Echoes & Images
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Echoes & Images & Images Echoes ECHOES & IMAGES SPRING 2019 SPRING 2019 ON THE COVER: JOSE TAVAREZ, REVERSE ATELECTASIS ECHOES & IMAGES SPRING 2019 Volume NORTHEAST STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANNUAL STUDENT LITERARY AND NORTHEAST STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE VISUAL ARTS MAGAZINE 29 ANNUAL STUDENT LITERARY AND VISUAL ARTS MAGAZINE ECHOES & IMAGES Volume 29 SPRING 2019 NORTHEAST STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANNUAL STUDENT LITERARY AND VISUAL ARTS MAGAZINE COVER ART: JOSE TAVAREZ, REVERSE ATELECTASIS Acknowledgements Student Editors ................................... Paula Faidley, Jessica Howington, and Abigail Hines Managing and Fiction Editor .............. Tempi Hale Visual Art Editor ................................. Dr. Christal Hensley Poetry Editor ...................................... Anne Darden Non-Fiction Editor .............................. Josh Archer Visual Art Editor ................................. Donna Wilt Fiction Judge ...................................... Dr. Donald Secreast Poetry Judge ....................................... Don Johnson Non-ction Judge ................................ Shuly Xóchitl Cawood Visual Art Judge ................................. Katie Sheeld Design ................................................. Hillhouse Creative Printed by ........................................... The Printing Connection Special thanks to Robert Carpenter, Francis Canedo, Jim Kelly, Thomas Wilson, Will Riddle, Linda Kincaid, and Beverly Leonard for help with the production of this magazine. Also, special thanks to the founder and dedicated supporter of the magazine, William Wilson. All rights to individual works are retained by The following person has been designated the authors or artists. For permission to reprint, to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimi- contact the author or artist directly. The works nation policies: published here were created by current students and chosen by outside judges, who are experts Dr. Tim Harrison in Visual Art and Literature. Views expressed Equity and Compliance Ocer/ herein are those of the authors, and not neces- Chief Advancement Ocer sarily those of the editors or of Northeast State. P. O. Box Blountville, TN Northeast State is governed by the Tennessee .. Board of Regents (TBR), the state’s largest [email protected] higher education system, governing post- secondary educational institutions with over Northeast State Community College’s policy teaching locations. The TBR system on nondiscrimination can be found includes community colleges and colleges at http://www.northeaststate.edu/AAEEO/. of applied technology, providing programs to students across the state, country and world. Northeast State is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commis- Northeast State Community College does not sion on Colleges to award the associate degree. discriminate against students, employees or applicants for admission or employment Contact the Commission on Colleges on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, at Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia ethnic national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or call . gender identity/expression, disability, age, for questions about the accreditation status as a covered veteran, genetic information of Northeast State. or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities. NESCC ii ECHOES & IMAGES • NORTHEAST STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. ii Contents ............................................................................................................................. iii The Girl in the Alligator Mask .................. Michael Howell ................................................. Quiet ........................................................ Austin Lane Castle ............................................ Revelation ................................................ LaBreeska Montgomery ..................................... First Contact ............................................ Jarek Kubenka .................................................. Her ........................................................... LaBreeska Montgomery ..................................... ¢ Nobody: A Journey of Acceptance ............ Jessica Howington ............................................. War ........................................................... Josh Fortener .................................................... Police Sirens Blare in the Distance .......... Megan Daniel .................................................... The Girl in the Strawberry Gown ............. Sarah Mae Simmons .......................................... Anathema ................................................ Jared Wheeler ................................................... Woman .................................................... Abigail Hines .................................................... American Dream ..................................... Megan Daniel ................................................... Waiting .................................................... Grace Stevens ................................................... Dean’s Baby .............................................. Hannah Saulsbury ............................................ We Have Our Heading .............................. Catrina Fletcher ................................................ Finn and Flowers ..................................... Lake Meade ...................................................... The Hidden One ....................................... Kayla Guinn ...................................................... Joint Commission .................................... Jose Tavarez ...................................................... SPRING • VOLUME iii Contents Looking for Adventure ............................. Brynn Abner ..................................................... Reverse Atelectasis ................................... Jose Tavarez ...................................................... ¢ Rusty Skies ............................................... Cameron Pierce ................................................. Never Turn Your Back .............................. Makayla E. Baines ............................................. Nature’s Sunday ........................................ Miranda Paige Barb ........................................... Viktor Gerke Gisbert ................................ brandtly spangler ............................................... Whispers .................................................. Haleigh Ross ..................................................... We All Turn to Dust .................................. Catrina Fletcher ................................................ ¢ Disappearing ........................................... Sabryna Gendron .............................................. Reality ...................................................... Runzhou Zhu .................................................... Judges ................................................................................................................................ Contributors ...................................................................................................................... Echoes & Images 30 ............................................................................................................ iv ECHOES & IMAGES • NORTHEAST STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE Michael Howell The Girl in the Alligator Mask First Place • Fiction Eli said: “I keep having this dream. I want to tell you Eli looked at me and smiled, a wry smile. about it. I’m standing in a bar with some of you all, and “There I am, standing alone with an empty beer glass, we’re talking, drinking. It’s Friday night and the bar is wishing I had another chance to beat him; it feels bad pretty full; there’s loud music playing. The beer is mak- to lose how I did in front of all those people. But I take ing me good and drunk, but not falling-down drunk, my L and go back to my friends. At this point all of you and the vibe is there, and all the girls are lookin’ ©ne. all are giving me a hard time for losing to such a random I have enough money in my pocket to keep it going like kid, but it is all in good fun. So, we continue out this all night so, you know, everything is great.” the night having a good time drinking, hitting on girls, Eli rolled down the window and took a deep breath and the same guy walks up and challenges me again, before continuing. so of course I accept. ‘Three, two, one, go!’ This time “It’s my round, and I go to the bar and there’s I beat him! And everyone in the bar goes crazy. a big crowd, but I get served right away because I am He walks up to me and shakes my hand and tells me well known. As I pass out the drinks to you guys and he’s never been beaten before and then buys me a drink. turn back to get my own beer, I brush against this girl “I wake up with a smile on my face, feeling accom- wearing an alligator mask. I mean, she brushes against plished for something that didn’t even happen. But for me. And she stops and looks at me for a second, then some reason I am still ecstatic.” continues to walk away. Real random. I think to myself, Eli shrugged, played with the air vent, “I’ve had This is going to be a really weird night, and if I’d woke this dream four times,” and then he rolled down up then I