Deep Young Author Project Volume 12, Issue 9: Spring 2020 West

FEATURING WRITERS FROM: GODLEY STATION SCHOOL MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL WEST CHATHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL

Deep Center’s mission is to empower Savannah’s young people to thrive as learners, community leaders, and agents of change.

Through creative writing, cultural production, and art, Deep creates platforms for the city’s youth and the village of support around them, including their families and adult allies, to share stories, engage in debates, and make Savannah a more just and equitable place.

deepcenter.org

Young Author Project Volume 12, Issue 9 SPRING 2020 WEST

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Young Author Project O u r s t o r i e s m a t te r.

SPRING 2020 WEST VOLUME 12, ISSUE 9 A collection of creative work by young authors from GODLEY STATION SCHOOL MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL WEST CHATHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL

Spring 2020 | Volume 12

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A Deep Center, Inc. original published May 2020 Volume 12, Issue 9 Created by Savannah’s young authors, Writing Fellows, and Deep staff Learn more at deepcenter.org.

Copyright © 2020 Deep Center, Inc. All rights reserved by the Deep Center and the authors The Deep Center, Inc., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization Special thanks to our creative partners: Photographers: Heather Shiver and Kiara Griffin Graphic designer: Keenan Alexander Illustrator: Victoria Sandøy Production: Deep staff

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“Every story I create, creates me. I write to create myself.”

-Octavia E. Butler (1947–2006) Groundbreaking author of science fiction

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About Deep ix

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL Alicia Fernandez Briana Mendoza Cameron Chisholm D’Amecio Singleton Hannah Flores Isabella Frazier Jaden Cox Naiara Reyes Naviya Williams Ne’la Brown Sebastian Manning Sergio Antonio Vargas Tristan Eure

4 6 8 10 12 14 18 20 24 26 28 30 32

MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL April Montoya Sierra Bryan Garcia Rivera Cky Cannon Eleesa Hall Kaleb Tawrence Katerin Galeano Ayala Soliel Williams Tonise Jones

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36 40 44 46 48 50 52 56

SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL Ayannah Charee Smith Branda Sam Cay’len Allen Corbin Devlieger Jaded Diaz Jarinel Vasquez Jo’miah Mona Jamison Kaitlynn M. Hough Veronica Vera

60 62 64 66 70 72 74 78 80

WEST CHATHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL Abby Jackson 84 Angel “Enigma” Price-Montgomery 86 Asa Moore 88 Cameron Clark 90 Elizabeth Narovich 94 Emma Walker 96 Jaylynn Beard 100 Jay Sheppard 104 Kenyanna Glover 108 Nevaeh Page 110 Skylar Cain 114 Sophia Godinez 118 Spencer Davis 122 Taylor Scriven 124 Verity Baker 126 Willow Elise, “Tree” 128

Writing Fellows 134 Acknowledgments 137 Donors 138 Get Involved 141 vii

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ABOUT DEEP Deep Center fuels the creative fires of Savannah’s young people, helping them connect their learning to their lives and their lives to their communities. By developing as creative writers and community researchers, Deep youth learn how to tell their stories and tell them well. When this happens, they gain confidence in themselves, pride in their neighborhoods, and the power to speak up and take action about issues facing their communities.

Deep raises the voices of diverse youth in our community to ensure Savannah honors their perspectives, stories, and creativity while affording them the opportunity to participate in critical conversations affecting all of Savannah.

Deep offers free, fun, and rigorous creative-writing programs to Chatham County’s public school students (ages 11-18). Our awardwinning programs and trained teaching artists nurture youth literacy, creativity, critical thinking, leadership, and community pride. Deep publishes their work in beautiful bound anthologies, hosts readings where audiences hear and celebrate youth stories, and creates platforms for young people to engage in meaningful conversations about the pressing issues facing Savannah.

To learn more, visit deepcenter.org.

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GA-25

Godley Station

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Mercer Middle

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E S

West Chatham Middle Garrison SVPA

East Broad Street Hubert Middle Savannah Classical

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V ic t

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Dr

Charles Ellis

DeRenne Middle

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Southwest Middle

a er

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Pk

Abe

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Myers Middle

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Oglethorpe Charter

STEM Academy

w Pk

Georgetown

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GODLEY STATION SCHOOL Tr u

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Hesse GA 31407 Isle of Hope 2135 BENTON BOULEVARD, SAVANNAH,

Grace Guza, Deep Ed Fellow, is the language arts department head and has brought the Young Author Project to the students at Godley Station School since 2017.

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ABOUT OUR WORKSHOP A new challenger approaches! The students of Godley Station are here, and they’re ready to show you what they’ve got! You know what they always say, the quietest ones are thinking the hardest, and that’s the truth. They may not talk much, but when they do, we are always impressed. They are never afraid to ask questions and talk about some hard truths; they always say what’s on their mind and tell it like it is, no matter what the subject (we now carefully have to screen and scrutinize grapes if we want to serve them to these kids). Though our time was cut short, the weeks we spent were filled with surprises. You could see the cogs turning in their heads when they wrote, and it shows. We hope you’re ready for these free thinkers.

—Cameron and Lysa

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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ALICIA FERNANDEZ My name is Alicia Fernandez. My first name has been passed down through generations, and it means “noble.” I’m 12 years old and in the sixth grade. I joined Deep to improve my writing skills and to meet new people. When I grow up, I want to be a doctor, specifically a psychiatrist. I would love to work with people in psychiatric hospitals!

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ALICIA FERNANDEZ

BREACH OF TRUST When I was in the third grade, I was best friends with a girl named Jessica. We met that year and clicked very quickly. She was very kind and social, the kind of person who would never hurt anyone. While being friends, we loved riding bikes together. My bike was green, and hers was red with gray spots. She used to like to ride to the back of my neighborhood and go into the newly-built houses. We always had lots of fun together.

It was around Halloween time, and we were planning to go trick or treating together. She really wanted to wear one of my rings. I promised her she could. But halfway through the car ride to her house, I noticed I didn’t have it. There was nothing I could do. I felt kinda bad, but I waved it off. She was my best friend—she’d forgive me, right? I got to her house, and there she was, waiting for me. I got out of the car after telling my mom bye. I was walking toward her; she looked really excited. I blurted out that I didn’t have the ring. She looked like she had been stabbed. For the rest of the time we were together, she didn’t look very good. But I had fun. I don’t know if Jessica did.

The next day at school, she didn’t speak to me. I knew she was mad, but I left it unbothered. At the same time, I didn’t want to make her more mad. So, I didn’t talk to her, and I just talked to my other friends.

The following days, she still seemed mad. I started talking to other people in my class that Jessica didn’t want me talking to because she didn’t like them. There was a girl Jessica really didn’t want me talking to, but I spoke to her anyway, and she was really nice. To this day, I’m best friends with the girl Jessica claimed not to like. But Jessica and I just keep drifting apart.

Maybe she was fake from the start, and I didn’t notice. She wasn’t as nice as she seemed.

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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BRIANA MENDOZA Briana is a great writer in our Godley Station workshop. Thanks for writing with us this semester, Briana!

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BRIANA MENDOZA

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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CAMERON CHISHOLM Cameron is a great writer in our Godley Station workshop. Thanks for writing with us this semester, Cameron!

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CAMERON CHISHOLM

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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D’AMECIO SINGLETON D’Amecio is a great writer in our Godley Station workshop. Thanks for writing with us this semester, D’Amecio!

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D’AMECIO SINGLETON

DEKALB Where I come from, the sun is broad and bright, and at night the stars come and steal the sky.

The place I once roamed was the place I called home.

What is my home?

It’s where the stalks of corn blow.

Where I’ve taken lots of photos.

Where I’ve watched talk shows.

And where Native Americans used to hunt buffalo.

We moved away from home, and I was taken somewhere I didn’t know.

From what I heard, it was great, but it wasn’t what I yearned for.

And if I don’t go back every year, I get vertigo.

Where you can smell the freshly made dough.

The place I call home is 60 miles west of Chicago.

I want to walk with the wind hitting my face as the corn blows from side to side.

For this is the place I was born and raised.

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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HANNAH FLORES My name is Hannah Flores and, guess what, my first name means flower in Japanese, and my last name means flower in Spanish. So, my actual name is flower flower, if you translate it. I can describe myself as different. I am 13 years old, and I am from Florida. I can say Florida has the best Cuban food ever. I love watching comedy and playing cards. My favorite colors are blue and pink. My spirit animals are a panda and a unicorn. Also, I am mixed. I am two things: Caribbean and black.

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HANNAH FLORES

A TRUE LOVE STORY Once upon a time not long ago, there was a general named Lopez from Spain. He had a wife who couldn’t have kids at all, so he left her.

Then he traveled across the fine sea to a beautiful place called Trinidad and Tobago, originally for vacation, but he found love. So, drumroll please, she was my great-great-great-grandmother, and her name was Mary. She was tall and beautiful and had a sweet smile just like Blow Pops when you unwrap them. Then, two months later, General Lopez and Mary got married. Three months after they got married, they had a handsome son named Stevie, and after he was born, General Lopez got a letter from Spain calling him to report for duty.

After that, he left for Spain, writing a letter to his beautiful wife, saying until we meet again. Then the ship called.

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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ISABELLA FRAZIER Hello! My name is Isabella Frazier, and I am 13 years old. My international age is 15. My birthday is December 5th (same as Walt Disney), and I am a Sagittarius. I read and write when I feel the flow. Emotion? Write. Bored?

Write. Just Because? Write. I am an aspiring artist and entrepreneur. I have a lot of goals and things I want to do; sometimes it all gets jumbled up. I am currently learning French and Korean. I listen to K-pop, and I write activism poems as well as fictional stories based on myself. Not a social butterfly, but I can make a friend wherever I go.

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ISABELLA FRAZIER

LIFE DOESN’T STOP Sometimes, I just want life to stop.

Take a minute so I can catch my breath.

A break from the rude and annoying people, the large amount of work and disrespectful people, the stress of school.

So many things that make it harder to focus.

This is why I live by the quote, “Tired of school, but I have goals.”

To take just a little time where I’m not swamped, where my mind isn’t an angry river of to-do lists, missed opportunities, worries, obsessions, drama.

They make me anxious.

The missed opportunities that are missed because I’m too busy trying to organize the rest of my life, and thus, I have no time.

To take a little time where I am free, free of my daily tasks, time to enjoy myself responsibly and take a breather…

I would take that time to travel, make memories, meet people, enjoy the wonders of life.

Achieve the goals that I’m going to school for.

Learn as many languages as I can.

I would treat the time as a long summer vacation and just enjoy the earth.

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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Don’t we all wish for that?

But life doesn’t stop.

I still have to read poems out loud in front of the people I see every day.

I still have to sell cookies.

I still have to take notes, do homework, turn crap in on time.

I still have to keep moving.

But it’s complicated.

I don’t want to sell cookies; I want to sell things that will make me money.

I don’t just want to read to the people I see every day.

I want to read to the world.

I don’t want a time limit on my work, because I want to do my best.

Sometimes I do not want to do these things: I want to relax, learn something else, see other people, not the ones in my class that I’ve seen for four years straight.

Because life doesn’t stop for anyone.

Change the impression of your life from being a maxed-out wasteland and turn it into a vast ocean with tons of new things and others to be discovered.

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ISABELLA FRAZIER

Instead of looking at it as a lot of things I would like to do or have to do, I look at it as a tree.

I am the center; art, dancing, rapping, and writing are my main branches, and each of the branches has their own, which can all lead to new opportunities.

Sometimes I limit myself to one branch, and the other branches begin to die.

I become blind to the other things I’m capable of or can be capable of, and it hurts me.

Therefore, I cannot really describe these things, because I have yet to see them for myself.

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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JADEN COX Jaden is a great writer in our Godley Station workshop. Thanks for writing with us this semester, Jaden!

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JADEN COX

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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NAIARA REYES I’m Naiara Reyes. I am a 12-year-old girl in middle school. I like anime, drawing, video games, sleeping, and German Shepherds. I usually don’t talk about myself. I like to let my actions speak for me. What I was feeling while writing this was hatred and sadness. I truly didn’t think that this might get published. I sometimes didn’t think I was good enough to become an author, but if people actually like this, it might change my mind. I love when one of the characters is unhappy—it makes me question what they’re going to do about it.

Will it be positive or negative? I also like fantasy. The Harry Potter franchise is my favorite of all time. That’s a little about me. Thanks for reading.

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NAIARA REYES

THE GIRL IN THE DARKNESS The girl by the school wall sits still, unnoticed, silent, staring. All she does is stare and sit.

The girl who gets the best grades, the girl who never gets punished, the girl who hides behind a mask, who has the popular friends, but looks like none of it amuses her.

When that vibrant girl gets a break, she breaks away, away from the world, becoming a soul away from its body, a still puppet hiding under a hood, ready to awaken.

Sometimes I wonder what she thinks, what she feels, and what she’s hiding.

The bell rings, and the hood is taken off, but the mask gets put on: from a still puppet to a vibrant girl.

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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A MOTHER’S BREAKING HEART Mimi put down the note and left the house feeling free, like a weight was lifted off her shoulders.

Mimi went to the bus stop, never to be heard from again.

Mimi was feeling a little regretful, knowing that she probably just signed a waiver never to see her mom again, but she knew that it was better that way.

When Ms. Bridge came out of the kitchen, she felt that something was missing.

She didn’t feel whole: like a big piece of her was missing. She couldn’t tell, so she left it alone. As night fell, she knew that something was wrong.

She then noticed a note on the coffee table. She read it; her youngest was gone, never to be heard from again. Ms. Bridge was devastated.

She never realized that she was that careless.

Ms. Bridge was never the same. She became aggressive, angry, and destructive, until the one she thought was there for her left.

Ms. Bridge was officially alone.

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NAIARA REYES

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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NAVIYA WILLIAMS Hi, my name is Naviya Williams. I am 12 years old; birthday: March 20th.

I read and write because they calm me down. I am always in a funny mood.

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NAVIYA WILLIAMS

SUNSET OF COTTON CANDY I was born in Cleveland, Ohio. In Ohio, there is not much to do, and most of the people are not nice at all, because they don’t take things seriously, so they can get a little angry over little things that people say.

On that Monday in Ohio, I played with my brand-new art supplies.

I had gotten them for my birthday; they were really expensive. There were colored pencils and a book to draw in, and the next day, my cousins came over to play with my new things, because they loved art as well. We started to play a game about who could draw the most. My cousins and I drew cartoon characters. It was very fun. Drawing made me feel more interested in things.

Now I live in Savannah, Georgia, where it is bright, and it seems like the people are all respectful, and my neighborhood is peaceful.

The first day when I had moved into my new neighborhood, I noticed something unusual, and that was the neighborhood being so quiet.

Usually, back in Ohio, people played music all day, nonstop.

There are lots of lakes and rivers, and there are amazing sunrises and sunsets; when there is a sunset, the sky looks like cotton candy.

The night that I moved in, my whole family went outside before dark, and it was so nice. It made me feel so relaxed, because I’d never seen something that was so beautiful. If any family would like to visit or move here, well, they have come to the right place.

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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NE’LA BROWN Ne’ la is a great writer in our Godley Station workshop. Thanks for writing with us this semester, Ne’ la!

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NE’LA BROWN

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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SEBASTIAN MANNING My name is Sebastian Manning. I really like writing, because it helps me calm down if I ever get mad. I am from Charleston, South Carolina. They don’t get much snow, but in the summertime, it is awesome there. My favorite color is orange. My parents call me Bass.

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SEBASTIAN MANNING

THE BEST PLAN TO ESCAPE SCHOOL Skyflyer, the dragon, wanted to go home from school, because he didn’t like it—all of his teachers hated him. But he couldn’t escape if anybody could see him. He needed a plan to get out. His friend Cliffhanger was sitting beside him and wanted to escape school, too, but if Sobek saw them leave the classroom, he would tell the teacher that they were going to leave school and get them suspended. After school that day, Skyflyer and Cliffhanger met up at Cliffhanger’s house, since nobody was home.

They talked and drew an outline of the school, making sure to mark where the exit doors were.

“But how exactly are we going to escape?” asked Cliffhanger.

“Let me think,” Skyflyer replied.

But then the two heard the front door opening, and they both knew it was Cliffhanger’s parents. Skyflyer needed to leave fast, or else their little plan would be ruined. He looked up and saw a hole in the ceiling that was just big enough for him to fly through. As Cliffhanger’s parents walked through the door, Skyflyer zoomed out of the hole, quick as lightning.

By the time they were in school the next day, Skyflyer had his plan.

He and Cliffhanger just had to wait until third block, because it was their only class that wasn’t on the second level of the school. When they made it to third block, Skyflyer told Cliffhanger the plan.

“My brother is going to act like he’s picking us up,” he whispered.

“This will help us escape.”

Just as planned, the front office called their third-period teacher and asked for Skyflyer and Cliffhanger. Once she was done with the call, she told the two to pack their things, because they were leaving early. The two got up and left, victorious.

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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SERGIO ANTONIO VARGAS Sergio is a great writer in our Godley Station workshop. Thanks for writing with us this semester, Sergio!

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SERGIO ANTONIO VARGAS

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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TRISTAN EURE Tristan is a great writer in our Godley Station workshop. Thanks for writing with us this semester, Tristan!

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TRISTAN EURE

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL

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GA-25

Godley Station

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Mercer Middle

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West Chatham Middle Garrison SVPA

East Broad Street Hubert Middle Savannah Classical

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V ic t

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Dr

Charles Ellis

DeRenne Middle

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Pk

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Oglethorpe Charter

STEM Academy Pk an m

Hesse

MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL

Tr u

Georgetown

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Southwest Middle

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Abe

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Myers Middle

Isle of Hope

201 ROMMEL AVENUE, SAVANNAH, GA 31408

Desireé Thomas, Deep Ed Fellow, teaches English-language arts, and has brought the Young Author Project to the students at Mercer Middle School since 2019.

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ABOUT OUR WORKSHOP Though this semester at Mercer was cut short, we still saw incredible work and progress from our writers. We cannot be prouder of their work and dedication to their writing. Despite everything that happened, their imaginative and fearless voices are something that never fails to cheer us up. We hope that they do the same with you. —Anthonella and Martina

MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL

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APRIL MONTOYA SIERRA Hello! Just a normal Kinnie here with some writing! Most of my works are comfort works that feature a character I kin. I’ ll be starting to write more on AO3. I hope you enjoy my story!

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APRIL MONTOYA SIERRA

CHOCOLATES FOR YOU 1… 2… 3…

1… 2… 3…

1… 2… 3…

Numbers. Repeating with every beat from the drum set. Neverending sequences. Voices in harmony could be heard in the practice room, but alas. A final beat ended their harmony.

Sweat began to roll down as she carried a grin on her face. She looked around at her bandmates and let a chuckle out.

“That was pretty cool for a first run!” She spoke in a cheery but raspy tone.

The other four members turned to her, smiles plastered on their faces.

“Tomo-chiiiiin, you seem sweaty. Do you need Moca-chan’s rag?”

Tomoe couldn’t help but laugh again and shook her head. She got up and placed her drumsticks down. Her hand went into her pocket and pulled a small handkerchief out of it. “No, thanks. I have my own.”

She quickly dried the sweat off and checked the time on her phone.

6:24… Tomoe let a sigh out and stood up. She went to the door and spoke in a low but reassuring tone. “Sorry guys, I gotta go home now.

I’ll make it up tomorrow, though.” After her parting words, she left. ***

Tomoe entered her house with a bag of groceries. Her movements were quick but quiet as she went into the kitchen. She had a plan. It wasn’t big, but she had one. She pondered on it for a while. Should she do it? She had no experience, but she wanted to do something special for the people who gave her something.

Her hands reached into the bag and pulled out a few ingredients to make chocolates. She placed them on the counter and took a deep breath. She was overthinking it, but why wouldn’t she? She had never made chocolates, and she had no experience. Perhaps an article would help.

MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL

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Should I ask Tsugu for help? …No… I have to do this on my own… A sigh escaped her lips. She looked up an article on how to make a basic chocolate base and began to follow the steps.

How can such a simple sweet be so hard to make? she thought as her eyebrows slightly furrowed. Her hands held a spoon which was mixing a smooth mixture with a few chunks. She eyed the chunks as she didn’t know how to get rid of them, but allowed them to stay since it was her first time.

After her mixture was as smooth as she could make it, she got her molds out. Another glance at the article helped her slowly pour some of the melted chocolate into the molds. She picked the molds up and placed them into the fridge to cool down. She had a lot of chocolate left, which allowed her to keep repeating the process until she got enough chocolates to give to many people.

“That should be enough. I just have to wait for a while now. Maybe decorating bags and making notes is a good idea.” Tomoe grinned and made her way to her room. It was perfect. Chocolates with a note as a simple thank you to her friends and the people who had given her things. It was all simply perfect!

Tomoe entered her room and got a pen from a box. She also got a few small papers to make notes before heading downstairs again.

What should she write on them? A simple thank you? That would be good, but it was too simple for her. Maybe a thank you to every person personally? That was too much, now. A thank you dedicated to everyone? That sounded like something better.

She sat down at the kitchen table, a stack of paper on the table and a pen in hand. Decorative bags were lying next to the paper. Her hand took a note and began to write on it. A thank you was written on it, thanking everyone who had done something for her.

Tomoe spent a long time doing this. So long that she even forgot about the chocolates for a while, but she didn’t stop until all of the notes were written.

Once all of them were done, she took the chocolates out of the fridge. They seemed great to her. She then spent a few hours decorating the chocolates before carefully placing them into the bags.

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APRIL MONTOYA SIERRA

That should be good, now. I just need to pass them out tomorrow.

Maybe I’ ll ask for some help from someone tomorrow, she thought in her mind.

Tomoe couldn’t help but smile as she made her way upstairs. She entered her room and immediately flopped onto her bed, not bothering to change out of her current clothes. Despite having a lot on her mind, she fell asleep. She was excited for the next day.

MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL

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BRYAN GARCIA RIVERA A positive and loyal little creative who likes to hang out with his little brother.

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BRYAN GARCIA RIVERA

TRIO OF ANTIHEROES There are three antiheroes who have been friends for many years. Their job is to save innocent lives from being killed. All three live in one hideout with different rooms and different pictures on the front of their doors. Ty has fire as his picture, Nin has a kunai or ninja knife, and Aqua has rain drops. Ty is very neutral, unless you get on his bad side.

His hair is fire, and he doesn’t really have a face. Nin is a ninja who dedicates his life to fighting crime; as a kid, his family was killed by his older brother. He’s very silent whenever Ty or Aqua gets hurt, because that’s the only family he has now. Aqua is very nice. She and Ty have similar personalities, but Aqua is a peacemaker. She goes to the ocean every morning to take care of the animals by giving them food and cleaning the ocean by collecting trash from the shore.

At one point, all the antiheroes have to evacuate because the antagonists come looking for a fight. Ty handles them while Nin and Aqua go to their underground hiding spot where all their training is done.

Ty has always been the outcast. On this day, the antagonists were jumping him, and fire releases from his hands, accidentally burning some kids. The antagonists are Iron, Trey, and Sunny. Iron’s a bad guy who’s strong and has a hammer and chain. Trey is the shadow. He can take the form of anything he wants, and he really doesn’t get along with Iron because he brags too much. Sunny is the sun if the sun were evil, because she likes to betray people, especially Iron. The one thing they have in common is that they don’t like the antiheroes, because they don’t like them saving people. Once they defeat the antiheroes, Sunny and Trey will take out Iron and run the antagonists.

When the antagonists come to fight the antiheroes, Trey and Iron get in a huge argument, giving Ty the upper hand. Ty sets a booby trap and wins the fight by holding Iron and Trey against their will. Sunny, who originally didn’t want to come to the fight, senses that something happened. She arrives at the booby trap and sees the two there in a cage. She blows up the trap and starts laughing. Since that day, the antagonist’s mission has been to defeat the antiheroes.

MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL

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BLUE BALLOON Mickey went to the zoo, and when he was leaving, he saw a blue balloon; blue was Mickey’s favorite color. Mickey’s parents bought him the balloon, and when he was grabbing ice cream, he let it go and started to cry.

Mickey wasn’t going to give up on finding his blue balloon; he could see it in the trees. So, he crossed the highway into the woods to find it. His parents bought him another balloon and realized that Mickey was missing. Mickey’s balloon was stuck on a green pine tree in the forest, so he climbed the tree to reach it.

When he reached it, his parents told him to get down. His dad told him to grab the new balloon instead, so he did, and when he did, he fell in ice, nice and easy. His parents picked him up and started hugging and kissing him. When he got home, Mickey had two blue balloons in his room, and in the morning, he found ten blue balloons, thick pancakes, and kisses from his parents.

MY TRAITS Impatient I can’t wait for anything.

Talkative Look at me for a second, and I’ll start talking.

Fat Look at me!

Half-funny Half of the time, when I make a joke, people laugh.

Nice I’m just nice.

Loyal I will not talk behind anyone’s back.

I’m understanding, I listen,

and I’m a good friend.

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BRYAN GARCIA RIVERA

MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL

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CKY CANNON We loved having Cky in our workshop this year, even though we didn’t get to work on any writing with her virtually.

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CKY CANNON

MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL

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ELEESA HALL We loved having Eleesa in our workshop this year, even though we didn’t get to work on any writing with her virtually.

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ELEESA HALL

MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL

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KALEB TAWRENCE While we weren’t able to work on revision virtually with Kaleb, please enjoy some of his wonderful artwork.

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KALEB TAWRENCE

MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL

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KATERIN GALEANO AYALA Katerin is one of the best people you’ ll ever meet. She’s warm, funny, and so great to have in our Deep workshops!

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KATERIN GALEANO AYALA

CYCLONE I found me someone— think that this one is going to last.

I think he’s the one.

He’s understanding and caring, and I believe that we gonna last.

I remember the first day we met like it was yesterday.

He was nice, with a bright smile on his face that made me blush.

He would comment on my dimples.

He was like a cyclone.

He pulled me in.

I was stuck staring into his color-changing brown eyes.

His hair was so curly that when running my fingers through it, my fingers would get stuck as if he wanted me to stay.

He folded my hand in his, and his hands were warm and soft.

Just a moment that I will never forget.

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SOLIEL WILLIAMS Hi, my name is Soleil Williams. I was born a Capricorn. I live with a mom, a dad, a brother, another brother, another brother, and a grandmother, and I like art. My favorite kind is drawing. The weirdest thing about myself is I like sleeping. If I were a flower, I would be a rose.

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SOLIEL WILLIAMS

STRUGGLE TO GET TO MIAMI I hadn’t seen my grandmother in a long time, ever since I moved to New York City when I was nine years old. I was excited to see her, but I was also nervous that she may have changed or died or become depressed or unhappy. I was 26 now, so it had been a long time. These thoughts made me sick inside, like I was going to throw up all my yogurt. I wanted my grandmother to feel happy.

My grandmother had dark brown hair and always wore pants with a logo top. She cared about me a lot. I remembered playing outside with her when I was nine. I had a playset outside the house, and I was on the swing set. It was breezy. On the swings, I saw the garage, the house, the trees, the neighbors, and the street. I felt comfortable and happy.

“You’re the sweetest bundle of joy I’ve ever had,” my grandmother told me. She smelled like roses because she was a gardener. The backyard was full of the roses she had planted.

My grandma still lived in that house. I worried about the changes in the house: maybe it would be dirty or trashy. My grandma might be sick or overworked.

No, I’ve planned for this for a long time, and I’m not going to let these thoughts make me reconsider, I thought. I grabbed my suitcase and drove over to the nearest airport and joined the long snake line.

You just couldn’t imagine how long I had to wait in that line! The line almost, but not quite, reached the street. I saw a taller older man, a family, a young teenager, a child, and an old lady with a dog, but I was too worried about missing the flight to think about anything else. I was worried the plane would take off without me.

By the time I managed to get to the security guards, it was already 5:57 p.m. I was worried sick that I was about to miss my deadline. My hands started to shake uncontrollably as I walked up to the guard.

“Bag, please,” she said. She was impatient and said it was her first day.

Before I could give her my luggage, I dropped it onto the hard concrete floor.

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The luggage burst open. My clothes, sunglasses, and water bottle fell out, as well as a photo of me and my grandma. It wasn’t in a frame, so it didn’t break. The photo was of the last time I had seen my grandma, when I was nine years old. In the photo, I was beside my grandma, leaning on her. We were near some trees by the garage. We were both smiling. We felt so comfortable with each other.

I tried to pick up all my things, and the impatient worker rolled her eyes. Everyone behind me sighed. I was feeling embarrassed, but I got everything back into the suitcase. I placed the photo back in last.

The guard just rolled her eyes…

Even nice people reach their limit sometime, I thought. I quickly picked up my bag.

“Ma’am, are you okay?” she asked, annoyingly.

“Uh, yeah,” I replied.

“How long will this take?” she asked. “Shorter than this, or longer?”

I gave her my bag as soon as possible. I was already tired of her! She seemed happier once I gave her my purse and luggage, and so did the people behind me.

As I got on the plane, I started to have a bad feeling. It made me think of 9/11, something that happened back in 2001. I tried not to be sad, but I was scared of plane crashes. I wanted to take this trip anyway.

I wanted to see my grandma again. I’d always wanted to see my grandma again, ever since moving. I missed her. I couldn’t wait any longer, because I was so worried. I couldn’t wait to talk to my grandma and make up for lost time. I wanted to make sure my grandma was okay and spend time with her. I wanted to go on walks with her—after all, my grandma still gardened.

The ride was bumpy and smooth, but I still thought of my grandmother’s reaction when I arrive to Miami four hours late. Just thinking about it made me fall asleep.

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SOLIEL WILLIAMS

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TONISE JONES We loved having Tonise in our workshop this year, even though we didn’t get to work on any writing with her virtually.

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TONISE JONES

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GA-25

Godley Station

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Mercer Middle

HW

1 Y-

7

W

E S

West Chatham Middle Garrison SVPA

East Broad Street Hubert Middle Savannah Classica

I-95

I-1 6

V ic t

ory

Dr

Charles Ellis

DeRenne Middle

t Ve

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n ra

kw

y

Oglethorpe Char

STEM Academy Pk an m

Hesse

Tr u

Georgetown

SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL

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Southwest Middle

sP

Abe

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rn S t

Myers Middle

Isle of Hope

6380 OGEECHEE ROAD, SAVANNAH, GA 31419

Matthew Wittenberg, Deep Ed Fellow, has brought the Young Author Project to the students at Southwest Middle School since 2018.

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ABOUT OUR WORKSHOP This is a workshop that never has to fish for compliments, because their writing style is always off the hook! As the newest big fish in a pond of returning and new writers, we explored through the channels of fictional writing and recipe development. We hope that you’re as hooked on our young people’s writing as we are, because we truly think they are a treasure. Yo, ho ho!

—Martina and Anthonella

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AYANNAH CHAREE SMITH Ayannah is a sixth-grade student at Southwest Middle School. Thanks for being in our workshop this semester, Ayannah!

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AYANNAH CHAREE SMITH

MY DAD’S FRIED CHICKEN As I walked out of my room to go downstairs, I smelled fried chicken.

My big brother ran out of his room and said, “Is that chicken I smell?” I took off down the stairs, because every time he said that, he meant that he was going to take all the chicken, and he didn’t want to share.

When I got downstairs, my brother and I started to fight over the biggest piece of chicken. We both saw the piece and looked at each other, determined to get it. My brother was too fast! Well, we were neck and neck, until my big brother grabbed it before me. I didn’t want to cause a bigger fight than we already had, so I told him that next time, I was getting the biggest piece of chicken.

My dad’s crispy, juicy fried chicken was a secret recipe that I couldn’t tell anyone about, but the tip was to use lots of seasoning to give it more flavor.

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BRANDA SAM I love art, writing stories, and eating chicken!

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BRANDA SAM

A PIECE OF ME My parents couldn’t find the right name for me, so my sister did. My older sister, who was eight years old at the time that I was born, had been thinking about the perfect name for me. She couldn’t decide what to name me, but she knew that the name had to start with the letter B. My sister loves pandas, and she knew she loved me, so she decided to call me Branda.

I love my name, especially because it’s so unique. My parents love it because they think it fits a writer; they even say that my handwriting is like a poet’s. I love that about myself!

THE LOVELY GIRL My name is Isabella, or Artist Isabella, as my friends call me, and I love to eat seafood and draw. Next week, I’m going to view my artwork in an art museum, and I couldn’t be more excited. My teacher asked me to create a Valentine’s Day poster for my school, and I did just that. My red and pink heart poster with flying unicorns and a rainbow will be on display at the local art museum for all to see. I’m happy about how my masterpiece turned out, and I cannot wait to show my friends and family.

The day arrives, and I’m so happy that I want to cry! We’re less than a minute to the downtown museum, and when we arrive, on display in the window is my unicorn heart poster. My friends and family are surprised when they see my art, because they didn’t know I could draw.

It’s my first time having my artwork in a museum, and I know that my creativity has paid off. I walk around and see all the other paintings on display, and they too are so pretty. To celebrate my first displayed art, my family and I head to the beach to eat my favorite food—seafood.

I’m so inspired by this night that I decide that I want to be an art teacher, so that I can teach other children to draw in the future.

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CAY’LEN ALLEN Thanks for being in our workshop this semester, Cay’ len!

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CAY’LEN ALLEN

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CORBIN DEVLIEGER My name is Corbin Devlieger. I am 12 years old, and I was born on September 3, 2007. I love playing basketball, games, reading, and writing. I started writing about a book that inspired me to write more when I was five years old.

My first-grade teacher told me that she still reads this book to her classes, and her students love it. I am so blessed to have my name in a book, and I hope this won’t be the last time. Lots of books still inspire me, such as: The Body, IT, and The Red Pyramid.

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CORBIN DEVLIEGER

FINDING OSCAR I originally wrote a story called “Finding Marlin.” As you probably know, Marlin is owned by Pixar, so I changed all the names of my characters.

Goldy wakes up at 10:30 a.m. and can’t find his dad. He needs Chiclid’s help to find his dad, so he goes to school to find Chiclid.

Chiclid is an assistant teacher for the school, so Goldy knows she should be there. They live underwater in a beautiful reef, and Oscar usually never leaves home. ***

Fifteen minutes later…

Goldy finds Chiclid. “Chiclid! Where’s my dad?” Goldy asks.

“I know where. Oh no! I forgot.”

Goldy and Chiclid are in search of Oscar. “Dad!” Goldy yells.

“Uh, Dad!” Chiclid yells. He isn’t in sight.

Goldy knows Chiclid has memory loss, and there is a big possibility that Chiclid will get lost along with Oscar.

“Hey, Golfer...Grefer...Goddy!” Chiclid says.

“My name is Goldy! You know, you should just go home! All you do is forget everything, and you can’t help at all!” Goldy yells.

Chiclid sighs. “Okay. I know. I can’t remember anything. I am just a dumb fish,” Chiclid says sadly. Chiclid swims home.

Little does Goldy know, Chiclid swims home to where Oscar is.

Both set up a plan to surprise Goldy for his birthday. Chiclid swims home quickly to find Oscar at home preparing for the party. There’s food, games, and other cool things to do. ***

Meanwhile...

Goldy is still searching for Oscar. Goldy sighs. “I give up!

My dad will come back later.” Goldy swims home with a face of disappointment.

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***

Thirty minutes later…

Goldy finally gets home and swims inside. The lights are off, which is unusual, because Goldy is extremely scared of the dark. He tries his best to find the light switch and turns the lights on.

“Surprise!” Chiclid and Oscar yell.

Goldy is so happy. He has been so worried about his dad and that his dad would forget it was his birthday. Goldy sees food, games, and all his family. He swims to give everyone a big hug.

Goldy and his family yell, “Let’s have a party!”

So that is what they do.

Goldy and his family have an awesome day. They will always be the best fish in the sea.

The End

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CORBIN DEVLIEGER

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JADED DIAZ Jaded is a sixth-grade student at Southwest Middle School. Thanks for being in our writing workshop this semester, Jaded!

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JADED DIAZ

BULLYING I’m gonna tell you something that “everybody” should already know: that we should stop the bullying, guys. Really, we should stop. People like teens, adults, and kids are harming themselves, because they want to get rid of the pain from people who keep picking on them a lot.

If you’re one of the people who keep getting bullied, you know what to do: ignore them. Just ignore them. Sometimes they can get annoying, and they will get mad. You know what the bullies want?

Attention, as always.

Do you know why they bully you? Have you ever asked yourself what you have done to get them angry? Well, let me tell you something: the thing is, they are jealous of how you look, of how smart you are, and of your personality. That’s all. They want to be better than you, so remember, try not to fall with them, because there will be lots and lots of trouble, and there won’t be a way to get out if you are in a friendship with your enemy.

Just try to ignore them and don’t be friends with a bully unless they give up and are nice to you, but there are people whom you can really trust, so what should we do? We should stop the bullying.

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JARINEL VASQUEZ Jarinel is a sixth-grade student at Southwest Middle School. Thanks for being in our workshop this semester, Jarinel!

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JARINEL VASQUEZ

MY BEST FRIEND BETRAYED ME So, there was this new boy who had just gotten to our school. I was his first friend. We hung out all the time. I started to like him, and he started to like me. But, like, two days later, she started to like him.

I didn’t know what to do. As the days went by, they got closer.

She dyed her hair to get his attention. She made up some fake problems that were happening at home just to get attention. She did a lot of stuff to get attention. I was scared they would get together. I was scared she would dump me for him. I was scared a lot of things would happen.

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JO’MIAH MONA JAMISON Hi, my name is Jo’miah, and I am 12 years old. My birthday is December 2nd, and I am a Sagittarius. I like to read and write, because they put me in a relaxing, quiet, and calm mood. I am normally talkative, funny, and very independent. When I get older, I would love to be a chef or a cosmetologist.

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JO’MIAH MONA JAMISON

LEAVING THE SOUTH Brown box in the big white U-Haul truck. Visions going through my mind. People surrounding me. I don’t know whether to turn right or left. Men with baggy overalls and big brown boots carrying the TV. Mama talking to the real estate man. All my neighbors coming over saying goodbye.

March, march, boom are the sounds coming from the men carrying the boxes. “Come on now, get in this car. No time to waste!” Mama says, as tears come down my brown cheeks. I’m going to miss the people in my neighborhood. I don’t have many friends, but I will miss the few friends I do have. Savannah is the place I was born; I never thought I would leave. At least, not at this time. Boom, boom: the U-Haul truck doors close. Birds begin to chirp, dogs bark, and cats roam.

In the car I go. So, so many memories. I can’t say goodbye. I open my mom’s creaking car door, and it makes me remember when Mama got in her first accident in this car. There’s also the smell of greasy pizza and old air. There I am, sitting in the front seat as I click my seat belt and turn the air vent closer to me. The air in the car is blasting: swish.

Old tunes on. I can smell the Savannah air going away.

The sky is getting bluer, and the moon is getting grayer, while the stars are glistening in the sky. Shhh: the shooting star shoots across the sky, wishing to come back to Savannah. Closing my eyes, I let the seat recline. The old tunes are playing, the air is blasting, and my mama is driving to Atlanta. I’m not so sure about this. I am going to have to start all over, find a different school, make new friends, and meet new people in my neighborhood.

Moving away is harder when the memories are hefty. I feel like my heart is just ripping apart. Mama said it was best for us to move, but she wouldn’t tell me why. I kept asking her, but she wouldn’t tell me, so I just left it alone.

We stop for gas, and she asks me if I want anything, and I say, “No, thank you.” I’m too sad to eat. I turn to look at Mama through the window as she pumps gas, and she doesn’t look so happy. I think she’s sad about moving, too. She finishes pumping gas and gets back in the car.

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When I turn towards her, I panic. She has a bottle of beer; this isn’t like her. There’s something she’s hiding. She opens the beer and takes a sip. She looks at me and says, “Are you okay?”

I stumble on my words and say, “Yes, yes, yes.”

She asks again, “Are you sure?”

I again say, “Yes.” She says, “Okay, sit back.”

I sit back, and she starts driving and drinking. I’m scared. I want to tell her to pull over and take a nap, but we continue driving, and Mama stops drinking. I get less nervous. I reach towards the back seat to grab a blanket, and I lie back and cover myself and close my eyes. Mama’s tunes are still playing, and the stars are still glistening. Two hours later, we arrive in Atlanta. There are so many lanes and a lot of chicken wing spots. The night is coming to an end.

I guess sometimes the place you are used to is not the place you belong.

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JO’MIAH MONA JAMISON

FRIGHT NIGHT The most frightening thing I have ever done was almost catch the kitchen on fire.

I was in the kitchen making noodles on the stove. Next to the stove was a pizza box that I didn’t think was close to the fire. As I stirred my noodles, I went back into my room to kill some time while I waited for them to finish. Five minutes later, I smelled something burning. I went into the kitchen, thinking it was my noodles, but it was the pizza box! I tried to put the big orange flames out with water, but they wouldn’t go out. I was in tears; I didn’t know what to do. So, I ran into my mother’s room and yelled, “Mama, the house is on fire!”

She ran out of bed and went into the kitchen. She threw water on the flames, too. Then she told me to find the fire extinguisher. I grabbed it out of the cabinet and gave it to her. She sprayed it until the fire was put out, and then she told me to go to my room.

I ran into my room and started to cry. I kept doubting myself; I thought I was a horrible child. I cried the whole night. A few minutes later, my mom came to talk to me, hugged me, and said everything was going to be okay. I learned that before you start cooking, make sure nothing is around the stove, and pay attention to every detail.

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KAITLYNN M. HOUGH Kaitlyn is a sixth grader at Southwest Middle School. Thanks for being in our workshop this semester, Kaitlynn!

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KAITLYNN M. HOUGH

UNTITLED Shinomiya and Nanashima walked down the hall, looking for Serinuma.

“You know, little boy, I think you’re missing your snack time,” Nanashima said.

“My class let out early, so I’m fine,” Shinomiya said.

Nana growled, but quickly said, “Why don’t you leave Serinuma alone? That means less competition for me!”

Shino got mad and tried to punch Nana, but when he tried, Nana pushed him lightly, and he fell.

Conveniently, they were in front of the history club, which is where Serinuma happened to be.

Then Watashi, Igarashi, and Serinuma came out of the room to see Shino on the ground, with Nana laughing.

“What is going on here?” said Serinuma.

“Is everything okay?” Watashi said, after Serinuma.

Nana noticed Serinuma. “Oh, uh, nothing, Serinuma,” Nana said, as he quickly picked Shino up.

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VERONICA VERA My name is Veronica Vera, I’m 11 years old, and my birthday is August 2nd, so that makes me a Leo. I read and write when I feel sad. I’m also short and talkative. Sometimes I talk too much, and you might get annoyed, but I know how to be quiet sometimes.

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VERONICA VERA

THE SEAFOOD LOVER Foodie’s first time catching a fish was at the age of 11, when she used to live in Mexico. Foodie had always loved seafood. Crab, shrimp, and lobsters lived in the sea, where Foodie had swum before, and eating them always reminded her of the days when she used to fish with her father.

When Foodie was 13, she moved to California with her parents after her mom was stationed there by the military. Once again, Foodie spent her days in the sea. She even learned how to swim in the California waters. Her time at sea reminded her of when she spent time with her grandfather in Mexico, who made a very spicy shrimp entrée with his specialty hot sauce that Foodie loved. Foodie’s dad was the only other person that knew how to make their grandfather’s secret hot sauce, and he never had time to teach Foodie how to make it, so she had to wait for him to enjoy her favorite meal.

As Foodie became older, she saw a job ad to become a seafood test taster. Foodie knew she would love this job, because there was nothing that she enjoyed more than seafood. Foodie got the job without a problem, and then she began to set her sights on her lifelong dream of opening her own seafood restaurant in New York. She wanted to introduce the East Coast to her family’s spicy shrimp recipe and her grandfather’s secret hot sauce. Foodie was afraid to move to New York, because she didn’t want to leave her family, but she knew she must follow her dreams, so she started culinary school and eventually became a chef.

Foodie opened her first restaurant in New York after graduation, and her family came along to serve as her waiters for her grand opening day. The grand opening was a success, but the spicy shrimp entrée received many mixed reviews. A lot of New Yorkers didn’t like it because of how spicy it was. The heat from her family’s hot sauce was way too much for a city that wasn’t known for spicy food.

Foodie’s restaurant continued to be successful and, over time, a New York favorite. It became so popular that her whole family moved from California to help her with the restaurant, and this made Foodie happy, because she’d made such a big move without them, and now they got to enjoy working together at her restaurant.

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GA-25

Godley Station

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Mercer Middle

HW

Y-

17

W

E S

West Chatham Middle Garrison SVPA

East Broad Street Hubert Middle Savannah Classica

I-95

I-1 6

V ic t

ory

Dr

Charles Ellis

DeRenne Middle

t Ve

ns

Pk

wy

Oglethorpe Char

STEM Academy Pk an m

Hesse

WEST CHATHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL

Tr u

Georgetown

w

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Southwest Middle

a er

Abe

rco

rn S t

Myers Middle

Isle of Hope

800 PINE BARREN ROAD, POOLER, GA 31322

Laura Hooks, Deep Ed Fellow, teaches English-language arts and has brought the Young Author Project to the students at West Chatham Middle School since 2014.

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ABOUT OUR WORKSHOP “This is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard your non-stop flight to adventure, fantasy, and pure energy. Buckle your seatbelts and keep them buckled until this flight has landed.”

This is what I heard inside my head when I first walked into West Chatham Middle School and into the Deep classroom, where 15 young adults had assembled. Maybe it was the water from the drinking fountain or something they served in the cafeteria, or maybe it was just the self-generated energy of these amazing writers and storytellers, but if I had to describe my feelings during that first meeting in one word, it would be “shocked.”

I expected meekness. Maybe a bit of trepidation. Oh no, none of that. The energy was off the chart.

Emily and I dove for cover under a couple of desks and looked at each other with shock.

“What now? Should we make a run for it, or join them?” we asked.

Well, we joined them. And the promise the captain inside my head made of adventure, fantasy, and pure energy did not do justice to what Emily and I experienced in the reality of that classroom. I did not expect the level of creativity and sophistication of writing that came from them. And it wasn’t from just a few. It was from everyone. You think we’re exaggerating? Read their stories. We are so proud of them.

And we are proud to be a part of Deep for giving these young people and us this life-enhancing opportunity.

PS Emily and I have already reserved seats for the next flight.

—Ken (and Emily) WEST CHATHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL

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ABBY JACKSON Abby is a wonderful writer in our West Chatham workshop. Thanks for letting us work with you, Abby!

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ABBY JACKSON

NEED TO KNOW My name is Abigail, but I like to go by Abby. I used to live in Brooklet, but now I live in Pooler. I am 12 years old, and my birthday is November 5th. I live with my mom and two siblings, which can be kind of boring, but it’s still fantastic. I have an older brother and a sister, but we still spend time together by shopping or going out to eat.

I love singing, because it puts me in a calm headspace. I mostly listen to hip hop and R&B. I like to read so that I can constantly learn new things, and I’ll read anything from drama to horror, and sometimes nonfiction. I watch TV to relax, but I also love scary movies.

A lot of scary movies can start to lose their spooky factor and get boring as they go on, but I still enjoy them. I really love Youtube, so much so that it’s what you can usually find me doing at home. I’m not really into anime or sports like most of the people around me, but that’s not the only way I’m different from them. I’m also double jointed and am known to eat a lot of Taco Bell.

I’m usually pretty nice, but if someone or something gets on my nerves, I can get mad. I’m not shy about showing these feelings, either.

When I’m mad enough, I run straight to my room and slam the door.

My anger is loud and quick, but I care about people with the same kind of intensity.

I have a pet dog named Gala, but she stays with my dad because we aren’t allowed to have pets in my house. I have three best friends named Miracle, Summer, and Sage. Miracle is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, and one of the funniest, too. Summer is always helpful and caring. Sage is a talented artist and shares everything. We all like memes and funny videos. My favorite thing is my pillow, and I always make sure to take it on long trips, because I love sleeping that much.

That’s all you need to know about Abby Jackson!

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ANGEL “ENIGMA” PRICE-MONTGOMERY Hello, everyone! My name is Angel, but I also like to go by Enigma. I am 13 years old, and I go to West Chatham Middle School. I love to write, sing, and be creative. I hope you like my piece and have a blessed day. Love ya!

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ANGEL “ENIGMA” PRICE-MONTGOMERY

BEAUTIFUL MONSTER Run. The one ravenous word that boomerangs around in my head after I see a man get beaten to death by an eerily-captivating monster.

I quickly start to walk backwards, only to bump into a trash can. The sound of metal clanging fills the dark alley. The monster of a man slowly turns toward me and says words I never thought could be menacing. “Hello there, piccola,” he says, in a husky voice with a slight Italian accent. He starts taking long strides towards me, and my breathing seizes.

I quickly start taking steps back, only for him to keep advancing. “I didn’t see anything. I just wanna get home, okay? So I’ll be on my way,” I say, trembling. As soon as my sentence ends, he abruptly steps closer and cocks his head to the side with amusement in his eyes.

Now I can actually see him, and oh, what a sight. His tousled dark brown waves hang down his forehead, making enthralling icy blue eyes stand out even more. To be so dangerous, he sure is beautiful. “You’re not going anywhere, bella.”

Hearing that, I turn around and start to run, only to have my long black hair yanked back by a strong force. He wraps his muscled arm around my pudgy waist, making me feel insecure, and lowers his head, putting his lips against my ear. “Leaving so soon, princessa? The party has only begun.”

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ASA MOORE We’ve loved having Asa in our workshop this semester. Although we weren’t able to work on revision virtually with him, he’s still a wonderful writer.

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ASA MOORE

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CAMERON CLARK My name is Cameron, but I’ d like it if you could call me Jimmy Neutron.

I have six pets: two dogs, two cats, and two skateboards. My favorite bands are Cavetown and The Cure. My favorite songs are “Devil Town” by Cavetown (which I reference in my story), “Sweet Tooth” by Cavetown, “Boys Will Be Bugs” by Cavetown, “Friday I’m in Love” by The Cure, and “Boys Don’t Cry” by The Cure. I like riding on a long piece of wood with axles and wheels on it (not longboarding, that’s trash), and I also like drawing. My top three skateboard brands are 3. Santa Cruz 2. Baker 1.

Element.

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CAMERON CLARK

LIFE WITH A FRIEND I was in a forest of long, tall trees. They were all dead—a beautiful forest, nevertheless. I wondered where I was all along this path of sorrow. Then I walked up to a hollow tree and saw that it was filled with crows and vultures. There beside this tree was a fox, a fox of pure beauty.

I said to him, “Hello. Care to join me?”

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“I don’t know, but I have to,” I replied.

The fox then asked, “Why?” “No more questions,” I answered.

“Is it a secret? I like secrets. I promise I will never tell,” said the fox.

“All right, then. But promise not to tell anyone,” I replied. “I hear the voices calling me to the other side of this dead forest.”

Then the fox said, “What is on the other side of the forest?”

“I don’t know,” I responded. “This time I’m serious: no more questions.”

In the quiet, we walked for hours. The deeper we went into the forest, the more it seemed that the trees became greener, then changed into a perplexing purple turquoise. The fox continued to converse as if it would make it better. It did not.

“What an extravagant forest. A real beauty it is,” the fox said.

“It sure is,” I replied, trying not to cause any tension.

“Where are we?” the fox once again asked.

“I don’t know, but it’s getting dark. I think we should rest. Would you like a quilt?” I asked.

He answered politely, “No, thank you. At home a few miles back, I would sleep under a pile of leaves.”

“Should I help you gather some leaves?” I asked.

The fox answered, “Yes please, I’d like that very much, and thank you for letting me join you.”

“You’re welcome. It is a pleasure having you here. Besides, I needed a friend to join me. I think I’d go insane if I took this walk alone,” I replied.

Then, as the night settled and our work was done, we both drifted off to sleep.

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Eerie music played in the background of my dreams, and usually the voices told me where to go. But this time, they argued about the fox, saying he talked too much, or that he was annoying. But still I didn’t mind. I needed a friend. It helped block the voices. When I awakened, I found the fox above me with a roasted fish in his mouth.

Then the fox said, “Good morning! Did I startle you?”

“A bit, but it’s all right,” I answered.

“I’m sorry, but I made breakfast.”

After I packed our things, I ate the delicious fish the fox prepared for me, and we began our journey back to the other side of the forest.

“I never asked you, but what’s your name? Mine is Khota,” the fox said.

“My name is Fredrick,” I responded.

“Well, okay then, Fredrick, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure you can, Khota,” I answered.

“Do you think I’m annoying?”

“No, I enjoy your company,” I answered.

As the forest stretched farther, we started to see the end, which relieved us greatly. “Khota, I think we’re here,” I said, relieved we had made it.

“We did it, Fredrick. We did it,” said Khota.

In front of us was a huge sign that read Devil Town. As we walked under the sign, we felt a strong wind telling us that we were in danger.

As we walked further, we saw a group of people and thought nothing of it until they approached us, and one of them asked, “So, you got the message, huh? We didn’t think you would listen.”

“Who are you?” I asked.

“We know all about you, Fredrick. But you don’t know yourself.

You’re clueless, Fredrick, and you know you are,” the stranger said.

“Leave us alone!” I said sternly.

“You’ll have to fight us, and then we’ll leave both of you alone for good, but you’ve done bad things, and we must punish you for them.

That’s why we’ve brought you here,” he said.

Suddenly, without warning, Khota sprang toward the stranger, biting into his arm and snarling like a wolf. The stranger began to scream and begged for the fox to release his grip.

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I shouted, “Khota will stop when you and your friends leave us alone.”

“We’ll leave you alone, I promise,” he begged.

Instantly, Khota released his grip. The stranger and his men turned and ran out of sight. This fox saved my life.

The moral of the story is that I could not have done it without Khota. After all of this, we parted ways, but kept in touch. The story does not end just yet. Well, this one does, but that doesn’t matter.

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ELIZABETH NAROVICH My name is Elizabeth Narovich, but some people call me Adela. I’m 11 years old, and I go to West Chatham Middle School. I like to write fanfiction and things about animals. I also like to read. I consider myself a tomboy. My favorite color is any shade of blue or galaxy colors.

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ELIZABETH NAROVICH

CHILLY Hi, I’m Chilly, and I was born with a disease called Blueleocious. I’m blue, but so is everything around me. The sky, the grass—everything is just blue! I’m the only one who sees it like this. Sometimes, I get so lonely, because I’m the only person with this disease. I wrote a poem to try to help express what having this disease is like.

I have Blueleocious.

It is very obnoxious.

It is very lonely, too, being the only person with the disease.

The animals are blue, even the camels!

I’m as blue as the sea.

Just look and see.

Blue, the color of my shirt, and blue, the color of my skirt.

Being the only person with Blueleocious is frustrating, but once you look at it through someone else’s eyes, it is also pretty cool.

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EMMA WALKER Hi, my name is Emma. I’m 14, and I’m in eighth grade. I really like pizza. I have an annoying little brother who loves Fortnite. I’m in band, and I play percussion (drums). I like the color blue. I have three cats that sleep most of the time.

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EMMA WALKER

AT THE POND “What, a fag?”

“Look, a tranny!”

I hear all of this as I walk down the hall. The insults become like any other meaningless words, and I start to become numb to them.

After school, I go to my secret spot. It’s in the middle of the woods, with giant trees full of leaves surrounding a pond. The leaves make it very dark and comforting. I sit all alone at the edge of the pond and think about the day I’ve had, not wanting to go home. I lie back against one of the trees and finally let the tears that have been building up all day fall down.

In this peaceful environment, I feel so much more cared for and loved than at school or at home. The feeling of being alone by choice makes it feel as if no one else needs to exist, and I can be okay here.

The animals working together and supporting each other like family makes me forget about my life for a brief moment, and in that moment, I feel like something in the world is all right and good. I feel cared for by these trees and their blanket of dark, loved by the soft, nurturing creatures in the shadows.

I cry, knowing tomorrow will be worse, and it won’t get better. My heart starts racing and giant drops of tears roll down my face, faster than before. My anxiety flares up, and I start panicking again. I’m feeling so overwhelmed by fear, emptiness, and loneliness, and I begin wondering if taking the easy way out would just be best. It takes a moment, but I calm down and mumble to myself, “All right. I’ve had enough of this.”

I stand up and grab sticks and rocks and throw them as hard and as far as I can. I feel better after letting it all out, but I know that tomorrow will just be another struggle, and maybe even a harder one.

It’s time I do something, because I’m so tired of trying to be happy and just trying in general.

As I wipe the tears from my face and grab my bag to go home, I hear twigs snap. It makes me jump, and I start looking around frantically. I see something standing frozen not too far from me. It’s hard to see, but it looks like a person. It might just be my mind, but they seem too real to be a figment of my imagination. I walk a bit closer to them. “Hello?” I call out, unsure.

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“Hi,” the figure responds. I look, puzzled at the human-like figure in front of me. The figure steps out of the shadow and into a beam of light peeking through the leaves. It’s a girl. She has long, dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. She looks pale and has a soft, sweet voice.

She must notice the puzzled look on my face, because she says, “Let me introduce myself. My name is Ruby. I found this place a few years ago, but I only came once a month. When my parents would start fighting, I’d come here. A few weeks ago, I saw you sitting against that tree.”

We look at each other a moment, and we both realize we come to this same spot to escape the reality of the world. We smile at each other, as if we are saying, “It’s nice to meet you. Would you like to meet up again?”

From then on, we continue to meet at our spot every day. She never sees me as a misfit. She sees me as a human. I’ve became much happier since I met her.

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EMMA WALKER

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JAYLYNN BEARD My name is Jaylynn Beard. I am 11 years old. I really like writing stories and books and illustrating them. My favorite color is green. Some of my hobbies include reading, swimming, riding my bike, going camping with my family, and hanging out with my friends. I have an older brother and a younger sister, so I am the middle child. I’m also the good child. Haha. I hope you enjoy reading my story.

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JAYLYNN BEARD

SAMANTHA’S VALENTINE Samantha liked a boy, but this boy was her older brother’s best friend.

She was scared to tell him she liked him. She didn’t want to ruin the friendship between her brother and this boy, but she really liked him and didn’t know what to do.

She had bought him a sweatshirt with his favorite sports team printed on the front with the money she’d earned selling cupcakes. She wasn’t sure if she was going to put her name on the gift or just leave it as a mystery. She knew she had to make a decision by Friday, which just so happened to be the next day. So, she lay awake, tossing and turning, not knowing what tomorrow might bring.

She was nervous, more nervous than she could ever bear. Samantha felt scared. It was Friday, and she had to make a decision. When she ran downstairs, she grabbed her bookbag and sat down for breakfast.

“Hey Mom, I don’t feel so good. I think I should stay home today.”

Catherine, Sam’s mom, wasn’t buying it. “No, no, no, absolutely not. No one is staying home.”

Then, Stewart, Samantha older brother, added, “What’s wrong this time? Could it be the fact that you’re giving my friend Donnie his Valentine’s present today?”

Sam’s cheeks turned red, and her crystal blue eyes turned slightly to the right. “No, I’m just feeling sick. Headache, stomachache, and my throat is throbbing,” Sam said with a bit of an attitude.

Now it was Sam’s dad’s turn. “Stomachache, headache, and a throbbing throat. Sounds like a ‘please don’t make me go to school’ to me. What about you, Catherine, what do you hear?”

“Throw in those sad puppy eyes, and we are listening to the same bunch of garbage as last time,” Catherine added.

Sam’s face turned white. Both of her eyebrows were raised, and her flaming-hot red hair was brighter than the sun. Her forehead was all wrinkled.

“She’s gonna blow,” screamed Stewart, as he dove under the table.

“That’s it!” Sam growled, grabbing her mom’s frying pan from the counter and lunging at Stewart, who was laughing and crawling around the kitchen when he ran straight into his dad’s legs.

“Samantha, that’s enough!” shouted her father, snatching her off the floor, while her mother pulled the frying pan away from her.

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“Never mind. I’m not hungry, and it’s pretty obvious you guys don’t take pity on the sick,” Samantha whined, stalking out the back door and trudging all the way to the bus stop. When the bus finally came, Sam sat all the way in the back with her best friend Lexi.

“Hey, you look steamed,” said Lexi, a sound of amusement in her voice.

“This is not funny,” she hissed. “Donnie gets his present today.

I’m not sure if I’m going to sign it or just drop it on his desk and leave it anonymous. I have to decide right now. I hate that you’re a seventh grader, because then you’re not with me while I go through the suspense alone.”

“That’s what you get for having an older BFF,” Lexi answered.

When they got off the bus, Sam signed the card in the gift bag, then handed it to Lexi to drop on Donnie’s desk, since they were in the same class. The girls hugged and said their goodbyes, walking in different directions.

All day, Sam stared at the clock. A million thoughts raced through her mind. Will he like it? Will he hate it? Will he be embarrassed because it was from a sixth grader? On and on and on and on. As soon as school was dismissed, she ran to the bus ramp. When she saw Donnie, she slowed. As she walked past him, all he did was look at her. He didn’t say a thing. She felt relieved, but partially worried that he didn’t like it.

“I don’t think he liked it,” Sam muttered to herself, dropping down in her seat.

“What’d he say?” asked Lexi.

“Nothing. No ‘thank you,’ no ‘nice card,’ nothing. Just the devil stare that he gives my brother when they argue,” Sam said with a hint of attitude. The same attitude she’d given her brother that morning.

“Whoa there, Red Head,” Lexi snapped. “I didn’t do it. You’re the one who wanted to give him a present!”

“Hey, well, excuse me for trying to tell my crush I like him,” Sam snapped back, with a lot more attitude than the first two times.

They spent the rest of the bus ride facing in opposite directions and not speaking. When Sam got home, she ran upstairs to her room.

Thank God it was Friday—she didn’t have to see Donnie or Lexi for two days!

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JAYLYNN BEARD

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JAY SHEPPARD I am Jay, and I am 14 years old. I’m very energetic, but also chill at times.

I like ’90s and newer rock. I mainly write about romances and complicated love stories. My favorite song is “Teenagers” by My Chemical Romance. I also procrastinate a lot at times. Did I mention I have a sudden burst of energy?

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JAY SHEPPARD

STRANGE LOVE This world is vastly changing every minute of every day. Any change could affect everything.

My name is Alexa, and I’m a lesbian vampire, which is pretty normal. Not many people know I am a vampire, but the people who do know avoid me, so I’m very lonely. I was turned when I was 22, but in reality, I’m 55 years old. I’m still a happy being, and I have a very passionate heart for things. As a vampire, I can’t have children, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted; it was hard to let go of, but I learned to move on.

Vampires love neon colors because they bring out our inner human, and the more normal we look, the less dangerous we seem. I wear hoodies and military pants the most, and I have black hair with neon green highlights. I look like a highlighter most days. My eyes are like mood rings, changing different colors to show different feelings. When they’re green, I’m completely chilled out, but if they’re red, I’m starting to hunger for blood. If they’re a mix of colors, you should probably just run.

The biggest changes in my life tend to happen on my birthdays.

They always seem to end in tragedy. On my 21st birthday, my exgirlfriend Jem died in a car accident. The next year, my parents got into a car accident and died in the fire of the wreck. I was out on a walk that night when I was attacked in the street. I was bitten on the neck and fainted, left in the street. I woke up with fangs, so it was obvious what had happened. I had been transformed into a vampire.

I moved on, though. I built a normal life, with a steady job as an MMA champion, a nice apartment, and even a dog. ***

I was boxing when I got the call. My apartment had burned down, and with it, my dog Daisy. It was like the world collapsed around me.

I had no idea where to go, so I decided to go walk on the beach for a while and just think about everything.

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eyes that shone in the moonlight. She wore the same bright clothes as me. Without thinking, I walked up to her and asked, “May I sit with you?” She agreed with a nod, so I sat down next to her. After a moment, I asked, “What’s your name?”

She replied softly, “Jem.” I burst into tears. She didn’t even speak, just grabbed me and held me in her arms for a minute.

I said, “I’m sorry for crying. My apartment burned down today, and my dog died in the fire. Jem was actually the name of my ex before she died in a car accident on my birthday.”

She pulled me in closer and kissed me on the cheek. “It’s okay,” she whispered. We got to know each other for the next hour, talking quietly and constantly. During a silent moment, she asked, “Would you like to live with me for a while?”

I said, “Thank you, Jem. I would love to.”

We walked together to her white Jeep and started the drive to her home. I was gazing at her, so I spoke. “Jem, you are a wonderful girl.

You looked so pretty when I first saw you, and I might have a crush on you.”

Jem started blushing and spoke. “Alexa, I feel the same way.” The rest of the drive was silent except for the radio. We finally reached her home. She got out and opened my door. We walked onto the porch, but she stopped me at the door and gazed into my eyes and said, “I wanted to warn you, I’m a vampire. I just want to be honest.”

I was shocked and didn’t think much about my reply. “Don’t worry.

I’m actually a vampire too, so you can’t harm me,” I managed. She didn’t even blink, just nodded and walked us inside. It was a nice cabin on the lake with an open floor plan; there were high beams, a large red sofa, and chalkboards filled with vampire quotes. A giant fireplace was in the living room with a television mounted above it. It felt like home.

I got comfortable. She told me I could watch some Netflix, so I put on a movie. She came back soon after with some fairy blood, the only blood that gets vampires drunk. We started cuddling, and my feelings started to grow. I noticed we were both dozing off. It had been a long day for the both of us, so I closed my eyes.

I woke up cuddling with her. We were both so happy. After 30 minutes of being awake, I got up without disturbing Jem and threw on a hoodie. I walked into the kitchen and started making two glasses of blood. She hugged me while I was finishing her glass.

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We took our breakfast outside on the dock and watched the sunrise.

There was something that amazed me about sunrises and sunsets and all the magnificent colors they shared. She turned and asked how I slept that night. I told her it was the best sleep of my life. “I don’t know how I had slept last night, but that was the best night of my life since I was turned during World War II.” Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something weird. A boat parked near the dock. There was a man, and he didn’t say anything.

Before I could react, he grabbed something and threw it at Jem. She didn’t notice anything until the stake hit her heart. I couldn’t stop him, stuck in place by another tragedy. I looked at the stake and realized I could end it all.

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KENYANNA GLOVER I am Kenyanna Glover. I am 13 years old. I am half American and half Jamaican. I love to draw and watch anime. I also enjoy coding, which is creating software and games. My reason for joining Deep was to have help in taking my writing to another level. Little did I know I was going to write another letter for my published piece, let alone a sad letter about a promise that couldn’t be kept. I hope you enjoy my letter.

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KENYANNA GLOVER

THE PROMISE THAT COULD NOT BE KEPT Do you remember the first time we met, Paul? Do you remember all the wonderful moments we shared? I remember you used to cherish those moments we shared together. I still remember your bright smile that brought sunshine to my day. That smile was the only thing that brought me euphoria. This feeling had me floating in utopia. Little did I know, these moments would be cut short. As soon as you went to war, I discovered I had leukemia, which is a very rare form of cancer that causes bleeding and bruises. I didn’t want to tell you, because I didn’t want you to worry. I could never live with myself if I knew you died worrying about me. I’m sorry about the promise I couldn’t keep: that we would never keep a secret from each other. If things were in my hands, I would be at the door, welcoming you with a big hug. These are my last words.

Please don’t cry. Just look up at the sky and say goodbye.

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NEVAEH PAGE Heyo! I’m Nevaeh, but many address me as Vaeh. I’m 13, and I can describe Deep writing in one word: safe. I use writing as a way to express myself without actually saying it, because, hah, I can’t say how I actually feel out loud. When I first entered Deep, I was scared to write pieces about myself, but as the weeks went by, I got closer and more comfortable. If you have stories you want to share, I say, go for it. Nobody is holding you back.

Hakuna Matata.

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NEVAEH PAGE

TOASTY I used to think brown eyes were so boring. I wanted to have any other color. Blue, green, or maybe amber. Sometimes, I’d wish for hazel, even though it wasn’t that different. I would look at my eyes and think, I’m so plain.

My perspective quickly changed when I met her.

She was like me, but somehow ten times better. She was beautiful and made brown look like the most mesmerizing color I’d ever seen.

Her eyes sparkled like a pile of newly-discovered jewels glistening in the light when she was happy, but darkened to the color of beautiful crows roaming the midnight sky when she was upset. She amazed me.

Every time our eyes locked, nothing seemed to matter in that moment. Before, it felt like my world was nothing but black and white, but with those glances, my world filled with bursts of color. I could hear nothing but my heart racing. Thump, thump, THUMP. I’d realize I was staring and have to snap out of it. As soon as I realized it was happening, I would turn this unique shade of red, like a freshly-cracked pomegranate.

She never noticed, so it was easy to calm myself down. It’s crazy what just a glance can do.

After meeting her and getting to know her, I started to notice this strange thing. I was appreciating my eyes more than I used to, which is something I never thought I would do. I repeated it in my head. My eyes are brown. My eyes are brown. My eyes are BROWN. I love my brown eyes. My eyes are beautiful and brown.

I’ve come to the obvious realization that the color of your eyes doesn’t define who you are or anything about you. Every eye color is unique for each and every person. Eyes have different meanings to everyone. When I thought of eyes, I used to think mine were boring and just something to see with. Now I see them as a gift. I’m lucky to have brown eyes, and I should even be glad to have them. Some people aren’t blessed with such a simple gift.

Brown is a powerful color, and it has its own story.

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MOVING ON On May 20, 2006, in Elyria, Ohio, Caitlyn Natal gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. This is where my story begins. As a baby, I cried constantly, leaving my mother restless. Still, our family was “happy.”

Little did I know, this would all change in 2014.

I was eight years old and completely devastated when I learned we would be moving more than ten hours away to a place I’d never heard of: Georgia. I thought the people at home would forget about me, and combined with the fact that my family was broken apart, I started to hate Georgia. I knew we weren’t leaving any time soon, and as the years went by, I started coping with it better.

It took these years apart to learn the truth about my father: that he’s a liar. It has always bothered me, but he’s still my dad, so I find ways to show him what he’s done wrong and how it makes me feel. He’s trying to help himself now. I’m starting to understand that he’s actually trying. This year, he’s really upped his game. He has finally started to consider letting me stay with him back home for my high school years.

These people across these states have formed who I am, and I can’t wait to see how the future will change me.

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NEVAEH PAGE

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SKYLAR CAIN My name is Skylar, and I am 12 years old. I like to play softball in my free time. I also like playing with my three-year-old brother and my animals, or sometimes I like to watch TV or sleep in. My family and I recently started fostering a ukey—a husky and German shepherd mix. I currently live with my mom and my very energetic little brother.

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SKYLAR CAIN

THE ROUGH LIFE OF EMALEE My name is Emalee, and I am no normal teenager. I had a pretty rough childhood, so I’ve seen more than most other teenagers. For the past couple of years, my life has been very bumpy. My dad has been in and out of my life for as long as I remember, and my stepmom hasn’t always been there for me either. Sometimes I wanted to talk to a person who wasn’t my mom, but I didn’t have one to turn to. My friends from school would be there for me, but even then, I couldn’t see who my real friends were. Everything was just a big guessing game.

When I first saw my mom and stepmom fight, it made me so upset.

I hated seeing them fight, but it made me the person I am. I’m not just a stronger person, I’m a better person. I don’t want to turn out like my stepmom, doing things I’m not supposed to and ending up in jail.

I want to be a strong, successful person who has a life with kids, who knows what she’s doing and isn’t afraid to take risks when she knows she can do anything. I don’t want to follow all these other bad people. I want to be me. I want to live in a better place and have a good heart. I want to know when to trust people and when not to trust them.

My mom is always there, but sometimes I just don’t want my mom to be there. I want to have my dad, my aunt, and my uncle. They always try to be there for me, but sometimes I just don’t want them. I know my mom does what is best for me, but it still doesn’t feel like it.

When I was little, we moved to Jacksonville. I was having a hard time with my schoolwork, and my mom had a better job offer available there. It was heartbreaking to leave my family and friends in Statesboro, but I knew it was the best thing for my little brother and me. He was so happy to be in the new place because of our two dogs. When we got there, I went to see my room and unpack my things. “This is a new start. This is a new beginning,” I told myself. I was right.

The new school was fantastic, and I had already made friends by the end of the first day. I really liked them, and some of them even lived in my neighborhood. We did something different every day. One of them would walk me home, and we would go through the little jungle gym at the park. On hot days, we all went to the pool. Other times, we would just go to the dog park and play with my dogs. I had three new

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best friends: Austin, Emily, and Adela. In those moments, I knew they were true friends. I was in a better place where I was happy, and that is how I knew it was the place for me. I was not depressed anymore and felt safe.

Sometimes change is good. It gave me three best friends, happiness, a new home. Then my stepmom showed up, and everything went downhill.

I moved back to Pooler after that. It was okay, because we moved just down the street from our old house. I finally had my own room, too. It seemed like everything was going all right, but then it was like I was spinning upside down. I started losing my mind. I just wanted everything to go back to normal. I wanted to be happy again.

In the middle of all of this, I broke up with my boyfriend. A couple months after that, I fell in love with someone my mom did not approve of. “Don’t hang out with him and don’t go near him,” she told me. We broke up after that, but continued to fight every now and then. I felt guilty because I carried pieces of him in my heart, but I started having feelings for a girl named Willow.

Willow has short hair and hazel eyes. She has a baby face that lights up with how kind and warm she is. She is so nice and not afraid to speak her mind or stand up for what is right. She is always there if you need her. She’s my best friend. Willow knows I like her, but she has never said anything about my feelings.

My life continues to be bumpy, but one day, it will just be a breeze in the park.

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SKYLAR CAIN

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SOPHIA GODINEZ My name is Sophia. I love animals a lot. My favorite snack is mochi. It is a Japanese dessert. When I grow up, I want to do as many things as I can to save our beautiful planet. I like writing fantasy stories. They’re really fun to write because the possibilities are endless! The title of my story is “The Light,” because whenever there’s a light, we take it as a good sign, like hope.

I want my story to inspire people and make people more aware. I think each of us can change the world, not by ourselves, but together.

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SOPHIA GODINEZ

IN THE LIGHT Sun stood before her subjects and spoke. “Hello everyone, and welcome.

Thank you for attending this meeting on such short notice. As all of you are aware, one of my daughters, Earth, is sick, and her condition continues to worsen. This will greatly affect all of us.”

Earth said, weakly, “I’m scared for the people and animals living on me and for their future, not just mine. For centuries, humans have done many terrible things to me. A few months ago, Mother Nature seemed really upset.”

Sun said, “I think she’s getting revenge on these people who are hurting you, and for revenge, everyone is getting sick!”

Saturn said, “It makes sense she’s getting revenge. They have been hurting you for a very long time now, and she has given them many chances to change.”

Jupiter spoke. “It is so sad to see all those poor animals die from their water being polluted, their homes being cut down, and the damage from all that horrible plastic and other things that take centuries to break down.”

Neptune added, “Don’t they notice that the trees help them survive each day? If they cut them all down, soon they won’t have clean air, and there won’t be any animals left.”

Mars looked furious. He said angrily, “Global warming is getting worse each day. They gotta fix it soon before Earth dies!”

Venus replied, “They can’t really fix it completely, but they can low—” Uranus interrupted, “Come on, guys, believe in them! I know it’s hard, but try, because maybe if we believe in them enough, maybe they can fix it completely one day.”

Pluto said, “If only we could talk to them directly, and I don’t think Mother Nature is going to fix coronavirus and many other illnesses they have created.”

Earth spoke once more, “But who knows what’s going to happen?

Not enough people are helping, but thank God, there are some people who help.”

Mercury added, “We can’t really help, so all we can do is hope and pray that this big problem gets better.”

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Then Sun said, “Come on everyone, they can do it! Believe in these people. They will realize it soon. They’ll hear our voices.” Sun continued, “There are many ways these Earthlings can help. Even the little ways make a great difference. If they don’t do something soon, your sister, my poor daughter, Earth, will die. No one wants that.’’

Suddenly, the soul of the universe shone upon Sun and her daughters. And, in that moment, they were reminded that there was still hope after all.

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SOPHIA GODINEZ

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SPENCER DAVIS Hey guys. What’s up? My name is Spencer Davis, and I’m 11 years old, four feet, 11 inches tall, with brown eyes and what some would call “a great smile.” I go to West Chatham Middle School. As far as hobbies go, I enjoy drawing, reading, playing golf, riding my bike, writing, and playing Zelda, Mario and Pokémon on my Nintendo.

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SPENCER DAVIS

THE BIG MISTAKE You there, please! You gotta help me get out of this horrid place. You might be asking, “Where are you?” Well, I’m in Wireland, the most high-tech, top-level security prison in the entire wretched world. Before you even think about jumping to conclusions, thinking, Why would I help such a person who did something so dreadful, so appalling, something so horrendous to be in such a place?, listen. Whatever heinous crime you think I did, I did not do it. I was framed. Don’t believe anything you hear from anyone else. It’s all a scam. Life’s a scam. This whole world is a scam. Look, if you’re not going to help, at least let me help you with this bit of wisdom: choose your friends carefully, and don’t make the big mistake I made a year ago. ***

The warden discovered this letter in his cell just minutes after the prisoner was executed. A month later, the real killer confessed to the crime.

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TAYLOR SCRIVEN Hello! I’m Taylor Scriven. A few things about me: I love reading and writing to channel my emotions. I love/support the LGBTQ+ community.

I am a Potterhead, weeb, and a fangirl. I write stories on an app called Wattpad. I haven’t released any of my stories on there yet, but I do have fanfics on there. I hope you liked my story.

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TAYLOR SCRIVEN

JUST A LITTLE SPROUT Just a little sprout growing from the tiniest crack in the ground.

Three little leaves on the sprout. So young.

One day this little sprout will grow into a beautiful tree!

A tree that will not be alone.

It will be surrounded by other trees and by little kids playing beneath them.

This sprout will be hope, happiness, and memories for the children who will grow up with it. Watch it grow! Let it grow!

If harmed, those future memories will cease to exist.

If you kill it after it grows into a tree, those memories, too, will all disappear.

Fading into the wind.

Gone forever.

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VERITY BAKER We’ve loved having Verity in our workshop this semester. Although we weren’t able to work on revision virtually with her, she’s still a wonderful writer.

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VERITY BAKER

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WILLOW ELISE, “TREE” Hi there!! My name is Willow, but you can call me Tree! My favorite subject in school would probably be science. If physical education were a subject, that would be it. In my free time, I like to go on walks with my friends around the neighborhood or listen to music for hours. My favorite color(s) would be red, gray, or black. I am a dancer, and I’ve been dancing since I was two years old. I also play soccer, but I’ve only been doing that since I was eight. When I am older, I want to be a dance teacher or work at Gulfstream as a Technical Data Analyst. Well, that is all about me! Enjoy my story!

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WILLOW ELISE, “TREE”

MIDDLE SCHOOL I have gone through ups and downs, turned the wrong lefts and rights.

But I am still here, right? Middle school so far has treated me like trash, but it seems to do that to a lot of people. Everyone has something to say about everybody, and it’s like they don’t have anything nice to say anymore. Every day there are fights. Every day there is some kid crying.

Every day someone gets hurt, whether it be physically or mentally.

That’s just what’s happening on the outside. On the inside, kids are depressed and are seriously hurting. We laugh it off like depression and anxiety are all a joke, but they’re not, and people don’t understand that. Kids are harming themselves or harming others to hide their feelings. I have been a victim of self-harm, and it was not fun. I hated every second of it, but I still went on with it. When my mom found out, she wasn’t happy either, and now I go to a therapist to deal with this emptiness I feel inside of me. It doesn’t change the fact that some nights, I cry myself to sleep, and on the other nights, I don’t sleep at all.

Social media is everything for teenagers, but parents think we use it just to waste time and be lazy. In reality, we use it to talk about our problems or escape them by talking to people going through the same things. Parents may have gone through what we have, but it’s getting worse every minute. People are finding new ways to bully others or new ways to direct hurtful things to one person or sometimes even a group of people. We face cyberbullying, but if we put the phone down, we are called weak and hopeless by our peers. So, we keep the phone on us to “defend ourselves,” when we don’t even know we’re making matters worse by talking back.

This happens to everyone, but it happens the most in middle and high school. It seems like there is no way to stop it, like all we can do is take it in and be quiet. Hiding our feelings, keeping them locked in a jar until we can’t handle it anymore. We don’t want people to know about how we feel, because then we would be bringing them down with us. Even telling our parents about how we feel makes us uncomfortable or just makes the hurt worse. You’re telling your parents, “Hi, I am seriously hurting, I’m depressed, I’m anxious. The only way I cope is by not caring or just keeping it inside me.” How do you think parents would feel hearing that from their child? They would feel terrible for WEST CHATHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL

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not realizing or maybe even guilty for not helping with what their child is going through. It can get so bad, and before you know it, the kid is spiraling.

Reach out and teach them coping skills. It can be stressful being a kid, especially when depression tends to cause isolation. When someone is depressed, they often have trouble loving themself. Help them and love them through it.

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WILLOW ELISE, “TREE”

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WRITING FELLOWS Deep’s writing fellows are local writers—authors, poets, journalists—who help Savannah’s young people write and share their stories with skill, confidence, and courage. The following fellows mentored the young people in this book through the entire writing process. They are experienced in their craft and eagerly shared their expertise and passion with these young writers in this book. They planned and led each weekly workshop, provided lots of feedback on everything their young authors wrote, and they helped each kid find a voice. This project would be impossible without our writing fellows, and we are grateful for their lasting contribution to our youth and to our community.

GODLEY STATION SCHOOL Cameron Fazio, WF ‘20 BFA, Savannah College of Art and Design Writing and editing student Lysa Rodriguez, WF ‘20 BFA, Savannah College of Art and Design Writing and poetry student

MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL Anthonella Alvarez, WF ‘18 BFA, Savannah College of Art and Design Teaching artist and cat lady Martina Yvette, WF ‘19 MA Interactive Media, Elon Food blogger and teaching artist

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SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL Martina Yvette, WF ‘19 MA, Elon University Food blogger and teaching artist Anthonella Alvarez, WF ‘18 BFA, Savannah College of Art and Design Teaching artist and cat lady

WEST CHATHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL Ken Daniel, WF ‘19 MA, Central Michigan University Producer, actor, novelist Emily Miller, WF ‘19 BA, University of South Carolina Beaufort Educator, published poet, collector of stories

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS These writing workshops and books would not have been possible without the support of the following teachers, our ed fellows: Grace Guza at Godley Station School, DesireĂŠ Thomas at Mercer Middle School, Matthew Wittenberg at Southwest Middle School, and Laura Hooks at West Chatham Middle School.

The publication of these books required the creativity and talent of several local artists and publishing partners, especially: Cover illustrator Victoria Sandøy; photographers Heather Shiver and Kiara Griffin; and graphic designer Keenan Alexander.

Special thanks to our partners at the Live Oak Public Libraries, who circulate and archive these books.

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DONORS

Institutional Donors and Partners Analog Public House, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baha’i Faith Community Center, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, Book Lady Bookstore, Canady, Hodges, Caines & Richbourg, Carroll Construction, Celebritees, Chatham County Board of Commissioners, Chatham County Juvenile Courts, Chatham Foundation, City of Savannah, Coastal Consulting Management Group, Coffee Fox, Collegiate Church of St. Paul the Apostle, Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation, Crystal Beer Parlor, Dara Security, Delaware Community Center, Don Callahan Real Estate Group, Downtown Neighborhood Association, Ford Foundation, Forsyth Farmers’ Market/Farm Truck 912, Foundery Coffee Pub, Foxy Loxy, Front Porch Multi Agency Resource Center, Funders’ Collaborative on Youth Organizing, Georgia Council for the Arts, Green Truck Neighborhood Pub, The Grey, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Hawkins Project, Healthy Savannah, Highlander Research and Education Center, Hodge Foundation, Hunter Maclean Attorneys, Johanna Anderson Trueblood Foundation, John G. Kennedy Foundation, Leopold’s Ice Cream, Live Oak Public Libraries, Lucky’s Market, Lulu’s Chocolate Bar, Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, MDC, Momentum Development Solutions, National Endowment For the Arts, Pennsylvania Avenue Resource Center (PARC), Public Welfare Foundation, Publix Super Markets Charities, Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum, Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant, Renegade Readers Book Club, Risen Lift Christian Church, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Savannah Chatham County Public School System, Savannah Community Foundation, Savannah Cultural Arts Center, Savannah Philharmonic, S.H.A.D.O.W.S. INC, Sentient Bean, E. Shaver Bookseller, South Arts, St. Thomas Episcopal Church Thrift Store, Sigma Graphics, Step Up Savannah, Sulfur Studios, Surdna Foundation, Susan W. Thompson Charitable Fund, Telfair Museums: Jepson Center for the Arts, Tequila’s Town Mexican Restaurant, Thomas & Hutton, TJS Deemer Dana LLP, Two Tides Brewery, United Way of the Coastal Empire, Wells Fargo Foundation, Wesley Oak United Methodist Church, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Yamacraw Center for the Performing Arts

Patrons (recurring annual commitment) Danielle Alexander, Carol Andrews, Susan Arshack, Marriott Bartholomew, Kate Blair, Jordan Chase, Joanna Dasher, Susan Davenport, Ben Dombroski, Linda Evans, Rebecca Gibb, Elizabeth Killingsworth, Kenny Lee, Meghan McDermott, Joyce McDonald, Sarah Bates Murray, Alison Niebanck, Ashley O’Brien, Christian Peterson, Victoria Quante-Dulaney, Alex Rothmeier, Matthew Usher, Pilar Valdes, Ruth Valentine, Mary Villeponteaux and David Wheeler, Julie Wade, Ann Woolner

Individual Donors Bruce Ackland, Matt and Michelle Allan, Robin and Stephen Allen, Ashby Angell, Jamie Arkins, Brenton Bell, Ira Berman and Helen Borrello, Bob and Kristen Bernstein, Rich Berson and Rachelle Barbour, Christy Black, Tammie Blaha, Andy Blair, Andrew Blankenship, John Blend, April Brooks, Steven Bryan, Luz del Mar Burgos, LeRoy Burke,

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Jeb Bush, Donald Callahan and Mark Conway, Mike Canady, Sam and Robin Carroll, Tony Center, Lisa Clark, William and Doranne Coad, Craig and Marla Cocalis, Margaret Coker, Kerry Crain, Eric Curl, Ann Curry and Enoch Hendry, James Cuthbert, Stephanie DammenMorrell, Genora Dass, Harriett Delong, Adam Solender and Sarah Denmark, Morgan Derst, John and Audrey DiCostanzo, Mary Doll, Patricia Dombroski, Manny Dominguez, Larry and Jan Dorman, Paula Duffy, Dare Dukes, Susan Earl, Sheila Edwards, James Fallon, Jane Feiler, Clara Fishel, Huda Fitaihi, Natalie Foley, Eleanor Foster, Walter Fuentes, Nathan Fuller, Andrew and Natasha Gastley, Charles Gilchrist, Myles Gillespie, Lionel and Doreen Goldfrank, Denise Grabowski, Edward Gresham, NaTonya Hamilton, Rick Hamilton, Jenna Harcher, Kent and Toni Harrington, Patrick and Lorill Haynes, Hadley Henry, Trudicia Herod, Marianne Hines, Rhonda Hoffman, Nichele Hoskins, Chris Houser, Emma Iocovozzi, Celia Irvine, Monisha Johnson, Neil and Beth Johnson, Wayne Johnson, Tyhisha Kemp, Adam Kennedy, Koraan Kenner, Catherine Killingsworth, Scott Killingsworth, Tom Kohler, Jeff and LeeAnn Kole, Paula Kreissler, Dave Lake, Meridth Lamas, Auset Lee, Robert and Diane Levy, Margie Livingston, Patrick Longstreth, Elizabeth Loring, the Lovett Family, Orin Lucas, Nancy Maia, Karen Malofy, Jen Marks MacGregor, Eileen and Bob Matyjasik, Dede Mays, Susan McCartney, Elizabeth McCloat, Allie McCullen, Kellyn McGee, Colin McRae, Sara Merrick, Chris Middleton, Christine Moore, Mary R. Morrison, Tammie Mosley, Janet Murphy, Jean Nelson, Ellen Newman, Jane Newman, Alison Niebanck, Jessica Osborne, Ghia Papy, Susannah and Jason Pedigo, Bridget and William Piekarz, Laura Potts-Wirht, Zach Powers, Ben Price, Matt Prickett and Jane Griffin, Stephen and Jackie Rabinowitz, Rebecca Radovich, Sumitra Rajkumar, Erik Reagan, Melody Rodriguez, Joel Rosenstock, Shadab Saboori, Rose Sadler, Alex Salgueiro, Matthew Schafer, Sarah Schenkman, Edward and Diane Schmults, Dirk Seligman, Paul Selker, Whitney Shephard and Josh Yates, Jack Silveira, Maureen Simpson, Letta Sneed, Philip and Cathy Solomons, Meema Spadola, Kate Strain, Marti and Austin Sullivan, Kim Bockius-Suwyn and Daniel Suwyn, Patricia Suwyn, Arnold and Lorlee Tenenbaum, Zelda and Sheldon Tenenbaum, Dr. and Mrs. Steven Theis, Denise and Bill Thompson, Rhegan White-Clemm and Timothy Clemm, Peter and Pamela Voss, Kelley Waldron, Greg Walker, Meredith Walker, Carl Walton, Brett Ware, Neil and Ashley Warren, Bill and Nina Weil, Jennifer West, John and Kay West, Theresa Wetter, Lisa Wigger, Dwaine and Cynthia Willett, Chelsea and Sarah Williams, Suzanne Williams, Peterson Worrell, Jenna Yarbrough, David and Pam Young

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GET INVOLVED Deep never charges young people or their families for participation in our workshops. Your gift can bring Deep’s award-winning programming to talented young authors in our community. There are several ways to support Deep.

Become a Deep patron Deep patrons make a commitment to longterm support through recurring monthly or annual donations. Such a commitment helps Deep plan for the future and remain resilient in uncertain times.

We suggest you consider becoming a patron at the annual level of $228 (just $19 a month), the amount it costs Deep to support one young person in our Young Author Project for a full year. Visit deepcenter.org/give.

Make a one-time donation Donate online at deepcenter.com/give, or mail a check to: Deep Center P.O. Box 5582 Savannah, GA 31414 Support Deep while you shop Sign up for Amazon Smile and choose Deep Center, Savannah, GA. With each purchase, Amazon will donate directly to Deep.

Become a writing fellow Are you a writer? Learn more about volunteering as a writing fellow and apply at deepcenter.org/join.

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FEATURING WRITERS FROM: GODLEY STATION SCHOOL MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL WEST CHATHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL

Deep Center’s mission is to empower Savannah’s young people to thrive as learners, community leaders, and agents of change.

Through creative writing, cultural production, and art, Deep creates platforms for the city’s youth and the village of support around them, including their families and adult allies, to share stories, engage in debates, and make Savannah a more just and equitable place.

deepcenter.org

Young Author Project Volume 12, Issue 9 SPRING 2020 WEST