Jack knew not to go back to that horrid old place. It was his old orphanage, and he didn’t want to set foot in it ever again. But something told him he needed to. It looked the same as ever: broken, dusty, and dark. He mustered up the courage to knock on the door, but no one answered. He turned the handle, and the door creaked open.

“This is a bad idea,” he muttered to himself, but he wal...

It was the first of three rounds in the annual cooking competition at Myrtle Beach. Maria Wall was getting very anxious, because this year could be the year she won. The 30 time champion, Matt Payne, had retired and was now the judge. Maria had always come up second or third to Matt, but this year, she had a chance.

“Maria! Are you listening to me?” her boyfriend of three years, Evan asked. “I wa...

I was walking down the sidewalk to my shabby little yellow apartment in Chicago, Illinois, when I noticed a little girl about the age of 6 or 7 standing near the street. My eyes welled up with tears. She reminded me of my own sister, Anna. But Anna wasn’t in Chicago. She was back in Miami. My hometown. I was living in Chicago with my aunt and uncle because my parents had too many kids and couldn’t...

It was 4am. I crept out the back door, careful not to wake my younger sister. As I softly closed the door behind me, I smiled to myself. I loved the fresh morning breeze, no sound for miles. Even the birds weren’t awake yet. I tiptoed up to the woods, glanced around to make sure nobody had followed me, and darted in.

The air was crisp and cool, the perfect fall day. As I entered a hidden clearin...

I’ve been mute since I was born. And now, this is the time where I really wish more than anything else that I was able to talk.

Why me? What did I do to deserve this? I have 2 young children at home. They need me. I can’t leave them. But I will. In a few months. At least, that’s what the doctors said to me. It’s already hard being a mute mom. Especially when they need me the most. They’re too yo...

(10/4/22) Dear Diary,

Louisa Fish did something absolutely horrible today. She ratted me out for something I did not do. That was Thomas! My twin brother. I know it wasn’t Tom’s fault, but if everyone thinks it was, it would be the death of him. So I took the blame….and that resulted in suspension. Mom’s going to be SOOOOO mad.

-Trevor

(10/4/22) Dear Diary,

Mom got so mad at….ME...

As I boarded the aeroplane, ready for my long-haul flight, I noticed a boy about the age of 12 sitting next to me. He was wearing earbuds and chewing gum. Now, gum doesn’t bother me, but one thing that does is when people chew gum with their mouths open.

The boy looked over at me with a smirk. “What?” I said, angry at him, my face growing hot.

“You look upset at me.”

“I am.” That was true, I want...

I stepped out of bed, ran to my bedroom window, threw open the curtain, and gasped. Prince Edward of the Highlands was here! I shuddered. I specifically told Mother and Quincy NEVER to let Edward near me ever since the accident. I still blame it on him, personally. However, Mother tells me never to dwell on the past. I laugh when she tells me that, because she dwells on the past a lot. Especially ...