Marcus

Marcus, a young man fresh out of law school, had a tragic death happen in his family shortly after graduating from college. Marcus’ father died of cancer, leaving their ranch and all of its debt to Marcus’ mother and brother to worry about.  Marcus’ brother, William, was raised to care for the ranch and therefore not as educated as Marcus.  Marcus’s mother got a job at a local factory to help pay the bills and keep everything a float, however it was still not enough and Marcus was having no luck getting a job at any of the local law firms.  Marcus hated asking for favors, but the circumstances called for one. He decided to call his aunt and uncle who lived in New York, Marcus’ uncle had established his own law firm and Marcus hoped he would be willing to hire him.  Naturally his uncle understood the situation and told Marcus that if he could get enough money for a train ticket to get to New York he would have a guaranteed job and place to live. Marcus’ uncle told him he would need to come up with $312 for the train ticket and any extra money he might want for snacks along the ride.

Marcus knew he couldn't make any money on the ranch so he decided to apply as a cook at a local restaurant. It only took Marcus a week to get the money needed, he earned $360 in a week.  Of course to make that much money he had to work very long hours. Marcus called his uncle and informed him that he had the money and that he should expect his arrival in three days. Marcus left Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. on a train headed for New York. The train ride was long and boring, Marcus rode coach therefore everything was mediocre. The seats were uncomfortable, the train was nosey, and the rich passengers who rode in the cart ahead of him were very rude to him anytime he went through to go to the snack cart.  The train ride seemed to drag on forever; finally when he thought it would never end the train slowed to to a stop.  Marcus arrived at Pennsylvania station in New York on Wednesday at 7 p.m. where his uncle awaited to pick him up.   The next day Marcus asked his uncle to go with him to the Statue of Liberty, so he had a reminder of why he was there; so his family would have the right to operate their own ranch.   

Early the next morning Marcus dressed in his best suit, he was ready for his day.  The first stop of the day was the Statue of Liberty. Marcus enjoyed the faerie ride much better that the train ride, when he arrived at the Statue of Liberty he caught himself standing in front of it staring in awe.

Leiah

Leiah was born and raised in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Leiah grew up not knowing who her father was because before she was born, he left her mom after she told him that she was pregnant. When Leiah was about 2 years old Leiah’s mother got really sick and ended up dying a few months after Leiah’s 2nd birthday. She ended up going to live with some close family friends who raised her as their own daughter. She grew up to be a tall, tan young lady with dark brown hair. When Leiah turned 17, she graduated high school and her “Parents” wanted her to go to college to further her education.

After she graduated College, she got a good job and started to save up money to take a trip by herself for a little while. Leiah had just turned 21 years old after she graduated college, and she had been talking to an internet guy for quite a little while (about a year or so). While they were talking, she decided it would be a great idea to go and meet him in New York. Meanwhile she didn’t know his name or what he looked like, all she knew was he was a nice guy. They were planning all of this out and they decided to meet at the Brooklyn Bridge.

Once they decided all of this, Leiah, told her Parents that she was planning on going on a trip to the Brooklyn Bridges to meet a friend that she had made in College. When she told her parents, they weren’t very happy about it.

Leiah’s parents wanted to meet the person before they would let her go, but she told them that her friend had already gone to New York. She didn’t want to tell them that she didn’t know who she was meeting, because then they wouldn’t let her go. Once Leiah convinced them to let her go, she started packing up her clothes and a few other things that she needed. Leiah went and got a ticket to fly to California because she wanted to drive to New York so she could see all the sites along the way. She left Kailua-Kona airport about 3:00 p.m. and got to California about 4:30 p.m. the next day.

Once she got to California she rented a car so she could drive to New York! She was so tired from the flight that she got a hotel room for the night. Leiah started her drive at 6 a.m. She drove for about a day and a half before she went to sleep again, but this time she slept in her car. Once she woke up, shefound a restaurant so she could get something to eat because she hadn’t eaten for almost a day. Leiah made it to Nashville Tennessee before she stopped go get something to eat.

Once she saw all the sights in Nashville, she didn’t want to leave. Leiah wanted to finish her trip in the next few days, so the only time that she stopped was to get something to eat and to use the bathroom. She was making pretty good time until she ran into a huge accident just before she got to New York. She finally made it to the Brooklyn Bridge, and then she finally got to see her mystery person. Leiah started to describe what he looks like, until he stopped her. “Let’s make this a mystery,’ he said.

By Heather

Jon Doe

by Dalton

Jon Doe had been a straight-A student all of his life. He always went to class. He always did what his parents told him to do, and went where they wanted him to go. That’s why he’s been going to Duke University for two years; because that’s where his dad went, and his dad’s dad, and so on. Traditions have never been Jon’s thing though. 

Throughout Jon’s life, he had always been pushed to “be all that he can be.” In Kindergarten, he was working with multiplication. In 1st grade, long division. In 2nd grade, he understood more about math than most college graduates. English, though, wasn’t his strong suit. His sister, Jane, has read every book that has been handed to her, from Math textbooks to the Harry Potter series and she’s only seven years old. “Bookworm” did not begin to describe her. She was more like a book anaconda. 

Jane has enjoyed this role as being the highest honored person in her class, but Jon has been different. Throughout private school, he wanted to burst out of this confined shell that his hermit crabs of parents had handed down to him. 

“I am not like my parents,” he told himself everyday after arriving at Greenville Private during his Junior year. Upon entering the building, he had a little routine; quickly untuck his shirt, unbutton of few buttons, loosen his belt, and take off his sportscoat. Unlike other private schools, this one had recently repealed their dress code, but Jon was forced to continue with traditions.
Jon’s high school experiences were treacherous to say the least, and it is quite obvious what happened. Bullies would rip off his jacket (hence why he took it off everyday) and give him swirlies in the boy’s bathroom. Even in a private school, that kind of abuse took place. What really topped it all off, though, was making fun of his name. Students, even those that he considered to be friends, told him that he was a nobody, and that his credit cards were always on their tv’s. Truth was, Jon was scared to get a bank account because he didn’t want to know how the tellers would react. “Really? That’s your name?”

On his way to class at Duke University yesterday, Jon decided that after 20 years of living, he would finally do something... Something new; something out of the ordinary; something unplanned. Finally, he would make his own decisions. First decision was to skip class. After he stepped onto the sidewalk in front of the Duke Main Building, Jon about-faced and walked back to his 2011 Shelby GT350. The car beeped as he came near and the key was recognized, unlocking the doors. Jon swung the butterfly door up, threw his bag into the passenger seat, and pressed in his ignition button on the dash. The car fired up, rumbling the ground below and sending flames from the rich gasoline through the American Thunder exhaust. 

Jon threw the car’s transmission into reverse and pressed the accelerator down to the floor. The car’s 525 horsepower engine spun the tires into smoke. The white car shot out of the tight parking space. In the blink of an eye, Jon slammed the clutch down, shifted into 1st gear, and pressed down the accelerator again. The car’s rear tires switch directions as it through out it continuous cloud of smoke. High pitch squealing left the road and echoed through the Commons Area of Duke. Everyone twisted their heads towards the parking lot only to see smoke and black marks. Jon had already vacated the premises and was on his way somewhere. 

“Where in the hell am I going to go?” Jon asked himself while he rolled down the window, allowing the warm Spring air into his ride. After he sped through a red light and turned onto the Interstate 85 on-ramp headed north, Jon leaned over, popped down his glove compartment, grabbed a CD, and put it into his stereo. After a few seconds, Bullet For My Valentine blared through the speakers. He leaned over again and grabbed a hidden pack of Marlboro’s and a Zippo lighter. With his elbows on the steering wheel, he flipped open his lighter and struck it to light. 

Jon inhaled his first batch of nicotine, and exhaled slowly with a slight cough towards the end. Blood pumped through his veins, stocked full of relaxation. His body settled into his racing seat as he cruised down the right lane headed northbound at around 75 miles per hour. Punk music still boomed from his Alpine stereo system. Jon’s left hand headed towards the window to flick off the ashes, and back to his mouth again to inhale once more. 

His senses opened up and went wild. Over the music and the wind, he could hear birds chirping and people crying from houses near the highway. He could feel the warm Carolina sun on his chest and the cool dark on around his feet. He could see the different spectral colors in our universe. Jon could taste the sweet taste of freedom. He could feel his turbocharged engine roar through the accelerator, and the car begged for more. Jon pressed down the clutch, downshifted to 4th, and slammed the gas pedal to the floor again. 

Jon soared by other cars like an eagle in flight, swinging left and right through the trees. Other drivers three cars ahead of Jon were turning to see where the loud sound was coming from. Before they could pinpoint it, the Shelby GT350 blew by them. He was going so fast that in a mere fifteen minutes, he had already made a normally forty minute commute to Oxford, NC, and in another twenty minutes, crossed the state boundary into Virginia. 

A red Chevy Camaro drove up next to Jon in the left lane. He shot Jon a look and revved his engine. Jon smirked, and looked down to his dash. After seeing the speedometer displaying numbers composed of three digits, Jon shook his head and slowed down to 70 mph. Just as he hit the seventy mark, he saw a Highway Patrol car setting behind a bridge. The driver had a laser gun in his right hand and a radio in his left. The Camaro didn’t see him though.

After a few more miles, Jon saw flashing lights; a police car. A predator of an officer stood beside the driver door of his prey; the red Camaro. Just as Jon was about to pass them, he hit the clutch and revved up his engine to taunt his challenger. His hand shot out his window with one finger standing up. The officer stepped back and placed his hand on his holster, ready for anything, though nothing was about to happen.

Jon just kept driving north, and laughing. He put his elbow on the window sill and his hand on the roof. The wind blew down his sleeve and gave him a cold chill, which was much like his previous feeling of freedom. 

A few miles out from Petersburg, VA, Jon looked down to see his gas gauge reading near empty. Jon pulled off at the first exit he saw in Petersburg and filled up at the first gas station he saw; Flying J. After spending over $50 in gas, he made his way over to McDonald’s and grabbed some food. A few McChickens, and few McDoubles, and a large sweet tea. After a few minutes of scarfing down a quick meal, Jon walked back out to his car, got in, and made his way back onto the interstate. 

“North” was his only thought as his needle headed back to 70. He made his way through Richmond, VA and onto I-95, still headed north. Jon went for miles afterwards without a thought. The road was straight, allowing him to close himself off from the world. His body held still, right foot steady on the accelerator, left foot resting on the clutch, and both hands on the bottom of the steering wheel. Wind still blew through his open window, allowing for a feeling of flying. “Tears Don’t Fall” was making it’s way from the speakers when Jon snapped back to reality. 

“Where in the hell am I going?” He asked himself again for the first time in hours. Jon then passed a green location sign on the right side of the road; “Washington, D.C., 91 miles; New York, 317 miles.”

“That’s it,” he announced to himself. “That’s where I’m going; The Big Apple. Start anew in a grand city where no one knows me.” 

Jon then slightly sped up over a small hill and back down the other side. He carefully maneuvered his 2011 dream car through the vehicles entering from the off-ramp near Ashland. After he reached another straight clearing, Jon grabbed his pack of tobacco freedom again and picked out another one. He readied his lighter and struck sparks to the fuel-soaked wick. Fire shot out and made contact with the end of the cigarette, giving Jon another chance to send himself to Cloud Nine and back; not for happiness, but instead, for relaxation. With each drag, he slid further and further into his seat. Never before had he felt so... In place... Perfect. 

He wasn’t smoking for the feeling of a rebellion against his parents this time. Now, he just wanted to relive the first time. 

Before he knew it, Jon had already driven through Washington, D.C, and nearly halfway to Baltimore, MD. The freedom of the open road seemed to make time just fly by. It was like he was having the most fun he had ever had without even knowing he was having fun. This is much like the opposite when he has only been at home and driven to school. Even with the temptation of a Shelby, he had always been a good kid. His days went by slow, which allowed him to get all of his work done. With this spontaneous trip, Jon felt no stress, and no need to work. In fact, the sun had already set over the Chesapeake Bay, and Jon missed it altogether, as well as the entire city of Baltimore. 

In a blink of Jon’s eye, the clock changed from 8:30 to 10:30. Philadelphia was already in his rear view mirror. To ensure that he wasn’t speeding, Jon looked down to his speedometer again to read it as 72 mph. He blinked again and skyscrapers appeared ahead, lit by random and misplaced windows from the bottom all the way to the top. A red flashing light set atop each tower to ensure visibility from the sky.

“Wow, that was fast,” Jon said to himself as he turned down the radio and began to ease off of the gas. He turned on his right blinker and made his way onto the on-ramp to the New Jersey Turnpike across Newark Bay, then on across Upper Bay. With a quick toll booth pass, Jon crossed the state line.

“Hello, New York,” he said aloud.

Sam Frost

His name was Sam Frost, and he’s a professional hitman. His job takes him to a whole bunch of places. He’s been to Europe, Italy, Spain, and most of the states. How he got into this business you ask?  A man broke into Sam’s house when he had just turned five; he killed Sam’s family right in front of him and then kidnapped him. Sam became his protegee. He trained Sam on how to shoot a gun, use a knife and hide in the shadows.

    Sam hated every moment of it, but because he was only a little kid, he couldn’t do anything about it. He wanted revenge, but  couldn’t do anything. Sam decided to let “him” train him so that he could get his revenge one day. That was what he thought and believed--until the day he made Sam kill for the first time.

     It was just an old man who wore dirty old rags and was homeless. Sam pitied him and didn’t want to hurt him. His kidnapper, the man he had come to know as his only family,  said, “Either kill him, or I will kill him and then you!” Sam didn’t want to die and as he stood there, Sam’s survival became greater than his fear. So he did it.  

Sam still remember that man’s face and how many times he puked. That’s when it started. The man told Sam that he would have to kill one person every week to get food.  Sometimes, Sam wouldn’t kill and he would go without food for a week . Then his hunger took over so he would kill to survive.

     When Sam turned 16, he began hitman jobs. Sam had become a hitman. He would travel the world killing targets--people. When Sam would get back, "he" would make him unload all the guns and  turn over all his weapons as soon as Sam stepped through the door-- so Sam wouldn’t get any funny ideas. He would do a thorough search on Sam; he feared  Sam would conceal a weapon. Once he found Sam’s knife,  he beat Sam till he passed out. Sam had been caught only twice after that.  Sam always tried to be smarter so he could stay ahead of him.

     When Sam  got back from a job, he went to his room and sat down at his desk. Sam wrote the target’s name, his occupation, and his family’s information in his journal. Sam’s target was a small-town business owner who had nothing and created a business. He had a wife and two daughters. The businessman  got targeted because he got into some business  with some bad people whom he couldn’t pay back. Sam still remembered the face he made when Sam killed him. Sam wished that the man he killed was not that target, but to complete Sam’s goal-- he had to. His wish was that he didn’t have to live like this,  but Sam didn’t have a choice in the matter anymore.

     Sam woke up the next morning and there was a letter and it said: “ Marcus Martini - Age 38 - Race: Mexican - Occupation - Drug Cartel Leader - Location St. Peters Hotel in Mississippi”. So he left and did his job.

    When Sam got back, he rang the doorbell just like always but "he" didn’t answer. Sam rang it again and still no answer.  Sam went to open the door; it was unlocked.  Sam pulled his gun and went in,  Sam searched for the person,  but he was gone.

     Sam looked every where, and there was no sign of him.  Then when he went into “his” study, Sam saw a note, and it read: “ Dear Sam, If you are reading this, it means you’re back from your job, Good Work. Now that you are 16 and have every skill that I taught you, you are ready to live alone. I know you want to find me and kill me, but that would be no fun if I just lived with you! So I have left and hid myself somewhere in the world. Now I’ll be doing jobs just like always and it’s your turn to use every skill you have to find me. I left all my belongings in my office and clues on how to find me. It’s your move.
    P.S. “Good luck! You’ll need it!”.

    That was the last time Sam saw “him.”  Sam checked around “his” office and found a whole bunch of stuff:  pictures, maps, locations, times and contacts. While searching for clues Sam stumbled upon a picture of “him” and five other guys. They looked like they were from the military. Sam looked on the back, and the names were Matthew “Ray” Porter, Jimmy “Frost” Mcfalen, Dirk “Screech” Walin's, Daniel “Trooper” Sanchez.   
                 .
Sam decided to look for these guys to see if they knew where “he” was  However, once Sam started to do research on them, he was  finding most of them had died. 

    Sam spent five years doing research and jobs looking for him and making contacts. That was until Sam had finally gotten a tip from an informant who had some news on him. Sam asked where “he” was, and the informant said, “It’s not safe to talk on the phone; I have a meeting in New York, so let’s meet there.”

So Sam was heading to New York. He packed up his stuff and left, realizing he would not be returning--Sam needed to erase everything he had--so while he was leaving, he pushed a button on his phone and blew up his house. This is one of the lessons Sam learned from “him.”  Sam knew this mission was dangerous, and he might not live through this.

Sam headed for the airport.  When he got there, he had to get his weapons on the plane somehow. So while walking around,  he passed a guy who was 6 foot 4 inches, big muscles, a buzz cut and big beard with the look of vengeance--- or so he thought.

    As Sam walked to the corner of the airport, Sam found a bathroom and stashed his luggage in a stall.  Sam went to find the door that exited to the runway and fuel area. Sam waited.  Then a man came out of those doors and headed to the bathroom. Sam followed him, and while he was going to the bathroom, Sam walked up behind him, grabbed him and put him to sleep. Sam took his vest and dragged him and tied him up in one of the stalls. Sam grabbed his bags and then walked outside to where the planes were. Sam stood  next to the plane that was leaving for New York.  Sam looked around to see if anyone could see him.    Sam didn’t see anyone, so he climbed up into the plane from the wheels. 

   When Sam got into the plane, he switched his clothes back to the ones he was wearing before he stole this guy’s clothes.  Sam put his bag between the cargo boxes and walked up and opened the door. There he saw some people already trying to find their seats.

Sam saw a woman who was taking up a whole aisle. She looked confused so he went to help her, Sam asked her what’s the problem, and she said “ I can’t find my seat”  so Sam looked at her ticket and said “ This is your seat.”

“Thank you, you’re so nice” .  

     She put the ticket back in her purse, and while she was turning to sit, he swiped her ticket and sat in her seat. After everyone boarded the plane,  the stewardesses began passing out food and drinks and checking tickets. As the stewardess asked for his ticket and Sam showed her, she smiled and said, “Thank you, looks like every thing's all good here”.

She moved on and then Sam heard a “What? “

Sam turned to see,  and it was that woman he helped earlier “What do you mean I have to get off this plane?!”

“Ma’am please don’t disturber the others, you don’t have a ticket so you need to get off.” 


“I’m not getting off, I do have a ticket, It’s in my purse, just watch I’ll show you” ( looking through her purse) “ Where is it? It was just here!”  

“Ma’am, please leave, if not I’ll have to get security”. The woman cooperated and left the plane. Sam felt bad, but it had to be done. Soon he was going to be in New York. Sam got up and headed toward the bathroom, Sam bumped into the guy that he saw at the airport, the 6’4" dude with the buzz cut and big beard. He walked back to his seat.  It was weird. Sam felt like he’d seen him somewhere before other than the airport. Sam got back to the seat and decided he would get some shuteye  before landing.   

by Reid

Kaelen

by Elizabeth


She sat in the smelly taxi cab with her boyfriend, silent all the way to the LAX airport. This was going to be her first flight--- his too. She was nervous, scared, and excited. They could make a new start in New York for themselves. It was the city of opportunities, filled with exciting adventure at every turn. She thought to herself about how far she had come, about everything she had been through. What would it have been like if she never accomplished the things that she had? She would still be sitting at home, working a dead-end job with no exciting future in her sights. She was thankful every day for the opportunities that were presented to her and for everyone that had helped her along the way.

Her whole life Kaelen had been abused and neglected. Her parents were never home. Her mother was a druggie, smoking weed and shooting up heroin all day. She could never hold a job, and spent away whatever money she got on her drugs. Her father had to keep two jobs just to pay for all of their necessities. He was almost never home. Whatever time he had off, he usually spent at the bar. Kaelen never got any attention from her parents. They never listened to her problems. She was abused, verbally and physically by her mother. Her mother constantly yelled at her and called her names. Whenever Kaelen did something wrong, or didn't listen to her, her mother would throw things at her. She'd chase her throughout the house, catch her and beat her. This happened ever since she was a little girl. Kaelen never thought ther mother loved her. Whenever she'd try and tell her mom that she loved her, or try and give her a hug, her mother would backhand her across the face.

Kaelen usually spent her time at home in her room, away from everyone else. It was here in this room that she developed a love and talent for music. She took band classes at school, but at home she could express herself however she wanted to. In the school band, she played the flute. At home, she taught herself to play the piano and the guitar. She got a job during high school,and saved up her money to buy a keyboard and a couple of music books so that she could learn to play. She had to be careful with hiding her money, because if she didn't hide it well enough, her mother would take it and spend it to further finance her drug habit. Her mother’s issue upset Kaelen so much, mostly because she didn't know how to help her. Her dad wouldn't help. He was too busy with his own little life. He just let his wife be, and no trouble came his way. Kaelen tried several times as a child to take her mother’s drugs and throw them in the trash. She never did this again because her mom went into a furious fit and destroyed the whole house looking for them.

Kaelen was a quiet girl and had few friends. She kept to herself at school, going from class to class, doing her homework, and causing no trouble. She had only one boyfriend, the one she had now. His name was James, and he treated her better than anyone else. They had been together for almost three years. They told each other everything, and Kaelen spent as much time with him as she could. It was a good escape from her home life. With him, she didn't have to worry about being hurt, and she didn't have to worry about dealing with her mom. There was one big secret that they kept between them, and hid from everyone else. Kaelen was pregnant. She was only about two months along and couldn't keep the secret forever. If her parents ever found out, they would definitely kill her. She had never considered having an abortion. That was against her beliefs. James wanted her to move with him to New York, so they could get away from her family and from his. They could start all over, without having to worry about all the problems from drugs interfering with their new baby. Kaelen was excited and agreed to go with him. She would sneak away in the middle of the night from her parents.

. . . .  As the cityscape came into view, Kaelen realized she was actually arriving at her destination. Her plane touched ground, and she looked over at her boyfriend with a smile.

Jasmine

By Krystal

She was just a normal, everyday, down-home country girl from a little town in Alabama with big dreams for her future. Jasmine was her name; she was the country belle of her town. She had beautiful blond hair and bright green eyes that could see right through a person.  She was outgoing and any country boy’s dream.  She was never like all her friends who wanted to stay around town and live on a farm with their dream country boy. Jasmine didn’t want that; she wanted to be a part of something big.

She wanted to be famous. And she also wanted a different guy. She wanted one of those guys that wore suits everyday to work and wanted to run his own million dollar business.  And she knew of only one place that would satisfy these aspirations she had for herself. That was New York. She had wanted to make her own country clothing line since she was little. When all the little kids drew doodles of animals, she was drawing clothing she wanted to make one day.

She wanted her own clothing store right in the middle of 5th Avenue. She wanted everyone to know her name and her clothes. She knew she had a good chance if she could only get to New York. She worked at a sit-down restaurant for over a year just saving up enough to afford the plane ticket to New York.

Everyday she would find herself thinking more and more about New York and how it would be to make it big. She had saved everything she made and was about to embark on her journey.

The day she was supposed to go to New York she had packed all of her belongings and was heading to the airport when she figured out she lost her plane ticket! She was devastated. She could never save up that much money again, and she wouldn’t be able go to New York any other time. She wanted to be there during the summer so she could experience all the shopping mania that went on during this season.

She knew of only one more way to get there. She would have to drive. She would have to make this long trip across the states to fulfill her dream. Her excitement would make the trip a little less awful. Well, it didn’t;  it took forever, but on the bright side she picked up a hitchhiker that was on his way to New York to become a model. She told him that she was going there to start her own clothing line she had always dreamed about. The ride was a little bit better with some company, but it still didn't go fast enough for her. She found herself once again daydreaming about what life would be like when she got to New York. If she made it big. She would be in heaven when she got there.
Then that time came. She finally saw the sign that said Welcome to the Big Apple. She let off her hitchhiker close to the city limits sign and went on her way to fulfill her dreams.

Ralie Kay

Ralie Kay grew up in a small town close to Waterloo, Iowa.  Hometown: Reinbeck with about the population just over 1,500.  Everyone knew everybody down in this town.  Ralie was a pretty ordinary girl; she didn’t come from some “ritzy” family.  She lived in a modern home with very welcoming family members.  She had many family members, just about 43.  Ralie dreamt of becoming a secretary, and she planned to fulfill her dream.  Her mother was the most supportive, always telling her “Trust yourself, follow your passions.”  Many times, Raile heard this come from her mother’s mouth.  Most the time, it was at family “get-togethers.”

Ralie was composed, of simple blue eyes, and dark brunette hair.  She stood about 5 feet and 8 inches, just a tad bit taller than her mother.  Ralie’s skin was dark, kissed by the sun.  She spent much of her time in  the sun, studying for job opportunities that she thought never would come along.  However, one day that changed.  

It started like an average day;she woke up to the sun peeking through her shades and shining across her soft face.  Ralie almost always was greeted by the sun.  She  slid out of bed, slipped on her soft slippers, and started for the kitchen.  Her stomach kept bothering her, as if asking for food.  Ralie paused and stood in the kitchen for a while, she peered out the kitchen window admiring the beautiful morning.  Step by step she made her way to the fridge,.  She wrapped her hand around the cold handle and opened the door.  She reached for her favorite morning beverage and took a glass out of the cabinet.  She sat at the counter and poured the liquid gold into the cup.  

She took a moment, took the glass to her lips, and enjoyed the taste of her orange juice.  After taking the first sip, she noticed some mail sitting on the counter.  Normally Ralie wouldn’t pay attention to it, but some urge told her pick it up and scavenge through it, so she did.  

The first few where bills addressed to her mother and father, and the next one to her surprise was a letter to her.  Ralie wasn’t too excited but had a sense of joy.  She took the letter and opened it up and unfolded it and began to read.  While reading she took another gulp of her orange juice.  

Now at this moment, the only one up in the household was Ralie, her parents were still snoozing away.  Suddenly, a burst of noise came from downstairs.  Ralie had spit her juice out and was jumping with joy, repeatedly screaming and yelling.  The letter had turned out to be her ticket to make here dream come true, a way to progress in life.  

It had read:… “Dear Ms. Ralie Kay Peterson,

You have an opportunity, to experience an internship with a new corporation in New York.  We have studied your background, and your schooling seems to lead in this direction.  We would love to have you join this team.  Please take these tickets below and meet me, Mr. Larry Johnson so we can discuss this manner.  (Details for the location will be given later) ….”

Ralie leaned back in the seat of the express train.  Her life was just beginning as the train rolled into Grand Central Station.

By Chandice

Andy Scott

Andy Scott was just an average teenager in high school that loved the game of basketball. He didn’t live the average life though. His brother nathan was the star player for the high school basketball team, whereas Andy is the star of the court at the local park. The difference between the two was they had different Moms. Their father Marcus was the all-time point leader at their high school, and after his senior Prom, he and Andy’s mother Karren had a one night stand and Lucas was conceived. Marcus didn’t want anything to do with Andy because he had a scholarship to play basketball in the NCAA, and he didn’t want to jeopardize his perfect life with a baby.

Andy lived in a small town called Bluehill in the state of New Jersey, and just to his luck his world class dad was back in the picture.  The only thing is while he was off at college, he got married to a woman named Barbara,  and they had a son Nathan.

Throughout school Andy was unable to play basketball for the school because he and Nathan were the same age and Nathan was the son of a star player, Granted, Andy was, too, but Marcus disowned Andy and claimed Nathan and the school was all for their former star player and granted any wish he desired.

Karren owned a small barber shop where she worked more hours than what should be legal just to get Andy through school. Andy and his mother built a very strong relationship very quickly without a father in his life. Andy stuck strictly to the local court to avoid Nathan’s harassment.

Then out of nowhere one day while Andy was playing a pickup game with his friends, Nathan showed up and challenged Andy to a game to eleven. The competition was fierce, and it was a great game until the worst thing imaginable happened. Andy collapsed, and there wasno sign of what could be wrong. Andy’s buddy Terrance called 911, and the ambulance was there in a heartbeat.

The Next few hours were a thrill ride for Andy’s mom Karren. The verdict was finally here. Andy had a heart defect that wouldn’t allow him to play basketball for the rest of his life.

Karren was in a panic attack because the doctors discovered a murmur that was going to cause death unless Andy could get a transplant. The doctors werecalling everywhere. They couldn’t find a transplant. Andy was on life support, and the time was running short.

The phone rang at the hospital about a week later and it was a  hospital in New York. Andy’s cardiologist said, “ Hello?”

NY Dr. : “Yes, is this the cardiologist for Andy Scott?”

“Yes it is.”

“I was calling to wonder if Mr. Scott was still with us and if he is does he still need the transplant you requested?”

“Oh my gosh, yes we’ll have him rushed to you immediately!”

Karren was in the hospital for a visit with Andy with the emergency response team came rushing in.

“We have to go now” said the head of the team. The team rushed Andy to the top of the hospital where the helicopter was waiting. They loaded Andy in safely and began to raise off the roof. “Oh no,” said the pilot?

“What!? what is it?” yelled the team leader. “

“I’m ashamed to say this, but we’re out of fuel and there is no way were going to make it to New York with the amount that we do have. “

“You have got to be kidding me. How do you come to a hospital without any fuel and expect there not to be an issue!”

“Im sorry but you’re going to have to take him by ambulance.”

Hurry up, team ,we’ve gotta get this man to New York before its too late. They were finally on their way to New York full roar in the ambulance. This would be the first time that anybody had been taken across states for a medical procedure.

By Wes

Kurt May

by Taylor

If you’ve ever been to a small town, you can probably imagine what Carlock, Illinois, is like. The streets are small, and the trees are tall. There is grass on every block (if you can even call them that) and dogs and cats roam the streets.
The only businesses in the town are located on the main strip of town. One of these buildings is the Little Red Diner. This is where we find Kurtis May, a man who in his short time of existence, has not had the best life.

---

“How are you today, Kurt?” asked the the man behind the counter.
“I guess I’m as good as anyone could be in this situation,” replied Kurt.
“I’m sorry again about your parents. The whole town is praying for you.”
“Thank you, Jim. I have been doing a lot of thinking since the fire. You know, everyone has their dreams. My dad always wanted to have a tobacco shop in some big city. Mom always wanted to go to the ocean. But because of that damn fire they will never have those dreams come true.”
“It’s okay, Kurt. None of that is your fault.” reasoned Jim.
“Yes, I know. But think about it. Now that my folks are in the ground , what have I got here?  I’m twenty-two years old, and up until a week ago I was living with my parents,” said Kurt.
“What are you trying to say?” questioned Jim.
“I think it is time for me to leave, Jim. Not just this diner. Not just this town. I want to get away, far away. I’m going to chase some dreams before I lose the chance to make them happen,” said Kurt.
“What are you going to do?” asked Jim.
“Well...,” thought Kurt. “I’m gonna play guitar. I think New York would be fun.”

---

As Kurt sat on the train, he had done a lot of thinking. He thought about his past. He thought about all the Christmas mornings that he had had with his parents. He thought about their family trips and the weekends they spent fishing together back in Illinois. He lost them only two weeks ago, and he already feltlike it all happened a lifetime ago.

Kurt also thought about his future.

What am I going to do when I get there? I guess maybe I should have put a little more thought into this before packing up and leaving. It’ll be alright, though. No one is left to miss me back home. Hmm...home. I don’t even have a home any more. That damn fire. It took everything I had. My house, my dog, my parents...the only thing I have left is my dreams. I had to do this. No matter what --I can’t forget that. This is all I have left.

Kurt looked over at the girl sitting next to him. She was a pretty thing with dark curly hair and big blue eyes. He thought for a minute and spoke to her.

“What is someone like you doing riding this train by yourself?” asked Kurt.

The girl looked at him and said, “Someone like me?”

“Well...I was just thinking you are way too beautiful to be all alone,” replied Kurt.

The girl smiled and looked him in the eyes. “Very smooth, stranger. I’m going to New York. My ex-boyfriend did me wrong back home. I just couldn’t deal with it anymore. So I left. Wow...I guess I didn’t really need to tell you my life story.”

Kurt replied quickly, “It’s okay. Sometimes you need to get things off your chest.”

“So where are you headed?” asked the girl.

Kurt answered, “New York. Since we’re sharing life stories I can fill you in. My parents died in a fire a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t have anything left in Carlock. So I left. Now I’m going to find...well I’m not sure exactly.”

“I’m so sorry,” said the girl with a thoughtful look.

“It’s okay. I’m not looking for pity. But anyways...my name is Kurtis May. Please, call me Kurt. What’s your name?” asked Kurt.

“Adeline Fair,” answered the girl with dark hair. And then with her big smile she added, “But please, call me Addy.”

And so Addy and Kurt were together in their trip to find something new, at least for the rest of the train ride. They enjoyed having some company for a bit of a change. They had both spent so much time in their own heads they almost forgot about the rest of the world.

The two of them laughed and talked and laughed some more. They talked until late that evening until they both fell asleep in their chairs. As the train rolled on, so did Kurt’s dreams. He had been having dreams about his parents every night for the past few weeks. He didn’t mind, though. It was the only place he could visit with them anymore.

---

The next morning the sun shone through the curtains on Kurt’s window. The rays lit up his eyes and he woke up, reluctantly. This was a good thing because he heard an announcement over the intercom of the train saying that the train would be arriving in New York in about ten minutes.

Kurt glanced over to the seat next to him only to find it empty. He remembered the girl that he had talked to most of the night.

“Where did she go?” he thought to himself. “Maybe it would be better like this anyway.”

Kurt used the rest of his time to prepare himself for the city. He checked his pockets and made sure everything was in place. He took his bags down from the overhead and got ready to get off the train.

As the train finally rolled its last inch, the people in the train all started moving at the same time. It was a little crazy but Kurt took his time. He was new to the city so let everyone else go first. After making his way through the train, Kurt stepped off into the dimly lit station. He followed the group of hurrying people into the station.

Grand Central Station. To Kurt, it felt like something straight out of a movie. All the confusion, all the moving, all the noise. It was exactly how the movies make it seem. Kurt rolled his bag on the floor and carried his guitar in his left hand. His right hand was his strong arm and he wanted to keep it free just in case. Being from a small town, he had heard lots of bad stories about bad people from the big city.

Kurt felt like it took forever for him to navigate the passageways of the station. After an endless amount of faces and stairs, he finally saw the doors that led to the street. Kurt fought his way up the last few steps and opened the door to the street. He finally made it. Kurt May made it to New York.

Jazmine

by Brooke

Jazmine was her name. She was from Montgomery, Alabama, she was very tall blond with blue eyes. She was popular and had a boyfriend on the football team. Jazmine went to a doctor’s appointment and found out through several tests and weeks of waiting she had a progressive cancer. The doctors told her they didn’t have the equipment and researching staff to help her with that type of cancer. So the doctors recommend a cancer research organization in New York City.

With the news she had received and her recommendation , Jazmine took in all that had been said about her type of cancer. She thought to herself,  “My life as it is will not be the same.”

Jazmine and her mother had to wait two weeks before leaving for New York  because her mom had to ask off for work, and Jazmine’s mom wasn’t taking the news well. While Jazmine waited the two weeks  she gradually got sicker .She went to church and prayed to God with an open heart waiting for God to tell her what was to happen to her .

         Jazmine’s mom ‘s boss give her the time she needed . They booked their flights and made their hotel reservations for the hotel after they get off their first plane . They boarded their first flight and flew for two hours to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in flight Jazmine seemed to be feeling pretty well. As they were about to land,  she got a really bad headache that was so bad that made her have a nose bleed . They got of the  plane; they walked to the nearest bathroom, and she cleaned up her nose . After cleaning up Jazmine and her mom left the bathroom and got a cab. Then they went to their hotel . They walked into the lobby, and Jazmine had to sit down and wait for her mom to get them checked in at the hotel.

                          As she sat there waiting, she looked around at the ceiling and breathed in the smells of chlorine from the indoor pool . She walked slowly to the large window that gave the view of the city and people walking shopping and moving. She walked a little more to the largest dinning room she had ever seen where men and women with children sat and ate there food that the chef had prepared for them . The smells of all that food made Jazmine hungry, so she got herself a table and ordered a salad with soup and a Sierra Mist to drink. While she sat there and ate her salad, her mom showed up looking for her with tired and worried eyes .

Her mom said, “We are checked in and our flight leaves for tomorrow at 3:15 p.m.  for New York, You feeling okay, dear ?”  

Jazmine  said,  “Yeah, I’m okay ---- just tired and I need a shower . She said, “I’m looking forward to going to New York City and meeting the doctors.”

And her mom replied,.”Me too, dear .”  Jazmine finished her food and she and her mom walked together to the evaluator and got on .  

As Jazmine’s mom pushed the button for their floor, Jazmine  turned to her mom and said,  “Mom if I don”t live, don’t hate God or yourself ”

Her mom burst into tears because she’d been holding it all in, not wanting to think about the likely chances of losing her baby . Jazmine held her mom in her arms as they cried together in the elevator. The elevator beeped,  telling them that they had reached their floor .  Still crying, they both walked out  of the  evaluator holding hands . They walked  until they reached their room  and opened there room  with two  queensize  beds, a soakerbath tub, and walk -in shower.

Jazmine  loved it, and her bags were already there, so she started herself a bath and she soaked for an hour and got out Then her mom grabbed a quick shower . While her mom showered, Jazmine lay on her bed and fell asleep.

The next thing she knew it was 11:00 the next day and her mom left her a note that  said she went to grab a bite to eat downstairs.  Jazmine got herself up and took a shower . After her shower she packed her bags so when it was time to go to the airport, she was ready. By then it was 1:30 p.m., and her mom was back.  Then they headed for the lobby; her mom checked them out of theirroom, and they grabbed a  cab and headed to the airport  .They made it to the airport by 2:30.  Jazmine’s mom paid the cab driver and grabbed their bags and headed to the airline desk to get their tickets checked and get direction to which gate they had to go in. They made it to their gate in the nick of time.  The gate was about to be closed .  

As they walked through the gates and put their bags up and found seats, the pilot of the plane
came on and said, “Fifteen minutes to take off .”

Jazmine looked out a window that was next to her thinking all the while: “Next stop New York City.“