When I first started my poem all I wanted it to be about was a fantasy world. Being me I also had really bad word play. Version 1: “Flowers that will never bloom.” This was not descriptive at all. This was horrible but this was also my first draft, later in the second version I got a little more creative. Version 2 “Cloudy atmosphere rebellious to natural glow.” I thought this line was really creative till I realized it didn’t make sense. In the Final version of the poem “Cloudy atmosphere creates a beautifully ugly natural glow.” This was the first final line in my poem. This is much clearer than the first two and I’m really happy with it.
The thing that changed the most throughout my poem was my theme. My theme was the biggest thing, I had changed my poem 3 times before I was satisfied with what I had achieved. I really wanted at first to make a story about a destroyed world where only a little girl lives but that ended in complication. Then I was thinking, what if I made the story on a world that was destroyed by mankind. Then later fixed by Mother Nature. Also my description was changed to.
The beginning of the poem is about how man-kind has destroyed a world. It was a really depressing start because we are the ones that responsible for this world. The turn of the poem is when it says “But, it’s not too late.” This is how the first one started. The reason I added this turn was because I wanted the poem to be positive as well as negative. So then it goes from a really negative tone to a really positive tone. Mother Nature comes down and is saving our world even though we destroyed it. The whole message of this poem was to show people that we can look on at pollution and just cope with it or we can actually do something to help the earth. The speaker made a positive choice.
The start of the poem was super sad because it talks about a world that was destroyed. The world had turned to dust. Then in the turn there’s this light that could solve everything “There is a light that still glows in this world.” The poem changes in this line from depressing to a happy, hopeful message. The original draft was just really depressing but I wanted to have a positive turn.
Short Story: Night Witch
11/4/14
Shay Lopez
Kaleigh Nau
Night Witch
“Alice!” A smile radiated across my face as I heard my name being shouted across the manor. As I staggered to my feet I hit the ground with such force it made it sound like an earthquake. I raced down the hallway as fast as I could.
While running down the hallway I saw my servant walking down the hall heading the opposite way. “Hello Mrs. Clara! “ I shouted excitedly. She was the head maid, which means she was in charge of everything around the house. Although, when saying a sweet hello, she rolled her eyes. We didn’t exactly get off on good terms. Let’s just say if the past couldn’t be forgiven, I would still hate her. Continuing down the eternal hallway I finally reached the end of it.
I glanced at the staircase and that was the only thing that was keeping me from the person who called my name. Going down the stairs like a proper lady is boring. I jumped on the rail and slid down the rail as if it was a waterfall. Hitting the floor with a boom, I glanced at my feet. My hair was in my reflection so I couldn’t really see my face.
“What do you see?” A young man in his mid-30’s in a black suit asked from across the glossy river. He gave me a smile that held a million stories, but all were secret. “Me?” I replied in a squeaky voice. He said, “Really I see a very young girl who has a heart of gold that is blessed with elegance. With her blond hair down to her waist.” He gave me that smile again.
As I looked into his hazelnut eyes I could see the glistening stories. Some were sad, but others filled with joy. I wouldn’t ever know all of the stories, but I could see the emotions behind them. Sorrow, anger, and frustration were only some of the emotions that clouded his mind. Where there is anger there is happiness. Where there is frustration there as confusion.
I didn’t hesitate. I ran full force, which honestly wasn’t much. I lunged for his chest. He was a tad startled by the fact that I just jumped on him. I held on to him for dear life as if he was going to save me from a disaster. The room was filled with love and happiness. He was finally home. My big brother was finally home.
After the interesting hugging war that occurred and all of the smiles, my brother went and talked with our mother and father in a separate room. After what felt like an eternity, he finally emerged from the dark cave. His smile hid something once again, something bad, something that was going to make me cry. Not wanting to waste another moment, he grasped my hand and led me upstairs to my room.
The white curtains swayed and the stuffed animals stayed unanimated. I always wondered why I had stuffed animals, they always stared off into nothingness, an empty space that didn’t exist. They were laying neatly across my bed when my brother opened the mahogany door. Papers scattered about, each with a different drawing on them. Each with a mix of hue. Some were colored wax and others with color graphite. I had a small table set up with stuffed animals where I often had tea parties. The chairs that were
around the table were occupied by four of my friends. Mr. Cuddles, Black Rabbit and my favorite stuffed animal, Mrs. Fluffy.
He led me over to the table and handed me Mrs. Fluffy. He ordered, “Alice sit down we need to speak.” He took the seat that Mrs. Fluffy was in and I took the seat that was unoccupied. He then spoke slowly, “Alice you need to listen, I know you are young and don’t like to speak but you are intelligent enough to know what I’m saying.” He said it in almost a sad way, as if he’s was going to fall into oblivion. He told me he was leaving for a seventeen year trip. He then said, “You will need to be strong and hold your ground.”
I shot up from my seat to object, but he got there first. “Alice, this isn’t an option at all. If I could stay I would, but I can’t.” I smiled at him because I knew that this was hard enough for him. Not wanting him to feel overwhelmed I walked over to a bell. The ring is rather soothing, but that’s not why I rang it.
My personal servant then came with milk tea, and it was milk tea because my brother was not a big fan of normal tea. “Here you are Master Louis.” My butler always said just our first names. He believed it strengthened bonds between master and servant. My brother gladly accepted the tea. My servant then asked, “Mistress Alice would you like tea or coffee?” I told him he knew what I liked and said, “Coffee please!” From across the room I could here Louis chuckle. He asked, “How are you from England?” I had forgotten I was from England. To be honest, that slipped my mind often.
Once the servant came back, my coffee was ready and cooled down to the proper temperature. Knowing I didn’t like the taste of black coffee, my servant added milk and sugar. After settling in with our drinks, I began wondering, “Why must people leave? Why must people shadow the hidden fears?”
The following days carried on nicely with my brother. We laughed and had tea parties all the time. I loved it. Talking with Louis, he told about a million stories that filled my mind with fantasies along with fake realities. I knew that that couldn’t last forever, but why did I feel like it could. I guess I didn’t want to let go of that happiness. Louis was the one who tucked me in and told me stories. He was the one I could talk to about anything.
I even wanted to play hide and seek while he was there those shorts few days. Although he did question me, “It’s that fun?” He knew I usually didn’t enjoy those type of games. I smiled at him in a loving way. I wanted him to see my true smile before he left to go back into the darkness. "Alright you hide and I will seek," I ordered. He didn’t say another word and turned around to face the navy blue wall. Closing his eyes he started to count, “One. Two. Three...”
Not wanting to waste another second I ran out of the room. I knew exactly where I was going to hide. Down the steps there was a small gap found near the dining room. I passed the windows that were filled with streaks of a rising sun. Once reaching the steps I went to jump on them like I always do. All of a sudden the steps came closer to me than I expected and the last thing I remember was starting to fall down the stairs. Someone screamed, although I think that it was me.
I woke from what felt like an eternal darkened sleep. My mother had been crying and my father was talking to a man in weird attire. Then there was Louis who was holding my hand tightly. I wondered what just happened and why I was in a bed. I was starting to remember though, I think I had fallen down the stairs.
Louis suddenly let go of my hand. I already missed that warmth. A suit case was by his side. “Was he leavening? No, it couldn't have been two weeks already.” He turned to me, said something, and then left. I couldn’t really make out the words, but i’m pretty sure he said, "be strong."
I learned that I had fallen down the stairs and what I remember as screaming was myself writhing in pain from hitting my side. Louis is the one that ran to me as I cried in pain. I think. I still don’t remember much. He stayed with me for a long time, even as doctors came. The image I saw of him leaving was when he got called out for an emergency at the lab. My parents told me that he left a letter telling me how much he loved me.
It has been five years since then.
Doctors say my mind was damaged in the fall. Although, I don't believe them. My mind is as clear as the starry night. The only thing that makes my mind cloudy is the stars that shine wherever I go. All the house servants say the same thing, "Shes lost her mind. She’s gone insane! She needs help!" I stay quiet, but that doesn't mean I've gone mad does it? I have many dreams and many thoughts. Some about my big brother others about my surroundings. I always go back to what my brother said to me. “Be strong, be brave.”
My parents are concerned for my well being. They also think that a silent daughter is a mad daughter. My father insisted me moved to Russia for a little while. So we went and we are still here now. He told me back then that there was nothing to worry about, and according to him, he sent a letter to Louis telling him where we were going. I knew that my parents were lying though so I sent him a letter myself.
I wrote Louis about how wonderful the days were and how I found this book that told about planes in World war I and how they were used. History fascinates me just as much as painting.
When we first left for Russia my parents mentioned we would be getting a new servant, Glen, which was the same name as my brother who was in his mid 30's. He wore what every servant wore, a black over coat with matching black dress pants and a white undershirt with a matching pocket hankie. My mother told me that I could speak with him whenever I wanted about what I was feeling.
Time has passed and Glen is more like a teacher than a servant now. In the morning at 6:00 he wakes me up, offers me coffee, and then tells me the schedule for the day. Most of my days are filled with little to do, due to the fact that my parents keep my classes down to a minimum. In my free time I either go to the library to study the fascinating history of our world or I go out to the garden to sketch in my note pad. Although, at 2:30 PM everyday Glen and I go to the library, if we aren't already there, and study Russian. Glen has always been fascinated by other cultures and languages. My time though is mostly spent studying air planes, air tactics, engineering planes, and other things. My family is always fascinated that their 15 year old daughter loves planes.
3 more years have passed since Louis left.
Russia hasn’t been all bad. Glen and I have become very close as friends. I can tell him anything thats on my mind. Im now an 18 year old girl that lives in Russia. World war 2 has started and the “Blitz” also know as the Bombing of London has passed. My brother has sent a couple of letters, but not many. He always says that he’s busy with his projects and hopes to see me soon. I know he still has secrets.
Now that I'm eighteen though, I have secrets that not even Glen nor my parents know. Everyday at 12:00 am I sneak out of the house with light footsteps to full-fill my duty as Night Witch. Night Witches are young woman who are trained pilots that take down Nazis. We fly high in the air and strike when they least expect it. Most of the woman I fly with have been on at least 300 or more missions. That includes me.
This job is not for the weak of heart. The planes are incredibly noisy so that have to be flown very high in order to not be heard. The planes are also not mechanically sounds so occasionally and engine will stop and the co-pilot will have to climb out on the wing mid flight to restart the engine. Like I said it takes a very strong brave soul to do this very important work. If only my brother could see me now. He asked me to be strong and brave and that is what I am.
After we moved to Russia my family decided that i should get more involved in the MIlitary. I said that I would like to know more about planes and engineering. When entering the military base I had learned that My brother who left for a lab was the Night Witch leader. This was my secret. My night witch secret.