The Words

The words

tranny

sharpied onto my forehead

like a hot burning brand.

I was the cow.

I was the meat

sent to slaughter.

I was the milk

that was stolen.

I was the meal

on the table.

My peers were the butchers

and school was my slaughter house.

Shredded muscle,

torn out eyes,

a last moo on my lips

and handfuls of hamburger in my grasp.

They don’t think I’m human.

Questions that puncture my organs,

rip out my kidneys

and burst my eardrums are thrown at me.

Slices of meat

slide off my ribs

and onto their plates,

fake smiles

and politeness as they eat me,

fresh blood on their mouths.

Maybe this is why it’s called bullying,

because the victims aren’t even considered human.

They consider me a cow,

a coward

who's obviously

A woman.

-Jude Jackson

Internet Safety for Kids -

Internet Safety for Kids -

Over the years, technology has become a normalcy in everyone's life. Kids learn of smartphones and tablets, some before they’re even in kindergarten. Used to watch tv shows, play games, interact with family and friends, and even do homework. Technology has changed our lives. All change has some downsides. Social media is used to share picture, jokes, experiences, and talk with friends. Most kids 13 and up usually already have one, whether it’s instagram or facebook or twitter. We need to teach them how to be safe. Making friends across the world isn’t as big of an issue anymore, but the evilness hiding in simple accounts is. Challenges like the Blue Whale challenge and the Momo challenge have been popping up here and there through the years. These challenges pressure children, make them feel like they have to do what the account holder wants of them. They prey on anxious or depressed prone kids, and lead them to commit suicide. The momo challenge pictures a frog like woman, with bulging eyes, long hair, and a odd scary mouth. Being aware of this is important, and due to this new development giving new internet safety tips feels crucial.

·         As a parent watch for these things on the news. If you see something like a new challenge or teen suicide, try to talk to your kid about it. Make sure they know you care. Actively tell them you love them and talk about these issues and get them involved.

·         Social Media leads to kids often posting their name and pictures of themselves. It’s important to talk to them about not giving out too much information if they have a public account, and that they regulate who follows them.

·         Cyberbullying is illegal. Telling an adult is responsible, and if someone is doing something harmful then they should be forced to acknowledge how bad their actions are.

·         Sharing intimate photos is dangerous. Understand that even if you care about someone, later on they might not be trustworthy. It will be seen on you record, and you can go to jail or be charged with child pornography.

·         Be wary of spam emails and sites telling you that your computer is infected with a virus. They are only trying to hack into your stuff or affect your computer badly.

·         Everything you see or read online is not necessarily true. Look out for people lying to you, and always fact check information.

-Jude Jackson

Sour

Sour.

That's the only word he could think of to describe the way the air felt going down chapped lips. The sky stained grayish black as the world rotted away to the nothing that further awaited him. How did it come to this? Soft steps mixed with screams, the sound of wetness beneath feet.

“Empty.”

A disorganized mutter escaped him, faint breaths could be heard as he fumbled frantically through the canned goods. The gentle clatter of empty cans echoed through the corridor. A soft gargle was heard in the distance, shaky hues looked up to witness the mess before him. The gray yellowing skin, bites and chunks missing from the squishy flesh, puss overflowing as it dripped down the rash wounds. Guttural growls escaping the shambling beast, empty again.

How many times had he been here? Anxiety eating away at his insides, every second that passed let another hurried gasp escape his cracked lips.

With a shaky hand he gripped the crowbar, a bloodied rusted metal tip lightly dragged across the concrete. Gentle footsteps scurried across the corridor, soon he quickened his pace and raised the bar, with a harsh swing he slammed down the metal bar. His arm ached, a thick crack was heard as a low grunt made the beast topple over. Puss and blood splattering back onto the boys face, speckles of brain matter adorned pale skin. He whipped his head up and ran his hand through his greasy hair, certain bits caked in blood like dirt. God what he wouldn’t give for a warm shower, how much he’d give to be able to take the time to clean and care for himself.

A pitter patter of footsteps soon disturbed him from the thoughts that held so much more pleasantries over the reality that was his life. He let his steely gaze dart around the echoing darkness of the corridor and soon saw the large group of creatures making their slow descend upon him. A soft tsk escaped him as he began to sprint once more, legs heavy like stone with each push forward it left him gasping for air. Lungs burning, he had been on the run from this hoard for almost a week, persistent bunch for sure, finally leaving the building he bursted into a nearby alley and began his path downtown, the sound of sneakers pounding against stone was the the only thing heard amongst the large abandoned ruins that once was his city.

-Alex Ramos

Heroes

 There are three different people that come to mind when I think of my heroes. Those three people are probably the most important people in my life and each for very different reasons. The first being my dad, he’s my hero because he has taught me everything I know about life. For example, he’s showed me that all the little things in life matter and even when you’re having a bad day smile, because the only way to get rid of a bad day is to have a good one. Also that simplicity and honesty will get you farther in life more than complications can. My dad’s the best man I know. He doesn’t let anything get him down.

            The second being my mom although, she taught me many things the ones that stayed with me are the ones she didn’t even mean to teach. She taught me strength, unconditional love, and how to forgive or forget the ones that hurt you most. My mom’s the strongest person I know. She doesn’t let anything stop her from moving forward.

            My sister is my 3rd hero. She’s left the biggest impact on my life. She’s the hardest headed and kind-hearted person I have ever met. My sisters the only person that has been by my side all my life. She taught me everything I need to know about life and being a girl and she keeps me sane when I go crazy. She is one of the few people I can tell anything and everything to. I’m beyond grateful for her. She’s given be the best gift, my niece Aaliya, she is the happiest baby and current family favorite. My sisters the bravest person I know. My heroes are the people in my life that have taught what I know and are the reason I am who I am.

-Kenna Watts

Who is my hero?

Out of all the people I can say are amazing peers and inspirations, there is only about 3 people I can say are my heroes; I’ll mention both here. My biggest female hero is and will always be Stevie Nicks. She is an iconic staple in music being a part of the group Fleetwood Mac with 4 other people where they make perfect sync. I’d have to say she is my hero because of how her music can change my mood instantly. I’ve never been one to dance but when I hear the first spark of her voice, every bone in my body wants to move. She makes me feel my soul and suddenly I feel free of anything the world has to throw me. I aspire to be like her is all ways. I grew up with an older soul so my choice of clothing goes hand in hand with that and I always seem to throw in something that reminds me of her. I also know she is a witch and personally I’m not one but I have really been fond of all witchcraft is about, truly fascinating. My other hero is my cousin Maribeth, she passed away in 2014 at the age of 24. Growing up I consistently looked up to her by how loud and cheerful she was and how carefree she carried herself. She never failed to put a smile on my face or have me laughing to the point I couldn’t breathe. As I come to age I notice her in me, my laugh, my hair, how I act, how I look and my family sees it too. My aunt, my cousin’s mom, she said every time she sees me it’s like she’s looking at Maribeth and that hits me like a train. At the end of the year when I turn 18 I will be getting a tattoo for her that I’ve been planning since she passed, an Aztec sun and moon. The moon to represent Maribeth as she is only alive in the night time to me and how she is in the dark and the sun to represent me, alive during the day with a bright warm face to show everyone Maribeth lives through me. My final hero is my dad as cliché as it sound he truly is incredible. My dad and I haven’t always been so close but since I was around 10 we’ve been close. My dad always lifts me up in every situation even though he has fail as all humans do, I pick him up and vice versa. I wouldn’t change anything.

-Samantha Mason

            I really don't have a hero I only have people I look up to if I was to say I do have a hero it would be music. Music has been around me my whole life my mom put headphones on her belly and that's when it all began. My mom says when I used to cry she would sing three little birds by Bob Marley to me and it literally made every little thing alright. Couple years later my sister and brother in law moved in and he was always rapping and listening to rap so that's when I found a new music taste. Throughout the years I’ve went through stupid sounding rap to good sounding rap and have developed my own taste for music. When my parents got divorced that's when music became more of a medicine than anything. If the song can speak my mind for me and it literally tells my pain it can help me out so much. I just got a guitar recently so lately when I’ve gotten mad sad etc.. I just play some rifts and I don't know how to explain it than I just feel like I’m in my own little universe and nothing can touch me. The reason that really got me going with the guitar dream is there's a Led Zeppelin song called heartbreaker and there's a awesome solo in the middle of the song and I said to myself I want to do that and now I can play white stripes by seven nation army some of smoke on the water and iron man by Black Sabbath. To end this off I’ll let you know some of my favorite artists/bands. So of course I love Led Zeppelin I just love the screams Robert plant will do and I love how peaceful the songs sound. I like Metallica for there not to crazy sounding metal and guitar riffs. Getting into rap I mainly like 80s-late 90s just because they rap about actual things that were happening to them and they weren't just rapping about doing drugs and stuff like that but I do also listen to some new rap like tech n9ne and Chris Webby and artists like them they rap about a lot of stuff I like and some global issues that are going on which is another reason I like them they have stuff to say about what's going on in the world. Getting into like heavy metal and stuff like that I like slipknot and Korn and stuff like that basically if it can get me in a kind of energized mood etc.. I know I like it. That’s what I would call my hero if I had to say I have one.

-Dylin Morin