DEMOGORGON ART&LITERARY MAGAZINE

At the beginning of this year, at the school’s showcase of clubs, Demogorgon stood out. “Is this a Stranger Things club?” was asked multiple times. “No, we create poems, short stories, photos, art and compile it into a magazine” was our answer. They would walk away not sparing a second glance. But to the people who stayed and asked questions or joined, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Spending time ranting about our classes, writing wacky stories, listening to music, and talking about art, poems or movies made school feel less… overwhelming. I remember learning about the club my freshman year on a whim at homecoming; one of the editors-inchief at the time convinced me to join the club. The crazy chaoticness of the club from an outsider’s point of view would make us seem insane, (sometimes we were) but we were a close group of dreamers, artists, and visionaries wanting to make something of this twisted world.

Creativity and inspiration thrive in the craziest circumstances. By no means were these years anywhere close to normal, but one thing stayed the same, Demo. Whether this magazine gets remembered as a distant memory or just an endless shout to an audience not there, I hope at least one person can say “Demogorgon? Oh yeah East’s Art Literary Magazine, we were a close group…” and be able to speak kindly of this club. Demogorgon “a vague, mysterious, infernal power or divinity mistakenly thought to belong to ancient mythology,” yet vague and mysterious as we seemed, it was the complete opposite. To future members of Demo, please carry the memory of the club and make East less scary. Thank you, and I hope this club can continue being a safe space for you to share your form of art.

---Cecilia Tavares

Demogorgonis Cherry Hill High School East's student-run art & literary magazine. Please submit work to our Google Classroom, the codeis l2rzzmf (lowercaseL)

Editor-in-Chief

Cecilia Tavares

Club Advisor

Mr. Connolly

Assistant Editors-in-Chief

Valerie Wang

Sarah Weber

Magazine Designers

Winnie Tang

Cecilia Tavares

Valerie Wang

Sarah Weber

Mikee Alvarez

Sofia Bass

Jay Arato

Ilanna Bernstein

Asher Boiskin

Calvin Bouch

Maureen Castle

Mason Dempsey

Nate Greene

Gia Gupta

Staff

Social Media Manager

Grant Yoon

Aron Kabai-Tokes

Lilu Kaufman

Azra Küçük

Lucie McFadden

Jack McNulty

Justin Medero

Lyann Mejia

Aakriti Mishra

Ciara Mulligan

Nhi Nguyen

Naresh RaaghavVasudevan

Vivian Rong

Nate Stein

Kayla Tabares

Winnie Tang

Cecilia Tavares

Valerie Wang

Sarah Weber

Grant Yoon

Kaylee Yoon

A Sail in the Horizon

Ciara Mulligan '23

In Our Own World

Let’s fantasize we’re falling’ through the sky

Let us lie

Let us lie

Let us lie

And the clouds of cotton candy are melting on our tongues

We make our way to cloud nine and sugary sweet fills our lungs

What kind gods we have to let us sink in such bliss

What kind souls they are to let us exist

There’s no wars, no famine

No plague and no death

The horses of the horsemen in their stables

And the men of the horsemen listening to our fables

And I’m not anything I don’t want to be

And I’m everything I've always dreamed

Your heart beating warm in my hands

Your eyes fleeting forms of beautiful lands

Your head rests on my lap

As you settle down for a nap

It’s just me Just us

And I’m not anything I don’t want to be

And I’m everything I've always dreamed

Your heart beats warm in my hands

I promise it won’t ever crack

Lilu Kaufman '23

Cecilia Tavares '23

My life is the sand, my choices the sieve. There is no sketch, I dip in ink and think… oh-- no rewrites… just one page I can live. When it dims, have I wasted the ray’s pink?

It ticks… yet death is unknown to us all. And I wonder if at the end I stroll the market of possible, lost… no call… leaving the mark of just one-more-gone-soul.

And I wonder if I choose a place, I lose the journey… grasping a dream, alwaysworried. It's out of grasp. I turn, I cry, I look back, it's long gone in my gray haze.

The ebb is my star. I trust its odd flow. Swimming dazedly with ink to… unknown.

Gia Gupta '24

You’re my Black Hole

You eat time and death, my incalculable love.

The planets fall off endless cliffs around You: a circular bottomless Cliff. I fall back around You, and it’s a perfect Glide; the force of a wave. You, a natural fact; I pray, don’t ask for more.

You don’t, but I Give anyway

You need not ask Anyway—

You, the Last move. You take Me in.

You, I love, lose, and leave to.

Grant Yoon '23

Light Show!

Valerie Wang '23

Cecilia Tavares '23

Her.

Her hair matted with tangles

Her dark clothing clotted with blood

Her eyes a storm of unbridled rage And I, I a conduit of lightning

She flicks her blade in one swift movement

Her head snaps a leer in my direction

She burns looks of fervency into my skin And I, I look back with unwavering warmth

She, like the battlefield, is a blur of rage But unlike war she is encompassing love

A fire that is all consuming A pyre of uncontained emotions

She, like the sun will burn And I, I choose to succumb to the flame.

Gladiators

Naresh Raaghav Vasudevan '26

Operatic

Any exit would be ungraceful. The audience cannot avert its eyes. The actress, its caricature of self, Roves the stage like hunger through a body. A divine miscalculation placed her Here, and everyone is unhappy With the arrangement. There is no other.

“I move as a parade of corpses,” She thinks, “with the torturous relief Of the soul, to sing of—”(she pauses)

“—Indulgent pain.” She considers the exit; “I am consigned to the inscrutable—”

(the audience’s open mouths, shadowed, turn her to me)—“and your perverse escape.” Grant Yoon '23

Among the Bugs and Wildflowers

Kaylee Yoon '26

Daffodils

An orangy yellow center with crisp pale petals bloom. A fragrance that attracts all sorts of beings big and small. A reminder that the cold chilly season slowly disappears. Instead, a warm breezy, sometimes humid season takes its place.

Petals that dance through the wind or trees slowly come to bud.

Watery eyes, small sneezes, pollen in the air. Instead, I shut the blinds to the harsh sunlight filtering through.

For too much light will cause demise.

The daffodils slowly wilt away forgotten in the vase. A reminder that things will come to an end. A once orangy yellow center with crisp pale petals, now shriveled up, brown, and discarded.

She Was Kind

She was kind because the world betrayed her. She was kind because she knew what it was like to be sad. She was kind because it was the way she was taught, and any other way she’d feel bad. She was kind, but she has had enough. She was kind but turned into a storm. She was kind and there’s no coming back.

Forgive and Forget

To forgive and forget, God, what an awful phrase. A phrase of three words that could not grasp The pain, the excruciating pain that you've caused. Caused, because you did it on purpose, And for purpose, no regrets.

Do you regret what you've done?

What you said?

The distance you've put between us? Us.

This chapter between us of years is over now, Now, is nothing. Nothing it will stay. Stay.

To forgive and forget, what an awful phrase.

Cecilia Tavares '23

A Story Starts with a Drink

“Grandmother, grandmother! Can you tell a story, I’m bored and don’t want to practice piano anymore.”

“Sure, what kind of story do you want to hear? Love, fighting, jobs?”

“Hmm, maybe a mix of all of those things.”

“Ok, hm, I’ll tell a story I haven’t told anyone. Even your father doesn’t know.”

“Yay!”

Aki sat at the kotatsu table with tea and kettle. She poured out two cups of golden chamomile tea. Mei sat down and took a sip of tea.

“Let’s begin.”

The splatter of rain drenched the concrete pavement. Dark clouds forebode the night ahead. I walked the uninhabited streets just after work, close to it being midnight. Exhaustingly dragging my feet, trying to see if there were any open restaurants to eat anything.

But, in my delirious daze, I could hear footsteps following me. I stopped for a second and the footsteps stopped too. It kept happening, when I moved it moved. When I stopped, it stopped.

I didn’t know what to do, I looked behind me, but nothing was there. I must just be tired, right? It’s all my imagination. I began walking again, but the footsteps started up again and grew louder.

“Nope, I’m not doing this.” I thought to myself as I began to sprint through the vacant street.

I passed neon signs in my blurred field of vision, looking for a place to seek asylum from someone or something that was chasing me. Just wanting rest, I turned a sharp corner to a dead end. Rain poured down my back and my face.

“This is where I die.” I panicked, breaking down.

However, in the corner of the alley, I saw a neon sign light up, Dead of Night.

16 Dead Of Night Demogorgon

“I’m saved, yes!”

Whatever was following me had turned the corner and I saw giant shadows enclosing the wall. I ran to the door of the cafe and ripped open the door. The silent atmosphere ceased as I slammed the door shut. Dripping wet, the floor covered in water. Patrons of the cafe and the undisturbed barista looking at me.

The thing chasing me began banging on the windows and doors. I was startled and hesitantly moved away from the door only to slip and fall on my hands. The barista offered his hand and pulled me up. I sat in the closest chair possible, shaking from fear.

The light and lanterns of the cafe began to flicker as the barista got close to the door.

Gently putting his calloused hand on the door and he closed his eyes. The banging on the windows and doors slowly ended and the lights stopped flickering.

The barista retracted his hand from the door and turned to me with a sympathetic smile.

“Who or what is this guy?” I contemplated.

The barista came up to me and pulled up a chair, while the patrons were already back to their chatter. I looked at him in awe, wondering if what I just saw really happened.

“Would you like a cup of cocoa, my dear?” He asked with a tilt of his head.

All I could do was nod in reply, still speechless about what happened. He got up and went to his counter. I watched as he swiftly poured the contents of his kettle into the cup, as he sprayed whipped cream, and drizzled chocolate syrup on as a topping. An antidote to soothe my anxiety.

He lightly placed the cup on the table, as well as a plate with cornbread. I looked at him, and back at the drink and food a few times. He gestured to me to give it a try. I hesitantly brought the cup to my mouth with my hands still slightly shaking.

The barista noticed, as he glanced at my hands but didn’t say anything. I put the cup down and smiled. It was the most delicious drink I’ve ever tasted, the chocolate still lingers. I took a bite of the cornbread and beamed. The barista smiled back.

“I’m glad you liked it”

“Yeah, this was all I ate today, it’s delicious!”

“Why didn’t you eat today?” He asked with a frown.

“I was really busy with work, meetings, and papers. I work as a secretary. Didn’t get a chance to have dinner either. But, I’m fine, it’s all good.” I tried convincing myself.

“My love, that isn’t good. You need to eat and for god’s sake rest! You’re a human no less.” A human? He saw my expression flash with mixed emotions. Fright, confusion, unease. Aren’t we all humans? I looked around the cafe as others were glancing at me. I took a look back at the barista, realizing his fangs and pale complexion. Vampire, I thought and my hands began shaking.

17 Dead Of Night Demogorgon

Vampires exist?! What the hell? I’m going to die though, right? Now that I know they exist and the truth. Oh god, I-

The worried vampire grabbed my hands and gave them a tight squeeze and stopped my spiraling thoughts.

“I swear I’m not going to kill you, nor drink your blood. I run a cafe and would rather not gain a bad reputation for drinking a human’s blood. We welcome everyone here. Especially a human like you, who’s gotten chased by the Shadow Clan. My name is Kuragari, it’s nice to meet you.” He explained.

Shadow Clan, blood, Kuragari, kill, cafe, this is way too much. I need to get out of here, I learned too much. I should have let the shadows get me.

I realized that I hadn’t said anything when he was looking at me for a reply to something. My name, maybe?

“Oh sorry- yes that’s good. Hi, my name is… uh-”

Shit, I can’t think of a name.

“Love, you don’t have to tell me your name if you’re not comfortable. I do not mind, you’re scared and you just met me. Understandably, you don’t trust me.”

“Right, sorry.

“Please do not apologize, I shouldn’t have frightened you and overwhelmed you with information. Forgive me.” He handed me a towel while looking down apologetically.

“It’s ok, thank you for saving me.” I took a deep breath and the towel. I dried my hair and my soaking wet clothes. The rain didn’t seem to be letting up as I looked out the window.

“Miss,” Kuragari startled me. “Would you like a spare set of clothes to change to? You might get sick if you leave what you’re wearing on. Especially if you have to stay here for the night.” My expression flashed again, stay the night? I got nervous again, and Kuragari realized what he said.

“Ah, bloody hell. That wasn’t my intent in what I just said. I’m sorry, I meant we have extra rooms upstairs for people to sleep in if they get drunk or need a place to stay. Not anything weird. My deepest apologies.” He nervously laughed.

Dead Of Night Demogorgon

“Miss,” Kuragari startled me. “Would you like a spare set of clothes to change to? You might get sick if you leave what you’re wearing on. Especially if you have to stay here for the night.”

My expression flashed again, stay the night? I got nervous again, and Kuragari realized what he said.

“Ah, bloody hell. That wasn’t my intent in what I just said. I’m sorry, I meant we have extra rooms upstairs for people to sleep in if they get drunk or need a place to stay. Not anything weird. My deepest apologies.” He nervously laughed.

“Oh, yes, I’m sorry I thought of something else. Yes, that would be great, thank you.”

I followed him behind the counter through a wooden doorway. I traversed the ebony staircase, tiny candles lighting up by each windowsill. Magic, I thought, really exists. Maybe this will be a dream when I wake up.

By my expression, Kuragari could tell I’ve never seen magic before. He welcomed me to a beautifully furnished room, with roses in a vintage vase by the window. A gigantic bed, with a fluffy blanket that could hug you. Kuragari smiled as I looked through the room.

“This is beautiful, thank you.” I had no more words to describe how happy and amazed this room made me.

Kuragari left me to rest in the room and bid me good night. I checked my cracked phone. Three in the morning. Shit. I have work in a few hours. Maybe I'll call in sick. Yeah, I need a day off.

I laid in bed, eyes blinking shut, as sleep welcomed me in its arms.

Cecilia Tavares '23

Emperor's Palace

Valerie Wang '23

Tulip SofiaBass'25

Sticky Spring Nights

the birds sing into sticky spring nights with golden pink sunsets peeking, whispering-screaming, behind wispy curtains. and it is tasting freedom, dizzily lightheaded with giddiness. feeling loved and in love, everywhere, all at once.

it is naive and utterly triumphant and infinite.

it is gulping freedom, swallowing without sorry. when the moment is all that exists, everything is enough. we believe, despite. we love, despite. we laugh, despite. we continue, despite. we live.

Gia Gupta '24