Young writers write!
Young Writers Project is an independent nonprofit that engages students to write, helps them improve and connects them with authentic audiences. Here are submissions by Charlotte students.
I Am Alone, But I Will Make It!
I am sitting on the beach all by myself feeling the wind blow gently behind me. I am all alone. I thought. I am all alone. Nobody comes to this beach. This is my safe place to go when I need to get away. When the bullies come chasing me. This is where I go.
My dad died and it is just me and my mom. I guess that is why those kids bully me. All those kind teachers always say that people bully because they are envious of me. But I don’t think that is true. I lay down on the white sand dunes and let my thoughts escape me. For just one second I think everything is going to be all right. But then I feel something behind me leaning over me. Wanting me. I can feel their pull. I look behind me but nothing is there. It is starting to get dark out. The stars start to shine their way out of the deep purple sky. I make my way back to my house. My house is a white old rickety old house. I think it has a ghost in it. I slip into my house and up into my room. There is nothing really to my room. There is one mirror and one bed with a skimpy rug under it. I can hear my mom in the other room. Moving things around, and before I know it I drift off to sleep.
I dream of a perfect world with no one that alarms me. I dream of lilies drifting in the wind. I remember that was my dad’s and my favorite flower. I look up and right on the other side I see my dad with a wool coat on in the middle of summer. I call out to him but he cannot hear me. Why does he have a wool coat on I think to myself. He looks so old and tired and helpless. I try to walk to him but I get pulled into the ground. I think that person that I felt on the beach leaning over me, wanting me, pulling me. I needed to get out, I needed to get a breath of air. I needed to see my dad at least just one more time. All of a sudden I shoot back up out of the earth. I see my dad again but he is different, much leaner and more skinny much more alive he has golden aura around him. I stepped forward for the second time and I slip into the earth again. The same thing happened. Then I went flying out of the earth. I see him again but as a young kid with brown shaggy hair tan skin and bright blue eyes. I almost take a step forward but then I catch myself. He is slipping away into the sun’s light but I do not feel sad I feel happy that I got to see him. Just as he gets taken by the sun’s light he calls out to me but I cannot hear. Just as he is slipping away he says “I love you.”
I wake up feeling the golden aura around me. A realization comes over me, the reason why my dad was wearing a wool coat in the middle of summer was because nothing can stop him it is okay to be different. The next day at school Chris Rogers comes up to me he is the biggest bully at school. Instead of being scared of him like I used to I stand up straight and tall. I remember my dad with his grin and brown shaggy hair and walk away not turning around. Just remembering him made me feel strong.
Sage Kehr, Grade 6
Dear Nobody
Dear Nobody,
Remember you’re a nobody. No one cares if you’re ridiculed at school; they walk by you like you’re a nobody. You are a nobody. I hate you. I don’t care if you cry. Stick to eating lunch alone because nobody likes you; nobody cares about you and no one ever will. You’re just another piece of nothingness in my life, just a dirt road I will stomp on forever. Your pain is my glee. Fear me, I am fear, and I will haunt you forever. I hate you. Your tears are what I live off of. Your stupid calls for help feed my energy. You try and run; that is a pathetic attempt. You will pay, and this time I will show no mercy. I hate you.
I hate reality as much as I hate you, but in reality, you’re perfect and everyone loves you, except me; I hate you. You’re too admirable, too optimistic, too perfect. I’m the nobody, and I hate you for it. Even though in my eyes you are the worst person that ever walked the earth, I will never send this letter.
Love, Nobody
P.S. Remember, you are a nobody.
Rory McDermott, Grade 6
The Moon
It is made of Rock… and that’s all,
and like the planets, it’s a ball.
To reach it was an unbelievable achievement,
and some people even needed a treatment.
It is outside of Earth, in space,
so they brought more air, just in case,
and somehow America won the race,
and after that they left their trace.
Scott Duda Wallace, Grade 6
Chimes
That noise, brings back so many memories. Scary memories.
It all started one day when I was walking down my neighborhood road. I ambled up to the abandoned house with cracked windows and chipped-off paint. And then all of a sudden I heard a noise. It was the chimes.
I walked inside and yelled, “Hello?” There was no answer. I walked upstairs but there was no one there. And then as I slowly tiptoed back down the decrepit creaky stairs, I heard the chimes again.
It was coming from the basement.
As I walked down there, I realized it was pitch black. Nothing in sight. And then the chimes. I shivered with fear and started running for the stairs, but I couldn’t find them.
And then suddenly I heard an elderly voice say, “You have finally come, and you are never leaving.”
And then the chimes, once again.
Coco Eyre, Grade 6
Snow Day
The perfect snow day would be going to Bolton Valley and skiing all day. I love to ski, and I would ski all day every day if I could. The perfect snow day would be going up and down the mid mountain at Bolton. The perfect snow day would be me skiing without my instructors. My instructor was a man named Ben, but sometimes it was a woman named Jen. When summer comes, I am afraid I will forget how to ski, but Ben said it was like riding a bike. He said at first I will probably be a little wobbly, but I will pick it back up quickly. I would ski for a little while then go to the lodge and eat waffles covered in chocolate syrup, then I would go skiing again. I love to ski. I love skiing because the air blowing on my face feels amazing. I never thought I would learn, but I did, and I love it. I am so sad the ski and ride program is over.
Kayla Fysh, Grade 6