DELTA Into the Cosmos 2025
DELTA Spring 2025
Editors-in-Chief
Ryan Hall, ‘25
Ryan Readlinger, ‘25
Editorial Staff
Zachary Chipperson, ‘25
Joshua Chung, ‘25
Wyatt Pirtle, ‘25
Jack Tonzola, ‘25
Jack Christie, ‘26
James Weidner, ‘26
Brendan Martin, ‘27
Eric Feng, ‘28
Grady Hall, ‘28
William Seery, ‘28
Faculty Moderator
Mrs. Christine Connelly
James Sartor, 2025
A Letter From The Editors:
Amidst the chaos of high school life, the Delbarton Literary Arts Magazine seeks to provide a creative outlet for all students to express themselves in their own unique ways. This year’s Delta copy invites all to journey into The Cosmos, as we explore our boundless imaginations. Through this artistic exploration, artists and writers push beyond convention and discover new creative frontiers. In last year’s edition of the Delta, we explored the theme of “Snapshot,” attempting to diverge from a rigid structure and allow students to be more expressive with their works. This year, we set our sights even higher, embracing The Cosmos as an idea of infinite possibilities and allowing the creative mind to produce works unrestricted by rules or expectations. As we reach for the stars with this compilation of poetry, prose, and visual art, readers will witness an unparalleled celebration of self-expression.
We hope that you enjoy this year’s edition of the Delta, embracing this escape from the ordinary as you gain inspiration to push past your own boundaries and express yourself in imaginative ways.
Table of Contents
Poetry & Prose
Elegy to Childhood
The American Dream
Leaving Home
Whispers on Ice
Woodchips
Bob Bakes a Cake
Dog Walks
A Life in China
An Unbreakable Bond
The Boy
The Climb
Day and Night
City Lights
COVID-19
Stories in Mexico
Highschool
Flashback
We Finally Got Finn Garden
Reunion in India
Striped Summer
The Black Hole
Uncle Clinton
Ode - An Ode to Life
The N.Y. Jets
Christmas
Hunter Outside
The Game
Elijah Massey, ‘30
Brendan Martin, ‘27
Chadwick Thompson, ‘28
Everett Hall, ‘28
Jack Rendi, ‘28
Ethan Liu, ‘30
Timothy Migiaccio, ‘28
Eric Feng, ‘28
Frank Hunkele, ‘28
George Murphy, ‘28
Remy Sardar, ‘30
James Sadrian, ‘30
Svanik Swamy, ‘28
Gabriel Rotolo, ‘28
Max Cirillo, ‘28
Jonathan Arriola, ‘28
Luke Weldon, ‘28
Jacob Gordon, ‘28
Aidan Streem, ‘28
Akul Menon, ‘28
Aaron Diaz, ‘28
Matteo Crawford, ‘27
Max Cirillo, ‘28
Finlay White, ‘29
Jack Culmone, ‘30
Anthony Poliseno, ‘29
Jack Tonzola, ‘25
Gavin Hassan, ‘25
Residual Happiness
Little Rascals
Not a Crime to Smile
Untitled
Normandy Beach
Untitled
Pollution’s Altar
God’s Eye Leaf The
James Sartor, ‘25
Connor Tyrone, ‘25
Donovan Perry, ‘25
Harry Tedesco, ‘25
Harry Tedesco, ‘25
James Sommer, ‘26
Ryan Readlinger, ‘25
Griffin Velez, ‘25
Jack Gerne, ‘25
Kelvin Pierre, ‘25
Finn Loughrey, ‘26
Lorenzo Petrucci, ‘25
Andrew Chobor, ‘25
Wesley Gabriel, ‘26
Kelvin Pierre, ‘25
Jude Hall, ‘25
Leibowitz, ‘25
Parker, ‘25
Elegy to Childhood
Elijah Massey, 2030
Love only goes so far
Like your house to the local bar
For I had buddies to play football
But now I have no friends at all
Those sweet old memories
Where I didn’t focus on my treasuries
For I get reminded everyday of my uselessness
But not people’s friendliness
My childhood was superb
But now my life is a blurb
The American Dream
Brendan Martin, 2027
The house of imagination, where birds call each other, selfless, just to obtain a slight glimpse.
A forest in the backyard, with grass as green as emeralds from Zambia.
Lights shining through the crystal clear window, leaving every spot in the neighborhood as bright as day except; the town next door. Where darkness sways.
Poverty floods through streets as the light can only reach so far.
A single mother with two kids reaches for the light, but falls short upon a pile of used food stamps.
"One nation's wealth comes at the expense of another" (Mercantilism)
But individual human wealth comes at the expense of the impoverished other.
Oh ode to you oh dollar bill.
For you own the world... and I am here just to exist.
Leaving Home
Chadwick Thompson, 2028
My hand reaches out towards the Cold, metal hande. Twisting slowly to the right, As the breeze slowly enters through.
I look up through the glass. The lights of a cab, Now gleaming through Illuminating the hallway
The door, Once light as a feather: Now not budging. But it’s not the door, It’s me.
The feeling of loneliness. The hardship of leaving everything Pulls me back.
But the sense of renewal. The opportunity to grow Pushes me forward
A teardrop wanting to fall, But happiness holding it back.
I see my parents, Their choice already made
Which lightens my load, Opening the door.
Little Rascals
Connor Tyrone, 2025
Whispers On Ice
Everett Hall, 2028
I push off, the ice beneath me hums, each glide a beat, my heart it drums. The rhythm calls; I’m pulled along.
The world slows down, and in those moments, the only sound is the scrape of blades against ice, the wind in my hair, the smoothness beneath my feet.
The scent of winter is all arounda mix of fresh snow and something electric, like ozone just before a storm.
Falling once, then learning fast, my moves become more sure, more vast, each circle is carved, a piece of song.
My legs gain strength, my movements precise, a little dance on ice, I glide with ease, the cold air wraps around me, like a secret only I know.
Now I skate with purpose clear, the ice is my home; I have no fear, this is where I truly belong.
Every movement is a conversation between me and the ice, each spin, a quiet whisper, each jump, a bold exclamation.
The sound of blades carving the surfaceis my heartbeat, steady and strong.
I don’t need to ask myself anymoreI’ve found the rhythm, the balance, and the place where I feel most alive. The cold no longer bites; it embraces.
The rink isn’t just a place, but a part of me, woven into every glide, every fall, until I rise again.
Woodchips
Jack
Rendi, 2028
As Jack approached the kids ahead, He could hear his heart beating out of his chest. And the sweat building on his hands. But he couldn’t turn back now, he was already on the wood chips.
He spotted a boy playing in the wood chips by himself, Not very far away.
Jack saw some groups of kids staring at him, And he looked down at his shoes.
He wanted to turn back, To the comforting area around Mom. He told himself that he could just play In the backyard at home,
But he continued to walk forward. The boy was now sitting right in front of Jack and he turned around.
Jack smiled And the boy smiled back.
The boy invited Jack to sit, Introducing himself as Chris. He eagerly showed off the structure he had made with the wood chips.
Jack acknowledged it and helped him, feeling a rush of excitement.
Finally, Mom called Jack to leave. He no longer wanted to walk away from the wood chips. But he said bye to his new friend, And when he left, there was no longer one tower of wood chips,
But two structures, Side by side
Ethan Liu, 2030 Bob Bakes a Cake
One Day Bob was Hungry
So he choose to bake a cake
He looked at the recipe
And it gave him a headache
So he called his friend Blake
To help him buy the supplies
But that was his mistake
Because Blake had Bad Eyes
So when Blake came back home
Arms full of flowers
And 2 large uggs
Bob was mad
Until he realized
That he was the one with the bad hand writing
2025
Untitled Donovan Perry,
Timothy Migliaccio, 2028 Dog Walks
The summer comes to an end, and the fall moves into place. The leaves are changing before my very eyes. The soft, balm, green leaves change to a crisp red, with orange and yellow ones around them. Maisy and I walk through the leaves, crushing all of them as we walk down the peaceful streets.
Although the leaves are warm, the weather is changing day by day, dropping by the hour. Despite the cold, the sun shines bright and Maisy’s fur shines brighter than ever before. She is happy on our walk, jumping joyfully and running with glee. As she barks with excitement, it puts a smile on my face.
We get to the end of the street and see one of our friends. I wave to him from a distance And he waves back. Maisy is barking as loud as she can, yearning to be heard. As my friend disappears, Maisy calms down and finally squats on someone's lawn to pee. We started heading home, and my mind and body were calm.
The sun setting is a beautiful sight, but then I know it is time to end the walk, on this beauty of a night.
A Life in China
Eric Feng, 2028
In Hangzhou, a beautiful city below Shanghai, cherry trees blossomed into bouquets of pink flowers in the spring, dragonflies hovered across the famous West Lake in the summer, and ferris drifted slowly under stone bridges arched above calm waters.
I lived peacefully with my dad.
Everyday felt like a dream come true, until the day I was hit with the news: I was moving to America.
A wave of adrenaline flooded my brain, A surge of fear froze up my body, A ball of anger came out of my mouth; I could feel the weight of the world on my shoulders…
Hangzhou was children paradise:
Food stands scattered along the streets with bags of youtiaos, big, golden, and puffy fried dough that dripped with oil. Children gathered in circles with beyblades spinnin’ around in the center colorful and shiny tops that spun fast and with persistence.
Candy stores teemed with cheerful youngsters, Savory crackers presented themselves in front of corner shops, Pungent smells of stinky tofus disseminated through the air, but all of that was about to change…
Untitled Harry Tedesco, 2025
Normandy Beach
Harry Tedesco, 2025
An Unbreakable Bond
Frank Hunkele, 2028
As he awoke the next morning he heard the sound of birds chirping
He got out of bed as fast as a cheetah ready to play. He ran to wake up his dad, but he wasn’t there
All of a sudden the sound of sizzling bacon appeared.
His dad was making breakfast and was ready for a new day
As the bacon hit his mouth he jeered at the temperature. After breakfast he became excited to play.
He was ready for a new day of drills and learning.
As he walked outside the cool morning air hit his skin
He picked up the rough stick and the smooth ball
He screamed and screamed until his dad finally came outside
The day was just like the last
It was filled with exciting drills and bonding between the two
Time soared by, and they had no idea
He knew this was going to be something special.
“Him” James Sommer, 2025
The Boy
George Murphy, 2028
Finally, they had arrived at the beach. Endless driving then unpacking, but they could finally see water. They sprinted to the beach, which they had dreamed of all day.
Gibby had gotten there first and he laid his towel down, Took his shirt off and ran to the water. Will and George caught up and did the same.
The wet football spun through the air. The waves crashed on the shore, And people were splashing, laughing, and having a good time.
It was an alright day of waves where they swam. They would swim as fast as they could to try and body surf the waves.
When all of a sudden they look to their left and see them.
George, Will, and Gibby saw some gigantic waves, and the best part was, Every single person over there was getting out of the water. This meant the whole entire spot all to themselves.
They sprinted as fast as they could and, “beep”. The loudest whistle ever stopped them in their tracks. Somebody was still in the water and couldn’t get out.
Hundreds of people started to crowd the area on the beach. It looked like every lifeguard on the beach went to attempt At getting the person out of the water.
It was all hopeful until the boy disappeared. The family sat crying on the beach wondering where he was, and if he would live.
30 people joined together to find him.
George looked and he saw the police cars pulling in. Boats started circling the area. And helicopters flying over from above.
The waves continued to crash upon George’s feet, Just as a wave of guilt and sorrow washed upon him. George could not believe his eyes right now.
George, Will, and Gibby packed up their things and left the beach. They tried to cleanse their minds of what they saw, but they couldn’t.
They found out later that day, the boy had died.
Ryan Readlinger, 2025
The Climb
Remy Sardar, 2030
I feel the pressure increase with each second gone by. Every movement is quick and precise. Each spot is a triumph, one small victory. I take in my surroundings to calm myself down, the end is almost here. I look straight and see the peak, I’m almost there. I brace myself for the final stretch, I know I can do this if I focus. I inhale slowly and my chest tightens up in anticipation. It feels like I am only an inch away, almost as if I can touch it. My pulse increases as I approach the summit. Everything I have been doing has been working towards this. It’s the one thing that’s been on my mind for weeks. I take in everything I have done so far, the challenges and hardships I’ve faced, and most of all, how proud and happy I will be when it happens. At last, I sigh in relief, I have finally reached the top. I drop my controller and yell “I did it, I actually did it.” The chat is going wild with comments, and I am jumping up and down in excitement. Then I sit back in my chair and look at the screen and see, “Global Rank: #1.”
God’s Eye
Griffin Velez, 2025
Day and Night
James Sadrian, 2030
Day and night
When the day turns to night
And the whole world is deep in sleep
When all crime and chime wash away as you start a new day
The time passes in the blink of an eye as day turns to night then to weeks and months
Moving time is a fright so make the most out of your day and night
Awake in the day asleep at night while batman in wide at night Make the most out of the day before its done And when it does enjoy the fright of the night
City Lights
Svanik Swamy, 2028
The city lights
It was something he had always wanted to see And now, it was right across the river.
He had come to America 2 days ago He wished he came sooner
The amount of things he missed.
He had been living in a hotel, happy but nervous about life here
But right now, that didn’t matter.
The slow movement on the water
The bright lights on the other side of the Hudson River And his thoughts.
As he held the cold hand rails, He felt the sound around him. It calmed him.
But as he stood there
He felt a single teardrop rolling down his face
“Why?” he wondered.
The water gently splashing against the rocks
The slight chilly breeze through his hair
The people talking and eating food from the Starbucks next to him.
“What is this feeling?” he thought It felt like he was alone Like no one was there.
The sadness and changes fell on him like a boulder Then he felt a smack in the back of his head It was his brother.
“What’re you doing?” he heard The boulder was not crushing anymore There were people.
He hit his brother and smiled As he walked back to the hotel, he laughed Knowing whatever was coming, he wasn’t alone.
COVID-19
Gabriel Rotolo, 2028
After Christian’s funeral, The world shut down… I wondered if I would ever go outside again, Our family, unlike others, was happy to be together.
Every day, Sam and I had classes online, It was funny seeing people over a computer screen, My teachers grew beards, And everyone wore pajamas.
After half a year of online classes, we went back in person. It was strange wearing a mask, The plexiglass reduced my vision, Everything was much different.
We couldn't high-five anyone, We couldn't sit next to each other at lunch, We couldn't have pep rallies anymore, Everyone thought the world was coming to an end.
Birthdays during COVID were depressing, Everyone is so excited for their birthday party, but times were different then, We had to stay six feet apart, We drove by their houses to celebrate.
Leaf Jack Gerne, 2025
Stories in Mexico
Max Cirillo, 2028
“Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats to prepare for takeoff.”
This is real. This is happening.
I am going on a journey to have a once in a lifetime experience. Going to Mexico, alone, for 6 weeks.
Some kids haven't left the state at 13 years old, Let alone the country. Then it all comes back to me.
I am not most kids.
I don’t have a perfect family that gets along every minute of every day.
The funny thing is, most people would ever even know that. I would never dare to tell my closest friends that everything wasn’t always “Okay.”
Am I embarrassed? Ashamed? I don’t know. That’s not what matters.
This is a new adventure, with new people, and experiences to be made.
The plane door swooshes open and I depart the plane, just to sit in immigration for what feels like weeks. I realize it has been 15 minutes and then finally reunite with the family.
The fresh Mexican air tastes sweet and feels wet and hot. Spanish is being spoken all around, I feel like a deer in the headlights. We get in the car and start driving to their house on a dusty dirt road.
Men with guns sit in the beds of trucks ready for anything, at any moment.
No-one reacts and I assume this is normal.
At stoplights, dancers dance, singers sing, beggars beg. All with the goal of going home with their pockets not empty. Cars honk within seconds of green light blinding your eyes. This is not any different than a United States city. Then we pull into what looks like a prison from a movie.
Gates big enough to stop a thousand tanks.
More cameras are staring at me than they have at the Superbowl.
Then I realize, this is to get into the complex where their house is.
We enter, just to be swallowed by more gates and cameras.
The Wave
Kelvin Pierre, 2025
Highschool
Jonathan Arriola, 2028
Life was easy mean. We did nothing at all. And I took it for granted.. It’s really hard now.
When I started 9th grade, I thought: “It won’t change much” But wow, it really did. Sports, school, and arts?
Who has time for that? Not saying it’s “worse.”
I love it a lot, really. But it sure is hard.
It’s the same things too! But sports take 4x longer, Homework is 5x more, And tests are 6x harder!
This year has been great, But the calm of middle school, That was something else. My life has shifted a lot.
I’m still content though. And things are still changing. The people around me are making Memories that’ll last forever.
Flashback
Luke Weldon, 2028
On the second day of school, We had an assembly. I was sitting next to Max Cirillo and Ryan Alessi,
I met them both through soccer, And they are great guys We were talking, and then it started
“Welcome to Delbarton,” said Father Michael “We are so excited for this year” he said “Not me,” said Ryan
I laughed. The assembly started to get boring, So I zoned out
As I zoned out, I had a flashback, Suddenly, I was in the hospital again.
I was two again, With cancer, Always hearing that same beeping noise
I didn’t remember much, But I saw my parents’ faces, and it made me realize something:
How hard it was to see their child like this, Meanwhile, I was clueless, And didn’t understand anything
All I thought about were those Fruit Loops, While my parents were wondering if I was going to live another month I started getting emotional.
My parents cared for me so much. And would do everything and anything for me For that, I am so grateful.
I can still hear the voice from Delbarton, But it feels like I’m not there And then I hear something:
“Luke? You good bro? I hear faintly It was Ryan. I zoned back in “Oh, Yeah. Just zoned out” I said
“Bro, you were dead silent for a while” “Yeah, deep though, I guess” I replied That was weird, I thought to myself.
And the second day of school finished, “This is going to be one heck of a year” I said as I walked to my mom’s car
We Finally Got Finn
Jacob Gordon, 2028
We finally got Finn! We go to the airport, and waited two hours, But we got him.
When we first got him I couldn’t hold my excitement. He was the cutest dog I had ever seen.
He was grey and white, With long legs, And a grey dot on his nose.
The car ride home was short. All I could think about was what I was going to do with him. We already got him toys to play with,
So we could play with those. When I walked in the door with Finn, My brother instantly came over.
We opened the cage, but Finn didn’t come out. So we put a treat in front of the cage and he came running out. He was still a puppy.
Only weighing around 10 pounds. In that moment I was so happy, I finally got a dog.
I sent picture of him to all my friends, And played with him all day. We went outside,
And played with toys. He was still a little shy, But I knew he would get better.
Garden
Aidan Streem, 2028
A gentle, flowing breeze, Flowers dancing from the ground, Rays of light glistening in the sky.
Soft, fluffy, clouds perched in the Heavens, The gentle hum of the cars and trucks and vans passing by, But there are shadows cast from the leaves and petals and stems.
Another harmless Sunday morning.
Cathy crouched among daisies, azaleas, and hydrangeas Aidan stood near, watching impatiently.
His gloves slowly sliding down his wrists As the material flopped around in his little hands, Fighting with the gloves to stay on.
Cathy plucked weeds, pulling out the roots. Her platinum hair seeping out from under her wide-brimmed sun hat.
Each unwanted sprout was thrown onto the rocks
“You have to make sure to get out all the roots,” “If you leave any in the ground, they’ll grow right back,” Cathy said to an onlooking Aidan.
Her hands moved gracefully, brushing through the plants, Meticulously finding and plucking the intrusive ones
As they tried to blend in among the rest.
Untitled Finn Loughrey, 2026
Untitled Lorenzo Petrucci, 2025
Reunion in India
Akul Menon, 2028
Akul stands in the luscious green garden surrounded by colorful flowers and a statue of Lord Shiva in his grandparents' front yard. The scent of fresh roti reminds him of all the times he stood with his grandparents in the kitchen.
Akul loves the feeling of the hot sun with a cool breeze on his skin. The sound of honking & chaos reminds him of all the times he's walked outside play basketball with his cousin at the park
Akul knows that the 2 ½ weeks with his Nana & Nani fly by like a hawk soaring through the sky. He sits by the bonfire on his birthday talking, eating, and spending time with the ones he loves most. They finish the night with a movie.
The action filled scenes of the action movie entertain him and his family
As they are halfway down their bucket of popcorn. As their time together is coming to an end, they float on their boat down the river as they feed seagulls and watch as the bright sun sets for the day in front of the colorful pink sky.
All these memories rush through Akul’s mind when he is on the thirteen hour flight back home to Hoboken. he reminisces and is grateful for another amazing 2 ½ weeks that he was able to spend with his Nani & Nana.
Striped Summer
Aaron Diaz, 2028
I could hear the fish splashing his tail on the water. Causing all the commotion in the water stealing the spotlight of the ocean. While I was fighting to keep the line tight.
The drag screamed as the fish tried swimming away. He looked mad, almost mad enough to break my line, but who would be mad with a hook in the corner of your mouth.
I had a light tackle today chasing stripers in the surf. Normally, this time of year I would expect a schoolie around eighteen to twenty inches and go home a happy boy.
Today was different, at the end of my line I had a keeper striper on seventeen pound test. The thrilling fight of the fish woke me up. Yearning to land the fish.
I didn’t need caffeine today, oh no not after this fight. After all, it was six o’clock in the morning. I was battling the urge to close my eyes. Yet this morning was worth every second.
I was fighting this fish for a solid four to five minutes. Because I had to take my time to land this big girl. As she got closer to the surf I felt a sense of relief. I knew she was tired and had no more fight left in her.
However, as I got closer to the waves to land this massive striper I let some line slack.
Rookie mistake, and before I knew it she ran again. This time she couldn't be stopped.
Snap…
Andrew Chobor, 2025
Wesley Gabriel, 2026
The Black Hole
Matteo Crawford, 2027
Bring Earth back to when space was new,
This must be a god, And there were not few, As what seemed to be nothing Was found to be something.
This is no element not alkaline-loving, Astronomists used scopes, In 1964, the first discovery of this, future black door, The black hole may be a scheme in reality it seems like a dream, Lustrous? we ask,
Researchers say, why bother? space is a masque, Critics bewildered trying to conclude, The world is unknown.
Why don't these astronomists just go to the moon?
JFK died, after space exploration, Many US people wanted creation, After this find they wanted more, Not just an image - a foot on that floor,
The spaceship to the moon, And tried to make it seem unlike a toon,
Space exploration, a big mystery, As Gaia BH1, the closest black hole is still history.
Uncle Clinton
Max Cirillo, 2028
Walking into the funeral home, I feel an indescribable sense of calm. Funeral homes always scare me.
Drive past one at night and you will feel like something can see you.
Like there are 100 people watching your and your every move. Not in the good way. This time is different. This time it feels like you’re being welcomed to say goodbye one last time.
After putting a couple mints in my pocket, I am greeted by my mom.
She just barely builds up enough strength to ask me how my day was.
Walking down the scary and intimidating hallway, there are doors and rooms on both sides.
Is that where they keep the other dead people?
Finally we get to the end of the hallway.
I can see rows of chairs set up. All facing one way. I go to see where they are facing and it hits me. There he is.
Never will I be able to talk to him again. Never ask him another car question, never play with him and his dog.
I break down crying unexpectedly.
I thought I had already said my goodbyes. You can think a lot of different things, but it's once you are standing in front of him that everything becomes clear. He’s gone. Forever.
Ode- An Ode to Life
Finlay White, 2029
Oh how lucky,
Oh how happy,
Oh how great, Life truly is.
Life is a rollercoaster, It has ups and downs, And twists and turns.
Oh how unfortunate, Oh how sad, Oh how wretched, Life truly is.
Life is a maze, You never know, where you’ll end up.
Although this is, Both good and bad, This is life, We should live it.
The N.Y. Jets
Jack Culmone, 2030
J.E.T.S. Jets Jets Jets,
Once I became a fan
I had Regrets rets rets,
These guys don’t even try
Don’t break a sweat sweat sweat
Yes it is very true,
That this team gives me the blues,
This team has made mistakes,
That could never be excused,
But for some odd reason I am still a fan
Bongos Kelvin Pierre, 2025
Jude Hall, 2025
Christmas Anthony Poliseno, 2029
Snow on the ground
Christmas lights are hung
All across town
Bells are being rung
Family all together
On christmas eve
Very cold weather
Hoping snow we will receive
Presents stacked like towers
Waiting to open all
Listening to songs for hours
Deck the halls
Best time of the year
Christmas is here
Untitled Andrew Leibowitz, 2025
Hunter Outside Jack Tonzola, 2025
In the house she is loving and affectionate. As soon as the door opens, she turns into an observant olfactory detective. She may amiably approach you in the field, but her mind is on her surroundings. She is in a different mode from that in the house.
A family of gray squirrels scurry up the tree. She sits at the base, appearing to have lost the battle. But she waits there. The squirrels perch, uneasy at her patience. Suddenly, one of the younger squirrels panics and makes a wobbly run for it. Just as she calculated, the squirrel misses a step and falls out of the tree where it is caught in her jaws. It squeals in distress and freezes. She carries it off towards the field.
Another time, she tries an adult squirrel. It ripples its bushy tail as an aggressive warning, however it continues up the tree. Despite her patience, the adult squirrel is too experienced to make a reckless maneuver, and it cautiously disappears in the canopy.
On the meager tall grass hedgerow, she sticks her face in the grass, wagging her tail at the whiff of a field mouse’ scent. We walk into the barnyard, where there isn’t as much space, but it is a place for me to check on the chickens. There comes a point where even she has spent enough time outside, and she sits, waiting for me to take her back.
Once we have gone inside, I take off my shoes. While I’m doing so, she looks back at me, waiting for me to join her.
The Game
Gavin Hassan, 2025
I smiled as the sun glistened overhead. I looked next to me, looking at the only friend I had in this world. He was just recently back from the medics, having suffered a broken collar bone and a bruised skull, a horrific injury to any person. However, this injury was not the worst he had experienced. In fact, this was nothing compared to some of the injuries he had faced including a broken femur, a punctured lung, and more. All injuries that were from me. Despite being the best of friends, we fought all the time. Every day and every night we fought, often until one of us couldn’t continue at all. Except, we didn’t fight because we wanted to. In fact, we didn’t want to fight at all. Imagine having to fight your best friend everyday with no fail. That would be awful, right? Well that’s what I have to do every single day. All for the big camera.
The big camera watched overhead, its long black frame fixed in a constant state of observance. It was always watching, never allowing me a moment of privacy. It would watch when we would get our small rations for the day, sleep for the limited amount of hours we got, almost none some days, and when we would, most importantly, fight. That’s when the red light came on and it seemed the whole world turned on. The cracked, arid landscape devoid of any life besides my friend and I and a few robots seemed to transform into an arena of gladiators. The booming, demanding voice overhead let us know our every move. It counted down from 3, to 2, to 1, until the emphatic “FIGHT” echoed across the land and my friend and I had to do our least favorite thing in the world.
A lot of these elements may seem familiar to a lot of giddy kids whose parents let them go to the arcade as a weekend treat. The constant 1v1 fighting, the loud, booming “FIGHT” heard overhead, and the brutal carnage of the same people over and over again. Jaxon Fury and Blaze Striker, the infamous rivalry. That’s my friend and I. I, Jaxon Fury, donned my signature red bandana and blue robes with my white brass knuckles while Blaze Striker wore his yellow face mask and black suit that made him look like a demon more than a man. Thousands of kids across the world chose one of us to support, wearing my red bandana or Blaze’s yellow mask to show their support. They became so engaged in this virtual world they made it seem like nothing else mattered. To them it was just a game, but in reality the cutting edge graphics from our game were because it wasn’t a game at all, it was a live broadcast.
The joy of these kids at watching these intense fights came at the extreme pain and suffering of Blaze and I. We resisted as much as we could, but the pain was too great. We were kidnapped from a small town in the midwest as kids from parents we never knew, taken away from names we never got to utter. With that kidnapping came the surgeries, hundreds of little metal shocking points placed all over our bodies that hurt like a gunshot, placed solely for one purpose: to make us obey. Throughout our life, we were developed, like a game being developed except we were the game. We were trained in fighting side by side, until we had to fight each other over and over and over again, simply for the enjoyment of others. In this god forsaken world, the one certain is that I hate it. Except what might be worse than my hate for this world is my inability to show it. Blaze and I had to constantly put on faces of toughness, brutal faces even to mask the true sorrow within. Any little attempt to break away from the booming voice led to the same pain and suffering that I tried so hard to avoid. Kids complaining of “lag” wouldn’t be seeing a dip in the internet speed, but rather a dip in our compliance.
Often, I would try to break away from what the game wanted me to do. Maybe I would pull a punch or maybe I would simply try to walk away. However, when any of this happened, the little shock points would dance all over my body like a hundred lightning strikes at once making it hard to think.
I don’t think I’ll ever make it out of here. I don’t think anyone will ever know what I’m going through. And most of all, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to choose what type of life I want to live because at the end of the day all I am is a slave for the entertainment of others.
