Our Voice Volume 6

By Scot McAtee

Our Voice is a student written and edited ebook produced by the students of Twin Lakes School Corporation in Monticello, Indiana. It is a crosscurriculur, inclusive writing project that seeks to raise interest in creative writing amongst K-12 students in our district. It may not be the only student magazine out there, but it goes two steps beyond by creating an entrepreneurial opportunity for students interested in digital media, publishing, marketing, and entrepreneurship as well as offering the chance for student writers to get published. All proceeds from sales go into a scholarship fund for students or towards publishing a physical version of the ebook.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scot McAtee
• Release date: Jul 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311845504

Scot McAtee

Scot McAtee started out his professional life teaching High School English in Northern Indiana. After a year long stint in Inchon, Korea, teaching English to native Koreans, he returned to Indiana where he teaches High School classes in Business and Computer Sciences. He spends his free time creating movies, video games, digital music and writing other sci-fi and horror novels. His favorite authors are George Orwell, Kurt Vonnegut, Aldous Huxley and Clive Cussler. And although it may be hard for Westerners to see the likeness, his Korean students frequently called him Brad Pitt.

Book preview

Our Voice

Volume 6

Spring 2014

By TL Writing Club

(Editors: Mr. McAtee, Mrs. Kreiling, Mrs. Wheeler)

Cover Art by Fernando Martinez

Published by Twin Lakes Writing Club

Copyright 2014 Twin Lakes Writing Club

Other Titles by Twin Lakes Writing Club

Our Voice

Our Voice, Volume 2

Our Voice, Volume 3

Our Voice Volume 4

Our Voice, Volumes 1-4 (Paperback Compendium)

Our Voice Volume 5

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of these authors.

Participating Teachers

Meadowlawn

Mrs. Anderson

RMS

Mrs. Haas-Dyer

Mr. Vought

TLHS

Mrs. Jenkinson

Mrs. Kreiling

Mr. McAtee

Mrs. Wheeler

Students

Grade 1

Myah Adams

Leo Dellinger

Kya Turbin

Grade 7

Deidra Roth

Hailey Morgan

Grade 8

Destiny Brown

Carlie Cornett

Logan Feldman

Vanessa J. Ford

Ben Getz

Meaghan Hitz

Connor Hobson

Breanna Hunt

Lilly LaPiedra

Tyler Lord

Austin Martin

Maggie Milligan

Tyrese Ruiz

Alysa Whitaker

TLHS

Jayden Bell

Nicholas Buehler

Taylor Calvert

Alexis Carr (Portfolio)

Kylie Case

Matt Conrad

Justin Crabb

Evan Crowel

Kelcy Davis

Nathan DeMien

Kailea Edwards

Dymon Eddy

Mia Erwin

Claire Garbison

Jacob Grist

Jared Harter

Cameron Johnson

Jordyn Jordan

Robert Kelley

Ben Manahan

Ashley Marlatt (Portfolio)

Ana Martinez

Garrett McCracken

Hoby Moore

Anna Moyer

Nick Mendel

Hanna Newman

Connor Oldenkamp

Austin Oliver

Jacob Patterson

Jasmine Perez (Portfolio)

Clayton Rardon

Jenny Rios

Hayley Sargent (Portfolio)

Savannah Segal

Kandris Spencer

Holly Thompson

Chen Tian

Jenna Tribbett

Emily Walker

Tina Ward (Portfolio)

Jessica Werner (Porfolio)

Jenna Whitmore

Isaac Venters

Editor’s Note

Something we’ve noticed as we publish our sixth volume of student work—the students are becoming pickier about what they submit. They are starting to see this as more of an institution than a simple collection of work. That’s something we’d hoped for as we wanted to encourage them to do their best work, but we also want to encourage them to simply write. Everything here is student produced and student edited. It’s not perfect but it’s what they have to say. If they can complete their writing and it makes sense and it doesn’t go against what we’re allowed to publish according to our community’s standards, then we’ll put it in. We encourage students of all levels to participate. We believe that the more they write, the better everything becomes. Write on kids! - Scot McAtee, 7-14-2014

1st grade poetry from Mrs. Anderson’s Class

My first graders just finished their research papers on Africa. Part of their assignment was to write a poem about Africa. I would like to share some of these with you.

A is for apes swinging from branch to branch.

F is for poison dart frogs climbing the trees.

R is for rhinos running with their sharp horn.

I is for iguana slithering through the savanna.

C is for chimpanzees swinging wildly.

A is for anteaters eating ants.

by Leo Dellinger

Oh, Africa, oh, Africa, you are the best.

For monkeys, zebras, and the rest.

For the jungle, desert, and savanna animals.

Oh, Africa, oh, Africa, you are the best,

For monkeys, zebras, and the rest!

by Kya Turbin

Oh, Africa, you are so delightful.

You have animals and really hot deserts.

You are really special.

You have rivers and jungles, rain forests.

You are so, so, so , interesting and cool.

You have so many things that are pretty, and interesting.

You are the best!

by Myah Adams

I hope you enjoyed these.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Janie Anderson

Meadowlawn first grade teacher

Artwork By Edgar Estrada

Featured Piece

What a Child Hears

Jenna Whitmore

Useless

What I know I am

Selfish

What adults tell me I am

Stupid

What other kids tell me I am

Replaced

What Grandma told me I am

Forgotten

What I know I am

Unwanted

What my sister told me I am

In the way

What my dad tells me I am

Loved

What I know I’m not

RMS

Love is the Trigger

Hailey Morgan

Kenzie Gray? We would like to tell you that James has been in an accident. We would like you to come immediately. I shudder against the phone as I dropped it and ran to my car.

Once at the hospital, I ran down the hallway to the nurses’ station.

James Uter. I tapped my fingers on the desk, then ran my fingers through my hair revealing my panic.

One moment, please. She started typing and clicking, Room 421, third floor.

I ran to the elevator and clicked the button and said 3 over and over until the doors finally closed.

420, 421," I whispered as I ran toward the room. There he was. He looked in bad shape. His right eye was all puffed out with stiches; a bandage was wrapped around his head.

Oh James, I squeaked out as tears started rolling down my cheeks and pitter pattering to the floor.

There was a knock at the door and a doctor stepped into the room, Mrs. Gray? Hi, I’m Dr. Martin. James has a condition where he has lost his memory all the way to when he was 14. We were wondering if you knew something or somewhere to trigger his memory.

I nodded my head slowly.

It was about four days later when Kenzie could take James out to the spot. The doctors called his mother to come tell him to take his dog for a walk. James started to walk down the same sidewalk with the same clothes on with the same people around as the last time.

Here goes nothing, I mumbled as I put in my earbuds and began jogging too. Just as before he pulled out his phone to check a text. I looked to my right to the trees and the surrounding people and then bumped into him.

Hey, watch where you’re go-, he stopped mid-sentence and just stared at me with a confused look on his face. He glanced around and then returned his gaze to me, Kenzie, what are we doing?

He remembers, I screamed and threw my arms around him. I kissed his face and whispered, You remember me. He wrapped his arms tightly around me.

A Wish for a Horse

By Vanessa J. Ford, grade 8

In Memory of Charlie (Char-Bar)

At age seven, most girls wanted nail polish or new hair clips to wear to school. I wanted a horse. My big sister had a beautiful horse, Star. He was tall, white, and obeyed her every cluck and movement. I would often imagine myself riding him as I watched Ceara fly through our yard. We had another horse, Dallas. He belonged to my other sister, Olivia. Dallas was an old, retired Palomino whom Olivia never rode. That’s why I barely would count him as her horse.

When a little girl asks Santa for a pony, her parents usually grin and nod then get her something from Toys R’ Us. When I asked for a horse, my parents decided it probably was time to get me one. So, I waited and waited. Finally, a little before Christmas, my red pony arrived. He was perfect. Rust red, not as tall as Star, and as gentle as a teddy bear. Now, I could be the one to glide through the yard. He became my closest companion. I rode him constantly, saddle or no saddle. He figured out how fast I liked to run and where my favorite place to ride was. Char-Bar and I were inseparable. My greatest memory is my Charlie.

Clues from dawn to midnight

by Alysa Whitaker

The day started out very different from the rest it all started while attending a masquerade on a small island where everybody honored King Oliver and Queen Kelly. Before the masquerade a detective got called to find out why the queen’s jewelry had come up missing. The detective only had till tomorrow morning to get this all done before he got fired and shipped away to a different country. This case was the detective’s last chance to prove to her boss that she had the skills to stay with the company.

So this unusual day had started when the detective got called into the castle. When the detective walked in something smelled funky like someone was putting on to much perfume or was that smell coming from the kitchen. As the guards took me to the king and queen when I saw the picture move but, when I asked the guards they would just ignore me. The guards were done with escorting me to the king and queen I had to bow even though it was not my type of culture.

The king started off with I wish I was glad to see you but honestly there has been something going on in the castle. Will you check every room for some clues, to see if something is going on here and if you need to you may ask the guards some questions?

Yes sir I will be right on this case. I said even though this would be great for a different detective personally I will dread this day as much as staring at a pig and watching it. But sir may I ask you and Queen Kelly to answer some questions.

Yes you are the detective well that was easy you just had ask but there seems to be something off. I don’t think it would be the king or queen who have done this. Maybe some magical creature I’ve heard of them in the woods but it never would happen for me. I would like to be able to see a creature like the dwarf who stole Christmas.

I check the kitchen where the funky smell is coming from.

I ask the cook some questions Sir, may I ask you some questions? Just to figure out what it was he was making.

Of course you can, I’ve heard you are an excellent detective I heard so many of your cases that is why the king and queen called you hear.

First, what are you making? I asked curiously.

I’m cooking fish, here take this home it will give you energy. He gives me chocolate covered something.

What is it? I ask.

Chocolate covered coffee beans he says.

Okay how much do you get paid, do you live here? I asked.

Well, I get pretty good benefits from the Queen and King, First of all, I get this kitchen, a whole house for my family, unlimited carriage rides anywhere I want to go." He answered.

How do you feel the King and Queen treat you? I asked.

They treat me really good, and ma’am I would not steal the jewelry. That king of behavior is against my morals. He said.

Do you know of anybody who would have taken the jewels? I asked.

I would talk to the maids, butlers, or servants, they might have some clues. He suggested.

Next, I visit the King and Queen to ask some questions.

Sir, I realize that you are very busy but may I ask you some questions? I asked.

Of course you can King Oliver said.

Do you have any ideas or concerns about any of your staff members that pertain to my case? I ask.

I have no idea; I don’t think I have angered anyone." Queen Kelly said.

How long has the jewelry been missing? I asked.

 I noticed the jewelry missing yesterday. Queen Kelly replied.

Ok so you noticed the jewelry missing yesterday. I asked.

That’s right, everyone was sleeping, the guards were awake, Oh and the thief of course. She said.

I was thinking the thief had to know the place inside and out. The maids, butlers, and servants were fully cooperative and seem to honor the King and Queen. There has to be a secret passage in the castle.

Ma’am do you have a secret passage in the castle that anyone knows about I asked.

The only one I know that uses the passage in the castle is the head maid she said.

I thought maybe someone had seen the maid go into the passage.

Can you show me the passage I asked the Queen.

Yes and by the way the head maid’s name is Anna she said.

The Queen stands up and we walk out of the ballroom. The maids were busily getting stuff ready for the masquerade party.

Can you tell me the items of jewelry is missing I asked.

"My blue topaz necklace is missing. The gems are shaped like a triangle. My diamond bracelet has a gold and pink flower in the center. My necklace and bracelet are my most prized possessions I received them for my anniversary five years ago.

Ma’am why are you still going to have your masquerade party tonight I asked.

Yes we have been planning this party for months and we have some international guest coming. You should come to the party tonight to see if you find anything suspicious. I can introduce you as an international princess she said.

A masquerade party sounded a little boring to me but this was my assignment. We headed to the second floor of the castle. We went to the third room on the right. In the room there was a case that has every invention from the kingdom. There was a table with flowers on it. The door was hidden behind the table.

I pointed to the wall behind the table It’s over there isn’t it I asked.

Yes you have a good eye said Queen Kelly

I move the table, it wasn’t heavy for me. The vase was glued to the table. I pushed the wall, which seemed awful thin. The passage started off with stairs then stopped at a door with a unique looking handle. The door led straight to the King and Queens room where the jewelry was kept.

Later, at the masquerade ball, I was dressed in a long purple and pink ball gown. I had a mask shaped like a butterfly. The Queen suggested I dance with a lot of suitors to help keep my identity secret. One young man kept eyeing the Queen, he was acting quite suspicious. Finally he walks up to me and introduces his self.

Hello I am Lane Milord he said.

I said Hello.

Do you want to dance? He asked.

I said yes.

He asked if I wanted to go for a walk. I follow him and he leads me to the secret passage. I knew then that Mr. Milord was our suspect. I grab the handcuffs from my purse and slap them on his wrists.

I then say "Mr. Milord you are under arrest, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you."

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!!!! he yells.

You Stole the Queens jewelry I said.

No, I didn’t he said.

At that moment a young lady comes through the door in the passage holding some jewelry. I look at her and she stops. I take the handcuffs off Mr. Milford’s wrist apologizing profusely. I then cuff the young lady.

Excuse me Ma’am, What is your name I ask.

Mary Lemmies she said.

I then say, "Mrs. Lemmies you are under arrest,you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you."

Why did you steal the Queens jewelry? I ask.

I wanted to be rich, I want to live in a castle, I want to wear fancy clothes she stated.

Mr. Milord says Greed gets you every time, shaking his head.

I then look at him and say How did you know about the secret passage.

I used to work for the King and Queen he said.

While leaving the castle I apologize to Lane and return the jewelry to the Queen she thanks me and I leave with my prisoner. I take Mrs. Lemmies to the police station for interrogation. After booking and Mrs. Lennies is locked up I head home and rest. All in a day’s work I whisper to myself.

Abe’s Unlucky Fortune

By Logan Feldman, grade 8

Once upon a time, on a dark, dusky night, a very brave and handsome traveler came upon a stone door. He saw what resembled a key hole engraved in the right side of the door. He knew his search had begun. He shuffled around the vicinity in search of a large enough key that would fit. However, he forgot all about the door mat at the foot of the boulder. He lifted a corner and there it was, glistening in the moonlight. He muttered to himself, works every time, and stuck the key calmly in the keyhole and turned. There was a crack like thunder and the door burst open. The traveler was knocked off his feet and fell hard to the ground. He was dazed for a few moments, but stood right up and straightened his back. He brushed the dirt off his apparel and wiped the dew from his face. He peered into the black abyss right before him and nervously tip-toed inside.

The cave’s interior was pitch-black other than a few crevices that allowed light to flow through the stone walls. He couldn’t keep his footing and began to feel tired. He stumbled over a tiny pebble and fell to the ground. He groaned softly, not again, and set his hands in position to push himself up. He felt a sudden cool object as he brushed his hand over the rock-hard floor. He grasped it and figured it was a coin. He stood up once again and put the coin up towards the light. Just an ordinary copper penny, he thought to himself, or was it. The penny was unlucky and poison crept over it. However, the traveler did not know this. He put it to his lips and kissed it. He gagged forcefully from the bad taste and shoved the coin in the pocket of his trousers. A tingling sensation came over him and he quivered like jelly. In a few seconds, it ceased and he was worried no longer. How strange, he thought. He then quickly hurried out of the cave and back home. As he was walking through town, everyone stared fiercely at him and somehow didn’t recognize who he was. As he walked through the door, his wife started shrieking like a banshee and threw a silver glass at his chest. He felt his face and it was rough with facial hair. He never had facial hair for all he knew. He flew into his restroom and looked at his reflection in the mirror. His whole appearance had changed. His whole facial structure and body had morphed to what resembled the sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln.

The Evil Case of Van Hellscream vs. Apocalyptica

Deidra Roth

It was a bright shiny new day and Apocalyptica felt amazing. Her joy was interrupted by a sudden horrendous flashback of the day her life changed forever, in the blink of an eye. It was the day Helllscream ruined her life when he slaughtered her parents, destroyed her home, and killed her older brother Dezna. She swore one day to have her revenge.

Apocalyptica walked to her friend Coda’s house knowing she would have to convince him to go with her. Carefully she explained in excruciating detail all the previous events. He agreed to help. They set out for the cottage of their friend Bear to convince him to join their quest as well. Bear wasn’t as hard to convince as Coda. Once Bear heard the word dangerous, he was in.

With plane tickets in hand, they set out for the Amazon jungle. When they arrived, Apocalyptica set out poultry and birdseed for the animals. Her parents and Dezna taught her from a very young age to be sensitive to your environment and take care of the animals you find there. Once inside the hut, they saw the loopy longhand writing on an invitation from Hellscream. The three of them set out for Hellscream’s luxurious and diabolical laboratory. As they arrived, they were troubled to see cages of reptiles and tigers. Apocalytica was disturbed at the thought of Hellscream testing and experimenting on innocent animals.

Soon thereafter they ran into Hellscream and had a face-off with him and his hired goons. With a brief time they quickly lost ground against Hellscream and his forces and retreated. Coda was injured. Back at the hut, they needed to regroup and figure out another plan of attack.

The next morning Bear and Coda awoke to find Apocalyptica gone. They soon realized she had gone to face Hellscream alone. Hellscream captured Apocalyptica shortly after she left the hut. He tried to kill her by putting her in a cage with tigers, but Apocalytica was one step ahead of him. She grabbed some birdseed from her bag and mixed it with some nigh lock. She fed it to the tigers and instead of attack her they drifted off to sleep. Apocalyptica picked the lock on the cage and faced her final battle with Van Hellscream.

She battled him with all the fight she could muster. Both had injuries but were still fighting when Bear and Coda showed up. Together Bear, Coda, and Apocalyptica destroyed the laboratory, freed the animals, and finished off Hellscream. When they finished all that remained was remnants of lumber and a microscope. Apocalytica grabbed the microscope and the three friends left