The Seventh Hour

It was an average Monday morning in the Library of Eastcliff High School when it started. My name is Lucas Patterson, and I am a freshman here at Eastcliff High School with average grades and baseball skills. I have three best friends: Jimmy, Tom, and Jordan that are all freshmen just like me. We were all sitting in the library and we looked around.  Jordan suddenly got up out of his chair across from me and walked toward the bulletin board on the wall. We all then followed him to find an advertisement for this scary theatre performance on the 30^th, the night before Halloween. 

"This sounds pretty good," Jordan said. 

"Yeah, I guess," Tom chimed in. 

"We should totally go see it," I said. We all agreed that it was a good idea and we had nothing better to do, since we had the Monday and Tuesday off that week anyway. We went about our average day thinking about what it would be like. All it said on the advertisement was that it would be the fright of your life. 

The next morning, I woke to a bright pink sun shining clearly through the glass window in my room, which comforted me because of my loud alarm blaring in my right ear. I hit the snooze button on my alarm and fell back asleep for ten minutes. Once again, my alarm was blaring in my right ear telling me to get up. I finally listened and got up out of my comfortable bed, changed into my clothes for the day and went downstairs for breakfast. 

My mother saw me coming down the stairs and said to me, "You're up later than usual" from her usual seat at the kitchen table. 

"Yeah, I know," I said. "I snoozed my alarm," I admitted. 

"That's fine," she said in response. 

"Where's dad?" I asked. 

"Taking a shower," she responded 

I put a bagel in the toaster and sat down next to mom. She was finishing up a sudoku puzzle she started yesterday. Puzzle 116 was the name of the puzzle she was doing. The sudoku book had about 250 puzzles in it so she was a little more than half done. I got my bagel from the toaster, ate it, packed my things for school, said bye to mom, and headed out the door to wait for the bus. 

The bus soon arrived and I took a seat next to Jimmy. 

"How's your morning so far?" I asked Jimmy. 

"Pretty good, I guess," He replied. 

We rode the rest of the bus ride chatting about what we thought the show would be about, the one we were waiting so patiently for. We arrived at school to find Tom and Jordan talking quietly about the performance, just like me and Jimmy had on the bus. Jimmy lives 4 houses down from me in our neighborhood, while Tom and Jordan live about half way across town in the same neighborhood. Again, we went about our day, growing impatient, and awaiting the performance. 

For the rest of the week we came up with about every possibility of what the show could be about. 

It was now Monday morning and we planned to all come to my house to meet up before the show. Jimmy arrived first because he lives so close. After Jimmy came in, Tom arrived in the neighborhood. We could see his family’s car out the window. About five minutes after Tom got to my house, Jordan, who always seemed to be late, got to my house. We had made a list last week about all the possibilities of what the performance could be and the names of who came up with them, so we could bet on who had the best ideas.

It was finally time to leave for the performance we had all been waiting for. My mom was super nice when we told her about the show, so she agreed that it would be a good time and that we should go.

We arrived at the address on the flyer. It was on the edge of the creepy part of town but we thought that it would add to the scariness.

We went inside of the building to find flickering lights and some weird type of slime on the ground. We were so excited and creeped out that we just kept walking.

“Is anyone here?” Jordan yelled.

“Maybe we should go,” Jimmy said

“Nah man this is great,” I said

I then received a weird text message that said “Why are you here?????” I didn’t know what to do, so I showed my friends the message; they were very creeped out. All of a sudden, my phone just shut off. I don’t even know how it happened but it did. We walked in silence around the flickering theatre. After walking one full time around the center seating section we decided to try the back room.

“I really think we should go,” Jimmy said once again.

“Come on,” I pleaded. “Let’s just look around a little.”

            We went into the back room to find this gigantic realistic spider tearing apart a man’s body and eating it all in one big gulp. I thought it was a costume so I stood still and let it move a little. Then I realized that it wasn’t a costume; it was actually real. I started running out of the theatre. I swiftly whipped my phone out of my pocket to find that it was still off, so I told my friends to call my mom. I gave them her number and they put it in their phones and called her to pick us up soon. We hid in the alley next to the theatre from the raging spider. It burst out of the side door of the theatre, right next to us, and we ran as fast as we could to get away from the creature. We quickly moved around the corner farther away from the theatre just as my mom picked up on Tom’s phone. He handed the phone to me.

“We finished early, so can you pick us up a soon as possible?” I whispered into the phone.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” she replied

“Thank you so much,” I whispered once again.

It took mom 13 painstaking minutes to get to us, and we had that monster to deal with. It was almost as if the monster could sense us because we knew it was getting closer and closer.

“Any ideas?” Jordan whispered to the group.

“Maybe we should hide until your mom gets here,” Tom suggested.

“I knew we never should have come here,” Jordan said. He was rocking back and forth. We told him that we didn’t have a choice now and our only chance was to hide.

We hid for those long 13 minutes in the building next door. It was a small diner but we just needed to wait. We saw mom out the window so we ran to the car as fast as we could.

We brought my friends back to their houses and then I went home myself. We all thought we were safe so we decided not to tell our parents about the incident.

A few years ago, I set up a camera in my room and I thought now would be a good time to turn it on. So, I turned it on and went to sleep.

When I woke up I stopped the camera and took it down. I watched the tape again and again, until I finally saw something peering in my window. It was the giant spider!

To Be Continued!

By: Peter McAuliffe

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The Cost of Magic

May 12, 2016

Dear Violet,
      I'm sorry. So so sorry. I have to go. I know you don't understand but I hope that this letter will explain things a bit more.
      Simply put, I am a witch. I don't have a broom or an odd hat. I do have a wand but I rarely use it. Most witches are like me. Our "trademarks" have been forbidden for years. We used to live out in the open until your kind decided that we were "too dangerous". I really can't disagree. Since Salem all magic users have lived in the underground. There we can use and hone our magic. We also learn to cover up the signs of our powers. I am an Illusionist that dabbles in Alchemy.
      My kind is everywhere in your life, Violet. Your trusted police officers are Polygraphs or Hunters. Coroners might be your local Necromancer. Florists and gardeners are Earth mages. Artists are often Illusionists but other types have grown to create as well. You probably don't believe me and I don't blame you. It is hard to have your world view be changed. But we are here. And maybe not for much longer.
      Something is sapping our power. Recently I decided to ask around and rest at a Coven. They were suffering the same effects I am. I went to see a Numerator to try and see if they would divine my future. (I've always found that Numerators were better at that than Diviners.) Their powers were weak but warned of danger. Both that I knew and didn't know.
      I remembered this but wasn't too concerned. I should have been. I feel as though I have had a tail or that a Hunter put a tracking spell on me. Perhaps I am too paranoid.
      I enclosed a necklace for you. It has a disillusionment spell on it. With the necklace you will be able to see magic. Don't touch it unless you are sure you want to see. Go to the bridge on 7th street and underneath it there are beautiful murals. Act normal. I don't know what is after me or if it will come after you.

Best wishes,
Phee


May 23, 2016

Dear Violet,
      Have you ever had a feeling that something wasn't right? Places like broken lighthouses, rest stops, and deep in the mountains? That is us. All people connect with magic. Some call it religion or fate.  Some of us can use it. I never cared to learn why. I feel like I should have. Perhaps what is happening would make more sense.
      Deep inside me, I don't believe so though. Feelings. You learn to trust your feelings as a witch. Instinct saves lives. Great motto. It's used with you humans. Think everything's ok, but feel like you are going to be hurt? Get out. Know you did the spell right, but it feels wrong? It's wrong.
      What's my point? I feel that something is terribly wrong. An ancient witch might know what to do. I'm not sure there is even a spell for what is happening. I suppose magic could reject us. I'm taking responsibility for what is happening. I don't want to lose magic and I don't think my people could take the consequence of it. After all, we aren't too much different from you.
      I went to an apothecary to get some potion ingredients. Magic extension potions and things like that. I feel the slow trickle of magic draining from me. Chaos has started to erupt in outside magic towns. Magic gives people control over something, I guess. They can't stand not having it. I'm not sure going to a magic stronghold is a good idea. I would like see how they are dealing though. Most wise magic users avoid strongholds for as long as they can. Trust is an issue in those places.
      Don't go to the sketchy parts of town. (The sketchy feeling is a spell. For both of our races' protection.)
      I am sending these letters by owl. I know it's unconventional especially for an Unconnected like you. Thing is I don't trust your technology. Your people control too much of it. They can see what is said. My feeling says something awful has or will happen. These must be kept a secret between the two of us. Brandy is the owl's name. She will do fine on her own so long as you don't keep her in a cage. I've enchanted Brandy with a spell that prevents anyone from reading what she carries except for the recipient. (Remind me to tell you the story of the first time I preformed that spell.) Our line of communication should be safe.
      I understand you have questions. They need to be answered because I must trust you. Send a letter with Brandy and I will reply as soon as I can.

Stay safe,
Phee


May 25, 2016

Phoenix,
      Phoenix. I... I didn't believe you. I thought you were insane. No. You are insane. But I guess I'm insane with you to now.
      I didn't touch that necklace for a week. It gave me creepy vibes. Honestly I don't know how you deal with that magic stuff. Sets off the kidnapper alarm. Anyway, I touched it. At my house the first time. Everything looked normal except Brandy glowed. She looked at me like I was normal. (I've been getting weird side eyes from that owl. Teach it manners.) Let me tell you. That necklace went down as fast as I could manage.
      Next day comes. Curiosity killed the cat. I wore some gloves and put the necklace in my bag. 7th street is the definition of sketchy. Until I put that necklace on. Murals jumped out at me.  The air buzzed. I could almost hear the stories those murals told me. I kept walking. That place isn't sketchy. It's beautiful. Why would you hide that? I take the necklace off at night but I keep it on or in my bag during the day. (Don't want to take a chance with the new boss.)
      Now for the floodgate of questions. I know the first few are kind of stupid but still. Are the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny, and Santa real? Are they magic? Can kids connect with magic better? How did that stuff just appear? Are you some kind of super evolved human? How long have witches existed? What types of magic are there? Do bad witches exist? Can they be stopped? What with the "I must trust you" stuff? We are friends. Trust is in that deal. Things aren't that bad, are they?
      Most importantly, are you ok? This loss of magic stuff seems fishy to me. I mean if I was a psycho witch with a vendetta, I might just consider getting rid of magic to spite someone. Maybe. Hypothetically. I'm thinking about what humans (gosh that's weird to say) would do for power. Let me tell you, we do and would do a lot for a taste of power. I trust you and your "instinct" or whatever but be careful. I want to see my friend again. You are headed head first into something big. I don't think either of us know quite what it is yet though.
      Oh! I almost forgot. I haven't felt anything come after me. The necklace puts me on edge and I'm getting used to it. I suppose that could be someone or something but I'm happy to report no attacks on my life. I'd like to keep it that way. And I wish the same for you too.

Best of luck on your insane quest,
V


By: Rachael Battey

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Idioms From An Idiot, Part II

Even after my first informative article on this subject, you may still find several common idioms bamboozling your brain cells. However, fear not. I, Master of All Knowledgeable Things Ever, shall once again explain to you the meanings of commonly misunderstood figures of speech to enlighten your mind.

FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH

            It is a well-known fact that children possess more intellect and instinct than adult humans will ever know. Human infants are born with the innate knowledge that sucking on one’s own foot is not only a great way to clean it, but an everlasting source of entertainment. However, as humans mature, they are conditioned to view this behavior as inappropriate in sophisticated circles of adults. This is why they compare the act of saying something immature to putting one’s foot in one’s mouth, and view both of these activities in a negative light. However, it can also be used as an indicator of true friendship in one’s acquaintances; if your friend lets you physically put your own foot in your own mouth to amuse yourself and accepts you for your wisdom, you’ll know that he or she is a keeper.

IN A PICKLE

                        When someone says that they are in a pickle, most people interpret that to mean that they are in a difficult situation. However, in the year 4000 BCE, “in a pickle” was the highest compliment one could receive. Pickles were invented around this time, and were considered a great delicacy. The longer the cucumber was pickled, the greater its intensity; therefore, being in a pickle means that you are an intensely zealous and enthusiastic person.

RAINING CATS AND DOGS

            In ages past, there once existed an ancient city known as South Bork, located in the north regions of West Middle East. The city of South Bork was the cultural and scientific center of the world. It was so advanced that it has been said that the city’s lead scientists were on the verge of discovering why some humans have allergies to domesticated pet fur. They had huge laboratories full of thousands of well-kept and well-fed cats and dogs. Unfortunately, the Great Laboratory was destroyed in the largest flood the city of South Bork had ever seen. The population was decimated, the buildings were levelled, and although not many humans survived the disaster, not a single animal perished. The survivors told tales of how, amidst their fear and terror, they watched as the test animals doggie-paddled to safety. Therefore, when someone says that it is raining cats and dogs, they mean to tell you that although the apocalypse is approaching, you should look for the positive side in the disaster.

EYES BIGGER THAN YOUR STOMACH

            If you have ever heard anyone use this idiom in reference to you, I am so sorry. I, Master of All Knowledgeable Things Ever (which include medicine), regret to inform you that you have contracted a rare and serious disease. Magnisoculis is categorized by an uncontrolled growth of the eyes coupled with a proportionate shrinking of the stomach. There is currently no known cause or cure for this terrible, chronic disease. People who have been afflicted for years are plagued with tiny appetites and increased night vision. Eventually, a person with magnisoculis will progress until his stomach can hold no more than a pea, and until his eyes are the size of saucers. At this stage, patients prefer to stay out of sight of the public for fear of scaring others with their grotesque appearance. If you would like more information on magnisoculis and how to raise awareness for this dreadful malady, please visit this entirely real website: www.lookoutformagnisoculis.com.

CHARLIE HORSE

             Charles Phillip Edward Bartholomew III was the most famous racehorse of all time. If you have never heard of him, shame on you. He won the Kentucky Derby in 1874, and since then, his fame has stretched through the centuries. He became so famous that the press would not leave him alone, he had to attend several banquets and ceremonies every day. Soon, after about twelve years of this, Charles grew weary of his life in the limelight. He longed for his younger days when he could frolic in the green meadows and enjoy a cool drink with his friends on a Sunday afternoon. Therefore, he began to take a casual name, Charlie, in order to leave behind his prestigious pedigree. To this day, Charles Phillip Edward Bartholomew III still goes by Charlie (and actually will grow quite angry if you call him by his given name). This idiom is applicable to a person who rejects his or her fame to live a life of simple pleasures.

            I am sure that this educational piece has been very educational in educating you about education. Now you have even more items in your idiomatic arsenal to display with pride through your expansive and nearly boundless vocabulary. You are one step closer to becoming a Master of All Knowledgeable Things Ever. Go out into the world now and wield your idioms proudly.

By: the Master of All Knowledgeable Things Ever

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Idioms From An Idiot

Many expressions in the English language are baffling. People say one thing when they mean something else, completely unrelated. However, do not fret. I, the Master of All Knowledgeable Things Ever, shall explain to you the meanings to commonly misunderstood figures of speech to enlighten your mind.

BUTTERFLIES IN ONE’S STOMACH

            This idiom is quite puzzling. Most humans do not consume these flamboyant winged insects of their own free will. The expression, “to have butterflies in your stomach,” clearly means you are not in your right mind. You are either being blackmailed by a dangerous master criminal who will hurt those you love if you do not comply to consuming butterflies daily, or you are desperate because conventional medicinal techniques have not alleviated your chronic indigestion, or you are blind and therefore unaware of the fact that you have managed to swallow several butterflies while breathing. Either way, it is best to stay away from those who have butterflies imprisoned in their intestines.

WHITE ELEPHANT

            The image of the white elephant is both perplexing and admittedly pale in color. This phrase originated among the people of an ancient society, called the Loxodontas. They believe that the elephant is the symbol of grace and perfection. Each member of the Loxodontan society receives an elephant figurine at birth. As they progress through the levels of full initiation, their elephant is painted or recolored to represent each level of maturity. Passing through many colors, such as lavender, chartreuse, spiceberry, periwinkle, and gingerline, the highest stage of elephant enlightenment is finally reached at white. Therefore, in today’s world, receiving a “white elephant” from someone means that they highly value your intellect and spiritual capacity, just as the Loxodontan chiefs of old.

BREAK A LEG

The expression “break a leg” is commonly used to wish a person luck in an endeavor that they are about to undertake. It is a little known fact that this phrase originated in the days of the Great War of the Bees (circa 3000 BCE), where all human males of fighting age from all civilized societies around the world were called to arms to defeat the massive swarms of bees that were invading their homes in this world-wide pandemic. Fighting conditions were atrocious, as nearly every soldier was stung several times a day. Soldiers had to be in a state of perfect mental and physical health before they could be drafted for direct service. Many families dreaded to have their loved ones endure such suffering, so they intentionally broke the legs of their soldier candidates before sending them off to be inspected at their local town hall. This was a wish of good luck, so that the poor men would not have to face the wrath of bees every day of their lives for several years. If someone in today’s world tells you to break a leg, it means that you should maim your family members’ legs for your noble, pacifist ideals.

HIT THE ROAD

            At first, it may seem silly that a person would desire to strike the asphalt beneath which human beings drive their cars innocently every day. Fortunately, I am here to educate the unsophisticated masses. Unbeknownst to the public, the United States government has buried thousands of puppies beneath public highways all across the country. Animal lovers from all over the world flock to roads in order to claim a young canine pet for their own. Sadly, they are all considered to be bonkers, as critics claim there is no way for the young pups to survive so long without human contact or a basic daily nutrition source. Nevertheless, those who still believe say that they shall “hit the road” when they return to their never-ending task of searching for those puppies.

TAKE THE CAKE

            Does this cake look delicious? That’s exactly what those who “take the cake” think too. The expression “take the cake” refers to someone who is a kleptomaniac, but only for edible items. Whenever he or she sees a delicious-looking food, he or she cannot help but steal it. Cake-stealing is a serious medical condition. Those who take cakes on a regular basis can only be corrected through therapy and medication to lessen their impulsive thievery. However, cake thieves are not bad people. They often try to fight their instincts, but are simply unable to control themselves. Therefore, do not assume that cake thieves are bad people until you have met and shared a meal (maybe of cake?) with them.

            I know that this informative piece has been very informative in informing you about information. Now that you know how all these idioms should be correctly used, feel free to say them to your friends and family. Soon, you may even become a Master of All Knowledgeable Things Ever (just like me). Go out into the world now and wield your idioms proudly.

By: the Master of All Knowledgeable Things Ever

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The Boring Life of Spot the fish

One day Spot woke up, and felt like it was going to be a great day. “I feel like today will be a great day,” said Spot. He got out of his fish bed, made it, and then went down to get breakfast. He soon found his dad, Jimmy, making breakfast. “Hey dad, what’s cookin’?” said Spot. “Just a little thing I like to call ‘algae soufflé.’” Spot said, “That sounds amazing dad.” Then Jimmy said, “I’ve been working on perfecting it because I know you like it.” In response to that, Spot said, “Aw thanks dad,” and Jimmy said, “Don’t mention it Spot.”

After eating, Jimmy and Spot went out to find food for lunch. On their search they found some food, and went back to cook it. When they got back Spots mom was awake. Spot’s mom’s name was Sandrine. “Hi mom,” Spot said. “Good morning Spot,” Sandrine said. They ate lunch and then Spot went to hang out with his friends. After hanging out with his friends Spot went home to find dinner already made. Then Spot ate dinner with his family, said goodnight, and went to bed.

The rest of Spot’s life was mostly the same.

By: Peter McAuliffe

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A Spooky Story

There once was a boy named Jeffery, but all his friends called him Jeff. Jeff woke up at 7 o’clock on a Tuesday morning and got ready for school. Jeff was walking to school when all of a sudden at 7:27 he tripped on a rock. He fell face first on the ground extremely hard. Blackout. At 3:30 that afternoon he woke up in a hospital bed. He saw many translucent ghosts clouding his vision. All the ghosts were whispering things like “We’ll always be here,” or, “I’ve come to haunt you.” He could barely see or hear anything that was going on around him. He could see both his parents and two nurses crowding around his bed all with concerned looks on their faces. His mom had a single tear running down her cheek. His dad had a very serious but concerned look on his face. Both the nurses had straight faces. Once they all noticed that Jeff was awake, they crowded even closer. His mom put her hands over her mouth and started crying. His dad’s expression suddenly changed to a happy one. Jeff's parent's took him home and for the rest of his life, he just had to deal with all of the ghosts.

by: Peter McAuliffe

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Bea, A Short Story

       There once was a beanie named Bea. Bea was very content with her job of protecting her human’s head from the cold outside. Her warmth helped her person to keep warm and she wouldn’t trade her job for the world. 
       Sadly, one day her owner accidentally left Bea at home. She felt very distraught. She worried for what seemed to be endless hours about what was to happen to such an unfortunate, cover-less head. Bea waited the day out in anxious misery.
       Finally, Bea’s human got home! Bea was so happy to see them home, safe and sound. As Bea looked closer, she noticed something was different. As soon as the owner stooped down, Bea saw that there was a new hat upon their head! The human picked up Bea, took off the new hat, and hung them up next to each other. Bea had never thought that there were other hats in the world. She was thrilled know that her human’s head hadn’t frozen and that now she had a new friend.
       From that day on, Bea’s community of hat companions grew and she never had to worry about a poor, cold, defenseless head again.

by: Katie McAuliffe

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Sahara, A Short Story

          There once was a girl named Sahara. When she was younger, she loved her name. Eventually, Sahara grew up and was made fun of because of that unusual name. Bullies would call her “desert girl,” “dry and boring,” or “just really thirsty.” Sahara mumbled and grumbled because she hated the way the other kids would hate on her name. She even began to hate that name herself.

            Little by little, Sahara started hating everything about herself. One day, Sahara sat down to lunch and confessed her feelings to her “squad." She told them that she wanted a name change because her name was the seed of her ever-branching immortal tree of problems. Her friends had no idea she felt this way; they all liked her name and told her so. She felt a little better but still wasn’t comfortable with herself entirely.

            After lunch, Sahara’s friends were concerned about her low self-esteem. They made a pact to tell Sahara about all her good qualities as frequently as possible in order to chop down her tree of obstacles.

            Little by little, Sahara began to realize that she was just as human as everyone else, and that there are always going to be people who would appreciate the things that she sometimes despised.

            Sahara finally fell in love with her name and never thought of changing it again.

by: Katie McAuliffe

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The Girl Who Could Fly

            There once was a girl who could fly.

            This girl flew high to the sky.

            The earth was too loud,

so she stayed in the clouds,

and didn’t come down ‘til July.

In July, there was a great storm.

The girl did not feel very warm.

She came down because

the girl knew this was

not the usual; or norm.

When she came home, she saw her dad.

Her dad was very mad.

She’d been gone for too long,

while the world moved along,

and this made him very sad.

So she flew back into the air.

She liked it much better up there.

No yelling was heard;

with just her and the birds.

Better, up there, she would fare.

By: Kaite McAuliffe

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