Adam and Melody has just finished their dinner, it was their 1 year anniversary of dating. It was nothing special, but Adam still tried his best to prepare a good meal with the money they had in their joint bank account. Whether it was dollar store candles and microwavable cans of soup or a 5 star restaurant, it meant the same to Melody. She knew that Adam was doing his best and frankly, it was better than what she grew up with. “Time for cake” Adam says, grabbing the knife and cutting the white and red cake. Adam handed the styrofoam plate to Melody before getting his own plate. “How was your day at work today, honey?” Melody asks to try to start a conversation. “It was okay, but it was work.” He replies, placing a plastic fork by each plate on their table and sitting down. “Thank you for all of this, you really didn-“ Melody stutters and wraps her hands around her neck. “Oh, such a shame..” Adam sighs as he stares into Melody’s eyes with her still grasping for air. Adam got up and brushed his hand against her curly brown hair. After he knew she was gone, he grabbed his phone out of his back pocket to dial 911. “Hurry.. We need an ambulance! My girlfriend is choking.” Adam cried alligator tears to the dispatcher.

“Welcome to news channel 27, today we will cover the death of Melody Hernandez, who tragically choked on her engagement ring just 5 hours ago.” Adam changes the tv channel and leans back in his recliner. Everything in life will be fine for him, for now.

“I have been seeing a car, sitting in the driveway of my neighbors yard for around fifteen days now. It never moves. Its sketchy.” I say to my therapist. “You’re paranoid, it must be a work car that only drives during the night.” She answers. “I am not paranoid, I have been up all night before. I watch that very car.” I respond. “I know there is something wrong with her,” I explain to my therapist. “You are crazy, she sounds like a normal person. You are paranoid, do you want meds for it?” She asks me. “I am not crazy, nor do I need pills to help with this.” I respond Each session has been like this, nobody believes my theory. I hear the rusty chainsaws in her shed, I smell the suspicious strong smell of bleach, and I see the glare when she looks at people.

 I am finally home, but I hear the doorbell ring. I open the door to see the creepy neighbor. 

“Would you like some scones, they are in my house. Come, come!” She says. I have been in her house before, but this time is different. Part of me says that I should stay home, but I have to investigate.

 “Here you go, Clara.” She says as she hands me the scones. How does she know my name? What is the smell of bleach from? What is the car outside doing? I have so many questions for her that I can’t ask. Instead I ask to go to the restroom. I see an empty bag of sodium hydroxide and a bag of scopolamine. “What are you doing in here? The bathroom is across the hall.” She says with a wicked smile across her face. “Uh-“ I stutter, “just looking for some extra hand soap…” 

“You can be honest, Honey.” She says walking me to another room “This is the basement door. I have got to show you some of my soap that I make.” Maybe she is just a normal neighbor. “So you make soap? Is that for a living?” I say “Mhm, here is one of my favorites” she responds, handing me a honey scented soap bar. We go to the kitchen to finally eat the scones. She sounds nice, maybe I should trust her.

I take a bite of the scone. “How was your day?” She says. 

“Pretty good, you?” I respond “Same with me,” She says “I need some air.” I say toddling toward the front door as I fall, “You drugged me?” “You know it!” She hisses, smirking at me.

 I wake up with a pounding headache. What happened? 

“Hello Clara. Would you like to know what happened?” A voice says, coming through the speaker. “Yes, please,” I say, looking up to the speaker. “Who are you?” “You can’t know that just yet, but I will tell you what happened,” They say “you came to my house to eat scones, they were laced with concentrated morphine.” “Why are you telling me this?” I ask “Because you are going to die, Clara.”

In a small town, nobody would’ve guessed that such violent crimes could be committed. Kidnappings, murders, cults, and more. Will the protagonist, Gemma James survive through the crimes all while her little sister is in the hospital because of the crimes. Or will she give up, leaving her friends and family panicking?

“Momma, I saw people walking through the dark at night.” I said “It was just a dream, sweetie” My mom said, thinking her words would comfort me. Later that night Mother said that the doors were unlocked, but still told me that everything was a dream. “Momma, please walk me to the garage. I need to get my toy from the car!” I asked. “You are big enough to walk to the garage, I bet you can do it all by yourself.” Mother replied. I tip-toed through the garage to get my toy. I ran back inside of the house as soon as I opened the door because of the abnormal noise coming from further into the garage.

In a library full of books, one stood out, it was like a neon glow in the dark. “Read it!” My friends blabbed. “I won’t know the language.” I said as I blew raspberry. “De’ saam kajam” I’d read “X marks the spot” my friend Tessa M. would say “I know it?!” We would all stare at the X on the map. “Sal ja’ff Tam Marcelo” I would read again “Tam Marcelo is my grandfather! He has been missing for years” Tessa M. would yell confidently “Fe ta’am ema falo” i would read again “You must kill Kacys father” Tessa M. would croak… A few months later we headed towards my fathers house, as I held the pistol and pointed it at my father pleasure danced with pain. I knew he was a bad person, he left me and my mom. I handed the pistol to Kaylen, a friend of mine. I closed my eyes as I heard the sound of the bullet. As I opened my eyes, all I saw was red.

Mommy and daddy are fighting The dog is biting Mommy and daddy are fighting Mommy was just kiting

(This story is not about the audition, it’s the play)

I had done this before, but for some reason I had stage fright! I peeked through the big velvet curtains to see what I think is around 100- no.. 200 people. It was time, I quietly stepped into the center of the stage where the spotlight shined. My skin glistened under the spotlight. But suddenly while I was about to speak, my memory went blank. It started getting very hot in the freezing room, I was sweating. I wanted to cry, but it was impossible! I could hear my heart pumping out of my chest. The laughs surrounded my head, dancing around. A tear after a tear dropped down on to the floor as I ran backstage. I thought of how tomorrow at school would be the same.

My family moved a lot! Every time we would see my face on a telephone pole we would pack up and skip town. I didn’t think about it because I loved being Santa’s daughter! He would always be somewhere on December 25th, but he would always bring me and my brother back toys in the morning. On those special days he would tie us up on a chair so that we couldn’t be naughty for our mother. Mother sometimes tells us to steal fathers phone when he is gone and call a special number named 911. Father says to never lie, but mother said to lie about this very special number, when I lie to father my tummy feels all wobbly. “Mother said to call a special number on your phone..” I said. I quickly covered my mouth before anything else slipped out. This has happened before, and every time it does they go into a room and a couple minutes later, mother comes out with a cool purple dot on her eye! I have always wanted one, but when I ask what it was and how you can get it mother says she is busy and cannot answer right now! Sometimes they have super-duper secret chats about people called FBI’s, they sound real cool! I must go now, father is calling me to clean up his room! Yay!

Cold, the land was dry, water would be a miracle right now… The castle is guarded with machinery used in wars. I must go for bread, as I do every year. But suddenly the dry air turned into mist. This must mean we are close. Closer, and closer until I bumped into something, I felt around. Someone? There is never people out on cold days like today. “Who are you? we don’t like trespassers.” The mysterious man said. “I come here every year for bread and milk.” I mumbled, not looking up as it was very blurry without my glasses. “You, a little child, out here all by yourself? This must be scary” he whispered in my ear, grabbing my hand. I had learned about kidnapping, but I didn’t feel the need to protect myself. Eventually we were at the bread and fresh milk stand. “Thank you kind sir!” I said. I finally look up seeing a blurry image of the king. This kind sir was the king! I was so excited to go back home and tell Ma.

Words can be hurtful, for even the smallest reasons. Now Bill, he had a friend, this friend was not taught manners, I’m not talking about table manners. He reeked of beer and cigars, he did not think about other people, all he cared about was the bar, bed, and Blaire. Blaire was his pretty wife, now Blaire was a true airhead. A model of millions who would make fights of tiny things, if you accidentally bumped into her it would be a hassle! She’s a real storm in a teacup. He only cares about her wealth and beauty. He once told Bill his plan to divorce her once she goes on her vacation, which will give her more money because of a photo shoot. This plan may never work, we never know. Maybe so, maybe not. Bills beer belly friend who like bars, beds, and Blaire is now rich and in Belgium