Spring 2021 Shorelines A Journal of Student CreCreativityCr ativity Shorelines A Journal of Student Creativity Table of Contents Longview Lake . 1 Midwest Angst . 21 The Fly of Doom . 2 Waiting for Flight 162 . 22 Grandpas Garden . 3 Unmatched Freedom . 24 My Pink Bike . 4 Pandemic Perspectives . 26 Lost World . 5 Dewey Beauty . 27 I’D H8 2 KNO U . 6 Memories . 28 How to Lose Your Prom Date . 11 Tomb in the Olive Mount . 33 Homework . 14 X . 34 Arab Staircase . 15 Unexpected Phone Call . 35 The Speech . 16 Little Blue . 36 Vehicle of Fear . 18 The Harshest Critic . 37 “Longview Lake” by Debbie Atwood, photography Guilty Conscience . 19 Get Well Soon . 38 3rd Place Winner My Other Home . 20 Lovely Winter Time . 40 Cover Image: “Dewey Beauty” by Debbie Atwood, photography Shorelines A Journal of Student Creativity Shorelines A Journal of Student Creativity 1 The Fly of Doom Grandpa’s Garden By Sophia Logan By Megan Foster 2nd Place Poetry I wake up late to the sound of the sweet bird’s song in the summer heat . The fly circled the classroom . I laughed with ignorant glee . As I arise from the firm bed It buzzed by students Until the realization hit me and pull apart the curtains, Landed on walls . A red-hot slap the crisp air floods the room . Spreading the buzz around the room My classmates were laughing at me . The potted plants on the wide windowsill Until it landed on my knee . I started to sob blow along with the breeze . Tears gushed down my bright pink face . And I SCREAMED . I turn the dirty door handle to go outside Cause I was the girl who screamed . where I find dew dispersed among leaves and grass . A loud piercing scream . A fly had landed on my knee Grandpas muddy boots make a mess Everyone stopped Now everyone was laughing at me as they mash the mud onto the front steps . Pencils dropped The fly had buzzed away He starts me off on weed duty, I was shocked But I was left with the memory . I am regularly reminded to They glared at me . retrieve roots so nothing grows back . I was the girl who screamed . I set my sweater across my face Once done he asks me to move Because a fly settled To stifle the sound of my sobs . the cold, red-colored concrete bricks On my knee . This was something to the back of his blue pickup . I would never forget, As we finish up most of the yard work When I explained Frozen in my brain we do one last thing Why I had screamed My scream which he says is most important . A chorus of laughter exploded And the chorus of laughter . He hands me the sharp shears and Like the sound of thunder I clumsily cut a bouquet of uneven lilies for Nana . During a violent storm v We go inside and she smiles brightly Which overpowers at the sight of the beautiful flowers . The once constant buzz Incasing the piercing scream v Until I laughed too Unconscious giggles poured From my open mouth . 2 Shorelines A Journal of Student Creativity Shorelines A Journal of Student Creativity 3 My Pink Bike Lost World By Kayla Saunders By Mikayla Pray I am five years old . In the cul-de-sac Making sure I am ok . There they sit A pink bike was sold, Where we live . I feel so much pain full of knowledge To my mom and dad . The pink pedals are hard, In my lower arm, tattered and It is the big gift, And not easy to push . Then it is numb yellowed pages That I wished for my birthday . My dad tells me For just a couple of minutes . The bike sparkles in the wind, ‘One day you can ride the bike I can see on my dad’s face, collecting dust Pink and white tassels All by yourself’ . That he did not mean to hurt me . Hanging off the handlebars . I cannot stop smiling, He scoops me up now forgotten The studded basket While the summer breeze And leaves the pink bike, by eager hands . In the front Is blowing my brown hair around . Flipped over in the grass, eyes racing Has my favorite black dog inside My mom is yelling at my dad, While he carries me to our house . across the page And he is missing an eye . ‘PLEASE SLOW DOWN’! All I want is my black dog, escaping reality My dad is outside My dad is not listening, I can see him from the door . lost in fantasy . Airing the tires up high, He pushes me around a little faster, My mom tells my dad So I can go on my first ride . As he is losing his balance . ‘No more for today’ . What use With my bright pink helmet on, I look back over my shoulder, The pink bike and black dog do they have? My dad places me on the seat . After I did not feel his hands on my back are outside all night, When all He counts down out loud, Then I lose all control . In the dark, we desire ‘ONE’ CRASH . With no light . is in our hands ‘TWO’ I hit the grass, I hope my black dog is alright ‘THREE’ . After going over the curb . And that no one steals, with bright He pushes me around and around Then everyone is over me, My pink bike . enticing lights v compact and portable . A whole world at our fingertips . v 4 Shorelines A Journal of Student Creativity Shorelines A Journal of Student Creativity 5 I’D H8 2 KNO U “Fine,” she muttered, almost inaudible . “But you “It’s not a big deal . Just let it go ”. With that, By Halle Hartman can’t tell anybody ”. Melaney took on the insulting countenance of actually paying attention to the teacher . Clara Clara studied the flood of pimply, awkward “It’s fine ”. “I am a master of secrets,” Clara proclaimed, perhaps seethed . There was no way she was going to let freshmen passing through the halls and nudged a tad too loudly . She leaned forward . “So tell me ”. “Ugh, don’t be so melodramatic!” this stand . Melaney’s side . “Hey . Look at that one ”. Melaney silently passed her phone across the When her shout echoed through the hall, Clara When the bell rang, she was off like a shot . It The unfortunate soul swiveled his head from door table . Puzzled, Clara studied the screen, plucked realized just how late it had gotten . “Now we’re didn’t take long to find the loser she was looking to locker, clutching a backpack near bursting at eyebrows lowered in a puzzled frown . really gonna be late,” she said, stuffing her phone for . “Lucas! Get over here!” she barked . the seams . Clara sniggered . “I bet he’d spill his in her bag . “Come on, let’s go . Her blog was open on her phone, open to her highlighters across the hall if we tripped him,” she inbox . And it said inbox were three messages, no Lucas snapped to attention . “Uh--what?” he imagined . “And then a stampede of people would Melaney let herself be dragged like a limp doll more, no less . stammered, dropping a bundle of books . fall on them . Start this school year off right ”. to class . Clara’s dramatic entrance was less “Don’t what me ”. she snarled . She may have been impressive with her slipping from behind like “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?” Melaney shrugged, eyes trained out the window . two-thirds his height, but she possessed rage he she’d rather be invisible, but that was fine . “What? Don’t want to cause a little mayhem?” “ATTENTION SEEKING WHORE ”. could not even fathom . “Have you been sending Everything was fine because she was going to get Clara asked . She nudged her again . “Where’s your “NO ONE LIKES YOU ”. messages to Melaney online? to the bottom of this and make the year just as rebellious spirit?” good as— no, better than last year . All were anonymous . “I don’t even know her ”. he backed against his “We’re going to be late to class,” she mumbled . locker as if it could protect him . “I’m not—” Clara’s shriek of rage could be heard across the “Yeah, so? Only squares walk in on time . You and I “I’ve had it with you,” Clara slapped her lunchbox cafeteria, and perhaps in cafeterias around America . “Do you know anyone who has?” she waved a finger ain’t no squares ”. Clara stretched her arms above on the table and sat across from her best friend . before his face . “All you geeks know each other . If her head, exhaling . “I’ve got the feeling already “I do all this work to get us together in the same you’re lying, I will find and out I WILL make you pay ”. that this year is gonna blow . Kinley moved away “You can’t show me this and then not let me do classes this year and you don’t even talk to me ”. and now we have no one to poke at ”. anything,” Clara hissed, ignoring their teacher “No! I don’t know anything or what this is about!” “We’re supposed to be paying attention ”. Melaney babbling about the syllabus . “I’ll find them and rip he snatched his books from the floor and darted “Mm-hm ”. Melaney still wasn’t looking at her . Clara moodily pushed a fry around her plate .