Spectrum 2016-2017 SHS Literary Magazine This literary magazine is dedicated to Dr. Murphy, who inspires and teaches us every day. 2 Special thanks to our sponsors! Gary Andrews The Demars 3 Letters from the Editors Dear Reader, Being a part of something as wonderful as this literary magazine for the second year in a row is a gift. Being the co-editor-in-chief of it during my senior year is an honor. I started the year viewing it as a huge undertaking and responsibility, but as the year went on, the process happened naturally and easily. It could not have been done without the teamwork and dedication of the entire lit mag staff. I am grateful to every one of them for the constant input and constructive criticism. The final product is something I am incredibly proud of, and there is no way I could have accomplished it alone. I am extremely thankful to be a co-editor-in-chief because I would have had a much harder time doing all of this alone. I am also grateful for the beautiful art that was custom-made for our pieces by the talented students in the Sequoyah art program. The art brought the stories to life and was the perfect cherry on the sundae for our literary magazine. I am thankful for all the work that went into this, and for you, who is taking the time to read and appreciate it all. Thank you for letting me be a part of something so beautiful. Sincerely, Alexis Demar Dear Readers, With a theme like spectrum, there’s not really anything more that needs stated. It’s a reflection of who we are as a collective work, as a class, as writers, and as people. This year has brought in some of the most distinct voices and personalities I’ve witnessed out of the students here at Sequoyah. And with a group this diverse, how could you possibly begin to organize and categorize it? Any label you could put would be an injustice to the quality that defines the collection of works within this magazine. So what is there to do? We did the only thing you can do without limiting the capacity for everyone to receive the credit they deserve. It took days of deliberation, debating on whether it should be love and war, hate and peace, or light and shadow, but in the end, it was so obvious the clear choice was a transition from light to dark, encompassing every shade and variation in between. I would like to take time to thank every writer, even the ones who didn’t get the opportunity to be published, for sharing your unique style and imagination with the world. This doesn’t happen as often as it should. Each person should have their talents fostered in an environment of understanding. Thank you to Alexis for actually taking up the majority of the responsibilities on top of the other publication you oversee and for also keeping me calm when I needed it most. Honestly, Emily Minnick 4 1. “Introducing Me” by Laila Gilles 2. “I Remember” by Abigail Carrillo 3. “On the Brighter Side” by Silence Dogood 4. “Momentary Avoidance” by Sydney Kyle 5. “Writing Poetry” by Ashley Adams 6. “Eva” by Camdyn Kloeblen 7. “To the Trench” by Leah Eubanks 8. “Alfonzo” by Kathryn Hunter 9. “Pancakes and Rice” by Sydney Cavin 10. “Kentucky” by Lauren Pfitzenmayer 11. “Sam’s Town” by Alexis Demar 12. “Countdown” by Haley Bentti 13. “Me Against Myself” by Mia Downs 14. “The Forgotten Way” by Ethan Eltz 15. “Here Lies Your Body” by Ashley Adams 16. “Icarus” by Lux Thunderrock 17. “Agoraphobia” by Anonymous 18. “Alone Together” by Sarah Martin 19. “Favorite Flower” by Shelby Geiger 20. “Untitled” by Alexis Demar 21. “This Month” by Camdyn Kloeblen 22. “Car Crash Rhetoric” by Elliot Fudge 23. “Triumph in a Minor” by Lux Thunderrock 24. “My Name” by Carly McNeill 25. “Our Anathemas” by Elliot Fudge 26. “Pandora’s Piper” by Sydney Kyle 27. “Star People and the Believers” by Alexis Demar 28. “Darling” by Tori Turk 29. “Cherry Crisp” by Garrett Haley 30. “Waiting” by Emily Minnick 31. “Hallowed” by Ashley Adams 32. “Subject 598” by Callista Tyson 33. “My Neighbor’s Dog” by Leah Eubanks 34. “Elizabeth” by Lauren Pfitzenmayer 5 Introducing Me Laila Gilles I like to think that everyone has a unique story. I believe that mine has two beginnings. You might not believe me when I say that I was not even supposed to survive. I was born a premature baby, weighing about one and a half pounds. My mother was sick and in desperate need of medical assistance. When I came out, I could fit into a person’s hand. I never would have thought that I would grow up and be as strong as I am today. I thank God for watching over me all these years. I have gone through a lot of pain and sorrow, but it was all worth it. God has taught me so many lessons that will last me a lifetime. Most of my learning experiences have been behind closed doors. It’s true that I would rather go have fun with other kids my age, but that could never compare to what God has done in my life. I know what it feels like to have a roof over my head one day, and the next feel the ground trembling beneath me—wonder where you are going to live the next morning. I remember hearing the screams of people losing their lives, and my mother’s voice begging God to save me. I reacted to everything with a look of confusion on my face. It never occurred to me that I would have to leave everything I knew behind. However, I had no idea that God had a whole new life awaiting me. I was about to start all over again. Being from Haiti, I feel coming to United States was like getting to experience another universe, yet I knew it was going to be easy for me to adapt to the basic changes. Speaking the language was easy because I was born in Queens, New York, and traveled to Atlanta during summer breaks. What I did not expect was being admitted to a new school and meeting new people. I really did not know how I was going to fit in with all my surroundings. However, I knew that everything was going to be alright. I am someone who sets a lot of goals for myself, and I get disappointed when I do not live up to them. I want to leave behind a legacy and make my family proud. I know what it is like to be away from someone I love because my dad still lives in Haiti. However, the distance does not faze me because I know that our family will be reunited. I sometimes want to cry inside when I think about all the circumstances of my life, but I know that my story is not over because I have been given so many opportunities, such as a good education and a good head on my shoulders. There is nothing more important to me than empowering people to be the best they can be. Throughout my journey, God has taught me how to be a fighter and dig deep inside my heart. When I have gotten into trouble, He has always been faithful to me. God has a plan for me, and I fully intend to accomplish it 6 I Remember Abigail Carrillo I remember when I would wake up in the morning and hear the lovely birds singing their tune of the day. When I saw my neighbors, their own happy dogs wagged their tails when I would pet them. I know how much my dog was jealous when I paid more attention to them than her. I saw my neighbors out in their yard with their kids, who ran and smiled and laughed all day. I saw the kids running from the father, screaming, "We have to kill the dragon to be able to save the Queen!" Running to her aid, they reassured her that she would be safe. They turned around, and together both children slay the dragon with one good thrust of their swords. Seeing them happy brought a smile to my face. I remember running, feeling the wind of the early morning trying to wake me up. It felt good on my skin, but when it crept into my lungs, it burned. As I kept going, I noticed a family of squirrels in the trees fighting for acorns. I stopped to admire them and laughed at how silly they were. In the same moment, they stopped to stare at me, then took their acorns and scampered off. When they left, I had nothing else to admire, so I kept running until I got back home, all the while watching the sun rise and give off a vibrant display of colors such as a crimson red with a hint of blue. For a split second it was almost as if the sky its self was purple. I remember riding my bike around my neighborhood, just loving the way the air blew in my face as I went down a hill. I loved that sometimes when I went riding, I could see the sun go down. Then when I would stop to stare at the sky, I would see it change color. One minute it was blue, with the slightest hint of red.