I’m fine.” Aja is breathing heavily and she’s favoring her left, hind leg when she stands. Her eyes glass over, and she lets out a muffled whimper.
“Aja.” I whisper it softly, and she seems to have just noticed that I was still standing there.
“I’ll be fine. You should go before it’s too late.”
Her calm tone annoys me to no end. “I’m not leaving you, not like this.”
Even with the pain, Aja apparently can still roll her eyes. “Don’t be dramatic, Rose. This isn’t some movie where you’re giving me up to go save the world or anything. I’m not going anywhere.” Her approach to this situation, this calm, collected Aja, is really annoying me now.
“I’m not leaving.”
“Sure you are.” She shrugs. That’s when I break.
“I can’t just leave you in the middle of the woods!” I snarl. “You are prey to anything that comes along here! Unless you have someone with you, you can die!”
“Rose!” Aja looks shockingly angry. I expected her to back down, to understand, but she looks frustrated instead. Maybe even determined, and I freeze. “Please.”
It’s a whisper, but I find myself speechless all the same. She looks me in the eye and I know she expects me to go. She wants me to. That’s why I can’t speak. I have nothing left to say.
So, I turn away. If I’m going to leave her, I'm going to make it count. I take off as fast as I can. I’ve already wasted time, but I have to try.
The trees rustle and the ground beneath me feels moist and muddy. I’m close to the river once more, which means this guy has no idea where he’s going. If he did, he wouldn’t go to the one place where his tracks can’t be covered. “So what is he doing?”
There’s no way he was sent here by his kind, he’s not experienced enough. A good spy doesn’t get caught by sixteen and thirteen year old girls on a walk. Is he here on his own accords or someone else's? Did he accidentally cross the border? No, he was watching us, that’s for certain. Then what?
I’m suddenly wrenched out of my train of thought when the ground ends abruptly, giving way to a rocky cliff side. I hopelessly try to stop, but I know I’m going too fast. I skid across loose rocks, and before I can stop, I stumble over the edge. My hind legs hang loosely, my front claws digging painfully into the rocky soil. My back claws try to find purchase on the loose soil, but I give up immediately. It’s no use. The soil crumbles on impact, falling down, down, down. I spare a glance over my shoulder, and I wish I hadn’t. The Columns River hisses like a snake, engulfing the rocks and sand on its floor. Large rocks jut out of the black waters, gray and jagged. I let out a small whimper, trying to pull myself up with just my front paws. My body is too worn and I can only lift myself an inch before I find my limit. I let myself back down again. My claws are beginning to bleed a dark crimson, the scent of copper pennies filling my nose. It’s nothing like when the deer died in my visions, but I find myself reminded of them all the same. I try to pull myself up once more. It hurts so bad I see stars. Then my front paws begin to lose ground and I’m slipping down even further. I let out a full yowl this time as desperation settles in, dulling my senses.
I think of Aja, trying to use her as a motivator. I can’t help but laugh. To think Aja was at more of a risk, yet I’m the one who’s going to die stupidly.
My claws continue to slip. I always thought I would be afraid when I die, but I find myself at ease. My mind has accepted this, has processed it, and now it’s ready to die. I always thought I would fight until my last breath, but this seems like a nicer way to go; to die at peace. I take an anchoring breath. Then there’s nothing beneath my paws, and I’m in freefall. I’m going to go down, down, down like the soil, claimed by the river. Aja will find her way back or get eaten. The Vallent will go to his territory, safe and sound. Alpha will continue his horrible traditions. I will find peace in death, maybe even joy.
A sudden sharp pain shrieks through my paws as someone digs their claws into me, disturbing my thoughts. A howl of surprise escapes me as I look up to find him. The Vallent. His ash colored fur is lighter when it’s out in the sun, but his eyes are still a cobalt blue. Blue like the wolf of my visions eyes were.
“I can’t pull you up by myself,” the familiar voice in my head says. My eyes widen and he huffs, with annoyance or exertion I can’t tell. “You might be small, but you’re heavy, and I’m weak from you chasing me. I could use the help.” I nod, pushing with my hind legs. Once I’m high enough, he grabs me by the neck with his teeth, pulling me towards safety. The dirt crumbles beneath my claws, but it helps him enough to the point he can pull me over.
When I’m finally up, we both collapse on the ground, exhausted. My breaths come out ragged, and my front claws ache. They bleed freely and I know Aja is going to have my head. If she’s alive, that is.
“Who’s Aja?” I look up to find the wolf of my visions. In front of me. Flesh and blood. Not a figment of my imagination. Alive and breathing. “I get the point.”
“Oh, so now you talk? I can’t be understanding this right. This whole time, you could’ve talked? Are you serious?” I snap. He rolls his eyes, heaving a loud sigh. “Also, stay out of my head.” I say.
“Are you this rude to everyone who saves your life?” He seems more bored, if anything.
“My life doesn’t usually need saving,” I growl.
“Huh. That’s weird. You strike me as the type to throw yourself in harm's way quite often. You know, reckless. Impulsive.”
“Who told you that?”
“You. In your thoughts.”
I glare at him as he rightens himself, shaking out his fur and licking his paws clean. His movements are without the usual flourishes, displaying how tired he actually is. “So you were reading my mind?” I ask once he’s finished.
“Yes.”
“And you think I’m impulsive?”
“Very.”
“Impulsive enough to ‘throw myself in harm’s way’ and end up dead?”
“Likely.”
“Then why save me?” He pauses then, taken aback. He doesn’t answer, he just stares. “What?”
“You just asked why I prevented you from falling to your death.”
“So?”
He huffs.
“What?!”
“What else would you expect? You think I would let you die?”
“Well, if you think I’m going to die because of impulsivity, then aren’t you just delaying the inevitable? Also, I’m an Honor. You’re a Vallent.”
“And that automatically means I’m a killer?”
“Yes. No? I don’t know! Maybe?” His expression turns sour. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen him angry. “I’m sorry,” I say quickly. “I don’t mean it like that. I just..”
“Vallents are not all killers. No wonder Vallents and Honors don’t get along. You don’t know how to think for yourselves! If there’s any hope for peace, Honors really need to start educating themselves.” He growls.
My fur stands on end, and now it’s my turn to be angry. “On what exactly?” The threat is clear in my voice, a dare for him to continue. “Please do educate me, all knowing Alpha.” I spit out the last word like it's poison on my lips. It might as well be.
He flinches like I hoped he would. His eyes widen, and I think he’s realized what he just said. Defeated, he sighs, the picture of calm once more. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
I feel like laughing at how fast the tables changed. Instead, I nod slightly, pushing myself up to a sitting position. Both my chest and back ache, my muscles tightening from the sudden pain. I look down at my paws which are surrounded in blood now. I jump back, startled at how much blood has already accumulated.
“You should get that checked out.” He says, already back to himself.
“I know that,” I snarl.
“Just trying to help. Are you always this snarky?” He jokes lightly, and the mood seems to shift, making breathing a bit easier.
“I’m not snarky,” I mumble. “Also, you don’t exactly have the right to insult me. You’re the one who crossed the border into our territory.”
“Fair.”
“So, why?” I ask. He doesn’t answer. “Why?” I growl, taking a threatening step towards him. He only smirks, stroking my temper.
“Cute.” The little restraint I’ve had breaks and I lunge.
He simply takes a step back as I plummet, face-first, into the ground. My body aches from the impact, and I groan. I think I might really hate this guy. Ignoring the pain, I scramble to my feet, spitting out dirt. I whip around, claws and teeth bared. He sits there, calm, head tilted.
“Are you done yet?” He asks. I lunge at him in response, trying to catch him off guard. Instead, he grips my tail in his teeth, swinging me around onto my back. Only then does he sit down on top of my chest. The position reminds me of what I did to him in my vision, front paws on my thorax, hind legs on either side of me.
“Get off” I growl, trying to keep my voice sharp and cold. He flicks his tail, tickling my snout, and laughs as I try to bite it.
“I take that as a no,” he says, holding back more laughter. I snarl at him, but I have to admit, I’m beginning to get tired.
“How about you answer my question, then I’ll answer yours of what I was doing here before you rudely interrupted and started to chase me. Sound fair?”
“Fine,” I grind out through clenched teeth. “What was your question?”
“Who’s Aja?”
I sigh, and immediately regret it. The weight of him on me and the wounds from before combined make breathing really hurt. “My sister,” I reply. Wait. Oh my gosh, my sister! She probably thinks I’m dead, if she herself isn’t already dead.
“I need to go.” I don’t know if he read my mind or if he sees the panic in my eyes, but he doesn’t fuss. He leaps off of me. I lumber on to my feet quickly, wincing at the pain.
“Don’t you want me to answer your question?” He asks, puzzled. Shoot.
“Come with me, you can explain on the way.”
He’s already shaking his head by the time I’ve finished. “No, I need to get back to my people before they realize I’ve gone.” I huff, frustrated, but I understand.
“I just need to go,” I say, and I hate how frightened I sound.
“You can ask later, I suppose. At least it will give me plenty of time to come up with an answer.” He pauses then, thinking over what to say, probably. Oddly enough, he settles on a bow. “Until we meet again.”
Then he’s gone, bounding through the woods. Once he’s out of sight, I decide I have no time to ponder our weird conversation. I run as fast as my legs will allow, going in the direction of home, and hopefully Aja.
Chapter 4
Night has fallen by the time I find home. I hear the sounds of dancing feet and music, bright lights glowing like little suns. Tonight must be Tresaluna, night of the three moons. How could I have forgotten?
I hurry towards the festival as I imagine banging my head against a wall. How will I find Aja? She’s never been good at sitting still, so I imagine she’s found a way out of the infirmary. She’s probably out dancing.
Upclose, I can see two humans standing guard just outside of the gateway. It’s one of the three main rules of Tresaluna. No animals, alive or dead, are allowed within the sacred grounds tonight.
I absentmindedly shift to human form, slipping past the guards, already scanning the crowd for my sister. Hundreds of werewolves have gathered, all in their weakest forms. They’re vulnerable, but that doesn’t matter tonight. The second main rule is no tolerance for violence. If you even push someone, you’re likely to be kicked out for the rest of the night.
The grass is pressed deep into the ground from thousands of dancing feet, and the few trees here are decorated, painted silver and gold, meant to represent the sun and moon.
Many old traditional stories have been passed down through generations, but the story of the three moons is the most popular, and Alpha’s favorite.
It tells of how before the creation of life, there was the moon and sun. They lived together for many years and there was peace. That is, until the first creature of life was born.
When this happened, and news had traveled, the sun and moon both believed they should be the ones to watch over life. They argued, but they would never resort to violence. So, the moon suggested a way to settle their conflict peacefully.
Both of them must present an offering to the creature, and whichever is decided the most useful offering will be able to be the watcher over life.
Once both were prepared with a gift, they went to the life form and presented their tribute.
The sun offered light and warmth, to help creatures survive. It promised to chase away the darkness and bring happiness so that all life will prosper.
When it was the moon’s turn, it offered a dim light, so life would not be blinded, but so that it could hide if necessary. It showed life how the sun could be harmful, burning it as well as killing its plants.
When both offerings were presented, life exclaimed with joy, “Now I shall truly live, for I know who I need. The sun shall help life prosper and the moon will protect me from the sun’s harmful rays. You shall both work together to govern me.”
“But we can’t work at the same time!” The sun exclaimed. “I will chase out the moon’s shadows, and the moon will not be able to protect you from my rays!”
“Then you shall take your shifts so the other does not tire. The sun will own the day time, and the moon shall have the night.”
“And what of my children?” the moon asked. “They’ve shown interest in you, and I promised them a place by my side. They can help me provide light and they will prevent me from being lonely.”
“Then they shall come as well. They will be the stars, and they will paint the sky with you.”
~
Alpha finds me before I can find Aja.
I was searching for Aja near a storyteller’s lounge. It’s a small cave with dim candles, but the walls are painted metallic silver, making the candle’s light reflect around the room.
The storyteller was telling the story of living water, a newer story, but many were gathered all the same. Another advantage of being small; you can wander through a crowd without anyone noticing you. Unless you run, head-first, into Alpha, because you weren’t paying attention.
I jump back, ready for an attack. Alpha just looks down at me, indifferent.
His hair is black with gray streaks while he’s in human form. His eyes are a more human green, but the shade of green seems to be shifting. “Hello.”
“Hi.” It’s hard to stay in place, even to just talk. I really need to find Aja.
“Are you alright? Your hands are bleeding.” Oh. Right. Forgot about that. I shift my hands so they’re hidden behind my back, giving him a little shrug.
“I’m fine.” He gave me a look that said he didn’t quite believe me, but he let it go anyway.
“You seem to be in a hurry,” Alpha says. “Can I help you with anything?”
“Has Aja come back?” Alpha’s expression flickers then, concern etched into his features.
“Come back? Weren’t you both together?” I hear the accusation in his voice, his eyes darkening. His green eyes seem almost black now.
“Did she come back?” I growl. Frustration and fear swirl in the pit of my stomach. It’s not a good mix and I think I’m going to be sick.
“Not that I’m aware of.” Alpha’s voice is tight, but his eyes are a bright green once again.
“I need to go.” It’s all I can say before I sprint out of the crowd, pushing others aside.
I don’t feel any better once I’m outside again. The candle lights seem too bright, the people too loud. I can’t handle it anymore. Before I can reason with myself, I run to the exit, running past two startled guards.
As soon as I’m out, I switch to wolf form, running towards the trees. If Aja isn’t going to find me, then I’m going to find her. In the middle of the night. Alone. In the forest.
“Rose, wait!” Alpha runs after me, now in wolf form, and I know I could outrun him, but I also know I’m being reckless. This is what my mentor was talking about all those years back. My impulsivity and spur of the moment ideas. So I stop, waiting for him to catch up to me.
“You’re not going to find her tonight, and certainly not by yourself,” Alpha says, panting. I hear the pain in his voice, how bad he wants to help me, but he seems to have more common sense than I do.
“She shouldn’t have to be out there tonight, by herself, in the woods, injured,” I snarl, desperate.
“Injured? Seriously Rose, what happened out there?” I don’t answer, pained by the image of her in pain, sprained paw, shouting at me to go. To my left, I hear Alpha sigh.
“Come back when you’re ready. I trust you’ll think before you do anything hasty.” Then he’s gone, back to the dens to celebrate Tresaluna without Aja. Three moons.
“Why three moons?” I ask myself. It’s not the first time. There was only one moon in the story of the three moons, which makes no sense. What I’m doing right now makes no sense. Everything doesn’t make sense. Aja always helped me make sense of things, but now it seems without her I’m clueless.
Clouds are gathering overhead, and the wind smells like rain, but I feel frozen, stuck in one terrible moment when I realize I’m not going to find Aja. When I realize Alpha is right. When I realize I’m right. I’m clueless and hopeless.
It’s the moment when I realize it’s begun to rain.
When it rains, it pours, and it doesn’t take long for me to get drenched. I don’t want to leave, it feels too much like giving up, but there’s no way I can stay. I heave myself onto my aching paws and make my way back.
I turn to human form, passing by the guards for the third time tonight. They look at me warily, which I try to ignore, assuming that Alpha already had enough going on without me getting into a fight. Everyone is enjoying Tresaluna, talking and laughing and dancing. I don't join in the fun. How could I? It’s my fault Aja is alone in the forest, hurt, on Tresaluna, her favorite celebration.
I remember Aja when we were still in the orphanage, dancing on the cold, stone floor. She used to light all the candles in the den and set up decorations including silver and gold paints. I remember her asking me to steal some food from the kitchen and asking Sera, one of the caretakers, to play some music. She made her own Tresaluna for everyone. No wonder everyone favors her.
I breathe a sigh of relief once I’m in my den, collapsing into my bed. I don’t care who sees me anymore. I shift to wolf form, snuggling into my blankets, trying to keep the cold darkness in my chest at bay.
I hadn’t realized how important Aja was to me until she wasn’t here. She is my one true friend in the pack. She’s all I’ve ever had. Mostly, wolves try to stay clear of me, like I’m a curse. It’s only because of my visions, my silver eye. Of course it’s also my white eye, which no one seems to know what it means, if they even realize the difference between white and silver. Aja has never cared though, throwing me birthday parties and telling me stories. Things I never knew I needed.
So tonight, I don’t have a vision. Instead, I dream of Aja.
~
The sun shines through the trees and my window into my eyes. I wake up slowly, my mind foggy from sleep. Freya sits in front of me, staring at my face.
“Hey, you’re not dead!” She cries. I shoot to my feet with a yap of surprise, scrambling away from her. She's a winter white wolf with bright, orange eyes, her ears folded over like a dog’s. She’s a pup as well as a healer wolf, hence the orange eyes. Actually, I think she might be the only healer wolf. Smirking to herself, she walks over to me, guiding me back into a lying down position. She continues to heal my paws, looking at me with excited eyes.
“Finally you're awake. How do your paws feel? Alpha said you had hurt paws. He didn't tell me why. Does he know why or did you not tell him? Did you get in a fight or almost die or did you do it on purpose?! Oh, I know! You got in a fight and they pushed you off a cliff, but you grabbed on and pulled yourself up then threw them off the cliff and..” Freya yammered on and on.
“Actually,” I say, cutting her off, “I just fell down,” I lied. The little pup paused then, wrinkling her snout at me.
“Ugh, you’re no fun,” Freya grumbled. “Unless you obtain a fun side, I’m out of here.” Still muttering to herself, she runs out of my den, jumping over the tree roots that circled the opening. I stared after her, bewildered by how someone her age could have such intense energy.
Once Freya’s gone, Alpha slips in. He has a sour expression on and when he speaks, it’s cold.
“I thought you’d like to know that we found Aja earlier this morning. She hasn’t woken up yet, but she is recovering.”
My eyes flick to his, almost collapsing under the sudden relief. “Aja’s here? Is she okay? Where is she?”
“Aja's fine. She is resting in her den, but I want to know what happened and why you left her in the first place,” he says. He tries to make his words sound gentle and kind, but we both know his mask is slipping.
I smile and say as innocently as I can, “We were just having fun when I slipped playing tag. I got stuck in a ravine, but I was able to grab onto the side to soften my fall, which is how I hurt my paws. Aja tried to come and help, but she ended up hurting herself as well trying to get down, though she luckily didn’t get stuck. I told her to try to get back home while I tried to find a way out. Whoever got here first was going to get help for the other.”
He looks at me questioningly and I feel uncomfortable, like he’s staring into my soul. We sit in silence for what feels like forever until I finally stand up, giving him another sweet smile.
“I'm going to wash up at the lake,” I announce, heading out the door. I can feel Alpha’s stare on my back, even once I know he can’t see me anymore. I feel a twinge of guilt, but I'm technically not lying. I'm just going to take a slight detour to Aja’s den, and then I’ll go to the lake.
When I walk in, Freya’s there inspecting Aja’s sleeping form, looking up to see who had come in.
“Oh if you’re here then I’m gone,” she says, joking around, or at least I hope she is. She’s out the door in seconds, and I can’t help but shake my head, chuckling to myself.
I look around to find Sookie, sitting in a corner, staring at me. I shift my weight to my other side uncomfortably. Sookie is one of the older wolves, even older than Alpha. He barely speaks, preferring to find a corner where he can just observe others. It creeps Aja and I out. Sookie is another winter white wolf, but he has black trailing up his spine, connected to a mask shaped fur patch around his eyes. Strangely, his eyes are a deep vermilion with black lines looping around the outer edges. Red for immunity, black for deception. Strange indeed.
Quickly, I shift my gaze from his, turning towards the one who I actually came for. Aja lies on a moss bed, her paw wrapped in one of those casts humans make because of how often they hurt themselves. She wears a peaceful expression, one that reminds me of the dream wolf. Wait a minute. I sigh, trying to keep my temper in check.
I never did get his name and of course he knows my name from reading my personal thoughts. I growl quietly, glaring at the ground. Surprised, Sookie looks up at me, his head cocked to the left. We lock gazes for a moment before he stands up, leaving me and Aja alone. Great, he probably thought I wanted him to leave. Ok, I guess I did, but that's not why I growled. I sigh again, louder. Nothing I can do about that now.
I turn back to my sister, leaning down to nuzzle her. She feels cold. Not in a dead way, but in a way that makes me wish I had an extra blanket for her.
“I’m sorry.” It’s just two words, but I practically choke on them trying not to cry. I take a deep, shaky breath. “I love you.”
Aja doesn’t respond, and I have to hold in another sigh. Of course she’s not going to respond. I give her a lick on the face before I leave her den, lowering my head as I make my way through the morning crowd.
A few lamps are still lit from last night, and I see the remnants of gold and silver paint on the trees and in dens. Everyone seems quieter than usual, tired from the late night celebration yesterday.
The grass is wet from the rain last night, and the ground is muddy. Careful not to slip on the water soaked earth, I walk to the nearby lake.
The lake is a small body of shimmering water surrounded by a perfect circle of trees, put there for some resemblance of privacy. Thousands of little fish call this place home. Mostly sunfish and bass, but there’s the occasional pike and these weird catfish which creep me out.
Catfish: Slimy skin similar to a shark’s with weird little whiskers and wide gaping mouths and yuck!
I gag at the thought, shivering.
“And here I was thinking that nothing fazed you.”
I turn to stare into icy blue eyes.
(to be continued)
My Experience As An Athlete
My Experience As An Athlete
By Ian H
As an athlete, don't think it’s easy because it’s not. From my experiences I can tell you that is true for many reasons. There is a lot of stuff that's hard. Such as practicing, camp, and games. When I was younger I don’t remember exactly how old I was but I started soccer and boy did I hate it. Soccer camp was boring like watching paint dry. I wanted to quit soccer but my mom said “You will never ever quit under my watch.”
I told her I would never ever do soccer again. But she signed me up again a few years later. I hated it again. Then I officially retired from soccer. Then when I was in the 5th grade I did flag football(not tackle football). For the first time, I loved it. It was a little boring but overall fun. Then this year in 7th grade I did tackle football and I will tell you about my experience. When my mom signed me up for football she also signed me up for the football camp. It was 1 week of hectic training, push ups, jogging in place, butt-kicks, agility, and a lot of other stuff. Then I made the team and the first few weeks of football practice was good…until we had our first game. Let me set the scene, blue skies and a rough football field. We jogged out on that field. Millis wanted to win so did we. We played our hardest and managed to win our first game. As we jogged out to the edge of the field we were so overjoyed. But my coach said “Don’t celebrate too soon, we still have 7 more games to win and also never ever give up.” And I lived by that until the end of the season. We did tie the last game 20 to 20 and I want to tell you the same thing my coach said never ever give up.
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