The Antlerette Volume 99 Issue 6

The Antlerette Volume 99

April 2025

Issue 6

Was Snow White the Worst Live-Action Yet? Marvin Canaya, Staff The recreation of Disney classics reimagined into live-action movies has been a high discussion topic for the past few years.

From the numerous backlash Disney received from movies like The Little Mermaid and Mulan, people would expect them to finally make a decent movie, but yet Disney has failed us again. The new movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, may have been the most controversial Disney live action movie made even before its release date.

Many fans have problems involving the cast of the movie, like the actor for Snow White, Rachel Zegler, being of Latina descent, and casting Gal Gadot, an Israeli, as the Evil Queen, and the awful CGI effects for the seven dwarfs, from this people believe the movie was already labeled as awful before it reached the big screens. Along with the comments from Rachel Zegler, ridiculing the story of a movie she is casted in, fans began to question Disney’s integrity as they can’t even

cast an actor that respects the art from a highly loved movie.

There may be many underlying problems with the movie, many of which are directed towards its star, Rachel Zegler.

During numerous interviews, Rachel Zegler can be seen “insulting” the overall story of a role she was chosen to play.

Many people fear that Rachel Zegler is trying to ruin or change the overall story of Snow White, as her portrayal seems to be focused on making Snow White more independent and “leader-like.”

Chappell Roan Issues Belen Gutierrez, Staff The 2016 election was a time of mass panic for many people. A majority of people did not want Trump as president, so much so that various celebrities endorsed Hilary Clinton and encouraged Americans to vote blue. This wasn’t enough and Donald Trump was president and only served one term. He was just recently re-elected and this election once again has caused massive panic. Many celebrities did their best to encourage people to vote blue once again because many believed democracy was at stake.

One celebrity in particular that people wanted to speak out against Trump was Chappell Roan. It made sense. She grew up in Missouri as a closeted lesbian and she’s a proud feminist.

She stands for the things Donald Trump is against. People expected her to at least endorse Kamala Harris. However, much to people’s confusion, she stayed silent. More and more people urged her to say something and still nothing was said.

It wasn’t until she reached her breaking point that she went online and made a TikTok yelling about how she doesn’t have to share her political opinions and she spitefully said that she was voting for Kamala Harris.

Many of the things Chappell Roan has complained about are met with backlash, but all of her grievances are valid. The paparazzi should not be harassing her, people should not be stalking her or her family, and she should not have to share her political opinions. She is right to be upset and has the right to speak out against it.

In her recent appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, she once again sparked controversy. Her first controversy was comments she made about her friends that have kids. Roan has said she doesn't want kids because she sees her friends who have children and she says “they’re in hell.” Many people took this personally and claim she’s saying motherhood overall is awful and all these mothers online are hating on her and speaking out against her because she “hates motherhood.”

She did not say that, she’s not saying all mothers are in hell or being a mother is hell. If anything, she’s only saying that her one friend with kids is in hell because she loves her children so much. It's worse that she’s essentially saying that her one specific friend is in hell because she has a kid. She’s only speaking about her friend, which in itself is controversial because no person would want their famous friend to go out on record saying that her child makes her miserable.

Chappell Roan says she doesn’t have many friends because she has trust issues especially now that she’s famous, and that may be true but it could also be because she talks about them in a way that puts them in a negative light publicly even if she doesn’t name them. Not everyone wants to have children and they don’t need to, but to talk about a friend and say that having a child has caused you to live in hell is not a good thing to do to someone who probably confides in Chappell Roan. It makes the friend seem like her child makes her unhappy and no friend wants to be mischaracterized especially so publicly by someone they trust.

Insulting a friend isn’t even the worst thing about this podcast episode. Things always get very tricky when it comes to discussing politics. Everyone has strong opinions, and especially in the media, celebrities have to be careful about what they say. Chappell Roan is very blunt and has no filter at all.

On the Call Her Daddy podcast she says that she hates being asked her political opinions. She very passionately goes on a rant, saying people shouldn’t expect her to share those things and she doesn’t have all the answers. No one ever said she does, and she’s right she shouldn’t be expected or shamed into sharing her political beliefs. No celebrity should have to and if

a person needs a celebrity to tell them who to vote for, then they shouldn’t vote. It's not fair to celebrities to force them to share who they support; however, it is the reality we live in and all people can do is not be part of the problem. When it comes to this recent election, we hit a very grey area.

This past election, many believed Trump winning would put lives on the line and it would be the end of democracy. People are desperate and there are so many uneducated people in this country, so people turn to celebrities to help try and sway influence. Many do because they are a part of the people that Donald Trump doesn’t like, for example women, people of color, and gay people. Chappell Roan fits two out of the three of the descriptions so it's not outlandish to think someone with such a big mouth, who rants with so much passion, would speak out against someone who wants to take away her rights.

People like to point out that no one asked Sabrina Carpenter or Bruno Mars to share their opinions and the reason for this is very simple: they don’t base their entire brand on the backs of political movements. Chappell Roan's look is based on drag queens, she’s openly lesbian, and she speaks out for abortion rights and women’s rights at her concerts. She dressed up as the Statue of Liberty at one of her concerts. Someone like that,

who seems very openly political and educated, is who people expect to speak out. Despite doing the most political activism at her concerts, she says she’s “not political.”

She’s apparently only political when it benefits her image. To some people, Chappell Roan is a revolutionary icon, but she’s so pressed about people wanting her to be part of the movement to try and save democracy that many can’t help but feel severely let down. Instead of trying to be understanding of the influence she holds, she is her usual negative self, complaining about everything, hating her life, and hating her fame. Her life must be so difficult having people love her and being extremely wealthy. If she can’t handle being famous, she should’ve thought of that before she decided to choose singing as a career path, because she’s clearly not happy with her life and there are so many other people who would love to live the life that she is.

She is an incredibly talented artist with a horrible attitude, acting like a political advocate to boost her image, when in reality at the end of the day she’s still just Kayleigh from the Midwest.

How Much Stress Is Too Much?

Colin Metcalf, Staff Senior year and stress: they go together like two peas in a pod.

But have we reached a point where we should start to wonder whether the stress a normal high school student experiences is too much? Senior year is meant to be a countdown to graduation, the final crescendo of our teenage years before we move into adulthood. But in reality, it is plagued with planning, applications, deadlines, pressure, and burnout. As a senior myself, I have noticed, or rather haven’t noticed, just how bad it has gotten.

There are countless sources of stress when it comes to the last year for high schoolers, the most significant of which is planning for the future. In an ever-changing world, having to make critical life decisions at such a young age is incredibly difficult and overwhelming. Between applying to colleges, waiting for decisions, deciding what we want to do as adults, and choosing a relevant major/path, it can feel like a lot to be making so many potentially life-altering decisions all at once.

Not to mention that students must also maintain their grades, figure out their college finances and apply for scholarships and aid, and oftentimes find a way to balance all of this with

extracurriculars and/or a job. It can get fairly intense and paralyzing at times. When paired with the common social pressure to “make senior year count,” it can make it seem like the non-stop pace is just the norm, and make it harder to truly recognize the stress we are under.

One of the toughest parts about senior year stress is how invisible it can become. We joke about being exhausted or pulling all-nighters, but behind the laughs, many students are running on autopilot. Stress has become so normalized amongst students that most people don’t even realize how much it’s really affecting them. It’s not just burnout — it’s adaptation.

Psychologists call this phenomenon General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), a theory developed by Hans Selye. This theory explains how our bodies respond and adapt to extended periods of stress in three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. At first, we feel the alarm, through panic or uneasiness over deadlines and decisions. Then we adapt to this alarm, the resistance, where the stress becomes more manageable, even normal. But we are not meant to stay in that mode forever. Eventually, we hit exhaustion as the pressure catches up to us. Many students are stuck in that middle stage, in a constant, destructive cycle of stress and adaptation.

They learn to withstand the pressure without even realizing

how close they are to complete burnout. In reality, most seniors are overstressed to a dangerous degree. Just because it’s common doesn’t mean it should be ignored.

So what can students do to cope with the stress of senior year?

Well, the first step is always acknowledging the problem itself.

We must be able to see the negative ways the pressure affects us in order to confront it. After that, time management can help, especially with calendars or apps that can keep students on track and help us make plans to tackle our to-dos. Another thing we can do is take breaks and just spend time relaxing.

Taking some time to get away from the stress is one of the best ways to not only improve your mood, but help you take on the stress with a clearer mind when you return to it. Also, regular exercise can be very beneficial to your mental and physical health.

Talking about senior year stress is incredibly important.

Students must recognize their own stress, but the rest of the world, especially teachers, parents, and counselors must also recognize it too and do their part to help. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed in this time of life, but we shouldn’t just tell students to power through and potentially do harm to them before they’ve even left high school. All in all though, the finish line is within reach. Summer is coming, and soon (some of) the stress will be lifted as we start our new lives as adults.

Academic Stress is Ruining Students Michael Coronado, Staff In more recent years, high school students have had to deal with extreme amounts of stress and/or anxiety. Our academic learning system can at times be incredibly overbearing for students as they navigate their way through the teenage years —great amounts of homework, cramming in time to study for tomorrow's test, extracurriculars, etc. Schools are oftentimes the reason so many students today struggle with handling high levels of stress because they expect more than we may handle and completely disregard that at the end of the day, students are just kids.

I myself know firsthand how stressful school has been for my peers and me. Many of us have dedicated countless nights staying up to finish assignments as they pile up in our faces.

However, amongst our generation, it’s become normalized to push ourselves to our utmost limits without a second thought.

But why? We force ourselves into this unhealthy constant from our stress and never leave because if we do, we’ll fall behind. So instead, it becomes a cycle. We push ourselves harder and harder every day to avoid missing deadlines.

For a junior, which is arguably the most difficult year, it seems to only get worse with testing and AP exams nearing in May. Before, depending on what college you were planning on going to, testing could mean in or out since our scores were a heavy weight when it came to acceptance or rejection.

Thankfully, now they are a bit more lenient, but it does not diminish the fact as juniors were expected to complete and study for so much within just one school year.

It would only seem crazy to not mention the ‘perfect’ mindset that’s pushed onto us. The ‘perfect’ student ideal that adults expect from students makes everything feel like a competition and no matter how far ahead you may be, you’re still not in the lead.

We’re supposed to get straight A’s, do extracurriculars, participate in club activities, and more all while enjoying the school year with our friends or family. But try throwing in AP classes with teachers who think their students only have their class into the mix and they’ll maybe see how their expectations damage our mental health. As a junior, maintaining this mindset is more than just stressful and causes me as well as many of my peers bad anxiety because we fear anything other than perfection is wrong. Trying to balance the expectations and perfectionist ideology that’s been pushed onto us has overwhelmed many while even crippling the

performance of some.

During our struggle to keep our performance level on our tests and exams high, we often gain a fear from trying to reach perfection, that being failure. Most students choose to hide this fear because they’d rather protect their own image then show others that they're struggling, but it often inevitably ends in a breakdown or crash. Students try with everything they have when it comes to their academic work and when they reach a point in distress it is likely to reflect on their scores. Their fear of failure runs through their mind and controls them to a point where they no longer feel themselves.

It forces them into isolation when they push their friends and family away for the sake of succeeding in every aspect of their work if it means they wouldn’t fail.

Whether it be juniors or seniors, students have been struggling in recent years so much more now that newer aspects of academia have influenced their ways of completing their work. An epidemic of stress induced anxiety floods so many minds of our high schoolers as they navigate their way through their academics while trying to have a fun and memorable high school experience. Our current system of schooling is harming our students and until they stop their forced ideologies or harsh expectations, the youth will only get worse.

Life Finds a Way… Sort Of Azriel Ezra Hu, Copy Editor Extinction: the death of a population of organisms caused by the death of its last member. Except, recently, we’ve seen the first animal become de-extinct - the dire wolf.

On October 1, 2024, the first two male dire wolves were born due to the efforts of a Dallas-based research company called Colossal Biosciences, known for their ambitious goals of reviving the woolly mammoth, the dodo, and the Tasmanian tiger. On January 30, 2025, the first female pup was born. All three pups, though, aren’t the true dire wolves that lived over ten thousand years ago. Instead, the genome of a gray wolf was edited using CRISPR (a genetic engineering technique used to edit genomes), and some gray wolf gene variants were replaced with dire wolf traits found from DNA extracted from fossils. Then, these cells were cloned, and eventually Colossal developed them into embryos. These embryos were then transferred to large, mixed-breed domestic hounds, and the ones that survived resulted in the dire wolf puppies that now live on a constantly monitored 2,000-acre site certified with the American Humane Association and registered with the US Department of Agriculture.

But their new existence raises many questions. The first is the dire wolves’ place in the ecosystem. It’s clear that the revived dire wolves will never be what their ancient predecessors were (a topic much debated by the scientific community currently).

Their eventual, possible release into the wild is uncertain healthy populations of extant species of wolves are already the center of a conflict between conservationist groups and others such as ranchers, whose livelihoods the wolves threaten. Any ecological niche filled by the dire wolf has since been filled by their descendants. Whether or not the new pups will have a role to play in the ecosystem and whether or not they’ll be released or kept in captivity remains to be seen.

But the larger question concerns the ethics of cloning. In matters regarding the conservation of endangered animals, cloning could be the answer. Colossal has also produced two litters of red wolves, the most critically endangered wolf species, using a less invasive technique developed during the dire wolf research. Kurt, the first Przewalski’s horse clone, was born in August of 2020 and has been living in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park since May 2021. It seems evident that, through human intervention and with time, entire species can be brought back from the brink of extinction.

However, the real concern is what cloning can mean for humans. The ethics of any kind of biological editing performed on humans are murky. CRISPR, despite being highly significant in biotechnology and medicine, is extremely controversial, especially taking into account the famous CRISPR babies. Biophysicist He Jiankui was imprisoned for three years after his secret use of CRISPR to alter the DNA of human embryos and implant them into women, resulting in three births. The consequences of his actions are still unknown, and how the CRISPR babies will be affected later in life remains unknown.

Looking towards the future, it’s clear that further experimentation can lead to disastrous consequences. In the movie No Time to Die, part of the Craig James Bond sequence, Project Heracles was a nanoweapon with the ability to spread through the global population undetected, designed to target an individual’s DNA and kill them. With modification, it could have become a weapon of mass destruction capable of killing particular individuals (possibly leading to a catastrophic fall-out if people in power were killed) and entire ethnic groups (also possibly leading to a catastrophic fall-out of Holocaust-sized proportions). Without proper legislation in place to regulate cloning and genome-editing, it’s entirely possible that something fictional like Project Heracles could

become a real threat.

But right now, what we have are dire wolf pups. Like their fate, the fate of cloning remains uncertain. For now, we can only hope for the best for the future and celebrate this scientific miracle.

What’s The Big Deal About Mussels?

Adrian Bayardo, Editor-in-Chief There are over 3,000 lakes in California, each one home to thousands of organisms that help the ecosystem thrive.

Recently, an invasive species of mussel, the Golden Mussel, has posed a threat to the ecosystems of local lakes like Folsom Lake.

What even is a mussel? A mussel is a type of mollusk that lives in a shell. These creatures can be found in either salt or fresh water depending on the type of mussel. At first glance, mussels look more like rocks than they do animals. Although these creatures appear to sit around and do nothing, they have a great impact on the balance of the ecosystems they inhabit.

In the case of the Golden Mussel, native to China and other areas of Southeast Asia, they eat the zooplankton in the waters they live in. Since they are an invasive species not native to North America, these creatures have no natural predators in Northern California waters. As a result, Golden Mussels being introduced into Northern California lakes has resulted in a great imbalance in our local ecosystems.

When the Golden Mussels eat all the zooplankton, there isn’t any left for the fish and other organisms that need to eat zooplankton in order to survive. This causes fish populations in lakes to dwindle, which disrupts the lives of the creatures that eat the fish as well as the people who catch fish in these lakes Golden Mussels were first discovered in North America in October 2024, and thankfully local wildlife officials have taken swift action to try and minimize the damage these mussels could have on our lakes.

How do you combat an invasive species of mussel? Boats. As of April 14th, all boats going into the lake must pass an inspection and undergo a period of quarantine. This new rule has made many boat owners angry. Although this inspection and quarantine process may seem tedious and unnecessary, it is actually the boat owners who will benefit the most from this new policy.

Golden Mussels attach themselves to the hulls of boats, which can cause severe boat damage and be incredibly costly to boat owners. There is yet to be a full-blown invasion of Golden Mussels, but it’s better to take preventative measures before the problem becomes too severe to fix.

A Growing Concern Kina Her, Content Editor Neon color fish have captivated aquarium enthusiasts and casual observers alike with their vibrant hues and lively swimming patterns. However, these stunning creatures are not just a beauty trend; they are also susceptible to various dangers and damages that can threaten their well-being and survival. Exploring the factors affecting neon fish and emphasizes the importance of responsible care and conservation. One of the primary dangers faced by neon color fish is environmental degradation. Habitat loss due to pollution, urbanization, and climate change directly impacts their natural ecosystems. Freshwater bodies, where many neon fish species thrive, often suffer from reduced water quality, leading to adverse effects on fish populations. Increased sedimentation, nutrient runoff, and toxic chemicals can hinder their ability to reproduce and survive.

Neon fish, particularly popular species such as the Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon innesi), are often harvested from their natural habitats for the aquarium trade. Overfishing poses a significant threat to wild populations, especially when done irresponsibly. Unsustainable fishing practices can lead to

population declines and disrupt the ecological balance of freshwater environments. As demand for these luminous pets grows, it becomes crucial for consumers to choose ethically sourced fish to mitigate these impacts. Many fish available in the pet trade have undergone genetic manipulation or hybridization to enhance their colors, resulting in varieties that may not exist in the wild. While this can create visually stunning fish, such practices raise ethical concerns and potential health issues. Genetically altered fish may experience complications that affect their vitality, behavior, and adaptability to changing environments. Additionally, hybrid species could potentially outcompete native species, disrupting local ecosystems.

Once introduced to the aquarium environment, neon-colored fish can suffer if not provided with proper care. Common issues include poor water quality, inadequate tank size, and inappropriate tank mates. Stress from overcrowding or aggression from other fish can lead to illnesses and reduced lifespans. It's vital for aquarists to educate themselves on the specific needs of neon fish, ensuring they maintain optimal water conditions and provide enriching environments that mimic their natural habitats. Neon fish, being tropical species, are vulnerable to various diseases, some of which can spread rapidly in the confined spaces of aquariums. Diseases like ich

(Ichthyophthirius multifiliis) and velvet (Oodinium) can devastate fish populations if not promptly addressed. Regular monitoring and preventive care, including maintaining clean tanks and providing a balanced diet, are essential to minimize the risk of outbreaks.

The vibrant allure of neon color fish draws many into the world of aquatic pets, but it's crucial to recognize the various dangers they face. From environmental threats and overfishing to inadequate care and disease risks, the challenges are significant. By promoting sustainable practices, responsible sourcing, and appropriate care, we can help protect these colorful creatures and ensure they continue to thrive both in the wild and in our homes. Awareness and education are key to safeguarding the vibrant future of neon color fish and the ecosystems they inhabit.

I Hate Fish Maya Buqeileh, Design Editor For most of my life, I just couldn’t understand how people would like the disgusting creature called a fish. The random movements, scaly surface, and all the terrible colors just come together to form a fish.

This fear can be traced back to an elementary school field trip to a marine reserve. This wasn’t an uncommon trip for my school in the bay, but everything about it made me extremely uncomfortable. As soon as we arrived, we were tasked with the job of saving a fish from a giant net. There were tons of fish, enough for all of us to pick one up and walk it back over to a cage. Putting a fish in my hands was a huge mistake. Without second thought, I screamed and dropped the small silver fish in the gravel beneath me. It didn’t stop there. The entire marine reserve was interactive. The guides had us pet fish and even touch a baby whale shark. I was completely terrified and used any excuse not to touch anything.

This fear grew with me as I was exposed to more types of fish, especially deep sea fish. I learned about barracudas, blobfish, anglerfish, fangtooth fish with tons of teeth, and the

sheephead fish with human-like teeth. Each discovery made me more and more disgusted. Even my favorite foods like salmon and halibut have eyes that send chills down my spine when I see them alive.

It wasn’t until recently that I fully understood where the fear originated. It includes the disgusting appearance of fish, but that’s not the important part. It’s the random and sudden movements when they are flopping out of water or dashing through the ocean. I hate everything about the way they move.

Some have asked me about visiting aquariums, and I do enjoy it. Seeing the fish behind thick enough glass for nothing to ever crack it is enjoyable, though some fish are still horrible to look at. I can handle looking at and studying fish, but as soon as it comes to where I am within five feet of a live fish with no secure barrier between us, I will not hesitate to run. Eating fish is entirely different too. Sushi is one of my all time favorite foods, when the fish is all chopped up with no scales and not moving at all. There is nothing to fear with sushi.

I’m sure this hate of fish will live on with me for the rest of my life, preventing me from ever going fishing or becoming a marine biologist. To all my friends who continue to frequently send me videos of fish flopping around while people try to hold them, I hope you can understand where I am coming from and realize how absolutely terrible they really are.

The Minecraft Movie Craze Lana Holbrook, Staff The Minecraft Movie, released April 4th, 2025, stars Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and other reputable stars and since its release has garnered many laughs and created many memes.

Additionally, theater floors have an extra mess for workers to clean up…

Many viewers are purchasing their snacks, drinks, and popcorn, per usual, but what isn’t usual is their behavior regarding a certain scene in the movie. The “chicken jockey” scene causes an eruption of cheers, laughter, and popcorn from their buckets. Not only are people wasting their money they used to purchase these snacks, but they are also creating a greater inconvenience for the people who have to clean up the theaters. There have even been some cases where people were warned they were being too loud and got kicked out, the movie being turned off.

While it is just a movie, it is also representative of a larger symbol of greed and selfishness present in today’s young people. Their blatant disregard for the people who have to

clean up their mess is unacceptable and must be ratified in order for the current generation of young people to be taken seriously. This is just more ammunition for older generations to make fun of the young.

Ethen’s Movie Review Special Ethen Rico Villa, Staff Good evening, good afternoon, and good night. My name is Ethen Rico Villa and today I will be reviewing one of my personal favorite movies from the Dragon Ball franchise, sadly not canon but still a good movie: “Dragon Ball Z The Tree of Might.”

This movie came out March 17th, 1998, and was considered to be a change-up for the franchise due to the main character having a doppelganger as the main villain. This was something new for the franchise; having the villain share the same face as the main character was amazing. It was kind of a look into what could have happened if Goku, the main hero, would have stuck into his old roots and didn’t go good. And the design of the villain is simple but yet very good, the armor looks so good and the added scouter on the face is just cool.

So as a short summary of the movie is that the main villain is trying to find a planet suitable for his tree, the tree of might that gives amazing strength to whoever eats the fruit. Turles, the villain of the movie, wants that great power for himself. So he comes to earth and tries to plant the tree, but Goku the hero of the movie saves the world by defeating Turles and \

stopping the tree of might from growing. He stops Turles by stopping his gang/group of minions called the Turles Crusher Corps, then finding Turles himself before he plants the tree and before he hurts Goku's son.

I would say if you're a fan of Dragon Ball and if you’ve not seen this movie yet, then give it a shot and see how you like it.

I would give it 8/10, I will admit yet it is a still very good score.

There are some bits of the movie where it doesn't make complete sense in a way, but still a good movie. So that is my movie review, and as always have a good afternoon, good evening and good night.

Short Story Mikela Laurenzi, Content Editor As she sits on the edge of her bed, she looks at the clock on her phone, 7:42 AM. Alexia forces herself out of bed pondering on how she used to wake up with him on the other line but as soon as she washes her face, so do the memories for the moment. “Breakfast is ready!” her mother yells from down stairs.“Coming.” As she walks down the steps and passes all the places in her house they used to be, she immediately feels more tired than when she first woke up.

“How are you feeling today? You look more tired than usual,” her mother states. Alexia immediately tells her she’s fine and just didn’t get much sleep through the night. Looking down at the food her mother prepared for her this morning, she feels ill, almost as if she had been on a ten hour road trip with car sickness. She pushes her food to the side and tells her mom she is not hungry and needs to get to school anyways. She gives her a hug, tells her she loves her, and leaves.

On her drive there, she sits in silence and stares at the road with no emotion. When she arrives and parks she finally comes back to reality, she has to see him again today. Each day

feels longer than the last and each moment in class with him feels like six hours, not one. She takes one last look in the mirror before she gets out and she can see the bags under her eyes that are pigmented with black and the puffiness of her eyelids from crying the night prior.

“Hey! Are you okay?” her friend Olivia says.

“Hey, yes I'm just really tired. You know it is really early.”

They both let out a tiny laugh and walk into campus. As she walks to the first period, she sees him from what feels like a mile away. They eventually get closer and closer until they are walking down the same hallway, inches apart. As they pass each other, their eyes meet and she can see the brightness coming from his face, the smile he has is truly…happy? How? How is he okay after only a week? She takes her seat in class.

Gravestone (Short Story) Jorden Dykes, Staff I wake from restless sleep to the sound of my own scream. I have the same dream every night. Salt fills my nostrils and burns my eyes as I fight to keep my head above the merciless waves. I feel something cling to my ankle and pull me under.

I kick and try to not scream. I look down, sight slightly blurry, to find my little sister, Rena, is the one who cannot seem to let go. I choke on a sob as I see her beautiful and lifeless blue eyes, the same as my father’s. She pulls me deeper chanting, “It’s all your fault”. I shake my head, tears stinging my eyes.

Her fingernails dig into my calf now, so hard I'm sure there will be bruises. “IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT” and she drags my fighting body down into the black abyss with her.

I shudder and pull my blanket tighter around myself. I look over to my left at the small bed in the corner, now untouched and unoccupied. The sister that was once full of life is very different from the one that haunts my nightmares. I wish to remember her as she was in life, not how she impacted me after death.

Guilt and anger fills my heart as I reminisce on her death.

We were walking through the woods and into town when we heard the screams. I scooped her up, looking for danger, to find Destroyers hundling together and encircling a family with scarlet veins climbing up their arms and necks. The infection. The Destroyers ignored their pleas and slit their throats.

I looked away and tucked Rena’s head into my shoulder and told her to cover her ears. More screams erupted and I scanned the edge of town to find a group of people fighting against the Destroyers, trying to overpower them. They were getting close.

Too close.

I held on tight to Rena and ran back into the woods. I ignored the footsteps behind me and forced my legs to go faster. But it seems even the most innocent cannot escape death. I felt someone yank on my black braid, sending me flying back onto the forest ground. Ringing filled my ears and metal burned my tongue as I tried to shield Rena from the Destroyer.

Blood red veins coated my baby sister's viens as she wailed in terror. I would not let her go. But as a 12 year old, I was not as strong as the King’s Chief Destroyer. Rena was ripped from my arms as I kicked and screamed but that did nothing to help. I was still dizzy from the fall and weak from exhaustion. Tears streamed down our faces as we were ripped apart from each other. “Please,” I begged. “She is only a child.”\“She is infected” The Chief spit out and carried a punching Rena away from me. I tried to lunge for him but a tingling sensation in the back of my head stopped all movement and I passed out.