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Table of Contents: Charcoal - Maren Kneeland ‘24

Holly Tree - Drew Tolley ‘24

Digital Art - Caroline Thomas ‘26

December - Eamon Schopfer ’26

Ghost - Kate Porter ’24

Scorpio Attack - Harrison Dunstan ’24

Digital Art - Mia Walker ’25

Never a Limit - Rowan Lutz ’24

Digital Photography - Evelyn Regenhardt ‘27

That Which We’re Not - Drew Tolley ‘24

7 Years - Anonymous

Sketch - Annabelle Baker ’26

Smiling and Nodding - Liv Labrador ‘27

Digital Photograph - Sydney Dare ‘25

The Caspian Sea - Benta Owino '25

Journal Entry No.1 - Anonymous

Digital Art - Mia Walker ‘25

Nothing is Ever as Good as it Seems - Bent Owino ‘25

Digital Photography - Lizzy Chiochetti ’27

Leave No Trace - Drew Tolley ’24

The Succession Myth - AJ Friedrich ’27

Sketch - Marley Farmer ’27

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Ballerina - Lillian Babylon ’26

Digital Photography - Anthony Smith ’27

To be Both - Rowan Lutz ’24

To Keep Warm - Josie Merton ’24

Act 1 - Annabelle Sinatra ’24

Sketch - Evelyn Regenhardt ’27

Greek Tragedy - Drew Tolley ’24

You - Josie Merton ’24

Digital Photography - Lillian Babylon ’26

Neptune - Lillian Babylon ’26

i’m glad you’re doing well now - Liv Labrador ’27

Sketch - Kate Andrews ’26

Morsels - Drew Tolley ’24

Electricity - Rowan Lutz ’24

Digital Photography - Anthony Smith ’27

Loyalty as a Daughter - Drew Tolley ’24

10:17pm - Benta Owino ’26

The Eyes - Josie Merton ’24

Digital Photography - Liv Labrador ’27

Alone - Alix Allison ’25

Digital Art - Annabelle Sinatra ’24

Paradise of Arcadia - Anonymous

Watercolor Painting - Anthony Smith ’27

Undertow - Liv Labrador ’27

Digital Photography - Joseph Boucher ’27

I’m Always Known to Me - Drew Tolley ’24

Halloween - Lia Schut ’26

Digital Photography - Liv Labrador ’27

Fall… - Liv Labrador ’27

Head Editors: Josie Merton Annabelle Sinatra Editors: Benta Owino Mia Walker Kate Andrews Lillian Babylon Annabelle Baker Caroline Thomas Ella Berntsen Lizzy Chiochetti Marley Farmer Liv Labrador

- Maren Kneeland ’24 4

Holly Tree If time was as forest and our poems your winter thaw and the buds my first of many colors Then i’m left with crayon prints of fall leaves childlike, dusty smelling, and loved Just as they are. - Drew Tolley ’24

Caroline Thomas ‘26

December Today we give thanks to a wordless poet We rest our heads, weep tears of sorrow And joy, for his songs are beauty untold A prelude to hearthstone fires And carols through the night Notes like bells tolling through the snow Like midnight of a full moon All minstrels know his songs His own work and variations from the past Tones delicate, but strong as the ivy that climbs the wall We all know him, but never see him Be at peace, George, for we were too late. - Eamon Schopfer ’26 *Inspired by George Winston’s December album

Ghost “You know we used to live in a haunted house, right?” Mom said after the waitress left, her mouth half-stuffed with salad drowning in dressing. I was slightly taken aback, leaning back into the cushiony booth seat. “Really?” I said, crossing my arms in disbelief. “In Oxford?” Mom nodded, still chewing. Once she swallowed, she put down her fork and dabbed at her mouth with the big cloth napkin. “Yeah, the house in Oxford. It was very haunted. You were only five or six.” I thought about it for a second. The house always used to creep me out, but I never thought it was haunted. I specifically remembered the floorboards of the hallway would randomly creak noisily late at night, like someone was walking while wearing heavy winter boots. I assumed it was just the wind or the house ‘settling’. I heard noises coming from the attic, too. It was right above my room. I always thought it was some animal causing the strange thumping, like a rat scuttling around or a bird pecking at the roof. It sounded too much like someone's fist, knocking loudly yet politely like it wanted to be let in. My dad finished chewing and chimed in. “It was very… interesting. It was especially bad in your brother’s room. Sometimes his toys would move around or the doors would open and shut. He was always scared of these weird noises in the hallway, too.” I sat up. “He heard it too? The creaking?” Mom nodded again. “Yeah, he did. That’s why he always got scared and slept in our bedroom.” She ate another mouthful of salad. My disbelief melted into curiosity. I leaned forward. “Are there any stories about me? Like, anything funny or creepy that I said or did at all?” 8

Dad glanced at mom and spoke again. “You didn’t say much about it, probably because you didn’t mind. You weren’t a complainer.” “Oh,” I said, pouting. I leaned back into the booth seat again. “Maybe I just didn’t notice.” “No, you knew.” “I did?” Dad paused and took a sip of his Coke. “One time while you were playing in the kitchen, one of the cabinets closed by itself. You saw it, but you didn’t say anything and kept playing.” “Huh,” I paused. “That’s kinda funny to think about, you know? Living in a haunted house and not remembering much about it until 10 years later.” And then I remembered something. ~ When we were kids, my brother kept all of our toys in his room. Although he is younger, his room was bigger than mine, so that’s where everything was kept. All the toy cars, blocks, stuffed animals, horses, and other dolls were kept in the colorful plastic bins on low wooden shelves. That day, I was by myself. Mom took my brother shopping a while ago, and dad was napping in the bedroom. I went to my brother’s room like I usually do. I wanted to play with my dinosaurs today, so I pulled out the mossy green bin labeled “dinos” from under the lowest shelf. I got on my knees and dumped the contents out onto the carpet, the plastic dinosaurs sliding out on top of each other. As I began to play with them, I heard the floorboards squeak behind me. I turn my head towards the hall, and I see something – no, someone standing in the doorway. It looked like a little girl, probably only seven years old. I couldn’t tell if her hair was blonde or brown since the hallway was too dark. She wore a plain, dirty white dress with no frills or sleeves, and she didn’t have any shoes or socks on. I looked directly at her face for half a 9

second. It was a pretty little face, like a fragile porcelain doll. She looked terrified of me, tiny eyes wide and little mouth open in a silent scream. I wasn’t scared, though. I was mostly confused. My eyes fluttered for a second, and she was gone. It barely took the blink of an eye for her to disappear. It took me a couple seconds to process what I just saw. I was spooked. I dropped everything I was doing. I tossed handfuls of dinosaurs back in the bin and shoved it under the shelf before walking out and never speaking of it again. ~ As I finished my story, I realized my parents were staring at me, both in fascination and in fear. Mom finally spoke. “Oh my. Oh my goodness.” Our waitress pranced back to our table, holding a plastic pitcher of water. “Does anyone need a refill, or are we all good?” she asked cheerfully. “No, we’re all right, thanks,” mom murmured, still processing the entire story. The waitress nodded, smiled, and practically skipped away. We sat in silence for a few seconds before mom and dad went back to eating. I was trying to comprehend what I just said as well. The memory sort of snuck up on me. It went directly from the depths of my subconscious off the tip of my tongue. I scared myself a little, it gave me goosebumps. It also made me think. We moved out of that old house years ago. Maybe someone else will see her standing in the hallway. Maybe they already have seen her. Maybe she was scared of them too. Or maybe the little ghost will go unnoticed, a residual memory in the doorways and floorboards of the Oxford house. - Kate Porter ‘24

- Harrison Dunstan ’24

- Mia Walker ‘25

Never a Limit My heart is beating in my chest I can feel it in my blood The jitters ever-present I can feel it in my bones She tells me to take a deep breath She tells me to distance and distract myself I was never told how far to wander She never set a limit, a period So I'll make it a semicolon After all, I can't go too far if there was never a limit - Rowan Lutz ‘24

- Evelyn Regenhardt ‘27

That Which We’re Not I am not an acronym At a glance familiar, but unprovoking. I will not have my letters omitted To make my name passable. - Drew Tolley ‘24

7 Years Seven years from now Every cell in my body will have changed Everything from my skin to my lungs Seven years from now My atoms won’t remember the touch of yours We’ll be two completely new people Seven years from now Would you still even think of me? After we’ve gone our separate ways There are still days when all I can think about is you You ended things for a good reason But I wasn’t ready I have trouble letting things go The hoards and collections and stuffed animals That inhabit my room can attest to that Seven years from now Will I be rotting and withering in my cave The same person, just new skin Will my bones have turned to ash, Will the broken glass shards pick themselves up But not me It was never me, was it? Nothing could have sculpted me into a girl you loved Seven years from now Can we stay in touch? I miss you My atoms miss yours I miss our youth I miss when teeth were just teeth And skin was just skin 16

Seven years from now We both will have moved on My life will by mine and yours will be yours But seven years from now, When not a single cell left on my body remembers How it felt to be held by you Will it even matter? Will the loose ends be tied into little bows? Will anyone remember us? And did we even want them to? - Anonymous

- Annabelle Baker ’26

Smiling and Nodding I never knew how to put my feelings into words So I’ll just keep smiling and nodding Agreeing and disagreeing But never having an opinion of my own. Forever destined to rely on the words of other people To tell me how I feel - Liv Labrador ‘27

- Sydney Dare ‘25

The Caspian Sea A body of water filled with debris from a tsunami. 3 locals try to clean up, it would take years. They couldn’t even start after the first month of devastation. The world kept spinning, like it always had, people kept doing their normal things. How could they. Hadn’t the seen what happened If they didn’t help in the floods, What makes me think they would now. -Benta Owino ‘25

Journal Entry No.1 I just came home from my grandmother's funeral, and I thought I should try this writing thing I read about; maybe it will help. We used to sit in the living room of her house and talk about when she was a teenager and how everything changed so much when she was young. How there was a shortage of medical supplies and more patients than there were doctors during the rebellion in the late 2080’s. When there was a medical shortage, she told me, a lot of people died. Everyone was always so scared to leave their house because they didn’t want to get hurt and maybe even die because they couldn’t see a doctor. But after the rebellion ended and the many governments of the world took back control, they made health care much more accessible to everyone. My grandma said when she had my mom, it cost so much more than it does now to have a baby in the hospital--well, now the government pays for all of your necessary medical bills. She also used to have to go to school, like actually go with other people 5 days a week!! We only go 3 times a week, but for a longer time during the day. The other two days we’re at home and studying online. I would hate to have to go to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays! I had never heard about grocery stores until Grandma told me about them. They used to go out and get their food from stores before the rebellion started. When the rebellion started, everyone started freaking out thinking that the world was going to end, so they bought out all of the grocery stores. A bunch of people started having to ration the food they already had. But that didn’t last long so people started to die from starvation and severe malnutrition. Now, we send in a paper of meals we want for the month to the government, and then they mail us all of our food for the month, and we don’t have to pay for it either. There used to be a lot of homeless people back then, and people who couldn’t afford good housing. So, the Government started providing housing for everybody, based on how big your family 22

is, you get a different size house; but all of the families of the same size get the exact same amount of space. And to me, this is the most interesting thing grandma told me: There wasn’t one collective government for all of the countries when she was young. England had a king or a queen, and the USA had a president, and a democratic government. In 2093, all of the world leaders came together and made a council to make rules and regulations, and solve a bunch of problems that they had back then. All of the laws are the same all over the world. They made basic rules like don’t steal, murder or hurt each other. Don’t hurt each other. Alright, I have to go spend time with my family now to celebrate grandma. 9/14/2119 - Anonymous

- Mia Walker ‘25

Nothing is Ever as Good as it Seems My test grade, a combination across the dance floor, the weather, my makeup in the morning. It's all too good to be true, if you're lucky enough to live, a true life. The images in my head, magnificently sculpted. perfection, Perfection. I can’t listen to podcasts, or even the radio. Sleeping beauty, no thank u, blue banisters, All that's in my queue. My backpack weighs heavy on the plates of my back, trying to keep up. Trying to be, perfection. -Benta Owino ‘25

- Lizzy Chiochetti ‘27

Leave No Trace we’ve met not long ago your nature is growing I want to walk it, though I cannot guarantee I’ll leave no trace when I leave I’d tread only where you invite me open and close the plank gate as you please but love, make a trail for me - Drew Tolley ‘24

The Succession Myth Zeus’ kingdoms have long reigned over the earth, even so much so as to defeat the only known threat to his hegemony, the Persians. However, his son, Ares, had been brewing a plan to defeat Zeus’ great kingdoms. He had nurtured his children, Romulus and Remus, to build a grand city in the peninsula of Italia, that was west of the peninsula of Hellas, where the great kingdoms sprouted. Ares would nurture and cultivate his society into a warmongering one. He called his new civilization “Senatus Populusque Romanus”. Ares had also made a new script for his empire, known as “Latin.” Zeus did not put any thought into it, as he saw himself as the most powerful ruler, easily able to crush Ares’ rebellion. He also knew the empire of Carthage, just south of Italia, that surely would be able to defeat it. However, Ares proved his worth after crushing the kingdom in three consecutive wars. Ares begun to conquer all the ends of the earth, founding a great dominion spanning from the peninsula of Hispania, to the far off lands near the Bosphorus. Ares’ language began to replace the gods’ script. Ares also began referring to himself as “Mars”, and his kingdom “Imperium Romanum”. Mars even called the great sea that spanned between Italia, Hellas, Carthage, and Egypt his own. Slowly, Zeus’ kingdoms began to fall one by one. During a great battle between Zeus’ and Mars’ forces in the city named Corinth, all of Zeus’ kingdoms had fallen, including Athens, the city dedicated to Zeus’ daughter Athena. Because of this, Zeus had lost all of his power on earth. Ares, in one final act to fully eliminate Zeus from the earth, sent a grand army to Mount Olympus, with the intention of killing him. Athena, one of Zeus’ daughter’s, was deeply disturbed by this, and the fact that the city in her name also had surrendered to Mars, so she tries to conjure an army, and use her knowledge of tactics to try to defeat Mars. She rendezvoused with Mars’ great 28

army at the base of Mount Olympus. Mars’ sheer power in his army, though, led to her utter defeat in Mount Olympus. Zeus was then slain by Mars himself, via his own blade. After Zeus was slain, Mars became the ruler of the world, or the “Imperator”. Mars continued to lead the world for five centuries, with his grand army. Savages from outside raided, and destroyed the glorious empire, leading to the world being ruled by many kings, all claiming to the throne of Mars. - AJ Friedrich ‘27

- Marley Farmer ‘27

Ballerina A body built for bringing boats from shore to shore, tall and sturdy like an aged tree that can no longer change shape. Lithe and fragile like a newly bloomed orchid, created to contort and twist to tell a story. Dainty pink shoes molded to my legs, a beautiful pain loved for centuries. An old tree is not built to blow in the wind or blossom with colors, no matter what it wants to be, it can never be the orchid. - Lillian Babylon ‘26

- Anthony Smith ‘27

To be Both Long hair and painted nails Pink and glitter spread around Dresses and earrings with sparkling gems Purple and silence abound Short hair and dirty nails Blue and mud spread around Pants and no sparkling gems Green and shouts abound Short hair and painted nails Blue and glitter spread around Pants and earrings with sparkling gems Green and silence abound - Rowan Lutz ‘24

To Keep Warm I huddled my body around you A flame in an ocean Trying to be your protection Charring my skin without regret I fought with wind And the towering waves All for your light to shine All for your warmth to be savored Sacrificing my body for you Allowing the wind to cut at me And the water to push and shove All for a flame that burns my skin - Josie Merton ‘24

Act 1 [third scene] something inside of me is falling apart the corners of the page wrinkle and curl through steady warmth or salt water my eyes drift closed on the road and i wonder how sweet the pavement would taste on my gums [the before] god: and are you satisfied now? god: i’ve given you what you asked for [the after] i: could never beperhaps i was born, always searching because her grief echos my hollow bones; because my grief echos hers; [are you still listening?] everyday a new prayer forms on my lips, everyday they stray further from holy. knees bent and aching: let me run away- in sleep or coma let me rest and rest and rest only wake me when i feel loved - Annabelle Sinatra ‘24

- Evelyn Regenhardt ’27 Greek Tragedy You are no Medusa. supposedly righteous protector I will not divert my gaze for you. - Drew Tolley ‘24 36

You they watch you being surrounded by darkness their eyes following the blood sliding on your paled skin knowing they’re the ones who caused this pain but why should they care? you were never religious yet you prayed to God at midnight balling your eyes out due to how lost you felt “please tell me what to do” your tears puddled below you as the moonlight shined quietly into your room it’s 2 a.m. and you’re still huddled on the wooden floor “please tell me what to do” but you still don’t know what to do and no amount of praying will help you with that is it because of your lack of faith? or the fact that your blood stained their hands beyond repair? “please tell me what to do” - Josie Merton ‘24

- Lillian Babylon ‘26

Neptune I feel like Neptune, a beauty too far in the back to be acknowledged, dreams and creativity mask illusion and escapism. I feel like Neptune, from my tears fall diamonds instead of water, my past pains reap the beauty within, an empathy hat breaks out of me like a storm. I want to feel like Venus, a belle that all recognize, I want to feel like Venus, to know that I am beautiful to others. I want to feel like Venus, but I am Neptune. - Lillian Babylon ‘26

i’m glad you’re doing well now there's a new car in your driveway did your sister get her permit? i remember when we used to plan road trips and gush about her driving us places that feels so long ago now i remember she told me that she would drive us each day to school and then back home now i only see you two from across the street leaving your house and getting into the car i have to stop myself from waving at you because i know you wouldn’t wave back i’d be lying if i said i didn't miss you both and i’d be telling the truth if i said that i always hope that you miss me too it’s funny, we live 328 footsteps away (you counted) and now we aren't talking it would be so easy for me to walk over there and ring your doorbell i don’t know what i would say to you yet i’ll work on that. i saw your mom one day, walking your dog have you told her about us yet? we exchanged greetings she asked me about the new school we pretended like everything was normal. probably because we both wished that it was i meant it when i said that i would never not love you somewhere in the back of my mind there’s always you that foggy morning in august was the last time we really talked after three weeks of not hearing from you 40

(the longest i’ve gone without texting you in the past three years) i ran into you at my sisters game we talked like we used to and you laughed and i forgot how much i missed that sound it was strange because it was as if it was all the same again then back to silence you told me how rowing was going and that you’re doing the fall musical you said you’re doing a lot better now i don’t know how that made me feel but i promise i am glad you're doing well now i just don’t know if i’m ready to let go -Liv Labrador ‘27

- Kate Andrews ’26

Morsels I’d starve off vertical smiles as half-met as yours. Lately I’m into horizontal Hala and girls who feed me bread. - Drew Tolley ‘24

Electricity The electricity is not constant It ebbs and flows It's a tide that is not content It never burns, just buzzes The electricity is not dangerous Not like wasps and hornets The electricity is not annoying Not like mosquitoes and flies The electricity is moving Like the waves of a lake The electricity is restless Like a child wanting adventure The electricity is not always running Sometimes it's gone when it's supposed to be here It never has a schedule The electricity can be gone in a blink Sometimes it's gone for days It can be around for hours It's never been around for days The electricity is not constant - Rowan Lutz ‘24

- Anthony Smith ‘27

Loyalty as a Daughter I’ve spent all my life mourning my loyalty when she had been waiting to tell me she hadn’t been born yet - Drew Tolley ‘24

10:17pm Miss born to lose Her passion for what She once sent love letters to Her friends, If they even are, Or were, Her mind’s connection To her body With unbalanced energy Her creativity in her life Art Now just drawing horizontal lines Her family Her connection to her soul That now sits low in Her stomach Ms. Born To Lose - Benta Owino ‘25

The Eyes the eyes are staring at me through shattered glass on the floor an unsettling ocean-blue my heart skips a beat as if a gunshot reverberated throughout the room but only the eyes are here every piece of glass stares back the dull shards irritating my skin there lay the invisible wounds on my body they glow in the dark The Eyes and they protrude me - Josie Merton ‘24

- Liv Labrador ‘27

Alone “you” has 3 letters “us” has 2 but “i” is lonely no other letters to make me more than just “i” - Alix Allison ‘25

- Annabelle Sinatra ‘24

Paradise of Arcadia A Society of Friends has been created for the public good. In the year 4,444 citizens of Arcadia have joined together to create a perfect, harmonious society. Now, citizens of Arcadia have access to free healthcare and education. Not one individual is left to fend for themselves. This is not a world of Darwin’s idea of survival of the fittest. Arcadia is a paradise in which everyone has the same opportunities and not one individual is left behind. Our friends are housed under the same roofs, each with their own fireplaces and fully stocked kitchens. Our “leader”, Archon, has found the solution to issues that have taken over two thousand years to solve. The homeless are now housed under tall roofs with French-style windows and dark mahogany floorings, with adequate basic necessities for survival and general happiness. Our friends have the same house, and each house is the same quail egg blue with southern-like porches that border the home. Archon walks around the lecture stage, ready to answer the next question from the members of the dystopian society, “The Land of the Unforgiving.” “What about medical care, Archon? Will people be awarded access to free care?” the young outsider of the established society questioned. “Yes. From birth, everyone is awarded the best form of medical care. Our hospitals are staffed with the best doctors in the world, each double board certified in their respective fields.” Archon answers, gaining a smile and a nod from the young citizen. 51

“In terms of education…our people have access to all books, however, certain books will be limited for groups of people based on maturity and content of the book. This ensures that everyone will be able to read books when they are mature and can understand their concepts.” Archon opens up the discussion for more questions. An eager hand shot up in the crowd. “What about religion?” the tall, blue-eyed brunette asked. “Everyone will be able to practice what they believe in, but all we ask is that you respect others’ practices. Arcadia is a nation in which we allow our people to practice what they believe in while acknowledging the other practices.” “And food?” “Food is accessible to everyone here. Throughout the city, there are numerous restaurants, food trucks, and snack bars everywhere; each fully staffed. We even have our own compost system that runs in each establishment. All the food that is produced comes from fields and grass-fed animals. All of our dairy products, such as ice cream and yogurts, are plant-based. Like medical care, housing, and religion, food is accessible in all corners of our city. We have baskets of snacks placed around if anyone needs them.” Archon says proudly, waiting for the next question. “And what about the rules? What are your general rules for this nation?” another outside member questioned. “Everyone is allowed independent thought—as long as they respect others values, beliefs, and opinions. Freedom is also promoted to all. Our citizens are treated with respect as long as they show respect to others. Everyone is allowed to think independently as long as they acknowledge others. Our citizens 52

have no fear of the outside world. There may be no violence committed, everyone will be treated equally regardless of their religion or race, the community will make decisions as a whole, and everyone will contribute the same amount of effort to society. Citizens of Arcadia all contribute to the general good of society by helping each other. When we lift one another up, we all rise.” - Anonymous

- Anthony Smith ‘27

Undertow i dreamt that i went down peacefully sinking without kicks or flails in my mind the water in my eyes took the place of everything i needed that you didn't have i won’t be your martyr your patron saint of inconsistency all i am is thoughtful drowning in a sea of my own fluid impressions i am nothing if i am not an undertow - Liv Labrador ‘27

- Joseph Boucher ’27

I’m Always Known to Me I’m always known to me, as knew as I am The history I undertook a life ago No new serpent’s venom can reopen my scars As safe as baby Heracles She senses movement. Beware, Acteon Of the grotto I’ll flee to And the hounds my flight flushes from the bookshelves. -Drew Tolley ‘24

Halloween We walked into an empty cold house where you could hear even a pin drop; we immediately filled the house with noises. Instantly my siblings start howling like a pack of wolves running through the forest green door to the cold ground of our kitchen floor. We were like pirates who had just finished looting and we acted as such screaming, running, and dancing through the house as our captains or better known as our parents walked in after us holding heaps of anything that had caught our eye; such items were then forgotten about as quickly as we saw them and handed off to be held “for just a second mom/dad”. Each tile in the floor was black or white like a huge chess board and each of us simply a piece of a bigger game. Each of us took our position Severin by the doorway to the dDining room Tessa next to him, those two always seemed to have the same exact thoughts as if they shared one brain. Mainer poured his loot next to the dishwasher that steadily produced the noise Dudum, Dudum, Dudum as if it was beating like a heart to our house. Eli, the oldest, took his position of pouring out his loot at the top of the kitchen, the best spot, as if to show that he came first. If my parents were the captains of our crazy crew, Eli was their first mate. All of us siblings followed Eli, believing every word he said was like law. Finally me, the youngest, took position by the entry way the last spot left in the kitchen. The entryway felt miles from everyone like I was alone on my own little island in the massive sea so disconnected from everyone else. Being the youngest of five siblings always felt so isolating because everyone always had their person, Eli and Mariner always off on their own adventures and Tessa and Sevrin always up to their schemes and plots. I slowly poured my bag of candy on the floor watching each piece fall. For the first time this year the whole house was silent aside for some whispered counting twenty four, twenty five, twenty six. Slowly and carefully I counted each piece of candy I had received 58

that night and organized them by category and color. Then after each person had finished counting, chaos. Just like that the peace was broken sibling against sibling it was war, for the first time we did not fight with fists, bites, and scratches we fought with are words for who could get the best deal for trading. Each sibling had a different strategy: would you go out and barter your candy and risk losing your three precious boxes of Milk Duds you had walked for what felt like miles for the illustrious full size candy bar or would you let people come to you and possibly lose all your candy by trading too often? I had decided this year to stay on my little island by the entryway and like the waves my siblings crashed on my shores with offers for trades of candy. My parents observed us like we were creatures in a zoo making their rounds to see each exhibit and collect whatever candy they thought “too dangerous' ' for us. The night seemed to pass far too quickly almost as if it was put into a video and sped up to the end. The que for us to put away our candy was given by my parents who finally said it was time to go to bed. Like a swarm of rabid animals we ran up the stairs, following the four of them was me, because I simply could not keep up with my older siblings legs even though I tried to imagine them shrinking to my size so that I could keep up. Each of us crawled into bed that night content and happy. - Lia Schut ‘26

- Liv Labrador ‘27

Fall… Leaves are falling Changing for the better I used to hate the fall I hated change Now I know, that all change is for the better Fall makes me feel like a different person But I know it's all for the better - Liv Labrador ‘27