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had just met.
One night, we had made a small re just into the woods a ways. Looking around for the undead, Skye said, “I think here’s relatively safe. We should be good for tonight.” I nod- ded and was able to lean back and relax a little bit. Something I haven’t done in a very long time. It was nice to know that someone had my back.
Studying me she asked suddenly, “So what’s your story?” I looked up from the re at her. “What do you mean?”
“Like where you came from. Where were you when this whole thing started?”
“I was just a kid. Eleven, I think.” I spent my teenage years learning how to survive in this world.” I paused. “That was until two years ago, when I was sixteen they died. It was stupid really, I was spared that day. We had found a small cabin in the forest and decided to stay there a night. Every- thing looked safe, so I volunteered to go by a nearby stream and ll re ll our water bottles. When I got back, the undead were swarmed around the little cabin and that’s when I knew what had happened,” I paused again and a single tear fell to the ground. “So I ran after that. I just kept running and didn’t want to stop. I wanted to leave it all behind. Nothing mat- tered to me anymore. I ran for miles until I collapsed with exhaustion. After that, I mainly stayed out of the way and just kept wandering around like we had before.” Skye was silent when I nished speaking. I sat up suddenly realizing I had never told anyone that story before now. I thought it would remain a secret until I died.
“You’ve been through a lot, I understand. I lost my parents and little brother as well when I was younger,” She told me. I noticed our stories and our past weren’t that much di erent from each other.
That night was one of the best one’s I’ve ever had. After we told our tragic backstories to each other, Skye changed the topic and we began to discuss happier subjects. Earlier that day, we had found soup in a can at a local grocery store, so we were able to enjoy a nice meal of something. We eventually put out the re and took turns sleeping and staying on watch.
After that, I should have known that things weren’t going to stay nice forever. I should have known that my brief bits of happiness weren’t going to last. My fate was already decided. I truly was going to be alone forever. Because as soon as I
got used to having a friend, she died. Just like that Skye was killed. One day, we were just scouting around a small town and one of the undead came out of nowhere and killed her. There was nothing I could do for her. She was dead in a couple of seconds. I was so angry, with myself really. I knew right from the start that I shouldn’t have gotten close to her. I let myself slip, became friends with her, and lost her the same way I had lost my parents.
I did the same thing as before. I ran straight out of there with-
Spring 2015
out turning back. I ended up in the woods when I was done. I wondered why my life was like this. Why was I destined
to always be alone? It was a couple hours later, I decided to keep moving. I walked throughout the forest, just like usual: with no place to go. In the woods, there was a clearing with a bunch of spectacularly beautiful owers in a meadow. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before.
Sitting down on a rock in the meadow I looked out at all the di erent types of owers and realized that it must have been springtime. A time of new beginnings. Spring was a time where life is just started to begin. It was then I realized I could just start a new journey. I didn’t have to let fate just tell me what to do anymore. I knew that Skye was watching over me in heaven. And I knew that I could control my own faith if I wanted to. So that’s exactly what I did.
Metal’s Song Poetry by Sarah Bracken ‘18
I am the spirit of the iron Of the steel
I am in your home
Your work
I protect the young and old The ones I call my own
The children hearts I do encase In the cold of steel and iron
So they do not feel Do not care
For them I also encase their will
I forge it from the strongest of metals They will bend but they will not brake I give them the will to move on
The old are gifted to
With steel around their mind It traps them inside
In happier times
It gives them strength
When all they have is gone
Adults no longer feel
Emotions buried deep
Results are what matter
So why bother with pesky feelings
I try to help
In this world
Of cold cold metal Sometimes its better To not feel at all
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