Fan Fiction Hybrid (Genre: The Walking Dead-Writing Style: George RR Martin)

Carol

        As she drove away from Rick she was trying to piece together in her mind that she might never see her friends again. It broke her heart to come to this realization, but she knew what she did was right. Killing and burning those bodies was the only hope that the prison could have to stop the infection from spreading to everyone. Carol was the only one who could bring themselves to do it in this god forsaken world they have found themselves in. Carol did the only thing she had trained all the other kids to do and that was to survive. Quiet and abandoned, the town was a sign of a new start for Carol. After going through stores, which had been cleared out from all the chaos, she scavenged what she could. She found herself looking at an abandoned apartment complex and decided to try and stay the night. Knife in hand she went door by door making sure she would not get attacked in her sleep like her husband did. She finally found her own little room and sealed it off with an old wooden dresser. As she started to close her eyes she heard a banging. Immediately she grabbed her knife and tried to figure out where the noise was emanating from. She found the problem behind an opaque glass door. It was a female walker trying to get at her like the wall wasn’t there. As Carol was reaching for the doorknob, a child of no more than six appeared and clawed at the glass as well. Carol froze and just stood there remembering her little Sophia as she walked out of that barn. Except it was not her Sophia that walked out it was another being hungry only for flesh. Carol remembered watching as the bullet traveled through her daughters head and her infected blood spilled everywhere. Carol dropped her knife and covered her mouth with both hands and slid along the wall to the floor in tears. Seeing this not only reminded her of Sophia but also how she might never see her group again. Carol finally was overcome with sleep and the constant thumping on the glass was drowned out. Darkness filled her eyes until the thumping started to grow louder and she woke up in a flash, startled and looked around rapidly moving her head in all directions. After realizing she was safe her breath returned to a steady pace and she found herself looking at the walkers silhouettes again. After staring at them with a face of anger and disappointment, she sat up grabbed her knife and went back to grab her things to go out and scavenge again. Carol realized that she still had to do one thing, and that was to survive.

Christmas Traditions (Satire Piece)

    Christmas season has returned in all of its former glory. It is the time of giving and spending time with all of the family. This time of year seems to be my favorite, not just because I get gifts and every kid loves this time of year, but how traditions and the thought of thinking of others really peaks at this time of year is always great. Some family traditions are different than others by small margins, or just completely out of the ordinary. It is those traditions, that I find, that bring your loved ones together and share something special. For instance, every year it is the same thing when it comes to decorating my house, put on a Christmas movie, bring up the tree (which has also been a tradition itself since it has been in the family for over 12 years now due to my sister’s asthma), and decorate everything in the living room into the holly jolly spirit. I won’t lie, ever since middle school decorating the house just seems like another chore to do rather than a fun time to spend with my family. One of the things I have found out over the years is that growing up instantly grants you the job of all the heavy lifting of boxes and totes since you are deemed fit enough by your parent to lug everything while the younger sibling watches in pleasure as you lug yourself and the tree up the stairs. One of the worst parts in my home is my mother’s addiction to nutcrackers. What went from a nice gift to give my mom quickly turned into a house on Hoarders. Every shelf in the living room space is filled with m=nutcrackers of all shapes and sizes. From the small ornament nutcrackers lining the tree, to the two foot tall nutcracker that towers over the rest. When grabbing them out to decorate the house it seems as if you are reaching into Marry Poppins bag and pulling them out of and endless void of nutcracktopia. My mother feels like she does not have enough, while my sister and I consider otherwise. With this family tradition, the age of the nutcracker looks as if it will stay in my household for many years to come.

The Grocery List (Slam Poetry List)

Step One: My mother hands me the grocery list

Step Two: Groan and moan and ask why I need to go

Step Three: Go to the store anyways

Step Four: Find the special type of coffee that my mother likes

Step Five: Think of all the ways that I can get back at my mother

Step Six: Reflect on how much my mother has done for me

Step Seven: Realize how much this little task means to her

Step Eight: Take a firm look at the list and complete it with honor

Step Nine: Find more tasks to do to try and repay my mother

The Chocolate Chip Cookie (Rachelian Sonnet)

How you are so lovely,

The smell of you beginning to bake

Always making me hungry.

Your consistency is that of a sponge cake

Fresh or not you are always crumbly.

Trust me you were not a mistake,

When someone made you they were feeling a bit nutty.

Except now my stomach is beginning to ache,

And there you are ready to melt in my mouth like putty.

I’m sad to say that these were fake,

And now my vision has gone a bit fuzzy.

 

Requirements: ABAB rhyme scheme, about 10 to 14 lines, has to be about an infatuation with someone or something.

Rose (Pastoral Poem)

You come in so many vibrant colors,

And yet you are associated with that of crimson.

Beautiful to the eyes, but detrimental to the hand

You have your own distinct smell,

That infatuates every nostril you come across.

A symbol of love,

That has truly been sent from above.

Growth (3 Draft Poem)

The leaves in trees are fluid.

Always changing and never wondering why.

Summer filled with green,

Fall makes you into a color wheel

Yet winter comes and you are nowhere to be found.

How we miss you,

But then you spring back into our lives

The leaves on trees will forever change and still be stunning.

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First Draft

The trees have so much life in them,

They change and move just as we do.

Summer shows so much life,

And winter so much death.

Yet they find life again,

Going through the same thing every year.

Beautiful they are and forever changing they will be.

 

I realized I needed to be more specific and only choose one part of the tree to describe.

 

The leaves in trees are fluid.

Always changing and never wondering why.

Summer filled with green,

Fall makes you into a color wheel

Yet winter comes and you are nowhere to be found.

How we’ll miss you.

I decided to bring it full circle by adding in all of the months to make it a cycle.

 

The leaves in trees are fluid.

Always changing and never wondering why.

Summer filled with green,

Fall makes you into a color wheel

Yet winter comes and you are nowhere to be found.

How we miss you,

But then you spring back into our lives

The leaves on trees will forever change and still be stunning.

2 Narrative

Then

            The men landed and regrouped at the checkpoint. They were scared, but they knew they could not show it. It was the enemy’s back door they came knocking on. It seemed peaceful as the rest of the battalion was taking off their parachutes. The first lieutenant was looking at the map as he pulled out his compass and pencil to figure out which way the rendezvous was with the first infantry. After getting everyone set the men moved out to the small village of Di Kha. The men found that the land was almost too quiet compared to their past missions. As they marched through the thick jungle and rice patties they had the eerie feeling like they were being watched. The first lieutenant ordered the men to stop at the sound of a stick breaking. The men swung around there M16 rifles in every direction. They stood there in silence for what seemed like a millennium, then a loud scream omitted from the leaves and then what sounded like an army followed it.

Now

            Alright boys I don’t care what you hear about these POW camps and all the stories and legends behind them, we’re getting outa here. There numbers may be grander but we are Rangers God Dammit! Now there patrols pass by every now and then so if we can get one of these assholes and his rifle then we can take out the whole camp. Who knew bamboo sticks would be so strong to keep us locked up like animals? I’ll tell you this boys, we ain’t animals, they are and they are the ones that will lose this fight. Now we will need to do this under the cover of nightfall, and get rid of that spotlight. Alright here comes one of them now I will get his attention and Jimmy you take him out. Alright here Gyro you’re the best shot here take his rifle. All right boys move as a unit and I will get us out of this mess alive.

Synecdoche

For a split second everything goes dark when I put you on. You fold my ears inward but then pop them back to normal causing momentary deafness. Even though sounds are able to pass freely through you, you make it seem like there is nothing there but the voice of the quarterback. The grated front seems like vision is impaired, but it is like it is not even there. Your padding protects my memories and abilities from the enemy of that day. The blank space on the outside like a canvas ready to be painted by the artist with decals and battle scars. I am glad someone made you to do what seems unnecessary to some but a savior to most.

Angry Letter

Dear You,

            Yes you, “Mr. I think I know everything,” well guess what you don’t. You constantly have lies spewing from that mendacious mouth of yours. Saying that you are looking for other people to step up to the plate and yet you only use the same guys all of the time. Why do you give all these other people pouring their blood, sweat and bodies to better your “great men” if you will not even give them a chance to play. Why give all of the people that show the desire to play under those lights a false hope? Just because you feel bad for someone does not mean that you have to play them if there are clearly better personnel to fill in that spot. You, how dare you just brush off all of the people that do actually want to play and will give you their all in practice just to prove it to you. What is the point of trying to prove our worth if you just have your eyes fixated on these few men that don’t really seem like they are getting the job done if you just look at the record? Good luck to you next year and I hope this attitude changes from only seeing one group of people to seeing the potential of the entire team.

                                                                        Sincerely,

                                                                             The rest of your team

Timed Short Story: Aces

            It was Christmas Eve. Fog stuck to the tarmac at Lindberg Field. It was 5 o’clock in the morning as the soldiers woke up from whatever sleep they could get. The soldiers had realized what day it was only after being reminded, which makes a lot of them second guess their judgment on listening to old Uncle Sam. The soldiers of Lindberg Field were a part of the 74^th Air Force Aces, they were in charge of providing air support for B-52 bombers from German fighter pilots. With it now being Christmas Eve the men wonder if this hell of a war will ever end. Even throughout all of this dreary weather and faces word had spread of a cease fire on Christmas day was in the works. All the men knew that even with this day of not fighting they would have to return to it the next day, but one day is what they need. A day away from the fiery terror in the sky, a day away from all this death, a day away from this nightmare that no man should have to bear witness to. It was still only Christmas Eve and the fighting still had to continue for what seemed like a lifetime.

Business Meeting (one act play)

Employee is sitting in his chair while the boss is standing behind him.

Boss: I’ve noticed your work ethic has been rather lacking

Employee: Yeah, sorry there has just been a lot on my mind lately

Boss: I understand personal lives can be hard to juggle sometimes, but you do need to get your work done

Employee: I understand sir, I will do those papers later I suppose

Boss: Why wait? Just do it now

Employee: I don’t know I feel like I can go another day without doing it

Boss: But all of your coworkers are wondering why you haven’t done it already

Employee: I’m sure they understand

Boss: Just be honest with yourself they don’t like you at all

Employee: You’re lying

Boss: Am I? I am your boss I see the way people act around here and I know what is best for you

Employee: Stop it, you don’t know anything about me

Boss: I know everything, all of your little secrets

Employee: Stop!

Boss: I see the way you look at Stacey, do you really think you have a chance?

Employee: I don’t know, maybe?

Boss: Listen to yourself you don’t know what you want, just do those papers and everything will be fine

Employee: Do you really think so?

Boss: I know so, trust me

Employee: No, no! I..I shouldn’t

Boss: Just do it!

Whispers “do it” repeatedly

Employee: No! No! No! No! Ahhhhh!

It goes dark and then there’s a loud bang

Peer Review

Maggie T.- I liked how you started out your short story and the way it was structured. I found it comical and well thought out.

Nicole L.- Your short story really kept me involved and wanting to know what was going to happen, there was good use of imagery and descriptions.

Sean I.- Your writings are very comical, and I like how you seem to be writing as if you are talking to someone in person

2551

          Earth is in a simple and quiet state, not really worried about anything. The summer with mild and had the occasional rain, but not any severe hurricanes like in the past years. The winter was like the summer, with little snow and a crisp, cold air to it. The Boston Patriots had won the Super Bowl and are now working to get their fifth one in a row. President MacHarisson announced that the brand new Self-Farm plantations would be sent all around the world to help stop world hunger. MacHarrison is also working on his reelection that many people agree will be a shoe-in for him. The economy had a slight spike downwards but not too many people were affected. World leaders seem to be getting along with one another, and no conflicts are in the works. Many people agree that this has been the best year that the entire world has seen so far.

2552

        Earth is ravaged with pollution. It is overpopulated and has little resources left. Human life expectancy is at an all-time low. People are attempted to be kept in line with the government use of robots, but these usually only appear in major cities. Anarchy still rises throughout the world to try and overthrow their leaders. Mankind is on the verge of extinction and needs an exodus strategy. No one knows how much longer mankind will last with the countless number of murders and crime. Mankind needs salvation from itself but no one knows where it is.

Lackadaisical Self Deprication

            I take my seat right as the final bell rings and just try to unwind from the exasperating morning when I hear from the teacher, “Okay class take out your homework.” Uh oh, are the only words I can compose through my blank face as I try to compose myself to ask others what the homework was. What was a time of unraveling turned into a time of stress and rapid chicken scratch on a piece of paper to try and turn something in. Depending on how much work was needed to do the homework and the level of determination I was feeling regulates on whether I try to do the work before the teacher comes by to check it.

            Sadly, it seems like I find myself in this situation almost every day. I guess you could call me lazy and you would probably be right because I am. My mom will do what seems like a routine thing for all moms by telling me how she loves me and how smart I am, but with a twist of calling me unmotivated. “Why don’t you push yourself and use your smarts in school to do well and not waste time on that stupid Xbox.” Would be a repeated lecture I would hear from her. I understand that school is important mom, but it is mundane and lacks excitement which my Xbox can offer me without handing out homework that miraculously materializes in the teacher’s mouth. Of course I just give my mom the old I will try harder next time speech just to get her off my back so I can go and not do homework.

            Unfortunately schoolwork is not the only thing that is effected by my inability to be motivated. I have seen cleaner rooms than mine that have gone through a tornado. There are just piles of candy wrappers and apple juice containers on the floor, however some wrappers did in fact make it into one of the empty Cheeze-It boxes. The constant flow of clean clothes creates a mountain range that consumes my spare bed. At the base of this mountain is a sea of linen consisting of my dirty clothes turning my bed into a raft of safety. My appetite also suffers sometimes. My diet thrives off of junk food and my mother and sister cooking for me. This cooking will usually turn into leftovers making it easy for me to just throw it into the microwave and nuke it. Sometimes even doing this seems like too much work for me to do for food. Don’t get me wrong I do know how to cook I just don’t want to put in the effort for it. Unless I can make something as quick as Ramen noodles I might just not eat at all until I am given food. This sounds bad because it is and I know it is but I still don’t do anything to try and fix this problem. After reading this you will probably feel like I am the laziest person out there, but when motivated I can do things quite well. To obtain this motivation however can be difficult and shows just how lazy I really am.