The Tyler Arboretum Writing Project

By Rosie Carrillo (Sun Valley High School, Aston, PA)

He stepped forward and stood in the doorway made of natural wood. The handle was carved with an intricate design. She loved the door because it reminded her of a fairy tale she was told as a little girl. He held her close, looked into her eyes and said, “Beneath this doorway, and through, is the beginning of our forever.”

 * * *

“We’re ready,” said the assistant.

Mabel stood up, let out a sigh, and took one last look in the mirror.

“How do I look?” she sweetly asked while smiling at her own reflection.

“Like a bride who is ready to walk that aisle,” the assistant grinned.

After she left her room and got to her starting point, a bridesmaid shuffled over to her with a little bag for Mabel’s wrist. While putting it on her she said, “In the bag is something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”

“You look like Cinderella!” said the flower girl while she skipped toward her.

“Thank you so much.” Mabel gave her a hug.

 The flower girl danced away to throw her flower petals as the bridesmaids followed. Mabel closed her eyes and her thoughts took her back to the months before.

* * *

In the fitting room, Mabel was trying on the last dress out of twenty options. The expression on her mother, sister, and best friends’ faces were priceless when she appeared.

Her dress was strapless and fitted with a lace, floral torso. Around her waist, was a silk purple band that hugged her figure, tied in the back, and cascaded down. The bottom of the dress slightly billowed out around her.

“What do you think?” she asked.

Her mother was at a loss for words. “It’s… It’s…”

“It’s beautiful,” her friend finished with a twinkling voice.

“You look like a princess,” her sister added.

Mabel gave a little spin and said, “Do you really think so? I feel like one.”

The women nodded their heads and gave her praise. She had found her dress.

* * *

Bringing her back to reality, Mabel’s father said, “Are you ready, darling?”

Startled, she opened her eyes and exclaimed, yes. They walked to the doorway when the music started and proceeded down with their arms linked. Her fiancé, Henry, had a goofy smile and was practically in tears as he saw her for the first time in two days. They reached the alter and Mabel stepped up to be level with Henry.

“Dearly beloved,” the minister started. He said the whole speech, Mabel and Henry said their vows, and the rings were exchanged.

“You may now kiss the bride.”

Everything went as planned and they processed out. The reception took place afterwards where they were happy and dancing, everything was perfect.

* * *

Mabel and Henry decided to spend a week and a half in Jamaica for their honeymoon. Together they bonded and experienced the things a newly married couple would. On the last night, the two cuddled close on a blanket and watched the sunset.

“Honey,” said Mabel.

“Yes, dear?”

She tilted her head to look at him and said, “Remember our first kiss?”

Henry smiled, “Of course I do. That memory is clear as day.”

* * *

Two grade school kids ran across the playground like two scurrying squirrels. They went one way, circled around, and went the other. He was chasing her with a dead bug he had found.

“Stop it, Henry! That’s gross!”

“Eat it, Mabel! If you don’t, it will eat you.”

Mabel fell to the grass, rolled onto her back, and started screaming. Henry ran over and sat on her, dangling the bug above her face. Mabel started crying because he began to lower the bug. Crying and gasping for air, Mabel managed to utter, “Henry… puh- please st-stop.”

He took a closer look at her dirt-covered face streaked from tears. Henry made the decision to throw the bug away. He continued to sit on her and said he was sorry. Instead of getting up, he leaned down and quickly pecked her on the lips. Then he got up and ran home.

Mabel, lying on the ground, was in shock. What just happened? Why did he do that?

“Wow,” was all she could say still looking at the sky.

* * *

The sun had set completely and they went back to their hotel room. The couple packed their things before they had to leave the following morning, and got some rest. Before leaving at six thirty in the morning, they took one last picture together. The sun created a silhouette. The slight wind made Mabel’s long black hair and dress flow gracefully.

They hurried to the airport and when they boarded the plane, Henry told Mabel he had a surprise. The whole flight, she thought about Henry’s surprise. He fell asleep on her shoulder and his tan hair tickled her cheek. It had a red tint from the sunlight streaming through the window.

Their plane landed and the two held hands as they departed the plane to walk to their car. After he put their luggage in the trunk, Henry ran to the passenger door and held it open for Mabel. He got into the driver’s seat and drove into town straight past Mabel’s neighborhood.

“Honey, you passed it.” Mabel said puzzled.

“I know, I figured now is a good time for my surprise. Do me a favor and close your eyes.”

“Okay…” She was unsure, but closed her eyes one at a time.

He turned a few corners, went down a couple streets, and then they came to a halt.

“Where are we, Henry?” said Mabel.

“Just wait, hold on.”

He took off his seatbelt in a hurry and stumbled getting out, but played it off as if nothing happened. He opened her door and reached for her hands while calmly saying, “I got you, it’s just me. Keep your eyes closed, I will lead you there. Watch your step.”

Mabel giggled, “Henry, where are you taking me?”

“Wait a second, just stand here.” He let go of her hands and backed up. “Okay, open your eyes.”

Mabel opened her eyes and looked around.

“It’s our house. It’s all ours,” said Henry looking at her surprised face.

“Henry,” she walked toward him, “it’s beautiful.” and she wrapped her arms around him.

It was a two level Victorian home painted a light green with lavender shutters and window frames. They walked to the porch and stood in front of the hand-made door. Henry opened it and lifted Mabel in his arms as Superman would to Lois Lane and said, “See that door? It is guaranteed to last. It is like our love that will go on forever and always. I love you, Mabel.”

By Angelica Carmolingo (Sun Valley High School, Aston, PA)

My biggest desire was to experience the unpredictable. I always turned back because the image of my mom calling my name distracted my attention. Curiosity got the best of me.

“Come on a walk with me, I need some air.” With hesitation, Sean came barging through the side door, clinking the annoying wind chimes.

“Okay, where we going?” Leading him on, he realized I was walking toward the trail in our ‘never ending’ backyard and he refused to go.

“I don’t know what’s back there, I’m not going!” he turned to stomp the other way. I lunged to grab his hand.

“Stop being such a baby and just come.” His concerned expression showed interest.

“If…if I come …and it gets too scary, I’m darting to the house, got it?” Sean stuttered. The repetitive sound of crunching leaves was all I could hear as we realized the pathway was longer than it seemed.

“This is boring, nothing is here and we’ve been walking for an hour. It’s getting dark, can we leave now?” begged Sean.

“No, I know this path has to lead to somewhere.” I insisted we walk further.

“Well, it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere, so let’s go home.”

“You can go home, but I’m not,” I demanded.

“Okay, sounds good,” agreed Sean.

“No, you’re not going anywhere!” I grabbed him again.

“If I have to walk another step-”. Over a jagged rock, I landed on a patch of grass, sprawled out with Sean behind me.

“Get off!” I snapped at him.

“…Where are we?” whispered Sean.

A thick horizontal plank curved into a bridge with rails made of branches. We entered a life sized playground. Green seas of grass covered our new secret hideaway. Sean ran to the ten foot tree fort he’s never dreamed of. Shuffling through the leaves, I followed and watched Sean’s smile grow and his eyes widen.

“Sean! Be careful! We don’t even know where we’re at…I don’t even know what this is!” “Oh shush and just have fun….who cares what it is! …It’s interesting.”

It is interesting. I didn’t know what to do, or where to start. The narrow trail of pink glitter convinced me to see where it was coming from. I peeked one last time at Sean to see if he was okay by himself. He looked happy to me. I traced the glitter patches with my toes and it led me to a butterfly mansion, where my head touched my back to look at it. My nose tickled, and with the crossing of my eyes, a butterfly greeted me. Through the feathered opening, pink glittered ceilings and patterned walls blinded me to sit in a cushioned magenta chair. Beautiful winged creatures fluttered in my hair and brushed along my eyelashes. “No Boys Allowed” was plastered along the halls and rooms of the butterfly mansion. Thousands of them flew in each direction to welcome me. I sip the cup of tea offered to me as my feet are lifted for a pedicure and a left handed manicure. I feel like a princess. A bang of the unrealistic door startled the fairies.

“Hello! Anybody in here?” It was Sean.

I burst through the feather opening, this time getting some stuck to my lips.

“How did you get in there!” he screamed in curiosity. 

“Okay, so where do you want to go next?” I changed the subject so I didn’t reveal my life-size playhouse. I wanted to keep wandering around. We turned clockwise in a three-sixty degree circle. Nothing.

“Is there anybody else here?” asked Sean. The air was getting colder, and I could hear the chattering of my teeth. The dim sunlight is just enough for us to find our way back home though.

“Do you hear that? It sounds like wind chimes…like the exact ones we have home Sean.”

“No, those things are so annoying!”

“It is them!” I recognized the pitch. We followed the vague sound, enough to figure out where the clinking was coming from.

“Didn’t we just pass this bush?” Sean was right.

We were walking in circles, but the sounds of the chimes were getting louder. The tree! The weirdest tree we’ve seen all day. It had a blue tinted trunk and was only the one with leaves on it. Sean ran and put his ear on the tree’s trunk. The chimes were inside!

“Wait, there’s a knob on the other side!” I screamed.

“Is it a door? Open it Sean!” The door was camouflaged with the blue bark of the tree. It was two feet in height and had an old wooden front. He pulled and turned, but it wouldn’t budge. I turned the crooked knob on my first try and it creaked open.

“I loosened it for you…” It was dingy and claustrophobic inside. The chimes had stopped clinking. Sean and I sat down next to each other.

“We’re never getting home, are we?”

“Yes we will, just be patient Sean. There has to be a way out.”

“Sean! Angela! Dinner!”

“Is that mom? That’s mom’s voice!” Sean jumped up and bumped his head.

Crouched down, I ran my hand along the wooden walls to keep my balance. We crawled through a smaller opening and we tumbled onto familiar grass.

“Sean! Angela! Dinner is ready!” I looked back at Sean with a confused look. We were in our backyard! Sean and I raced to the back door like we would never make it inside.

“Coming, mom!” I yelled. Sean beat me to the kitchen.

“Where have you guys been? I’ve been calling your names all day!” Sean and I looked at each other and smirked.

“Nowhere, Mom. What’s for dinner?”

By Crystal Certo (Sun Valley High School, Aston, PA)

EVICTION NOTICE.  There was more, but my welling tears transformed the words into blurry, black blobs.  I turned and leaned against the door.  The eviction sign proved to be a comfortless pillow.

I had known that it was coming, just not so soon.  I wasn’t prepared.  What options were there?  Let it fade away, I thought, exchange this door for another.  The cold metal gave way to weathered wood, the stuffy air to a balmy breeze, and the walls to a forest.

I transferred my weight from the door to my feet and wandered about.  The hum of insects filled the air, overpowering the sound of my footsteps.  The canopy of trees was like a security blanket sheltering me from the outside world.  Light filtered through the leaves letting off a mellow, green glow.  Eventually, I stumbled upon a clearing with a single tree at the center.  It contained a fort-like tree house made of sun-bleached wood.

After taking a few cautious steps into the open, I hastened back into the shadows.  A flash of red in the tree house had caught my eye.  A woman in a scarlet cloak emerged onto the balcony.  She was dripping with precious stones that glittered as she moved and in her hands was a bowl of pears.  The jewelry on the woman’s arm jingled as she selected and examined a piece of fruit.  It didn’t pass inspection.  She let go and it fell to the ground with a solitary thud.  After repeating this peculiar process several times, the woman reached for the last pear.  Timidly, I returned to the clearing.  “He-hello?”  I mumbled.

The woman’s gaze rested upon me.  Her countenance fell, equaling the disgust of someone discovering a cockroach.  Without a word she hurled the pear at me.  The fruit smashed against a tree as I dodged into the forest.  From the undergrowth I could see its juices dripping down the bark.

The woman disappeared into the tree house.  Fearing that she had gone to retrieve more ammunition, I swiftly withdrew in the opposite direction.  All the while, branches and thorns scraped past my skin, but I didn’t care.  Fear gradually gave way to endurance and the feeling was liberating.

Without warning, my body tumbled over what seemed like tree roots.  It wasn’t.  I found myself lying at the base of an upright figure composed of bound twigs.  Standing up, I circled the figure like a hesitant predator.  It was much like a skeleton stripped of all flesh.  There were no muscles to move; there were no nerves to feel.  And yet, its determination to stand against the elements, whatever form they took, was admirable.  Perhaps it had even been hit by a hurtling pear or two.  “Are you ok?”  It spoke causing adrenaline to shoot through my veins.

“You ok?”  I was back to reality and a large man wearing a drenched jacket stood before me.

“Huh?”  I replied, still disoriented.

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I was just…I was thinking.”

The man seemed dissatisfied with my response.  He glanced up at the eviction notice and then back at me.  His eyes filled with pity.  Unable to formulate any words of consolation, the man sighed.  “You have a good night.”  With that he continued down the narrow hall and disappeared behind a door.

Upon gaining a measure of composure, I traveled to the elevator at the end of the hallway.  Once inside, I pushed the button for level one.  It didn’t light up like the rest.  The elevator lurched and began its descent as I looked out at the city through a window with a cloudy film.  Concrete tree houses loomed and became increasingly daunting as the elevator approached the ground level.  The door opened.

What can you do, I thought, but hang in and hope that something better than tree houses comes along.  And into the elements I walked.

By Jess Baldini (Sun Valley High School, West Chester, PA)

I could feel the inside of my stomach growing in guilt.

“It’s a small wooden door,” I said.

“Can you tell me anything else? What happened, Haley?”

She gently rested her cold hand onto my knee, and gazed into my teary eyes.

“No. That’s all I remember,” I lied.

“Are you sure?”

I looked down at my feet and nodded.

She got up and handed me a box of tissues. She took my hand, and I got up off the couch so she could pull me in for a hug. “Everything will be all right,” she softly whispered into my ear.

But I didn’t believe it.

My father came to pick me up around 4p.m. I stayed in the waiting room, eager to hear what they had to say about me. I brushed my ear up against the door.

“Her next appointment is this following Tuesday at 2p.m,” Dr. Hart said to my father. “She is going through a rough time and she isn’t taking it very well.”

“I know. I’m worried about her constantly. She hasn’t eaten for days.”

I rolled my eyes as I listened into the conversation.

“Were she and her mother close?” Dr. Hart asked.

“Very,” Dad said, “But so were my other two kids.”

“Everyone copes with things differently. It just takes time to heal.”

“If you say so,” He replied, “Thank you for everything.”

I opened up the door to Dr. Hart’s office and said, “Dad, let’s go.”

He unlocked the car door, and I hopped in the front seat. I plugged in my headphones, blasted the music, trying to forget about the rest of the world for at least a little while. I tried to ignore my father’s presence but he kept interfering. “Haley, what’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing. Just leave me alone.”

I didn’t want to remember that night but it kept coming back to me, over and over again like a new single on the radio. It scared me half to death. The memories of that night were starting to make my heart pound like crazy. I felt the sudden urge to jump out of the speeding car onto the highway…just to get away and never come back. Thinking about her laying on her death bed, an innocent woman who just made a mistake, was breaking my heart… I could have saved her.

Her screaming voice, crying for help, blasting in the back of my mind causing me to gain the worst headache anyone could ever imagine. It was slowly shattering my heart into a million tiny pieces, but only she has the ability to put them back together like the pieces of a puzzle.

***

I sat there in a daze, my mind wandering in all directions. She looked at me as I spoke the words, “I’ve been to Hell and back.”

“I know, sweetie. These past few weeks have been hard on all you guys. I-“

“No…” I butted in, “Literally.”

 She cocked her head, and stared into my eyes. I stared back, waiting for her reply.

“Tell me more about this door,” Dr. Hart said. “Be as detailed as possible.”

“I really shouldn’t.” I murmured, looking up at her anxious eyes, “They’d get mad.”

“Who would get mad?”

I looked down at her notepad and pen. I hesitated. “Th…The…” I stuttered, “The people who live there.”

“Go to this place.” She said, “Tell me about it.”

“Oh no,” I went on, “I can’t…not anymore.”

“Why is that?” She asked.

I closed my eyes, and drifted off into that Sunday night dream of a few weeks ago.

***

“Come. Come. Come,” the luring voices of whispers led me to a wooden door as it creaked open. I saw a layer of unattractive stairs. Thorns painting the walls, dust covering the steps, and blood splattered on the ceiling…the stairway, leading to a place of misfortunate and utter terror.

I walked through, holding onto my bare shivering elbows, and my chattering teeth woke up the abandoned sleeping men and women hidden behind the calmly swaying trees.

“Don’t let them see you.” A teenage girl’s voice called out.

I turned around, and in the doorway of a small bridge, stood a girl around my age.

“Hey!” She whispered, “Get in here before they take you away!”

I walked over and walked through the doorway under the bridge. I sat down on the cold hard floor.

“What is this place?” I asked her.

“This is the land of the living, and the once living.” She said in a shy, timid voice, “I sent myself here…”

I nervously walked backwards. Quite frightened to hear her response, I asked, “Why? Did you…did you kill someone?”

She looked down at the cuts on her wrists and scars on her legs, and then looked back at me. She pulled out a picture of her family. Tears poured from her eyes as she said “I gave up. That’s why I’m here…it was a mistake.”

I looked out of the small window and I noticed as the people walked by, every single one of them had purple and black scars either on their neck, or on their wrists. It was a terrible, frightening sight.

***

“They’re just dreams…they mean nothing.” I lied, “Dr. Hart, it’s no big deal.”

“But it doesn’t seem like it,” she went on, “What is this place? And why can’t you go back there?”

***

The awful, disturbing sound of a woman crying for help woke me up.

What is that?

I opened my eyes to pitch black darkness. I lifted up the sheets and got out of bed. I felt my way down the hall to my parents’ bedroom, and opened up the door. I stomped my hands onto the sheets only to find a half-empty bed. “Mom?!” I yelled.

I walked vigorously, pacing back and forth. I couldn’t see a thing. The awful, awful noise was growing louder every minute. “I’m coming!” I shouted out, hoping she could hear me.

The innocent voice of a desperate mother in need of help, crying at the top of her lungs, was breaking my heart. I looked all around but there was nothing to be found. The screeching yells were coming from all directions, echoing back and forth. I was losing my mind.

“God, please help me!”

But out of the midst of the growing darkness, I saw a light. A bright, shiny light, almost blinding my vision. I slowly walked towards it, covering my squinting eyes. “I’m coming, Mom!”

I slowly reached the light; the darkness grew dim once more. I felt the sudden rush of my heart sinking, as the shadow of the brown wooden door appeared before my blinded eyes. I turned the knob.

***

“Haley?”

I shivered; getting out of my zone. “What?”

She grabbed a tissue and wiped away the tears falling down my cheeks.

“Why can’t you go back to that place?” She asked once more.

I thought back to the last moment I could hear my mother…I was holding the knob.

I took Dr. Hart’s hand, with tears in my stained glass eyes, as I softly spoke, “The door is locked.”

By Darian Beahan (Sun Valley High School, Aston, PA)

“How long has he been gone now?” Arra-Bella knew the answer, but hearing it again might remind her of how desperately they need to find him before it was too late.

“Almost a week,” Jebel said. “And we don’t have much time. The clock is ticking, and legend has it that if people go missing around here, they’re gone for good.” Jebel squeezed her hand.

“Are you sure Jonah went this way yesterday?”

“I’m positive.” Jebel stared down the path that the woods created. Even someone as smart as Jonah could have easily gotten lost here.  The path was a dark abyss. It was October 25th, 1061. The wind chill was piercing, and the howl it made when it thrust through the trees was loud and shrill. The trees were so tall that the siblings could scarcely see the night sky above. Eleven-year-old Arra-Bella had always felt protected around her seventeen-year-old brother, but now, not even Jebel could calm her.

They linked hands and took off down the path. Jebel felt weak, as he had resorted to seeking comfort from his eleven-year-old sister’s presence. The woods spelled out nothing but danger, and fear crept up through their bodies like a spider would slowly crawl up ones spine.

“What is that?” Arra-Bella pointed at a nearby field of grass. There were about five wooden, larger-than-life sized figures. They were in the shape of donkeys.

“I don’t know, just disregard it. It’s not important. I want to find Jonah.” And they walked on. About each mile that they walked, there seemed to be more and more of these figures popping up along the path, getting larger as they walked. In one field, there were so many of these figures that the siblings stopped to look around. The eerie atmosphere filled the air like fog, and the siblings couldn’t help but feel as if they were being watched. Arra-Bella turned and crept behind a tree.

“Uhh… Jebel,” Arra-Bella stammered. “Jebel, you might want to have a look at this.”

Jebel, torch in hand, spun around with a sigh of annoyance. “What, Bella. What is it now?”

Arra-Bella pushed back a few over-grown tree roots and fallen leaves. It unmasked a wooden door, stained with dirt and mud.

“What the…” Jebel couldn’t believe his eyes. “What is this? Huh? What is this?” he grabbed her shoulders and began shaking her in frustration and fear.

“I know just as much as you do!” She held up her hands in front of her face. “Please don’t hurt me! I just found it! I don’t know if it will help!”

He immediately felt guilty for letting go of his equilibrium in front of her. The entire trip, Jebel’s goal was to keep calm as possible. He could not fall into panic in front of her. 

“Should I open it?” Arra-Bella whispered.

“Stay put.” Jebel ordered. “I’ll have a look inside. But don’t move.”

“But… what… you’re not just gonna leave me…”

“Stay put!” Jebel demanded. Arra-Bella shut her mouth as her brother slowly pushed the door open.

Jebel stepped inside of the door, torch in hand, and felt as though he had stumbled into a torture chamber during the Spanish Inquisition. Pictures of the wooden donkey figures they had seen in the woods were nailed to each wall. There were weapons strung up on the walls, decaying bodies and piles of skeletons burying the rugs. On each dead body, a piece of skin was cut out in the shape of a donkey. Fear electrified his body. He had to hold his feet up to keep from falling to the ground in a shaking panic. A faint shrill which progressed into a loud shriek stung his ears, and he instantly recognized it as the scream of his sister. He dropped the torch to the ground and ran, sprinting towards the door. He was nearly at the door when it slammed shut. Not gradually, but all at once, creating a loud bang. He could no longer hear the scream of his sister or the howl of the wind. The room was silent. His torch extinguished as soon as he dropped it to the floor, and the room was completely dark. He was blinded.

“Arra-Bella!” He heard no reply.

“Bella!”

***

Jebel and Arra-Bella were tied, strung up 20 feet high in the trees, on each side of Jonah’s rotting body. A piece of skin in the shape of a donkey was carved out of Jonah’s cheek. The elves stood on the ground, chanting, pitchforks and torches in hand, thirsty for their blood. There were so many of them, at least a thousand. They were small, no more than two feet high. They had dark blue skin, solid black eyes, and yellow, penetrating pupils. They formed an ocean below Arra-Bella and Jebel. An elf, much taller than the others of the mob, emerged from the crowd. The elves parted to create a path for the tall elf, almost as if parting the red seas. He stared up and Jebel and Arra-Bella, and smirked. “Who has captured the humans?”

“My King, Isaac and I have captured the humans,” two of the elves presented themselves to the king and bowed down to his feet, glowing with pride. A loud applause came from the crowd. The king took out a long sword from his black robe, and tapped each of them on the head twice.

“Sir Issac and Sir Jeremiah. Shall the two of you do the honor of the disposal?”

Jebel and Arra-Bella had given up all hope of rescue as they stared into the eyes of their dead brother. Arra-Bella quietly weeped. Jebel turned to her.

“I love you,” Jebel crept up out of his throat. “Be brave, for me and for Jonah.”

Arra-Bella choked back her tears. “I’ll be brave for you two if you be brave for me.”

Jeremiah and Issac had dreamed of this moment ever since The King was crowned. His inauguration speech still echoed in their heads.

Anyone of The Clan of the Donkey who captures a human shall be knighted and rewarded with lifelong respect, wealth, and fame.

“Are we ready?” The king shouted, and handed his sword to Jeremiah.

Isaac smirked at Jeremiah, ready to make their lifelong dream a reality. Jeremiah took a deep breath, and proudly raised his sword.

By Taharih Rogers (Sun Valley High School, Aston, PA)

“I’ll do anything to take it back!”

The little girl ran into her sister’s room. Not even ten yet, she was the picture of youthful cuteness. Her green eyes twinkled when she smiled, and she was missing one of her front teeth.

“Cecelia, come play with me!” she begged her sister, brown curls bouncing.

“Leave me alone,” Cecelia commanded, pushing her bangs out of the way so she could look at her homework again. Cecelia’s hair was an artificial black, and she wore darker make up than most sixteen year old girls do. In fact, her eyeliner was so thick that barely anyone knew she had brown eyes, not green like her sister’s.

“No! Not until you play with me!” the little girl whined.

“Amelia, I need to do my homework!”

“But I want to play hide-and-seek!”

“No!” Cecelia slammed her hands down on her desk and stood up, glaring at Amelia. “Why can’t you leave me the hell alone, huh?”

Amelia blinked at her sister with tears in her eyes. She was surprised at the complete change that had taken place in her sister.

“I’m telling Mommy!” Amelia said, running down the hall.

“Mom! Mom!” she chanted when she saw her mom, who was busy chopping tomatoes.

“What is it?” the mom asked tiredly. Their mother was a woman in her late thirties, with graying hair and plenty of wrinkles.

“Cecelia’s being mean!” Amelia reported.

Her mother sighed. “And I thought teenagers were difficult before that tragedy…” She turned her attention back to Amelia. “Look, Amelia, why don’t you go out and play until dinner’s ready, okay? Leave your sister alone for an hour or so.”

Amelia whined before running out the door to the back yard. She sat down on the cold concrete of the porch, staring at the forest on the edge of the yard.

Amelia pouted and thought, Cecelia’s been mean ever since she started eating those candies in the orange bottle, and before that, she was always too sad! I hope they taste nasty. Amelia rested her head in her hands.

If Cecelia only remembered how fun playing hide-and- seek with me is, then maybe she would stop being so mean. Amelia smiled. I know how I can make her remember!

Proud of her idea, Amelia ran into the forest with a carefree skip in her step. The broad daylight lit her way so she didn’t trip. Amelia only stopped once she saw the perfect hiding spot. There was a hill with a circle of trees around it, and a door sticking out of the side. The door was round and wide but short, and the wooden planks looked old and gray.

She grabbed the handle and pulled the door open, revealing a dark cave that tunneled down. She walked in and shut the door behind her. Amelia walked a little farther into the cave to explore, but she lost her footing, and fell.

***

“Where’s Amelia?” her mother asked, walking into Cecelia’s room, with a hint of panic in her voice.

“How should I know?” Cecelia replied, irritated that she hadn’t made any progress on her homework.

“It’s time for dinner and I can’t find her anywhere!”

“Okay, I’ll help you find her,” Cecelia sighed. They practically tore their house apart trying to find the little girl. When they didn’t find Amelia, both of their hearts began to fill with panic.

“Cecelia, what if she’s lost in the woods?” her mother nearly shouted.

“I’ll go find her,” Cecelia offered. “No one knows the woods better than I do.”

“Take a flashlight, it’s getting dark.”

The sun was so low in the sky when Cecelia went out the back door that she couldn’t see it over the line of trees. She ran and checked behind the trees just within the perimeter of the forest, but the sun had fully set. Cecelia turned on the flashlight and prayed that Amelia could see it. The darkness and the silence made her fill with anxiety, and she began running and shouting Amelia’s name. Just when she thought she would explode from worry, her foot caught on a root and she hit the ground.

When she looked up, the flashlight’s beam was resting on a wooden door. Cecelia grabbed the flashlight and yanked open the door. The light instantly fell on a small body sprawled out on the floor.

Cecelia ran and kneeled in front of it before rolling the body face up. “No, Amelia!” Amelia was pale, blood was coming out of her head, and her eyes were staring up at the ceiling, as if in a trance.

“Amelia, wake up!” Cecelia begged, starting to cry. “Amelia, please!” When Amelia didn’t move, Cecelia continued, “Amelia, if you wake up, I’ll tell the doctor to take me off the pills, we’ll play again, I’ll be happy, I’ll do anything to take it back! I’m sorry I’ve been horrible! Just, please, come back!”

Cecelia rested her head on her little sister’s body and sobbed louder than she ever did before. Her crying prevented her from noticing the two figures that stood deeper in the cave.

“I want to go back, Cecelia needs me.”

The taller figure looked at Amelia’s spirit. “You can go back if you answer me one question: What lies beneath?”

“The opportunity to fix mistakes,” Amelia’s spirit answered. Not even a second after she did, her spirit transformed into a shimmering white orb. Undetected, it floated over to her body, before nestling itself within. Color returned to her skin and air flooded into her lungs. Amelia smiled when she lifted her head and saw her sister.

“You found me, Cecelia!” Cecelia looked up at her sister’s face, her make up running down in streaks. She did not hesitate to throw her arms around Amelia.

“I’ll always find you, Amelia; I promise,” Cecelia said, stroking her sister’s hair.

The tall figure smiled at the two sisters, his work done, and he faded away.

By Sam Schmucker (Sun Valley High School, Aston, PA)

“She’s back! I told you, Dexim.”

A faint, feminine voice rang in her head as if it had echoed out from the deepest river and up over the highest mountain.

“Well, if we don’t get her up and out of here Zyprex will find her, Manci.” This time the voice of a worried man came from the distance.

Helen finally had the strength to open her eyes to see who these strange voices belonged to. White light filled the space before her as the luminous sun shone through the morning sky. Her eyes adjusted to the brightness and she found herself lying naked in a field of magnificent wildflowers. Blue poppies littered the space around Helen, broken up by purple sunflowers as tall as trees. Beautiful, red dandelions the size of baseballs seemed to dot the field below the emblazoned orange sky. Where am I? Helen thought to herself sitting up in the middle of the field of flowers. “Moody Meadow of course!” said the female voice. “Remember?  Dexim brought you here to hide from Eskalith the last time.”

“Who’s there?” snapped Helen. “Come out and show yourself!”

Puffs of soft magenta and periwinkle smoke furled and spun before Helen’s eyes. The sound of a balloon being popped put a halt to the beautiful smoke clouds and all at once a white, translucent otter surrounded by tufts of the same pink and purple smoke appeared.

“Right here, Helen!” said the otter as cheerful as a child on Christmas morning.

Helen let out a little shriek and began to faint. “Get her Dexi!” the otter said with absolute concern. Just before Helen hit the ground a blue fox with the same ghostly look as the otter appeared out of thin air to break her fall.

“Manci!” roared the fox, “Why’d you go an’ scare the poor girl? And she doesn’t remember the last time!” The fox leaned on his front two legs to let Helen rest amongst the flowers. “She has no recollection of the kingdom of Narsad, or Sero and Zyprex, or the Door for that matter!” said the fox, scalding the otter.

“Well I didn’t know that you, you… oh Dexim I can’t be mad at you!” said Manci refraining from calling Dexim a name she would regret later. “You’d better get her up though Dex, the Meadow is going to change soon.”

“Right,” said Dexim.

The blue fox hovered his snout above Helen’s limp face and breathed a glimmering, white breathe into Helen’s mouth. Her eyes shot wide open followed by her body bolting upright as if she had been struck by lightning. Helen looked between the slender, sly fox on the ground and the beautifully bubbly otter floating above her. She sat for a moment just staring at the two of them when she finally asked “Who are you? And where am I?”

“My name is Dexim the fox and this is…” Dexim was cut short when Manci disappeared and reanimated herself in front of the fox, before Helen’s face and half-shouted “I’m Manci the otter! Dexi and I are arceations and you’re in Moody Meadow in the kingdom of Narsad! Speaking of the Meadow Dex, let’s get her out of here. The sunflowers are fading.”

“No!” Helen interjected. “I’m not going anywhere except home. This is a dream, a crazy, unreal, stupid dream.” Dexim and Manci exchanged looks of concern for this poor girl when  the Meadow began to change.

Tall, lingering willow trees crept up out of the ground to replace the wonderful sunflowers and soft black grass replaced the inviting poppies. A light breeze blew through the meadow taking with it the lasts remnants of color from the dandelions. Helen’s naked body had gone from warm and comfortable to cold and irritated.

“What’s happening? Where are we?” she questioned frantically before being cut short by an arrow piercing a soft spot between two of her ribs. Her eyes turned in the back of her head and bubbling white foam fell from her lips. Helen collapsed in to a pile of poisoned human flesh and bone.

“It’s Zyprex Dexim! They know she’s here!” shouted Manci. “We have to leave now before…” the otter was also shot with an arrow, one that made her translucent body frozen from death’s keen sting.

“Manci! Where are you Zyprex?” yelled Dexim in disgust.

One of the willow trees rustled and a cloaked figure fell from the highest branch. He wore all white and bore the number 400 across his chest. In his hand was an extraordinarily long bow. “Dexim,” Zyprex started “you ought to know by now that Lord Sero and I will always find her.”

“Until you no longer work!” snapped Dexim.

“No, no Dex. We’re the final answer.” Said Zyprex pulling a long knife from under his cloak and stabbing Dexim squarely in the chest.

***

Helen felt consciousness flood her body. She opened her eyes to a horrifying sight. Dexim and Manci we’re thrust over the shoulder of the white cloaked figure, limp with lifelessness. Helen let out a shudder which did not go unnoticed.

“Zyprex! The time has come,” said a deep, guttural voice.

“Yes my lord Sero, right away sir,” answered Zyprex in fear. He turned to Helen and picked her naked body up by the arm and led her to his master. Helen’s mind was numb when she looked from the ground to the ominous figure before her. Draped in regal ivory robes with the number 300 printed across the front was undoubtedly the one they called Sero.

“Helen Ross. You’ve returned to the kingdom of Narsad due to the former lord Eskalith’s inability to rehabilitate you. I, however, have that power. Zyprex, please lead Ms. Ross to the Door.” growled Sero to his servant.

“At once my liege.” answered Zyprex leading a confused Helen to an extravagant wooden door. The Door opened on its own letting out a bone-chilling breeze and the smell of disinfecting chemicals. Sero then appeared at Helen’s side speaking his final words to her

“You’re free,”he said pushing Helen’s naked body through the Door.

Helen stumbled through the Door and a white light filled her eyes.

White linen sheets covered Helen’s bare body. Bright lights and strange people surrounded Helen who could barely make out what they were saying.

“400 milligrams of Zyprexa doctor, followed by 300 of Seroque,l” said a female.

“Her response?”  A male this time.

“None yet sir, still waiting for her to wake up.” The girl again and at this Helen’s eyes opened to find a sight stranger than Moody Meadow. She was lying in a hospital room, surrounded by unfamiliar faces.

“There we go! How do you feel Helen?” said the same male voice.

“Where the hell am I?” Helen said in a weary voice.

“Carnegie Memorial Hospital.” Said the nurse “You’ve been suffering from schizoaffective disorder for several months now and I think it’s safe to assume the hallucinations have stopped.”

“Hallucinations?” questioned Helen.

“Yes ma’am. Why, what have you been seeing?” asked the doctor.