Cathy looked around at the world around her with a sense of wonder. She drew even the smallest details and turned them into works of art. She waved at everyone that passed by her little shop. Her art mesmerized anyone who stopped by to look. It was simple, yet so intriguing. What does each line signify? What does each splatter mean? Each emotion was shown with the stroke of a brush. Cathy smiled whenever someone complimented her art. She loved bringing joy and color to a town with no one inside.

Dear "woke" people... A lot of you claim that "native Americans are the only real Americans," and that we should give back the land to them. However, you also want us to open our borders and allow more immigration. So, which one is it? Do you want native Americans to have their land back, or are immigrants allowed to take the land for themselves?

"Do you like him?" The question always makes me freeze The answer is unknown to me When they ask it, I can't breathe But we're just friends, right? ... Right? "He likes you!" Is it true? Do you like me? Or are they just teasing you? Tell me. Please... Don't play with me Is it true? "Do you like me?" You asked. ... Do I like you? I don't know... You set my face ablaze And I can't think I stutter and stumble when I speak What do you think???

Netflix made Cleopatra black to try to be inclusive. Honestly, it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Cleopatra was white and that's that, you can't change history. When Netflix made her black, they took a white leader's story and changed it to make it seem as though she was a powerful black woman. But what about real powerful black women, such as Rosa Parks, or even Ana Nzinga? Do their stories not deserve to be told? Why fake a story when there are real ones that are just as powerful?

"The sound of leaves rustling. Rain hammering against the trees, thick drops splashing against the ground after they fall from the leaves. Two small children are joyfully playing in the rain. However, their joy stops soon..." No! Oh, Lyra, don't ruin the poor kids' joy! Oh? Yes, I know some suffering is necessary for the story's sake, BUT DON'T TOUCH THE CHILDREN!!! Okay, fine, I'll let you finish. "A bear..." AAAAH!!! A BEAR!!! "..." Lyra? "..." I think she left. Oops!

Hey. It's been a while, hasn't it? I just want to talk, I swear, I'm not trying to change you. I want to listen to you and for you to listen to me. I know our views are different, but you and I are still family, aren't we? I don't want you to hurt yourself. Is that so wrong of me to say? Hormone replacement is dangerous- no going back. Are you sure of this? You were my little sister... Your body is beautiful, don't hurt it, I beg you. Don't fight biology, Don't die for an ideology. I love you.

I've only known you for a month, and yet it seems like I've known you forever. Everyone I know says you're a jerk, but you've only been nice to me. Every time I cry ---which has been happening way too much lately--- you've comforted me. Why? We barely know each other... And yet your eyes, I can understand them. You trust me and I trust you. I don't know why I feel this way about you. Maybe it's a crush. Maybe it's friendship. I don't know what this is. Just... don't leave me... please.

Why is it that free speech is being condemned as "hate speech"? Look, everything is hate speech, because everything can offend someone. Something as simple as liking cats more than dogs, could be deemed as hate speech, because it can insult people who like dogs. This is what's happening in the media. This is what causes people to censor. People who aren't afraid to speak their minds are being scorned because their opinion isn't what others want it to be. What's happening to us? Just a thought.

Waking up, in the middle of the night, shaking Nightmares forever haunting Nothing can help, for the memory is engraved Whatever caused such a horrible scene to appear in the subconscious? Shaking, eyes wide A prayer escapes my lips But that prayer made me feel at ease For I know He listened to me Like a father would And when I prayed to the Virgin Mary She answered like a mother would And so my worries and fears subsided And sleep has come back to me ~ Good night :)

Close your eyes, little one Don't try to see For they are trying to hurt you Trying to trick you and change you Cover your ears, little one Don't try to hear For their talk is only that And their promises are empty Stay close, little one Protect yourself, stay with me Try to learn, protect your values Only then will you be safe Oh, please fight, little one Don't give in You'll never be alone Stay strong and I will too

Here I am, in America The land of the free Yet there is a lack of freedom now Opinions are censored Police attacked for doing their jobs History repeats itself Lenin, Castro Will they take America as well? It's not poor versus rich anymore They're creating wedges elsewhere Man against woman Black versus white It doesn't have to be this way! We don't need to hate We don't need to censor There are different views, always have been We don't need to force it Give us our freedom back Please

Freedom or equality? I'm honestly just curious to see what the popular answer will be :)

"So... you're a writer?" Seven-year-old-me asks. "In my free time," I reply. "That's boring! You mean I never become a princess?" "You're more than a princess." "A queen?" She asks, excited. "...No, just a writer, but-" Her face falls. "How is that better than a princess?" "You get to create far away kingdoms and rule them." "Made up kingdoms, though." "Yes, but-" "Boring!" I sigh. She's so stubborn. "Writing is fun, okay?!" She scowls at me. "Liaaaar. Do we at least have a boyfriend?" "Well..."

When words escape my mind, I try to think of what relaxes me The first things I always find Amongst the chaos I see Are the words you said To me on that night That dreadful night you fled You left without a goodbye And yet I see you, in my mind I hear you all the time I cannot leave you behind Now the clock chimes I realize it's too late I know I cannot forgive you My pain is too great But deep down, our love is true So if you come back I'll be waiting for you

Her deep ideas and sparkling eyes were what made everyone love her. Her intelligence and kindness were admired and appreciated. But one day it all faded away; she was taken from us. And I found myself staring into those lifeless eyes, once full of cleverness and joy, now cold and unblinking, staring ahead... For even though I knew she was surely in Heaven, I grieved her death, for I loved her. A pure soul, she was. Intelligent. It's been almost 3 years. Lord help me, I'm a mess.

We feel so powerless Hopeless Our acts seem to go unnoticed Hidden away, censored Will we give up? Never We will keep going, forever A better future, we're trying to build I know we'll succeed All we need to do is try We won't give up until we die

I saw him in the hallway again, talking. He is like a butterfly, beautiful and fragile. He never stays with one person for too long, never lets them get too close. He's never known love or true friendship. His mothers have hurt him. His father was alienated by the family. He self-harms all the time, his arms look like he lost a fight to an angry pitbull. Blade to skin, blade to skin. He's hurting and nobody can tell. They've hurt him. I wish I could help him. But he keeps pushing me away...

As the sun rose, the trees were black as shadows against the beams of light. With dawn, came the sky's beauty. Pink, orange, yellow... A rainbow above our heads. With noon came the bright blue sky. The trees, the grass, the flowers all shone with color. They were bright, they brought joy, even to the ones full of hatred. Noon was the flora's time to shine. Then, came night. The time children fear. Yet, with night came peace, as the animals went to sleep, the moon keeping watch.

I beg and beg for mercy Yet nothing comes The blood drips from my wounds I'm begging you to stop The torture I thought I saw the end Is it over yet? Am I free? The light is nearing... But it's not the sun Burning fire, more pain The flames lick my exposed skin I feel so vulnerable, Yet everyone sees strength This helplessness I'm not used to it Make it stop I don't know what to do I used to be strong I didn't need validation Yet now I live for praise And everything has changed

My classmates are strange people. Why, you may ask? They say they don't give a damn about politics, yet the only things you hear out of their mouths is political propaganda. They say they accept different opinions, yet they're the first to judge those who disagree with the media. Sometimes I want to yell at them to shut up, but that would let them see who I am behind this mask of joy I put on. I'm not sweet, I'm bitter, from all this time I've spent pretending to be like them. Not anymore.

Not a single day passes that I don't think of all the mistakes I've made. "How could I ever begin to apologize?" I wonder each day. There are no words I can say, I gave in to the pull of their current. I betrayed your trust. I tell myself I need to stop, That it's all wrong. Their ideas are too strong My thoughts have given in I spend night and day trying to rid myself from these ideas Weeks have passed I have no luck so far Am I stuck like this?

A loud roar echoes through the valley. "What's happening?" I ask my sister, Lia. She looks intrigued. "We need to go," she whispers. Our footsteps are loud, the crunch of the branches we step on is loud. People must have been able to hear us miles away... "Girls?" Our mother asks, as the two of us race home, giggling. It was just a game with made up dragons and princesses... However, as our dragon flies above us, my mother seems worried. "Girls, go inside," she says. It's not just a game...

The day we met was the day I fell for you The day we went out for the first time was magic The day you kissed me all my dreams came true

It happened again Our mistakes caught up with us We can't keep losing Yet it happens... Over and over again... What happened to us? We hold secrets We tell lies Until eventually they catch up And we're left in the dust We're losing It feels hopeless now To keep trying Is this really us? Or just a shell of what used to be? All our history is destroyed The empty pages full of nonsense Nothing to show, really Just our broken souls Are we broken? Or just lost?

Every time I see you, a small part of me breaks. What should have been happy little encounters and up making me upset. My mind circles back to that moment we shared, underneath the moonlight, escaping from the loud music of that one party. "I never see you anymore..." I found myself saying. "I miss you." I remember the confession most of all. What I didn't admit, though, was what I knew would ruin our friendship. I love you... Do you love me?

Lily and I walked, neither of us saying a thing. Her smoke-colored eyes traced my every movement with anger. She hated me now. Suddenly, We were both shoved into a closet; spiders crawled across the wall. The door slammed shut. Lily screamed. I rattled the knob, but the door wouldn't budge. I looked at her in terror as the spiders turned on us, crawling across my body. "Well, nice knowing ya, Parker," she said. Then, she floated through the door, leaving me on my own. Lily is not a nice ghost.

The truth is no longer allowed. My God, why can't anyone else see it? It's like they're all zombies... Yes, that's what they've been turned into. This was a beautiful country, a beautiful world, and look at what's happening! Damn it, you fools. Falling for their lies. But who am I to speak? I fell for it too, once. We all have. This isn't who we are. We used to be free. STOP TAKING MY FREEDOM! Fuck you, all of you. I can't take it anymore... Just let me be. "Give me freedom or give me death."

She walked a circle around him, studying his every angle. "I assure you, Mr. Bennet, I am without a doubt the most excellent dancer in the state," said she, proudly. "I apologize, Miss Jones, but I disagree," said he, standing tall. "For I have won countless prizes." "Then we shall settle this with a match, Mr. Bennet. See how it goes." Then the rest of the cast danced onto the stage, the woman and man dancing, being cheered on by the theater.

Handprints in the foggy mirror... The sound of footsteps at night... Slamming doors and windows... They all point to my house being haunted, right? I live alone. There has to be a reasonable explanation for all the paranormal activity around me. But then I saw the man. Drinking tea, he was sitting in the kitchen. He was pale as a bedsheet, his eyes nothing but shadows. But when he saw me, they turned friendly. "Would you like some tea?" He asked. I think this is his house, not mine.

"Algún día nos volveremos a ver. Adiós no es por siempre," dijo mi madre, acostada en su cama. Esas fueron las últimas palabras que me dijo, antes de su muerte. Sus ojos perdieron su brillo,como una vela apagada. Así supe que su vida había llegado a un fin. Pero no es por siempre. Yo sé que nos volveremos a ver, algún día. Lo sé. Aunque alguien lo niegue, se que algún día yo y mi madre nos reuniremos.

The moment you said to me The word that changed everything Was the moment I lost it It was the moment you broke me You said you'd call me later But here I am, waiting for you Years and years you left me, traitor Did you even think it through? I know I'm not the same as before I agree, I've changed Now I want more No longer are my feelings caged Our first goodbye was messy The second time will be more It's been years already... I promise I'm not as bad as before Come back to me Please...

Raiden pushes me against the wall just as I start to walk away. His midnight eyes glint with a strange kind of evil as he grins. Wickedness is the only way I can think of to describe this man. "Did you really think you could escape?" He asks. I don't reply. I simply can't. He has my hands pinned. Sign language is the only way of communication I know. He smirks. I hope to swipe that grin off his face. He backs away and I fall to the floor. His panicked expression tells me he's in trouble...

Holding hands in class We were close to lovers Until the tragedy struck I felt you get further and further God, I miss your laugh My heart aches when I see you Stop turning away from me I'm trying to help, do you see? I'm trying to fix the bitterness between us I guess it's my guilt I miss your laugh I miss your smile Where did you go? "To the place of the lost..." Grief is strange, isn't it? Tell me what to do I'll do it, just for you You mean more to me Than anyone will ever know

A man and woman hand in hand carrying baskets to see their son His birthday was that day Seventeen would be his age Man and woman Cross the land To the graveyard Flowers in hand She kneels down on a grave Tears slide down her face He grabs her, comforts her And they sing together "Happy birthday to you."

The girl walked by me. She was nobody I'd ever seen before. I shouldn't have paid attention to her. But I did. And that second I looked back at her was she second my life changed completely. Her fiery red hair will always be in my memory. She was like a flame, warm and comforting until you got too close. I guess I like to play with fire. But eventually I got burned. Just a crush, she was, but she left me with a shock. Curse you, teenage boy heart. I'll never forget you, fire locks. Never.

A dancer stands behind the closed curtains of the theater stage. Insecurity is twined with her joy of finally fulfilling her dream. She takes her spot at the center, a light shining brightly on her. Brass and nickel shine and creak as she leaps into the air, the gears on her metal leg holding strong. She twirls and jumps, a graceful dance taking place. The theater is wild, applause comes from every spectator. Her dream is fulfilled as she sees the joy in everyone's eyes.

I ran my hand across the cover of the book, trying to figure out what it said. It was no use. I couldn't read it. I wished I could see again. Braille was the only way I could read, but it was no use. I couldn't learn. "Maisy, try again," my mom instructed. I could hear her voice coming from right next to me. I concentrated, tried to remember what I'd been taught. Little by little, step by step. It was the way to learn. "Harry Potter?" I asked. "Yes!" Mom exclaimed. I smiled. I can do it.

You left me with no warning I really need you It all happened so quick Now I'll never see you again You told me you'd see me soon But we both now that wasn't true You were gone before I could blink Now I stand before your grave All I can do is think "What will I do now?" Life is so fucked up without you here It'll get easier, right? I wish you were here I have so much to tell you You were too young to be taken away At least your suffering stopped But I'm still grieving I guess that's love

It's getting harder and harder To stay awake each day It's like I'm losing my grip on reality Fading away into the depths of my mind Every time I open my eyes Another nightmare awaits me It's a monster... It's dragging me down... It lurks in the shadows It attacks from below Mind tricks assure its victory Tricks that I've fallen for way too many times The girl I've become is not who I want to be Can you help me fix myself? If you don't... I don't know what will happen to me

"Welcome to Madame Lilyth's Potions Store! What can I help you find today?" Lilyth greeted her customer, a young woman. "Well, um, I was wondering if I could have a potion to make me..." her voice turned into a whisper, "smarter." "Well, I've got just the thing!" Lilyth gave the woman a bottle. She drained it quickly. "Let's test it," Lylith said. "What's 394793 divided by 8373?" "47.15," the woman said. "Correct!" She left feeling happy, not knowing that the potion had been only water.

"Mommy, I want a unicorn!" Mai said, grinning. Ava smiled at her daughter. "And how are you planning to get one?" She asked. "My friend Jules!" The toddler replied joyfully. "Really?" "Yes!" Ava laughed as she wrapped her arms around her daughter. Mai giggled as Ava tickled her. "Mommy!" Mai gasped suddenly, looking out the window. "What?" Ava asked. "Look! It's Jules and her unicorn!" "No it's-" Mai gasped as she saw a glittering unicorn grazing in the yard. A small fairy combed its mane. Wow.

Fragments and images swirl through my mind. Betrayal is the one word that keeps coming back. As I search through all my memories, I realize Just how sloppy your act truly was. Acting like you cared, like you loved me... How could I have fallen for it? Am I truly that blind? Even though everyone else tries to reassure me Even though they all tell me, "Nobody plans to be tricked" Well, maybe we should start planning for betrayal. I'll keep my guard up next time, I won't be so blind.

I can't help but feel confused all the time. The world seems to be falling apart. I need to watch the words I say or write, I don't want any trouble. It feels like there's no safe place for me anymore. I feel attacked. They're always there, anywhere I go, trying to hurt me without me noticing... Why do they do this? Why can't everyone just live their lives in peace? It once was that way... Now, it feels like the attacks keep coming in. I'll just build a wall to keep me safe. Yeah...

"Oh---" I swore under my breath. The power had gone out. Again. I threw the book I'd been reading to the ground. Studying was a lost cause. Not that my grades even matter anymore. With how badly everything is in this poor excuse of a country, every job paid crappy, low wages. "Antonio, estudia, mijo," my mother said, coming into the room with a candle. She wanted me to keep studying. "Ya, mamá," I said. So I kept studying. Maybe I'll get a good job someday and leave this place. Yeah. Someday...

Up, down, up, down, left, right, left right... I stroked the brush across the canvas, leaving no white spaces, creating the image my mind saw. It wasn't perfect, it certainly wouldn't sell for a million dollars, but it was art. It was mine. I could see the dancer in the painting moving, twirling around the empty room I'd drawn. And while no one else might be able to see her face, I knew she was happy with how her pirouette had turned out. That's the thing about art. No one sees the same thing.

"Please, Mother..." I begged. She ignored me. What had I done to deserve such treatment? I guess I'll never know. I tugged on the braided hair framing my face, a nervous habit. "You are no child of mine," Mother hissed. I winced. "I'm sorry," was all that I could say. I must've done something pretty bad, huh? Guess we'll never truly know. "Sorry won't fix this," she said. "Then help me," I whispered. She faced me. "I could," she said, "And I will."

"Please, stay with me," I murmured, tears flowing freely from my eyes. I looked down at my boyfriend, ignoring the blood covering him. Soon, he'll die. "I won't leave you," he said. I kept sobbing. "Just because I won't be able to talk to you..." he took a sharp, sudden breath. "It won't mean I won't be by your side when you need me." "I love you," I whispered. "I love you, too," he said. Then, he went still. I closed my eyes, not wanting to believe he was gone. He's in a better place, right?

"Hate" is an extremely strong word. However, people use it in such a casual way, it's easy to forget what it truly means. "I hate brussel sprouts." "I hate homework." "I hate these shoes." Gosh, it's easy to forget how strong this little word is. "I HATE YOU!!!" And yet, a person can direct it to someone who doesn't deserve it, such as their partner or parent. This word hurts more than some people realize. "I hate hatred..."

"STOP IT!" Nobody had expected her to snap like that. All her life, at least from what everyone else had seen, she'd been quiet as a mouse, always kind. But they didn't know what was truly going on in her mind... "I told you to stop!" The bully had ignored her. He and his gang kept at it, yelling at a smaller boy. Perhaps they hadn't heard over the loud sound of their voices. She walked up to them, then pushed them out of the way, then helped the boy up. He trembled as he said, "thanks, sis."

Someone knocked on the front door. "Who's there?" The woman called. There was no reply, just another knock. "Who's there?" The woman repeated. Once again, no answer. A loud knock came from the door again, followed by the sound of a rattling doorknob. The woman sighed. She got up from her seat and went to open the door. The living had absolutely no respect for the dead. "If only they'd listen..."

"Eep!" She squeaked. "What is it?" I asked. She looked at me. "I saw a mouse," she replied. "Where?" I asked her. "Over there," I looked at where she was pointing. There was nothing there. "Are you sure?" I asked. "Of course. Can't you see it? It's big and it has red eyes!" She exclaimed. I put my hand on her shoulder. "Hey, don't worry, I'll take care of it," I assured her. After all, my sister seeing ghosts was the only reason I was alive...

The air in the room was still. The somber mood, the cloudy sky.... it all fed to her growing anxiety. Minute after minute passed, until... "He's been gone for too long," she whispered. "He has," the shadows seemed to agree. She closed her eyes, wondering if he'd ever come back. A knock came from the front door. The woman got up to answer. She swung open the door... "You're back!" She exclaimed. "I made dinner." But he never came inside. A few minutes later she got the call. He was dead.

"Death?" I asked. "Have you come to end my suffering?" I laid in my bed, my breathing short and ragged. The shadows seemed to be reaching out for me. "It's not your time to go just yet," Death whispered. "Why not?" I groaned from the pain. "You still have too much left to live," they replied. A hand hovered over me, one unrecognizable by my weary eyes. I closed my eyes sleepily. When I awoke, I felt... healed. The doctors were confused, as was I. Thank you to whoever sent me the miracle.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," he whispered. I tensed at his words. "W-what do you mean?" I stammered. He looked up at me, his eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "For what?" I asked, panicking. He sighed. "For what's about to happen." I don't remember what happened after that.

"So, what are we hoping to learn tonight?" "The truth," I replied. "I don't think we will ever know the truth," she told me. "What do you mean?" I asked her. "I mean what I said," she replied. "We will never know the truth because everyone has a different version of the story, which will lead each one of us to believe the one we want to believe." "What are you trying to say? Would they really lie to us?" "Lie? No, they'd never do that. But I'm sure they'll hide some of the truth."

"Once upon a time..." I loved hearing those words. They meant a story was about to be told. My father smiled at my excitement, then continued. "Once upon a time, in a faraway land, lived a very wealthy king. His ego was problematic at times. There were times the king was sure the world revolved around him; he would forget about his kingdom, and only focus on himself and what he wanted." Father spoke ill of the late king daily. I hoped he never remembered he was talking about himself.

'Where am I?' I thought. I was in a big room, with white marble floor, white marble walls, marble columns... Yeah, whoever lived here was really into marble. Suddenly, a big man with a beard that seemed to crackle with electricity stepped in front of me. "Sir, where am I? What is this place?" I asked the man. Last thing I remembered was... "Step forward," the man instructed. He placed a hand on my forehead. "Just as I suspected," he murmured. "Your trials will begin now."

"What is it?" I asked. "It's a music box," my mother explained. She opened the lid of the small wooden box, to reveal a small clay dancer spinning. I stared in awe at its beauty. The music kept playing. It was a soft but enchanting melody. "I love it, mommy," I told her. "I'm glad you like it," she stood up, not without giving me a kiss first, then left me on my own to discover the mysteries this music box held.

I had no idea what I was doing. All I knew was that I had to get out of this place. "We have you now," I frantically turned my head every way possible, trying to figure out who had spoken. But all I saw was the fog and darkness surrounding me. I saw the silhouette of a man. Then it multiplied, until there were at least ten people surrounding me. This was a fight I would not win, or at least I believed. Still, somehow, I survived to tell this tale.

"Emeri," called my mother. I stepped into the room, where she lay on the bed, her frail voice barely audible. "Mother," I gasped. She'd been ill for days now. I knew she wouldn't survive. She reached for me with one hand. I took it in mine. "Don't die, mother, please," I whispered. She took a sharp breath. "I see the light now," she whispered. And she wasn't hallucinating. A light washed over us. The color returned to her skin, she stopped looking sick. "Mother..." I started. She was saved.

She looked at the starry night sky. Every single bright light stared down at her, like billions of tiny eyes. Eyes?! She quickly dismissed the thought. She was the one watching them, not the other way around. Light years away, on a faraway place, two men looked at each other, not realizing their telescope had just found life somewhere else.

She'd done it again. Lied. Cheated. Why couldn't he see it? He always forgave her, loved her, no matter what. She couldn't end their relationship, no matter what she did. She knew she wasn't his true love. He pretended not to be hurt by her lies, her tricks. He tried to patch each mistake, telling her he still loved her. But deep down, he knew they weren't in love. If only one of them saw how the other felt...