Part One: Spring | The Glass Knife 2023

the glass knife

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knife, volum s s e1 la g 3 e

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2023

the glass knife

a rt aծ st

the birth of women

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She grew up The wood longed for her return The green wailed for her daughter Did the green not know her Daughter was her second chance at life

by Karabelo Bowsky ’23

he emerged from the water With no boundaries No clothes No pain Her birth was simple Easy promising The only birth where giggles Echoed through the green Her eyes held naivety Her shoulders held nothing Her thighs held no gaps For why would she need to take up less space Her stomach was full Her face blushed As the earth greeted her

A giggle is heard a little girl found her way to the same water The same green ŊłŀĴŁ ņĶłĿķļŁĺ ĻĸŅ ĹłŅ ŅňŁŁļŁĺ łծ The greens daughter had returned Eyes sunken Lips chapped Smiles long forgotten She scolded the little girl This time for not being cautious Did she not know her daughter Is her second chance at life

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Dear Reader,

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n this thirteenth edition of The Glass Knife, we present the botanical in all its forms. It’s an idea we’ve wanted to showcase for years, but it’s only now that conditions are ideal for this particular volume to take root. In a properly-cultivated botanical garden, there ŀňņŇ ĴĿŊĴŌņ ĵĸ ņłŀĸŇĻļŁĺ ĵĸĴňŇļĹňĿ Ňł ķļņĶłʼnĸŅт չĸŅ ĴĿĿп Ĵ ŃŅłŃĸŅ moonlit vale inspires delight in anyone who wanders through.

However, we hope also to capture the profundity of nature. Ł ĵļłĿłĺŌп ŇĻĸŅĸяņ ŇĻĸ ļķĸĴ łĹ ѐņňĶĶĸņņļłŁтё ʼnĸŁ ĴչĸŅ ŇĻĸ ŇłŇĴĿ ķĸstruction of an area, life returns. Microorganisms rebuild the soil; ŃļłŁĸĸŅ ŃĿĴŁŇņ ŇĴľĸ ŅłłŇ ļŁ ŇĻĸ ŁĸŊ ĺŅłňŁķр ĴչĸŅ ĺĸŁĸŅĴŇļłŁņ łĹ ņĿłŊп quiet growth, trees rise from nothing. Eventually, a forest is born. It’s like forgiveness, maybe, or redemption. It’s unconditional love.

We’ve found that botanics can be impossible to quantify. There’s ņłŀĸŇĻļŁĺ ļŁĸŋŃĿļĶĴĵĿĸ ļŁ ĻłŊ Ĵ ŇĻĸ ʼnĴņŇŁĸņņ łĹ Ĵ ŊļķĸфłŃĸŁ ձĸĿķ ļņ uniquely inspiring, or how a cloudless blue sky can evoke childlike devotion. However, it’s that wild impossibility that we’ve done our best to bring forth. As you journey through The Glass Knife’s garden, watch what begins to bloom.

Sincerely, Samhita Kumar ’23 Literary Editor Adam Akins ’23 Production Editor Brynne Barnard-Bahn ’23 Art Editor Tonye Jack ’23 Sound Editor

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Literary

ŅĸշĸĶŇļłŁņ

łŁĸп яŀ łŁĸ

ĸŇŇļŁĺ ł

Moment of Departure The Magic Fountain VSEPR ĴňĺĻŇĸŅ łĹ ĻłŅŁņ ňŇŇĸŅշŌ

Jagged ŃŅļĶļŇŌ

Ļĸ ĴŌ !łň łłľ ĴŇ ĸ łňŁķĸķ

Indecisive ĸŊф Ŀķ !ĸĴŅ

ŃŃŅĸĶļĴŇļłŁ

ĻĴŇ ĸĸ

Thoughts of Us, excerpt A new genesis every day ĴĿļņľļ ĶŇ

ĿĸŀĸŁŇļŁĸņ

ұҹ ұҺ Ҳұ 11 14 17 Ҳҹ ҳҳ 24 ҳҹ ҳҺ Ҵұ 36 Ҵҹ ҵұ ҵҳ 44 47 Ҷұ Ҷҵ

ňĿļĸŇŇĸ "DzƱļĺĴ Ĵĺĸ ŃŅĴķĿļŁ ļĿĿļĴŀ łĿō Samhita Kumar Navina Singh Brooke Barker ĴĶľņłŁ łŋ ļŅļ ŇĿňŅļ Ishaan Sekhon ŁļľĴ ĴķĺĴňķĴ ŀļĿŌ łłľ łŅķŌŁ Ĵ ĿĴĶĴ Lauren Lu ŀļĿŌ łłľ ĻŅļņŇļĴŁ ŊňŀĹňłĻ ŀĴŁļ łĶĻŅĴŁ Kate Barnes Adam Akins ņĻĴĴŁ ĸľĻłŁ Ĵĺĸ ŃŅĴķĿļŁ

łʼnĸŅс Until the Moss Decidesп ĿĴļŅĸ ĸŀŀĸĿĿ Łņļķĸп ĹŅłŁŇс the birth of women, Karabelo Bowsky Łņļķĸп ĵĴĶľс Golden Gate, Simon Lindenau

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Art

ŃŅļŁĺŇļŀĸ

ļŊļ

łŅŇĴĵĸĿĿĴ

Ļĸ ĴŁķ

ŅĴʼnĸĿ

Ňт Ĵŀĸņ ŁձŅŀĴŅŌ

łłľļŁĺ ňŇ

łĶŇňŅŁĸ ŅĴļŅļĸ

ŅĴŌ łŅĸņŇ

ĴĿĿļŁĺ

ļŃĸ

ŁŇļŇĿĸķ

ĸĴĶłĶľ ļŁ

łňŅķ

łłŅŊĴŌ Ňł ŇĻĸ ҳұŇĻ ĸŁŇňŅŌ Roundabout Greenery I’ve Got A Feeling I’m Falling Splanky Branches ҳұҳұ

ĴŅĸ

ĻĸĿĿņ

ŃĻĸŀĸŅĴ

Lie Down ļłŁĴ

Watchful Eye So What ĹŅłф ňĵĴŁ łĿĿĴĺĸ

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ұҷ ұҹ ұҺ Ҳұ ҲҲ Ҳҷ ҳұ ҳҴ ҳҷ ҳҸ ҳҹ ҳҺ Ҵұ ҴҲ Ҵҳ 33 34 34 35 ҴҸ Ҵҹ ҵұ ҵұ 41 ҵҷ 47 52 ҶҴ

ĴŅĴ ĻļŁ ŅĴĶĸ "ĻĴł ŅŌŁŁĸ ĴŅŁĴŅķф ĴĻŁ ļĿĴ ĸŌŁĸŁ ĻĿłų ļŅĴĻĴŅĴ ŅŌŁŁĸ ĴŅŁĴŅķф ĴĻŁ ĴŅĴ ĻļŁ ļĴ ŅłŊķĸŅ ĴŅĴ ĻļŁ ļĴ ŅłŊķĸŅ ŁķŅĸŊ ĿļĸĺĸŅ ĿĴļŅĸ ĸŀŀĸĿĿ ļŅļ ŇĿňŅļ ĻĴŅ ŅĸĿĴŁķ ŅŌŁŁĸ ĴŅŁĴŅķф ĴĻŁ Samhita Kumar Brynne Barnard-Bahn Brynne Barnard-Bahn Minh Dang ŇĸĿĿĴ . ĴŇĴĿļĸ ĴŅľ ĴļŇĿŌŁ ļĴņ ķĴŀ ľļŁņ Natalie Park ĿĴļŅĸ ĸŀŀĸĿĿ Alex Shuler Brynne Barnard-Bahn ŅŌŁŁĸ ĴŅŁĴŅķф ĴĻŁ

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Sound

12 13 ҵҹ ҶҴ

Springtime ĴŅĴ ĻļŁ яҳҶ Acrylic

Hearts in My TV patience+ łŋļĶļŇŌ

ĸƱłŅ Ŀňĸņ

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Tonye Jack Tonye Jack "ĴŁķĸŅ łŅŁĸĿļňņ Ĵʼnļķ ĸķĸŀ

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Spring “‘Listen to the trees talking in their sleep,’ ņĻĸ ŊĻļņŃĸŅĸķп Ĵņ Ļĸ Ŀļչĸķ ĻĸŅ Ňł ŇĻĸ ĺŅłňŁķт ‘What nice dreams they must have!’ ” — L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

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the glass knife ŅĸշĸĶŇļłŁņ

ĵŌ ňĿļĸŇŇĸ "ňƱƓĺĴ яҳҵ Sink into the mud and Hear frogs croak songs Let your head rest Upon the moss Feel the heart beating a collective drum ĴņŇ ŌłňŅ ŊļņĻĸņ ķĸĸŃ Into the pond Hope reeling out As the day grows long ĴŇĶĻ ŌłňŅ ńňĸŅļĸņ Ĵņ ŇĻĸŌ ņľļŇŇĸŅ łծ The ripples like beetles Flying to join the throng Unwrap the answers ĴņŇ ĴŊĴŌ ĹĴĶĴķĸņ Hold tight to your truth Lest it wriggle from your palms

Kiwi ŅĴĶĸ "ĻĴł яҳҵ ĸŁ Ք łĿłŅĸķ ĸŁĶļĿ

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the glass knife Gone. I’m Gone

by Sage Spradlin ’23 łչĸŁ ŃļĶŇňŅĸ ŀŌņĸĿĹ ķĸĴķт łŇ ĶĴņľĸŇфļŁфĴфĹňŁĸŅĴĿфĻłŀĸ ŇŌŃĸ ķĸĴķп Łł ѴļŇяņ ŀňĶĻ ŀłŅĸ łŅĺĴŁļĶт Ĵŀ ĿŌļŁĺ łŁ Ĵ ĹłŅĸņŇ շłłŅ ņňŅŅłňŁķĸķ ĵŌ ľŁłŇted oaks. I lay on my back, vertebrae pressing into the fragrant earth. I listen to the musings and melodies pass through the sky as the rot begins to crawl up my limbs. A ladybug lands on my cheekbone and soon hurries ĴŊĴŌт ŊĴŇĶĻ ŇĻĸ ņľŌ Ĵņ շĸņĻ ĵĸĴŅņ łŃĸŁ ĹłŅ ĽłŌļņĻ ŊłŅŀņп ŊŅļĺĺĿļŁĺ ļŁ ŇĻĸ ĵłňŁŇŌт łłŁп ņŃŅłňŇņ ŊĻĸŅĸ ĺŅļĸĹ łŁĶĸ ĵĿłłŀĸķт łչ ŀłņņ ĶŅĴķĿĸņ my beaten bones. The sun still passes and so does the moon.

Portabella Brynne Barnard-Bahn ’23 Digital

ĸŁķĸŅĿŌп ŇĻĸ ĸĴŅŇĻ ձŁļņĻĸņ ĻĸŅ ŀĸĴĿт

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the glass knife Letting Go

ĵŌ ļĿĿļĴŀ łĿō яҳҵ

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he days of good cheer have all gone away The laughter and joy that was here, now astray ňŅ ĻĸĴŅŇņ ձĿĿĸķ ŊļŇĻ ĺŅļĸĹ For a love that was brief ĿļĹĸ ŇĻĴŇ ŊĴņ ձĿĿĸķ ŊļŇĻ Ŀłʼnĸп ŁłŊ ķļņŀĴŌĸķт No more will we share in the moments of bliss The time we had together, eternal won't it be missed The sorrow and pain It's a burden we can't sustain A life that was taken, we can only reminisce.

Though life will go on and our hearts will heal The memories of love that we had, we shall never conceal Our hearts forever in mourning For the love we had adorning In memory of the life that will never be real.

The Hand

by Lila Reynen, ’26 Graphite

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Travel ĵŌ ĻĿłų ļŅĴĻĴŅĴ яҳҵ Watercolor

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Moment of Departure

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by Samhita Kumar ’23

e said goodbye at the bus station, and the air was so cold the windows frosted white, crisp and clear and to the bone.

Did you watch me go, until I faded out of sight?

Did you stay at that station, hours and hours until I returned? Until the frost receded in the light?

It rains. You drive me there at midnight, łňŅ ŅĸշĸĶŇļłŁņ ļŁ ŇĻĸ ĴņŃĻĴĿŇ łĹ ŇĻĸ ļŁŇĸŅņŇĴŇĸт Ļĸ ձŅņŇ ķłŊŁŃłňŅ ĴչĸŅ ŇĻĸ ķŅłňĺĻŇп ŇĻĸ ĻļĺĻŊĴŌ oil-and-water slick, and I watch the license plates.

You taught me to say goodbye, and yet, my shadow lengthens. In a moment it will dissipate.

I do not want to go.

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the glass knife Got me up late night, she wanna play and շļŅŇ

by Tonye Jack ’23 But you got my whole heart, put it on a shirt EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING But I hate the distance, I swear it feels яŀ łծ ŊĴľĸ ňŃ ĴŁķ ľŁłŊ ŇĻĸŅĸяņ 峣 the worst be stress today But I guess it works out, I’m irl a jerk I ain’t dealin with this now, I need some other way And I don’t do all I be so stuck up in my that well on my own head yet I can’t conBeen like that a mincentrate ute and it’s breaking Oh wait I’m fallin my dome out!!

When I’m at my limit you be shaking my (wait, hol up, shit, phone eugh) You got me feeling ķļծĸŅĸŁŇ Ok I’m back in! ĴŁяŇ ķĸņĶŅļĵĸ ļŇ Baby hit my phone, like, ahh like “how you been”, Take up my life show some compassion Don’t give a fuck if Don’t wanna be I’m wrong alone, we go together I swear it feels so like a fraction right I know she love my joke, she lol, I get her So I’m sayin never stop, hit me up at laughin night This the best I’ve ever felt, I can die to- Keep me up until the morning, I’ll be night waiting for you

Hearts In My TV

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There’s love up in the air, hearts in my tv I’m trynna make it clear, but I wonder if she see’s me Or even gives a care, about the real me I don’t really mind This the best I’ve ever felt I can die tonight

And that’s true Lost in conversation, we may go until noon Until I see that text “Goodnight” “Ok” “Love u, bye”

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the glass knife patience+

you dont listen, you takin a part of me im still livin, alive? its astonishing

EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING

and im givin it all i got honestly makin songs in my room for my sanity how i feel, you can hear it all sonically in the stars, in the sky, where i want to be

by Tonye Jack ’23

i

been sittin in my room im pretty fucked up so dont approach and dnd until my luck’s up im runnin dry, im ņňŅʼnļʼnļŁ łծ ŀŌ ĿĴņŇ buck oh there it goes in the wind, im a dumb fuck

i need a change of luck life got me breakin up when im alone with my thoughts then its dangerous what do they say to us? “give a little bit of patience, everything will just work out”

my head’s spinnin, i aint even wasted say things will change, give a little bit of patience i’ve been broke, im in need of some maintenance and she hittin my phone, yet she hate me

waitin imma do it by myself with my own hands

you not wit it, so why would you call to me my phone’s hittin, but not hearin audibly

and im hearin em say that “its me and you” ļņ ļŇ ņĸĿձņĻ Ňł ņĴŌ ŇĻĴŇ ļ ŊĴŁŇ ŇĻĴŇ Ňłłы

but i need it right now and im done with the

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the glass knife pull her toward a thick book about the ŅĸĴŇ ŌŅĴŀļķ łĹ ļōĴт Ļĸ ĺŅĴĵĵĸķ ļŇ łծ ŇĻĸ ņĻĸĿĹп ŃĿłŃŃĸķ ķłŊŁ ļŁ Ĵ ĶłōŌ chair, and started reading.

The Magic Fountain ĵŌ ĴʼnļŁĴ ļŁĺĻ яҴұ

1ST PLACE, 2023 LOWER SCHOOL WRITING CONTEST

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One lengthy book-reading later…

ver since Sarina was a little girl, she had always been very athletic and liked running, jumping, climbing, crawling, getting dirty, anything! At the beginning of the year, she had decided that she would win a competition that included all of these things, Folsom’s Annual Four-Mile ObņŇĴĶĿĸ łňŅņĸт Ļĸ ĻĴķ ĵĸĸŁ ņł ĸŋĶļŇĸķт Sadly, she wasn’t anymore. The competition was a month and a half away, and Sarina was sitting on her couch, staring down at the cast and boot covering her right foot, feeling depressed.

She had spent every day for the past four months training for the obstacle course. Four months! And for what?

Only to get into a car accident and break her foot. The worst thing was that she would never be able to run again.

Walk yes, run no. But Sarina couldn’t let ŇĻļņ ĻĴŃŃĸŁт Ļĸ ŊĴņ ĺłļŁĺ Ňł ձĺňŅĸ łňŇ a way to heal her foot.

Sarina decided to take the bus to the library to do some research. When she got there, as she was about to go to the Medicine and Health section, it felt like something was telling her to go to the Geography aisle. As she limped along the aisle, a force seemed to continue to

Sarina nearly lept out of her chair.

“This might actually work!” she thought.

The book mentioned something about a myth that inside the Great Pyramid, there is a magical healing fountain that can cure any illness, disease, or injury.

On one of the pages, there was even a map that supposedly shows how to get there. But the book also warned that no łŁĸ ĻĴņ ĸʼnĸŅ ĵĸĸŁ ĴĵĿĸ Ňł ձŁķ ŇĻĸ ĹłňŁtain. People searching for the fountain wander inside the pyramid for days, get lost, and are trapped forever.

Sarina shuddered. “I know it’s risky, but I’ll take that chance,” she thought.

“I'm going to Egypt!” Sarina whispered to herself. She checked out the book and rode the bus home. As soon as she got to her house, she yanked her suitcase out of the closet and immediately started packing. Łĸ ʼnĸŅŌ ĿłŁĺ շļĺĻŇ ĴŁķ ĶĴĵ Ņļķĸ later…

Sarina paid the driver, thanked her, and stepped out of the car with her belongings. She frowned as she grabbed her crutches out of the cab, remembering what her doctor had said. “You

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the glass knife probably shouldn't be going on a trip in this condition, but if you must, at least bring your crutches.” Luckily, the entrance to the hotel was only a few feet away and easy to get to.

packed her crutches, which, luckily, ŊĸŅĸ ĹłĿķĴĵĿĸ ĴŁķ ĸĴņļĿŌ ձŇ ļŁņļķĸ ĻĸŅ backpack.

Sarina walked through the door and saw a beautiful but busy lobby, someone complaining at the front desk, and a huge, glittering, crystal chandelier hanging high above her head.

“Wow!” Sarina exclaimed. She hobbled to the front desk to get her room access card, then took the elevator to get to շłłŅ ŁňŀĵĸŅ ņļŋп ŊĻĸŅĸ ĻĸŅ ņňļŇĸ ŊĴņт Sarina unlocked the door, revealing a big living room with white walls. In the middle of the room, there was a brown Ķłծĸĸ ŇĴĵĿĸп Ĵ ĵĸļĺĸ ĶłňĶĻп ĴŁķ Ĵ Ļňĺĸ seventy-inch TV. She stepped further inside and saw the door that connected the living room to the bedroom. Sarina brought her suitcase to the bedroom and started unpacking.

Sarina told the front desk that she would be back in a day at the most and ĻĸĴķĸķ łňŇ Ňł ĺĸŇ Ĵ ĶĴĵт չĸŅ Ĵ ŇĻļŅty-minute ride, Sarina carefully walked up the steps to the entrance of the Great ŌŅĴŀļķ łĹ ļōĴт Ļĸ ŃňĿĿĸķ łňŇ ĻĸŅ map. “Let’s do this,” she said, trying to ņłňŁķ ĶłŁձķĸŁŇп ĸʼnĸŁ ŇĻłňĺĻ ņĻĸ ŊĴņ pretty nervous. Sarina stepped inside the pyramid.

Two hours later… ѐ ňŅŁ Ŀĸչп Ŀĸչ ĴĺĴļŁп ŅļĺĻŇп ņŇŅĴļĺĻŇѰ ŊĴļŇп ŊĴņ ŇĻĴŇ Ĵ Ŀĸչы ŅĺĻĻшё ĴŅļŁĴ ŊĴņ starting to worry that she had gotten lost. But she kept following the map.

She was determined to get to that fountain. չĸŅ ĴŁłŇĻĸŅ ŇŊł ĻłňŅņп ĴŅļŁĴ thought she heard the faint sound of rushing water. According to the map, the fountain was just up ahead! Sarina kept walking. The sound was getting louder now. Sarina took a few more steps and came to a sudden stop with her mouth hanging wide open.

չĸŅ Ĵ ĹňĿĿ ŁļĺĻŇяņ ņĿĸĸŃп ĴŅļŁĴ ĺłŇ dressed and went to the cafeteria to ĻĴʼnĸ ĵŅĸĴľĹĴņŇт չĸŅ ĵŅĸĴľĹĴņŇп ņĻĸ went back upstairs to prepare for her trip to the pyramid. In her backpack, she packed a change of clothes, her ŃĻłŁĸп Ĵ շĴņĻĿļĺĻŇп ĸŋŇŅĴ ĵĴŇŇĸŅļĸņп ŇĻŅĸĸ water bottles, some food, extra shoes, There it was at last — The Magic a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and of Fountain! Sarina found it! It had three course, her book with the map on how ķĸĸŃ ĵłŊĿņ ŇĻĴŇ łʼnĸŅշłŊĸķ ŊļŇĻ ŊĴŇĸŅп to get to the Magic Fountain. She also spilling into a larger ground pool. It was

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the glass knife made out of solid gold and had beautiful designs etched onto it.

She took one of her empty water ĵłŇŇĿĸņ łňŇ łĹ ĻĸŅ ĵĴĶľŃĴĶľ ĴŁķ ձĿĿĸķ ļŇ with the water from the fountain. She took a sip. A sharp pain shot through her broken foot. Sarina winced. չĸŅ ŇĻĸ ŃĴļŁ ņňĵņļķĸķп ŇĻĸŅĸ ŊĴņ Ĵ

weird numbness in her foot. ĴŅļŁĴ Ňłłľ łծ ĻĸŅ ĵłłŇп ŅĸʼnĸĴĿļŁĺ ŇĻĸ cast underneath. She poured the healing water over her cast and broke it apart.

She tried running around the fountain.

“Yes!” Sarina was overjoyed. She had healed her foot.

Ňт Ĵŀĸņ ŁձŅŀĴŅŌ Brynne Barnard-Bahn ’23 Acrylic

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VSEPR

by Brooke Barker ’24

L

ĸŊļņп ĸŊļņп ĸŊļņп ĻłŊ ŌłňŅ ņŇŅňĶŇňŅĸ ķļծĸŅĸŁŇļĴŇĸņ Ňł ņł ŀĴŁŌ ľļŁķņ Lewis, Lewis, from dots to lines Lewis, never more than eight The electron pairs repel each other like a chemical suspension łňŁŇļŁĺп Ҳп ҳп Ҵ Arranging the electrons as far apart as the Earth and the Sun Atoms, the way the electron pairs are shared determines the positions of the atoms Atoms, atoms, the positioned atoms are shared between the central and surrounding atoms Atoms, atoms, atoms, it’s its own universe full of cheers The structure of the molecule appears Trigonal bipyramidal

ծ ņŇĴ

Ň

ĴŅ

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the glass knife Daughter of Thorns

by Jackson Fox ’23

A

She stepped outside onto the mossy cobblestone and looked around. The wind whistled as in between each stone cotŇĴĺĸп Ĵ ĹĴŅфłծ ņĸĴŊĴŇĸŅ ņĶĸŁŇ ļŁ ŇĻĸ ĴļŅт The quaint hamlet upon the valley soon would be a mere memory; a story to tell.

Meire took a deep breath, the moist air clearing her nose. It smelled of wood and water, and the deep sea. Meire thought the smell of water and the sea distinctly unalike. One was sweet, the other was saline.

շłŊĸŅс ļŇ ŊĴņ ĴĿĿ ņĻĸ ĸʼnĸŅ ŊĴŁŇed to see. A white one if she could. Or maybe a red one. Any ĶłĿłŅ ŊłňĿķ ņňղĶĸп ŅĸĴĿĿŌт ĸŅ ŀłŇĻĸŅ had told her tales since she was small of a royal garden atop the highest peak of ŇĻĸ ĶĴŃļŇĴĿ ĶļŇŌт ĴĿĿņ ձĿĿĸķ ŊļŇĻ ĶłŅŃņes of battles long ago fought and chamĵĸŅņ ձĿĿĸķ ŊļŇĻ ŅłŇ ĿłŁĺ Ĵĺł ĶĴňĺĻŇт !ĸŇп there was a small place, within all of that blight, where life persisted. Meire needAcross from her was a path, decrepit ĸķ Ňł ņĸĸ ĿļĹĸт չĸŅ ņł ŀňĶĻ ķĸĴŇĻп ņĻĸ and overgrown with grass. She walked needed to see that life still had a place in to it and ascended its slippery smooth this world. stairs. She had studied a map of the kingdom and had deducted that the sewers She took up her mother’s shortsword ŊĸŅĸ ŇĻĸ ĹĴņŇĸņŇ ŊĴŌ Ňł ĴŃļŇĴĿяņ ķĺĸт that she had kept beneath her waist to keep the thieves away. She packed a sack Even though the sewer was still over a ŊļŇĻ Ĵ շĴņľ łĹ ŊĴŇĸŅп Ĵ ĿłĴĹ łĹ ĵŅĸĴķп ĴŁķ hundred paces away, she could already her mother’s wedding ring. It was a pret- smell the foul stench. She had no idea ty thing, that ring. A silver chassis that the things that lay in wait for her, but held a scarlet jewel between four stokes. her nose painted a vague image. She apIt made Meire think of her mother, a proached the sewer gate. She reached tear rolling down her cheek. She squint- out and tugged on the handle only to be ed her eyes hard and held the ring to ŀĸŇ ŊļŇĻ Ĵ ņŇļծ ĽĸŅľт Ļĸ Ŀłłľĸķ ķłŊŁт her chest as if to hold her mother in one heavy, rusted lock held it shut. ձŁĴĿ ŊĴŅŀ ĸŀĵŅĴĶĸ ĵĸĹłŅĸ ņĻĸ ņĸŇ łծ for her journey. She stayed that way for “It’s no use, you know,” a faint voice a while. When she was well and ready, said from her right. She swiveled in an ĸļŅĸ łŃĸŁĸķ ĻĸŅ ĸŌĸņ ĴŁķ ņŇňծĸķ ŇĻĸ instant, dropping her hand to her scabring away in her sack. She walked up to bard. A man, hunched over sat no more the sweetly rotting door and opened it than twenty paces from her. gently. It didn’t matter; the old thing always made a creak when you opened it.

“Are you hard of hearing or some-

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the glass knife thing?” he said, frustrated this time. “The gate’s locked. The lock’s rusted. What more can you do?” Meire just stared at Ļļŀ ŊļŇĻłňŇ ņĴŌļŁĺ Ĵ ŊłŅķт Ļĸ ŀĴŁ Ŀļչĸķ Ļļņ ĻĸĴķ Ňł ĹĴĶĸ ĻĸŅт ļņ ĹĴĶĸ ŊĴņ ĺŅļōōĿĸķт ņĶŅĴĺĺĿŌ ĵŅłŊŁ ĵĸĴŅķ ŊļŇĻ ņŃĸĶľņ of salt hugged his jawline. His nose was short and narrow. Purple discs encircled his eye sockets. He looked at her with an unwavering stare.

that way for several minutes.

The man covered his ears and grimaced. “Always with the sword,” he mumbled. “When will these plague-ridden fools learn?”

ļŇĻ łŁĸ ձŁĴĿ ņŊļŁĺп ĸļŅĸ ņŇŅňĶľ ŇĻĸ lock again and fell to the ground. She heaved on her hands and knees, strugĺĿļŁĺ Ňł ձŁķ ŇĻĸ ĴļŅ Ňł ņĴŇļĴŇĸ ĻĸŅ ĻňŁĺĸŅ “Why don’t you just lie down and die for it. The man snickered to himself. He already?” he asked. “Such is our fate, it ŅłĿĿĸķ Ļļņ ĻĸĴķ ĿĴōļĿŌ Ňł ĹĴĶĸ ĻĸŅт seems.” The man lurched and let out a viłĿĸŁŇ ĶłňĺĻт ĸ ņĴŇ ŇĻĸŅĸ ŊļŇĻ Ļļņ ձņŇ Ňł “Trust me, I’ve tried,” he chided. “That his mouth, choking on disease. He held lock is simply too—” His mouth gaped his side with the other hand to ease the and his eyes widened. The lock lay on cramping that came with the cough. the ground, beside the heaving girl. He sat there, confused. He let out a laugh Meire turned away from him and took through a smile and covered his mouth her sword from its scabbard. She held as if to conceal his joy, for such emotions the hilt in her right hand with the blade could only be met with disappointment ļŁ ĻĸŅ Ŀĸչ ĻĴŁķт Ļĸ ŊłňĿķ Łĸĸķ ĵłŇĻ in a forsaken land such as this one. He hands if she could hope to even put a let out another laugh, and then another. dent in such a substantial piece of iron.

She raised the sword above her head and չĸŅ Ĵ ĹĸŊ ŀłŀĸŁŇņп ŇĻĸ ŀĴŁ ŊĴņ swung. She struck the latch of the lock laughing as if he had completely sucdirectly. There was a painful clanging cumbed to madness. He pushed himsound, but nothing else. The lock re- ņĸĿĹ ňŃ ŊļŇĻ Ĵ ĺŅňŁŇп ձŅņŇ ĺĸŇŇļŁĺ ňŃ Ňł Ĵ mained intact. She struck it again, and ľŁĸĸĿп ĴŁķ ŇĻĸŁ ŃňņĻļŁĺ łծ łĹ Ļļņ ľŁĸĸ again. And again, and again, and again, to a standing position. He began to apthat painful clang ringing in her ears. She proach the girl, his leather and plate arheaved with each wind up to the strike, mor rattling as he took each step. Meire each time preparing a swing with all of ŊĴņ ņŁļոļŁĺ ŁłŊп ĻĸŅ ĵŅĸĴŇĻļŁĺ ŊĸĴľ the might she could muster. She went and shallow. “Girl, stop your weeping fast and hard. Over and over she struck and open your eyes,” he said with a smile. the lock, breathing heavily. She stayed “Look.” She did.

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Looking Out ĴŅĴ ĻļŁ яҳҶ Acrylic

the glass knife

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