I just want to watch the waves As they crash against the shore Parents sit on blankets While kids run and play Air smells of salt Seagulls cry And I Smile

My sister and I are digging in the sand underneath the slide. We quickly find the plastic coins we had hidden there last time. “We found them Papa!” Kate exclaims, running up to him with two of the coins. I follow closely behind her, holding the other coin. We give them to him and he puts them in his pocket. “Come on! Race you to the swings!” I start running immediately, pressing my hands against the swing when I reach it just half a second before Kate, causing it to sway. “I won!” We each sit down on a swing and sway softly while we call for Papa to come push us. He steps away after we each get a few pushes. We’re both perfectly capable of swinging on our own. “Let’s play the Same- Opposite game,” I say. “Can I be Opposite?” Kate asks. “I wanna be Opposite!” “Please?” “Alright, I’ll be Same.” The next few minutes are spent stopping and starting again and again. I try to make sure we go forward and back at the same time, while Kate tries to make sure we go in opposite directions. Eventually we get tired and decide to go home. “Papa, we need the treasure!” Kate says. “Where should we bury it this time?” he asks, handing it to her. “In the house,” she says. “Under the shelf!” I add. We run to the small wooden playhouse, dig a hole in the sand, and bury the plastic coins.

(this is an excerpt from my current project, still a rough draft)

“I’ll do it,” my sister says, standing up. “Aydan, you’re just a kid. It’s far too dangerous, Ms Stewart says. “You should let her,” Mr Smith says, “She can do it.” “Aydan, please don’t,” I whisper in her ear. “You’ll get yourself killed.” “Sorry, Hana,” she said before walking away. “Alright,” Ms Stewart says, “Everyone else, clear out.” I start to walk towards Aydan instead of one of the exits, but Mr Smith stops me. “Come on, Hana, we have to go.” “Why’d you let her go? I’m not leaving her.” “It isn’t safe. You’ve got to leave.” “It’s not safe for Aydan either!” “Hana, just go!” Aydan calls from the other side of the room. “Catch up with you later, kay?” “Can we go out now?” Mr Smith asks me. I nod and let him lead me outside. I’m looking back towards Aydan instead of where I’m going, but she’s too busy helping Ms Stewart set up to notice.

With some people I feel lonely together But with you I could never feel alone But now you are gone, gone forever You can never return to me Now I’ll always be lonely In every crowded room Cause you’re the only One I want for Company My dear Son

There is much debate Which choice to make And if we’ll regret it But in the end We only regret the chances we didn’t take

Wish I had wings to fly High above the city Cause problems look Like molehills From up There

Late night at the astronomical observatory Watching all of the planets orbiting all the stars A bit closer to home, though it is still quite far A large asteroid is drawing ever nearer We panic over the incoming threat But we cannot find a way to stop This incoming catastrophe “Go call your families” We all go do just that We are coming to Our finale Forever Will end Soon

Go through the door and down the hall The second door on the right Leads to my old bedroom It used to be mine Toys everywhere But it’s just For guests Now

There are shadows in the corners of the room I was told not to fear shifting shadows To help the hungry monsters instead To walk right up to the creatures And offer them a warm meal I trust my dad of course But we don’t have food Unless you count A young kid Much like Me

“But I don’t want to go to bed, the man with no eyes is waiting for me in the closet!” she argued. The fear in her eyes looked real, but kids always have overactive imaginations. I open her bedroom closet to show that it’s empty.

Later, I hear her soft footsteps in the hall, heading to the bathroom. The toilet flushes and the water begins to run. Then it keeps running. I get up to see what’s taking her so long. I find the bathroom empty, the water having been left on. I step out of the room and notice the hall closet is open. I look inside to see a small form, pale and covered in blood. I scream and turn around. The man with no eyes is standing behind me.